Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1898-09-01

the lower spurs, soon turned the cor
ner of that hill, and not long after
waded to the mid-calf across the water
course.
This brought me near to where en-
countered Ben Gum. the maroon, andI
walked more circumspectly, keeping
an eye on every side. The dusk had
come nigh hand completely, and, as 1
opened out the cleft between the two
peaks, I became aware of a waver-
ing glow against the sky, where, as
judged, the man of the island was cook
ing his supper before a roaring fire.
And yet I wondered, in my heart, that
he should show himself so careless.
For if I could see this radiance. might
it not reach the eye of Silver himself
where he camped upon the shore
among the marshes?
Gradually the night fell blacller; it
was all I could do to guide my
self even roughly toward my des-
tination; the double hill behind me
and the Spy-glass on my right
hand doomed faint and fainter;
the stars were few and pale; and in
the low ground where 1 wandered L
kept tripping among the bushes and
| rolling into sandy pits.
about me. looked up; pale glim-
1ner of moonbeams had alighted on the
summit of the Spy-glass, and soon aft
er l saw something broad and silvery
| moving low down behind the trees,
and knew the moon had risen.
With this to help me passed rapid
ly over what remained to me of my
| journey; and. sometimes walking,
sometimes running, impatiently drew
| near to the stockade. Yet. as began
| to thread the grove that lies before it,
I was not so thoughtless but that l
! Stacked my pace and went trifie war
i,.y. It would have been poor end to
nly adventures to get shot down by
| 1ny own party in mistake.
The moon was climbing higher and
| higher; its light began to fall here and
| there in masses through the more
| open districts of the wood, and right in
! front of me a glow of different color
| appeared among the trees. It was red
and hot, and now and again it was a
little darkened-as it were the embers
| of bonfire smoldering.
| For the life of me I could not think
what it might be.
| AT last came right down upon the
borders of the clearing. The western
end was already stepped in moonshine;
the rest, and the block-house itself, still
| lay i'll a black shadow, checkered with
long silvery streaks Of light. On the 9TH
| er side of the house an immense fire had
burned itself into clear embers, and
shed a steady, red reverberation, con-
| trasted strongly with the mellow pale
| ness of the moon. There was not a
| noises of the breeze.
I stopped, with much wonder in my
| heart, and perhaps little terror also.
1t had not been our way to build great
| fires; we were. indeed, by the cap
tain's orders, somewhat niggardly of
| firewood; and I began to fear that
something had gone wrong while
was absent.
stole round by the eastern end,
keeping close in shadow, and at a con-
venient place where the darkness was
thickest, crossed the palisade.
To make assurance surer, got upon
my hands and knees, and crawled, with
out word, toward the corner Of the
house. AS I drew nearer, my heart
was suddenly and greatly Hghtened.
It was not a pleasant noise in itself,
and 1 had often complained of it at
other times, but just then it was like
music to hear my friends snoring to-
gether sc loud and peaceful in their
sleep. The sea-cry of the watch. that
beautiful ''All's WE'LL" never fell more
reassuringly on my ear.
In the mea ntime, there was no doubt
of one thing; they kept an infamous
bad watch. IF it had been Silver and his
lads that were now creeping in on them,
not a soul would have seen daybreak.
That was what it was, thought I, to
have the captain wounded; and again
I blamed myself sharply for leaving
them in that danger with so few to
mount guard.
By this time had got to the door and
stood up. All was dark within, so that
I could distinguish nothing by the eye.
As for sounds, there was the steady
drone of the snorers, and a small occa-
sional noise, a Pickering or pecking that
could in no way account for.
With my arms before me I walked
steadily in. I should lie down in my
own place Il thought, with a silent
chuckle) and enjoy their faces when
they found me in the morning. My
foot struck something yielding was
a sleeper's leg; and he turned and
groaned, but without awaking.
And then. all of sudden, a shri1l
voice broke forth out of the darkness:
'Pieces of eight! pieces of eight!
pieces of eight! pieces Of eight pieces
Of eighth" and so forth, without pause
or change. like the clacking of tiny
mill.
Silver's green parrot, Capt. Flint II
was She whom had heard pecking at a