Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-09-02
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(RoeER1 LOUIS STEVENSON, AS
PART VT.
CAPTAIN SILVER.
CHAPTER XVIII.
IN THE ENEMY's CAMP.

IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP.
The red glare of the torch, lighting
up the interior of the block-house,
showed me the worst of my apprehen-
sions realized. The pirates were in pos
session of the house and stores; there
was a cask of cognac, there were the
pork and bread, as before; and, what
tenfold increased my horror, not a sign
of any prisoner. could only judge
that all had persisted, and my heart
s1note me sorely that I had not been
/. there to perish with them.
There We're six of the buccaneers, all
told; not another man was left alive.
Five Of them We're on their feet, flushed
and swollen, suddenly called out of the
first sleep of drunkenness. The sixth
had only risen upon his elbow; he was
deadly pale, and the blood-stained
bandagc round his head told that he
had recently been wounded, and still
more recently dressed. remembered
the man who had been shot and had run
back among the woods in the great at
tack, and doubted not that this was he.
.r- The parrot sat, preening her plumage,
on Long Johns shoulder. He himself
I thought, looked somewhat paler and
more stern than I was used to. He
still wore his fine broadcloth suit in
which he had fulfilled his mission, but
it was bitterly the worse for wear,
daubed with clay and torn with the
sharp briars of the wood.
$50, said he, there's Jim Hawkins.
shiver my timbers! dropped in, like,
Ell? Well, come, take that friendly
- And thereupon he sat down across
the brandy-cask, and began to fill a
pipe.
"Give me the loan of link, Dick,
said he; and then, when he had good
light, "that'll do, lad" he added, stick
the glim in the wood heap; and you,
gentlemen, bring yourselves to!-you
needn't stand up for Hawkins; he'll
excuse you, you may lay to that. And
so, Jim"-stopping the tobacco-"here
you are, and quite pleasant surprise
for poor old John Isee you were smart
when first I set my eyes on you; but
do"
To all this, as may be well supposed,
made no answer. They had set me
with my back against the wall; and
stood there. looking Silver in the face,
pluckily enough, hope, to all outward
appearance, but with black despair in
my heart.
Silver took a Whit or two Of his pipe
with great composure, and then ran on
again.
"Now. you see, Jim, so be as you are
here" says he, 'Ill give you piece of
my mind. I've always liked you, have,
for lad of spirit, and the picter of my
own self when was young and hand
some. Railways wanted you to jine and
take your share. and die a gentleman,
! and now, my C ock. you've got to. Cap'n
Smollett's fine seaman, as I'll own up
to any day, but stiff on discipline.
j. 'Dooty is dooty,' says he, and right he
Is. Just you keep clear Of the cap'n.
The doctor himself is gone dead again
you-'ungrateful scamp was what he
asaid and the short and the long of the
whole story is about here; you can't 60
back to your own lot, for they won't
have you; and, without you start third
ships company all by yourself, which
might be lonely, you'll have to jine with
Cap'n Silver." .s.
So far so good My friends, then,
were still alive, and though partly be-
lieved the truth of Silver's statement,
that the cabin party were incensed at
me for my desertion, was more re-
lieved than distressed by what I heard.
81 don't say nothing as to your be-
ing in our hands," continued Silver,
"though there you are, and you may lay
to it. I'm all for argument; never
seen good come out o threatening. II
you like the service, well, you'll jine;
, and if you don't, Jim, you're free to
answer no-free and welcome, ship
mate; and if fairer can be said by NOR
tai seaman, SILVER my sides!"
Gam I to answer, then ?" asked, with
very tremulous voice. Through all
this sneering talk, I was made to feel
the threat of death that overhung me,
and my cheeks burned and my heart
beat painfully in my breast.
"Lad," said Silver, mo ones a-press-
ing of you. Take your bearings. None
of us won't hurry you, mate; time goes
so pleasant in your company, you see.''
WELL" says I, growing bit bolder
"if I'm to choose, 1 declare have right
to know what's what, and why you're
here. and where my friends are"
"Wot's wot ?" repeated one of the buc-
cancers, in deep growl. "Ah. he'd be
lucky one as knowed that!"
y, you'll perhaps batten down your
matches till you're spoke, my friend
cried Silver, truculently, to this speak
er. Yesterday morning, Mr.. Haw-
kins," said he, 'in the dog-watch, down
came DR.. Livesey with flag of truce.
Says he: 'Cap'n Silver, you're sold out.
Ships gone!' Well, maybe we'd been
taking a glass, and song to help it
round. I won't say no. Leastways
none of us had looked out. We looked
out, and, by thunder! the old ship
was gone. never seen pack O. fools
look fisher; and you may lay to that,
if tells you that looked the fishiest.
WELL says the doctor, let's bargain
We bargained, him and I, and here we
are; stores, brandy, block-house, the
fre-wood you was thoughtful enough
to cut, and, in manner of speaking,
the whole blessed boat, from cross-trees
to keelson: AS for them, they've
tramped; don't know where's they
are"
He drew again quietly at his pipe.
"And lest you should take it into
that head of yours" he went on, ''that