The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-06-25
At length rhoasht might return
toward the stockAde. ] was pretty far

and rising from among low bushes. an
isolated rock pretty high, and peculiar
ly white In color. 1t occurred 10 me
that this might be the white rock of
which Ben Gum had spoken, and that
some day or other . boat might be
wanted, and / should know where 10
look for one.
Then skfrted among the woods until
I had regained the rear, or shoreward
side, Of the stockade, and was soon
warmly welcomed by the faithful
party.
had soon told my story, and began
10 look about me. The Lighthouse was
made of unsquared trunks of pine
roof, walls and floor. The latter stood
In several places as much az a foot or
foot and half above the surface of the
sand. There was a porch at the door.
and under this porch the little spring
welled up into an artificial basin OF .
rather odd kdnd-no other than a great
ships kettle Of iron, with the bottom
knocked out. and sunk Ito her bear
ings," as the captain said, among the
sand.
Little had been left beside the frame
work of the house; but In one corner
there was a stone slab laid down by
way of hearth, and an old rusty iron
basket TO contain the fire.
The slopes Of the knoll and all the
inside of the stockade had been cleared
of timber 10 build the house. and we
could see by the stumps what q fine
and lofty grove had been destroyed.
Most Of the soil had been washed
away or buried In drift after the re-
moval of the trees; only where the
streamlet ran down from the kettle
thick bed Of moss and some ferns and
little creeping bushes were still green
among the sand. Very close around the
stockade-too close for defense, they
said-the wood still fourished high and
dense, all OF fir on the land side, but
toward the sea with large admixture
of live oaks.
The cold evening breeze, of which
have spoken, whistled through every
chink OF the rude building, and
sprinkled the floor with a continual
rain Of fine sand. There was sand In
suppers, sand dancing In the spring al
the bottom Of the kettle, for all the
world like porridge beginning 10 boil.
Our chimney was a square hole In the
roof; IL was but little part OF the
smoke that found its way out, and the
rest eddied about the house, and kept
us coughing and piping the eye.
Add to this that Gray, the new man,
had his face tied up in bandage for
cut he had got in breaking away from
the mutineers; and that poor old Tom
Redruth. still unburied, lay along the
wall, stiff and stark, under the Union
Jack.
II we had been allowed TO sit idle,
we should all have fallen In the blues,
but Capt. Smollett was never the man
for that. All hands were called up be-
fore him, and he divided us into
watches. The doctor. and Gray, and ],
for one; the squire. Hunter. and Joyce
upon the other. Tired as we all were,
two were sent out for firewood; two
more were sent TO dig grave for Red
ruth; the doctor was named cook; /
was put sentry at the door; and the
captain himself went from one 20 an
other, keeping up our spirits and lend
ing hand wherever IL was wanted.
From time TO time the doctor came
to the door for little afr and TO rest
his eyes, which were ALMOST smoked out
of his head; and whenever he did so, he
had a word for me.
THAT man Smollett," he said once,
ais a better man than am. And when
1 say that IL means a deal, jim"
Another time he came and was silent
for awhile. Then he put his head on
one side. and looked at me.
IFS this Ben Gum q man? ?" he asked.
ct do not know. sir" said !. IL am
not very sure whether he's sane"
eff there's any doubt about the mat
ter, he is" returned the doctor. "A man
who has been three years biting his
nails on desert island, Jim, can't ex-
pect TO appear as sane as you or me. II
doesn't lie in human nature. Was IT
cheese you said he had fancy forY'
Eyes, sir. cheese" answered
"Well, JIM" snys he. "just see the
good that comes Of being dainty In
your food. You've seen my snuff-box.
haven't your And you never saw me
take snuff; the reason being that In
my snuff-box carry piece OF Parme-
san cheese--a cheese made In Italy, very
nutritious. Well. that's for Ben Gunnl"
Before supper was eaten we buried
old Tom In the sand, and stood round
him for awhile bareheaded In the
breeze. A good deal of firewood had
been got In. but not enough for the cap
tain's fancy. and he shook his head over
II, and told US we must get back 10 this
tomorrow rather llvelier." Then, when
we had eaten our pork. and each had n
good stiff glass OF brandy grog, the
three chiefs got together In q corner
TO discuss our prospects.
It appears they were at their Wits
end what to do. the stores being so low
that we must have been starved into
surrender long before help came. But
our best hone IL was decided. was to