Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-22


chests Of treasure in the afterhold.
Now, this is something like" chuckled
the red bearded one snatching UP the bauble
and examining it greedily. ITS a brave
lad. All will be well with you Fear moth
ing. Bear me company to the shore. Why
could you not have mentioned this matter
first and left the other tale for idle hours
My merry comrades will brisk UP their ears
nightly when they find that their captain
brings them reward, even though misfor-
tunes. Lively, boy; play me no tricks. Try
but to dodge away, and-tremble not You
will find me as gentle as a fond father II
your own duty is performed with good
grace"
So saying in curlously alternating accents
OF harshness and forced geniality, the new
conner started away at a lively speed, half
pushing, half dragging the boy along with
him. They soon reached the same cove
which had received Ronald so Hospitality.
Some thirty or forty yards from the shore
was a ships boat, manned by six repusve
looking fellows, They were engaged in
hoisting sails and did not at first note the
approach OF the pair.
Hi! Lads, | say." shouted the red
bearded man excltedly, but, nevertheless,
keeping fast hold OF the willing Ronald. "Is
this the fashion in which you obey the orders
| OF your commandant? Did ] not bid you
await my return? Would desert an old ship
mate? Shame upon you for fair weather
sailors!"
Easy all. Cap'n Rogers" replied one OF
| the men in the boat. Your watch is done
with us Me and my mates have figured
that this boat is too small for seven
You don't mean it, Bully Ned cried the
| captain, with a hoarse laugh.
See if we don't" several OF the crew
| retorted angrily.
Where might you have come across the
young shaver" inquired the one whom the
captain had addressed as Bully Ned. He'll
be a nice messmate for you, If there is any
thing to mess with on such sandbar."
What do you make OF this, lads?" called
the captain, holding UP the precious chain
| which Ronald had so freely turned over to
him.
There was dead silence in the boat, but
the men all stared eagerly.
"1ll tell you what l make OF It," went on
the captain, impressively. ut is all gold,
and better still. there's a whole shipload
of the same and finer back among the hills
"Who says so?" beloved one of the sail
ors
This poor, shipwrecked lad. who we are
going to take away with us. The gold
pays his passage" went on the red bearded
skipper, with a curious intonation that
hardly pleased Ronald. You'll come ashore
lively" the captain continued, addressing
the men, "and maybe we'll sail off together
with doubloons instead of sandbags for bal
last"
The sailors in the boat consulted together
but the sight of the chain, with its attend
ant promises, vas a strong argument. The
unhappy Ronald heard the captain cursins
a. his men in an undertone, while they were
making up their reluctant minds. But
when they had dcided and pushed the boat
back to the beach the crafty skipper received
them with an assured smile.
YOU'D have only gone to Davy Jones
locker without me. lads" he said to them
who would have laid course? I'm the
only one that can pilot in these waters. Ae
for being marooned on this island, nothing
would have pleased me better. Some shir
would have taken me off in good time ant
| I'd have had the best part of the treasure tC
myself. But I'm honest. Share and share
alike among lemen-adventurers is my
motto. Treat me right and
"Belay! We amt no lubbers to be gam
moned by sea lawyer" growled Bully Ned
Captain Rogers eyes flashed fire at th.
ungracious interruption, but he knew bette
than to waste words.
Push along to the galleon. boys" h,
| olueitu, BlNlu6 ltOHdIu Dy no mean
gentle shove.
Up and down, across the billowy sand
dunes went the lad, closely followed by tn
little band Of tyrants. From their converse
tion and appearance Ronald quickly realize
that he had met with nothing more or les
than buccaneers. Such gentry infested tn
seas in those days. The poor lad knew tha
he could expect but little kindness fror
them. However, he thought that the sigh
of the treasure might render them NOR
generously disposed toward him than IL h
came empty handed. And so he trudged OF
with heart heavy enough, to be sure, ye
still not completely downcast.
But n sad blow awaited him. The storl
n which had wrecked the buccaneers craft ha
: also changed the surface of the island col
slderably. He could not now find Ii
IL galeon. From hillock to hillock he hurrie
= the rough crew ever growing more impatien
u without catching a sight of the hulk whic
: some days before had reared itself alo
u above the sand. At last he had to adm
- his search was useless. He tried to explai
y the incessant movement OF the island ar
that the galleon must have been covered u
But the buccaneers were in no mood to listt
X, to excuses. Captain Rogers. perhaps fro
=, motives of selfish policy, was particular
- aggressive. lie leu tue rest Ill CutSlHS al
~ threatening vengeance upon the unlucl
guide. Finally the whole party came to
~ halt upon the summit of sand hillock.
A I'm for going back and sailing away
"a the boat while We have fair weather" a
q nounced one OF the men.
. aye, aye, that's the talk. It's breezir
n up now" growled another.
J. Sure enough, in the excitement OF Il
search they had not noticed 1t. but the clou
,e were scurrying overhead and the dsta
y surf beginning to roar in a fashion tn
presaged another blow.
l. How about this young shaver with b
10 lying tale of chests OF treasure to be TAXI
away for the carrying" cried Bully Ne
ID with volley OF profanity.
10 put him where he can keep looking f
N It until his eyes give out" cried the re-
is bearded captain, scowling sayagely
~ Ronald.
a Before he could we'll comprehend the
y, intention, the boys arms were bound ia
to his sides with some pieces OF lanyard,
le hole was scooped in the very summit OF 4
le hillock and the trembling lad roughly plac
le therein. The crew then filled up the exc
walton and heaped the sand about, until on
= his head protruded. Ronald shrieke