Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-12-20

eullet so II took me many days
hard practice TO learn the trick. but 10y
keeping il secret il has served my pur-
pose a-many times already an mebbe
will again Anyway ii will keep the
Spaniards of that hill as well as would
n regiment of arquehusiers."
"WiH it?'Isaid |, pretending to doubt
whether it would. for now that | knew
that was only trick was not little
ashamed of my alarm.
AYE. that it will. Sure as ii fright
ened you. Master Topp. So. by your
good leave, | shall swim across under
cover o the darkness-see, the water is
quite smooth; those reefs to seaward
break the vaves-an stow myself away
in some Granny to wait for the fagot
carriers in the morning"
"Bu; if they catch youT
'sIf they catch me-" replied Willie
carelessly. there will be dead men on
Cave island shall take my sword"
-Four arms are better than two. Will
lie. though one of those two does carry
a hook. I'll come too"
BEST not. Master Topp. Your great
carcass would take n power O. hidin,
an that hole in your leg will get angry
If it's carried about too much. Besides
if the plot fails it is better that one
should be gastados, as they dons call
it. than two"
Nevertheless | shall come. Two
may succeed where one would fail. and
IL .l,oI f,afr
that most men would be unwilling to
stand against And If I'm too big to be
hidden in the building I'll find a covert
in the nearest thicket and be ready to
make a diversion from the rear II
you're attacked. So no more objec-
ions | intend to 60"
We waited with some impatience till
uightfall. and then. bidding the other
lads tell Alec when he came all that
had befallen, slipped down into the wa
ter We had few preparations to make
for our swim, as the only clothing of
which we could boast was pair of
trunks apiece, and those gashed with
realer slashes than a tailor makes.
The sea was warm, and, striking out
leisurely so as not to tire my wounded
leg too much. we crossed over and
coasted round the foot of the cliff, seek
ing a landing place. We found none
till we were well beyond sight of Shell
ter island and then, coming to a shin
gly beach, we landed and lay quiet on
the sand for awhile
The night was thick as a quickest
hedge. and so, as there was small dan
ger of the Spaniards spying US, we
wandered somewhat from the straight
track on the chance of finding food, OF
which we were sorely in need, and in
this we were wonderfully successful
for after little search we came across
a rare grove of bananas. Next to the
discovery of a thicket of roast beef
and October ale no windfall could have
been more providential, for the banan-
as not only served to fill our empty
stomachs, but at the same time gave
us food which we could carry away fol
future needs. So, each bearing brace
of the huge yellow clusters, we took q
straight path toward the hill.
The ascent steepened as 1t rose anc
| finished in a well defined stair hewr
from the living rock. At the top 9
| doorway lay Immediately before US
We passed it's threshold and found our
| selves within walls as perfect as the
| day they were built, though how the
courses had been raised to their posi-
| tion unless by magic puzzled me ever
| to guess There was no roof nor traes
| of any. The floor was bare save fol
wind borne rubbish and great stone
table in the middle which looked a!
| though it might once have served as al
| altar in whatever devil worship wen
on here in bygone days. But no spo
could we see where man could hide
Save for slantlng footway that rar
| round two walls and gave access to the
summit the whole interior was as aus
terely plain as the coolest Imagination
could make 1t.
After a brief examination of the In
| terror of this puzzle in stone we wen
| aloft by the slanting footway to throw
| the Spanlards' pile of fagots over thu
cliff and then set about exploring the
| exterior.
| At first the dull light showed us moth
| ing but a smooth, almost polished pave
| ment. but on close scrutiny we fount
| ar inequality in the surface near th'
tail of the great carven serpent which
| reared itself at that corner of the build
| ing which most effectually commanded
| the approach from below. A little bur
| rowing discovered n hollow, which
| turned out to be n narrow alley JUS
| wide enough to admit one at time
| We cleared away the rubbish witt
| which 1t was choked and then entered
| 1t led up n dark winding stair in tn
body of the reptile and brought us aft
| er a hard climb to n tiny chamber IN
| side the head. The gaping jaws form
ed n sentry box, from which we coui'
/ command the whole of the path from
the lower ground, so, confident In tn
| strength of our eyrie, | lay down L
rest for n space while Willie watched.
We had not long to wait. Scarcel.
had | relieved the boatswain and begul
| my turn of watching when couple o
| men broke out of the bush below ant
began to climb the steps on the hillside
| | motioned to Willie, and together w
watched their advance. Now we shoul'
see what Willie's witchcraft could do.