Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-12-13

Shrek as he hurled out his string of.ac-
cusations. You can frown an stamp
your foot an put your hand to your
sword hilt, but you can't deny the gos-
pei truth o. what say. II we.did well,
you thanked US with curses; II Ill, you
blessed US with blows. Then when a
small brig hove in sight an. drawing
near, flew n Plymouth ensign, we made
bold to remind you O. your promise.
Ha. ha. ha, We might have saved
our breath! A Spanish promisel A
Castilian oath! Easy made, both o.
'em. an just as easy forgotten. You
sneered at us an said we were doomed
to everlasting captivity. Then you
bade us bear arms against our country
men. forgetting maybe that we wasn't
born south O the Pyrenees. We re-
fused. You logged us with loaded
whips. clapped us under matches, sailed
tritle nearer the brig an then, feel
ing your courage ooze away. went bout
ship like a lily livered coward that you
are an ran in under the guns O. La
Guayra, where she weren't able to get
at you"
Don MigueIs sallow face turned livid
at the taunt, and l expected to see him
run the boatswain through on the spot,
for a sharp tongue is 4 weapon which
more often than not turns its point
back on him who uses 1t. With vio-
lent effort, however, be restrained him
self and for the present let the squat,
square mariner alone. evidently reserv-
ing him for a worse fate.
Have your say out to the full" he
said. with an angry gesture. ''There
will be q bitter repayment when you
have done"
Thank you. Senor Jack Spaniard,"
replied Willie Trehalion coolly. "but it
seems to me there bain't much more to
say. When I've called villain both
liar an coward, / don't think / want
to add anything else. Other black
words would fall white on him after
those"
do you know what shall do with
your
Hang me-" said Willie, with a con-
ders.
you think soY' replied the Spaniard,
with cold smile. Maybe before long
you'll hope so too. But rope would
not pay one 1.-THE OF my debt; it win
require far slower death than a mere
dance on nothing. I shall have a post
let into the sand yonder at low water.
You will be lashed to it. The flood be-
gins to MAXI about sundown, and there
will be five hours for you to regret the
loss Of my ship in before you draw
your last gurgle. I have often heard
you boast that the sea and you were
old friends. and that many is the pleas
ant tussle you've had together in which
the sea has been beaten. Well, you
shall have one more duel together, and
it will be curious to see which of you
comes out the master this time.
"And now," he continued, turning to
the other ten prisoners, ''can any Of
you tell me how far we are from the
main?"
Happen a hundred league; happen
two" replied one fellow gruf1y.
"Ah." said Don Miguel, looking keen
ly at the speaker "And will you un-
dertake to build a small craft from the
wreck of my carrack to take some OF
us there to seek assistance? / promise
you your liberty and capful OF gold
pieces each, If you will"
"No, you blasted cur, / won't"
growled out the fellow. MAY my fin
gers be withered to the bone IL they
ever hale rope for you again and may
my eyes drop out Of their sockets II
they ever see to drive a nail for you,
except into your coffinl That's my
answer, and you won't get different
one from any lad here" And then he
spat contemptuously and relapsed into
silence.
His mates nudged one another with
their bound elbows, and burst into a
leather lunged cheer of appreciation.
That's it, lads" sang out Willie
Trehalion "Stick to it; never give
way, an these unsailorly lubbers will
have to leave their bones on the Is
land, unless the devil, their master,
comes to fetch them away in flaming
chariot O. birthstone"
But at this point, at a sign from DON
Miguel, the guards led off our poor Eng
Iish lads out of sight-into a cave, we
supposed-and as two or three Span
iards showed signs of wanting to scale
the cliff we retreated to the covert
where we had left our two men. In 1t
we lay close all the rest of the day.
The time was one of plans and plots,
| of doubts and difficulties; but, though
we whispered together long and ear
nestly, yet so still did we lie that the
parrakeets perched boldly in the
boughs above us and preened their bril-
liant plumage In the sun as though
their nearest enemy were many miles
away. Great velvet winged butterflies
as large as linnets fiuttered past our
eyes, and mosquitoes bit our half naked
bodies, but never thought had we for
butterfly or mosquito, for our minds
were busy and anxious.
"Willie Trehalion must be rescued
pmehow," said Alec ror the fordeth
hme, "even though it costs us our lives
to do it." And the rest Of us eagerly
assented, for our old boatsvain was
favorite with us all.
The scorching sun above us, arching
his brazen course in fiery splendor, be-
gan at last to verge toward the distant
wavy water line. The dancing air grew
cooler and was freshened by a welcome
breeze from the sea- Cautiously we
drew out from among the plantains
and, looking sharply around to make
sure that no one spied us, crept all
four back to the knoll and once more
peeped from beneath the graceful fern
screens.
The tide had not yet turned, and
couple of Spaniards were fastening
stout stake in n hole, which they had
scooped beneath the outermost OF the
ripples. They laughed and joked over
their work as though it were some holi-
day diversion and every now and then
gave the post shake to try whether II
was secure.
When they had finished, one of them
must needs lean his back up against
the wood and pretend in pantomime
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