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

y swollen corpse, ne HOaIS aloue Oh
the surface of the ocean, and the laugh
ing mermaids take themselves again to
their interrupted play.
CHAPTER XIV.
wake up. Jack whispered Alec.
nudging me. While you've been sleep
ing the snails have made up their
minds TO creep out Of their shells.
See. there they gor' And he pointed
to some half score of men who were
making their way down to n boat
which lay drawn up on the beach. A
lag of rock almost concealed ii. and it
was only when we saw the point for
which the men were making that we
caught sight of the boat at all.
What shall we do?' said 1. Call
the other two fellows and have at them
at once?"
NO use. We might manage that
armful. but no doubt there are plenty
more where they came from. We
should simply be running into their
net"
Are we to let them wander about at
their own sweet will? Looki Those
fellows are off toward the carrackp'
Cant help ourselves that l can see.
So you'll just have to let your valor
simmer quietly, old hotheadw
1--WE shall have a score or two of
them up here pig hunting for their
dinners directly"
"Yes; they won't be content to patrol
the shingle down there like so many
harmless crabs"
Then let's get to our raft at once
and back to Galley island. There's no
plunder to be made out of these fell
lows. so where's the use of meddling
with them?
"Plunderi Jack, l do believe you're
the most thoroughgoing rascal of sea
thief as ever deserved short shrift and
fathom of rusty chainv'
Hard words, Alec" / retorted hotly.
But true words, though none but
your sworn shipmate dared have used
them. Hark! What's thatY
There arose from below a sound
which caused us to prick our ears to
their sharpest angle. A body of men
had emerged from the cliff leading
some prisoners with them, and one Of
the latter was singing an English sea
song. The words came up to us dis
tinctly through the clear morning air:
Sail away,
Hack away,
Plunder [C1ank.l
Gather all the valuables you can.
Come back,
Nothing lack.
Thunder. [Clank.1
Scatter all the money like q man
His mates joined in the chorus with
all the recklessness of men who know
that they are In too tight a place for
their conduct to matter. The guards,
however, seemed to think the merri-
ment untimely and did not spare their
buffets, and one Of them, catching the
principal singer a whack on the head
that knocked his cap off, exposed to
view smooth shining scalp that was
as hairless as mirror.
"By all that's surprising, it's Willie
Trehalionw said Alec in a whisper.
"Sure enough. but how, did he get
here?"
ION the carrack, of course, but not as
q willing prisoner, I'll go bail. Just
hear how he's cursing! Confound the
foolish fellow; why can't he keep his
tongue quiet. now that he's in their
hands? We shall see him knitted be-
fore our eyes in minute. We must let
him know we're here"
And up from among the slender fern
fronds arose the ''peewhit, peeyhit"
Of a plover.
Willie's solitary eye glanced for
second at the knoll on the low cliffs
edge. and then he burst out again
into his song as cheerily as If he were
seated on an English tavern bench.
Presently the cortege came to q
standstill, and three armored Span
iards. seating themselves on powders,
motioned for the prisoners to be drawn
up in line before them.
! "a court martial!' l whispered.
One of the Spaniards began to adj
dress the prisoners in English, and Ii
seemed to me that his voice was
strangely familiar.
"Traitorous cursr' said he, do you
! there you with the crippled eye and
the crippled hand, you who worst mis-
used your trust. do you speak for your
companions|
Meaning me, Don Uglyface" quoth
Willie Trehalion with unrufiled compo-
sure.
Measure your words!" said the
Spaniard angrily.
"Aye. with lead line, not with foot
| rule | bain't going to stint language
Just because you've promised to hang
me in an hours time. | tell you plaln
to your yellow teeth that l pumped
the carrack on them rocks O. purpose.
| could have fetched her In through the
fair channel an brought her up to snug
anchor within a cable O. this very spot,
an that without losing spar or carry
| ing away a shred O. canvas. But, Sc
nor Spaniard, | didn't choose. An II Ia
got her again with a fine reef on the
lee I'd up helm an risk 40 drownings
In welcome. So, Don Miguel, you can
wrap that in your cigarillo an smoke
It."
"Don Miguelr' said Alec, with gasp.
81 knew | had heard the voice before y
"Yes, it's Inez s father" said | gloom
lily.
/ "Then we'd better not allow our
selves to fall into his hands. There are
| old scores against us, and Don Miguel
is not the man to forget to wipe them
off. God help Willie Trehalion"
IniC L
again. Listen"
Willie Trehalion appeared to be en-
joying himself down there on the
beach. He was by nature n talker
and his subject seemed to have in
spired him with eloquence. The Span
lards did not interrupt him, but it was
little safety that l argued from their
silence.
Seven months agone, Don Miguel,
said Willie. you lured me an those
other lads aboard yon craft at La
Guayra an gave US fair promises. l
was to be pilot, they crew to show
your own lubbers how to furl sail an
splice n rope. an for Il reward we was
to be given our liberty an set aboard
the first English craft that was brought
within hail We labored willingly an
like fools trusted to Il Spaniard's prom
ise. We overhauled all your running
rigging, set up all your standing rig
ging again, altered your canvas an
Il