Daily camera., 1901-09-06

squalls 1wAsa yea aaA tn" and yen viii
readily behsve how little taste ] fcund
IN my breakfast, snd with how uneasy
. heart set forth behind my captors
on the quest for treasure.
We made curious figure had
anyone been there to see us; all in
soiled sailor clothes, and all but me
armed to the teeth. Silver had two
guns slung about him, one before and
one behind-besid the great -cutlass
at his waist, and a pistol in each pock-
ct Of his ssquare-tailed coat. To complete
his strange appearance, Capt Flint sat
perched upon his shoulder and gabbled
odds and ends of purposeless sea-talk.
1 had line about my waist, and fol-
lowed obediently after the sea-cook,
who held the loose end Of the rope, now
in his free hand, now between his pow
crful teeth. For all the world 1 was led
like dancing bear.
The other men were variously bur
dened, some carrying picks and SHOW
els-for that had been the very first
necessary they brought ashore from
the "Hispaniola"-others laden with
pork, bread and brandy for the midday
meal. All the stores, observed, came
from our stock; and 1 could see the
truth of Silver's words the night before.
Had he not struck bargain with the
doctor he and his mutineers. deserted
by the ship, must have been driven to
subsist on clear water, and the proceeds
of their hunting. Water would have
been little to their taste; sailor is not
usually good shot; and, besides ~
that, when they were SO short Of eat
ables. it was not likely they would be
very flush of powder.
Well. thus equipped, we all set out
even the fellow with the broken head,
who should certainly have kept in shad-
ow-and struggled, one after another,
to the beach. where the two gigs await
ed us. Even these bore trace of the
drunken folly Of the pirates, one in
broken thwart, and both in their mud
died, unbailed condition. Both were to
be carried along with us, for the sake Of
safety; and SO, with our numbers d.
vided between them, we set forth upon
the bosom of the anchorage.
AS we pulled over there was some
discussion on the chart. The red cross
was, of course, far too large to be
guide; and the terms of the note on the
back, as you will hear. admitted of
some ambiguity. They ran, the reader
may remember, thus:
Tall tree. Spy-glass shoulder, bearing
point to the N. Of N. N. E.
Skeleton Island. E. 8. E. and by E.
"Ten feet"
A tall tree was thus the principal
mark. Now, right before us, the an
chorage was bounded by q plateau from
two to three hundred feet high. adjoin-
ing on the north the sloping southern
shoulder of the Spy glass, and rising
again toward the south into the rough,
clifYy eminence called the Mizzen-mast
Hill. The top of the plateau was dotted
thickly with pine trees of varying
height. Every here and there, one of
different species rose forty or fifty feet
clear above its neighbors, and which of
these was the particular tall tree" of
Capt. Flint could only be decided on the
spot, and by readings of the compass.
Yet. although that was the case,
every man on board the boats had
picked favorite Of his own ere we
were halfway over. Long John alone
Struggling his shoulders and bidding
them wait till they were there.
We pulled easily by Silver's direc-
tions. not to weary the hands premA-
turely; and, after quite long passage.
landed at the mouth Of the second
river-that which runs down woody
cleft of the Spy-glass. Thence, bend
ing to our left, we began to ascend the
slope toward the plateau.
At the first outset, heavy, miry
ground and a matted, marsh vegeta-
ton greatly delayed our progress;
but by little and little the hill began to
steepen and become stony underfoot,
and the wood to change its character
and to grow in more open order. 1t
was, indeed. a most pleasant portion Of
the island that we were now approach
ing. A heavy-scented bloom and many
Towering shrubs had almost taken the
place of grass. Thickets of green nut
meg trees were dotted here and there
with the red columns and the broad
shadow OF the pines; and the first min
gled their spice with the aroma of the
others. The air, besides, was fresh and
stirring. and this, under the sheer SUM-
beams, was a wonderful refreshment
to our senses.
The party spread itself abroad, in o
fan shape, shouting and leaping to and
fro. About the center, and q good
way behind the rest, Silver and fol-
lowed-I tethered by my rope, he plow-
ing, with deep pants, among the slid
ing gravel. From time to time, in
deed. had to lend him q hand, or he
must have missed his footing and fallen
backward down the hill.
We had thus proceeded for about
half mile, and-were approaching the
brow Of the plateau. when the man
upon the furthest left began to cry
aloud, as il in terror. Shout after
shout came from him. and the others
began to run in his direction.
He can't have found the treasure"
said old Morgan. hurrying past us
from the right, "for that's clean atop"
Indeed. as we found when we also
reached the spot. it was something
gsss,. r
.At$&@ &A.sS
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