Daily camera., 1901-09-07
CHAPTER XxXIl.
THE TREASURE HUNT-rHE. VOICE
AMONG THE TREES

THE TREASURE HUNT-THE. VOICE
AMONG THE TREES.
Partly from the damping influence
of this alarm. partly to rest Silver ant
the sick folk, the whole party sat down
as soon US they had gained the brow OF
the ascent.
The plateau being somewhat tilted
toward the west, this spot on which
we had paused commanded wide pros
pect on either hand. Before US, owe.
the ,rec-tops, we beheld the Cape ofths
Woods friDged with surf; behind, We
not only looked down upon the anchor
age and Skeleton island, bu. saw-clea'
across the spit and the eastern low
lands-a great field Of open cea upon
the east. Sheer above US rose the Spy
glass, here dotted with single pines. there
black with precipices. There was nc
sound but that OF the distant breakers
mounting from all round. and the chirI
OF countless insects In the brush. Not
a man. not sail upon the sea; the very
largeness of the view increased the
sense of solitude.
Silver, as he sat, took certain bear
ings with his compass.
There are three tall trees,'" said
he, "about in the right line from skele-
ton island. 'Spy-glnxs shoulder l take
il, means that lower pint there. Its
child's play to find the stun now. I've
half a mind to dine first"
II don't feel sharp" growled Morgan.
"Thinkin' O. FIint-I think it were-'as
done me-"
"Ah, well, my son, you praise your
stars he's dead" !" said Silver.
'He was an ugly devil, cried . third
pirate, with shudder; "that blue in the
face, tool"
THAT was how the rum took him.
added Merry. "Bluc! well, ] reckon he
was blue. That's true word"
Ever since they had found the skele-
ton and got upon this train Of thought
they had spoken lower and lower. and
they had almost got TO whispering By
now, so that the sound of their talk
hardly interrupted the silence of the
wood. All Of sudden, ont Of the mid
die Of the trees in front Of us, thin,
high, trembling voice struck up the
well-known air and words:
Fifteen men on the dead mans chest
Yo-ho-ho. and q bottle Of rum!'
Inever have seen men more dreadful
" affected than the pirates. The color
went from their six faces like enchant.
mcnt; some leaped to their feet, some
clawed hold Of others; Morgan groveled
on the ground. :
"It's Flint, by II" cried Merry.
The song had stopped ~ suddenly a.
1t began-broken OF, you would have
said, in the middle of note. as though
some one had laid his hand upon the
singers mouth. Coming 30 far through
the clear, sunny atmosphere among the
green tree-tops, thought it had sound
ed airily and sweetly, and the effect on
my companions was the stranger.
.Come," said Silver. struggling with
his ashen lips to get the word out, "that
won't do. Stand by TO 60 about. Thil
is rum start. and / can't name the
voice, but it's some one skylarking-
some one that's flesh and blood, and
you may lay to that"
His courage had come back - be
rpoke, and some Of the color to his face
along with It. Already the others had
begun to lend IN ear to this encourage
ment, and were coming little 70 them
selves, when the same voice broke out
again-not this ting singing but in =
faint, distant hail, that echoed YET
fainter among the clsfts Of the Spy
glass.
DARBY MGraw." It walled 1se tha.
lis the word that best describes ths
sound .Dsrby M'Grswl Darby
|M'Graw!" again ard sgain and again,
and then rising little higher, and With
Inn cath that leave ost: ~Feteh al til
rum, Darby!"
The buccaneers remained rooted r.
| tho ground, their eyes starting fru9
lshelr heads. LoHg ofter thsvcece had
Idisd aHay thy 4til selsvd r. silence
ldrsadfslly, be1bse 49,.
sThas Axes itI'' saspsd -, Lets
..IlIey ~ Ill HI yss6sslsH & Inoaned
ilfexenn, sshis lao4 KotilS n !
0iex hed III Nlale CT 1 - laQ.