Daily camera., 1901-08-27
worst.
"well," he said. with an oath, "it's

| All the way in, Long John stood by
the steersman and conned the ship.
He knew the passage like the palm OF
his hand; and though the man in the
chains got everywhere more water
than was down in the chart. John never
hesitated once.
There's strong scour with the
ebb," he said, "and this here passage
has been dug out, in a manner OF speak
ing, with spade"
We brought up just where the an
chor was in the chart, about third OF
n mile from either shore, the mainland
on one side, and Skeleton island on the
other. The bottom was clean sand.
The plunge of our anchor sent up
clouds of birds wheeling and crying
over the woods; but in less than a min
ute they were all down again, and oil
was once more silent.
The place was entirely land-locked,
buried in woods, the trees coming
right down to high water mark, the
shores mostly fiat, and the hill-tops
standing round at n distance in sort OF
amphitheater, one here, one there. Two
little rivers, or. rather, two swnmps,
emptied out into this pond, as you
might call it; and the foliage round
that part of the shore had kind OF
poisonous brightness. From the ship
we could see nothing of the house or
stockade, for they were quite buried
among trees; and il it had not been
for the chart on the companion, we
might have been the first that had ever
anchored there since the island arose
out of the seas.
There was not a breath OF air NOV
irc, nor sound but that of the surf
booming half mile away along the
beaches and against the rocks outside.
\ peculiar stagnant smell hung over
the anchorage a smell OF sodden
leaves and rotten tree trunks. 1 OBJ
served the doctor shifting, and smiling,
| like some one tasting bad egg.
II don't know about treasure" he
said, but I'll stake my wig there's
fever here"
If the conduct of the men had been
| alarming in the boat, il became truly
threatening when they had come
aboard They lay about the deck
growing together in talk. The slight
es. order was received with n black
look. and grudgingly and carelessly
obeved. Even the honest hands must
have caught the infection. for there was
not one gan aboard to mend another.
Mu,iny. it was plain, hung over US like
a thunder-cloud.
And il was not only we Of the cabin
party who perceived the danger. Long
John was hard at work going from
group to group. spending himself in
good advice, and as for example no man
| could have shown a better. He fairly
outstripped himself in willingness and
ciyility; he was all smiles to every one.
| II an order were given, John would be
on his crutch in an instant, with the
cheeriest "Ay. ay, sir!" in the world;
and when there was nothing else to
do, he kept up one song after another,
as il to conceal the discomfort of the
rest.
OF all the gloomy features OF that
gloomy afternoon, this obvious anxiety
on the part Of Long John appeared the
worst.
We held council in the cabin.
Sir" said the captain, "if risk an
other order, the whole ship'll come
about our ears by the run. You see.
sir, here it is. l ge, rough answer,
do l not? Well, il l speak back, pixies
will be going in two shakes; If l don't.
Silver will see there's something un-
der that, and the games up. Now, we've
only one man TO rely on
"And who is that?' asked the squire.
"Silvcr, sir" returned the captain;
hes as anxious as you and TO smother
things up. This is tiff; he'd soon talk
'em out of it if he had the chance, and
what propose to do is to give him the
chance. Let's allow the men an after
noon ashore. If they all go, why, we'll
fight the ship. Ii they none Of them
90, well, then, we hold the cabin, and
God defend the right. If some go, you
mark my words. sir. Silver'll bring 'em
aboard again as mild as lambs"
1t was so decided; loaded pistols
were served out to all the sure men;
Hunter, Joyce and Redruth were taken
into our confidence, and received the
news with less surprise and better
spirit than we had looked for, and then
the captain went on deck and addressed
the crew.
"My lads" said he, "we've had a hot
day. and are all tired and out of sorts.
\ turn ashore'll hurt nobody-the
boats are still in the water; you can
take the gigs, and as many as please
can go ashore for the afternoon. I'll
fire gun half an hour before sun
down"
believe the silly fellows must have
thought they would break their shins
over the treasure as soon as they were
landed; for they all came out of their
sulks in moment, and gave cheer
that started the echo in far-way hill,
and sent the birds once more flying and
squalling round the anchorage.
The captain was too bright to be in
the way. He whipped out Of sight in a
moment. leaving Silver to arrange the
party; and l fancy it was as we'll he did
so. Had he been on deck, he could no
longer so much as have pretended not
to understand the situation. 1t was as
plain as day. Silver was the captain.
and mighty rebellious crew he had OF
it. The honest hands--and was soon
TO see it proved that there were such
on board-must have been very stupid
fellows. Or, rather, suppose the truth
was this: that all hands were disaffect-
ed by the example of the ringleaders-
only some more, some less; and few.
being good fellows in the main, could
neither be led nor driven any further.
1t is one thing to be idle and skulk. and
quite another to take ship and muir
der number of innocent men.
At last, however. the party was made
up. Six fellows were to stay on board,
and the remaining 10, including Silver,
began to embark.
Then it was that there came into my
head the first Of the mad notions that