Daily camera., 1901-08-29
CHAPTER XVII.

NARRATIVE CONTINUED BY THE
DOCTOR THE JOLLY-BOAT'S LAST
TRIP.
This fifth trip was quite different from
any of the others. In the first place, the
little gallipot Of boat that we were in
was gravely overloaded. Five grown
men, and three OF them-Trelawney,
Redruth and the captain-over six feet
high. was already more than she was
meant to carry. Add TO that the pow
der. pork and the bread-bags. The
gunwale was Tipping astern. Several
times we shipped little water. and my
breeches and the tails of my coat were
all soaking wet before we had gone loo
yards.
The captain made us trim the boat,
and we got her 10 lie little more even.
". All the same, we were afraid &c
breathe.
In the second place, the ebb was now
making-a strong ripping current run
ming westward through the basin, and
then southland and seaward down the
u
morning Even the ripples were dan
ger to our overloaded craft; but the
worst of it was that we were swept out
of our true course. and away from our
proper landing-p!ace behind the point.
Ii we let the current have its way we
should come ashore beside the gigs
where the pirates might appear at any
moment.
II cannot keep her head for the
stockade, SIR" said l TO the captain. J
was steering. while he and Redruth,
two fresh men. were at the oars. THE
tide keeps washing her down. Could
YOU pull little stronger"
Not without swamping the boat
said he. You must bear up. sir. If you
please-bear up until you see you're
gaining
tried, and found by experiment that
the tide kept sweeping us westward un.
Ill had laid her head due east, or just
about right angles to the way we ought
to go.
We'll never get ashore at this rate"
said l.
"If it's the only course that we can
lie, sir, we must even lie it," returned
the captain. I'VE must keep upstream.
You see. sir" he went on, "if once we
dropped to leeward of the landing
place, it's hard 10 cay where we should
get ashore, besides the chance of be-
ing boarded by the gigs; whereas, the
way we 60 the current must slacken,
and then we can dodge back along the
shore"
THE currents less already, sir" said
the man Gray. who was sitting in the
fore-sheets; you can ease her of bit"
Thank you, my man." said I, quite as
if nothing had happened; for we had
all quietly made up our minds to treat
him like one of ourselves
Suddenly the captain spoke up again,
and I thought his voice was a little
changed. ~.
"The gun!" said he.
ST have thought Of that" said I, for
made sure he was thinking of bom-
bardment Of the fort. ''They could
never get the gun ashore, and II they
did, they could never haul it through
the woods"
Look astern, doctor" replied the
captain.
We had entirely forgotten the long
nine; and there, to our horror, were the
five rogues busy about her, getting of
her jacket, as they called the stout
iarpaulin cover under which she
sailed. Not only that, but it flashed into
my mind at the same moment that the
round shot and the powder for the gun
had been left behind. and stroke with
an ak would put 1t all into the posses
sion Of the evil ones aboard
Israel was Flint's gunner" said
Gray, hoarsely.
At any risk. we put the boats head
direct for the landing-place. By this
time we had got SO far out of the run
OF the current that we kept steerage
way even at our necessarily gentle rate
of rowing, and could keep her steady
for the goal. But the worst of it was
tAdt, Win VIC SOoiSC III" ASAoS we
turned our brosdside instead Of our
stern to the "Hispaniola," and offered a
target like barn door.
/ could hear, as well as see, that
brandy-faced rascal, Israel Hands,
Pumping down round-shot on the
deck.
who's the best shotf" asked the
captain.
"Mr. Trelawney, out and away" said
!.
"Mr. Trelawney, will you please pick
me OF one of those men, sir? Hands,
II possible" said the captain.
Trelawney was as cold as steel. He
looked to the printing of his gun.
Now" cried the captain. ''easy with
that gun, sir, or you'll swamp the boat
All hands stand by to trim her when b,
aims"
The squire raised his gun, the rowing
ceased, and We leaned over to the othel
side to keep the balance, and all was x
nicely contrived that We did not shiI
> drop. zr,s..,ak...1nanaIn