The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1901-03-15
CHATTER XVIII.

shrill laugh which echoed to and FRO In
the gullct of the serpent and out
through the fangcd jaws In n very cat.
nract of discordnnt sound, he raised u
din which startled even me. though |
now knew the secret of II.
The SpaniHrds stopped, gaacd Mt one
another with scared faces aud looked
as though the movement of "a lear
would make them turn tail nnd hy.
Their ears told them that the din came
from the stone serpent; but, then. who
ever heard OF n serpent laughing Not
since the days of Mother Eve had such
n thing been, and so, plucking up their
courage again, they continued on their
way. But 1T the first step the serpent
spoke afrcsh.
In the best Spanish which Willie
Trchalion could muster 1t called them
scurrilc knavcs and towards and a va
rIcty of other choice names, In which
IA boatswain had a true sailors lu-
ency. and when they were thoroughly
scarcd-as who would not have been in
a Ike casc?-it bade them bout ship
and run IL they wished to live another
hour.
And that these two doughty Span
iards promptly did, thereby making
Willie rub his hook glcefully and l my
two hands, for we thought we had eff
fectually frightened them and all their
comrades to whom they would tell the
tale into leaving the hill alone for the
future.
But there is n saying, "Never put
value on n ship until you have broken
into her treasure room" We had rcck-
oned withou. Don Miguel, for scarcely
had another two hours passed when Il
band of 20 armed men emerged from
the bush below. The serpent had rout-
cd two. Would 1t rout 90, with the al
chemist captain to lead themP
At the head came Don Miguel. and
with him the handy legged little casp
with the bright steel bassinct whom
we had seen the day before from Shell
ter island, and a couple OF PAGES behind
these two were the rest OF the band.
among whom We recognized the two
doughty champions whose flying backs
had given us a little while before 80
much satisfaction.
AS the party drew up In the open
Willie Trchalion saluted them with a
shrill hooking laugh, which had the
effect of making the rank and file turn
found as If preparing to bolt. But the
two officers dealt such hearty buffets
right and left with the fiat of their
Swords that the fellows had evidently
thought that the danger of being run
through by the fiery Don Miguel was
q more pressing one than that OF being
devoured by n mere stone serpent
They stood their ground, therefore: the
five arquebusiers unslung their crutch
es and blew their matches. the two
bowmen fitted an arrow apiece, and
the rest crammed their bOnnets wei
down ovcr their foreheads and waited
for they knew not what.
"Come up, good senores ALL" croaket
the serpent's grating voice, when Dor
Miguel gave the word for advance
'tCome up and defle this holy our
and commit any indignity that please.
you. Come and build your signal fires
on my wall and make my stones RIM
with your impious cursing. Ha. ha, la
Pluck up your faint hearts, caballeros
l will not hinder while you work you
and hurl them into the sea IL you wish
i will not harass you in the work. blu
afterward-thcn-ha, ha, hal"
The serpent said no more, hut thu
pause and the wild yell Of laughte
were sufficiently suggestive.
The Spaniards stood for a momen
aghast. He Of the bassinet was appar
emily the most scared of the lot. for hi
handy legs shook visibly under hin
and his sword clattered to the groun,
as he clasped his hands and began t
call upon the saints to shield him. Ha,
he been In command every man wOul,
have used his heels as soon as his quiz
ering muscles gave him strength to d
so. But Don Miguel was different. ii
stormed, he cursed, he ground his ye
low teeth, he all but foamed at tn
mouth in his frenzy Of rage. and yield
Ing to the greater terror Of the tw
each man stood his ground.
miserable coward!" yelled Don M
guel at his lieutenant. what do 20
fearY'
"The cevil," said the handy legge
man, taking off his bassinet and wipin
the p%erspiration from his brow wit
the sleeve of his doubiet.
1.-THE devil, you poor fool! Where
your wit? Is not the devil clever b.
yond all human learningT
AYE, surely. We believe So" reptile
the other, crossing himself devoutiy.
"Good! Then how do you account II
his speaking such yillainous Spanish {
came from up yonder? Full half of II
words were not understandable, and
those which did bear some faint reseI
blance to Castilian there was. or n
ears deceive me, a strong flavor Of Il
barbarous English tongue. Bah! Dc
Sancho, you're little short Of a pc
troon."
Hard words, Don Miguel, and l m;
call upon you to prove them, ,said 4
other %sullenly.
do 1t then. My sword is eve reaa
TO back up my tongue. But first folio
me up this steep. and IL l see you
have as a man against the pngli