Daily camera., 1901-09-07
CHAPTER xxxIIr.

| s 1000 were gone!
CHAPTER XXxIIY.
THE FALL OF A CIIEFTAIN.
There never was such an overturn in
this world. Each OF these six men was
a. though he had been struck. But
| with Silver the blow passed almost In
stantly. Evcry thought Of his soul
had been set full-stretch, Ike racer
on that money; we'll, he was brought uI
in single second, dead; and he kept hia
head. found his temper, and changed
his plan before the others had had time
to realize the disappointment.
"Jim," he whispered, take that, and
stand by for trouble"
And he passed me double-barreled
pistol.
At the same time he began quietly
moving northwurd. and in few steps
had put the hollow between US two
and the other five. Then he looked at mt
and nodded. as much as to say: "Here
IL narrow corner" AZ, indeed,
thought It was. His looks were now
quite friendly; and was 30 revolted
at these constant changes that I could
not forbenr whispering: $50 you've
changed sides again."
There was no time left for him to
answer in. The buccaneers, with oath,
and cries, began to leap, one after an-
other, into the pit, aud to dig with
their fingers, throwing the boards aside
as they did 30. Morgan found piece OF
gold. He held it up with a perfect
spout Of oaths. 1t was two-guinea
piece. and it went from hand TO hand
among them for a quarter Of min
ute.
1.-TWO guineas!" roared Merry, shnk-
ing it at Silver. "That's your & R700, 900,
Is II? You're the man for bargains,
amt you? You're him that never bun
gied nothing, you wooden-hcaded lub-
ber!"
"Dig away, boys" said Silver. with
the coolest insolence; you'll find some
pig-nuts, and shouldn't wonder"
"Pig-nutsr' repeated Merry, in .
scream. MATES. do you hear that? !
tell you, now. that man there knew it
oil along. Look In the fnce Of him, and
you'll see it wrote there"
"Ah, Merry" remarked Silver. stand
ing for cap'n again? You're pushing
lad. TO be sure"
But this time everyone was entirely
in Merry's favor. They began to scram-
BILE out OF the excavation. darting fu-
rious looks behind them. One thing 1
observed. which looked well for us;
they all got out upon the opposite side
from Silver.
Well, there we stood, two on one
side. five on the other. the pit between
us. and nobody screwed up high enough
to offer the first blow. Silver never
moved; he watched them, very upright
on his crutch. and looked as cool as ever
I saw him. He was brave. and no mis-
take.
At last. Merry seemed to think a
speech might help matters.
mates" says he, there's two OF
them alone there; ones the old cripple
that brought us all here and blur.dere,l
US down to this; the Others that cub
that mean to have the heart of. Now.
mates"
He WINS raising his arm and his voice.
nnd plainly meant to lead charge.
But just then-crack! crack! crack
three musket shots flashed out Of the
thicket. Merry tumbled head foremost
into the excavation; the man with the
bandage spun round like teetotum,
and fell all his length upon his side,
where he lay dead. but still! twitchinR:
and the other three turned and ran
for il with all their might.
Before you could wink Long John had
fired three barrels Of q pistol into the
struggling Merry; and as the man rolled
up his eyes at him in the last agony.
George" said he, II reckon I settled
you"
At the same mouient the doctor, Gray,
and Ben Gum joined Us. with smoking
muskcts, from among the nutmeg trees.
Forward" cried the doctor.
Double quick. my lads. We must head
'em on the boats."
And we set of Mt great pace. some
times p'unging through the bushes to
the chest.
tell you, but Silver was anxious to
keep up with us. The work that mar