Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1901-01-24
CHAPTER XVIII.

The galleon's gold had cost us very
dear Out of our slender ships COM
pany 13 had been killed outright. four
had hurts that they would die under.
and of the rest there was no man who
could not show the color of his own
blood.
When the excitement of the battle
had passed away and the grim fever
of Staying had become n memory, not
one stood on our decks In whose body
there was not some deadly throb or
sickening ache-not one who was not
mfr from angry, rainbow colored bruls-
,s or faint from loss of blood. Our
captain lay pale and helpless in his
bunk, brought to deaths very door by
4 bullet wound under the shoulder,
which he had borne undressed through
half the long fight. The back of the
boatswain's bald pate was burned
black with powder, and he had more
ribs stove in than the pain would let
him count And of the others one all
ed this and another that, one by the
blow of an ak had lost the fingers of
his hand, another by the crack of a
gunstock had lost the sense of his
hand.
The active watch on deck consisted
of two persons. There was Job Ire
halion. with the old scar on his face
crossed by n fresher seam, and John
Topp, with a pike thrust through the
calf OF one leg and dagger wound in
the foot of the other
We had remained in melancholy ST.
lence for know not how long, when
suddenly Job Trehalion got up without
word and went down the companion.
Returning presently, he gave me a
handful of biscuit and lordly dram OF
cordial, and these, being sent on their
errand, revived me wonderfully. So,
after adjusting the bloody bandages
round my leg and instep, l told JOB
that he and must lay our heads to-
gcther and consider where to steer to.
Job was all chuckles and grins in q
moment. 1t was not often that he was
called into council by any one save the
old man, and him he affected to de-
spise, and so he considered his conf
dence no compliment.
zone thing is sure" said |, looking
at the battle havoc round me, I'VE can't
keep the seas in this plight"
mo, Master Topp," chuckled Job,
that we can't. Let alone having no
crew to reef or haul the sails, the hull
an spars has sich a-many wounds in
'em that the first good squalfll send
us all to Davy Jones locker double
quick. No, no; we'se winged, Master
Topp, an winged birds has to lie quiet
for awhile afore they tries to fly
again."
"There should be abler heads than
ours, job to settle matters in plight
like this, but the abler heads are all
sadly battered just now, so you and l
must do our best to decide n course
without them"
A look of solemn Importance strug-
gled hard to drive the grin from Jobs
face. But habit was strong, and the
grin conquered.
"We might 20 back TO the old harbor
on Cave island. Master Topp. 1t were
snug enough. an them huts on the hill
above be rare place for sick men to
lie in"
"But the Spanlards. Job! You forget
the Spaniards."
Asking pardon" replied job, screw
Ing up his face with such grin that
the wound across 1t began to trickle
afresh but one o. them Spaniards that
we left behind has got off. And IL one,
maybe all.
"Whatr cried. "One got Off
Where did you hear of himT
seed him an felt him, Master Topp,
which Is better than hearing o him.
Ii was his iron as wrote this fresh
mark across my face. That comes o
disregarding the old mans words an
sparing Spaniards." he added sagely.
Captain Ireland's whim, job" said
/, Struggling my shoulders. But are
you sure of your man"
Sure MS | am o you, Master Topp,
or o. uncle. or o. Captain Ireland, or
O. any one else noticeable. This TN
was n short. cheery kind o. little chap,
wi handy legs an bright steel bas-
sinet on's head. Now, sea armor Is nj
ways BACKED. so a man as wears his
bright is naturally n man you notice"
"Why, | remember himP said |. "A
merry, cowardly little wretch named
Sancho something or other. Your un
Gle gave him a pretty scare In the Ser
pcnts temple.
That's him; Don Sancho! An II this
blow he gave me had been driven home
'Rtead o falling half hearted through
the frightened trembling o the dons
arm | should have gone down sure
enough As 1t was. ! stood an top
pied him into the sea for cumbering
my way Saul Dickory maybe could
tell MS how handy legs came TO be on
| the gulleon"
Fetch him" sald |. And job went
If Job wns right and the Spaniards
had really succeeded In leaving Cave
island. nothing could be more fortu-
mite for us In our present crippled
state. There we could recruit our
war weary bodies and rrft our wound
/ ID ship at our leisure. and when our
pulses beat full and strong again we