Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-07-03

| III the seams; the nasty stench OF The
place turned me sick; il ever man
smellcd fever and dysentery, It was in
that abominable anchorage. The six
scoundrels were sitting grumbling
under sail in the forecastie; ashore
we could see the gigs made fast, and
man sitting in each, hard by where the
river runs in. One of them was whist
ling "Lillibullero."
Waiting was a strain; and It was de-
cided that Hunter and l should go
ashore with the jolly-boat, in quest of
information.
The gigs had leaned to their right;
but Hunter and pulled straight in, in
the direction Of the stockade upon the
chart. The two who were left guard
ing their boats seemed in a hustle at
our appearance; "Lillibullero" stopped
off, and could see the pair discussing
what they ought to DO. Had they gone
and told Silver, all might have turned
out differently; but they had their
orders, 1 suppose, and decided to sit
quietly where they were and bark
back again to "Lillibullero."
There was n slight bend in the coast,
and l. steered so as to put it between
us; even before we landed we had thus
lost sight of the gigs. | jumped out,
and came as near running as l burst.
with big silk handkerchief under my
hat for coolness' sake, and brace O,
pistols ready primed for safety.
had not gone 100 yards when came
on the stockade.
This was how it was: A spring of
clear water rose almost at the top of
knoll. Well, on the knoll, and inclosing
the spring. they had clappcd stout
log house, fit to hold two score people
on a pinch, and loop-holed for mus
ketry on every side. All round this
they had cleared wide space, and then
the thing was completed by paling
six feet high, without door or open
ing, too strong to pull down without
time and labor, and too open to shelter
the besiegers. The people in the log
house had them in every way; they
stood quiet in shelter and shot the
others like cartridges. All they want
ed was a good watch and food; for,
short of a complete surprise, they
might have held the place against a
regiment.
What particularly took my fancy was
the spring. For, though we had a good
enough place of it in the cabin of the
"lIispaniola," with plenty of arms and
ammunition, and things to eat, and ex-
cellent wines, there had been one thing
overlooked-we had no water. | was
thinking this over, when there came
ringing over the island the cry of a
man at the point of death. l was not
new to violent DEATH have served
his royal highness the duke of Cum
berland, and got a wound myself at
Fontenoy-but l know my pulse went
dot and carry one. Jim Hawkins is
gone" was my first thought.
1t is something 10 have been an old
soldier, out more still 10 have been a
doctor. There is no time to dilly-dally
in our work. And so now made up my
mind instantly, and with no time lost
returned to the shore and jumped on
board the jolly-boat.
BY good fortune Hunter pulled a
good oar. We made the water fly; and
the boat was soon alongside, and |
aboard the schooner.
| found them all shaken, as was nat
ural. The squire was sitting down, as
he had led US to, the good soul! and one
of the six forecastle hands was little
better.
There's n man." said Capt. Smollett,
nodding toward him, new TO this
work. He came highland fainting,
doctor, when he heard the cry. An
other touch of the rudder and that man
would join u.s."
told my plan to the captain, and be-
tween US we settled on the details of its
Accomplishment.
We put old Redruth in the gallery
between the cabin and the forecastle
with three or four loaded muskets and
mattress for protection. Hunter
brought the boat round under the
stern port, and Joyce and l set to work
loading her with powder tins, muskets,
bags of biscuits, kegs of pork, casli
of cognac and my invaluable medicine
chest.
In the meantime the squire and the
captain stayed on deck, and the latter
hailed the cocliswaiu, who vas the
principal man on board.
Mr.. Hands," he said, here are two
of us with a brace of pistols each. If
any one of you six make signal of any
description, that mans dead"
They were a good deal 1aken aback;
and after a little consultation, one and
all tumbled down the fore companion,
thinking. no doubt. 10 take us on the
rear. But when they saw Redruth
waiting for them in the SPARED gal
lery, they went about ship at once, and
head popped out on deck.
Down. dog!" cries the captain.
And the head popped back again; and
we heard no more, for the time, of these
six very faint-hearted seaulen.
BY this time, turrbling things in as
they came, we had the iolly-boat loaded
as much as we dared. Joyce and
got out through the stern port and we
made for shore again as fast as our
oars could take us.
This second trip fairly aroused the
watchers along the shore. "Lillibul-
lero" was dropped again, and just be-
fore we lost sight of them behind the
little point one of them whipped
ashore and disappeared. had half a
mind to change my plans and destroy
their boats, but l feared that Silver
Il s,,Lt hn c1 Oh hoY II