Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-04-19
treasure
ISLAND =: :: $780,:

him, but you would never have guessed
1t from his tone. AS for me, / began to
nave an inkling. Ben Gums last words
came back to my mind. l began to
suppose that he had paid the buccan-
GERS a visit while they all lay drunk
together around their fire, and reck-
oned up with glee hat we had only
Ia enemies TO deal with.
well, here 1t u.s." said Silver. w e
want that treasure, and we'll have 1t
that's our point! You would just as
soon save your lives. / reckon; and
that's yours. You have a chart maven
your"
That's as may be-" replied the cap
tain.
'Oh, well, you have, l know that"
returned Long John. You q be
so husky with a man; there amt a par
ticle of service in that, and you may
lay to 1t. What / mean Is, we want
your chart. Now, l never meant you
no harm, myself ;,
THAT won't do with me, my man."
interrupted the captain. I'VE know ex-
actly what you meant to do. and we
don't care; for now, o see, you can
do it,
And the captain looked at him calm
ly, and proceeded TO fill his pipe.
'If Abe ray" silver broke out.
"Avant there!" cried MIR. Smollett.
Gray told me nothing. and asked him
nothing; and what's more, l would see
you and him and this whole island
blown clean out of the water into blazes
first. So there's my mind for you, my
man, on that"
This little Whit of temper seemed TO
cool Silver down. He nae been grow
ing nettled before, but now he pulled
himself together.
Like enough" said he. II would
see no limits to what gentlemen might
consider ship shape, or might not, as
the case were. And, secin' as how you
are about to take a pipe, capn III make
so free as to do likewise
And he filled a pipe and lighted IT,
and the two men sat silently smok-
ing for quite awhile, now looking each
other in the face, now stopping their
tobacco, now leaning forward 10 spit.
1t was as good as the play to see
them.
Now" resumed Silver, here 1t is.
You give us the hart 10 get the
treasure by, and drop shooting poor
Seamen and slowing in their a while
asleep. You do that, and Wen offer you
a choice. Either you come along
aboard of us. once the reasure shipped,
and then I'll give you my affydavy,
upon my word of honor, TO clap you
~somewhere's safe ashore. Or, IL that
amt your fancy, some Of my hands,
being rough, and having old scores on
account OF haZing, then you can stay
here, you can. Well diVide stores with
you, man for man, n III give my
affydavy, as before, to speak the first
ship / sight, and send 'em here to pick
you up. Now, you'll own that's talk
Inn JnfalgAFTaar Won Rnllldn't look m
get, not you. And / hope raising
his voice that all hands in this here
blockhouse will overhaul my words, for
what Is spoke to one Is spoke TO all
Captain Smollett rose from his seat,
and knocked out the ashes from his
pipe In the palm OF his left hand.
rs that all?" he asked.
Every last word, by thunder" an
swered John. Refuse that, and you've
seen the last of me but musket-balls."
VERY WELL said the captain. Now
you'll hear me. If you'll come up one
by one unarmed, I'll engage to clap
you all in irons, and take you home to
a fair trial In England. If you won't,
my name Is Alexander Smollett, I've
flown my sovereign's colors, and I'll
see you all to DaVy Jones. You can't
find the treasure. You can't sail the
ship-there's not q man among you fit
to sail the ship. You can't fight us
Gray, there, got away from five Of you.
Your ships in irons, Master Silver;
you're on a lee-shore, and so you'll inc
/ stand here and tell you so, and they're
the last good words you'll get from me;
for, in the name of Heaven, I'll put a
bullet i'm your back when next l meet
you, Tramp, my lad Bundle out Of
this, please, hand over hand and
double quick"
Silver's face was a picture; his Eyes
started in mis- head with wrath. He
shook the fire out OF his pipe.
give me a hand up" he cried.
mot l." returned the captain.
Who'll give me a hand up?" he
roared.
Not u man among us moved. Growl-
ing the foulest i~mprecations, he crawled
along the sand till he got hold of the
porch and could hoist himself again
upon his crutch. Then he spat into
the spring.
There" he cried, that's what L
think of ye. Before an hours out, I'll
stove in your old block-house like a
rum puncheon. Laugh, by thunder,
laugh! Before an hours out, ye'll laugh
upon the other side. Them that dell
be the lucky ones"
And with a dreadful oath he
stumbled off, plowed down the sand,
was helped across the stockade, after
four or five failures, by the man with
the flag Of truce, and disappeared in
IN instant afterward among the trees.