Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-07-17

his old place against the bulwarl
This was all that I required TO know.
Israel could move about; he was now
armed; and If he had been at so much
trouble to get rid of me, it was plain
| that was meant to be the victim.
WAT nc would do ~ s.-e.srS-~hether
he would try to crawl right across the
island from North inlet to the camp
among the swamps, or whether ne
would fire Long Tom, trusting that his
own comrades mightcome first to help
him, was. Of course, more than 1 could
say.
YET felt sure that could trust him
In one point, since in that our interests
jumped together, and that was in the
disposition OF theschooner. We both de-
sired to have her stranded safe enough,
in sheltered place, and so that, when
the time came, she could be got off
again with as little labor and danger as
might be; and until that was done I
considered that my life would certainly
be spared.
While l was thus turning the business
over in my mind had not been idle
with my body. had stolen back to the
cabin, slipped once more into my shoes,
and laid my hand at random on a bottle
Of wine, and now, with this for an ex
cuse, l made my temperance on the
deck.
Hands lay as had left him, all fallen
together in huddle, and with his eye
lids lowered, as though he were too
weak to bear the light. He looked up,
however, at my coming, knocked the
neck off the bottle, like man who had
done the same thing often, and took
good swig, with his favorite toast of
here's luckl" Then he lay quiet for a
little, and then, pulling out stick of
tobacco, begged me to cut him guild.
"Cut me junk O. that" says he, "for
I haven't no knife, and hardly strength
enough, so be as I had. All, Jim, jim,
I reckon I've missed stays! Cut me
guild ASH likely be the last, lad; for I'm
for my long home, and no mistake"
"Well," said I, "1'll cut you some to-
bacco; but If was you and thought
myself SO badly, l would go to my
prayers, like a Christian man."
"Why?" said he. ''Now, you tell me
why"
"Why?" I cried. you were asking
me just now about the dead. You've
broken your trust; you've lived in sin
and lies and blood; there's man you
killed lying at your feet this moment;
and you ask me why! For Gods mercy,
Mr.. Hands, that's why"
Ispoke with little heat, thinking of
the bloody dirk he had hidden in his
pocket, and designed, In his i'll thoughts,
to end me with. He. for his part, took
great draught of the wine, and spoke
with the most unusual solemnity.
For 80 year." he said, 1--WE sailed
the seas, and seen good aud bad, better
and worse. fair weather and foul, pro-
visions running out, knives going, and
what not. Well, now. tell you. never
seen good come O goodness yet. Him
as strikes first is my fancy; dead men
don't bite; them's my views-amen, so
be it. And now, you look here" he add
ed, Suddenly changing his tone, "we've
had about enough Of this foolery. The
tides made good enough by now. You
just take my orders Cap n Hawkins, and
We'll sail slap in and be done with it,"
All told. we had scarce two miles to
run; but the navigation was delicate,
the entrance to this northern anchor
age was not only narrow and shoal, but
lay east and west, so that the schooner
must be nicely handled to be got In.
! think I was good, prompt subaltern,
and am very sure that Hands was :.
excellent pilot; for we went about, and
lodged in, shaving the banks, with a
certainty and neatness that We're a
pleasure to behold.
Scarcely had we passed the head be-
fore the land closed around US. The
shores of North inlet were as thickly
wooded as those Of the southern an
chorage; but the space was longer and
narrower, and more like, what in truth
it was. the estuary of a river. Right be-
fore us, ut the southern end, we saw
the wreck of a ship in the last stages
of dilapidation. 1t had been a great
vessel of three masts, but had lain so
long exposed to the injuries of the
great webs of dripping sea-weed. and
on the deck of it shore bushes had
taken root, and now tlourished thick
with flowers. 1t was a sad sight, but it
showed us that the anchorage was
calm.
"Now." said Hands, Took there;
there's a pet bit for to beach a ship in.
Fine fiat sand, never a catspaw, trees all
around of it, and bowers a-blowing
like garding on that old ship"
"And once beached," inquired, show
shall we get her Off AGAIN."
"Why, So" he replied you take a
line ashore there on the other side at
low water; take a turn about one O
them big pines; bring 1t back, take
turn round the capstan, and lie to for
the tide. Come high water. oil hands
take a pull upon the line, and OF she
comes as sweet as natur'. And now.
boy, you stand by. We're near the biz
now, and she's too much way on her.
Starboard little so-steady-star-
board larboard little steady
steady!"
So he issued his commands, which
breathlessly obeyed; till, all of a sud-
den, he cried: snow, my hearty, lutf!"
And I put the helm hard up, and the
'IIispaniola" swung round rapidly, and
ran stem on for the low-wooded shore.
The excitement of these last man
euvers had somewhat interfered with