Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-05-24

back on your own lot, for they won't
have you; and, without you start a
third ships company all by yourself,
which might be lonely, you'll nave TO
jine with Cap'n Silver"
So far 50 good. My friends, then,
We're still alive, and though 1 partly
believed the truth of Silver's state
ment. that the cabin party were i'm
censed at me for my desertion, / was
more relieved than distressed by what
/ heard.
Il don't say nothing as to your be-
ing in our hands" continued Silver,
though there you are, and you may
lay to it. I'm all for argument; / never
seen good come out o. threatening. If
YOU like the service, well. you'll jine;
and If you don't, Jim, you're free to
answer no-free and welcome. ship
mate; and If fairer can be said by NOR
tai seaman, shiver my sides!"
Am / to answer. them" / asked,
with a very tremulous voice. Through
all this sneering talk, l vas made to
feel the threat OF death that overhung
me, n my cheeks burned and my
heart beat painfully i'm my breast.
Lad said silver, mo ones a-press-
ing of you. Take your bearings. None
of us Won't hurry you, mate; time goes
so pleasant in YOU company, you see
We'll" says /, growing a bit holder,
IF I'm to choose, | declare l have a
right TO know what's what. and why
you're here, and where my friends are
"Wot's wot?" repeated n OF the
buccaneers, in a deep growl. "Ah. he'd
be a lucky n as knowed that"
You'll perhaps batten down your
matches till you're spoken, my friend
cried Silver, truculently, To this speak
er. Yesterday morning, Mr.. Hawk
ms said he, "in the dog watch, down
came d.. Livesey with n flag OF truce.
Says he: "Cap'n Silver. you're sold out.
Ships gone!' Well, maybe we'd been
taking a glass, and a song to help it
round. l won't say 10. Leastways
none Of us had looked out. We looked
out, and by thunder! the old ship was
gone. | never seen a pack o fools look
fisher; and you may lay to that, If /
tells you that | looked the fishiest.
Well says the doctor, lets bargain
We bargained, him and /, and here we
are; stores, brandy, block house, the
fire-Wood YOU was thoughtful enough
to cut, and, In a of speaking,
the whole blessed boat, from crosstrees
to keelson. AS for them, they've
tramped; l don't know where's they
are"
He drew again quietly at his pipe:
And lest you should take it into
that head Of yours" he went on, that
YOU was included in the treaty, here's
the last words that was said: How
many are you says /, to leave?'
Four says he-.'four and n OF us
wounded. AS for the boy. | don't know
where he is, confound him says he
nor ] don't much care. We're about
sick Of him These was his words.
rs that all?" 1 asked.
well, it's all you're to hear, my
son" returned Silver.
And now l am TO choose?'
And now you are to choose, and you
may lay to that" said Silver.
We'll" said |, II am not such Il fool
but | know pretty well what l have to
look for. Let the worst come to the
worst; it's little | care. I've seen too
many die since | fell in with you. But
there's n thing or two / have to tell
you l said, and by this time ! was
quite excited; "and the first is this:
Here you are in the bad way; ship lost,
~treasure lost, men lost; your whole
business gone to wreck; and If you
want TO know who did tit was /! /
was in the apple barrel the night you
sighted land, and l heard you, John,
and you, Dick Johnson and Hands,
who is now at the bottom Of the sea,
and told every word you said before
the hour was out. And as for the
schooner, ii was | who cut her cable,
and ii was ! who killed the men you
had aboard of her, and 1t was i who
brought her where yuu'll never see her
more, not one OF you. The laughs on
my side; I've had the top of this bust
ness from the first; | no more fear you
than / fcar a fly. Kill me, if you please,
or spare me. But one thing I'll say,
and no more; if you spare me-, by-gones
are Dy-gOnes, and, when you fellows
are in court for piracy, I'll save you all
| can. 1t is for you to choose. Kill
another and do yourself no good, or
spare me and keep a witness to save
you from the gallows.'
/ stopped, for, / tell you, / was out of
breath, and, to my wonder, not a man
OF them moved, but all kept staring at
me like as many sheep. And while
they were still lstaring, l broke out
again:
And now, Mr.. Silver l said, II be-
lieVe you're the best man here, and If
things to go the worst, I'll take 1t kind
of you to let the doctor know the way
| o t."
"TI bear it in mind" said Silver,
with an accent so curious hat / could
not, for the life of me, decide whether
he were laughing at my request or had
been fayorably affected by my courage.
"IH put one to that" cried the old
mahogany-faced seaman-Morgan by
name-whom / had seen in Long
Johns public house upon the quays of
Bristol, 1T was him that knowed Black
Dog"
well, and see here" added the sea-
cook. "Ill put another again to that,
by thunder! For 1t was the same boy
that faxed the chart from Billy Bones.
First and last we've split upon Jim
Hawkins!"
Then here goes!" said Morgan, with
an oath.
And he sprang up, drawing his knife
as if he had been twenty.
"Avast, there!" cried Silver. "Who
are you, Tom Morgan? Maybe you
thought you were captain here, per-
haps. By the powers I'll teach you
better! Cross me, and you'll go where
many a good mans gone before you
first and last, these 80 year blackstone
to the yardarm, shiver my sides! and
some by the board, and all to feed the
fishes. There's never Il man looked me
between the eyes and seen a good day
a'terward, Tom Morgan, you may lay
10 that"
Morgan paused, but a hoarse muir
muir rose from the others.
Toms right" said one.
II stood hazing long enough from
one added another. I'll be hanged
IL I'll be haZed by you, John Silver"
did any of you gentlemen want T.,