Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-02-01
said he. "this'n be as good as drink to

said he. "this'lI be as good as drink 10
my mate Bill"
The expression Of his face as he said
these words was not at all pleasant,
and / had my w reasons for think
Ing that the stranger was mistaken,
even %supposing he meant what he said.
But 1t was no affair Of mine, / thought;
and, besides, 1t was difficult to know
what to do. The stranger kept hang
Ing about just inside the inner door.
peering around the corner like a cat
waiting for a mouse. Once L stepped
out myself into the road, but he inn
mediately called me back, and, as L did
not obey quick enough for his fancy, a
most horrible change came over his
tallowy face, and he ordered me in,
with an oath that made me jump.
AS soon as / was back again he re-
turned to his foYmer manner, half
fawning. half sneering, patted me on
the shoulder, told me L was a good boy,
and he had taken quite a fancy to me.
Il have a son of my own" said he, las
like you as two blocks, and he's all the
pride Of my art. But the great thing
for boys is discipline, sonny-discipline.
Now, IL you had sailed along of Bill.
you wouldn't have stood there to be
spoke to twice-not you. That was never
Bits way, nor the way of such as
sailed with him. And here, sure
eonugh, is my mate Bill, with a spy
glass under his arm, bless his old art,
to be sure. You and nell just go back
into the parlor, sonny, and get behind
the door, We'll give Bill a little
surprise-bless his art, / say again."
So saying the stranger backed along
with me into the parlor, and put me
behind him in the corner, so hal wa
were both hidden by the open door. ]
was very uneasy and alarmed. as you
4 " 70 md ~ ~athar odHaI 20 ~ a.
fears to observe that the stranger was
certainly frightened himself. He cleared
the hilt of his cutlass and loosened the
blade in the sheath; and all the time
we were kept waiting there he kept
swallowing as If he felt what we used
to call n lump in the throat.
At last in strobe the captain. slammed
the door behind him. without looking
to the right or left, and marched
straight across the room to where his
breakfast awaited him.
BILL" said the stranger, In a voice
that / thought he had tried to make
bold and big.
The captain spun round on his heel
and fronted us; all the brown had gone
out Of his face, and even his nose was
blue; he had the look OF q man who
sees q ghost or the evil one, or some
thing worse, If anything can be; and,
upon my word, l felt sorry to see him,
all In a moment, turn so old and sick.
Come, Bill, you know me-; you know
an old shipmate, Bill, surely" said the
stranger.
The captain made a sort Of gasp.
BLACK Dog!" said he.
"And who else?" returned the other,
getting more at his ease. BLACK Dog
as ever was, come for to see his old
shipmate, Billy, at the Admiral Ben
bow nm. All, Bill, Bill, we have seen
a sight Of times, us two, since / lost
them two talons," holding up his mu-
tilated hand.
Nov, look here" said the captain;
you've run me down; here / am; we'll,
then, speak up; what is it?"
That's you, Billy" returned Black
Dog, you're In the right Of 1t, Billy.
I'll have a glass Of run from his dear
child here. as I've took such q liking
to; and We'll sit down, If you please,
and talk square, like old shipmates."
When l returned with the rum, they
were already seated on either side of
the captains breakfast table-Black
Dog next to the door, and sitting side
ways, so as to have one eye on his old
shipmate, and one, as i thought, on his
retreat.
Continued mex week.)