Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-06-19
CHAPTER NNXIY.


The next morning we fell early to
work, for the transportation of this
great mass of gold near mile by land
to the beach, and thence three miles by
boat to the 'l1ispaniola," was /, consid-
cradle task for so small a number of
workmen. The three fellows still
abroad upon the island did not greatly
trouble us; single sentry on the shout
der of the hin was sufficient to insure
us against amy sudden onslaught, and
we thought. besides, they had had more
than enough of fighting.
Therefore the work was pushed on
b'ls,Nly. Gray and Ben Gum came and
Went With the boat, while the rest dur
ing their absence piled treasure on the
beach. Two of the bars, slung in
ropes end, made a good load for a
grown man-one that he was glad to
walk slowly with. For my part, as L
was not much use at carrying, was
kept busy all day in the cave packing
the minted money into bread bags.
1t was a strange collection, like Billy
Bones hoard for the diversity of coin
age, but so much larger and so much
more varied that 1 think i never had
more pleasure than in sorting them.
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese,
Georges and Louises. doubloons and
double guineas and moidores and
sequiEs. the pictures of all the kings of
Europe for the last hundred years,
strange oriental pieces stamped with
what looked like wisps of string or bits
of SPIDERS web, round ptccese and
square pieces, and pieces bored through
the middle. as IL to Wear them round
your neck-neary every variety of
money In the world must, think, have
found place in that collection; and
for number, l am sure they were like
autumn leaves, Sc that my back ached
with STOPPING and my fingers with sort
ing them out.
Day after day this work went on; by
every evening Il fortune had been
slowed aboa1d. but there was another
fortune warning, for the morrow: and
all this time we heard nothing of the
three surviving mutineers
At ast-I think 1T was on the third
night-the doctor and We're strolling
ON the shoulder of the hill where 1T
oveilooks the lowlands of the isle.
when, from out the thick darkness be-
low, the wind brought us n noise be-
tween shriekng and singing. j t was
only a snatch that reached our ears,
followed by the former silence.
Heaven forgive them, said the doc
tor, tbs the mutineers!'
IAN drunk. SIR struck in the voice
of silver from behind u.s.
Silver. i should say, was allowed his
entire liberty, and in spite of daily re-
Bluffs, seemed to regard himself once
more as quite a privileged and friendly
dependent. Indeed, it was remarkable
what unwearying politeness he kept
at trying to ingratiate himself With all.
Yet, 1 think, none treated him better
than a dog. unless it WAS Ben Gum,
who was still terribly afraid of his old
quartermaster, or myself, who had real
~ something to thank him for; al
thought for that matter, ! suppose. l
had reason to think even worse of him
than anybody else, for had seen him
lnetiilaling a fresh trcacnery upon the
plateau. Accordingly, 1T Was pretty
gruttly that the doctor answered him
Drunk OF raying}' said he.
Right you were, sir" replied Silver;
''and precious little odds which, to you
and me.
II suppose you would hardly ask me