Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-05-10
PIER XIV.

/ had scarce gained a position on he
bowsprit, when the flying jib tapped
and filed upon the other tack, with a
report like q gun. The schooner trem
bled to her keel under the reverse; but
next moment, the other sails still
drawing, the jib tapped back again,
and hung idle.
This had nearly tossed me off into
the sea; and now j lost no time, crawled
back along the bowsprit, and tumbled
head foremost On the deck.
/ was on the lee side of the fOrecastle,
and the maipsail, which was still draw
ing, concealed from me a certain pOr-
ton of the after-deck. Not a soul was
TO be seen. The planks, which had not
been swabbed since the mutiny, bore
the print OF many feet: and an empty
bottle. broken by the neck, tumbled to
and fro like n live thing in the Soup
pers.
Suddenly the "Hispaniola" came
right into the wind. The jibs behind
me cracked aloud, the rudder slammed
to; the whole ship gave a sickening
heave and %shudder, and at the same
the main-boom swung In
board, the sheet grooming in the blocks,
and showed me the lee after-deck.
There were the two watchmen, sure
enough; red-cap on his back, as stiff as
a handspike, with his arms stretched
out like those OF a %crcifix, and his
teeth showing through his open lips;
Israe Hands propped against the bull
warks, his chm on his chest, his hands
lying open before him on the deck, his
face as white, under it's tan, as n tai
low candle.
For awhi'e the ship kept buCking and
siding like a vicious horse, the sails
filling, now on one tack, now on an
other, and the boom swinging to and
fro till the mast Toane aloud under
the strain. Now and again, too, there
would come a cloud OF light spray over
the bulwark, and a heavy blow OF the
ships bows against the swell-so much
heavier weather vas made OF II by this
great rugged ship thar by my home
made, lop-sided c~oracle, now gone &c
the bottom OF the sea.
At every jump OF the schooner, red
cap slipped TO and fro; but-what was
CHASTITY to behold-ncither his attitude
nor his fixed teeth disclosing grin was
any way disturbed by this rough usage
At every jump, too, Hands appeared
still more to sink into himself n set.
tie down upon the deck, his feet sliding
ever the further out, and the whole
body cantiug toward the stern, so thai
his face became, little by little, hit
II blll me- tlld ~ ll5N L NbbAN Y AAbAi
Ing beyond his ear and the frayed ring
let of one whisker.
At the same time. ! observed, arount
both Of them, splashcs Of dark blood
upon the plauts, ana began TO feel ur'
that they had killed each other in theil
drunken wrath.
While l was thus looking and won.
dering, In a calm moment, when The
ship was still, Israel Hands turned
partly round, and, with u low moan
writhed himself back to the position
in which i had seen him first. The
moan, which told OF pain and deadly
weakness, and the way in which hii
jaw hung open, went right TO my heart
But when l remembered the talk / hat
overheard from the apple barrel, al
pity left me.
| walked aft until l reached the main
mast.
Come aboard, Mr.. Hand" l saic
ironically.
He rolled his eyes round heavily; bu.
! he was too far gone to express surprise
All he could do was to utter n word
Brandy"
1t occurred to me there was no tim,
to lose; and, lodging the boom as /
nee more lurched across the deck,
slipped aft, and down the companion
stairs into the cabin.
1t was such a scene of confusion a;
o can hardly fancy. All the lockfas
places had been broken open i'm ques
OF the chart. The floor was thick Will
mud, where ruflians had sat down t
drink or consult after wading in tn,
marshes round their camp. The bulk
heads, all painted In clear white am
beaded round with gilt, bore a patterl
of dirty hands. Dozens OF empty bot
- 80 L. 49, - Il
rolling Of the ship. One OF the doctor
medical books lay open on the table
half of the leaves Quilted out, 1 suppose
for pipe-lights. In the midst of all thi
the lamp still cast a smoky glow, oh
scure and brown as lumber.
/ went into the cellar; all the barrel
were gone and OF the bottles q mos
surprising number had been drunk on
and thrown away. Certainly, since tn
mutiny began, not a man of them coul
ever have been sober.
Foraging about | found a bottle wit
some brandy left, for Hands; and fo
myself l routed out some bis
cults, some pichled fruit,
great bunch Of ~raisins. and a piece {
cheese With these l came on deck, pu
down my own stock behind the ruddeI
head, and well out OF the cockswain'
reach, went forward to the water
beaker, and had a good deep drink c
water, and then, and not till then, gay
Hands the brandy.
He must have drunk a gill before h
took the bottle from his mouth.
"Ay," said he. by thunder, but
wanted ONE o. that"
/ had sat down already in my ow
corner and began to eat.
Much hurt?" l asked him..
He %grunted, or, rather, l might sa
he barked.
IF that doctor was aboard" he sai'
I'd be right enough in n couple
turns; but don't have no manner
luck, you see, and that's what's tn
matter with me-. AS for that swab, he
good and dead, he Is" he added, ind
eating the man with the red cap. II
warn't no seaman, anyhow. And whel
mought you have come FROM"
WELL" said ], I've come aboard
take possession of this ship, Mr.. Hand