Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-04-12

streamiet ran down from the kettle a
thick bed of moss and some ferns ana
little creeping bushes were still green
among the sand. Very close around the
st~ocEade-too close for DEFENSE, tney
said-the wood still fiourished high and
dense, all the fir on the land side, but
toward the sea with a large admixture
OF live oaks.
The cold evening breeze, of which 1
have spoken, whistled through every
chink OF the rude building, ana
sprinkled the floor with a continual
rain of fine sand. There was sand In
our eyes, sand in our teeth, sand in our
supper, sand dancing in the spring at
the bottom of the kettle, for all the
world like porridge beginning to boil
Our chimney was a square hole In the
roof; 1t was but n little part OF the
smoke that found Its way out, and the
rest eddied about the house, and kept
us coughing and piping the eye.
Add to this that Gray, the new man,
had his face tied up In a bandage for a
cut he had got in breaking away from
the m%utineers; and that poor old Tom
Redruth, still unburied, lay along the
wall, stiff and stark, under the Union
Jack.
If we had been allowed 10 sit Idle.
we should all have fallen in the blues,
u Sdpldlh otllOitEAN h&9 49,
man for that. All hands were called up
before him. and he divided US into
watches. The doctor, and Gray, and l,
for one; the squire, Hunter, n Joyce
upon the other. Tired as we all were,
two were sent out for frewood; two
more were sent to dig q grave for Red
ruth; the doctor was named COOK l
was put sentry at the door; n the
captain himself went from n TO an
other, keeping up u spirits and lend
ing a hand wherever ii was wanted.
From time to time the doctor came
10 the door for q little cir and TO rest
his eyes. which were almost smoked out
OF his head: and whenever he did so,
he mad a word for me.
"That man Smollett," he said once,
rs a better man than ! am. And when
say that IL means a deal, Jim"
Another time he came and was silent
for awhile. Then he put his head on
one side. and looked at me.
"Is this Ben Gum a MANI" he asked.
II do not know, SIR" said l. Il am
not very sure whether he's sane"
III there's and doubt about the mat
ter, he is" returned the doctor. "A maj
who has been three years biting his
nails on a desert island, Jim, can't ex-
pect TO appear as sane as you or me. II
doesn't lie In human nature, Was II
cheese you said he had a fancy for?"
"Yes. sir. cheese" l answered.
well, Jim says he, Just see the
good that comes of being dainty IN
your food. You've seen my snuff-box,
haven't you. nd you never saw me
take snuff; the reason being. that in n.y.
snuff-box / carry a piece of Parme-
son cheese-a cheese made in Italy
very nutritious. Well, that's for Ber
.Gunn!"
Before supper was eaten we buried
old Tom IN the sand, and stood round
him for q while bareheaded In the
breeze. A good deal of tirewood had
been got in, but not enough for the cap,
tain's fancy, and he shook his head
over It, and told us we must get back
to this tomorrow rather livelier." Then
when we had eaten our pork, and each
had a good stiff glass OF brandy grog
the three chiefs got together in a cor
ner to discuss our prospects.
Continued next week.)