Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-03-01
treasure
ISLAND : -: ::

found a cook, but II was a crew l dis
covered. Between Silver n myself
we got together In a few days a COM
pany of the toughest old salts imagi-
nable-not pretty to look at, but fell
lows, by their faces, Of the most in
domitable spirit. l declare we could
fight a frigate.
Long John ven got rid of two out
OF the six or seven / had already en-
gagged. He showed me in a momen
that they were just the sort OF fresh
water swabs we had to fear In an ad-
venture of Importance.
II am in the most magnificent health
and spirits, eating k a bull, sleeping
like a tree, yet l shall not enjoy a mo-
ment till / hear my old tarpaulins
tramping round the capstan. Seward
no! Hang the treasure! It's the glory
Of the sea that has turned my head.
So now. Livesey, come post; do not
lose an hour, If you respect me.
Let young Hawkins go at once to
see his mother, with Redruth for n
guard; and then both come at full
speed TO Bristol. John Trelawney.
"P. ST. did not tell you that Bland
ly. who, by the way, is to G a con-
sort after us if we don't turn up by
the end Of August, had found an adj
mirable fellow for sailing master-a
stiff man, which l regret, but, in all
other respects a treasure. Long John
Silver unearthed a very competent fell
low for a mate, a man named Arrow.
[ have a boatswain who pipes, Livesey;
80 things shall go m~an-o'-war fashion
on board the good ship 'Hispaniola.'
Il forgot TO tell o that Silver is a
man OF substance; | know OF my own
knowledge that he has a bankers ac-
count, which has never been over
drawn. He leaves his wife to manage
the inn; and as she is a woman OF
color, a pair OF old bachelors like you
II ! may be excused for guessing
that 1t is the wife, quite as much as
the health, that sends him back to o V
ing. ]. r.
Up. p. S.-Hawkins may stay one
night with his mother. j. T."
You can fancy the excitement into
which that letter put me. / vas half
beside myself with glee; and if ever ]
ruth, who could do nothing but grum-
BILE and lament. Any OF the under
g~amekeepers would gladly have
changed places with him; but such was
not the squirc's pleasure, and the
squire's pleasure was like law among
them all. Nobody but old Redruth
would have dared so much as even to
grumble.
The next morning he and / set out
NA ANON ~ AAi' I9NAlb'"t hisNA
there / found my mother in good
health and spirits. The captain, who
had so long been n cause Of so much
discomfort, was gone where the wicked
cease from troubling. The squire had
had everything repaired, and the pub
lie rooms and the sign repainted, and
had added some furniture-above all a
beautiful armchair for mother in the
bar. He had found her a boy as an APP
prentice also, SO that she should not
want help while / was one
1t was on seeing the boy that | IN
derstood, for the first time, my situa-
tion. l had thought up to that moment
OF the adventures before me, not at all
OF the home that | was leaving: and
now, at sight of this clumsy stranger.
who was to stay here I'm my place be-
side my mother, ! had my first attack
of tears. l am afraid / led that boy a
dogs life, for he was new to the work.
| had a hundred opportunities Of set
ting him right and putting him down,
n | was not slow to profit by them.
The night passed, and the next day.
after dinner, RedrUth and / were Gfout
again and on the road. l said good-by
to mother and the owe where | had
lived since / was born, and the dear
old Admiral Benbow-sinCe he was re-
painted, no longer quite SO dear. One
Of my last thoughts was Of the captain
who a SC often STROBE along the
beach with his cooked hat, his saber-
cut cheek, and his old brass telescope.
Next moment we had turned the corner
and my home was out Of sight.
The mail picked us up about dusk
at the Royal George, on the heath. /
was wedged I'm between Redruth and
a stout old gentleman, and i'm spite of
the swift motion and the cold night air
| must have do2ed a great deal from
the very first, and hen slept like q
log uphi II and down dale through
stage after stage; for when ] was
awakened, at last, It was by a punch
In the ribs, and | opened my eyes to
find hat we were standing still before
a large building In Il city street, and
that the day had already broken a
long time.
where are we?" / asked.
Bristol" said Tom. Get down"
Mr.. Trelawney had taken up his re-
sidence at an inn far down the docks,
TO s"uperintend the work upon the
schooner. Thither we had now to walk,
u way, to my great delight, lay
along the quayS and beside the great
multitude of ships OF all sizes and rigs
and nations. In one, sailors were sing
Ing at their work; in another, there
were men aloft, high over my head,
hanging to threads hal seemed no
thicker than a spiders. Though |
had lived by the shore all my life. /
seemed never to have been near the
sea till then. The smell Of tar and salt
was something new. ! saw the most
wonderful tigurcheads, that had all
been far over the ocean. l saw, be
sides, many old sailors. with rings in
their ears, and whiskers curled in
ringlets, and tarry pig-taiis. Inc their
staggering, clumsy sea-walk; and if
l had seen as many kings or arch
bishops | could not have been more
delighted.
And l was going to sea myself; to
sea in a schooner. with a piping boat
swain, and pip-tail singing seamen;
TO sea. bound for an unknown island,
and TO seek for buried treasure.
While / was still In this delightful
dream, we came suddenly in front of
a large inn, and met Squire Trelawney,
all dressed cut like q sea officer, in
stout blue cloth, coming out of the door
with q smile on his face, and n capital
imitation Of a sailors walk.
Here you are he cried, " and the
doctor came last night from London.
Bravo-the ships company complete!"
ooh, sir" cried l." when do we
sail?"
Sail" says he. we sail tomor-
row."
CHAPTER VIII.
AT THE SIGN OF THE SPYGLASS.
When l had done breakfasting, the
squire gave me a note addressed TO
John Silver, at the sign of the Spy