Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-06-21

The doctor sent back Gray for one of
the pickaxes, deserted in their flight,
by the m~utineers; and then, as we pro-
ceeded leisurely downhill to where the
boats were lying, related In a few words
what had taken place. 1t was a story
that profoundly interested Silver, and
Ben Gum. the half-idiot maroon, was
the hero from beginning to end.
Ben, in his long, lonely wanderings
about the island, had found the skele-
ton-it was he that had rihed 1t: he
had found the TREASURED: he had dug
1t up Ut was the half of his pickax
that lay broken in the excavation; he
had carried 1t on his back in many
weary Journeys from the foot of the tall
pine to q cave he had on the two-point-
ed hill at the northeast angle of the is
land, and there it had laid stored In
safety since two months before the ar
rival OF the "Hispaniola."
When the doctor had wormed his Sc
cret from him on the afternoon OF the
attack, and when, next morning, he
saw the anchorage deserted, he had
gone to Silver, given him the chart,
which was now useless-given him the
stores, for Ben Gums cave was we'll
supplied with goats meat sailed by
himself-given anything and every
thing to get a chance of moving in
safety from the stockade 10 the two
pointed hill, there to be clear of ma
laria and keep a guard upon the money.
LAS for you, JIM" he said, 1T went
against my heart, but / did what l
thought best for those Who had stood
by their duty; n IL you were not one
of these, whose fault was it?"
That morning, finding that l was to
be involved In the horrid disappoint-
ment he had prepared for the mu-
,tineers, he had run all the way to the
captain, had taken squire to guard the
captain, had k Gray and the ma
room and started, making the diagonal
across the island, to be at hand be-
side the pine. Soon, however, he saw
that our party had the start of him;
and Ben Gum, being feet of foot, had
been dispatched in front to do his best
alone. Then it had occurred to him to
work pon the superstitions of his for
mer shipmates, and he was so far sue
cessful that Gray and the doctor had
come VI and were already ambushed
before the arrival Of the treasure hunt
ers.
All" said Silver, 1T was fortunate
for me that / had Hawkins here. You
would have let old John cut to bits
and never given 1t a thought, DOCTOR"
mot a thought" replied DR.. Livesey,
cheerily.
And by this time we had reached the
gigs. The doctor, with the pick Ak, de-
molished one of them, n then we all
got aboard the other, and set out to go
round by the sea for North Inlet.
This was a u of eight or nine miles.
Silver, though he was almost killed
already with fatigue, was set to an oar,
like the rest Of us, and we were soon
skimming swiftly over a smooth sea.
Soon we passed out OF the straits and
doubled the southeast corner of the
island, our which, fou days ago, we
had towed the "Hispaniola."
AS we passed the two-pointed hill, we
could see the black mouth Of Ben
Gums cave, anda figure standing by it
leaning on a musket. 1t was the squire;
and we waved a handkerchief and gave
him three cheers, in which the voice of
Silver Joined as heartily as any.
Three miles further, just inside the
mouth or North Inlet, what should we
meet but the "Hispaniola," cruising
by herself. The last flood had lifted
her; and a there been much wind,
or q strong tide current. as in the
southern anchorage, we hould never
have found her more, or found her
stranded beyond help. AS it was, there
was little amiss. beyond the wreck OF
the mainsail Another anchor was got
READY, ana fOppe IN Il 1atnOm ana q
half Of water. We all pulled round again
to Rum cove, the nearest point for Ben
Gums treasure house: and then Gray
single-handed, returned with the gig
to the "Hispaniola," where he was to
pass the night on guard.
A gentle slope ran up from the beach
to the entrance of the " At the top
the squire met us. To me he was cor
dial, saying nothing of my ~escapade,
either in the way of blame or praise. At
Silver's polite salute he somewhat
flushed.
John Silver" he said you're n
prodigious villain and imposter-a mon
strous imposter, sir, l am told l am not
to prosecute you. Well, then, l will not.
But the dead men, sir, hang about your
neck like milstones."
Thank you kindly. SIR" replied
Long John, again saluting.
"How dare you to thank mel" cried
the squire. 1T is a gross dereliction OF
my duty. Stand back!"
And thereupon we all entered the
cave. 1t was a large, airy place, with a
little spring and a pool of clear water,
o~verhung with ferns. The fioor was
sand. Before a big fire lay Captain.
Smollett, and in a far corner, only
duskily hickered owe rthe blaze, / be-
held great heaps of coin and quadhilat-