Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-05-31
TREASURE
ISLAND $50.


up to the others"
"Ah, the othersl" returned John
They're a nice lot, amt they? You saJ
his cruise is bungled! All. by gum
II you could understand how bad I'll
! bungled. you would see! We're thai
neal the gibbet that my neck's stiff
with thinking on 1t. You've seen EN-
maybe, hanged in chains, birds about
'em, seamen printing 'em out as they
go down with the tide. Who's that?
says one. Thai Why, that's John Sill
yer. / knowed him WE'LL says another
And you can hear the chains a-jangle
as you go about and reach for the
other buoy. Now, that's about where
we are, every mothers son OF us,
thanks to him and Hands and Ander-
son, and other ~rulnation fools OF you.
And II you var to know about num-
Der four, and that boy. why, shiver my
timbers! isn't he a hostage? Are we
going to waste a hostage? No, not u.s.
he might be our last chance, and ]
shouldn't wonder. XIII that boy? Not
me-, mates! And number three? All,
well. there's a deal to say to number
three. Maybe you don't 1t moth
ing to have "a real college doctor come
10 see you every day-you, John, with
your head broke-or you, George Merry
that had the ague shakes upon not six
hours agone, and has your eyes the
color OF lemon peel to this same mo-
ment OF the clock? And maybe, per-
haps, you didn't know there was a con-
sort coming, either? But there is, and
not so long Till then; and then well
see who'll be glad to have a hostage
when It comes to that. And as for
number two, and why / made a bar-
gain-well, you came crawling on your
knees to me to make ton your knees
you came, you that was down-hearted
| and you'd ave starved, too, II 1
hadn't-but that's a triie! you look
~there-that's why!"
And he cast down upon the floor a
paper that l instantly recognized-none
other than the chart or yellow paper,
with three red crosses, that ! had found
In the oilcloth at the bottom OF the cap
tain's chest. Why the doctor a given
II to him was more than / could fancy.
But II IT were inexplicable to me the
appearance Of the chart was incredible
TO the surviving m~utineers. They
leaped upon II like cats upon a mouse.
1t went from hand to hand, one tear
ing 1t from another; and by the oaths
and the cries and the childish laughter
with which they accompanied their ex-
animation, you would nave thought,
not only they were lingering the very
gold, but were at sea with II, besides,
in safety.
Yes" said one, that's Flint. sure
enough. j. F., and a score below, with
a Glove hitch to it, so he done ever"
Mighty pretty" said George. But
how are we to get away with 1t, n
us no ship"
Silver suddenly sprung up, and sup
porting himself with a hand against
the wall: Nov, / give you warning
George" he cried. zone more word Of
your sauce, and III call you down and
fight you. How? Why, how do | know?
You had ought to tell that-you and
the rest hat lose me my schooner with
your interference, burn you! But not
you, you can't; you hain't got the in
vention OF n cockroach. But civil you
a speak, and shall, George Merry, you
may lay to that
That's fair enouw,' said the old man
Morgan.
Fair! 1 reckon So" said the sea
cook. You lost the ship; l found the
treasure. Who's the better man at
that? And now / resign. by thunder!
Elect whom you please to be your
cap'n now; I'm done with It,"
Silver" they cried. Barbecue for
ever! Barbecue for cap'n!"
80 that's the toon, Is it?" cried the
cook. George, / reckon you'll have to
wait another turn, friend, and lrcky for
o as I'm not q revengeful MIA. Blu
that was never my way. And COW,
shipmates, this black spot? Taist
much good now, is IT? Dick crossed
his luck and spoiled his bible, and
that's about ALL"
"It'n dc to kiss the book on still,
won't IT." growled Dick, who was evil
IDENTIFY uneasy at the course he nae
brought upon himself.
"A bible with a bit cut OUT" returned
Silver, d~erisively. Not 1t. 1t don't
bind no more'n a ballad-book."
Don't 1t. thought" cried Dick, with
q sort of JOY. "Well, i reckon that's
worth having, too
Here, Jim-here's a curiosity for
YOU" said Silver; and he tossed me
the paper.
1t was a round about the size Of a
One side was blank, for
It had been the last leaf; the other
contained a verse or two OF Revelation
words among the rest, which
struck sharply home upon my mind:
Without are dogs and murderers."
The printed side had been blackened
with wood ash, which already began
to come off and soil my fingers; IN the
blank side had been written with the
same material the one word, DE
l have that curiosity beside
me at this moment: but not a trace
Of writing now remain beyond a single
scratch, such as a man might make
with his thumb-nail.
That was the end Of the nights bust
ness. Soon after, with a drink all
round, we lay down to sleep, and the
OF Silver's vengeance was To
put George Merry up for sentinel, and
threaten him with death II he should
prove u~nfaithful.
1t was long ere 1 could close an eye,
and heaven knows / a matter enougn
for thought in the man whom l had
slain that afternoon, in my own most
p~erilous position, and, above all, in the
remarkable game that 1 saw Silver
now engaged upon-keeping the mutt
leers together with n hand, and
yrasping with the other, after every
means, possible and impossible, to
his peace and save his miserable
ife. He himself slept peacefully, and
,nored aloud; yet my heart was sore
or him, wicked as he was, to think ON
he dark perils that environed, and the
,nameful gibbet that awaited him.