Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-04-05
CHAPTER XVII.
NARRATIVE CONTINUED BY THE
DOCTOR-THE JOLLY-BOAT"S
LAST TRIp

This fifth trip was quite different
from any Of the others. In the first
place, the little gallipot Of q boat that
we were In was graVely overloaded.
Five grown men, ana three Of them
T~rclaWney, Redruth n the captain
over six feet high, was already more
than she was meant TO carry. Add 10
that the powder, pork and the bread
bags. The gunWale was Tipping astcrn.
Several times we shipped q little water,
and my brecchcs and the tails OF my
coat were an soaking wet before we
had gone 100 yards.
The captain made us trim the boat,
and we got her TO lie a little nor
evenly. All the same, we were afra'l
10 breathe.
In the second place, tho ebb was now
makirg-a strong ripping current run
ming westward through the basin, and
then southland and seaward down the
straits by which we had entered I'm the
morning. Even the ripplCs were q dan
ger 20 u overloaded craft; but the
worst Of It was that we were swept out
OF our true course, and away from our
proper landing place behind the point.
II We let the current have its way we
should come ashore beside the gigs,
where the pirates might appear at any
moment.
Il cannot keep her head for the
stuCkade, sir" sail / 20 tine .ptatn |
was steering, while he 1ud Eedrutn,
two fresh men, were at the oars. "ihe
tide keeps washing her down. Could
you pull a little stronger
mot without swapping the boat"
said Ne. You u bear up, sir, if you
please-bear up until you see you're
gaining"
/ tried, and found by experiment that
the tide kept sweeping us westward
Until / had laid her head due east, CT
Just about right angles TO the way we
ought 10 so.
wen never get ashore at this. rate"
said l..
IF it's the only course that we can
lie, sir, we must eve lie it," returned
the captain. I'VE must keen upstream.
You see, STR" he went ON, "if once we
dropped TO leeward Of the landing
place, it's hard to say where we should
get ashore, besides the chance Of be-
ing boarded by the gigs; whereas. the
way we so the current must slacken,
and then we can dodge back along the
shore"
"The currents less already, sir" said
the man Gray, who vas sitting in the
~fore-sheets; you can ease her off a
bit"
THANK you, my man. said !. quite
as If nothing had happened; for we
had all quietly made up our minds to
treat him like one OF ourselves.
Suddenly the captain spoke up again,
and l thought his voice was a little
changed.
THE gum" said he.
81 have thought Of that" said /, for /
made sure he was thinking of a bonn
bardment OF the fort. They could
never get the gun ashore, and If they
IiI thAN could paNrCy h. nj ~ 4hp,,,rN,
the woods"
Look astern, DOCTOR" replied the
captain.
We had entirely forgotten the long
nine; and there, to u horror, were the
five rogues busy about her, getting off
her jacket, as they called the stout tar
paulin under which she sailed.
Not only that, but it flashed into my
mind ct the same moment that the
round shot and the powder for the gun
had beer left behind, and a stroke with
an AK would put 1T all into the posses
sion OF the evil ones aboard.
Israel was Flint's gunner" said
Gray, hoGrSely.
At any risk, we put the boats head
direct for the landing place. BY this
time we had got SO far out of the nun
of the current That We kept Storage,
even at our necessarily gentle rate
of rowing, and l could keep her steady
for the goal. But the worst of it was
turned our ~broadside instead of our
stern to the "Hispaniola," md offered a
target like a barn doar.
/ could hear, as well as see, that
brandy-faced rascal, Israel Hands,
pumping down a round shot on the
deck. f.
who's the best shot'?" asked the
captain.
Mr.. Trclawney, out and away" said
Mr. Trelawney, VIII you please pick
off II Of these men, sir? Hands,
il possible" said the captain.
Trelawney was as cool as steel. He
looked to the printing of his gum.
Now" cried the captain, easy with
that gun, sir, or you'll swamp the boat.
hands stand by to trim her when he
The squire raised his gun the rowing
ceased, and we leaned over TO the other
side to keep the balance, and all was so
nicely contriyed that we did not ship
q drop.
They had the gun by this time slowed
round upon the swivel, and Hands,
who was at the muZZle with the ram
mer, was, in consequence, the most ex
posed. However, we a no luck; for
as Trelawney fired, down he
and it was one of the other four who
fell.
The cry he gave was echoed not only
by his companions on board but by G
great number OF voices from the shore.
and looking in hat direction l saw the
pirates trooping out from
among the trees and tumbling into