Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1902-05-24

have L lived this many years, and q
son OF a rum puncheon cock his hat
my hawse at the latter end of
1T? o know the way; you're all gen.
tlemen of fortune, by your account.
Well, I'm ready. Take q cutlass him
that dares, and I'll see the color of his
inside, crutch n all, before hat
pipes empty"
Not a man stirred; not a man an
swered.
That's your sort, is it?' he added,
returning his pipe to his mouth. well,
you're q gay lot to look at, anyway.
Not worth much TO fight, you amt.
Praps you can understand King
Georges English. I'm cap'n here by
lection. I'm cap'n here because I'm
the best man by a long sea-mile. You
won't fight. as gentlemen o. fortune
should; then, by thunder, you'll obey,
and o may lay to It! l like hat boy,
now and l never seen a better boy
than that. He's more Of a man han
any pair of rats of o in this here
house, and what l say is this: Let me
see him ash lay a hand ON him-that's
what say, and you may lay to It,"
There was a long pause after this.
l stood straight up against the wall,
my heart still going like a sledge-ham-
mer, but with a ray of hope now shin
ing in my bosom. Silver leaned back
against the wall, his arms crossed, his
pipe in the corner of his mouth, as
calm as though he had been in church;
yet his eye kept wandering ~furtively,
and he kept the tail of II on his unruly
followers. They on their part drew
gradually together toward the far end
OF the b~lock-house, and the low hiss of
their whispering sounded In my ears
continuously, like q stream. One after
another they would look up, the red
light of the torch would fall for a Sec
ond on their nervou faces: but 1t was
not toward me, 1t was toward Silver
they turned their eyes.
You seem to have a lot to say" re-
marked Silver, splitting far into the
air. Pipe up and let me hear 1T, or
lay to-"
AK your pardon, sir" said one OF
the men, you're pretty free with some
OF the rules; maybe youll kindly keep
an eye upon the rest. This crews dis
satisfied; this crew don't vally bullying
a m~arlinspike; this crew has It's rights
like other crews, I'll make 30 free as
that; and by your W rules, l take 1t
we can talk together. | AK your par
don, sir, acknowledging you for to be
capting at the present; but / claim my
right, and steps outside for n council"
And with an elaborate sea salute,
this fellow, n long, Unlocking, yellow
eyed man of fivc-and-thirty, stepped
toollS NON'lu liii NlOpl dllb Visa ~ ~ Sb
out of the house. one after another the
rest followed his example; each making
a salute as he passed; each adding
some apology. According TO the rules"
said one. "Fo'k's'le council" said Nor
gan. And so, with one remark or an
other, all marched out, and left Silver
and me alone with the torch.
The sea coo instantly removed his
pipe.
Now, look here, Jim Hawkins" he
said, in a steady whisper. that was no
more than audible, you're within half
n plank OF death, and what's a long
sight worse, of torture. They're going
to throw me off. But you mark,
stand by you through thick and thin. l
didn't mean to; no, not till you spoke
up. l was about desperate TO lose that
much blunt, and be hanged into the
bargain. But | see you was the right
sort. | says to myself: You stand by
Hawkins, John, and Hawkins'll stand
by you. You're his last card, and by
the living thunder, John, he's yours!
Back to back, says J.. You save your
witness, and he'll save your neck!"
l began dimly to understand.
you mean all is lost?' i asked
"Ay, by gum. l do" he answered.
ship gone, neck gone-that's the size
of it. once | looked into that bay, jim
Hawkins, and seen 10 schooner-well,
I'm tough, but gave out. AS for that
lot and their council, mark me, they're
outright fools and towards. III have
your life-if so be as / can-from them.
But see here, Jim-tit for tat--you save
Long JOIN from swinging"
l was b~ewildered; 1T seemed n thing
so hopeless he was asking-he, the old
b]uccaneer, the r~ingleader throughout.
What | can do, thatll l do" | said.
Its n bargain" cried Long John.
You Sseak up plucky, and, by thun-
der! I've a chance
He hobbled to the torch, where ii
stood propped among the iirewood, and
too n fresh light TO his pipe.
Understand me, Jim,' he said, re-
turning. 1--WE a head on my shoulders,
| have. I'm on squire's side, now. /
know you've got that ship safe some
where's. How 70 done it, / don't know,
but safe it is. / guess Hands and
O'Brien turned soft. | never much be-
lieved in neither OF them. Now you
mark me. | ask no questions, nor |
won't let others. l know when a games
up, l do; and ! know a lads that
stanch. All, you that's young-you and
me might have done a power Of good
together"
He drew some cognac from the cask
into a tin canikin.
"Will you taste, messmate?" he
asked; and when / had refused; Wei,
II ltake II drain myself, Jim,' said he.
II need a caulker, for there's trouble
on hand. And, talking o. trouble, why
did that doctor give me the chart,
Jim?"
My face expressed a wonder SO I'M
affected that he saw the needlessness
Of further questions.
"Ah, well, he did, though" said he.
"And there's something under that, no
doubt-something, surely, under that,
Jim-bad or good"
And he took another swallow OF the
brandy, shaking his great fair head
like a man who looks forward to the
worst.
Continued next week.)