Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1902-05-08

and you'll please regard me as your
captain until further notice.
He looked at ME sourly enough, but
said nothing. Some of the color had
come back into his cheeks, though he
still looked Very sick and still contin
ued TO slip out and settle down as the
ship banged about.
have these colors, Mr.. Hands; and by
your leave I'll strike EN-. Better none
than these"
And, again lodging the boom, 1 ran
| to the color lines, hauled down their
cursed black flag, and chucked it over
board.
"Goa save the ktng." said I, waving
nay cap. and there's an end to Cap
tain SILVER"
He watched me keenly and slyly, his
chin all the while on his breast.
81 reckon he said at last-"I reckon,
Capn Hawkins, You'll kind of want to
get ashore, now. S'pose we talks
Why, yes, say l. with all my
heart, Mr.. Hands. Say on" And L
went back to my meal with a good
appetite.
This man. he began. nodding feeb-
~ at the corpse-"O I3rien We're his
name--a rank Irelander-this man and
me got the canvass on her, meaning for
to sail her back. Well he's dead now,
he is-as dead as bilge; and who's to
sail THIS ship, | don't see. Without 1
give you a hint, YOU amt that man,
rs tars l can tell. Now, look here, you
gives me food and drink, and a old
scarf or ankecher to tie my wound up,
You do: and I'll tell you how to sail
her: and that's about square all
round, 1 take 1t.
m tell you one thing says L; I'm
not going back to Captain kidd's am
chorage. 1 mean to get into North in
let, and beach her quietly there"
To be sure you did" he cried. why,
l amt SIGH an internal lubber, after
all. can see, can't /? I've tried my
fling, L have, and I've lost, and it's
you has the wind of me. North inlet?
Why, | haven't no chico, not l. I'd
help you sail her up the Execution
dock, by thunder. so l would
Well, as 1t seemed to me, there was
some sense In this. We struck oul. bar
gain on the spot In three minutes L
mad the iiispiniola sailing easily be-
fore the wind along the coast of Treas
ure island, with good hopes of turning
the northern point ere noon, and beat
ing down again as far as North inlet
before high water, when we might
beach her safely, and wait till the sub
siding tide permitted us to land.
Then dashed the tiller and went be-
loW to my own chest where / got Il soft
silk handkerchief of my mothers.
With this, and With my aid, Hands
bound up the great bleeding stab lie
had received in the thigh, and after he
had eaten Il little and had swallow or
two more of the brandy. he began TO
pick up yisibly, sat straighter up, spoke
louder and clearer. and looked in every
way another man.
The breeze served us admirably We
SKINNED before it like bird, the
coast of the island flashing by, and the
view changing every minute. Soon we
were past the high lands and bowling
beside low sandy country, sparsely dot
ted With dwarf pines, and soon we We're
beyond that again, and had turned the
corner of the rocky hill that ends the
island ON the north.
/ was greatly clated with my new
command, and pleased With the bright,
sunshiny weather and these different
prospects of the coast. L had now
plenty of water and good things to eat,
and my conscience, which had smitten
me hard for my dcsertion, was quieted
by the grea. conquest l had made L
should, think, have had nothing left
me to desire but for the eyes OF the
cochswainas they followed me derisiye-
ly about the deck, and the odd smile
that appeared continually on his face.
Ut was q smile that had in 1t something
both of pain and weakness-a hag-
gard, old mans smile. but there was,
besides that Il grain of derision, Il
shadow of treachery. in his expression
as he craftily watched. ana watched,
and watched me at work.