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

'~hO
The next morning we fell early to
work, for the transportation of this
great mass of gold heal a mile by land
to the beach, and thence three miles by
boat 10 the "Hispaniola," was a consid-
cradle task for so small a number of
workmen. The three fellows still
abroad upon the island did not greatly
trouble us; a single sentry on the Shout
der of the hill was sufficient to insure
us against any sudden onslaught, and
we thought, besides, they had had more
than enough Of fighting.
Therefore the work was pushed on
bTiskly. Gray and Ben Gum came and
went with the boat, while the rest dur
ing their absence piled treasure on the
beach. Two of the bars, slung in a
ropes end, made a good load for a
grown man-one hat he was glad to
walk slowly with. Fol my part, as ]
was not much use at carrying, l was
kept busy all day in the cave packing
the minted money into bread bags.
1t was a strange collection, like Billy
Bones hoard for the diversity of coin
age, but so much larger and so much
more varied that L think ] never had
more pleasure than in sorting them,
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese.
Georges and Louises, doubloons and
double guineas and moidores and
sequins, the pictures of all the kings of
Europe for the last hundred years,
strange oriental pieces stamped with
what looked like wisps of string or bits
of spiders web, round piecese and
square pieces, and pieces bored through
the middle. as If to wear them round
your neck-nearly every variety OF
money in the world must, / think, have
found a place in that collection; and
90. ,.lo A-a 80 4haxy llya
autumn leaves, so that my back ached
with STOPPING and my fingers with sort
ing hem out.
Day after day this work went on; by
every evening a fortune had been
slowed aboard, out there was another
fortune waiting for the morrow: and
all this time we heard nothing of the
three surviving mutineers.
At last-I think ii was on the third
night-the doctor and l were %strolling
on the shoulder of the hill where II
overlooks the lowlands of the isle,
when, from out the thick darkness be-
low, the vino brought US a noise be-
tween shrieking and singing. 1t was
only a snatch that reached our ears
followed by the former silence.
Heaven forgive them" said the doc
tor; tits the mutineers!"
"All drunk, sir" struck in the voice
of Silver from behind us.
Silver, / should say, was allowed his
entire liberty, and in spite Of daily re-
Bluffs, seemed to regard himself once
more as quite a privileged and friendly
dependent. Indeed, it vas remarkable
what ~unwearying politeness he KEEP
at trying to ingratiate himself with all
Yet, l think, none treated him better
than a dog. unless it was Ben Gum
who was still terribly afraid Of his ole
quartermaster, or myself, who had real
ly something to thank him for; al
thought for that matter, / suppose,
had reason to think even worse Of hin
than anybody else, for l had seen hin
meditating a fresh treachery upon the
| plateau. Accordingly. 1t was pretty
grufiy that the doctor answered him
Drunk or raving!" said he.
Right you were, sir" replied Silver
land precious little odds which, to yol
and me-"
Il suppose you would hardly ask me