The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-02-28

the tavern on his crutch, slapping
tables with his hand, and giving such
a show of excitement as would have
convinced an Old Bailey judge or a
Bow street runner. My suspicious had
been thoroughly reawakened on find
ing Black Dog at The Spyglass, and I
watched the cook narrowly. But ho
was too deep. and too ready. and too
clever for me, and by the time the two
men had come back out of breath, and
confessed that they had lost the track
in a crowd, and had been scolded like
thieves, I would have gone bail for the
innocence of Long JOIN Silver.
See here, now, Hawkins" said he,
here's a blessed hard thing on a man
like me now, amt it? There's Cap'n
Trelawney-what's he to think? Here
l have this COMPOUNDED son OF Il
Dutchman sitting in my own house.
drinking my own rum! Here you comes
and tells me of 1T plain: and here I
let him give us all the slip before my
blessed daylights! Now, Hawkins,
you do me justice with the cap'n.
You're a lad, you are, but you're as
smart as paint. l see that when you
first came in. Now. here it is: What
could I do. with this old timber I hob
BILE on? When l WAS an A B master
mariner I'd have come up alongside of
him, land over hand, and preached
him to in a brace OF old shakes, I
would; and now"
And then, all of a sudden, he stopped
and his jaw dropped as though he
had remembered something.
THE score!!" he burst out. Three
goes O rum! Why, shiver my timbers,
II | hadn't forgotten my score!"
n falling on a bench. he laughed
until the tears ran down his cheeks.
on mot DIV 49, -p.,
laughed, together, peal after peal, un-
I'll the tavern rang again.
Why, what a precious old sea-calf Il
am he said, at last, wiping his
cheeks. You and me should get on
well. Hawkins, for I'll take my davy
should be rated ships boy. But.
come, now, tai by to go about. This
won't do. Dooty is dooty, messmates.
III put on my old cooked hat, and step
along Of you to Cap'n Trelawney, and
report this here affair. For, mind you,
It's serious. young Hawkins; and
neither you nor mes come out of it,
with what 1 SHOULD make so bold as to-
not smart-none of the pair of usI
smart. But dash my buttons! that was
a good 'un about my score"
And he began to laugh again, and
Il a SO heartily that, although I did not
see the joke as he did. l vas again
obliged to join him in his mirth.
On our little walk along the quays,
he made himself the most interesting
companion, telling me about the diff
ferent ships that We passed by, their
rig. tonnage and nationality, eXplain-i
ing the work that was going forward!
how II was discharging, another
taking in cargo, and a third makingl
ready for sea; and every now and them
telling me some little anecdC.e OF ships
or seamen, or repeating a nautical
phrase till I had learned it perfectly. Il
began to see that here was one of the
best Of possible shipmates.
When we got to the inn, the squirrel
and DIR. Livesey were seated together,
finishing a quart Of ale with a toast I'M
it,, before they should go aboard the
schooner on a visit Of inspection.
Long John told the story from first
to last, with a great deal Of spirit and
the most perfect truth That was how
1t We're, now, weren't it. Hawkins?"
he would say, now and again, and 2
could always bear him entirely out.
The w gentlemen regretted that
Black Dog had got away: but we all
agreed there was nothing to be done,
and after he Ia been complimented,
Long John took up his crutch and de-
| parted.
All hands aboard by 4 this after
noon,' shouted the squire after him.
"Ay, ay, sir" cried the cook, in the
passage.
We'll, squire" said DR.. Livesey, II
don't put much faith in your discover
les, as a general thing; but l will say
this-John Silver suits me-"
Tha mans a perfect trump" de-
clared the squire.
and, now" added the doctor, "Jim
may come aboard with US, may he
| not?'
ITO be sure, he may" says the squire.
Take your hat, Hawkins, and we'll see
the ship"