The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-01-05
CHAPTER u.-(Continued.)

W
of the Emperor Napoleon, sometime in
the possession of the Empress Josephine ;
that is a gold chain-he was eighteen
carat-cnce the property of Don Carlos
here is the pen with which Francis Drake
wrote his last letter to the Queen Eliza
beth-beautiful goods as ever was, and
cost moosh money"
ITO the dead with your much money"
said the Captain with an angry gesture,
as he snatched the trinkets from him. and
eyed them to my vast surprise with the
air of practiced connoisseur; "let's ham
die the stuff, and don't gibber. How much
for this?" He held up the miniature, and
admiration betrayed itself in his eyes.
He was painted by Sir William Ross,
and l sell him for two hundred pounds,
my Captain. Not peny less, OF I'm a
ruined man.
''The Jew ruined man! Hark at
him! Four-Eyes" to a great lanky
fellow who lay asleep in the corner-"the
little Jew can't sell 'em under two hun
dred, l reckon; oh, certainly not; why,
of course. Here you, Splinters, pay him
for thick-skinned, thieving shark, and
give him a hundred for the Others"
seemingly about II years old, came up
at the word, and took a great canvas bag
from hook on the wall. He counted
three hundred gold pieces on the floor
pieces of all coinages in Europe and
America, as they appeared to be by their
faces, and Hall picked them up.
Mister Captain" he said, Il shall have
waiting for me at Plymouth tomorrow a
relic of the great John Hawkins, which,
as I'm alive, you shouldn't miss. l have
beard them say that it Is the very sword
with which he cut the Spaniards' boards.
Since you have told me that you sail to-
morrow, l have thought, If you put me on
your ship across to Plymouth, could
show you the goods, and you shall have
chem cheap-beautiful goods, if lose by
them"
Now, instead Of answering this appeal
as he had done the others, with his great
guffaw and banter, Captain Black turned
upon Hall, and his face lit up with pas
sion. l saw that his eyes gave one fiery
look, while he clenched his fist as though
to strike the man as he sat, but then he
restrained himself.
You want to come aboard my boat, do
you" drawled the Captain, as he soft
ened his voice to fine tone of sarcasm.
"The dealer wants cheap passage; so
no, what do you say, Four-Eyes; shall we
take the man aboard?"
Four-Eyes sat up deliberately, and
struck himself on the chest several times
as though to knock the sleep out of him.
He seemed to be brawny, thick-set Irish
man, gigantic in limb, with a more hon
est countenance than his fellows. 1
thought him man of some elaboration,
for he stared at the Captain and at Hall
before he answered the question put to
him. When he did give reply. it was in
a rich, rolling voice, which would have
given ornament to the veriest common
place.
"Ord take him aboard" he shouted,
leaning back as though he had spoken wis
dom, and then he nodded to the Captain,
and the Captain nodded to him.
1--WE sail at midnight, tide serving"
said the Captain, as he picked up the
miniature and the other things; you can
come aboard when you like-here, boy,
lock these in the chest"
The boy put out his hand to take the
things, but in his fear or his clumsiness,
he dropped the miniature, and it cracked
upon the floor. As the lad stood culver
ing and terror-struck, Black turned upon
him, almost foaming at the lips.
"You clumsy young cub, what dye
The boy fell on his knees to beg for mercy,
casting one pitiful look towards me-he
kicked him with his foot, crying:
strap, one of you"
He had but to say the words, when a
colossal brute seized the boy In his grip,
and held his head downward to the table
board, while another stripped his shirt OF
and struck him blow after blow with the
great buckle. so that the flesh was torn,
while the blood trickled upon the floor.
When the lad tainted they gave him a
few kicks with their heavy boots, and he
lay like log on the floor, until the ruff
Gan named Roaring John" picked him
up and threw him into the mex. room. The
incident was forgotten at once, and Can
tain Black became quite merry.
Food was put upon the table. It was
rich food, stews, with a profuse display
of oysters. chickens, boiled, roast. fine
French trifes pasties ices. I wished to
be away from a place whose atmosphere
poisoned me. l whispered this thought to
Hall and he said, "Yes," and rose to go.
but the Captain pulled him back, CRYING /:
"What, little Jew, you wouldn't eat
at other peoples cost! Down with If.
man, down with it; fill your pockets, stuff
'em to the top. Let's see you laugh. old
wizen-face, a great sixty per cent croak
coming from your very boots-here. Won.
John. give the man who hasn't rot any
money some food"
The men were becoming furiously Of
fensive. One Of them held Hall while the
others forced food down his throat. and
the man Roaring John" attempted ia
pay me similar compliment, but I struck
his hand, and he drew knife, turning ON
me. The action was foolish, for in 4 mo-
ment a tumult ensued. 1 heard 6erce
cries, the smash of overturned boards
and lights. and remembered no more tbs
some terrific blows delivered with INV left.
a sharp pain in my right shoulder "A 4
knife went home, the voice of Hall crv-
tng. Make for the door-the door," and
the great yell of Captain Black above the
Others. His word, no doubt, saved q,
from greater harm: for when + hsd