The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1915-08-26

WdlSlCOdI OulIOu.
Wont you heave to and put OF
small boat for parley?" inquired.
What no, mates?" demanded the
captain In as grutf voice as be could
compass. we've heard his speech.
and be has struck his flag"
Suppose the villain plays US false"
rejoined the mates" or, rather, the
mate. in a voice SO high or quavering
that for moment 1t was difficult for
me to repress smile, although these
three years past l rarely had smiled
at all.
The captain turned to one side. SO
that now could see both him and his
crew. The leader was as fine speci-
men Of boy as you could have asked,
sturdy Of bare legs, brown Of face, red
of hair, ragged and tumbled Of garb
His crew was active, though slightly
less robust, fair haired, light skinned
chap, blue eyed and somewhat better
clad than his companion. There was
something winning about his face. At
a glance l knew his soul. He was
dreamer, an idealist, an artist in the
bud. My heart leaped out to him in
stinctively In a great impulse of sym
patty and understanding. Indeed. sud.
denly felt the blood tingle through
my hair. l looked upon life as had
not these three years. The imagination
of youth, the glamour Of adventure.
lay here before me. things l cruelty
had missed these last few years, 1t
seemed to me.
"How now, shipmates?" remarked
mildly. "Wouldst doubt the faith of
one who himself hath flown the jolly
Rover? Cease your fears and come
aboard-that is to say. come ashore"
"Git out, jimmy" heard the cap
tain say in low voice after a moment
of indecision. "Keep him covered till
tie her up
Jimmy, the fair haired pirate, hauled
in on the alders and flung graphing
iron aboard my bank, which presently
he assembled. His once white jacket
now was soiled, and one leg Of his
Knockers was loose from his scramble
up the bank. He was belted beyond
all earl-like need. wore indeed two
belts, which supported two long hunt
ing knives and Il Malay creese, such as
we now get from the Philippines. as
well as a revolver large beyond all pro
portion to his own size. A second re-
volver of like dimensions now trem
bled in his hand. and, even though it's
direction toward me was no more than
general, l resumed the goosedesh un
derneath my waistcoat, for no man
could tell what might happen.
Come alongside, brothers." said l.,
pushing my fly rod to one side. MAKE
fast and come aboard. And, tell me,
what cheer?"
They drew up to me, stern of mien.
bold of bearing, dauntess of purpose.
How l envied them! Theirs all the
splendor Of youth. of daring, of adven-
ture, of romance-things gone by from
me or for the most part never known.
AS clearly as though l always had
known them l saw into the hearts of
these, and what saw made my own
heart ache and yearn for something 1t
had ever missed.
"What cheer. comrades?" l repeated
at length. "Whither away and upon
what errand?"
Now a strange thing happened, which
do not explain, for that | cannot. In
plain fact, these two We're obviously
runaway boys. not the first nor per
haps the last Of runaway boys, and
was a man Of means, retired man
supposedly somewhat of a hermit, al
though really nothing of the sort; lately
a lawyer, hard headed and disillusion
ed, always man of calm reason, as
prided myself; subject to no fancies, q
student and a lover of science. q
mocker at all superstition and al
weak mindedness. pardon me that
must say all these things Of myself
Yet let me be believed who say 1t
some spell. whether of this presence Of
youth, whether of the evening and thu
sun or whether of the inner and strug
Cling soul of man, so fell upon US al
then and there that we were not mar
and boys, but bold adventures, al
three Of like kidney. This was not F,
modern land that lay about us. No
before us lay the picture Of the rolling
deep, its long green swells breaking
high in white spindrift. The keel
wind Of other days sounded in on
ears and yonder pressed the galleon
Of Spain. Youth, youth and adventure
were ours.
ave seek for treasure" piped tn
thin voice Of him ! had heard Gale.
Jimmy. "Let none dare lift han,
against u.s.
"And whittier away. my hearties?"
"Spang to the Spanish MAN." Thi