Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-11-02
PART II
The Sea Cook

yer. well. now, if you want to
know, I'll tell you when. The last
moment l can manage; and that's
when Here's a first-rate seaman,
Cap'n Smollett, sails the blessed ship
for us. Here's the squire and doctor
with a map and such-I don't know
where it is, do 1? No more do you,
says you. Well, then, l mean TINS
squire and doctor shall find the stuff,
and help us to get it aboard, by the
powers. Then Wen see. If l was
sure of you all, sons of double Dutch
men, ia have Cap'n Smollett naVi-
gate us halfway back again before l
struck"
why, we're all seamen aboard
here, / should think, said the lad
Dick.
Were all fok's'le hands, you
mean," Slapped Silver. eve can steer
a course, but who's to set one? That s
what all you gentlemen split on, first
and last. If / had my way, I'd have
Cap'n Smollett work us back into
the trades at least; then we'd have
no blessed miscalculations and
spoonful of water a day. But l
know the sort you are. I'll finish
Will CHI dl lllG lOldlihy oOOh 49,
blunt's on board, and a pity it is.
drunk. Split my sides, I've a sick
heart to sail with the likes of you"
easy, all, Long john" cried
Israel. who's a-crossing of you?"
"Why how many tall ships, think
ye, now, have / seen laid aboard ?
and how many brisk lads drying in
the sun at Execution Dock?" cried
Silver; land all for this same hurry
and hurry and hurry. You hear
me? l seen a thing or two at sea,
have. If you would on'y lay your
course, and a pint to windward, you
would ride in carriages, you would.
But not you! l know you. You'll
have your mouthful of rum to-mor-
row, and go hang"
EVERYBODY knOw'd you was a kind
of chaplng, John; but there's others
as could hand and steer as well as
you" said Israel. 'They liked a |
but O. fun, they did. They wasn't
so high and dry, nohow, but took
their fling, like jolly companions,
every one"
"So?" said Silver. well, and |
where are they now? Pew was that
sort, and he died a beggarman. Flint
was, and he died of rum at Savan-
nah. All, they was a sweet crew, |
they was! on'y where are they?"
But" asked, when we do lay
'em athwart, what are we to do with
'em, anyhow"
There's the man for mel" cried
the cook, admiringly. "That's what /
call business. Well, what you think?
Put 'em ashore like maroons? That
would have been England's way. Or
cut 'em down like that much pork?
That would have been Flint's or
Billy Bones"
Chilly was the man for that, p
said Israel. Dead men don't bite
says he. Well, he's dead now, his
self; he knows the long and short
on it now; and if ever rough hand
come to port, it was Billy"
Fright you are" said Silver,
rough and ready. But mark you
here: I'm an easy man-Im quite
the gentleman, says you; but this
time it's serious. Dooty is dooty,
mates. 1 give you my vote death.
When I'm in Parlyment, and riding
in my coach, l don't want none of
these sea-lawyers in the cabin COM
ing home, unlocked for, like the
devil at prayers. Wait is what
say; but when the time comes, why
let her rip!"
John" cried the cockswain, 'you
are a mani"
you'll say SO, Israel, when you
see," said Silver. "Only one thing
/ claim claim Trelawney. I'll
wiring his calf's head off his body
with these hands. Dick!" he added,
breaking off, you must jump up,
like a sweet lad, and get me an APP
Pile, to wet my pipe like"
You may fancy the terror I was
in! l should have leaped and run
for it, if l had found the strength;
but my limbs and heart alike mis-
gave me. l heard Dick begin to rise,
and then someone seemingly stopped
him, and the voice of Hands ex-
claimed:
"Oh, stow that Don't you get
sucking of that bilge, John. Let's
have a go of rum"
'Dick," said Silver, ct trust you.
I'VE a gauge on the key, mind.
There's the key; you fill a pannikin
and bring it up"
Terrified as l was, l could not
help thinking to myself that this /
must nave Detu HOW MT. ATiOW SSI
he strong waters that destroyed
him.
Dick was gone but little while,
md during his absence Israel spoke !
straight on in the cooks ear 1t
vas but a word or two that l could
,atch, and yet l gathered some i'm
)ortant news; for, besides other
scraps that tended to the same pur-
pose, this whole clause was audible:
Not another man of them11 fine"
Hence there were still faithful men
IN board.
When Dick returned, one after an
,ther of the trio took the pannikin 9
md drank-one "To luck; another
With a Here's to old Flint" and I
Silver himself saying, in a kind of
ong, Here's to ourselves, and hold
rour huff, plenty of prizes and plenty ,
# duff"
Just then a sort of brightness fell s
lpon me in the barrel, and, looking |
I'D, found the moon had risen, and I
vas silvering the mizzen-top and z
Inning white on the luff of the fore Q
ail, and almost at the same time
he voice on the lookout shouted,