Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-12-28

( snip uOcLOf, ana tley still faithful
hands before the mast
You're doing well, my friend /"
he said to the fellow with the band
aged head, land II ever any person
had a. close shave, 1t was you; your
bead must be as hard as iron. Well,
George, how goes IL? You're a pref
" color, certainly; why, your liver,
man, is upside down. Did you take
that medicine? Did he take that
medicine, men?"
1 AYE, aye, sir, he took it sure
enough" returned Morgan.
Because, You see, since am NUT
ineers doctor, or prison doctor, as /
prefer to call it," says Doctor Live
sey, in his pleasantest way, Il make
il point of honor not to lose a man
for King George (God bless himi
and the gallOws.'
The rogues looked at each other,
but swallowed the home-thrust in
silence
Dick don't feel well, sir said
one.
Don't heg" replied the doctor.
We'll, step up here, Dick, and let
me see your tongUe. No, / should be
surprised if he did; the mans tongue
is fit to brighten the French. An
other fever"
"Ah, there, said Morgan, "that
coined OF sp'iling Bibles"
THAT comed-as you call it--of
being arrant asses, retorted the doc
tor "and not haing sense enough
to know honest air from poison, and
the dry land from a vile, pestiferous
slough / think it most probable
though, OF course, it's only an opin-
ion-that you'll all have the deuce TO
pay before you get that malaria out
of your systems. Camp in a bog,
would you? Silver, I'm surprised at
YOU YOU'RE less of a fool than
any, take you all around; but you
don't appear to me 10 have the rudi-
ments OF a notion Of the rules of
health. Well" he added after he
ad dosed them round, and they had
taken his prescriptions, with really
iaughable humility, more like charity
5chOol-children than bloodguilty
mutineers and pirates, well, that's
lone for to-day. And now / should
wish to have talk with that boy"
And he nodded his head in my di-
rection carelessly.
George Merry was at the door, spit
ting and suffering over some bad
asted medicine; but at the first word
of the doctors proposal he swung
ound with a deep flush, and cried.
MOI" and swore.
Silver struck the barrel with his
open hand.
"Si-leneel" he roared, and looked
about him positively like a lion
Doctor" he went on, in his usual
tones. 81 was thinking of that
knowing as how you had fancy for
the boy. We're all humbly grateful
for your kindness, and as you see,
puts faith in you, and takes the
drugs down like that much grog. And
take IL I've found a way ash suit
al. Hawkins, will you give your
word OF honor as young gentle-
rian-for a young gentleman you
are, although poor born-your word
of honor not to slip your cable?"
lreadily gave the pledge required.
Then, doctor" said Silver, you
Just step outside o. that stockade,
and once you're there, I'll bring the
boy down on the inside, and / reckon
you can yarn through the spars. Good
day to you, sir, and all our dooties
TO the squire and Cap'n smollett."
The explosion OF disapproval, which
nothing but Silver's black looks had
restrained. broke out Immediately
the doctor had left the house. Sill
yer was roundly accused of playing
double-of trying to make a separate
peace for himself-of sacrificing the
interests of his accomplices and vic
inns; and, in one word, of the ident-
cal exact thing that he was doing.
Il seemed to me so obvious in this
,ase, that / could not imagine how he
vas to turn their anger But he was
vice the man the rest were, and his
asst nights victory had given him a
lug &c ponderance on their minds. He
allied them all the fools and dolts
'ou can imagine, said It was neces-
cry should talk to the doctor, flut-
ered the chart in their faces, asked
hem if they could afford to break
he treaty the very day they were
lcund a-treasure-hunting.
No. by thunderl" he cried, "it's
Is must break the treaty when the
ime comes; and till then I'll gam
non that doctor, if | have to lie his
oots with brandy"
And then he bade them get the
ire lighted, and stalked out upon his
rutch, with his hand on my should
r. leaving them in a disarray, and
I fenced by his volubility rather
han convinced
Slow, lad, slow" he said. "They
light round upon us in a twinkle Of
n eye If we was seen to hurry"
Very deliberately, then, did we adj
ance across the sand to where the
octOr awaited us on the other side
/ the stookade, and as soon as we
'ere within easy speaking distance,
liver stopped.
You'll make a note of this here
lso, DOCTOR" said he, "and the boy'll
I'll you how / saved his life, and
'ere deposed for it, too, and you may
W to that. Doctor, when a mans
.eering as near the wind as me
laying chuck-farthing with the last
reath in his body, like-you would
OF think ii too much mayhap, TO
i've him one good world You'll
lease bear in mind it's not my life
ow--it's that boys into the bar
ain; and you'll speak me fair, doc
,r, and give me a bit o. hope to go
n. for the sake of mercy"
Silver was a changed man, once