Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-10-26
CHAPTER XII
what l Heard in the Apple Barrel

/
''No, not l." said Silver. FLINT
was cap'n; l was quartermaster,
! along of my timber leg. The same
broadside I lost my leg, old Pew lost
his headlights 1t was a master
surgeon, him that ampytated me
out of college and all-Latin by the
bucket, and what not; but he was
hanged like a dog, and sun-dried
like the rest, at Corso Castle. That
was Roberts men, that was, and
coined of changing names to their
ships - Royal Fortune and so on
Now, what ship was christened, so
let her stay, l says. So it was with
the Cassandra, as brought us all safe
home from Malabar, after England
took the Viceroy of the Indies; so it
was with the old Walrus, Flint's
old ship, as I've seen a-muck with
the red blood and fit to sink with
gold"
'Ah!" cried another voice, that of
the youngest hand on board, and evil
IDENTIFY full of admiration, she was
the flower of his flock, was Flint"
Davis was man, to, by all ac-
counts" said Silver. 81 never sailed
along of him; first with England,
then with Flint, that's my story; and
now here on my own account, in a
manner of speaking. | laid by nine
hundred safe, from England, and
two thousand after Flint. That amt
bad for man before the mast=all
safe in bank. faint earning now:
it's saving does it, you may lay to
that. Where's all England's men
now? l dunno. Where's FIint's?
Why, most of 'em aboard here, and
glad to get the duff-been begging
before that, some on 'em. Old Pew. |
as has lost his sight, and might have
thought shame, spends twelve hun
dred pounds in a year, like lord in
Parliament Where is he now? Well, |
he's dead now and under the matches:
but for two years before that, SILVER
my timbers! that man was starving.
He begged, and he stole, and he cut
-hroats, and starved at that, by the
powers"
Well, it amt no use, after ALL"
said the young seaman.
faint much use for fools, you
nay lay to that-that, nor nothing"
cried Silver. But now. you look
here; you're young, you are, but
you're smart as paint 1 see that
when l set my eyes on YOU, and I'll
ak to you like a man"
You can imagine how felt when
heard this abominable old rogue
addressing another in the very same
words OF flattery as he had used to
myself. l think, if had been able.
hat l would have killed him through
he barrel. Meantime he ran on, lit
lie supposing that he was overheard.
Here 1t is about a gentleman of
ortune. They lives rough, and thew
lsk swinging but they eat and drink
Ike lighting cocks, and when a
ruise is done, why, it's hundreds of
POUNDS instead of hundreds of farth-
ngs in their pockets Now, the
most goes for rum and a good fling.
nd to sea again in their shirts. But
hats not the course 1 Law. I puts
all away, some here, some there
M none too much anywheres, by
eason OF suspicion. I'm fifty, mark
gu; once back from this cruise
ct up gentleman in earnest. Time
nough, too, says you All, but I'VE
wed easy in the meantime: never
enled myself O. nothing heart de-
Tres, and slept soft and eat dainty
II my days, but when at sea. And
ow did l begin? Before the mast,
Ike you'll"
We'll" said the other, but all
ne other moneys gone now, amt it9
ou dare'nt show face in Bristol aft
n this" ''A
Why, where might you suppose If
-as?" asked Silver, derisively.