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

! VINO hllleQ the men you udu duOd4'
of her, and it was / who brought he
where you'll never see her more, no
one of you. The laughs on my side
I've had the top of this business from
| the first; / no more fear you thar
/ fear a fly. XIII me, if you please
or spareme. But one thing I'll say
and no more; if you spare me, by
cones are by-gones, and when You
fellows are in court for piracy II
save you all l can. 1t is for you tC
choose. XIII another and do your
selves no good, or spare me and keeE
a witness to save you from the gal
lows"
stopped, for, tell you, was all
out of breath, and, to my wonder
not a man of them moved, but all
sat staring at me like as many sheep
And while they were still staring
l broke out again:
"And now, Mr.. Silver" said /, "a
believe you're the best man here, and
if things go to the worst, I'll take it
kind of you to let the doctor know
the way took it."
'I'll bear it in mind" said Silver,
with an accent so curious that
could not, for the lie of me, decide
whether he were laughing at my re-
quest or had been faYorably affected
by my courage.
"I'Il put one to that" cried the
old mahogany-faced seaman ~ Nor
gan by name whom I had seen in
Long Johns public-house upon the
quays of Bristol. 1T was him that
knowed Black Dog"
"Well, and see here" added the
"I'll put another again to
that, by thunder! for it was this
same boy that faxed the chart from
Billy Bones. First and last we've
split upon Jim Hawkinsi'
"Then here goesi" said Morgan,
with an oath.
And he sprung up, drawing his
knife as if he had been twenty
''Avast, there!" cried Silver. WHO
are you, Tom Morgan? Maybe you
thought you were captain here, per-
haps. By the powers, but I'll teach
you better! Cross me and you'll go
where. many a good mans gone be-
fore you, first and last, these thirty
year back-some to the yard-arm,
shiVer my sides! and some by the
board, and all to feed the fishes.
There's never a man looked me be-
tween the eyes and seen a good day
a'terward, Tom Morgan, you may lay
10 that"
Morgan paused, but a hoarse muir
muir rose from the others.
"Tom's right" said one.
)ne," added another. "I'll be hanged
f I'll be hazed by you, John Silver.
did any of you gentlemen want
o have it out with me?" roared Sill
yer, bending far forward from his
position on the keg, with his pipe
IT'LL glowing in his right hand. Put
/ name on what you're at; you amt
lumb, l reckon. Him that wants
hall get it. Have I lived this many
years to have a son of a rum pun
,heon cock his hat athwart my
lawser at the latter end of it? You
NOW the way; you're all gentlemen
, fortune, by your account. Well, |
IN ready. Take cutlass him that
ares and I'll see the color of his in
ide, crutch and all, before that
'ipe's empty"
Not man stirred; not man an
wered
'That's your sort, is it?" he added,
eturning his pipe to his mouth.
Well, you're a gay lot to look at,
ny way. Not worth much to fight,
ou amt. P'raps you can under
tand King Georges English. Pm
ap'n here by lection. I'm cap'n
ere because I'm the best man by a
)ng sea-mile You won't fight, as
entlemen o. fortune should; then
y thunder you'll obey, and you may
ny to it! l like that boy now;
ever seen a better boy than that.
les more a man than any pair of
ats of you in this here house, and
hat l say is this: Let me see him
sill lay hand on him-that's what
say, and you may lay to it,"
There was a long pause after this
stood straight up against the wall,
ly heart still going like sledge-
ammer, but with a ray of hope now
mining in my bosom. Silver leaned
ack against the wall, his arms
rossed, his pipe in the corner of
is mouth, as calm as though ne had
cen in church; yet his eye kept
-andering furtively, and he kept the
Ill of it on his unruly followers.
hey, for their part, drew gradually
)gether toward the far end of the
Ioek-house, and the low hiss of their
INSPIRING sounded in my ears con-
nuously like a stream. One after
mother they would look up, and the
M light of the torch would fall for
second on their nervous faces; but
was not toward me, 1t was toward
liver that they turned their eyes.
you seem to have lot to say" .
Silver, splitting far into
lie air. "Pipe up and let me hear it,
: lay to-"
"Ax your pardon, SIR returned
ne of the men; you're pretty free
it'll some of the rules, maybe you'll ]
indy keep an eye upon the rest.
his crews dissatisfied; this crew j
mt vally bullying a marHn-spike:
lis crew has its rights like other /
'ews, I'll make so free as that. and
2 your own rules I take it we can !
TX together. ak your pardon, sir, [
you for to be capting
this present, but / claim my right Z
Id steps outside for a council" y
And with an elaborate sea-salute s
IFS fellow, a long ill-looking. vel
w-eyed man of five-and-thirty.
epped cody toward the door and Z