Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-11-16

would put it all into the possession
of the evil ones aboard
'Israel was Flint's gunner" said
Gray, hOarsely.
At any risk, we put the boats
head direct for the landing-place
BY this time we had got so far out
of the run of the current that we
kept steerage-way even at our neces-
sarily gentle rate of rowing, and j
could keep her steady for the goal.
But the worst of it was, that with
the course 1 now held, we turned our
broadside instead of our stern to
the Hispaniola, and offered a target
like a barn door.
/ could hear, as well as see, that
brandy-faced rascal, Israel Hands,
Pumping down a round shot on the
deck.
"Who's the best shot?" asked the
captain.
''Mr. Trelawney, out and away"
said 1.
"Mr. Trelawney, will you please
nick me off one of those men, sir?
Hands, if possible" said the captain.
Trelawney was as cold as steel. He
looked to the printing of his gun.
NOW, CI1Gu JuG Napbclh5 Ce'DJ
with that gun, sir, or you'll swamp
The boat. All hands stand by to trim
her when he aims"
The squire raised his gun, the row.
ing ceased, and we leaned over to
the other side to keep balance, and
all was so nicely contrived that we
did not ship a drop.
They had the gun, by this time,
slowed around upon the swivel, and
Hands, who was at the muZzle, with
the rammer, was, in consequence, the
most exposed. However, we had no
luck, for just as Trelawney fired,
down he stopped, the ball whistling
over him, and it was one of the other
four who fell.
The cry he gave was echoed, not
only by his companions on board, but
by a great number of voices from
the shore, and looking in that direc-
ton saw the other pirates trOOping
out from among the trees and tum-
bling into their places in the boats.
Here come the gigs, sir, said 1.
"Give way, then" said the cap
tain. 1--WE mustn't mind if we swamp
her now. If we can't get ashore, ais
up"
"Only one of the gigs is being
manned, SIR 1 added; "the crew of
the other is most likely going round
by shore to cut us off"
"The'll have a hot run, sir" re-
turned the captain. Jack ashore, you
know. It's not them I mind; it's
the round shot Carpet Bowls! My
lady's maid couldn't miss. Tell us,
squire, when you see the match, and
we'll hold water"
In the meantime we had been max
ing Roadway at a good pace for a
boat so overloaded, and we had
but little water in the pro-
cess. We were now close in; thirty
or forty strokes and we should beach
her, for the ebb had already dis
closed belt of sand below the clus-
tering trees. The gig was no longer
to be feared; the little point had al
ready concealed it from our eyes.
The ebb-tide, which had so cruelty
delayed us, was now making repara-
ton, and delaying our assailants. The
one source of danger was the gun.
eff durst," said the captain, I'D
stop and pick off another man"
But it was plain that they meant
nothing should delay their shot. |
They had never so much as looked |
at their fallen comrade, though he
was not dead, and I could see him |
trying to crawl away.
Ready" cried the squire.
"Hold!" cried the captain, quick
as an echo.
And he and Redruth backed with
a great heave that sent her stern
bodily into the water. The report |
Tell in at the same instant of time.
This was the first that Jim heard,
he sound of the squire's shot not |
having reached him. When the ball |
passed. not one of us precisely knew,
put | fancy it must have been over
)ur heads, and that the wind of 1T
nav have contributed to our dis
lster.
At any rate the boat sunk by the
stern, quite gently, in three feet of
water, leaving the captain and my
elf, facing each other, on our feet.
The other three took complete head
RS, and came up again, drenched and
So far there was no great harm.
No lives were lost, and we could
wade ashore in safety. But there
we're all our stores at the bottom,
md, to make things worse, only two
runs out of five remained in a state
or service. Mine I had snatched from
nv knees, and held over my head,
w a sore of instinct. AS for the
.aptain, he had carried his over his
houlder by a bandoleer, and like
wise man, lock upermost. The other
hree had gone down with the boat.
70 add to our concern, we heard
-oices already drawing near us in
he woods along shore; and we had
lot only the danger of being cut off
rom the stockade in our half-crip-
lied state, but the fear before us
whether, if Hunter and Joyce were
ttacked by half a dozen, they would
ave sense and conduct to stand firm.
Iunter was steady, that we knew;
oyee was a doubtful Casa pleas
mt, polite man for a valet, and to
rush ones clothes, but not entirely
tilted for a man of war.
With all this in our minds, we
yaded ashore as fast as we could,
eaving behind us the poor jolly-boat,
nd a good half of all our powder
nd provisions.
CHAPTER XVIII