Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1924-01-04

ed On the spot, and by readings o.
. the compass.
Yet, although that was the case
every man ON board the boats had
) picked a faYorite of his own ere we
were halfway over, Long John alone
, Struggling his shoulders and bidding
; them wait till they were there.
We pulled easily, by Silver's di-
reciions, not to weary the hands pre-
maturely; and, after quite a long
; passage, landed at the mouth of the
second river-that which runs down
a woody cleft of the Spy-glass
Thence, bending to our left, we be-
gan to ascend the slope toward the
plateau.
At the first outset, heavy, miry
ground and matted, marsh vegeta-
ton greatly delayed our progress,
but by little and little the hill began
to steepen and become stony under
foot, and the wood to change its
character and to grow in a more
open order. 1t was, indeed, most
pleasant portion of the island we
we're now approaching A heavy
scented broom and many Towering
shrubs had almost taken the place
of grass. Thickets of green nutmeg
trees were dotted here and there with
the red columns and the broad shad-
ow of the pines, and the first mingled
their spice with the aroma of the
others. The air, besides was fresh
and stirring, and this, under the
sheer sunbeams, was a wonderful re-
freshment to our senses.
The party spread itself abroad, in
fan shape, shouting and leaping
to and fro. About the center, and
good way behind the rest, Silver
and followed - / tethered by my
rope, he blowing, with deep pants,
time to time, indeed, 1 had to lend
him a hand, or he must have missed
his footing and fallen backward down
the hill.
We had thus proceeded for about
half a mile, and were approaching
the brow of the plateau, when the
man upon the farthest left began to
cry aloud as if in terror. Shout af-
ter shout came from him, and the
others began to run in his direction
HE can't have found the treas
ure," said old Morgan, hurrying
past us from the right, ''for that's
clean atop"
Indeed, as we found when we also
reached the spot, it was something
very different. At the foot of a
pretty big pine, and involved in
green creeper, which had even part
ly lifted some of the smaller bones,
a human skeleton lay, with a few
shreds of clothing, on the ground.
believe a chill struck for moment
to every heart
"He was a seaman" said George
Merry. who, holder than the rest,
had gone up close, and was examin-
ing the rags of clothing. Least
ways, this is good sea-cloth."
"Aye, ave." said Silver, like
enough; you wouldn't look to find
bishop here, I reckon. But what
sort of a way is that for bones to
lie? Tain't in natur'
Indeed, on a second glance, it was
impossible to fancy that the body
was in a natural position. But for
some disarray (the work, perhaps, Of
the birds that had fed upon him, or
of the slow-growing creeper that had
gradually enveloped his remains)
the man lay perfectly straight-his
feet pointing in one direction, his
hands raised above his head like a
divers, pointing directly in the OPP
posite.
"I've taken a notion into my old
numskull," observed Silver. Here's
compass; there's the tip-top of
Skeleton, stickin' out like a tooth.
Just take a bearing, will you, along
the line of them bones.
1t was done. The body pointed
straight in the direction of the
island, and the compass read duly E.
S. E. by E.
81 thought So" cried the cook;
'this here is a p'inter Right up
there is our line for the Pole Star
and the Jolly dollars. But by thun-
der! if it don't make me cold inside
to think of Flint. This is one Of
his jokes, and no mistake. Him and
these six was alone here; he killed
'em. every man; and this one he
hauled here and laid down by com
pass, shiver my timbers! They're
long bones, and the hairs been yell
low. Aye, that would be Allardyce.
You mind Allardyce, Tom Morgan?"
aye, aye" returned Morgan, I'll
mind him; he owed me money, he
did, and took my knife ashore with
him"
Speaking of knives" said another,
"why don't we find his'n lying
around? Flint warn't the man toI
pick seaman's pocket; and the
birds, 1 guess, would leave it be-"
"By the powes and that's true!"
cried Silver.
There amt a thing left here,
said Merry, still feeling round among
the bones; mot a copper doit nor a
baccy box. It don't look nat'ral to
me-"
'No, by gum, it don't" agreed Sill
yer: mot nat'ral, nor not nice, says
YOU. Great gunsi messmates, but i'll
Flint was living this would be hot
spot for you and me. Six they were,
and six are we; and bones is what
they are now"
Il saw him dead with these here
headlights" said Morgan. Billy took
me in. There he laid, with penny
pieces on his eyes,"
"Dead-aye, sure enough he's dead
and gone below" said the fellow
with the bandage; but if ever
snerrit walked it would be Flints.