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

threw what was left into the fir,
which blazed and roared again owe
tbis unusal fuel. l never in my lii
cow men so careless of the morrow
hand To mouth is the only word tina
can describe their way of doing; an
what with wasted food and sleepin
sentries. though they were Dol
enough for a brush and be done wit,
n 7 could see their entire unfitnes
for anything like a prolonged cam
paign.
Captain Flint upon his shoulder, ha,
not a word of blame for their reck
lessness. And this the more sur
prised me, for l thought he had neve
showed himself so cunning as he dit
then.
"Aye, mates" said he, cts luck,
Won have Barbecue to think for 70,
with this here head. l got what
wanted. l did. Sure enough, they
have the ship. Where they have it
l don't know yet; but once we hi
the treasure, we'll have to jump about
and find out. And then, mates, us
that has the boats, l reckon, has the
upper hand"
Thus he kept running on, with his
mouth full of the hot bacon; thus he
restored their hope and confidence,
and l more than suspect, repaired his
own at the same time.
"As for hostage" he continued,
"that's his last talk, l guess, with
them he loves so dear. I've got my
piece O. news, and thanky to him for
that; but it's over and done. I'll
take him in line when we go trea-
sure-hunting, for we'll keep him like
so much gold, in case of accidents,
you mark, and in the meantime, once
we got the ship and treasure both,
and off to sea like jolly companions,
why, then We'll talk Mr.. Hawkins
over, we will, and we'll give him his
share, to be sure, for all his kind
ness"
It was no wonder the men we're
in a good humor now. For my part,
was horribly cast down. Should
the scheme he had now sketched
prove feasible, Silver, already doubly
a traitor, would not hesitate to adopt
it. He had still a foot in either
camp, and there was no doubt he
would prefer wealth and freedom
with the pirates to bare escape
from hanging, which was the best he
had to hope for on our side.
Nay, and even if things SO fell
out that he. was forced to fight for
dear life-he, cripple, and ], a boy
against five strong and active sea-
men!
Add to this double apprehension
the mystery that still hung over the
behavior of my friends; their un-
explained desertion of the stockade;
their inexplicable cession of the
chart; or, harder still to understand,
the doctors last warning to Silver,
Look out for squalls when you find
it,; and you will readily believe how
little taste l found in my breakfast,
and with how uneasy a heart l set
forth behind my captors on the quest
for treasure.
We made curious figure, had
anyone been there to see us; all in
soiled sailor clothes, and all but me
armed to the teeth. Silver had two
guns slung about him, one before
and one behind-besides the great
,utlass at his waist, and a pistol in
each pocket of his square-tailed coat.
TO complete his strange appearance,
Captain Flint sat perched upon his
shoulder and gabbled odds and ends
If purposeless sea-talk. l had a line
ubout my waist, and followed ODE
liently after the sea-cOok, who held
he loose end of the rope, now in his
rec hand, now between his powerful
eeth. For all the world, was led
ike a dancing bear.
The other men were variously bur
lened;, some carrying picks and
hovels-for that had been the very
irst necessary they brought ashore
rom the Hispaniola-others laden
With pork, bread, and brandy for
he midday meal. All the stores, l
Observed, came from our stock, and
could see the trdth of Silver's words
he night before. Had he not struck
bargain with the doctor, he and his
deserted by the ship, must
ave been driven to eubsist on clear
vater and the proceeds of their
uniting. Water would have been
title to their taste; a sailor is not
sually a good shot; and, besides
II that, when they we're so very
hort of eatables, it was not likely
hey would be very flush of powder.
Well, thus equipped, we all set
the fellow with the broken
cad, who should certainly have kept
4 shadow-and struggled, one after
mother, to the beach, where the two
igs awaited us. Even these bore
race of the drunken folly of the pi-
ates, one in a broken thwart, and
9th in their muddled and unbailed
ondition. Both were to be carried
long with US, for the sake of safety;
nd so, with our numbers divided
etWeen them, we set forth upon the
osom of the anchorage.
AS we pulled over there was some
iscussion on the chart. The red
ross was, of course, far too large to
a guide; and the note on the back,
S you will hear, admitted of some
mbiguity. They ran, the reader may
thus:
fall tree, Spy-glass shoulder,
ng point to the N. of N N. E.
Skeleton Island E. S. E. and by E..
Ten feet"
A tall tree was thus the principal
ARK Now, right before us, the an
norage was bounded by plateau
ON Two to three hundred feet high,