Arizona state miner., 1926-07-10

themselves can find it-and If they
disappear suddenlike, what'll their
shipmates do?"
There's sense in that" agreed
Flint. Lets say as you and me bury
1t, Allardyce."
The yellowhaired man shook his
head.
'There'd be one of us come back
and 'twouldn't be me-"
Got great idea o. me, amt ye?"
mocked Flint. But s'posin' ye took
along some friends? Would ye feel
safe then?"
"How many?"
Flint turned to Silver, whose hard
| eyes had been studying the faces of
| both parties to the debate.
'How many would ye say, Long
John?"
Silver's big face split in a smile of
derisive quality.
"Seein' as you're one O. the party,
cap'n, maybe we might say five-six
includin' himself"
"Ye think he'd be safe from me wi
five friends along?" asked Flint ear
nestly.
"Six Is a good number for buryin'
treasure" replied Silver, grinning
broader than ever. "And with you
'twould be seven-and seven's lucky"
Flint regarded him admiringly.
"Wouldn't We know 'twould take
Long John to think o. that? Seven
is lucky, says he! All, yes, and who
for? Well, Allardyce, what dye say?
VIII We feel safe WI six friends?"
Several men laughed.
Eyes," answered the yellow-haired
man.
"Then that's settled" said Flint
"Pick 'em now. We'll start settin' the
treasure ashore at once. You and
your friends and me, we'll go off soon
as that's finished Bill Bones will take
command O. the Walrus."
"How long will We be?" asked Bones,
smiling in a knowing way.
Flint hailed Allardyce, who was al
ready deep in conversation with his
group of supporters.
"How long dye figure it should take
to stow away the two lots of treasure,
Allardyce? Well put the gold and
coined silver in one cache and the bar
silver in another"
"How do l know" snarled Altar
dyce.
"'How does he knOw?' says he,"
Flint echoed gravely. "Tell We what,
Bill, you just stand off and on, and
when we're ready to come aboard we'll
row out O. the Anchorage. That's
simple enough, amt it? No chance
for misunderstandin' or aught goin'
wrong"
Peter and I ducked into our state
room as the two came aft. They went
into Bones room, which was next to
Moira's, and for some time we could
hear them talking in low tones. When
they came out Flint was saying:
mind, Bill an easy rein, but give
'em no slack And leave the wench
alone. 'Twould only make endless
trouble WI the crew."
Bones replied with a blistering string
of curses.
"And We were a fool" he wound up,
"to let Long John make odds O. six
to one It's plum duff to Silver If
aught happens to ye," demonstrated
the mate.
Don't ye worry, Bill. Therell be
no man in this crew willing to lift a
finger after I come aboard again.
Where's my Flemish pistolets?"
When they were finally gone l
looked an unspoken question at Peter.
"Ja," he said.
"But six to one! Why"
"He wants der treasure where only
he can reach it. ia, dots it."
The morning Of the sixth day was
awakened by a considerable clamor
on the deck, and Darby McGraw
that his brogue was nigh incompre
henSible.
Haste ye! Haste ye, Master Bob y"
he cried "'Tis Flint comm off, and
him by his lone"
l reused Peter, and we threw on
our clothes ana ran out upon the
main deck, which was crammed with
pirates, staring in rapt suspense
across the sta'b'd bulwarks. The sun
was just rising, and the island shelved
upward, darkly portentOus, from the
creamy lather of the surf. The Wal
rus was standing south, with the
White rock on her sta'b'd quarter and
the entrance to Captain Kidd's an
chOrage ahead. Outside the entrance,
and pulling up to meet US, was the
gig we had left behind for the con-
venience of Flint and his compan-
ions. A single figure with q light
blue scarf wrapped around his head,
rOwed at the oars.
"But how be certain it's Flint" l
exclaimed. "His back is toward us,
and at this distance"
"Beggin' your pardon, Master Or
merod," said Silver at my elbow, eve
ha made him out vel glasses. Bill''-
he waved his free hand toward the