The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-05-14

"Egad. perceive you have the proper
spirit. You are exactly the lad l re-
quire."
Il am the lad you'll not get" I
shouted. Call in your braves, and
I'll tear their threats out fer you"
Gently, gently" he demonstrated.
MY braves, as you term them, are
not lambs, Nephew Robert, and
must warn you that the killings would
not be all on the one side II you
value your father, stand fast"
And he drew from waistcoat
pocket silver whistle, which he
placed to his lips. thin blast piped
through the room, and dozen hairy
seadogs surged in from hall and
kitchen. Raps on the two windows
indicated that others mounted guard
outside.
My fathers face was a mask of min
gled rage and fear-not fear for him
self, but for me. He stared at the
savage figures, the barred cutlasses,
the ready pistols, almost with unbe-
lief in the reality of his vision. And
certes twas a weird spectacle in that.
orderly house In the town we OF the
province looked upon as the most adj
vanced in the colonies-and became
to me the more weird as / glimpsed
next the hall door a grim mahogany
face and hangman look beneath
skrim of black hair, and behind the
two familiar carroty head
''Ho, there, Darby!" called out.
"What are you doing in such COM
pany? Did you know those men for
pirates when you drank with them
at the Whales Head?'
Sure, they ha' taken me into their
crew. he answered brazenly.
"And twas you let them into the
house and betrayed your MASTER" re-
turned my father sadly. Il had not
expected this of you, Darby. Have
we not been kind to your
Darby wiggled uncomfertably.
ooh, aye; main kind, Master Orme-
rod" he admitted. "But they would
ha' had We, whether or no. Sure, they're
a grand crew, tricksy crew. And any
way, We see, was born to be pirate.
My troth, was!"
Murray laughed pleasantly.
"'Tis a valiant youth, and should
go far" he observed Moreover, he
speaks the truth when he says we
should have won our way in to you
without his aid. The accommodation
h,,% hr
sential
"Where is Silver, Master Bones|
he added
The man with the mahogany face
touched his hat
"John was seeing to it the servants
was all secure. sir" he answered.
"Here he is now"
A gap appeared in the ranks by the
kitchen door, and the one-legged man
had met on the waterfront that
morning stumped in on his long
crutch, as cheerfully serene as any
honest householder.
"Was you askin' for me, captain"
he said. 1--WE just finished up behind
there-all gagged and roped, Bristol
fashion, safe for day, sir"
And to me-
"My duty, Master Ormerod, and
hopes We'll know each other better
soon."
'I find we shall need cart, john"
said my great-uncle.
NY father turned very pale.
"You-you- My Cd, Murray,
you can't kidnap the boy this way \
Think! There are troops in Fort
George Once the hue and cry is
raised you'll be-"
"But it will not be raised" replied
Murray calmly. 81 regret it, but we
shall be obliged to tie up you and
Peter so that you will be incapacitat-
ed until some kind friend happens to
call on the morrow. By that time we
shall be at sea-"
1 snatched up the chair upon which
1 had been sitting and brandished it
over his head.
"Call off these scoundrels of yours
or I'll batter out your brains,"
snarled.
"John," he said, ignoring me, "you
will be so kind as to pistol the elder
Master Ormerod If his son launches
a blow at me-"
"Aye, aye, SIR answered Silver.
And he leveled weapon at my ia
Their. 1 knew, without looking behind
me. that Peter and I were covered by
other men. 1t was Peter who spoke
first
"Put down der chair, Bob," he or
dered quietly.
The man called Black Dog cast the
moose of a rope over his head and
jerked his arms close to his side.
"Neen, men," objected Peter, and
with no visible effort he snapped the
hempen strands.
A gasp went up from the room, and
there was hasty retreat from his
neighborhood.