The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-05-28
CHAPTER "
Aboard the Brig.

HbSah ~ ShC kAASs
1 woke with a ray OF sunshine
streaming across my face through the
thick, greenish glass of a headlight
and an odd feeling Of contentment.
There was a soothing swissh-sh of di-
vided waters; and the brig herself
was swaying easily in following sea.
Corlaer was sleeping the sleep of
utter exhaustion, and / was at pains
not to disturb him as I slipped to the
floor, opened the door and entered
the main cabin. This was deserted
save for the boy Darby, who was
windows, peering out at the briggs
creamy wake. He heard the door close
after me and swiveled round at once,
landing lightly on his feet as If he
had been to sea for years.
"Och, Master Bob" says he, ST
thought ye'd never wake up. All, it's
the grand, grand day. And do We
smell the brine in the air? 1t makes
the toes of your two feet dance,
whether We will or no-troth, 1t does.''
Twas impossible to nourish resent
ment against the boy for his betrayal
of us. He was as naturally lawless
and immoral as a young wolf, but
could not resist jeer at his recent
transformation.
"And how does it seem to be a pi-
rate, Darby?"
"Oh, fine! Sure, I always knew I
wasn't intended for bond-boy to run
errands and carry bales. All, it's the
grand lffe,> Master Bob! They tell me
himself" he jerked his thumb to-
ward the door of a stateroom opposite
that in which Peter and were berthed
lis own uncle to We, and some day,
If We choose, We can be, as great as
him. Faith, and / know what my
choice would bel"
'Ts it your idea that pirates never
work." I inquired.
His face fell trifie.
Och, there's work everywhere ye
20, bad cess to 1t But I'm to have
my own cutlass and two pistols for
my belt, and they say I'm good
luck
"Good luck? How's that?"
"Sure, it's my hair, think. Flint
him that this crew sail with by
usual-he has liking for a red.
headed lad. Such as meself brings
him luck, so they swear, and Long
john"
"whoY
''Long John-Mister Silver, to be
sure-him with the one leg we talked
to by the shore yesterday-he says
I'll go far with Flint"
I had to laugh at my own bemuse-
ment at the picture Darby's remark
called up. Yesterday morning al
this hour I had been laboring indus.
triously In the counting room In
Pearl street. And how much had
happened since then! I harked
back to my setting forth for the Bris
tol packet. the casual conversation
with the one-legged mariner-how
skillfully he had pumped me and an
nexed Darby to his plot the en-
counter with the Irish maid
With this I curbed my recollec
lions. Thought of MORA O'Donnel
was unpleasant, for I could not rio
my mind of the suspicion that sh,
must be bound up In some way In
the schemes her father worked at IL
cooperation with my great-uncle
But there! I found relief In this
reelection. Certes, her father could
be no worse than my relative; ant
here was /, innocent of any art or par
in Murray's devious .ploys, yet tosse,
into the grip of their mechanism a.
ruthlessly as IL my life depende,
upon his success. And perhaps 4
did. What more natural, then, thar
that she was equally innocent? Aye
from the conversation betwixt the
night before 1t appeared that she
was ignorant, probably in greater liz
norance Of her fathers plans than
else how explain O'Donnell's concerl
upon discovering the character of tn
men with whom she was to be throw
In contact?
And this aroused further recol
lection. What was 1t the lass ha
said as we parted7
Here our paths diverge.
She would not have said that ha
she known all, for there had bee
no necessity for the lie. Doubt moi
she was in entire ignorance of tn
black evil these two plottedl / wa
glad with great burst of exultatio
which must have shown itself In m
face, for Darby exclaimed:
There was good fairy fiicke
d wing over you, Master Bob! Glor,
but We had the happy thought. WI
We throw In with rs and be pirat
chief? Troth. theresd be no better.
Not ], Darby; but will have
bite to eat, IL such there be aboar
a pirate craft"
sLasbin's of everything In nature,
rsjoined Darby briskly. "Sit to II