, 1926-05-26

''sf iiouAh hhdIt-
The old devil :" he howled then,
and fled down the hillside for all he
was worth.
Flint did not wait to receive Muir
rays verbal answer; that pistol-shot
was sufficiently explicit. Three mus
ket-shots echoed it from the foot of
the hill, and at once there was a re-
newed hustle of men on the fo'csle
of the Walrus. A pun of white smoke
blew up from the deck, snd the crack
Of a long twelve started myrlads of
sea-birds from the seaward marshes.
The shot sang over us and crashed
into the forest beyond. The other
chase-gun bowled a shot into the en-
closure. where is simply buried itself
in the soft sand.
The c]arronades were unable to reach
the blockhouse with their heavier
shot, and the Long Toms lacked the
power to penetrate the green wood Of
the walls. Most of the rOund-shot
pumped into the sand. Three posts
Of the stockude were knocked over
and promptly set up again. That vas
all. When darkness interviewed and
the firing ceased we felt that we had
been the winners of the first bout OF
the struggle
In the meantime we had not seen
a trace of the landinG-party from the
Walrus. and as the night shut down
we all peered curiously through the
posts Of the stockade, expecting mo-
mentarily to discover a rush Of crouch
ing figures. But hour after hour
passed without n sound to disturb the
silence, and even Murray, whose
nerves were of forged steel, became
uneasy as he up-ended the hour-glass
for the third time since sunset and
decided to inspect the circuit of the
defenses.
There Is another hand thar Flint's
behind these Fabian tactics" he oh
served. "Perhaps John Silver's. IT'S
Il clever rogue, and a cunning. We
cannot be too viGilant."
COupenu Joined US on the southern
arc of the stockade. on the north
side we anne to a pit which was
empty, and in the next one to 1t a man
lay on his stomach as If asleep.
Murray prodded him with his sword,
and the fellow groaned, but did not
stir.
what is the matter with this
mann demanded my great-uncle.
"Please, EUR, It's job ~Pytchens,' an
swered the man G beyond.
Il asked what was the matter with
him, said my great-uncle coldly.
Hem wur one o. they AS had n
hun'erd n fifty lashes. cap'n. zur."
l shuddered. My great uncle took
snuff.
And who is gone from this vacant
placer he pressed.
Tom Morphew. EUR. Hem dead.
zur."
"Was he shot?"
NO, eur, cap'n. He's had a hun'erd
m fifty lashes, too
where is heY"
'Please, EUR. us buried him." the
man answered.
"Where?"
The man waved an arm vaguely
over the sandy top of the hill.
"Ah! Well, you will leave unburled
the next man who dies, be he Job or
another-else | shall have the cat nd.
mlnistered to all of you who have
abandoned your posts without permits
sion"
"Iss, eur. Thank zee. zur," replied
the man-but there was no thanks In
his snarllng voice: his face was
masked by the darkness.
"Stap me-" said Murray, turning
away, but these rasca1s are becoming
rs slack as Flint's tattertaIlsl"
Across the clearing a muskct ex-
ploded. Then another and another. A
yolley cracked from the lower slopes.
and our men replied. A hoarse yelling
UNDERSIGNED the firing.
AT last"
Murray's voice vibrnted with exul.
tatlon.
Now we shall scoop the rogues like
so many grains of sand. The fools
A night attack Is fatal with undIscI.
plined men,
A great roar Of firing burst out upon
the northern front Of the stockade,
and mingled with the reports OF the
muskets We're shouts Of:
Down arms, Jamesesl"
step aside, james lads -
"All we want Is old Murray -
And n wnlllng voice cried over and
over ngnln-
Here be Tom Morphew m his
bloody back, mntes!"
The firing sputtered and dwlndled
and wal succeeded by IA prodigious
scunllng and clatter OF cutlnsses.
wei do zee no harm. Jamescs ="
And now | recognized Sllver's voice.
strike arms. Jamesesr'
Three men. one OF them with a bro
ken arm. raced up 10 us.
Long Johns in." sobbed one.
Ton Morphew let 'em in." painted
n second.
"Excellently planned" drawled Muir.
ray.
hnurl A.. .tf.t. =