The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-05-21
Don't We worry yourself, captain"

h Sc "oiiy youISeil, captain,
returned Silver
Footsteps thudded away on the
gravel, and l heard the scratching
of the one-legged mans crutch as he
stumped in front of us and the cart
jolted forward. We emerged into the
Green lane, heading toward the East
river, and thrill tickled my spine
as l heard the chanting tones of old
Diggory Leigh, our ward Waterman.
''Ten o'clock of a clear, dark night,
and the wind in the nor'west. And
all's WE'LL"
Easy, allw whispered Silver's
voice. Push on, We swabs; push on |!
But hold your CAB. I'll do the talk
ing"
The steel piece on the butt of his
crutch tinkled on the cobbles as he
stumped ahead of the cart.
"Ho there shipmate," he hailed
cordially. "And does you do this the
whole, livelong night?"
Diggory's lanthorn-stave jingled on
the ground.
81 do" he returned In pompous
tones. "What keeps you abroad so
late? Y'are seafaring men, judge"
"Now / calls that clever" protested
Silver with unconcealed admiration.
you sees us in the dark, and straight
off you says, 'seafaring men, l can
see you're a vigilant Waterman, ship
mate I'd hate to be a neefarious
fellow in your town. Blow my scuttle-
butt, I would"
Diggory's appreciation of this trib-
ute was mirrored in his voice.
"'Tis essential that our citizens be
protected" he answered. "Yet there
are those who have accused me Of
sleeping on watch"
"Skulkers, they be-low-lived skulk-
ers as ever was" Silver assured him.
81 know how you feel. Here we've
been a-workin' since sunHp, a-shiftin'
cargo and stowin' 1t aboard, and I'll
lay you a piece of eight the captain
noggin o. rum"
Diggory's stave jingled again as he
sloped it over his shoulder.
1.-THE wisest men are not always
those in authority, friend" he said.
Eye might think, from the way some
of the corporation talk, twas they bar
the night-walkers and wastrels from
the city's streets! Ball."
And his wailing voice receded into
Pearl street.
"What are you night-walkers and
wastrels a-sniggerin' about?" demand
ed Silver of his following. George
Merry, I'll lay into you with my
crutch. Put some heft behind this
here blessed cart. Amt We ashamed
o. yourselves, a-laughin' at a brave,
hard-workin' Waterman as keeps wick
ed pirates from liftin' your goods?"
A few hundred feet farther on we
ratified off the cobbles onto the
planked surface of wharf.
''That you, John?" growled voice.
"Aye, aye, Bill. Where's the cap
tainT'
"Gone off in the jollyboat. That ere
Spanish Irisher is a-waitin' him
aboard"
Silver pulled the tarpaulin from
over our heads.
"Here, George Merry, can't you and
your mates handle the big fellow
Two to his head and two to his feet
and drop him easy or he'll stove in
the boat. Now, my gentleman"
this to Newell pass you down, too.
You must pull strong oar with the
captain for him to be so anxious to
get you offshore hale and whole. It'll
be place and rank for you, messmate,
or a chance to swim WI the sharks.
where's the red-headed little Irish
er, Bill?"
81 sent him off with the captain, y
, replied Bones. "Down wi you, John.
| Well cast off,"
From where now lay, propped up
| In the bow with my head resting on
Peters huge stomach, I could see the
figures Of the pirates and behind them
| the shadowy outline of the ware
houses and an occasional dim light
Silver lowered himself to a seat upon
the stringpiece Of the wharf, dropped
the butt of his crutch to the forward
thwart, felt about with his one leg
and came to rest in front of Peter
and me. The crutch he allowed to
slip to the bottom of the boat, and in
| its place he took an oar. Bill Bones
found a seat in the stern sheets.
| "All clear" muttered Bill. "Give
way"
The oars Tended off from the wharf,
and the boat crept out-into the stream,
where it felt the full strength of the
tide, just beginning to turn. The bow
bounced up as the first wave hit it,
and Peter, beneath me, emitted dis.
NAL groan through his gag. Silver
! bending diligently to his oar, looked
over his shoulder.
"You would come, messmate," he
| said. "'Tis nobody's fault but your
| own"
Another groan from Peter, and he
lay still.
"Look sharp" called Bones. "The
briggs just ahead"
| A riding light cleaned high above
us In the velvet gloom. heard the
faint slap-slap-slap of water against
an anchored hull.
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