Arizona state miner., 1926-03-27

no necessity Tor the lie. DOUBT not,
she was in entire ignorance of the
black evil these two plotted! l was
glad with a great burst Of exultation
which must have shown itself IN my
face, for Darby exclaimed:
''There was good fairy f1icked
wing over you, Master Bob! Glory,
but ye had the happy thought. VIII
We throw in with us and be pirate
chief? Troth, there'd be no better"
Not I, Darby; but I will have a
bite to eat, if such there be aboard
pirate craft"
"Lashin's of everything in nature"
rejoined Darby briskly "Slt to the
table yon, and I'll fetch it from
the galley
The table was set and ready, not
with coarse crockery and steel forks,
knives and spoons, but with dainty
china, heavy silverware and fine ma
perry, 900. l commented on this when
Darby returned, balancing smoking
dishes and jug Of hot chocolate upon
a tray.
"'Tis the way himself" his thumb
indicated the starboard staterOOm door
twill live. The best Of everything
he'll have, and on his own ship niger
slaves to serve him, and they In liv-
cries like grand gentlemen have"
"YOu seem to have experienced no
trouble in becoming intimate with your
new companions, Darby" 1 remarked.
Its me head does it," returned
Darby, unabashed. "As 1 told ye, it
brings good luck"
"Not to me-" l retorted with grin.
"And don't We be too sure" he
flashed. "We1l maybe sail long ways
together; and Pm your friend, Master
Bob, for We were never one to let me
be put upon in the counting room"
"Humph," said l "That is to be
seen. Where is himself as you call
him?"
"Asleep in his berth. Troth, he was
up until dawn coming the brig through
the harbor shoals"
"Are we outsider"
"Sure, we're by and beyond what
they call Sandy hook. There's only
the wide ocean in front"
I'm for the deck, then," l answered
The cOmpanionwav was empty, and
I met nobody until I had climbed to
the deck. Twas passing strange that
I so readily adapted myself to the
sea and its ways, seeing that all my
life had never been beyond the wa
ters of the inner harbor Yet it's the
fact that 1 had no discomfort or mis-
giving and even acquired instinctively
the sailors tricks Of standing and
walking, as was commented upon by
no less an authority than John Silver.
The deck was deserted fOr'ard One
man was lashed to the main cross
trees, sweeping the entire circuit Of
the horizon with a spyglass. Aft there
were only Silver and another fellow
at the wheel. The one-legged man
waved to me with his crutch from his
seat on the cabin skylight.
"Come and talk with Long John,
Master 0rmerod," he called. "Where
did ye ind them sea-legs O. yourn?
You walk like a blasted admiral, no
less"
II found them below" l answered.
for the life Of me unable to resist the
scoundrel's ingratiating manner.
"Where are the rest of your COM
pany"
He laughed and winked at the man
at the wheel, an awful-looking crea-
ture, so heavy Of shoulder as to appear
deformed, with a green shade over
deeply sunken eyes that were all pit
ted around with tiny blue scars.
"Is that foretopsI drawin' full,
John?" asked the man with the green
eye-shade In a voice that was singu-
Iarly soft.
Silver squinted aloft.
"She'll do," he decided.
"Would you mind telling me how a
blind man can steerY l inquired
The man with the green eye-shade
chuckled in way to chill your blood,
so sardonic, so. overpoweringly evil
was the caliber of the mirth it sug-
gested.
Don't go to maxim up your mind
Pew can't see everything, Master Or
merod," said Silver, shifting his crutch.
'Pd hate TO have him decide to take q
shot at me. Steer? Well now, what's
needed in steerin'? A strong arm,
says you, and you says true. Also
and likewise, an ear for canvas. Lastly
and leastwise, an eye for the course.
,, ANY man can read a compass,
young gentleman; but not every sail
orman can feel how his ship takes the
wind and meets his rudder quick when
she wants meetin' Pew can. Give
him some one like me to play eyes
for him, and he'll steer as straight a
course as q packet-bOat WI a bonus
on the voyage"
"Are there many cripples in your
crew." I asked curiously
"Cripples 2" repeated Silver. "It all
depends on what you might mean
There's cripples and cripples. Some
on 'em ye pays their screw"
"Their what?" l Interrupted.