Arizona state miner., 1926-07-03

WI the yellow boys. eh?'
But Morphew refused to be COM
forted He limped from the hut, trail
ing his whip behind him.
"'Tisnt goold l want" he wept.
"'Tis to lay my lash to t. back O. nun.
Ayel Till he do be bloody raw, same
as Job Pytchens and they other lads
as is under sod. Oh, my pore back |"
There was an interval of silence
after he was gone.
"Lt's bad luck to touch the dead" re-
affirmed Flint. mo, no, the thing to
do is to bury him quick. You take half
a dozen men, Bill, and plant him any
where-sos he's deep enough"
"And what about the treasure"
called one Of the men by the door.
AYE, ave." chimed In a second.
"When do we shift 1t aboard and
divvy up?'
Flint stroked his chin, considering.
"Why, there's no hurry about the
treasure, mates" he answered finally.
"'Tis safe here. What we all need
now is a dram O. rum and two watches
below"
There was general murmur of as
sent with this sentiment, and he
crooked his finger at me.
"Come along Buckskin. Well put
the three O. We aboardship, out o.
| harms way, seein' as ye're so precious
O. your skins. Long John, I'll leave 1t
to We to guard the prisoners. Give the
rPiN, ~ NCA 90.
might wish to share it, BuckskinY' he
added with leer that fetched a ruddy
tide to Moira's cheeks.
Silver motiOned us to precede him
into the night, and as we passed out he
gathered together party Of men who
formed loosely around us.
If so be as yell give me your word
to come peaceable, Master Ormerod, l
can make things easier for ye," he
offered when we were clear of the hut.
what do you say, Peter?' l asked
the Dutchman.
ia"
That's enough for me-" announced
Silver eheerfully. "And very sensible
of ye, too, gentlemen. Not quite so
fast. I'm only crippled sailorman,
and ha' labored hard this night Aye,
1t were such a seesaw O. fortune as
KEEP my heart a-poppin' in my throat.
thought ye had me on the stockade
but there's none like Pew VII the knife,
and he can smell his man when he
can't see him. Well, well, who'd ha
'spOsed when we met in New York
we'd come to aught like this, Master
Ormerod?'
/ lacked the heart to answer him.
and we stumbled through the woods in
silence to the shore of the Anchorage.
Here one of the Walrus' boats was
launched, and we were rowed out to
where she lay, her hull sQuatting like
a rock in the quiet water. Men
| hailed us from her deck, a whip was
sent down for Silver's convenience, and
the rest of us climbed the side ladder,
MORA as agile as any after her months
at sea.
Here we are, safe and snug on the
old Walrus," remarked Silver, still ag-
gressively CHEEKY; 'and them as Is
| here can call themselves fortunate,
cause there's plenty as ha' kept Muir
ray company. Aye, blast me for
swab but it ha' been a bloody night.
Get for'ard, mates"
This to the men who had come off
with us.
''T'll see to the pris'ners Now then,
gentlemen-and mistress-yOu come
along WI me, and I'll make ye all as
cOmftable as if ye was in a Bristol
| packet"
He prodded a muscular forednger
into my chest.
You mind that, Master Ormerod.
You mind that Long John was your
friend Cause why, says you? Here's
| the Walrus, and here's a treasure, and
here's Flint, and here's maybe twelve
score lads as don't all think alike, and
here's Bill BOnes-and here's me. A
goodish bit might happen, my master.
And who's to say what will start it
a-happenin'? Not me! Nor who
might come out on top a'terward"
And with a parting wink he stumped
aft, crooking his finger in sign that we
| deck.
"Glory! !" shifted MOira, her nose in
air. "This will be more the like Of a
stable than q ship"
She did not exaggerate. The Wal
rus was dirtier than she had been the
night Peter and / were committed to
her as hostage Her decks were foul
with grease and all manner of filth !;
her paint was crooked and peeling; a
cloud of flies buzzed around a tub OF
fish-guts which nobody would take the
trouble to cast oversize; from an open
hatch poured sour, acrid stencil. A
strange contrast with the Royal James
Inside the companionway under the
poop we tripped over the usual litter
of broken bottles, pistol-fiints and odds
and ends of cast-off clothing Silver
balanced himself on his crutch against
| the wall, struck flint and steel to