Arizona state miner., 1926-07-24

Have 'em out" ruled Bones. "Long
Johns right"
AYE, have 'em out" yelled the
crew. MAKE 'em dance!"
Silver's hard, polished-agate eyes
glinted around the circle Of savage
faces and came to rest upon Bones
sodden visage.
run aft, Darby. there's the sweet
lad" he said, "and bring us the pris'-
ners."
"Not-not-her answered Darby
haltingly.
"Yes, her." replied Silver with a
slight emphasis.
And one of his hands reached out,
and his strong fingers tweaked the
Irish boys ear Darby yelped.
90 course, you bring her." Silver
continued. why's she too good to
tell us what she knows, mates? Just
because she had Andrew Murray's
favor, I wOnder!"
Mot"
Darby started to protest again, but
Silver cut him Off with word that
dripped chill ferocity.
Skip"
''Fetch up the wench, boy" growled
Bones, cor I'll give We a taste O Muir
rays triangles"
''Fetch her up!" howled the crew in
rabid chorus. Lets ha' a look at
the wench. :"
Dorhv ctor+od +oxuord uo with tho
tears running down his cheeks. We
could see him picking his way slowly
through the crowd A man kicked
him as we watched. Poor Darby
He had been Flint's favorite, and
there are always men in any crew to
hate the captains pet.
I looked at Peter, and he met my
gaze with dumb foreboding.
"We might take to the water" l
said.
Moira spoke behind us.
"You will do no such thing" she.
answered. "Nor will l. We are not
yet in such evil case"
"You don't know"
"They would surely overtake u.s."
she argued. "No, no, Bob; we must
wait and pick a better time if we
can"
"Ja," approved Peter. "Dot's right.
1 t'ink-''
He hesitated.
"Silver will be nursing some hid
den plan," supplemented Moira.
ga" he said. "How didt you
know?"
Il guessed" she said. "Glory, l
will have been listening behind ye
this quarter-glass, for had a feeling
in me there was new w1ckedness astir.
But here's Darby, and for his sake
we'd best be going quickly"
Darby fronted us with gulp.
"Silver bade me-"
Moira slipped between Peter and
me and dropped her hand on his
shoulder.
Don't ye be taking heed to what
they say" she comforted him. Faith,
it's you are the grand knight, Darby
lad, and 1 am that proud O. ye 1 could
be giving We a bit of a kerchief or
gaudy ribbon to wear in your hat
only that We will have no hat and me
neither ribbon nor kerchief! But let's
be after trying what the rogues want
with u.s."
And out she marched at the boys
side before one or the other of us
could step ahead.
The ranks of pirates parted to ad-
NIT our procession, and we threaded
the shadows to the edge of the cen
trail pool of light where Silver leaned
upon his crutch. He moved aside to
make room for us, and l found myself
at his right hand. Perhaps fifteen feet
away Bones sat on his barrel, his
coarse face flushed and shiny, his
cruel eyes devouring Moira's lissome
grace The scores of others were
just so many vague blurs to me, but
Moira frowned about her with kind
of high pride that turned the boldest
stare. Peter looked stolidly over the
heads Of the thrOng 1t was his way
when he fronted danger; behind their
mask of fat his little eyes were dart
1uS udSSSIWlS0 lIOIu ldC0 10 lace,
probing, guessing, estimating.
Silver spoke first.
"Well, here they be, Bill"
Bones tongue travelled the circle of
his lips twice before he replied; he
did not once take his gaze from Moira
"a proper wench, amt YET? he
fawned.
''Do ye tell me SOP she exclaimed.
And the pirates screeched with
laughter.
"Lusty, We are" sneered Bones. "Ye
need tamin', and 1 ha' hankerin' to
take ye in hand"
"'TwOuld take ten of your like"
retOrted Moira, nose in air.
Silver interpOsed in the midst of q
second burst of laughter. l had to ad-
mire the scoundrers deftness. He
contrived to appear to be coming to
the rescue Of Bones in such a way as
to rouse all the mans resentment
against the cause Of the implied hu-