Arizona state miner., 1926-07-17
CHAPTER XIX
Cap'n Bill Bones


sea-boots up and down the echoing
length Of the companionway, and the
mutter of voices beat an aecempani-
ment to them.
AYE, there he Hes"
"-me, was there ever such a mug7"
"Ah, but ye'd eughter ha' seed him
afore Long John put the pennies to
his eyes!"
"Tain't right to put pennies to
John FHnt's eyes, him as handled
onzas like other feliers does fardin's. I"
"Are We daft, mate? Yed never put
gold in dead mans shroud!"
"Mebbe not! Mebbe not! Not to
be sewed up, no."
"Ah, what's it matter? He's dead.
The river'll have him"
The clumping became q measured
tramp as four tall seamen carried out
the canvas cylinder that had been
John Flint. A babble of grief from
Darby broke the silence.
GLORY be to God, and him gone
oversize in all his sin! Och, st. Brid-
get and st. Patrick and Blessed We
ronica and Holy Mark, do ye intercede
for him? Let We cry upon the Virgin
to be speakin' for him in the heaven
ly courts. Oh, wirra, wirra, wirra,
evil he was, and good In his way, and
there's none by to give him the chance
of purgatory!"
A roar from Bones.
'Stow that CUFF Here, a pair o.
ye strangle the mick If he'll not hush."
Darby whimpered and was still.
Downstream" continued Bones
"here, to la'b'd. Ease him up. Where's
that shot? Is 1t fast2 Let him 60.
mates!"
A splash
"And now who'll say as Bill Bones
is not cap'n o. the Walrus?" demand
ed Bones. gruffly menacing.
Peter touched my arm. pushing
open Moira's door very gently.
"Ye'll, not be leaving me?"a, she
breathed.
"Neen," he denied. "But we better
hear what they do"
Bones was talking mgain as we stole
into the deserted companionway. He
sat on the barrel which Flint had
been used to occupy. A battle lanthorh
hung over his head, and the pale yell
low light showed him to be nigh as
drunk as his dead commander.
and to WI luck! He was q
good pal, Flint was; but he thought
too much O. luck I'm a seaman, l am.
Give me sun and stars, and I'll steer
ye course. Give me sight o. teps1s,
and I'll fetch We 'lengside o. prize.
I'm no man for fuss, I'm not. Ye can
ha' all the rum We want, so be ye sail
the ship and fight her.
'Now, what ha' We to say? Speak
up, any O. you swabS as is for trou-
BILE!
Long John Silver spoke from the
shadows, his words flowing smoothly
with an insinuating, oily infection.
"We better make it all reg'lar, Bill.
You're mate, and you say as how Flint
give you the treasure-map and says
you was to be cap'n a'ter him; but
reg'lars reg'lar, and it don't do no
harm to-"
Bones pulled a stiff, cracking sheet
of map-paper from his breast, and
waved it in the air.
Here's the map" he declared.
Long John there was alter 1t, but
Flint give it to me, as he says"
"Sure says it, Bill" proceeded Sill
yer, undisturbed. But what l says,
too, is as we'd oughter have lection
as the Articles provide"
A murmur Of assent greeted this
declaration. Bones scowled.
"'Tain't necessary" he returned.
I'm mate, and I'm the only real navi-
gator We got But go ahead and 1ect
whoever We please-only remember
got the treasure-map."
Eyes, you got the treasnre-map,
Bill" agreed Silver, and his voice
somehow became more hateful than
ever. But we don't allow as it's
yours, We know. You're what the law
yer sharks calls a trustee. You keeps
it for the rest o. us, aud we" he
chuckled venomously-"why. we keeps
our eyes on you, Bill"
Bones Swore.
"Get on WI the lection" he ad-
iured the crew. who's to be cap'nf
Speak MP and name some sone!''
A dozen sycophants shouted Bones"
with a vim which Inspired him with
sweating vanity. and several called
out: silver" and Long John!"
Anybody eiseT" challenged Bones.
Nobody answered