The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-07-23
CHAPTER XI-Continued

My great-uncle turned to the mate.
Cast loose from the prize, Master
Martin and make all sail. The course
is so'east by south"
AYE, aye, sir"
There was an interval of silence
after he had gone The shouts of the
pirates echoed from the deck, with
the creaking Of halyards and tapping
of sails. The Royal James seemed to
shake herself as she sided free of the
battered hull of the Santissima Trini-
dad, and through the stern windows
showed the bowsprit and fo'csle of
the Spaniard, still smothered beneath
a mess of canvas and broken spars
and rigging. Slowly we drew past
her.
Murray rose.
IF you will pardon me, have much
TO see to on deck. Should you desire
any refreshment do but ring that bell
and state your wants to the steward.
Robert, if you and Peter can so far
submerge your Hanoverian sympathies
/ should appreciate such aid as you
might render in the accounting of
the treasure"
Peter and went with him. as much
to escape the company of the Irish
man as to satisfy our curiosity re-
garding the chests and boxes we had
glimpsed in transit across the Saints
sima Trinidads deck. Twas a marvel
Gus concentration of wealth. The col
umns of figures | set down never
condescended to detail-5,000 pieces of
eight, they would run, or 10000
doubloons, 1900 onzas, 10000 castel-
lanos, $4,000 Fights, and so on. There
was upward of two hundred thousand
pounds in bar silver, fifty-pound ingots
sheathed by threes in thick canvas
jackets to facilitate their transport
by mule-trains-each mule carrying a
load of three hundred pounds. There
was a quantity, too, of gold bullion,
each ingot of eighty pounds in its own
canvas jacket. There were chest of
precious stones, the value of which
we could only guess at and three
chests of plate
The total value, by the government
estimates upon each package, chest or
keg, was FL ,563 800 in English money.
exclusive of the jewels and the plate
and we did not conclude the account
ing and bestowal of the treasure in
Ben Gums wine-cellar until an hour
past dusk, when Murray dismissed all
hands with an extra ration of rum.
In the cabin we found Colonel
ODonnell asleep sprawled on the
table with his head rested on his
folded arms, puddle of wine by his
elbow. Ny uncle's eyebrows twitched
upward.
"This gentleman is a chamberlain
to King James, Robert" he remarked,
"a Knight of Malta and of Santiago
in Spain. a colonel of Spanish engi-
neers and lord Of / know not how
many bog-manors in Ireland if he had
his rights. And look at him !"
"Who brought him to this?" I re-
torted.
mot /, my boy! To intrigue is not
necessarily to license appetite. Well,
well, tits doubtly fortunate l induced
him to fetch along the little maid.
Consider her plight in Spanish con-
vent, If anything happened to her
father"
Consider her plight in a pirate ship,
If anything happened to himl"
jeered.
He appealed to Peter, whimsically
humorous.
"Stap me, the boy wears upon my
nerves! Was ever a youth so callow
in his assurance of Righteousness"
Peters little eyes twinkled.
"He is right, andt you are right.
You are a big rascal, but dot time
maybe you was right"
Don't be an idiot, Peter" rasped
"'Tis you are the idiot" affirmed
my great-uncle. "Here are you and
Peter-two honest men If any ever
were-and myself, with less claim to
terest, If the truth be known. And
all three of US a-hungering to safe
guard the lass. What mother might
ask more?"
"And Flint" amended. He'd pro-
tect her, suppose"
Hell never have the chance, Rob-
ert," he answered gravely. you and
Peter have played ducks and brakes,
between you, with my plans; but John
Flint is not the man to overreach me-
Give him rope, lad-and Well present
him his chance to hang.
/ was up early In the morning, but
Mistress O'Donnell and my great
uncle were before me- AS / climbed
to the poop saw them standing by
the weather rail, Murray expressing
Difference in every line of his straight
figure and handsome, old-young face,
the little maid cycling him with a COM
ical mixture of antipathy and respect.
Here is my nephew, who will settle
all your remaining doubts, Mistress
NORA" proclaimed Murray; "and with
your leave I'll be about my morning
inspection"
She watched his retreating back
with a kind of fascination.
"Sure, 1 never met the like of him"
she said at last. HE puts me in
mind of the grand gentry the padre
brings to see me in Madrid-and him
a pirate! But I'm thinking yourself
will be the same queer sort, Master
Ormerod, you that can be generous
and gallant to a foolish maid and as
cruel as the wildcat the Indians
showed us in the hills up behind Porto
Bello."
at must seem so to you," / an
swered. But the truth is that I am
as much the sport Of Fate as your
self"
'Do you tell me sol" she replied