The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1926-05-28

was fraught with implications that
made me turn cold at the pit of my
stomach.
1t was as II you could see the trail
of bloodshed and suffering Silver
would blaze to possess that ship and
to exploit her to advantage.
"And why not?" returned Silver Wig
orously. wen name no names, Ezra,
but captains can't live for ever. Some
is aged and some soaks themselves in
rum. You never knowl You never
kn0w!'
f"There's Bill Bones, as has ideas
on the subjeck," remarked Pew.
And he contrived to make me feel
the horror of q long-drawn-out feud
and rivalry.
"Yes, there's BILL" ruminated Silver.
"Flint's mate is BILL Flint's best pal,
is Bill. Flint's confeydantey, some
saws, is Bill. Well, WELT But we
was talkin' o. cripples and how blind
man can steer, which is long way
off from Bin, who isn't neither Grip
pied nor blind, and maybe has hopes,
so he has, when he remembers that"
Pew laughed so coldly, with such
demoniac inhumanity, that I expe-
rienced a sudden fellow-feeling for
Master Bones. distasteful as / had
found him-also, pronounced desire
TO change the subject The bare prox-
unity to such whole-souled, heartless
cruelty was unpleasant.
"Do you commonly indulge in ex-
ploits like yesterdays, Silver?"
asked. 'Did you take this ship de
signedly to carry you into New York 2"
"You might say truthfully she was
the best fitted for 1t of several" he
acknowledged. ''Blow my other stick
off if she was good for anything else
"Not forty pounds in her. mumbled
Pew, twiddling the wheel-spokes.
"Her crew"
Silver raised his eyebrows and gave
me slow wink.
"Peor unfortunates Twas one
time we couldn't take chances"
Pew's chuckle trickled Jelly from
under the eye-shade. which cast a
green blur over his whole lower face.
81 suppose there is hell for such
as you," / said, trying to keep my
voice steady.
"Seme says there is and some says
there isn't" answered Silver reason
ably. "Ne use to worry, says L.
was SO wrought up that | think /
must have come to blows with them
but for fortunate diversion. Bones
and several other men emerged from
the fo'csle hatch, yawning and stretch
ing their arms, evidently having just
arisen from sleep. At the same mo-
ment Peter Corlaer climbed from the
cabin companionway, lurched for a
moment, on his feet and then stag
gered precariously toward the bull
warks. I started fer'ard to aid him,
and Bones ran aft with loud yell.
Don't We spoil my decks, We fat
cow!" he shouted.
Poor Peter, regardless Of both OF US,
seized stay and chung to 1t abjectly,
| quite helpless. Bones reached him
first and gave him shove which sent
him plunging into the scuppers head
| first.
Get up," snarled Bones, and dealt
him a vicious kick with heavy sea-
boot.
| Peter groaned, and / caught Bones
by the arm.
'D-n you for coward!" shouted.
Captain Murray babe you use US
gently. Is this how you obey7'
He snatched free of me and yanked
| out knife.
"Obey, We lousy lubber!" he howled
I'm Flint's mate, and I'll show ye
who can say obey to me. Get back
there or I'll cut your heart out and
eat 1t afore ye."
/ looked about me for weapon
anxious to give him lesson; but
there was not sign of anything
handy, and I backed away cautiously
from the menace of his knife. Silver
shouted to him to let US be, as die
one or two others; but his only an.
swer was string of the curses In
which he was so proficient, and ht
continued to circle after me.
For myself was not greatly fright
ened, for, as 1t CHANGED, knife-fghtlnt
was an art in which was somewhat
expert, thanks to instruction from my
fathers Indian friends; but was con
cerned lest the scoundrel make a dar
at Peter and STAY the Dutchman al
he lay inert. Judge Of my amaze
ment then when Peter swayed to hi
feet, holding on to the bulwarks II
pull himself erect. His face wa
white, but he abandoned his supper
without hesitation and advanced
archaeological, across the deck toward
u.s.
81 take him, Bob" he said.
l jumped between him and Bones II
time to stop the pirates rush, dodg
ing knife-thrust by the width of m,
coat-sleeve.
Keep away, Peter" I painted.
can handle him. You can't. You'll
81 take him." repeated Corlaer.
He reached out his hand, grabbe
my shoulder and spun me from hi