Arizona state miner., 1926-07-17
CHAPTER XVIII
"Fetch Aft the Rum, Darby
McGraw!"


send the frigates to sea from Santo
Domingo, st. Pierre, the Havana and
Kingston, and the adventures Of the
Walrus furnished ample confirmation
Of his words. Six days sail to the
southwark we raised the tops'ls Of a
lofty stranger whom the l0OkOuts
identified as kings ship.
Flint, summoned from his perpetual
debauch in the main cabin, agreed
with them and ordered the helm put
over. The Walrus headed west, and
the stranger followed her. She clung
to us through the day and night, and
In the morning our glasses revealed
the ominOus belt of gunpOrts Of q
sixty-gun razee. But like all English
second-rates, she was clumsy In the
water, and Flint was good seaman,
if nothing else. He contrived to keep
beyond cannOnshot and during the Sec
Ond night shifted his course cleverly
and gave our pursuer the slip.
For us three prisoners the Walrus
was a floating bedlam. Moira might
not stir from her StateroOm unless 1t
be at night when Flint occasionally
slept and the most of the crew were
carousing in the focsle; but she never
complained of the confinement that
washed the color from her cheeks, and
retained her buoyant spirits despite
the hideous danger which shadowed
her every hour.
Without Darby she would have been
in even worse case. Twas he Spied
out the moments she could venture
abroad and thrust himself dauntlessly
betwixt her and any threats. He car
ried her such food as she would eat
and often did the same for us, for
Flint was become subject to seizures
OF ungOvernable ferocity, in the grip
of which he distrusted all aboard the
ship saving Bill Bones and Darby,
and was in terror of unseen presences
chat lurked about the cabins corners
and moved at him from the stern win
dows.
In these seizures he would take his
pistols and d~'shOOt in every direction,
regardless of who might be present,
or with his hanger he would hack at
the walls and pursue imaginary enc
mics along the companionway. But
for Darby he would have slain Ben
Gum, and he did actually cut down
one unfortunate fellow who goggled at
him as he stamped out upon the deck,
feaming and mOuthing defiance to the
ghosts that tOrmented him.
It was soon after this that the fever
6rst appeared in our midst. 1 can still
see the look, ,half-dOubt. half-misgiv-
ing, in SiIver's face as he heaved him
self aft by one of the life-lines which,
grflled the main deck and hailed Flint
on the poop.
There's ten lads groanin' In their
hammOcks, cap'n."
''Take your crutch to EN-" snapped
Flint.
''Them lads is SICK" answered Sill
yer. ."Bellyaches and headaches a.
twistin' EN- in knots"
They're soldierin' so as not to have
to go alOft," returned Flint, "But If
you're afraid of 'em. I'm not"
The first Of the sick men he prod
ded with his hanger already was dead,
and he hastened back to the cabin and
fortified himself anew with rum. 1
heard him mimbling to Bones as he
entered the companionway
''It's main queer, Bill 1 don't like
it. Maybe my luck amt good against
sickness"
Maybe" answered Bones. "What
ha' yer done WI the map?'
Flint's teeth gritted together.
"If 1 thought ye-"
"Belay there, John. I'm only think
in as If We was sick some o. them
swabs for'ard might try to come by
It."
Don't ye worry about that" ad-
vised Flint grimly. Its safe-and it
will stay safe"
A second man died the next day,
and there were eighteen sick instead
of ten. A panic possessed the crew,
and Silver mustered a focsle council
Of frightened pirates, who whispered
and nudged each other as they gazed
awestruck at F1int's congested visage
atop of the barrel which was his Off
cial throne. Thorough sceundrels
themselves, they accorded him the
sincerest respect which was the due
of one who utterly surpassed them in
wickedness. He was "a rare 'un," "a
main desperate rogue; lead and
steel was same as bread and meat to
him"
"What'H ye have?" he growled.
"Well, it's this way, cap'n." Silver
brOached automatically. 1.-THE crew
feels as the fever comes from the ship
bein' foul and at sea so long"
"We amt been long at sea-"
maybe not so long from the Rendy-
VOC, but we amt careened or cleaned
ship this year."
"Whose fault is that?'
sit amt nobody's fault. But 1t do
seem as If we'd ouEhter run into some
likely port where We cou1d get sweet
wnkeP and green's and check the fRver