, 1926-03-17


terms"
you have It," l answered shortly,
and followed Peter down the side
cleats into the gig.
We rowed up the estuary for the
mouth of the little river which we
had seen from the james deck, and
our course took us under the yellow
hull of the Walrus. A shrill voice
hailed from a gunport, and Darby
McGraw's red head was thrust out
beside the frownlng black muzzle.
GLORY be, Master Bob, and do they
let we go free wherever We will? Sure
it's yourself must be one o. the grand
favorltes over yon. Are We an of
ficer YETI"
! was about to answer him when
Flint gloomed down at us from the
towering poop.
"Come aboard here. my hearty"
Flint hailed me.
1--WE are going ashore" answered /;
"and l have reason to hasten"
Flint scowled.
"Well yell come soon enough. AND
when | get we I'll earn ye a thing or
two! There's too much politics and
favoritism aboard the James to suit
me, and We can tell your great-uncle
or ~granddaddy or whatever be may
be. blast him for n - - -
- -. That John Flint says 20 ="
Darby bobbed up on the poop beside
him very much out of breath.
"Troth, he's no more'n the old mas
49, --. H.. .-t.-l e.. - NJ.
York, captain darlin'. and him that
good to me always I had n main likin'
for him. indeed and indeed | did
And I'm fair crazy TO be ashore afther
the weeks and months well ha'-
Flint clapped him on the shoulder,
abruptly jovial.
"Ah, If it's shore you'd be that's a
different Natter says he. I'm for
soin' ashore myself. Bill, call all
hands away for the boats, and
We'll have a grand goat-hunt up Spy
glass. John Silver shall barbecue 'em
for Us. And break out a couple o.
casks o. rum. Lively now, my lads
Wen enjoy ourselves like the honest
pirates we are"
A frenzy of cheering answered him,
and | backed water with my oars.
You heard, Peter?" | said over my
shoulder.
ia; dots badt."
"We cant go where they do"
"Neen.'
We ran Il boat aground on a sandy
bank on the far side of n point which
concealed us from the Walrus. Then
we took our guns and walked inland
through the trees up a graduated
sandy slope to the top OF a little.
hillock.
This would he n good place for a
fort" | unused.
ia" said Peter. you got water.
too"
He pointed to n streak of green
vegetation along the sandy slope of
the knoll which we traced to a spring
issuing from the summit.
Now we got water. we better eat"
he added.
But what about the goatsY" I
cried. "We were to-"
mo" he Insisted stubbornly: I'VE
don't shoodt. II we shoodt. der pl-
rates hear us andt come. W. waidt
until they are all ashore. Then we
go back to Murray"
"Tll not be driven from the first
pleasure we have had in months" |
protested chIldlshly.
ave do 1t again." replied Peter
placidly. Next time Murray he come
wit us himself. ia"
Yes. but"
"Now you be sensible, Bob. Der
Iniuns Is goodt frlendts beside them
%fellers, ia. We 20 back 20 der James.
Soon all o. them be ashore andt
drunk. Drunk, they like to kill us.
but they can't row-neen."
And we rowed back to the James
lnglorlously In the dusk. the shouts
of the Walrus' cnrousers echoing to
us from the shore.
The watch aboard the Royal James
challenged us as we made fast by the
larboard side-ladder, and when we
climbed over the bulwarks to the
deck Master Martin flashed n Ian
thorn in our faces with n gust of
oaths In his absurdly gentle tones.