, 1926-06-16
CHAPTER XVIII
Fetch Aft the Rum, Darby
McCraw!"

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 lookouts
identified as a 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 chung
to us through the day and night, and
in the morning our glasses revealed
the ominous belt of gunports of a
sixty-gun razee But like all English
second-rates. she was clumsy in the
water, and Flint was n good seaman,
If nothing else. He contrived to keep
beyond cannonshot and during the sec
ond night shifted his course cleverly
and gave u pursuer the slip.
For us three prisoners the Walrus
was a floating bedlam. MORA 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 foc'sle but she never
complained Of the confinement that
washed the color from her cheeks. and
retained her %buoyant spirits despite
the hideous danger which Swallowed
her every hour.
Without Darby she would nave been
In even worse case. Twas Ii spied
out h 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 d%lstrusted all aboard the
ship saving Bill Bones and Darby.
and was I'm terror of unseen p~resences
that lurked about the cabins corners
n moved at him from the stern win.
dows.
In these seizures he would take his
pistols and 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
n unfortunate fellow who goggled at
him as he stamped out upon the deck,
foaming and mounting defiance to the
ghosts hat tormented him.
1t was soon after this that the fever
first appeared in u midst. I can still
see the look, half-doubt, half-misgiv-
ing, in Silver's face as he heaved him
self aft by one of the life-lines which
grilled the main deck and hailed Flint
on the poop.
There's ten lads g~roanin' in their
hammocks. cap'n."
Take your crutch to EN-" snapped
Flint.
'"Them lads is Sick" answered Sill
yer. "Bellyaches and headaches a.
twistln' EN- In knots"
They're soldlerin' so as not to have
to go aloft." returned Flint. But II
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 FASTENED back to the cabin and
fortified himself anew with rum. ]
heard him mumbling to Bones as he
entered the companionway:
IT'S main queer. Bill. don't like
II. Maybe my luck amt good against
sickness"
Maybe" answered Bones. what
ha' yer done wi the map?'
Flint's teeth gritted together.
IF | thought ye-"
Delay there. John. I'm only think.
swabs for'ard might try to come by
it"
Don't yc worry about that" ad-
vised Flint grimly. IT'S safe-and it
will stay safe"
\ second man died the next day,
and there were eighteen sick instead
of ten. A panic possessed the crew,
II Silver mustered Il focsle council
of frightened pirates, who whispered
II nudged each other as they gaZed
awestruck at Flint's congested visage
atop of the barrel which was his Off
clal throne. Thorough scoundrels
themselves. they accorded him the
slncerest 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."
"Whatll We have?" he growled.
"Well, It's this way, cap'n," Silver
preached 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?"
at amt n%obody's fault. But 1t do
seem as If we'd oughter run into some
likely port where we could get sweet
water and green's and check the fever
before it runs through the crew"