United States or Turkey ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
And then I knew that I had found Black Bartlemy's Treasure!" "Ha!" quoth I. "And is it indeed so great?" "Beyond description!" says she, clasping her floury hands and turning on me with shining eyes. "I have held in my hands, jewels O by the handful! Great pearls and diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires beyond price!" "Aye!" I nodded, "But was this all?" "All, Martin?" says she, staring.
"Yea, lad; but what should be thy black is a rusty brown with a star in his forehead and one white foot. And what should be my gray is that same rusty brown with two white feet and a patch on his side. And the tails of both be bobbed, and the manes cropped, and the saddles and housings be different. This is more of Bartlemy's 'friend to his counsel, perchance.
Look'ee Adam, we've fought and run foul of each other this many a year aye, half round the world and all for sake o' Black Bartlemy's Treasure as is mine by rights, Adam, mine by rights. Well now to-night let's, you and me, make an end once and for all one way or t'other. There's you wi' my ship true, Adam, true! But here's me wi' the island and the treasure, Adam, and the treasure. And what then?
"Aye, aye, Cap'n aye, aye!" says the gross fellow, rising nimbly enough, whiles his comrades closed about us expectant, and glancing from me to Tressady where he had seated himself on a boulder: "Here will do!" says he, pointing to a brilliant strip of moonlit sand midway betwixt the shadows of the cliff and Bartlemy's tree.
And, talking o' gold, Marty, what what o' Bartlemy's Treasure?" "You are happily welcome to it for all me." "Why, that's spoke manly and like a friend, rot me but it is! And now where might it lie, Marty, where?" "I've no idea." "What ha'n't ye found it, lad?" "No!" "Not even seen it, then?" "No!" "Why, think o' that now, think of that! And you wi' a fortun' o' pearls on you, Marty.
What now was doing I might not see by reason of the crowd, but I heard the voice of Mings upraised in fierce invective, and the throng presently parting, beheld him trussed hand and foot and dragged along with Tressady towards Bartlemy's tree. There a noose was set about the neck of each, and the rope's ends cast over a branch.
"Ahoy the shore!" roared Godby louder than ever, "who's for an honest life, a free pardon and a share in Black Bartlemy's Treasure or shall it be a broadside? Here be every gun full charged wi' musket-balls and 'tis point-blank range! Which shall it be?" Once again rose a murmur that swelled to an angry muttering, and I saw Smiling Sam come creeping from the shadow of the cave.
"A wildish company, Martin, desperate fellows as ever roved the Main, as I do love no more than they love me. So say the word and we'll share Black Bartlemy's treasure betwixt us, just you and me, lad, me and you! Come, what's your will?"
He had his seaman's knife and I Bartlemy's accursed dagger, and so we fought after the manner of the buccaneers, his leg bound fast to mine, and Martin, though he was a great fellow and strong and wounded me sore, in the end I got in a thrust under the armpit and he fell a-dying, and I with him. 'Adam! says he, 'Why Adam, lad and so died.
"Now first, Marty lad, how come ye here alone on Bartlemy's island how?" But sitting thus chin on fist I stared down at Red Andy's stiffening body silent as he, I being too full of fierce anger and bitter scorn of my folly for speech. "Come, come, Marty, be sociable!" says Tressady, tapping my cheek with the pistol-muzzle, "Was it Penfeather sent ye hither t' give an eye to the treasure? Was it?"
Word Of The Day