Sacketts 02 - To The Far Blue Mountains by L'Amour Louis

Author:L'Amour, Louis [L'Amour, Louis]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Louis L'Amour
Published: 2010-12-10T00:00:00+00:00

That night, the Jolly Jack sailed away, to the great relief of all.

It was only later that I discovered Delve had spread the word very well indeed.

On the morning after, he came to me with three other men.

Delve hooked his thumbs in his belt. He was smiling, a kind of taunting,

challenging smile it was. "We be going to hunt for gold," he said. "We've heard

there's a treasure ship nearby, run aground and beached."

"I know of no such treasure ship," I replied.

Jeremy Ring and Jublain had come to stand beside me.

"Aye, well, mayhap you've your own reasons for not sharing your knowledge with

us," he said, still smiling. "But mayn't we hunt on our own?" His sharp little

eyes probed mine. "Unless you would try to stop us."

"Why should I do that? Go ahead. You've my permission, if it is needed. Only

those who go do not return."

He chuckled. "Like that, is it? Well, it's not likely we'd need to return.

You'll give us food then?"

"For six days only. We can afford no more. After that you'll be on your own.

I'll give you rifles and ten balls per man, and the powder for it, and where you

go after that is wherever you like, but I'll have no quitters with me."

I looked him square in the face.

"You'll stay now, or you'll go and not come back. You came knowing what lay

ahead, and now at the smell of gold, which probably isn't there, you'd go. Well,

go and be damned!"

"You talk very big for a man who'll soon be alone."

"He'll not be alone," said Jublain. "I'll be with him."

"And I," Ring added.

"You're fools then," he said. "There'll be few else."

"That may be," I replied, "but there may be more loyal men here than you think."

For the first time I saw doubt in his eyes, but he shook it off. The dream was

more pleasant to believe than to doubt.

The taunting expression came to his face. He wanted to get back at me, to hurt

me, worry me, anger me. "Well, Barnabas, if there's no gold I can always join

Nick Bardle."

"Why not? There's always room on a gibbet."

He turned sharply away, and Jublain made as if to start after him. "He needs

killing," he said, when I stopped him.

"No doubt, but here is a good time to be rid of any troublemakers. I want nobody

with me who will not go the distance."

Yet there were steps I could take, and I took them. Recharging several pistols

and a musket, I kept them at hand, and suggested to Jublain, Jeremy, and Pim

that they stay close about.

Delve went to the edge of the wood with a dozen others and there was much talk

going on.

"Pim," I said, "do you go to the Abigail. Tell Tilly what goes on, and tell him

to stand by for trouble and allow no one aboard unless with an order writ by my

hand."

Aboard the Abigail, I felt sure John Tilly would stand.

Pim was back within the hour. "They'll stand for you," he said, "every man of

them."

"Good! Now let us close the gate."

We did

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