Israel Hands

           Thewind,servingustoadesire,nowhauledintothewest.Wecouldrunsomuchtheeasierfromthenorth-eastcorneroftheislandtothemouthoftheNorthInlet.Only,aswehadnopowertoanchoranddarednotbeachhertillthetidehadflowedagooddealfarther,timehungonourhands.Thecoxswaintoldmehowtolaytheshipto;afteragoodmanytrialsIsucceeded,andwebothsatinsilenceoveranothermeal.

           "Cap’n,"saidheatlengthwiththatsameuncomfortablesmile,"here’smyoldshipmate,O’Brien;s’poseyouwastoheavehimoverboard.Iain’tpartic’larasarule,andIdon’ttakenoblameforsettlinghishash,butIdon’treckonhimornamentalnow,doyou?"

           "I’mnotstrongenough,andIdon’tlikethejob;andtherehelies,forme,"saidI.

           "Thishere’sanunluckyship,thisHispaniola,Jim,"hewenton,blinking."There’sapowerofmenbeenkilledinthisHispaniola—asighto’poorseamendeadandgonesinceyouandmetookshiptoBristol.Ineverseensichdirtyluck,notI.TherewasthishereO’Briennow—he’sdead,ain’the?Wellnow,I’mnoscholar,andyou’realadascanreadandfigure,andtoputitstraight,doyoutakeitasadeadmanisdeadforgood,ordohecomealiveagain?"

           "Youcankillthebody,Mr.Hands,butnotthespirit;youmustknowthatalready,"Ireplied."O’Brienthereisinanotherworld,andmaybewatchingus."

           "Ah!"sayshe."Well,that’sunfort’nate—appearsasifkillingpartieswasawasteoftime.Howsomever,sperritsdon’treckonformuch,bywhatI’veseen.I’llchanceitwiththesperrits,Jim.