Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 120: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

140 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ee ee Pe “Come, Tom; we will give account cf this vehicle whatever it may be.” “Tam with you, my lad.” And he sang, ‘Oh! with heart so light, and hand so free, A life on the road is the life for me. Hurrah! hurrah!’’ ‘Oh, stay,” whispered Jael. ‘‘ Why rush into unknown dangers when you have so recently escaped ?” “Dangers? Why, my lovely lass, I never in my life saw a danger that could stop me, Nay, leave go my coat, and I will bring you back some fine trinket.” ‘‘ How far is it, and which is the nearest path to this highway?” asked Turpin, as he sprang to the back of his coal-black steed. ‘Five hundred yards; the path lies straight be- fore you.” Turpin at once put his horse in motion, and Tom King followed: Ere they had proceeded half the distance between the gipsy camp and the high-road, the two were side by side. “Take care of your pistols, Dick,” said Tom, laughingly slapping his companion on the shoulder, “What do you mean ?”’ “Why, they havea habit of going off at a moment’s notice, and I have no wish to see any one the billet of a bullet this evening.” “Then let them beware.” “You are savage, Dick.” “ Only when thwarted.” ‘But put yourself in the same position, you not fight for your gold ?” Turpin answered not, but in a moody manner toyed with the handles of his weapons, showing by his manner that he was not inclined to be baulked should a rich booty be in his way, Would “What, moody man! Come, you’ll never win a fair lady’s love unless you drive black care from your brow,” said Tom King, urging his horse for- ward and taking the lead. “Laugh away, Tom. No doubt the gipsy girl has put you in a laughing mood. I saw you whis- pering and the tender way in which you squeezed her hand,’’ ‘Ha, ha, ha! Why she saved my life, and I think I ought to be grateful.”’ “Ts that how you show your gratitude ?” “How do you mean ?” “ By making love.” “Ho, ho! You are jealous, Master Turpin ; never mind, my boy, all’s fair in love and war, and really 1f would be exciting to have a rival.” “So, so! But we are not far from the road, I should fancy,” ‘“We must be close to it. Quietly, lass.” The last exclamation was addressed to Lightfoot, whose ears were erected and who uttered a half- suppressed neigh, They were by the roadside at length. A clump of thick bushes sheltered them from observation, though they could see up and down the highway. _ A carriage, drawn by two horses, was approach- ing from the village at a very leisurely pace. A postilion had charge of the horses, while a man, Tom King supposed to be a servant, sat on the front of the vehicle. The windows of the coach were drawn up, so that it was impossible to tell how many people occupied the interior, or of what sex they were. ‘Forward, Dick ; you see to the driver and the servant, I’ll answer for the rest.” The two men spurred their horses out into the road, “ Stand !” cried Turpin, in a loud voice, present- ing a pistol at the driver’s head. The man took no heed, “Stand! or I’ll send a bullet through your brain !” The horses were pulled up on their haunches, while Turpin sat on his steed immediately before them. Tom King rode up to the carriage, and opened the door. A glance at the inmates, and he swerved aside just in time to escape from a bullet that hissed past his cheek. At the same moment a second pistol was heard, and the dashing highwayman beheld the servant fall from the box of the coach, shot through the heart by Turpin. “Damnation! they are officers!” roared the latter. “Quilt Arnold is inside,” said Tom King, as he found himself by his companion. Turpin turned in his saddle, and with another loud oath discharged his second ‘pistol into the body of the vehicle, “A wasted shot,” exclaimed King, as he beheld four men ‘emerge from the coach with each a. pistol presented at him or his companion. CHAPTER LXIV, SIMON SMUT IS SENT ALOFT, AND FALLS OVER- BOARD, ‘OFFICER of the deck—ahoy there !” cried our hero, as he stepped upon deck from his cabin late in the afternoon, “Aye, aye, sir,” exclaimed the officer, coming forward and touching his cap. “ Send a man up to the mast-head to clear away the halyard ; it has caught between the top-gallant cross-trees and the mast,”’ Roving Jack's eye had seen the slight irregularity, and he hastened to remove it at once. *“ Aye, aye, sir! Any other orders ?” The young commander walked aft to the binnacle, and cast his eye upon the compass, ‘‘ Keep her head half a point more to starboard. Steady man—so !” “Starboard it is, sir |” _“‘ And call me as soon as you catch sight of a Single rag of strange canvas,” So saying he retired once more to his own quarters, cGomichooks