Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 128: what you’re looking at

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148 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ee a —eeeeeS— “Ha! ha! itis fine music to hear you cry for help. And you, my beautiful Nell, .have you nothing to say?” Nell made no answer; but after a brief struggle resigned herself to captivity. “You are mine now. Mine body and soul!” he continued. “ A rare prize !” The brave girl made no reply. She was ‘already meditating how to ‘escape from the hands of her captors. But at present she was too well guarded, She looked around. The merciless pirates were cutting down the sur- vivors, and appropriating to themselves anything of value that caught their eyes. The party, headed by Barabbas, had entered the doorway, while the attention of the defenders was drawn to the attack on the windows. They had found no one to stop their way, and the rude barrier of furniture was speedily overcome. Passing up the staircase, the dwarf had entered room after room, until he discovered that in which the two girls had stationed themselves. He gave his men orders to make no noise till they had secured their prey. They advanced silently. The result is already known to our readers. The girls were conducted into a room, and guarded by half-a-dozen of the ruffianly crew. Barabbas himself remained in the apartment. ‘“Why have you committed this dastardly deed ?” asked Violet. “Why? Ha! ha! ha! For a good reason.” “Be quiet, dear Violet,” said Nell, for the first time breaking silence. For a few moments there was silence. “Then you won’t ask any more questions?” said the dwarf, ‘Ha! ha! I will give you some rare news, then, without your asking, Rare news! Glorious news !”? And he laughed malignantly, while “a gleam of triumph distorted his features. ‘“What news? What mean you?” asked Violet. ‘““Rare news! Arare husband !” “A husband? You raye, man!” ‘“T rave? So will you when you meet the bride- groom,” ‘“And who may this rare bridegroom be ?” asked Violet, forcing a smile to her pallid face, ‘A rare husband! Jack Sheppard, the house- breaker !” CHAPTER LXYIII, SIMON SMUT IS DISTURBED BY PIRATES. WHEN Simon Smut’s black beauty left him so suddenly, it was not without good cause. I'he lady's education had been a good one, and although she could neither play the piano nor paint on velvet, she could follow a trail through the wood, and tell the footstep of a human beine from that of a wild animal. , Simon, however, thought not of danger. That he, Chuquisaca (that was the woman’s name), and the black infant should be disturbed or molested was a thing he never dreamed of. The thought of a fourth party finding his way to the island never entered Simon’s head, He saw his black wife crawl away, ‘Going to catch a bird or somethink, I suppose,” thought he. ; ee ee ee eee LL Ca tt The young darkie had vanished also. “Tt?s a blessing that ’ere kid have avaunted and quitted my sight,” he continued. ‘‘I can’t stand his games, and shall have to whop him if he ain't civil.” Simon then closed his eyes, His noonday nap had been disturbed, and he was determined to take advantage of the momentary silence to conclude his forty winks. But he had scarcely closed his eyes when he ~ opened them again, He opened his mouth, too, and stared around with a look of surprise. He bounded to his feet. A loud, piercing scream came pealing through the aisles of the forest. Simon knew the tones, “What's the matter with that ’ere woman ?” he exclaimed. There was silence for a moment, “ Fell down and hurt herself, I suppose. that kid has broke his neck, too.” Then came the shrill cry again, and, following if, the hoarse laughter of men. Simon began to grow frightened. What might those sounds portend ? Was it a party of savage Indians who would tor- ture him to death, and then pick his bones ? Or was it a band of still more savage white men, who would kill him by slow degrees by the most fiendish cruelty that bloodthirsty ingenuity could devise ? Simon had heard fearful tales of the roves of the sea—how they were wont to bury their plunder on little islands, and kill eyery one who approached the hiding-place. He turned to fly. But whither should he go? On which side was the danger ? He stared with all the force of his eyes into the bushes. Not a living thing was to be seen, Hist ! ; A light step is heard approaching, making its way through the bushes, Another, and yet another. They came from different quarters. “Good Heavens! Iam surrounded by the mur- dering ruffians !”’ exclaimed Simon, as he wrung his hands despairingly, ““T must make a move, though,” he continued, still speaking to himself, and without any more consideration, he began to dash through the bushes at the greatest speed of which he was capable. Yells and shouts sounded behind him; but the noisy cries only increased the rapidity of his flight. He cast but one glance over his shoulder, The sight struck terror to his heart, Six or seven stalwart men, whose dress and ap- pearance left no room to doubt their piratical profession, were in full chase. Some of them had pistols in their hands ; the others had their belts stuck full of weapons. Of various nations were they, too. There was the theatrically-dressed Spaniard, the sturdy, rough-clad Saxon, and the half-naked negro, Simon sped onwards, The shore was in view, where the sparkling, foaming waves came dashing up oyer the pebbly beach. But there was a dark-lookine object there which he had not seen in the morning, It was a boat, and, at. the sight, Simon’s spirits revived, I hope ee | "cCOmMmICbOOKsecom