Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 145: what you’re looking at

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

ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. 165 At that time its inhabitants were known to be cowardly, hostile, and treacherous, _And Barabbas decided onjwaiting for events, and see what might occur. In the meantime the boat pulled to;the westward, while the current set them fast in a southerly direction. A new danger now threatened thé mariners, They discovered that a proa, filled with armed and hostile natives, was sweeping after them from one of the islands to the windward. The proa, having reconnoitered her antagonist, commenced firing from a small piece of cannon on her bows. The enemy advanced nearer, and her fire became destructive, while the pirates were without an op- portunity of returning it. Barabbas ordered the boats. He and Rotaldo were now stationed to attack the natives as the only chance of escape. The raft was accordingly cut, and the boats pulled away. The voice of Jack Warbold, who had been allowed to volunteer in the party, was heard by his fellow captives. | His sword was seen to flash through the air. A moment afterwards he plunged into the sea, and swam to the raft. The men in the boats, anxious to preserve the money which they had secretly drawn from the magazine, agreed among themselves to pull away, and leave the raft to its fate. The natives, imagining that in taking to their boats the pirates had some further motive, instead of firing as hitherto at the raft, gave chase to the fugitives, Thus were those who expected to escape, and who had deserted their companions, deservedly punished, while those who anticipated danger and death from such a desertion, discovered it had really saved them from such a fate. Those remaining on the raft amounted to about twenty. Provisions on board they had sufficient for three or four weeks. Of water they were very short, not having more than enough for three days at the usual allowance, This article it was agreed should be so served out as to extend the supply to eight days. When again under sail it was debated, as the raft was in two parts, whether it would not be better to cast off the smaller one. This proposition was rejected, and they scudded on as usual, On the fourth day they sighted land, The difficulty under which they now laid was having no grapnel or anchor to the raft. Our hero, who, since the departure of Barabbas and Rotaldo, who had gone with the others in the boats, had so ingratiated himself with the remainder of the disaffected as to be in a measure their leader and adviser, thus addressed his companions in the pressing necessity :— “ Messmates, if you have still confidence in your- selves, I think I have struck upon a plan that will surmount the difficulty that opposes us. There still remains a large amount of specie in the magazine. and what I propose is this, that each man should take his quantity of dollars, which being sewn up separately in canvas bags, to denote the share, should be sunk——”’ ‘‘ What, throw our treasure into the sea!” was the general exclamation, ; “No; the weight of the coin (being attached to the ropes by which they will be lowered and raised) eC OILGOOOKS GO, will enable us to hold the raft against the current for one night, and at daybreak we have every chance of reaching the shore ‘which rises to our view.” “T, for one, refuse to act as you say,” replied a swarthy pirate named Francisco, and who seemed elected as spokesman of the party, “ I would as soon encounter the perils of the deep as invest my gold in such a madly adyenturousscheme, Let us rather trust to the mercy of the waves, for if the current continues we shall be washed ashore by morning.” “Fools! worshippers of Mammon!” exclaimed Jack, “who sell your souls for dross, rather than risk your money you would sooner part with life by the most miserable death!” Again and again Jack Warbold argued with his followers, but in every instance without success, Violet Tremaine and Ellen Peveril, since the boats had quitted the raft, were allowed their liberty, and, like the partner of their captivity, were no longer prisoners, Ellen proved a valuable adviser to her friend, and a comfort to the hero of our tale in his present misfortunes, ‘Cheer up,” she would say, “we shall yet build our cottage under the shade of yon cocoa-nut trees,” . indicating the afar off land, “‘ and pass a portion, if not the remainder, of our days in peace. For who; indeed, is there who will find us in these desolate and untrodden regions?” As night closed in the hapless people neared the land, but, the breeze dying away, taey were swept back by the current, The pirates now rose, and, in spite of the en- deayours of Jack Warbold, rolled into the sea all the provisions and stores. They kept back one cask of spirits and the re- maining stock of water. Francisco, who had hitherto seemingly befriended our hero and the females, now assumed the leader- ship of the band. These he ordered to the upper end of the raft, and he sat down with them himself, Each exhibited gloomy threatening looks, as all became engaged in close consultation. These proceedings Jack Warbold noticed with a feeling of considerable ~nxiety. He advanced towards the conclave and again urged them to anchor with their money. He urged in vain, for they peremptorily ordered him from their presence. Dejected at their refusal he returned to the after part of the raft, upon which he had erected a secure retreat for Violet and Ellen. He leant on it in deep thought and melancholy, for he imagined that its occupants were wrapt in the arms of peaceful slumber. “What distracts you?” ‘The folly, guilt and avarice of these fearful men,” was our hero’s reply to Violet’s question, “They will die rather than risk their hateful money.” The quivering lip of Violet proclaimed the struggle she underwent to repress her almost un- controllable indignation. Skilled, however, in the mastery of her emotions, she repressed it. “They have the means,” continued Jack, “of saving themselves and us, and they will not. There is weight enough in bullion on the fore part of the raft to hang a dozen floating masses such as this, and yet they refuse my entreaties.” “Cursed love of gold, it makes men fools, mad- men, aye, villains !’’ ‘We have now but two days’ water, doled as it is drop by drop.”