Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 146: what you’re looking at

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

166 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER., Mae TT Violet gave an involuntary shudder. “Look ‘yonder at the’storm-tossed crew ; look at their emaciated, broken-down, wasted forms, and yet'see how they cling to money, which probably they will never have occasion for, even if they gain land.’ : “You are suffering, Jack, from privation,” said ' Violet; mildly ; “but I have been careful; as T° _ thought this would come, I have saved both water and biscuit,’ I have here four bottles ; drink some, it will relieve you.” _ Jack Warbold’swallowed the contents of the cup, rendered more exquisite to his arid throat than the most delicious wine, for the excitement of the day had pressed heavily on him. ‘Thanks, dearest Violet ; thanks ; I feel better now. Good heaven! are there such fools as to value the’ dross of metal above one drop of water in a time of misery and suflering like this?” ' The evening closed in as before. The stars shone brightly. But there was no moon. At midnight our hero was called, and went to re- lieve a man from the steerage of the raft: Usually the pirates had lain about in every direction, on this occasion the majority of them remained forward.’ Jack at the helm was communicating with his own thoughts when a sound arrested his attention. ~He could distinctly hear the smothered noise of - a scuffle, and the stifled voice of Ellen Peveril cry- ing out for help, and calling hisname. Quitting the’ helm, the daring youth seized his cutlass and hurried to the spot. ‘Ellen was bound to a spar, and her oppressors securing her, Quick as the lightning’s flash our hero cut ‘his . way to the fainting woman, but was himself seized by the dastards who had surprised him from behind, | “Let go the ropes!” was the cry of those who held him, and in a few seconds Jack Warbold, with seared eyeballs, beheld the after part of the raft with Violet Tremaine upon it drift from the one on which he stood, “ For mercy’ sake save her!” shrieked Jack, struggling in vain to disengage himself from the grasp that held him back, ®* Monsters! you are murdering her before my very eyes |” Violet, overcome by terror for the moment, became |motionless as a statue; suddenly, as if waking from a dream, she stretched out her.arm a3 if to invoke succour, It was in vain, The loving and beloved were separted more than a cable length, Jack made one last desperate struggle, but, as one stricken by palsy; fell down senseless, and without reason. CHAPTER LXXVII, ALONE, WITH DEATH—THE WIDE WASTE OF WATERS—AT THE, MERCY OF THE WAVE—THE SITRIEK FOR HELP WHERE NO HELP CAN COME, ; WHAT power is sufficient to portray the feelings of the'fond and doating Violet? | — Bewildered and maddened, she beheld the raft fade imperceptibly from her view. ~ Recovering from her swoon, she cried— ‘Who's there ?” No answer, “Who's here 2” she exclaimed, in a louder yoice, thén gathering her scattered senses she called to. mind the incidents of the past hour, — * © “Alone, alone, on the wide waste of waters! Heaven have mercy on an erring soul! To thy care let Violet, the wretched Violet, commit her- self” , With these last words the poor deserted girl sunk down on the edge of the raft, and fell over on her side, with her long hair floating on the passing wave. . | After remaining in a state of torpor for some hours the sun glared fiercely upon her. The golden rays dazzling her eyes, she at length opened them, i ; “Ah! me! where am I?” she cried, in despair, as she cast her glassy orbs on the vast expanse before her. ied " A sudden shriek, more piercing than the battling elements, escapes the lips of the castaway. Yes ; there it lay, black, fierce, and bloodthirsty, waiting forits prey. . She was not mistaken. : . Motionless by her side drifted an enormous and rapacious shark, | | ‘Its white teeth glared in its open mouth, feeced with foam, and its eyes assumed an orange tinge. At that moment they gleamed in the dark with a blue phosphorescence imparting to them a kind of wolfish lustre, and veiling their real hue, a Recoiling a few steps after she had started up, she turned round and beheld the raft vacant, ‘Twas now that the horrid truth flash conviction to her very soul. pe “Oh! Jack! Jack!” she cried, “you are gone for ever. I thought it was only a dream ; I recol- lect allnow. Yes all—all!” . — Here Violet sank down upon her cot, which had been placed inthe centre of the raft, and remained absorbed in grief for some time. The demand for water at length became im- perions. vps iy She rose up, seized one of the bottles and drank, “Yet, why should I drink?” cried the frantic girl, ‘Why preserve life ?” | She looked around the horizon. ° There was sky and water, nothing more, ‘Ts this the death I am to die?” she continued. ‘‘The cruel death—to linger here till water be expended, and then to await, under a burning sun, while my vitals are parched within,”; The thought was madness, “ Nevertheless, be it so, “Fate, I dare thee to the worst. Wecan die but once, and without him what care 1 to live?” After a pause, Violet again spoke. * But may I not see him once more? Yes, I may, who knows? Then welcome life. Ill nurse thee for that bare hope,” Bare indeed, with naught to feed upon. “Let me see, it is still here.” | As violet uttered the sentence, she looked at her belt and perceived her dagger was still in it. “Well, I will live since death is at my.command, and husband life for my braye loyer’s sake.” Here Violet threw herself on her resting place. that she might forget everything, She did, ; For, from that morning till the noon of the next day, she remained in a state of torpor. When she arose she was faint, and again desolation was be- fore her, for Heaven and ocean alone met her gaze. “Oh! this solitude is horrible,” she murmured > ‘death would be a release ; but, no, I must live for him who holds my heart,”