Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

22 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER, EET “Horrible!” gasped Hal, looking round him, ‘‘ What you must have suffered here, my poor Jack |” ‘That can never be told, Hal,” returned our hero, solemnly ; “‘but I praise the All-merciful for this unexpected, undeserved deliverance,” Old Clem Cleats, who had also scrambled down into the vault, gave a yell of terror at beholding the ghastly spectacle. ‘My jib! if this ain’t a scene as would freeze the witals of a wampire !” he whispcred, faintly. “This is cert’n'y’a case for the coroner. Now, Master Jack, are ye satisfied that the Reef is haunted ?”’ Aye,” returned our hero, with a sickly smile, “But, dear Hal, do help me out of these hand-cufis ; they eat into my flesh—and—please ask me no ques- tions yet, Get me away as quickly as you can, for I am faint, very faint.” Hal cut the cords that bound Jack’s legs, and setting to: work with a large iron nail, contrived to force off the hand-cuffs, The revulsion of the blood from his tortured wrists caused Jack to utter a half-suppressed. cry of anguish, and he dropped at Hal’s feet, insensible ! Old Clem kneeled by his side, and, tenderly raising his head, poured some drops of brandy upon his lips. Jack opened his large dark eyes and smiled radi- autly. He clutched his young comrade’s hand, “Ts it day or night without, Hal?” he asked, faintly. ‘Evening, Jack.” ‘Then I have been prisoned here for forty-eight hours!” he sighed. . ‘Oh, what ages of agony and grief may be compressed into that short time !” He was now sufficiently recovered to stand. ** Before we leave this horrible place, secure those papers,” said Jack, pointing to the packet which had fallen from the skeleton. ‘ Lend mea hand to escape’ from this grave ; let me once more breathe the pure air, and I shall be myself again,” Old,Clem and Hal assisted our hero to mount through the trap. They followed him, close, and reached the cell above the “ Dead Hold,” “How did you manage to find this place?” asked Jack, : | ‘“‘We entered through yonder hole in the wall,” replied Hal, pointing to a kind of trap-door near the roof. ‘ Beyond it there is a long tunnel, which leads to a cave on the island,” ‘‘ Did you and Mr, Cleats come alone?” “Oh, no, Master Jack,’ rejoined old. Clem; “‘there’s a whole boat’s crew of your school-fellows on the reef,” ‘Why, Jack, you see that as soon as I heard the news of your sudden and strange disappearance from home, I went to your house,” said Hal, “Ty found your poor. mother plunged in deep distress at your absence. She showed me the, window by which you had taken flight, and the ladder yon had made with the sheets and blankets ; she told me, besides, that you had taken away your father's sword and night- glass,” Yes," said Jack, bitterly, “I have lost both ! {t was useless to resist the villains; I was forced to surrender up my father’s sword, but I may recover it yet,” Ri Your mother went on to speak of Mr, Cleats’s visit, and of his strange adventure at the Foamy Reef,” continued Hal, “and I felt convinced that you must haye seen the light on the distant rocks, and gone off incontinently in search of the phan- toms,” “So I did—the more. fool I,” was Jack’s cool rejoinder, “ Remembering our brush with the pirate Barab- bas, and sharing your suspicions that the phantoms of the reef were in reality pirates, I held a council with our schoolmates, Frank Harley, Ned Ross, Will Ryan, Bert Atherstone, Ben Bouncer, and half-a- dozen others, and a resolution was carried unani- mously that we should arm ourselves, take a boat, and row over to the reef in quest of you.” “Hurrah !” shouted Jack, buoyantly, “my brave comrades! With a band of such heroesI might hunt down every ruffianly pirate on the high seas! Go on with your story, dear Hal.” “Just as we were putting off in the boat, Mr, Cleats came along, and tried to dissuade us from our purpose ; but seeing that we were determined to carry it out, he kindly offered to go with us, and of course we were delighted to accept his valuable assistance,” “Belay,” grunted the fisherman, “‘ I promised the old Dominie that I’d capture the truant, I wouldn’t be in your skin for a trifle; there’s a pretty rod in pickle for ye, I can tell ye that, Master Jack,” Jack laughed, ‘“T think I have’ suffered punishment enough already for my folly,” returned our hero, ‘When we reached the reef,” continued Hal, “ we broke up into parties of two or three, and scoured the island in search of you. Mr, Cleats and I, led on by your faithful little Snap, discovered a hole in the rocks screened by some old sheathing boards ; we forced an entrance, but not without great trouble, worked our way through a narrow tunnel, and at last reached the door, you see, and, bursting it open, found ourselves in this strange place.” “ Well,” said Jack, “of course we must acquaint the authorities with the strange discovery we have made, and set the officers of the law on the track of these bloodthirsty, buccaneering villains ; and let me tell you, my hearties, there is a cavern in the reef, if we can but find it—for it was so dark when I was cast ashore, and I was so exhausted that I scarce know in what part'of the island I took shelter. There is a treasure cave, I say, that contains sufficient plunder for the Forty Thieves to retire on; but let us get into the fresh air, my faintness is returning, and I have seen enough of this chamber of horrors,” “My jib, Master Jack,” gasped old Clem, “I should think you have had a lesson for life ; arter the terrific ewents of the last few days, you orter be satisfied with your adwentures, and moor in quiet waters for the rest of your nat’ral life,” “Not yet,” answered Roving Jack, grinding his teeth, and speaking fiercely ; “when I have hanged Jonathan Wild, hunted down the Phantom Pirate and his devilish crew, restored my foster sister Violet to her home and fortune ‘‘ And set the sea afire !” rejoined old Clem, im- patiently, Jack’s check reddened, and he lowered his eyes, “T talk like a braggart,” said he ; “but, hark! our comrades are shouting for you, Hal ; let us join them,” Hal mounted on old Clem's shoulders, and having entered the narrow passage, which he has himself oO Eomichoo S \ COLA