Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

24 ROVING JACK, TIE PIRATE HUNTER. ene ee cheers for Roving Jack!” shouted the boys, with frantic glee. “Tthank you from my heart, dear, brave com- rades !” cried their boy leader, with a proud and happy smile, ‘Let me ask you to give a cheer for my brave Boy Band of RoBBER-HUNTERS !” “Hurrah for Roving Jack. and his Robber- hunters! IJIurrah!” shouted the boys, tossing up their caps, and dancing about in the excess of their joyous enthusiasm, “ Avast heaving, you young monkeys!” inter- posed old Clem Cleats. ‘ We must get aboard ; it’s time we were steering for home,” ‘First, let us try to find the store-house of the cursed buccaneers,” said Jack, who had now quite recovered his spirits, though he still looked very pale and haggard. “ Follow me, comrades |” “To the death, Roving Jack!” was the hearty response. He led the way along the rugged shore, and, after searching several of ‘the hollows in ‘the reef, came at last to the cave through which he had entered the pirates’ hold. After removing the loose stones, as he had done before on the occasion of his first visit to the cavern, he crept down the rude ladder into the shaft sur- rounded by heavy doors. Hal had re-lighted the torch, and kept close by our hero’s side, After much exertion, and with the assistance of the old fisherman, the young pirate-hunter entered the long corridor, at the end of which they found the trap-hatch, It was some time before they could raise it. Many of the boys looked down into the robber’s den with paling cheeks, and drew back in alarm ; but, re-assured by the dauntless manner of their heroic young leader, they followed him down the hatchway. When they found themselves in the huge cavern, surrounded on all sides by the spoils of so many splendid but fated vessels, the boys looked about them in the utmost bewilderment, “Tt was here that Jonathan Wild offered to take me under his protection,’ said Jack, bitterly ; ‘“’*twas here I stood like a lamb in the wolf’s lair; it was here that Jack Sheppard saved my life—a good turn, which I will requite if cyer I should have it in my power so todo. I was tempted, but Heaven gave me strength to pass through my fiery trial ; I looked on all these riches, and I thought to myself, ‘ Will all these ill-gotten treasures pur- chase one hour of true peace to a guilty conscience ?” But, come, I will take you to the horrid tomb from which I was rescued by kind Mr, Cleats and my true chum, Hal Hetherington.” With this, Jack was about to lead his astonished comrades to the door at the end of the cavern, through which, as he rightly Judged, he had been dragged while insensible by the fiendish wretch Barabbas, At the instant old Clem Cleats came bounding down the hatchway, “ Avast there, Master Jack! Quick! quick! we must clap on all sail, and sheer cff these shoals,” he panted, ‘Shiver my topmost, if that black- hulled, rakish-rigged schooner isn’t in the offing ; she’s making for the reef, and flying along close by the wind no end o’ knots an hour,” “ Away, then!” cried Jack, “If they catch us here, they'll murder every mother’s son of us, and we’re no match for them now. Our time may ml o> , ‘ ii JA 6:7 ConmcooolkS.COlhn come, my lads; but now we must brush if we would save our precious lives.” The boys scampered up the hatchway, rushed along the tunnel, bounded out of the cave, and paused not till they stood upon the beach. Turning their eyes towards the horizon, they be- held the tall, slant-masted, lateen-rigged schooner bearing up as swift as a flying swallow. “ Aboard !” roared old Clem. “ Bun, run, Jads ! The boats are in yonder creek. Tumble in with a will, boys, or it will be too late ” The boys raced to the spot where the boats were moored, , 2 They rushed up to the middle in water, and scrambled in, helter-skelter, More than one of them, in their hurry, got tripped over the gunwales, and caught a fine ducking. “Trim the boat, you young dogs |” shouted old Clem, beside himself with consternation. * She'll capsize, you little devilskins !” “ Steady, boys, steady |!” cried Jack, in the tones of a born commander. The boats were cast off. The boys crowded on the thwarts, seized the oars, and rowed away right lustily. “Pull together!” cried Jack; “no flurrying ! Courage and quietness, and all will be well!” ‘“‘ Hurrah !” shoute:i the young heroes, when they were fairly out to sea. “The cursed buccaneering hounds will see us, will find that their store-house has been rum- maged,” cried Jack, passionately, ‘‘and they will either ship off the best’ part of their plunder, or destroy it, rather than it should fall into the hands of the authorities. Never mind, our turn will come,” “Stopper all, you young rascal!” roared old Clem, “and think yourself lucky that you're not now lying five fathoms down, with a slit in your throat. .You'll make your mates as mad as yourself. Oh, my little cheery, won't I come and see you toby-tickled to-morrow? If you live much longer, and don’t mend, there won’t be a birch broom to be bought for love nor money! SIT Down! you young dare-devil, and don’t glare so, You give me shivering doldrums.” | “ Took !” cried Jack, quite regardless of the old man’s anger in his own intense excitement, “the scoundrels have lowered a boat! Oh, couldn’t we fight ’em ?” “Oh, lor, no, Jack,” cried Ben Bouncer, “ Dont mention it. I ain’t no coward, ye know—lI once had a hand-to-hand combat with two or three dozen of the ruffs—but, ’pon my word, I ain’t in a fightin’ humour. Sit down |?” The pirate’s. boat was gaining on them fast. “Pull away, lads, pull away! or you'll miss your mess, as sure as Sunday dumplings?” cried Clem, in great alarm. Suddenly a puff of white smoke jetted from the dark hull of the distant vessel, A hollow “boom” rolled along the face of the waters, and a heavy shot came spanking past, close to our hero’s head, His comrades uttered a shriek. Not so Roving Jack ; he laughed excitedly. . “Hal, did I bob my head?” he asked, chuckling. “No, Jack,” returned the other, with forced calmness, “Think I did, though, just a bit. Phew!” Another puff of white smoke, a flash of flame, and amen a Ne ee ee