Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 30: what you’re looking at

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42 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. ENR EPR I A De Ee SS ee menced scrambling up the rocks in pursuit of the boys, who were climbing as fast and as cleyerly as monkies, : Hal was the first to reach the brink of the cliff. Jack uttered a fierce shout, Just as he had set his foot on the brow of the cliff he felt himself seized from behind. He turned. He felt himself grappled by a strong ruffian. The pirate was a broad-built, burly fellow with a demoniac countenance aglare with ferocity. He dragged Jack down the side of the cliff. . Our hero staggered. He felt his foot slipping, and with a qualm of horror glanced down the awful abyss. The pirate had fixed his grip upon Jack’s belt. @linging to the rocks with’ one hand, with the other our hero loosened the belt. The pirate stumbled backwards, and narrowly escaped being thrown down the rocks. Uttering a frightful oath, the pirate drew a pistol and aimed it point blank at our hero. Jack, however, was too quick for him, He flung out his arm, clapped the muzzle of his own.pistel between the ruffian’s eyes, and drew the trigger. : The brace of bullets passed clean through his head, shattering his skull and geattering his brains. The pirate tossed up his arms, bounded off into mid-air, and fell down and dows, till, striking upon the roeky base of the cliffs, he was literally dashed to pieces. Ae Our hero scrambled on to the top of the cliff, and a and faint, flung himself down upon the ‘sward, Hai rushed to hig with a ery of joy. | ‘Sayed once more, dear Jack!” he cried, with feryonr. “Surely some guardian angel watches over you. Butgee, the pirates are rowing off to the scheoner, pursued by the coast-guards.” “Aye, but they’ not be over side, and lifted him in his azms overhauled,” said Jack, drawing a deep. breath. ‘ Look! the schooner is crowding on all sail, and will soon make a good offing; byt the worst plague is, they'ye got off that ogre, Barabbas.” —~ ! : se (CHAPTER XVI. ROVING JACK’8 UNEXPECTED AGCESSLON Zo RANK AND FORTUNE. PAUL PEVERIL was restored to his faithful Nellie, and, by the kind assistanee of Farmer Hethering- ton, Hal’s father, the worthy young “couple were established in a new home. Several months passed away, during which poiming was heard of the Pirates of the Foamy eef, Roving Jack and his Boy Band of Robber-Hunters had, therefore, a quiet time. Somewhat sobered by the terrific adventures through which he had lately passed, our hero con- ducted himself with unusual discretion. At home he appeared more grave and steady, and won all hearts by his kind and dutiful conduct while at school he applied himself with the greatest diligence to his various studies, and being gifted with rare talents, made astonishing progress. He applied himself in particular to nautical astronomy and the science of navigation. He also studied foreign languages, and constantly associated with the foreign seamen who frequented the little seaport near which he dwelt, | poard a man-of-war schooner, and, after much hesi- © tation, Mrs. Warbold consented to write to her late — husband’s father, Admiral Warbold, requesting him © to use his powerful influence in order to obtain for © her son and for his young friend, Harold Hethering- — He was a constant visitor at the cottage of the Peverils, and, as Paul obtained employment as a Channel pilot, our hero, with his trusty comrade Hal, frequently accompanied him on 4 cruise, and — obtained a thorough practical knowledge of all per- — taining to seamanship. a At length Paul Peveril obtained a commission on ton, midshipmen’s commissions. In a few days a brief, coldly-worded reply.was received from the admiral, expressing his approba- tion of the step which had been taken, and enclosing the commissions, together with bank notes to a heayy amount for Jack’s outfit. = Our braye young hero was nearly wild with joy at the receipt of this letter, and this exultation was damped only by the evident grief his doating mother felt at the near prospect of separation from ber beloved child. 4 ' When the day of parting axsived Mrs. Warbold’s | resolution gave way; she burst into a passion of anguish; which she could no longer su! due, and ~ but for the firm, though gentle remonstrances of her son, would haye detained him at the last moment. . Jack and Hal accompanied Paul Peverij to Ports- mouth, where they embarked in hig majesty's a le the “Foam,” and sailed for the West It it not our intention to detail the adyentures of Roying Jack during the twelyemonth he served on hoard the man-of-war, for thongh in themselves they would prove extremely interesting, we haye so much to tell of our gallant young hero in hjs dash- — tf CRC as a PIRATE HUNTER that we cannot — fford space for them here ; but in the course of this history we shall find Jack himself frequently re- verting te them, and his stories of life in the naval seryice will be found most enthralling.* + * * # It was on a golden evening in autumn that our hero, Roying Jack, and his partner Hal descended from the stage coach which Had brought them to Seaborough. ge. The young middies had just returned after a long and adventurous cruise, and with springing step and bounding hearts walked arm in arm through the dear old village, “Let’s go to the old homestead first ; this field leads to: your father’s farm,” said Jack, clasp- ing his true comrade by the arm. “No,” returned Hal, with a bright smile, for he had learned some pleasant nats from Paul Peveril with which Jack was as yet unacquainted, “let me see you safe to the Owlet’s Roost, lest you should get eagle-hunting or lion-killing by the — way.” ‘As you will, Hal,” returned Jack, with a glee- — some laugh. “You always think more of me than you do of yourself ; but if you have the start of me in this case I'll best you next time.” * Every British Boy who loves the sea—and what true bo: does no: ?—should read the most interesting work, “entitled, The Boy Sailor; or, Life on board a Man-of-war,” which contains a full and graphic description of the discipline and economy of the British naval service, The prologue to this wild and exciting story relates some truthful and remarkable anecdotes of the dreadful deeds and strange superstitions of the old Cornish wreckers, while the narrative itself includes a complete history Lord Nelson. oO Eomichoo (E <SiiGO of the glorious career of England's great hero, a lye