Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. . 43 “You don’t know what’s in store for you, mess- mate,” returned Hal, smiling. ‘I would not lose the pleasure of seeing your reception at home on any account,” “How? Something unustal hay happened ?” asked our hero, with a slight start. “Why, Jack, you will be received by yout Boy Band of robber hunters, the heroes of the ‘Foamy Reef,’ who claim you as their captain. Jack, have you changed your mind?” “In what respect ?” “Are you still determined to bé a robber- hunter ?” “On land and sea!” returned our hero; “ but it will be a long time ere I shall obtain the command of a vessel.’’ ‘ “ Perhaps you will soon have one of your own?” _“A privateer? No; that is a service I don’t like ; a privateer is little better than a pirate. Well, to ‘build castles in the air,’ ye know, Hal, I should like to get a roving commission from the king to hunt down pirates and robbers on land and sea; but, belay, we are reckoning chickens ‘beforé they’re hatched.’ ” Hal smiled, and then hurried his companion onwards, ‘Are all the folks asleep?” asked Jack, looking round wonderingly at the deserted houses and silent streets, ““or have they fled from the old village? Even the ‘Blue Anchor’ stands desolate. What can it mean ?” “The harvest feast at my father’s farm is held » to-day, Jack,” returned Hal, rubbing his hands, “Come,” said our hero, turning slightly pale with excitement, ‘I long to be at home. Let us mount the rugged lane, and get through the old turnstile atop of the hill yonder, and then we shall sight the old tower,” , r ““ Aye, let’s hasten, Jack !” cried Hal, bounding with glee, and racing up the hill. Suddenly the air rang with a gust of mellow bells bursting into a loud; long and merry, merry peal. Then came a shout from the field above; as little Bert Atherstone’s beaming face peered over the turnstile. “He comes!” screamed little Bert, clapping his hands, and capering about. “He comes!’ responded a hundred blending voices. ‘‘ Roving Jack, hurrah !”’ Our hero paused as suddenly as if he had been struck by a bullet. He raised his hand to his hedd, and leaned back- wards against the pale that fenced the narrow lane. Hal seized both his hands and wrung them with affectionate Joy. » ‘© Can you read the riddle now?” he cried. “Yes,” returned our héro faintly; “the old admiral is dead. I am now Sir John Warbold, and lord of the manor !” ‘*But why don’t you shout ?—Why don’t you rave with delight as Ido?” cried Hal. ‘ Fancy, fancy, Jack, you are ennobled, and it possession of bound- less wealth, for your family is one of the richest in all England, and you are its only representative. _ Why, in wonder’s name, do you look so pale and grave ?” “ Extremes meet, Hal ; the sudden shock of great and unexpected joy is almost as hard to bear as the stroke of a dire calamity,” replied the young noble- man, returning the pressure of Hal’s honest hands, while the tears glistened in his eyes, and his voice thickened. ; Then his tones changed ; his superb form dilated, % - with stunning huzzas. -enjoy a treat of this sort?” his eyes flashed with heroism ; he gripped his dirk, and lifted his cap from his curly locks, “ Now will I be a robber-hunter with a ven- geance |” he cried. ‘“ Death to all snéaking high- | waymen and bloody buccaneers !” Théy now stood on the brow of the hill. A heart-stirring scene presented itself. The field before the lone, stern to wer was crowded | by the villagers, dressed in holiday attire, with bands of music, banners, and wreaths of bright _ flowers, The castle itself was adorned with flaunting flags and rich hangings, while the pathway which led to the gaté was spanned by triumphal arches bearing mottos of welcome and congratulations such as— “Welcome home, Roving Jack.” “ All honvur to the Pride and Lord of the Manor.” . The bands struck up a stirring March, and, in an instant, our beloved young hero was surrounded by a crowd of his friends and tenants, who rent the air Before he could surmount his bewildering emotion stfficiently to utter a single word, he found himself lifted on to strong shoulders, thé band parading before him, his brave boy band of robber haters and pirate hunters tossing up their caps, waving handkerchiefs, and streaming flags, and uttering the most deafening shouts of rejoicing. _“ Hurrah for our dear young master, brave Sir John Warbeld—the honoured lord of the manor!” shouted the tenantry. : “Hurrah for our eaptain! Long live Roving Jack !” responded the young robber hunters. So they bore him in triumph along. ‘““Clear away, you young dogs!” shouted the cheery voice of old Clem Cleats. ‘‘ Bless my heart, let me grapple him, let me welcome his honour—ha, ha!” and the hearty old chap fairly hagged the handsome boy in his sinewy arms. Jack laughed, and shook hands right and left, ® and pacing on to the strains of martial music, ad- vanced to meet a gilded chariot, drawn by milk- white horses, which came rattling from the gates of the old house. His mother, dressed in a rich robe of black satin, and his foster-sister, Violet, also richly attired ino deep mourhing, now descended from the carriage. The crowd swept respectfully back, and looked on in deep silence and with uncovered heads as the fond mother tearfully embraced her darling son. “Tsn’t this jolly?” cried Ben Bouncer to Ned Ross. ‘I suppose you know that I shall some day “ When will that be, Ben Bouncer ?” “When I succeed to. the princely titles and vast territories to which I am heir,” returned the incor- rigible Ben. ‘‘The Bouncers are a large and mag- nificent house ; their representatives are to be found in all quarters of the world. Perhaps you mayn’t have heard that I’m next a-kin—a heir apparent— to -Lord Maximus Bouncer, Baron Munchausen, Brag-Master General of the British Empire, and Arch-Duke of Gascony.’’* Having heartily returned the caresses of his mother and his foster-sister, our hero mounted the carriage, and, standing erect, waved his hand as if to request attention. He was hailed with three stirring cheers, * The people of Gascony, in France, are reputed to be great “‘ bouncers.’’ One of their redoubtable warriors boasted that he had slain so many enemies that he commonly slept on alarge bed stuffed with their mustachivsand whiskers. The word, ‘‘ to gasconade,” which means to brag, is derived from this re- puted propensity of the Gascons. % connic DOOL SoG@©