Roving Jack, The Pirate Hunter — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

et 104 ROVING JACK, THE PIRATE HUNTER. acute Irishman, and, laying his oar across for a moment, he addressed himself to Cleats, with— _ “The plug} yer honour |”? but old Clem was still inexorable, Instead of making any headway they could scarcely hold their own. ; Captain Merivale had, however, provided against such an emergency on board the Indiaman. ‘Some coir rope was stopped with a bit of spun yarn to the life-buoy, having a spare end of from ten to fifteen fathoms long, the rest being coiled clear away on the hen-coops, in readiness for veering. The laniard of the buoy was then cut, sufficient scope of stray line being first paid out, to allow it to reach the water, and drift away without checking, It came floating down to them in glorious style. The end of the coir, which was floating on the surface, and, waving about like a snake, was easily caught hold of, and a pretty severe turn taken with it round one of the thwarts. A hawser was then sent down to them by means of a snatch-block, and the end on board was then brought to the capstern. ** Heave round ! ” Away went the cutter foaming and flashing through the waves. Had not the boat been well and strongly built she would have been torn and riven, as O’Kasey expressed it, into “‘smithereens ;” for, long before they were under the ship’s stern, the water was up to the rowlocks, and more than once they were literally dragged under a sea, but, thanks to the lockers, with no further damage than a few cold salt-water duckings. At last they had the infinite satisfaction of seeing the child up to the clewer-end, borne in a basket and restored alive to the arms of its mother, who was crossing over the taffrail in almost frantic energy. “Thank God !’? murmured our hero, as the deck of the Indiaman was once more beneath his feet. Deafening were the shouts that welcomed our boy hero. He was wet and exhausted. Neither he nor his gallant fellows would stay to hear the fine speeches prepared for them, nor the flattering appearance of the lady passengers, many of whom were up in the cuddy shedding tears, as Clem Cleats said, “ erough to fill a jolly boat,” Roving Jack bowed gracefully and sprang down the gangway, the loud hurrahs ringing in his ears, Upon retiring to his bed, he fell into a deep and happy sleep, just as the gun of the “ Intrepid” boomed over the waters announcing to the Fleet that the day had broke. CHAPTER XLIII, THE FORGED LETTER, THE wind had blown from the eastward for ten whole days, and the fleet, which lay off Harwich, was prevented from going to sea, The “ Avenger” was lying at the harbour’s mouth, wen for ine first chance to get away, that she mig rop down to Portsmouth previ : aE the British coast, Preys AQ The crew of the vessel were not allowed to go on shore in order that they might be ready to at to - Question. sea the moment the wind would chop round in their favour. “ Hal,” said our hero, to his favourite companion, as arm in arm they paced the quarter-deck, “I am sorry that I have failed in my purpose of saying Jack Sheppard and Tom King from the doom that certainly awaits them.” ‘Who knows but that Sheppard may have been prevented from joining you?’ returned Hal, Perhaps he is already in custody,” “No, for he has sent me this letter in reply to my offer,’”’ returned our hero. -“ Read it, Hal.” His friend took the letter and examined it, “Short, pithy, and to the purpose,’’ he -said, laughing ; ‘‘ but there is a tone of insolence that I should scarcely have expected from one to whom — you have acted so kindly.” “Nor 1” rejoined our hero; “but what would you have from a thief and a _ cut-throat? Still I am surprised, and rather disappointed, Hal,” said Roving Jack; “there was something in ~ the fellow that pleased me; and as he saved my life, I should have been glad to have had an oppor- tunity of rendering him a good service.” | “ But, captain |!” 3 “Well?” “This is a most villanous scrawl.” ‘“‘Tt is, indeed,” laughed our hero, taking the letter. ‘‘ Scarcely visible,” , “Yes,” continued Hal, thoughtfully, though one would certainly not expect anything very brilliant in the way of penmanship or com- position from a person in his circumstances, yet the writing and the style are certainly worse than I should have looked for.” “ What follows then ?”’ “Jack Sheppard, as it appeared at his exa- mination before his last committal to prison, has | received some schooling, and was apprenticed toa | respectable tradesman,” ‘‘ That is true.” “Don’t you think, captain, that it is Bible wat this letter may be a forgery?” a ? Roving Jack took the letter, He scanned it anxiously, a & = Have you ever seen Sheppard’s writing ?” asked a ce “I have,” returned our hero, quickly, ‘And does this resemble it ?” ‘Tet me see. Sheppard wrote down. his dress, I have it among my papers,” Roving Jack drew forth his letter-case, After a brief search he pulled out the paper in 7 - ad- He started. The paper was stained with a spot of blood! LOOK OUT FOR THE BOY SAILOR: LIFE QN BOARD A MAN-OF-WAR. A most interesting and powerfully written Tale, to be completed in about 30 Numbers, No. 2 just pos- with No. 1, and a LARGE EN- GRAVING, GRATIS.