The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 33: what you’re looking at

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

THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. a ss SSS nent and colour of the various flags which the two vessels were hoisting and lowering. These he called off as he perceived them, while Dick Fellows, with the signal-book, read out aloud their meaning. “ What are they talking about, Dick ?” “They say we can’t escape, for we are running right into the jaws of the Austrian fleet, which is cruizing thirty miles eastward off the harbour of Ancona.” “ The devil !” said Frank, course, then,” “No, no, don’t do anything of the sort, Frank,” said the foster-brother ; “if you sail towards the coast-of Dalmatia yonder, you run greater risk. Stop till the moon sinks; in the darkness we shall be able to give them the slip or double on ’em.” “What are they saying now?” asked one. “T make out that they fear we may land and rescue the Italian spy, who is confined in the coast- guard house, a few miles up the coast. They say the spy is a handsome girl in the pay of Gari- baldi,” “ Are you sure ?” “ Yes, certain of it.’’ “ What else?” asked Frank, eagerly. ‘They can’t make out why we don’t fire back on them,” “A good thought !” said Mark, the foster-brother, “What is!” “ Why, not firing on them,” “Why so?” “Tet your boys, Frank, pretend to be fighting among themselves.” “ What's the use of that?” “ Never mind ; you'll soon see. Watch their flags closely in the. meantime, and, Dick Fellows, don’t make any mistake in reading the meaning of the signals Frank calls off to you.” | At a word from Frank the young Garibaldians began to dance around the deck in a wild manner, as if they were fighting among themselves, In an instant the two pursuing vessels began to signal each other again, “T told you so,” said Mark, laughing in high glee, “I told you so; up gotheir signals. Now, Frank, let’s hear the news; what are they say- Frank called out the name and number of each flag. i By Jingo!” said Dick Fellows, in great glee ; “they think we are fighting among ourselves,” “ Are you sure ?” “No; now I come to look at the signals again, I find they say that the Austrian prisoners here on board have risen up in revolt against us !” “Bravo! I thought they would,” said Mark, the foster-brother. ‘‘ What shall we do next, Mark?” asked Frank. “ Haul down the Italian colours and hoist the Austrian flag over it ; let them both fly together.” “ What does that mean ?” Sis “That the yacht is Austrian again,” “Oh, no, don’t do that,” cried several ; “it would be cowardice !” “ But you must,” said the foster-brother, ‘ with- out you wish to run amuck among the Austrian fleet not far off.” This was accordingly done. As soon as this was perceived by the two pur- suing vessels, they hoisted other signals which read, . “ Have you retaken her ?” “ Say yes,” cried the foster-brother. ‘ Hoist Nos, 1 and 20,” : “We must change our ee tt ttt aaa aici This was done, In a moment faint cheers were heard from the Austrian vessels. “ What shall we say now, brother ?” Frank asked. “Hoist signals to say ‘we have retaken the “ Kaiser,” and will join the Austrian fleet; don't fire at us any more.’ ” For a few moments Frank and Dick Fellows rum- maged among the signal-flags in the box, and hoisted the proper ones, They were quickly perceived. Faint cheers wereagain heard from the Austrians, A parting volley of blank cartridge was fired in token of joy, and in-a few moments the two pursuing vessels changed their course, and sailed again for the harbour of Trieste, perfectly satisfied that all was right, ‘“‘T told you we should deceive them,” said Mark, the foster-brother, in high glee, ‘‘if you followed my advice.” It was well, indeed, that Frank and the rest did follow his advice, for at that instant a steam-vessel was observed to have joined the chase which must, sooner or later, have overhauled them, As it was, this vessel was informed by the others of the favourable turn things had taken on board the “ Kaiser,” and she, like the others, turned her head towards Trieste again, flying the signal, “ Well done, ‘ Kaiser,’ Glad to see our own flag flying again, Have no mercy on the young Gari- baldians |” CHAPTER XIV, TERESA, THE CAPTIVE ITALIAN SPY—RELEASE OF THE PRISONERS—THE BAPTISM OF FIRE—THE RAVINE—THE SPY—THE AUSTRIANS ALARMED— THE FIRST VOLLEY—THE FAT BOY IN TROUBLE —THE SURPRISE—BRAVERY OF YOUNG BUTTONS -—HE SCALES THE WALLS OF THE FORT, WHILE Frank and his foster-brother, with Dick Fellows, were successfully deceiving the Austrian vessel, Hugh ‘Tracy diligently carried out his search in the admiral’s cabin; The moon had now gone down upon the troubled sea, and all was darkness. With lantern in hand, Hugh opened numberless boxes, and discovered many things that proved of great service to the young Garibaldians, In one chest of immense size he discovered more than two hundred red shirts, and in another as many felt hats adorned with dark green plumes, What this meant, Hugh could not understand, for they were Garibaldian uniforms. In another chest he discovered several hundred American revolvers, quite new, and with plenty of ammunition, In another, he found several cases of swords, and a few rifles which could discharge twenty shots in a minute. Ammunition for these arms he found in abun- dance. After turning over many desks and chests, he found a large quantity of gold coin, and much cor- respondence which came from Austrian spies in the Italian camps. The rifles, revolvers, red shirts and hats he imme- diately distributed, according to Frank’s orders, among the young Garibaldians, who hailed these treasures with loud shouts and cheers, Such were the very things they most needed, and proved invaluable to all. Frank himself now joined in the search,