The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 41: 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. 35 “T have no doubt they know all about it by this time in Trieste.” ““T do not understand you.” “Well, captain, I mean this, blow up of its own accord,” “Well?” ‘Before it blew up there must have been some good cause for it, and the telegraph was used to warn the garrison in Trieste of what was going on,” “ Just so.” “ Well, then, after they had telegraphed for more men, and for ships to be sent out to catch us, the magazine was fired, no doubt by the orders of superior officers, and I feel certain they have already got up steam, and are on their way hither with one or two vessels, We must leave this at once, or we may be all lost.’ “Right, Pedro, right,’ said Frank. hear that distant gun just now ?”’ “Yes, captain, I did ; it was that which made me speak thus boldly to you.” ‘ “What did it mean?” “Tt is a system of signalling the Austrians have, They are on the alert all along the coast,” “But I don’t like to give up all our prisoners, Pedro.” ; “You need not give liberty to all, my young captain,” said the Italian. ““ What, then ?” “Make all of them march through the rain towards the yacht, carrying their arms.” ‘‘ Carrying their arms? They are more numerous than we are now, and might turn on us again.” ‘‘No, no, captain,” said the Italian, smiling; “there is no fear of that if you do what I tell you.” “What is it ?”. ‘‘ Disarm two-thirds of them, make the other third carry all the guns and ammunition,” “ T see, I see.” “Let the unarmed march in front with little escort, as those carrying the arms and ammunition will be too heavily loaded to offer any resistance, Let them march behind, surrounded by our men,” “ Just sc, Pedro ; it shall be done.” ~ “And quickly, captain, pray, for I hear the Austrian signal guns firing all along the coast ; we shall not have much time to spare.” After a few moments’ conference with the young leaders, it was resolved to follow Pedro's plan, Two thirds of the prisoners were disarmed and marched in front, the remaining third carried the guns and ammunition of the remainder, This was done so quietly and quickly thatina few moments all the Austrian prisoners were on their way to the yacht through the dark ravine, the wounded Garibaldians being carried by their com- rades, When the “ Kaiser” was reached all the rifles, swords, ammunition, bayonets, and the like were piled on board, and, except the officers, all the Austrians were liberated. The “ Kaiser” was soon ready for sea, and all things were right for a pleasant start and a quick run over the Adriatic to Ancona, ~ ‘ Where is Tom and Mark ?” asked Frank, as he missed them when calling off the names of his fol- lowers, “‘ They have gone to look at the fort ; they won't be long." The fort did not “Did you -s ooo ) ORME OO KSTEO) Ere many minutes Tom and Mark appeared in the distance, dragging between them a rough, drunken Austrian soldier, who was cursing and swearing and struggling to get away. "7 “ Any sign of young Buttons?” ‘‘ Have you seen him anywhere ?” “How did it blow up?” asked first one and then another, in great haste and eagerness, All that Mark and Tom could answer was that they had not seen the slightest sign of either one or the other of them. “ All I could learn,” said Tom, “was that this wretch here bad something to do with it, and have brought him here as a prisoner.” “Then let us set sail,” said Frank, In five minutes the yacht, with flowing sheets and a gentle breeze, rolled gracefully in the wind, and had left the shore more than a mile behind. The fate of Buttons was still the chief topic of conversation, “Who was that fellow we saw talking to the Austrian officer at the head of the ravine just before they fired on us?” asked one, “ Don’t know.’ “Wasn't it Buttons, think you?” said one of the | two who had been left in charge of the boat, “it might have been, you know.” “What, Buttons turn traitor?" said the Fat Boy, indignantly. _‘‘ Look here, Jenkins, don’t you dare whisper anything o’ that sort again in my hearing, or I'll knock you down.” — Jenkins didn’t utter another word, but moved off, biting his lip, ‘“‘ Jenkins,” said Frank, “ did you and Smalls stay on board all the time we were away ?” ‘Yes, nearly all the time, captain,” Jenkins an- swered ; ‘but we just went on shore to have a little look at the fighting, and returned in a few moments again, ‘“‘ Did you see anyone skulking around?” No,” “Nor any one go on board,” “No.” ‘““ How far did you go?” “ About a hundred yards off, that’s all, Why?” “Oh! nothing,” said Frank, moodily, and walked towards the wheel, where Mark was steering. The two or three wounded Garibaldians were all comfortably lying on deck, and all was peace and quiet again, | Most of them dropped off to sleep after the hard- foucht battle they had gone through; but the Fat Boy was consoling himself with a cold fowl, and a bottle of wine, both of which he had “hooked ” from one of the Austrian prisoners, who were grouped together in the head of the boat, and well guarded, r He was munching away, and paying very great attention to his bottle of wine, when some one crept slowly towards him and said in a whisper, “You might give a fellow a bit I think, Tony.” “ Wh-h-h-a-a-t |” gasped the Fat Boy in surprise, with his mouth half-filled, Wh-h-a-a-t! is that you?” “Yes, me.” “What! Buttons?” ‘Yes, Buttons.” In a moment the Fat Boy seized Job round the neck, and began to blubber like a child, The noise he made awoke all his comrades, who, when they discovered the cause, clustered round the Oe ar