The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

NN EEE eee eee THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. so SS es a Se “Pitch ’em out, waiters,” shouted Fatty, waking up, “Gentlemen, what means all this?” asked the president, ‘ Explain !” “‘Impudent dogs!” said Hu iki them in the facet Bracing eae? “Take that, fool |” said Dick to the other, tossing @ glass of wine in his face. In an instant all was a scene of noise, confusion, and uproar, 7 ‘What means this ?”’ shouted the president. _ “Satisfaction first and explanation afterwards,” said the strangers, drawing their swords, “‘T hope Capt. Ford will not allow any one else to fight for him,” said one, with a sneer. “‘No fear of that,” said Fatty. “If he won't I will, so have at you when and where you will.” It is impossible to describe the tumult which now took place, Swords were drawn, and blood would have flown upon the spot. But this was not permitted. __ Follow us,” said the two strangers, ‘follow us, if you are not cowards,” Hugh, Dick, Frank, Mark, and Fatty were on theirlegsina moment. “When and were ?” said Frank, _" By moonlight at midnight near the river. A little grove is there, we can settle our difficulty without interruption.” “So be it.” “ Remember, midnight !” “T shall not forget,” said Frank, “Who and what are they 7?” asked a dozen voices, “I know not,” said Frank, ‘They are officers ; they have insulted myself and friends, Nothing remains but to wash it out in blood!" CHAPTER XXIII. TREACHERY—THE AMBUSCADE—THE DUEL—BOY SOLDIERS TO THE RESCUE—SUDDEN SUCCOUR— TERESA—THE PIS1tOL SHOT—FRANK WOUNDED AND SAVED. As may be imagined, the interruption to the ban- quet which the Garabaldian officers gave to Frank Ford and others of the English Boy Band, caused the greatest excitement in the camp. Some attempted to dissuade Frank or Hugh from fighting, But this they would not listen to. ‘“We came among you as friends,” said Frank, ‘and as friends you received us, If I am unworthy to command the Boy Band, then let me retire and be the least among them ; but never shall it be said that their leader ever showed the white feather, or was any other than an English Boy Soldier.” “But who are they ?” “What are they?” asked first one and then another. “Will you go out to fight men in mortal combat that you know nothing about ?” “They may be your enemies.” ‘They certainly are not my friends,” said Frank. “But I mean they may be jealous of you, they may have evil designs,” “That may or may not be, gentlemen, but all I know is, that they have come here among you dressed in the Italian uniform ; they had the pass- word and passed the guard ; their tickets admitted them to the banquet, and that’s all I know about it, I will meet them if I lose my life.” “ But you must not,” said Dick, ‘‘ They insulted Hugh and I; we are the ones to settle this matter,” “True, true,” said Fatty, “Rather than any Caen ST ee COONS LOXOKONS 47 harm should befal Captain Frank, Z will have a ‘goin’ with them, The captain must not fight.” “But the captain will,’ said Frank, smiling, ““Meet me in the grove beside the river at mid- night ; and, mark me, friends, let none of the Boy Band know a word of this, or they will be up in arms, If I fall I shall die like a true British Volunteer, and will show my back to no cravens, let them come in dozens even.” ‘Tf he does go, I shall go too,” said Fatty, “and see fair play; if any on ’em tries to act foul, I'll pepper ’em without mercy.” So saying, he examined his revolvers, and double- loaded them. He put the sharpest edge possible on his large © sword, and made up his mind to “ give some of the beggars particular fits.” Hugh and Dick tried to persuade-Mark the foster-brother that there would be no fight after all; but he was loth to believe it, and in afew minutes slipped out of sight, Frank sat in his tent, alone, He was not afraid of the coming combat, for that was last in his thoughts. But he could not help confessing that do what he might, or-go where he would, he was thwarted always in his best intentions, and visibly surrounded by enemies. “They are strangers to me,” he thought, ‘and men, while lam but a boy. What harm have I done either of them that they should thus pub- licly insult me, and fasten this quarrel upon me? I have never done harm to any one in my life, yet why am I always harassed and annoyed?” He knew not, Yet, as he sat in the silent tent and thinking of his only love, little Nelly Lancaster, and planning out a pleasant and happy future for them both, a voice seemed to sigh near him—a voice he had heard once before—which seemed to say, “JT will follow you through the world_like an evil genius! You cannot escape me! Never will I be content until I see you standing in the dock a branded felon, and swung to a tree as a murderer !” His flesh creeped as he thought of Joel’s fearful curse ; but then his mind became calm again when he thought of Nelly Lancaster, “his guiding star,” whose sweet look of innocence seemed to throw a mantle of heavenly protection around him. One hour followed another quickly, and, as he knew, it was now near the hour of twelve. He rose, and buckled on his sword and pistols. Hugh and Dick were at hand, and all three left the tent together. “Tf I—if I fall, Hugh,” said Frank, ‘let no one say I died a cur, for you are witness I did not seek this meeting with these strange men.” ‘Your honour is safe in my keeping,” said Hugh, ‘Trust me for that.” “And if—if I should fall, Hugh,” said Frank, with a choked utterance, “‘undo my waistcoat, you will find a small miniature photograph; you may not know how I prize it. Give it—send it to Miss Lancaster at the English seminary at Marseilles; she gave it to me long ago.” While thus the two young friends spoke to each other in confidence, they approached the shady grove beside the river. The far distant cathedral clock solemnly and faintly tolled the hour of midnight. The echo fell sweetly on Frank’s ear, whose thoughts were now all of Nelly Lancaster, He, Hugh, and Dick wore long black cloaks, and as they advanced through the moonlight to the’ grove they espied three men there awaiting them,