The Frozen Crew Of The Ice-Bound Ship; Or, Terrors Of The Arctic Region — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

- THE FROZEN CREW AND ICE-BOUND SHIP. 23 “JT will set you free within a minute, if ” Black Bill paused, then continued slowly, first observing that his words were not overheard— ‘You have papers concealed about you ?” <¢T will never part with them.” “T knew you would not,’’ said Bill, disguising successfully his purpose. ‘‘ Had you have consented to give them up, I should have known that there was no faith in you; as it is, I find I may with safety trust you.” “ Yet you must own my suspicion is not altogether unjust,” replied Gonzalvi, who was not quite satisfied by his companion’s admission, ‘although you've explained to me the reason why Iam brought to this dungeon, and I have no proof, but a bare word, for your fidelity.” “Rest content that I am your friend, though appearances may be against me,”’ replied Black Bill, with calmness. “Circumstances, over which I have no control, compel me to act as I do. “T have solemnly promised no harm shall befall you from the rest of the crew,” he continued, “ and before long you will be delivered from your ene- mies.” “But you do not say that you yourself have no design against me,” said Gonzalvi, naively, whose quick intellect could catch ideas at a glance. Black Bill answered the question put to him by evasively remarking— “ What motive could I have in visiting you, if it were not to give you assurance of my friendship ?”’ “Tf I thought so,’’ replied the youth, “I could bear my confinement, and wait with patience its issue.” “You may do so; but come, no longer despond. You have tasted some hours, and shall have the best fare the ship affords, with nature’s best sauce a good appetite.” With this, the buccaneer spread a cloth of snow white linen on the cabin table, and placed some preserved fruit, bread and wine before Gonzalvi. The youth having overcome his previous scruples, and being, to use his own words, as sharp-set as a shark, sat down to commence his meal, which he ate with avidity. The pirate did not join him, but abruptly left the room with some trifling excuse, and was observed, every now and then, to peer through a chink into the chamber, as if watching the actions of its present occupant. ; Gouzalvi, having satisfied his hunger, next quenched his thirst by swallowing half a tumbler of wine and water. A sudden thought at this moment caused him to set the glass down upon the table. He had no sooner done so, than he again put the 3 vessel to his lips, took a fresh sip, and, rolling the | fluid about in his mouth, spat the same on the cabin floor. acted thus? Why was it that he had paused in the middle of his draught? What cause had he for setting down his glass with half its contents re- maining in it? It was suspicion. velocity of an arrow’s head, into the very recesses of his soul. The wine he was drinking had been drugged— poisoned, perhaps. It was not long before an additional force was imparted to Gonzalvi's doubting. His head felt light upon his shoulders. There was a slight tingling in his hands and feet, which presently became cold as those of a shrouded corpse. : The blood rushed back to his forehead, with a bound that made his skin burn. Every nerve and muscle in the frame of the sufferer was stretched to the utmost tension. His deep breathing echoed fearfully in the sur- rounding repose. eet was in this strange state—perfecty con- scious, but imperfectly able to control word, thought, or action, when he beheld Black Bill staring down at him, for he had fallen, as one overcome by ex- cessive drinking. He contemplated his prostrate victim, then coolly walked up to the table at which he had been seated and glanced at the bottle and glass which contained the hardly tasted wine. “He has not drank much,” he muttered, ‘‘ but he has had enough for my purpose, and he will give me no further Bf Before he could fitish the sentence Black Bill was kneeling by the side of Gonzalvi, and the ruffian’s band had reached his breast, where the coveted papers were deposited. The wine he had drank having been taken in so small a quantity, and so profusely mixed with water, as may be supposed, had but imperfectly done its work, and with this impression the recipient hoped yet to baffle and deceive his adversary with such arguments as— “ Now or never. “TJ will overcome this drowsiness which is setting upon me. “‘T will not sleep. “T will act. ‘‘T will force my sinews to their task and escape.” Vain hope, the poor boy would have fared sorely but for a maladventure which happened to Black Bill at the moment he was about to snatch his prize from its covert. As if by some preconcerted arrangement, the lamp suddenly went out, and left the cabin in a total and impenetrable darkness. ‘Saint Peter’s curse upon the wind, it has dowsed the glim,” exclaimed Black Bill. “If I were superstitious I should imagine the devil was inclined to thwart me. Psba! let me rekindle the oil, and return to make sure of the papers I stand in need of.” The speaker had no sooner departed on his errand, than the party who had purposely extinguished the light made an appearance. It was none other than our friend, Brandy-nosed Nick. How is it that we find that worthy, whom we have left pining in durance vile, now steering with a full sail and fair wind into the harbour of liberty. A few short words will explain, or in nautical lingo, spin the yarn. Nick had been placed in fetters, but his keepers had inadvertently placed within his reach the key | which unlocked the incommodious iron, Why was it, the reader may ask, that Gonzalvi_ His eagle eyes had detected at once the oversight, and he was too good a seaman to anchor among shoals and quicksands, when he might put out to sea with safety. He was no sooner left to bimself, than his chaina 13 ( | | dropped from his hands, and he was rid of one im- Suspicion, winged as straight, and with- the pediment to meet another. This came in the shape of a stout bar of iron that secured his dungeon’s door, but by forcing his lar- board fin, or left hand, through a crevice, which seemed providentially to have presented itself to his view, he was enabled to remove this obstacle with as little difficulty as be had surmounted his previous one. He was now free to tack and tack with the gale, and eventually, without being reconnoitred, to bear down on the lazeretto, from whence he had learned Conn) G cS