Commodore Junk — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

96 COMMODORE JUNK. and there was nothing to be done but wait till the party moved on, when there would be a chance to get lower down towards the open sea; while, after the next quarter of a mile, the creek opened out into quite a little estuary dotted by sand- banks and islets of bamboos and palms. “Now I have them !” cried the overseer, suddenly. “Bring a gun, sergeant. I can pick off that fellow easily.” “ Faith, and what a foine liar he would make wid a little training,” whispered Dinny. ‘“ Why, I can’t even see my hand before me face.” “Hush,” whispered Bart, and then he half started up in the boat, for there was a sudden splashing, a shout, and the piteous yelping and baying of a dog, which was taken up in chorus by the others present. Yelp—bark—howl, accompanied by the splashing and beat- ing of water, and rustling of reeds and canes, and then a choking, suffocating sound, as of some animal being dragged under water, after which the dogs whined and seemed to be scuffling away. “ What's the matter with the dogs?” said the overseer. “ One of those beasts of alligators dragged the poor brute down,” said the sergeant. ‘It struck me with its tail.” There was a rushing, scuffling noise here, and the heavy trampling of people among the tangled growth, growing more distant moment by moment, in the midst of which Mary began to use her pole, and the boat glided on through the thick, half- liquid mud. “ Sure, an’ it’s plisant,” said Dinny, coolly ; “ the dogs on one side, and the crockidills on the other. I¢ isn’t at all a tempt- ing spot for a bathe; but I’ve got to have a dip as soon as we get out of this into the sea.” “ What for?” whispered Bart. “ Bekase I’m wet with fresh wather and mud, and I’m COMmiIicdooks: