Commodore Junk — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

146 COMMODORE JUNK. The man was silent ; and as the rest of the crew, attracted by the return of the boat, clustered round, Jack reeled. “Stand by, my lad,” whispered Bart at his ear. “ Don’t forget.” The words seemed to give nerve to the sturdy, broad- shouldered young man, who spoke hoarsely. ‘Tried and condemned,” he said, in a hoarse, strange voice. 9? “ They've hung him “What !” ‘‘In chains on a gibbet.” A hoarse, guttural sound escaped from Jack’s throat as he clung tightly to Bart’s arm. ‘The gibbet’s on the low point by the mangrove swamp,” said the man. ‘ They’ve cut down two palms about a dozen feet and nailed another across, and the captain’s swinging there.” «A lie!” yelled Jack ; “not my brother!” There was a dead pause of utter silence for a few moments, and then the man said slowly : “Yes, we all saw it and made sure ;” and a murmur of ac- quiescence arose from his three companions, who had been in the boat in search of far different information to that which they had brought. «¢ But not my brother ?” groaned Jack. “Yes,” said the man. ‘It was Commodore Junk.” As a dead silence once more fell upon the poop, the dark, heavy-looking man stood swaying to and fro for a few minutes, gazing down at Jack, who had dropped into a sitting position upon a water-keg, his arms resting upon his knees, his hands hanging, and his head drooped; while Bart stood by his shoulder, with his face wrinkled and a pained expression upon his brow, just illumined by the bright glint of the stars. Gomichbooksneo