Commodore Junk — page 193: what you’re looking at

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

186 COMMODORE JUNK. sight, or never existed, on the evening when the captain searched creek after creek along the coast, till nightfall, when, for safety’s sake, he had anchored at the mouth of the muddy stream. He was lost in thought, and was puzzling out an answer to the question: How was it that the buccaneer schooner con- trived to avoid him ?—when his trained ears detected the sound of a paddle, and he gazed keenly over the dark waters, wonder- ing whether his watch on deck had heard it, and how long they would be ere they challenged the approaching party in their boat } The question had hardly been mentally asked when he heard the challenge from on deck, and the paddling ceased. Then came a certain amount of shouting, and a conversation, muffled by the distance, followed, and the boat was allowed to approach. A minute later the officer of the watch came down to announce the arrival of a couple of Indians bearing news. “It’s the old story, sir, vamped up to get a bottle of rum ; but I thought I’d better report it to you. Shall I kick them, and let them go?” *‘No,” said the captain, shortly, for he was ready now to snatch at straws. ‘ What does the man say ?” ‘There are two of them, sir; and they say the pirate vessel is to be found a day’s journey to the south, and that they have seen it lying at anchor.” “Do they seem honest ?” “Honest as Indians, sir. I think it’s all made up.” ‘‘T’ll come and see them.” The captain rose and went on deck, where he found a couple of soft, brown, plump-looking Indians, with large, dreamy eyes and languid manner, seated upon their heels near GomichbooksTco —