Commodore Junk — page 235: what you’re looking at

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

228 COMMODORE JUNK. “You call names like a petulant boy. Come, I am not angry with you, let us go back to your room. The heat of this place is too much for you, and to-morrow you will be down with fever.” “ Bah!” ejaculated Humphrey, angrily. ‘‘Tt is true,” said the buccaneer. ‘‘ Come.” “There is something behind all this,” cried the young man, excitedly. ‘‘ Weare alone here. Iam the stronger; and, in spite of your boasting, there is no one here to help. You shall speak out, and tell me what this means.” His gesture was threatening now; but the buccaneer did not stir. “T am not alone,” he said, quietly. “I never am without someone to protect me. But there, you shall be answered. Why have I had you tended as I have? Well, suppose I have said to myself, ‘Here is a brave man who should be one of us.’ ” “One of you!” cried Humphrey, with a scornful laugh. “Suppose,” continued the buccaneer, with his nether fp quivering slightly, “I had said to myself, ‘ You are alone here. Your men obey you, but you have no friends among them— no companions whom you can trust. Why not make this man your friend ?’” Humphrey smiled, and the buccaneer’s lip twitched slightly as he continued— “You are fevered and disappointed now, and I shall not heed your words. I tell you once for all that you must accept your fate here as others have accepted theirs, I need not tell you that for one to escape from here would be to bring ruin upon all. Hence every one is his brother’s guardian ; and the Indians for hundreds of miles around, at first our enemies till they felt my power, are now my faithful friends.” Humphrey laughed mockirgly. CONNIE MOO;KS. EO)