Commodore Junk — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

28 COMMODORE JUNK. He kicked his horse’s ribs, and the docile creature broke into a gentle amble, but only to be checked sharply. “ Wo—ho, mare!” cried the captain, shaking his head, for he was dizzy now, and the dimly-seen trees sailed slowly round. ‘«‘Wind’s changing,” he said; “steady, old lass! Walk.” The mare walked, and the captain grew more confused in his intellect ; while the night became darker, soft clouds rolling slowly over the star-spangled sky. The ride was certainly not sobering James Armstrong, and he knew it, for he suddenly burst into a chuckling laugh. ‘‘T know what she'll say,” he said. ‘‘ Ladyship will ride the high horse. Let her. I can ride the high horse, too— steady, mare! What's the matter with yout” He had been descending into a narrow pass where the road had been cut down in the hill-side, leaving a high, well-wooded bank on either hand, and here it was far more dark than out in the open, and the mare, after walking steadily on for some distance with her well-shod hoofs clinking upon the loose stones, suddenly shied, stopped short, and snorted. ‘sWhat’s the matter with you, stupid? Can’t you stand straight ?” cried the captain, striking the beast angrily with his heels, ‘Go on.” The horse, however, backed and swerved from side to side, making as if to turn sharply and gallop back to Dartmouth ; but just at that moment there was a rustling sound heard over- head, where the rough bushes fringed the bank, and directly after a rush and the sound of someone leaping down into the lane between the captain and the town. This had the effect of startling the horse more and more, but instead of making now for the way by which they had come, it willingly obeyed the touch of the rider’s spur, and continued its journey for half a dozen yards. Then it stopped Gomichbooksneo