Commodore Junk — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

6566 COMMODORE JUNK. CHAPTER XII, IN DEADLY PERIL. Ir was quite a week before the two young men were at work in the plantation of young trees again, and during all that time they had feverishly discussed the voice they had heard. Every time they had approached the borders of the plantation where it ran up to the virgin forest they had been on the qui vive, expecting to hear their names called again, but only to be disappointed ; and, after due consideration, Abel placed a right interpretation upon the reason. ‘‘Tt was someone who got ashore from a boat,” he said, “and managed to crawl up there. It’s the only place where anyone could get up.” “ Being nigh that creek, lad, where the crocodiles is,” said Bart. ‘ Ay, you're right. Who could it be?” ‘One of our old mates.” “Nay ; no old mate would take all that trouble for us, lad. It’s someone Mary’s sent to bring us a letter and a bit of news.” It was at night in the prison lines that Bart said this, and then he listened wonderingly in the dark, for he heard some- thing like a sob from close to his elbow. “ Abel, matey !” he whispered. “Don’t talk to me, old lad,” came back hoarsely after a time. And then, after a long silence, “Yes, youre right Poor lass—poor lass ! ” “Say that again, Abel; say that again,” whispered Bart, excitedly. “ Poor lass! I’ve been too hard on her. She didn’t get us took,” Gomicbooksr