Jack and His Seven Foes — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

a TAD & weit Le 1 CX ADD A, YN WHE FOES. CHAPTER I. THE SEVEN MEN OF THE “ ALBATROSS PRELIMINARY BRUSH WITIL “Tr’s a solemn truth, cap’en, that I’m ateard o’ these men—these seven.” Captain Boldheart, of the ‘ Alba- tross,” looked up from a chart he was examining, and, smiling, said— “ Tt’s not like you, Bob Stubbles, to be atraid of anything.” “No, cap’en,’ replied the mate, a weather-beaten old tar, who had seen some fifty winters and summers on the sea; “it ain’t in my line to be afeard, ancl it’s not of myself I’m thinking.” Bob turned his quid, and, drawing a step nearer, laid a hand on his hie Ss arm. “Cap’en,” he said, lowering his voice, “if you and I were alone aboard we shouldn’t be talking about seven men, or seventy; but there’s a pair o’ young- sters on the ‘ Albatross,’ that sets a man a-thinkine.”’ “It’s kind o’ you, Bob, but—” “Hear me out, cap’en.. There’s Jack fust—strong and bold as a lion, with the makings of a great man in him. He could take care of himself, on a pinch, perhaps—” “Tl trust him to do it,” said the captain, smiling again. ‘““But then there’s Master Willie,” pursued the mate of the “ Albatross.” ‘“ Him as you brought to sea because he wasn’t strong ; what could he do in a rough-and-tumble fight ? ‘< Stubbles, what are you talking about?” “JT tell yer, cap’en,” said the mate, raising a clenched fist in the air, “that there’s mutiny, and murder, and what not aboard!” “You are too fond of my boys, Stubbles,” said the captain, “and make yourself moys about them.”’ “Cap’en,” re replied the mate, “let us take bearings.” 93 LLL Ct CLL OT tt ee a meen —NOT TO BE TRUSTED—JACK HAS A A FOE. “Well, tf you are in for a talk, sit The mate took a seat, and leaning one arm upon the table, extended the other, after the manner of speakers who wish to be impressive. “How many hands had we aboard when we left London?” he asked. ‘“ Fourteen,’ replied the captain. “Tow many have we now P”’ <“<'Twelve.”’ “And what come two?” “Fell overboard, in the night.” “Chucked overboard, J say!” said Bob Stubbles. ‘“ Pve thought so many a time, and now I’m as good as sure of Lisa ‘Bob,’ said the captain, rising and pacing the narrow limits of his cabin, ‘J know you are not given to needless alarms. What has led you to talk in this way?” “The conduct of these seven men,” replied the mate. ‘‘ We were short- handed when sailing time came, and we took these men on a pinch. They are land-lubbers, every one.” “No sin in that! They’ve done their work, and some of them have been very apt at learning their duties.” “Too much so, cap’en. ‘There’s some of ’em—one in partikler, him as they call the Swaggerer, who wanted to know all about tite: Vv vessel! He could sail her, if he’s a mind to.” “ He’s asmart man, although a scowl- ing ruffian.”’ ‘ “Cap’en, he’s a bad ’un. These men came aboard as strangers to each other, but afore we were half down the Channel, they were as thick as twin brothers, calling each other by their | nick-names : the Swa everer, the Settler, | the Bruiser, the Pantaloon, and what o the other Sa CONMUC DOO)