Jack and His Seven Foes — page 21: what you’re looking at

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12 claimed the doom of the mate and poor Willie. | “Go,” he said, “and helplessly float upon this lovely sea. The sun shall blister you and create a maddening thirst, but no drop shall moisten your parched lips, no shadow shall shelter you. Perish inch by inch miserably, you bold watch-dog and cub of my false friend, Boldheart. Away with them, lads! I’ve done with them.”’ The men were growing sick of the horror of the scene, and taking up Bob Stubbles they carried him to the side. ‘““Good-bye, Master Jack!” he cried, cheerily. ‘Good-bye, dear old Bob, true friend and honest seaman,” replied Jack. Then Wille was taken up, and the agony Jack felt created a raging sea within him. He could feel it surging in his breast like great waves dashing against a rocky shore. ‘ Villains,” he shrieked, “‘ spare that helpless boy !”’ ’ “ Ask nothing of them,” cried Willic, in a clear voice that rang like a sweet- toned bell over the wide sea. ‘ We shall meet again in another world. Good-bye, dear Jack—good-bye! ” “Qh, heaven! can such things be ?” said Jack, shivering like one with the ague. ‘ Willie, Willie, my brother! ” Once again he heard: “ Good-bye, Jack!’’ and then there was a splash, and the Swaggerer laughed aloud. ‘‘There’s a breeze coming, lads,” he said. ‘“‘Shake out the canvas there. T’ll take the helm. Never mind those two living bundles rolling about the sca.” —b JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. nes Jack’s head was hot with the fever of rage, and a puff of wind came sooth- ingly across his brow. But there was nothing to assuage the agony of his heart, and it was like to burst with pain. The wind came up quickly, and a brisk breeze filled out the canvas. The ‘“ Albatross’? heeled over a little, and began to move gracefully through the ruffling water. The Swaggerer was at the helm, and he and Jack were close together, and face to face. “Do you wonder why I have spared you?”’ he asked. “For some gross cruelty,’ replied Jack: “to do some deed that fiends would shrink from.”’ “T have had a feast of blood,’ re- turned the Swaggerer, ‘and want no more. But Iam dainty in my meals, and must have dessert. _ Your fate you shall, know soon.” Jack said no more, and the “ Alba- tross”’ glided on before the wind. | Suddenly a cry of exultation from the Panther rent the air. “See there,’ he cried, pointing aft, “sharks, my lads, sharks! there’s a dainty meal for them in the boy.”’ “And atough bit in the old man,” erinned Jim Black the Settler. “Poor Willie!” murmured Jack, with his head drooping; “ but perhaps it is better as 1t 1s. His misery will soon be over. Brother, dear brother, and you, my noble father, if I escape from these monsters I swear I will bitterly avenge you.” Ee Oe ee CHAPTER V.- THE SWAGGERER’S LAST WORDS TO JACK—-A LOOK NEVER TO BE FORGOTTEN. THE “ Albatross” was in the South Pacific Ocean, having rounded the Cape two weeks before the dire events chroni- cled came to pass. The breeze that carried her on came from the north-east, and she was head- ing towards that vast region of water that les between South America and the Marquesas Islands, a tract of ocean on which vessels were very rarely seen. Hiram Crayton knew whither he was going, and had no intention of running the ‘ Albatross’? much farther away from the mainland. Hewasonly gomg far enough to carry out the fell purpose of his heart. His companions in crime were 1gno- rant of navigation, and they had to trust solely to him. For aught they knew they were sailing homeward. He had not yet laid his plans before them. : MICOOOKS. EO (CO) (Cc am