Jack and His Seven Foes — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES, But after two hours’ sailing he gave orders for the ship to be broucht to, rand in a few minutes she lay idly rocking on the ocean, with her canyas flapping against the masts. ‘Now, my lads,” he said, “ come aft, and let us hold counsel. We need not be secret with our young friend the cub, as it is him we are going to talk about.” During the two hours’ sailing Jack had never spoken, and he said nothing now. Ile only glanced contemptuously at his tormentor, and yet every fibre of Ins bady was burning with pain. “Boys,” said the Swaggerer, ‘we will moisten our counsels with a little drink. Sneezer, fetch a couple of bottles of wine—the best from the captain’s locker.” “Tle won ‘t object to our drinking his health,” said Dick Dunmore, his burly throat swelling with laughter. Jack gave no sign. Do what they might, they should not wring another word from him. The drink was brought, and the ruthans drank. The Swaggerer gave a toast— ‘“‘Here’s to the living and the dead,” he said; ‘good luck attend them wher ever they go.” That the deuce do you mean by sak ?” asked the Pantaloon, busy drain- ing one of the bottles. The Swaggerer struck the bottom of the bottle with his open hand, and made it rattle against his teeth in a fashion more musical than pleasant. The old man blinked and sputtered, and the rest roared with laughter. Any prank played on him, no matter how painful, was sure to be received with erins. “T mean what ought to be clear to you,’ said the Swaggerer. ‘ Don’t look at mein that way, or [ll rattle your wooden head against the deck. The living and the dead are the father and | the son, and they are going to sail the Southern seas together.” All stared now, and the Swaggerer, with a smile of self- -approval, proceeded. “ We have had enough of bloodshed ; besides, to kill that cub would be to show him mercy, and merey to him,” with a fierce look a t Jack; “I woul ld'not | 13 —_— om show to save myself from an age of tor- ture. Jack calmly looked seaward, though his blood boiled with anger, and he was enduring the tortures of the stake. “The wind has set fair,” continued the Swageerer, “and will, if I know any thine of these latitudes, not change for days, or weeks perhaps. We must lash the helm to keep her before the wind, and send him, with the dead for his companions, down the lonely, track- less sea.’ “‘That’s very pretty,” muttered the Panther; “but what are we to do?” “We are not more than a hundred miles from land,” said the Swaggerer, ‘and we have two big boats.” ‘“ Boats!’ said Jim Black; ‘but who is going to row a hundred miles ?” ‘“‘Tt will have to be done,” said the Swagegerer, “unless you wish to take the ‘ Albatross’ to some port, and swing for what you have done. So, lads, out with the boats. We will live in one and-tow the other. ‘Take plenty to eat and drink and smoke, and we will have a merry time of it.” They saw there was nothing else to be done, so the boats were lowered, and they were soon busy in filling them with food and drink, and such valuables as they could find. The cargo of cotton goods and other merchandise was useless to them, and they did not touch it. While they were thus engaged, the Swaggerer, with a cigar in his mouth, planted himself on a stool in front of Jack. Their eyes met, one showing a fiendish joy, the other quiet scorn. “So, youngster,” said the Swaggerer, “vou expect me to believe this story of your father’s love for his old chum?” He did believe it, and Jack saw his belief in his eyes. There was no need to answer him, and he said not a word. “Tt’s all a lie—a he!” hissed the Swaggerer; “it isn't in man to be so generous. Weare all for number one.” Not a word—only those quiet deter- mined eyes looking into his. The steady look made him shift his | position, so that there was no reason for him to look Jack full in the face. A coward at heart, he could not do it. COMIECLM@ao@ “S (CO)