Jack and His Seven Foes — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

16 JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. storing of hides; but they cleared one of the largest, and cleansed it for their guests, and tossed down heaps of skins and. soft hides for them to sleep on. The seven were like lambs. They were mildness itself, and, led by the Swaggerer, affected to be overcome by the hospitality they received. Night soon came, and they retired to their hut, and lay down to talk of their prospects in whispers, and, shame upon them, to mock and jibe in secret at their simple entertainers. By-and-by, when tired of this, they lay down and slept, even as honest men do. For repose will come to the unjust, even as rain falls upon them. With health, sleep will come to the sinner, as well as to the saint. Early in the morning there was a commotion on the beach, and men were heard crying out to each other. The Swaggerer, the first to awake, rose and went out. The settlers were gathered together, and one of them was pointing to the south. The Swagecrer joined them. “What is it?” he asked. “A sail!” they cried. He looked, and some five miles away beheld a ship coming on with her head to the shore. “Who is the captain of that craft ?”’ asked one. ‘‘He must be mad. She will be aground soon.”’ The Swaggerer made no answer, but his very lips and throat were white. He knew that craft, and an icy chill- ness crept over him. It was the “ Albatross!” Yes, there she was, close on his trail, as 1f she had been a thing of life bent on hunting him down. Tie saw his danger, and already he was scheming to avert it. The wind, veering slowly round, had evidently taken the vessel with it, and the ‘‘ Albatross,’’ with her lashed helm, had obeyed its influence as well as if there had been a living crew aboard. She would come ashore, and tell the true story to these honest men. What then P The Swaggerer reckoned their num- bers, and saw they were at least three to one, and they might be armed. Fight- ing would be indiscreet, but whither could he flee? eae ee ean a Already the men were moving to- wards the spot where the ship would ground. They reckoned it would be six miles down the coast, making due allowance for the tide. For amoment the Swaggerer was left alone, and he turned his despairing eyes around. 2 Close behind was Walker Dribbles, just aroused, and walking sleepily along, ‘“ Come here,” he said. “What's the row ? ”’ yawned Dribbles. ““Come here, you sleepy, sneezing brute,” he hissed, “or Pll knock your head off.” Dribbles hastened to obey, and the Swaggerer seizing him by the arm with one hand, pointed towards the ship. “See that ?”’ he cried. “Yes,”’ replied Dribbles, ‘‘I see it.” “ And don’t you recognise it? It is the ‘ Albatross,’ you fool.” Immediately the knees of Dribbles bent, and his nose went up in the air preparatory to sneezing; but the Swag- gerer, with a back-handed blow on the man’s chest, stopped that performance. “Listen to me,” said his companion. “It’s plain to me that the ‘ Albatross ” has nobody on board but those we left — there—”’ “The living and the dead,” Dribbles said, ‘Don't interrupt me, you cold-catch- ing, fiddle-headed fool! None but the dead may be there. If so, we may yet avoid exposure. We must deny the identity of the dead.” “That won’t do,” said Dribbles. ‘Who would beheve you?” “Leave it to me,’ the Swaggerer hissed. ‘Say nothing. Now follow up with me, and let us see what takes place. If the coast there 1s like what it is here, she will come right in before she gets aground. Any of that lot who can swim fifty yards will be able to get on board.”’ : ‘‘T wish him joy,” said Dribbles, shivering. “Tf the cub is living, they will bring him ashore. Should he be alive, the worst will be known. We must run for it then.” They were walking on as they talked, keeping about two hundred yards in the rear of the body of settlers, who were ConniclooolkKks COR a = ———