Jack and His Seven Foes — page 55: what you’re looking at

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46 JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. CHAPTER XVIII. DOUBTS AND FEARS——-MYSTERIOUS CONDUCT OF ABRAHAM SPANKER-—-ANOTHER SUMMONED. “Tr can’t be true,” said the Settler, with a groan. ‘‘ You must have been mistaken.” “No, I was not,” replied the Sneezer. “His voice ain’t one we are likely to forget, and I’ll tell you something more. That Sturmby chap is aboard, so is the father of the boy we shot. I’ve seen 7em.” : _Aghast at the news, the listeners stared. They had a faint hope that Dribbles might be drunk or dreaming, but he was neither. “‘T’ve not only seen them, but spoken to ’em,”’ he said. : “And what did they say ?”’ asked the Panther. “ Nothing. They only looked at me as if they had never seen me before.” ‘« Tt’s all clear now,” said the Swag- gerer. ‘The captain of the ship is in their pay. He’s going to give us a rough time of it.”’ -“ Before our end comes,” groaned the Pantaloon. “It don’t matter much to you,” said the Settler, “for if you are allowed to run, you can’t live many years. Your time is almost up anyways.” “TI don’t know. Some people live to a great age.” “Which you won’t do, so you can be easy. But it’s hard for me to be cooped up here. I can’t get away,” said the Settler. He finished with a despairmg gesture, and lay back muttering to himself for a while. Suddenly he sat up again. “Tf you are men,” he said, “ you will all stand by me. Let’s end it witha fight. I’m ready. It’s better to be knocked on the head in a general row than to be dragged out alone and shot like a dog.” “You talk bosh,” snarled the Swag- gerer. “‘ What are we to fight with?” “ Anything we can lay our hands on. Come, let us go out and settle the busi- ness like men.”’ He rose up and moved towards the door, but none of them stirred. With | | } a contemptuous growl he threw himself | down upon the floor. “Curs all,” he said, ‘every man of ou!” - “Tt’s all very well to talk im that | way, said Dribbles; “but it doesn’t follow that we shall be finished off if you are. melt, and forgive what's left of us.” “He melt!” said the "Swaggerer. ‘Not if I remember aright his face when we left him on board the ‘ Alba- tross.. There was no relenting pro- mised there. He will go through what he has begun to the bitter end.”’ “Unless we can get away,’ said the Panther. | “ Just so, but we have to do it.” With all their fears in active play, they heard the call for breakfast, and went out fearing to see Jack upon the deck. But he was not there, nor were Ben or Jacob Sturmby visible. oy Abraham Spanker stood behind a tub of cocoa, ready to ladle it out. The crew gathered up, and he counted them over. “All here,” he said, and proceeded to fill up a number of tin pannikins. Lastly he filled a jug for himself. “‘There’s no humbug about the grub on board the ‘Rattlesnake’; all fare alike. Kerry, where are the biscuits ? ”’ ‘“‘ Here,” said Kerry. “‘ Serve ’em out.” Kerry had not his fiddle, but he had the leer on his face still, and it seemed to be always there. He went round with a basket of biscuits, and gave two to each, the cap- tain included, and helped himself last. ‘The same sauce does for all here,” said Abraham Spanker, blowimg the steam from his cocoa. ‘If the King of France came aboard the ‘ Rattlesnake,’ he’d have to grub as I do.” “ Aye, that he would,” said Kerry, “and he’d have to obey your orders, too.” , “ Darn him, yes,’ said Spanker, lay- After a time young Jack may Go NOOlKS «CO (SC A. am