Jack and His Seven Foes — page 57: what you’re looking at

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

48 JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. The day passed on . abas, and Abraham Spanker, strange to say, did not indulge in any of his little eccen- tricities. After mid-day he was, on the contrary, wonderfully subdued and quiet. Two or three times he went down to his cabin, stayed there for a few minutes, and returned with a graver face. The change was peyaterces and puzzling. Slocum Kerry Hesamne grave, too, and laid aside his grin. The ship was going on easily before a light wind, and he had nothing to do, but nevertheless he fidgeted about the ship, looking aloft, peering over the side, and staring ahead in a dreamy manner. What did it all mean? , The Swaggerer noticed it, a com- ments passed between him and his brother rogues respecting it. Was it a treacherous calm before the storm ? Could Abraham Spanker be indulging them with mock solemnity while he prepared some outrageously practical joke for the evening ? _ The Swagegerer tried to get some in- formation out of Slocum Kerry. ‘Are we to dance again to-night? ”’ he asked. ‘We don’t expect people to dance at a funeral,’’ was the unexpected reply. “A funeral! ’’ echoed the Swaggerer, but Slocum Kerry had no more to say, and passed on. ‘Somebody must have been ill below, and died,” said the Panther. ‘g Perhaps it’s the captain’s wife,”’ the Sneezer suggested. . “The captain’s grandmother,” the Panther growled. ‘If you haven’t a better idea than that, go and put your fiddle-head into a bag.” Towards evening land appeared in sight, and the Swaggerer saw that they must have been making for some pro- montory all day. He asked Slocum Kerry, and he said it was ‘‘ Rogue’s Cemetery.” This reply was more puzzling than anything the Swagegerer had heard yet. More amazing still, the ies stood in until the lead touched six fathoms, and then the anchor was dropped and the | sails furled. And yet there was no sign of life upon the shore. io think we have a madman fora captain,’ said the Swaggerer.. But Abraham Spanker, graver fan ever, did not appear to be mad. He ordered the cutter to be lowered, and. two men got into it. Then he beckoned to Jim Black the Settler, who was standing forward with a brooding face. ! ‘Your turn now,’ ae said. ‘“My turn!” said the Settler, with a startled face. ‘ My turn! ” <¢ Yees.?’ oe | “ What for? Who wants me ?’’ ‘Go ashore and see,” said Spanker. The Settler turned his weary eyes seaward, and seemed to be debating the consequences of a refusal to obey. Suddenly two men, Slocum Kerry and another, obeying a signal from the captain, took him up, and despite his resistance, dropped him into the boat. ‘Sit still,” said the captain, covering him with a revolver, “or you'll he still for ever.’ The Settler cowered in the bow of the boat, and his terrified companions hud- dled together forward. They instinctively guessed what was coming. Then from below appeared Jack and his two followers. Without a word or a planes at ie shivering forms, they walked across the deck, stepped over-the side, and dropped into the boat. “Give way,’ said Abraham Spanker, in a subdued voice. The noise of oars followed, and a few moments later the Swaggerer saw the boat ghding swiftly towards the shore. Jack sat in the stern hke a statue, and old Ben and Jacob Sturmby were guard- ing something that lay in the bow of the boat. That something was Jim Black, the Settler. i MOTICE.—Another Picture is Given Away with this Number, => nm tbat: te DOOKS O) (CO)