Jack and His Seven Foes — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

ad JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. CHAPTER XIX. JACK AND THE SETTLER ASHORE—AN UNFORTUNATE SIIOT—A RESPITE. Te the comrades of the Settler viewed | between his tecth. his departure with horror, what must have been the feelings of the wretched man himself ! He knew that his time was come, and he had no hope. Death was within measurable distance of hin. Like the others, he was imbued with a belief that Jack bore a charmed life. He had no hope of coming off victorious in the encounter that was pending. As with all brutal natures cowardice lay at the root of his. He dared not face death. In a rough-and-tumble fight, he might, perhaps, have fought pretty well, but he had no pluck to carry him through a great ordeal. He lay in the bow of the boat like a cowed wild beast, with his eyes roving from Jacob Sturmby and old Ben back with watchful gaze again to Jack, sitting in the stern quiet and immovable as the minister of fate. Ii the Settler sought for pity there, he found it not. , Jack had a fixed purpose, and was not to be turned from it. “Tt ain’t fair,” the Settler said, in a low, hoarse voice, “to drag a man ashore, and shoot him hke a dog.” ‘You will be treated fairly,” replied Jacob. “You've no right to force me to it,” said the Settler, “and I won’t fight.” “We shall see,” said Jacob. “See here,” said old Ben, holding up his thand, ‘‘there are five of you left, one for each finger. I shall check you off to-day.” He spoke calmly, and showed very little of the vacant mind. By degrees the truth had come back to him, and the old man knew what he had lost. But he showed no violent grief, no passion. Like a cool spectator, he was there to look on, trusting in Jack to avenge the wrongs of both. The boat grounded upon the shingly beach, and Jacob Sturmby sprang out. “Come,” he said, to the Settler, “ get up and follow me.” “iil not move,” sail the Settler, a +e all ways,’’ he said. “Shoot me here if you like.”’ “ Carry him,” Jack said. The men of the “ Rattlesnake’? who came with the boat gave their aid, and the Settler, strugglne fiercely, was lifted up and carried ashore. They let go of him, and he threw himself down. “ Mercy!” he said. ‘Remember the ‘ Albatross,’ ” said Jack. ‘‘T was led into it,” cried the Settler. «The Swaggerer was at the bottom of if all.” «A vain excuse,” rejoined Jack “You gave yourhelpreadily. Youcur, will you get up?” SNo-y. “Think not that I will be thwarted. You shall fieht,” cried Jack. “JT won't!” Jack stepped back to the boat, and from under the seat brought out a dog- whip. The Settler saw that it was a heavy one, and shivered. In prison he had once tasted the lash, and had not forgotten it. Jack raised the whip, and said— “You see this. Will you get up? I shall beat you until you do.” The Settler, with a despairing face, rose into a sitting position. “You've got the upper hand of me— “Vl fieht, but PU choose my weapon—I’ve a right to that.” ‘You have no rights,” said Jack, sternly, “but Tll not deny you the choice. Whatisit?” ‘The knife,” said theSettler, hoarselv. “ Let us have it out with bowies.” “No,” said Jacob Sturmby. Jack turned to him with a questioning ‘JT am not fit to look, and he went on— “The knife isn’t fair. Ue could break through your guard, Master Jack, by sheer force.”’ “Let him try if,” repled Jack, calmly. ‘ Give him what he asks.” COMICOOOKS. COM