Pluck and Luck #139: Jack Wright and His Deep Sea Monitor — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

i The breath was almost knocked out of him, and he was bruised and hurt painfully, but he did not retreat, or utter a ‘a.cry, but, recovering himself, he kept right on going down on “i the swaying ladder, and hastily bound it to the rudder-post ae as soon as his body was submerged. te Thus secured, the swaying ladder was stopped, and he had ee) a firm foot and hand hold, so he could retain his position. eS The draught of the monitor being six feet, he did not have _ far to go under, although it would have been better for him ee: could he have gone further below the surface, as he would ri then have been out of the fierce influence of the raging ig waves. as Jack flashed the rays of his bane upon the rudder chains a at the spot where they were fastexried to the post and then ph ran through two holes into the hull. cmp A small piece of driftwood had been drawn into one of the B apertures, and was lodged between the chain and the side of the orifice, holding the rudder line as firmly as if it were Ee ~ clenched by a vise. u The boy pushed and pulled at it with all his might, but it om mould not budge, and every succeeding wave pounded and beat 2y upon him with relentless fury, swaying him about and using up his strength. _ He finally withdrew his knife from the belt around his fs a waist, and jamming the point into the wood, he pried at it and ‘split it in two. a He was then enabled to withdraw it from the aperture, and the ehain ran freely, whereupon he replaced the knife in _ his belt. 4 ‘The boy then pid. himself around on the ladder to ascend ie It came so anexpectedly that he was knocked from his hold, and, half dazed, was swept off into the furious sea. + “Help! ” he shrieked at the top of his voice, but the howling A _ wind and thundering waves drowned the cry as if it was.a es | Whisper. Ee eae "Away le was flung into the maddened. waters: like a whisp of straw, and the monitor was carried off in an opposite di- Ra ‘rection. a, “Help!” rang out his hoarse cry again, but down under the “ sea he sunk like a shot, the appeal smothering under the angry billows that wildly tossed over him as the Jeaden y weights carried him down. The Sea Serpent disappeared in the gloom. - Jack did not go far. There were white caps curling all over the surface of the - slioal into which he went. 2am He fell flat upon his face, and lay upon the water-covered i ; sand, swayed by every thundering wave that came rushing in Bi shoreward, - Within a few moments he recovered himself and arose. The young inventor was worse off than ever then, for he felt 7 influence of the waves stronger, and they kno¢ked him flat fain. es Up he arose a second time, only to get beaten down again iss aene again, as he repeated the effort to walk. _ Every wave drifted him nearer and nearer the bleak shore, and finding that it was impossible to walk, he got upon his hands and knees, and crept along, following the direction of ‘s the waves. a An this manner he. got into such etisithd water that he nd the waves bursting into surf around him, and an im- ense breaker came surging in, swept him up with it, and ae ‘ona him to land. “e _ Bursting with a continuous roar and a line of foam, it oe ried the boy upon the beach, where he Py like a log for an ? : ‘could attract the attention of his friends, and heard, rising zs : y* > - ’ “ae “ 4, <% 7 he ri va ihe crept up Marthiar out of reach of the fierce. fridertolyss wt got upon the barren, desolate shore, where he remained in comparative safety. > Here he recovered from the exhaustion brought on by hia: exertion at fighting the waves, and glancing out over, the . tempest-tossed sea, he saw by the lightning’s flash that the — monitor was under way again, and forging out of reach of. rake 4 the ferocious currents that were carrying her ashore. i “They will soon miss me,” soliloquized Jack, keeping his glance fastened upon the darkness in the direction of the — ca Sea, Serpent, “and will know that I have gone overboard. I Qe need not fear that they will go away from this locality with- eas out making an effort to find me.” : “ese He sat down upon a rock, resolved to remain there until he above the din of the warring elements, the reveille of a bugle By at the distant Fort Clark, at the mouth of Hatteras Inlet, lead- es ing to Pamlico Sound in back of him. se SY Am 2 te It began to rain hard now, but above the wailing of the gale his quick ears caught the sound of excited men’s voices, and, glanciyg to the southward, he was surprised to see two soldiers, evidently from the fort, quarreling. “As we both love the girl, and only one can have her,” nee heard one.say, “we must fight this duel, and the i Sa ane have the field.” “T have kept my appointment to meet you here,” “nebeas the other, loudly, “and am determined to settle the matter in the manner you proposed.” “The winner shall bury the loser in the sand here to ws sa this deed.” ae “Ay, and our cron ginn shall be swords, as we are both ex- ed pert fencers.” Pie “Charley, one last shake hands. We were dear friends be- S fore this jealousy sprang up.” “Do not weaken me, Will. Remember, we are sdcktive oh” other’s life!” . ia 3 “Then to the wind with our past friendship, and now—on — guard! ” 3 Clash! sounded the two meeting swords. | Lee "i It was a difficult, dangerous duel, fighting in a dense gloom, | which was only broken at intervals by the blinding lightning’ s_ on e glare. a 5 4 ve Off to the seaward the Sea Serpent was gliding through ae? gloom, and one of her crew was flashing the rays of the — searchlight over the sea, hunting for some trace of the miss- | ing boy. o Jack sprang to his feet, and hastened over to the two quel- ii lists. foe": “Peace!” he cried, pausing in back of them with one hand upraised. ie At the same juncture the searchlight from the Sea Serpent — | was flashed ashore upon the ae and held there, exposing the startling tableau. 4 4“ CHAPTER VIII. | eae } ‘te ' A BRUSH WITH A PIRATE, . The ahentend were so startled by the wdaen flashing of t aoe : electric light upon them, and the appearance of Jack in be diving dress, that a superstitious feeling took ieee BS them. Flinging down their swords, they recoiled with oe of alarm. : “It’s the devil!” eisdad one. ary E “A warning!” panted the other, TPP rg ag _ . ~ d ek ak eee te. Comicboo ee : Sasi us a a and for reel = Wy ¢ oie . , pd 2 S Bo ron as ° pale A ee Ne SE ve as ge ee ant, - Poth rte oe