Pluck and Luck #139: Jack Wright and His Deep Sea Monitor — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

pn | Stor pees SY et eh tae ore, . ee, =) ‘ { 78s "a * “f " . '. As he came to a pause upon the station platform a train came thundering in from New York, and a passenger alighted. He was-a tall, thin, dignified-looking man of about forty-five, his stiff, his long neck was encased in a high choker collar and a black cravat, He had long, gray hair that was parted in the back, a beil- ‘i crowned stovepipe hat covered his head, his face was clean ‘shaven, sallow and angular, his eyes a watery blue, and his nose was very long and red. In one hand he carried a carpet bag and in the other an um- brella. Jack saw that he was a stranger in Wrightstown. He glanced around, saw the station agent receiving some freight, and then approached Jack, with a benign smile upon his thin lips. He made a sweeping bow, and said: aa “My good friend, pardon my presumption for thus address- ae ing you, but I am Peleg Hopkins, Ph. D., and piscatorial ex- - pert of the American Fish Commission, and am anxious to Would you be kind and gave a cough, smiled bianaty _;| find one John Wright, of Wrightstown. enough to direct me to his residence?” Jack sized the individual up. “The fellow you want lives in that big house over there,” said the boy, pointing at his handsome residence. “Do you want to see him, sir?” | 2 “T am very auxious to meet with this ‘young inventor, and 4 beg to thank you for your information.” 4 : “Jack Wright isn’t home just now,” said the boy, “but he S will return soon, so you can wait there if your business is a important. 4 Po i “Important?” echoed the professor. “Well, it is important Bee 8 —very important indeed—vitally important. Dear, .dear! What 4 a trying thing it is to ride for a distance in railroad cars. ie Really, it makes one so dry he becomes parched. Fortunately, _ however, I am a man of forethought, and have provided s against such a contingency. Pardon me, and I will imbibe of a ae most refreshing stimulant.” He pulled a flask out of his pocket and took a drink. Bs He uttered a sigh of intense satisfaction when the liquid ges contents ceased to gurgle cown his throat, and proffered the flisk to Jack. x “I don’t like to tempt the “Pray have some,” invited he. ising generation from the path of rectitude, but when we imbibe as a tonic or medicine, as I aT One do, why it cer- _ tainly does us no harm that I can gee.’ “What is it?” md sek Nar “Whisky.” — “I don’t drink. ” . “Oh! ”. : ae) Ana with an approving nod the professor ‘seized his grip x from a bench upon which he had dropped it and strode away. = Jack glanced up at the train and beheld a man standing pon the platform of a car intently watching B. departing rofessor. He was a lithe, active, middle-aged person, ‘in a dark suit, nd wore a slouched hat upon his jet black hair, a thick black. ‘beard covered his face, and his skin was as dark as a rulatto’s. . a ‘ip In fact, Jack saw that he was a foreigner from some south- | a teeth were chattering like castanets, ern country. _ The eager, devilish look upon his face 28 he watched Peleg Hopkins startled Jack, for he saw that the man was intent | on a mission that boded no good for the professor. | ithout paying any attention to Jack the man alighted from | car a: as the erat started, BELG Blea ka yy, but, swiftly JACK WRIGHT AND HIS DEEP SEA MONITOR. grim figure clad in a ministerial suit of black, while} Away went the train with a rumble of wheels and the clang of its bell, and Jack only waited to assure himself that the : dark stranger was in pursuit of the professor, when he ran ~ after the man. ig: “He is up to some mischief,” flashed through Jack’s mind. “He is planning some rascality against Hopkins, as sure as — fate. I'll follow them and discover what his design is. Ha! What is that?” There came a brilliant flash at the dark man’s side, and = Jack saw that he had withdrawn a long knife and was clutch- ing it in his hand. "Can it be murder he is scheming?” thought the boy, with Bs . shudder. te Just then Hopking reached the darkest spot in the cane rs when the stranger swiftly glided up behind him, and with one ~— spring he landed on the professor’s back, clapped a hand over his month to stifie a cry that involuntarily arose to the pro- fessor’s lips, and knocked him down. ata The dark fellow fell on top of his victim, who rolled over «Ee upon his back, dropping his grip and umbrella when he fell, and, clutching the frightened professor by the throat with one hand, he raised his gleatning knife with the other as if to stab — his victim. Bae The assault was so unprovoked that Jack could not help =~ thinking that it was the result of vengeance or for robbery. = But the boy spent no time speculating over the matter. <2 He rushed up to the struggling pair, and just as the knife — ie was descending he reached them and gave the dark fellow | = such a punch under the ear that he was knocked over Tees: the ground and the knife flew from his hand. A yell pealed from his lips, and with the agility of a panther he sprang to his feet a moment after he was struck and darted away several paces. es pote : — Jack picked up the murderous- looking knife, and the pro- om fessor scrambled to his feet and hastily recovered his hat, car- _~ pet-bag and umbrella. : “2 oe “You assassin!” exclaimed the angry boy. “I’ve thwarted ae you, do you see?” oe “Oh, good Lord!” gasped the professor, “It’s ESHenee. Eee Mixitli, the messenger of death!” | ett A. terrible scowl crossed the dark face of the man, and, rais- ae ing both of his clenched fists above his head, he shook them in a paroxysin of passion, while his eyeballs glared like those _ of a furious beast. ie 3 “My foulest curses upon you for that blow!” he eltaae gnashing his teeth and stamping his foot upon the ground. | “You have cheated me of my prey. But woe unto you for it! | l swear by the powers above that you shall dearly repent of that blow. <My life shall be devoted to crushing you for it, and — the oath of the Caribs never was broken! Remember!” And with a baleful look of intense hatred at the boy, the. dark fellow plunged into the bushes by the rondside ane dis- appeared. Jack was deeply impressed by the vengeful demeanor of the ce man, and turned to Hopkins, whom he found as pale as death, ae and trembling in every limb with the most terrible fear, as he was a great coward. “You seem to know that man—who is he, and why did he oi attack you?” the boy asked. “This whole thing was evidently a premeditated job.” | a “We are most certainly doomed,” replied Hopkins, whose “He is an emissary ofa most powerful tribe of idol worshipers who dwell upon ats E voleanic island in the. Cari Dbegt Sea. A year ago a number Ole a4 idol rae and ‘had ohenken a large idol of seiae with o 4 eves mang of enormous diamonds, upon. a small ashe isk