A Silver Brand — page 243: what you’re looking at

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

4 SILVER BRAND. | 935 “That’s against orders, and I can tell you Jack Robin- son ain’t an easy fellow when he’s against you once. I’m going to fish on the rocks for your dinner, you know, and to keep kind of a watch at the same time. I sha’n’t be out of hearing, though. And don’t you be trying any tricks— now I tell you it tain’t no kind of use. You’re just as safe from getting away asif you were shut in the State prison.” ‘“T suppose we are,” returned Lina; “at all events we are going to very innocent work, so you needn’t be con- cerned. We are going to wash the dishes. So depart, Jailer Mike.” - And she flourished a cloth toward him, and laughed at his sudden retreat, and came back to tell it over merrily to the others. “So we are free from watching again!’ exclaimed Ste- phano springing up again. ‘‘Il am afraid we sha’n’t have such comfortable times when the other man returns. He is a sharper as well as a more tyrannical man. It is best for me to make a thorough exploration of the house while it is possible.” “Go, then; for when we have finished the work in true housekeeper style, I shall expect to hear my story. Re- member that I am burning with impatience all this while,” returned Lina. : And Stephano went over the place into every spot where he could find his way. He .came back with arms filled with straw, and went out to the kitchen, and filled the stove, and kept replenishing until his stock was exhausted. “What is that for?” asked Lina, curiously. “Not for much, I.fancy. I only thought the smoke might possibly draw attention, and excite somebody’s curiosity but I suppose, at a little distance it will look like the spray of the surf. There has but one. feasible mode of escape as yet presented itself tomy mind. We certainly might set fire to the house.” ‘‘And burn in it!” exclaimed Lina, indignantly. “Tt would be rather a desperate measure, I confess. But you know you are too valuable in the way of ransom to be allowed to burn. It would certainly draw the fishermen here, and the chances would be that one or the other of us might escape, and make known the situ- ation. I wishI could contrive a way to get into the cellar. I take it that the key is in Mike’s pocket. Did there hap- pen to be any opiate of any sort in the medicine chest you found, Miss Serena? I think this bright little Lina is cap © into taking a cup of coffee, and ° ~ . able of bewitching Mike / *coOmMmIcboOoks (Efe)