The Golden Harpoon — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

many hours,” said Marline, ‘and before that happens I must make sure of the rifle that hangs in the ecaptain’s state-room, so that we can show a good resistance to the wretches.” “Ay, ay, bloodthirsty is the word,” said Stump. “Them five pow-wows on deck are mad enough by this time to eat us alive. They ain't at all particular, they ain't, about the quality of their grub when they be angry. It’s parfectly astonishing how few ‘raal’ ‘epi- chewers’ there is in this world!” Marline did not pause to reply to this philo- sophical remark. He hastened to the state- room and procured the rifie—which was already loaded—together with a bullet-pouch, and an old-fashioned powder-horn, containing a small supply of ammunition. “Now then, my friend, quick! key to Alice’s apartment.” “Here it is!” replied the ship-keeper, placing the instrument in his hand, “and mighty glad, I warrant you, will be the poor gal to see you. So, away you go, and Iieaven bless you both, while Stump keeps guard!” A few steps carried the young man to the door which he sought, and which was nearly in a straight line with the foot of the stairway. He placed his rifle against the carved wainscot, and turned the key in the lock of the door. Then he knocked gently upon one of the panels. A half-smothered ery of alarm was the only response to the summons. “'Do not fear, dear Alice; it is I—Harry Marline!” The door was quickly opened, and Alice, with surprise and pleasure beaming in her great brown eyes, stood before him. She looked so beautiful in her excitement, that Harry stood for a moment staring upon her like one under the influence of a spell. As the long lashes of those imocent eyes gradu- ally drooped under his admiring glance, he was unable to resist the impulse that sprang up within him. He threw an arm around the pretty waist, and drawing the unresisting girl to his bosom, kissed her with a fervour mere eee to seafaring men. 3 She gently disengaged herself from his em- race. “Oh, Harry, I am so glad to see yout I have been so frightened! Those terrible noises! What are they trying to do now? ‘Fhey are at the cabin-door !” “To break it open,” replied Harry. “Who?—the mutineers?” ac Yes.” “Why, I—I thought, when I saw you, that all this was over—that you and your gallant crew had come aboard and persuaded those misguided men to return to their duty.” “T came alone,” said the harpooner, and hé then related those occurrences of which the reader has already been informed. “Dear Harry,” faltered the young girl, “ how you must have suffered! I am sorry, now, that: you'came aboard.” “T do not fear for myself,” replied Alice; “YT don’t think they would injure me. But s Give me the / ~ THE GOLDEN HARPOON. ! you and your friend—what can you do against three times your number?” “But they have only harpoons and lances, while we are provided with firearms. I have our father’s rifle, and——” “T think I have heard him say that it is damaged so ib can’t go off.” ‘T will soon decide that point,” said Marline, and he lifted the weapon and scanned the lock. “You are right, Alice, the piece cannot be discharged, but it can be made useful in other respects.” Crash! went a heavy axe against the cabin door at this juncture, and the sharp edge of the instrument was seen to protrude through the woodwork ! “This way, friend Stump!” eried Marline, “we must form a barricade.” The ship-keeper came, and the two proceeded to erect a sort of breastwork with a sofa, a few chairs and a table, which were firmly secured with ratlin stuff across the doorway of Alice’s apartment. The whole work was com- pleted with great despatch, and was viewed with much satisfaction by the two sailors, fer they felt confident that they could prevent the mutineers from passing this barrier. Alice, who had been led by Marline to the further corner of the apartment, stood with clasped hands and pale cheeks watching the movements of her friends, and it was with a sinking heart that she at length heard the door of the cabin give way witha tremendous crash before the repeated blows of the axe. Then a terrific yell broke upon her ear, as the savage Driko, flourishing a sharp hatchet around his head, and followed by the rest of the mutineers, armed with long lances, rushed down the companion-way. “This way, lads—this way!” roared Tom Lark, from the run, ‘I am tied hand and foot! Come and set me free—quick! I am dying to give them two rascals a lesson on equal rights |” “None of that, you infarnal pow-wow !” eried Stump, pointing his pistol at the head of the Kanaka, who was now moving towards the hatch, “none of that, or you are a dead fish! It’s parfectly astonishing,” he added, “to hear such an imp of Satan as that creatur’ in the hold a-prating about equal rights!” - Every one of the mutineers halted. ‘The sight of Stump’s weapon, and the rifle in Mar- line‘s hand, had not been anticipated by these men. They looked at one another in surprise, and even seemed disposed to beat a retreat. _ Observing these signs of indecision, the reso- lution of the harpooner was formed in an in- stant. Motioning to Stump to follow him, he suddenly leaped over the barricade, and coolly advanced towards the party, with the muzzle of his piece directed towards them. “Put down your arms, and return to your duty—every one of you!” he cried, sternly, “if you value your lives! I do not feel disposed to trifle with you!” * No—no!” yelled the prisoner in the run, “don’t yield to ’em, men! Pitch into *em— they éan’t fire but two shots at the most. You miserable imp of a Driko, where are you? Why i cS cComirecboo (C@) mas