The Armourer's Apprentice — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

€ ¢ ay , ;* - tr SF The grey light of morning had for some time Agent alain in the east, but with all _ the suddenness of an eastern dawn the sun seemed to leap up into the heavens, dispeil- ing the darkness, and flooding the ocean with middy light. tIight! Yes; buta light which brought no hope to the pursuers or the pursued, for it showed them a rock-bound coast. within half a mile of them, onto which they were selling at full speed. ~ A cry of horror arose from both crews _. when they perceived this, and Sir Stephen at once gave orders to shorten sail; but all knew it was hopeless—that the vessel must be dashed upon the rocks. Leaping into the poop of the burning vessel, holding in one arm the terrified Alice, _srhilst with his sword Sir Biduiph pointed _ to the rockbound coast— “Thou hast followed me well, Sir Step- hen,” he shouted in derision—*‘ follow me to the death. Ha, ha, ha! Nothing in this world can prevent the ship from strik- ing. ~FareweH, Sir Stephen! Abandon hope. You must perish!” “Save me! save me, Stephen!’ shrieked Alice, as she held out her arms to our hero. | “Villain!” saidStephen. ‘Surrender up that girl, and I will spare you.” “You spare!” replied Sir Bidulph de Boischene, contemptuously ; “your fate is sealed.” “Coward!” cried old Will, as he seized a bow and arrow and took aim at Sir Bidulph. “Coward! thus will I end thy miserable existence.” But before he could release the string, Sir Fdulph had thrown the fair Alice befor ‘im. , “7 ot!” he exclaimed, “and kill thy mas.er’s lady-love. Ha, ha, ha! I defy thee.” - » “Do not discharge thy shaft,” exclaimed Sir Stephen; “you may kill her. Let all the men look to their arms, cast off their heavy garments, and prepare to swim. We may yet be saved. Let every stitch of canvas be set. I will take the helm. If wemust meet death, we will face it like men.” Seizing the helm, Sir Stephen managed to place his ship exactly in a line with that of Sir Bidulph, for he guessed that the villain knew some way of saving his own ehip. This proved true, for the Leopard flew ast the reafs unhurt, and by careful steer- ing the Lion didthesame. Bunt now before them was the coast of Palestine, on which the ships must dash. | Crowding on all sail, the doomed vessels apd on. There was a fearful crash, and thy) Leonard had struck. THE ARMOURER'S APPRENTICE. — Sir Stephen gnashed his teeth, as he saw Sir Bidulph de Boischene and his followers — leap on shore, and make their way up the © rocks, IN ‘ He saw Sir Bidulph and the Lord de Courcy compel Alice to hurry forward, each holding an arm and dragging her on, — % A fearful crash, and the good ship Lion — had struck upon. the shore, ‘ft Sar P ‘““ Keep together—keep together!” cried Sir Stephen, as he leaped into the water; — ny J é “We may yet repay these villains the ~ y =~ wrong they have done us.” . Using their shields to protect them from — the flight of arrows which the foe poured — in upon them, the brave little band fought — its way through the breakers to the land ~ headed by Sir Stephen. | Rerun Battle-axe in hand Sir Stephen leaped ~ upon the foe, and tried to cut his way through them. . ei But they were stalwart, stubborn fellows, who disputed every inch of ground, water- — ing it with their blood, and only yielding — it up with their last breath. es But eventually they were compelled to — give way, and take refuge in flight. ae With loud shouts of victory the brave — soldiers followed the fugitives and cut them down, until recalled by Sir Stephen — Sternhold. | oe VYainly did the men search for Alice and her captors. They had escaped, anc oar ~ hero, with a sad heart, had to recall his — men, for he fancied they might be attacked — by the Saracens, who must have noticed — the wrecks. 3 eee Hastily collecting what they could of the wreck, under Sir Stephen’s command, ~ the men managed to build up a kind of fort, where they were able to rest and ~ ' consider how they were to act. ee » Fatal , CHAPTER IX, “« on THE SARACEN RENEGADE—SIR STEPHEN © STERNHOLD ACCEPTS HIS SERVICES— THE ENCAMPMENT. | ‘ “Té NOW you where we are, good Will al | demanded our hero. aes “TY faith, not I,” replied Will o’ the Bow; a “ but here comes one who may tell us. men have captured a prisoner.” ss: As he spoke the men dragged a Saracen before Sir Stephen—a sallow fellow, with — a hang-dog look. See ée 2 . . om have we here?” demanded Sir Sir Stephen. “Whatis this fellow?” “And jt pleass your worship, we founc e - comicbooks.com —