Beadle's Dime Novels No. 94: The Mad Skipper — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

10 THE MAD SKIPPER. grumbler. Here, take your jacket, at once, or you'll catch cold.” : “How now! Me think you asleep !” exclaimed the dwarf. “ You hear? ——" “Every thing,” interrupted Frank. “You wish yourself. back in St. Michael with a‘ piece of bread and a basket of grapes.’ ” “ Not me—not me only !” exclaimed Joe, “ but both of ts. Me no care to be comfortable without you the same; that was what me meant!” “Ay, ay, you're an excellent fellow, Plaush,” answeréd the other. “I wouldn’t find fault with you for the world. Let me see,” he added, glancing around the cave. “I think I heard you say our ‘larder’ was empty.” _ “ Yees ; eat up last mouthful this morning.” “Not so much as the crumb of a cracker left ?” “ Nothing.” “ Oh, well, we can get along without dinner for one day, although, I must own, friend Plaush, that I feel sorry on your account. You should have remained in the ship. I deserted her because the captain put us boat-steerers on short allow- ance When there was no occasion for it; but you, acting as cabin-boy, were in the midst of plenty and growing fat in the craft.” : “Yees, yees, very true. But when you go, me go too. Me like you very much because you only man mé ever seé who show himself friend to poor Joe Platish. Me never forget the time when second mate go to knock me down, and you interfere and prevent him doing so. Me say then, me stick to you; and so me will, unless,” he niournfully added, “ you get tired of me and wish me to leave you.” “ Never,” answered Frank, gazing earnestly upon the droop- ing face of his chum. “TI have takén a great liking to you, and shall never grow tire] of such a friend.” “Ab, me glad of that. Yees, yees, very glad!” And witha happy light shining in his eyes, he pressed a hand of his companion between both his own. “ And now,” continued Frank, “it is time we thought of leaving the cave. Our ship sailed yesterday ; there is no need of our remaining concealed any longer.” COMMICOOkS.COuM