Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 22 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

——— Her eyes filled again at the picture this question conjured up. ‘* Rather cruelly, Uncle Benny, if I may tell wen the truth, He kept me locked up for two days after Julian went away, scolding me very much for my visits here, and threatening me severely if I came in future.’ ** Ay!’ said the old man, “it’s as Ithought. Then why not go with me, Maggie. If.1 have no legal right over Julian, me loving him as I do, and he ear- nestly requesting it, then the squire certainly has none Over you, ae i as he must, by the token of his unkindness. on’t see why this rule won't work both ways. Can you?” ** Oh, sir, 1 am se young, and without experience, ? : ; that I don’t know what to think,’ “Ne matter, I know—and if you choose to go along with me you shall be my grandchild, Maggie, and the heir to al! I leaye behind me.”’ “Oh, Uncle Benny, you don't expect to die?”’ ‘“*Me! DolILlook like dying? It’s allus the other chap that’s a-going to die! I mean to live seventy or eighty years yet, and shall probably beat old Parr. He was a hundred and fifty-six. But I mustn't stand swinging my jawing-tackle here; time’s pre- cious! Come! It will be a fine trip for you, and you will see the world. Soon's I find Julian I shall bring him back here, and with his authority we will rout the old hippopotamus in his own law-jingle! Will you go? say the word, Maggie.” **]T will,” she declared, decisively. ‘““Good my lass! You are already in the proper toggery, and we have only to start.’ a. e seized the small bundle from the locker and threw open the door. ‘**Good-by, uncle,’ said a hoarse voice, that star- tled them both. “Why, blow me, if it isn’t old Chock-a-block!” de- clared Uncle Benny, recovering from his start of sur- rise, and looking at the parrot. “I can’t leave him. le must go too. You can take charge of him, Mag- gie, having nothing else to carry.” He took down the parrot, in its wire cage, and handed it to the young girl, picked up the bundle he had laid down, closed aud barred the single window of the cabin, and they came out togeth -r. “It is very lucky,” he declared, as Le locked the stout oaken door behind him, and eee the key in his pocket. ‘ The tide is at the full, and the schoon- er yonder just ready to sail. We must be nimble now. M e,”’ he added, taking the route Julian had taken leading down to the beach below, almost as briskly as Julian himself could have done. They were not a moment too soon, for the schoon- er was y casting off her shore-lines as they reached the wharf; and no sooner were they on board than she shook out her reefs to a favoring breeze, and with every stitch of canvas drawing be- low and aloft, stood seaward. ‘They reached New York, as Julian had done be- fore them, without accident. It had been years since the old sailor had been in the great city, but no land-shark was likely to make any attempts to tackle him. 0 Magzie, however, the sight of the famous me- tropolis left a more indelible impression, if possible than it had upon Julian; but under the protecting care Of the simple-hearted old sailor, she felt no ap- prehension, They went at once to the pier of the ro Kong. They were too late by some hours; she already sailed, and all hope of meeting Julian here was at an end. Uncle Benny did not hesitate. Men of his mold never do, He looked about him for the first vessel to follow. A ship lying at a wharf adjacent was getting ready ~ foe ane was flying at her fore. It was the Punjab. It will b@remembered she was to have sailed the next day after Julian’s arrival. Bae — done 80. = the pte sey ery - — — skipper of a transport t was co n : bor, as they et ag down the lower bay had car- ried away a on of her bulwark, and the Punjab returned to her wharf to make examination for fur- ther possible damage. Happily, however, it had been no more serious, and she was now ready to sail. As the Punjab was up for Calcutta, as well as Bombay—and he could find no other vessel going di- rect to Hong Kong under some weeks—Uncle Benny Ot acecedtanay snk to the Shi Office of th e acco wen e pp ce of the company that of ulian had visi ao his mon- ey-belt, which he had secured about his waist, and took tickets for himself and grandchild, as he termed Maggie. “For the first time in his life, Praeatiatk, he told the man of parchment face, confiden , “to go as 1s gen’lman ; ey were promptly on board, taking the with them, wikioh e itself at once a saanther te vorite by saluting the men on deck, with: “ Ahoy! ahoy!”’ at its very hoarsest. The Punjab sailed without further loss of time, and that afternoon from her deck, Uncle Benny pointed out to Maggie a me em Hone which he said represented the New Jersey nds. There were only a few passengers on board; poe ge them a Japanese lady with her daughter, a _ oO about Maggie's age, who had been brought to Ameri- ca — a mere y to grow up there and be ed- ca Maggie thought she had never seen such a beauti- ful young girl. She could speak several languages besides her own, and could sing like a fairy. Her mother, too, was a very gracious lady, though very stately, and was exceedingly handsome; and The Sea Serpent. — ————_— Maggie learned, without any surprise, that shé was a princess in her own country, and that there were some political reasons why she had been absent so long. But there had been a change of rulers—a new Mikado, Tycoon, or whatsoever the name of or rank of the chief might be, and she was now going home to her former residence by way of India. The name of the lady, Maggie also learned, was the Princess Osaeca, and that of her daughter, from whom Maggie derived all her information, Jesso. Before they had been two days at sea, Maggie had formed a deep attachment for this yo girl. Happily she herself was exempt from the distress- ing malady of sea-sickness; and Jesso was affected but slightly, while her mother, the princess, was very ill. Here ce nh sea-coast experience enabled her to be of much service, for although the princess had attendants of her own, they, like herse f, were sea- sick. Besides, had they been well and experienced their ways were not the simple, artless ways of Maggie, nor could their touch of gentleness equal that of the considerate young girl. As a natural co uence the princess soon loved her, and as she grew better, and able to walk about, she questioned Maggie and learned the particulars of her short history. On hearing the s , Which in a measure involved that of Julian and Uncle Benny, and the romantic and interesting search for his uncle, upon which the lad had entered, she sent for the old sailor, anda long conversation ensued between them. From this interview with the princess, Uncle Ben- ny came forth looking somewhat graver, but still with an air of profound satisfaction. The parrot, which had been given its liberty in ac- cordance with former usage, was taken in to see the princess at her request, and she was much amused with its monosyllabic replies to certain questions— questions, however, of rather a stereotyped order it must be admitted. It was noticeable that in the presence of Uncle Benny Chockablock invariably grew hoarser, as if he felt that the voice of the old sailor ssed far vreater dignity than any other, and it was desirable imitate teacher in manner as well as words. After old Benny's interview with, the princess, he was very often on deck with one of the young girls on each side of him—and he soon came to be con- — as a sort of guardian for Jesso, as well as for aggie. And so until they were met by “a wave” of the same storm that the yee, Boe encountered, the good ship Punjab, for Bombay and India ports, sped on her course, CHAPTER XIV. THE FIGHT WITH THE SEA SERPENT. On their return to the tent Julian and the captain made their breakfast, which was somewhat less lim- ited as to quality—thanks to the canned meats and vegetables they had found with the ship's stores. ~ After b ast they discussed the question of car- rying the war into Africa, as the captain termed it, whether they should make an attack on the sea — or wait to be attacked. ulian had heard of these terrors of the ocean, but he had never expected to see one or aid in its de- struction. Meanwhile his opinion was that they could not be- gin too soon. With the weapons they now had he ought that the conquest of the monster would be pape easy. enth pes the captain, and it was — to begin at once preparation for the con- Whatever else they had to do could be done after- ward, but there could be no feeling of safety in the present condition of affairs. The first thing to be done was to go off to the wreck and strengthen its resistive capacity by every means in their power. So declared Captain James, and as may be be- lieved, Julian was not slow to coincide with him in Thee took with them th and ey em the saw large auger, and going down to the wares edge, where lay the float the captain had used, they got aboard and - dled out to With the aid of the carpenter's tools they had brought, as soon as they were on board the hulk, they proceeded to replace that portion of the fore- ona bulkhead and planking t had been blown out or burned. Fortunately the loose timbers and planks lying e wreck, about afforded eet J of material for purpose and by p mbers crosswise and endwise, and doubl planks, they succeeded in converting the forecastle into a strong room with almost the re- sistive powers of a bomb-proof. Here and there they left openings the size of one’s wrist, or smaller, through which weapons could be thrust. And after the deck overhead had been strengthened by transverse timbers, Julian bored with the large auger a series of holes comman an easy view of the and of the wall of ledge in front, and of the sea below. The hulk lying bow on, this was not difficult. By the time all this work of preparation was com- pleted the day was nearly at an end. They had made two or three visits to the shore, and now made a final one to bring off such things as a. wanted for the night, including water and pro- on. A careful examination of sea and , and the di- rection of the wind had satisfied Cap James that no storm was likely to spring up. They ate their supper, saw the moon rise slowly and gradually, with a light almost like that of day, and they retired within their strong fortification. 9 “With the advantages we now have, my boy,” said the captain, ‘‘ we shall give him a hard fight. He may be here ney, or may not until the moon is low down; proba ly may not come at all. In any A ame it will only be necessary for one to watch.” ‘* Let me be the one, then,” said J ey rly. “ As you like,” said the captain. ‘** But hele good sleep last night, right here; though by no means so well sheltered and protected as now, and am fee fresh, My arm, too, has ceased “aoe me = is evi- dently doing well. Still, if you like, you begin the watch. If you see anything waken me, and, in any event, call me when you get sleepy, or say about inp Fe ’ He disposed his limbs comfortably, and | own, was soon asleep. Moving softly about from one improvised porthole to another, Julian alternately watched and ned, but for a iong time saw no signs of any living or creeping thing. To his ears came the soft rippling of the waves, and far out to westward-the dull roar of the surf. Time passed away, and Julian was beginning to w drowsy, and remembering what the captain cal said, he felt it to be his duty toawaken him. Yet hé hesitated, and rubbing his eyes took one more look at the beach. The whole of its dark line nearest to him seemed to be moving. Or was it a wave of unusual size? He looked again, and his sleepiness vanished at the in- stant. It was the sea serpent! The terrible creature, eighty, ninety, or perhaps a hundred feet in length, was just drawing itself out of the water. Three noiseless steps to the captain's side, and Julian’s hand was upon his shoulder. ‘*Tt is here,’ he whispered, excitedly. Captain James was alert and on his feet instantly. He took a survey of the beach. “Hard at work already,"’ he declared, “and pro- poses to dine at our expense. “We have but one for long range, but for- tunately we have plenty of ammunition. The re- volvers will do for close work, if he swims off to us, Statistics of battles show scientifically that it takes on an average two hundred and sixty pounds of lead to kill one man. I hope we shall do beiter than that, though his skin is tougher than the hide of a rhi- noceros. I will open on him at once, for 1 see that our rations are going fast. The a and are the most vulnerable points. Take due notice, and govern yourself accordingly, if it comes to closer . Stand by with the revolvers!" While speaking the captain thrust the rifle through a port-hole and , e sea serpent paid no attention to indicate that it was hit or had heard the par Hay oe The captain had loaded the other barrel with slugs. He now fired it with better effect. The huge reptile threw itself into a mighty coil— bearing some ht resemblance to the copper “worm” of a nous distillery—with wo us serena and its terrible jaws apart and head rising to a ~— of ten feet or more appeared to look es him for the Sgiaceagrel J Px in e captain gave wt songs ulian to reload, w "ecthe temptation is great,” he said to Julian, “to “The on ” he n, * him with a pistol, even at this range. Perhaps it reach him; I'll try it.”’ He thrust out the revolver and fired the whole seven charges in rapid succession. The shots 0 FF sehae say however, only striking the creature and off. He uttered a wild that they so well remem- bered, and launched i in the air, straight toward the wreck, the water with a sound as if a ship's mast had fallen flat upon it. ‘*He’s coming,” cried Julian, excitedly, as he spoons» y tg a final charge and capped the gun. ** Now for it!” ‘**Let him come, my boy,” said the captain, coolly. o abe me the gun, and stand by with the other re- volver.” As he spoke he fired both barrels at the advancing enemy. There was another cry of rage and _ ie Hae e ca - Replacing ed ings by the revolver c its loads in rapid succession— time at much shorter e, and with excellent effect. There was no e to reload either weapons, and the ys instinctively caught up a knife. On the instant there came a crash against the bow, reaching clear over the strongly-braced deck to the other side, and, for a moment, wreck and timbers shook and cracked, and trembled like pine twigs in a forest tornado. Well was itfor them that they had taken the terrible enemy at a disadvantage, They hastily loaded the weapons, — opportunity for a shot, which was soon offered em. The dark shining mask of its body moved slowly across one of the openings left between the timbers, and Julian thrusting his pistol close, fired, while the captain at the same instant seizing the capo at another opening, drove his e to the hilt in the monster, leaving it inthe wound. These effective results extorted another cry, fol- lowed by several successive crashes of deck and tim- bers as the maddened reptile lashed about with its tremendous tail. But the precautions taken by Captain James had not been in vain. Thus the Soar struggle continued till near morn- ing, when the violent efforts of the creature slacken- ed, and the huge body was heard to drop into the sea, and though they listened for some time intently, they could hear nothing further. eanwhile the moon having gone down, and the CORMIEOOOKS (E@) ———~e f= —=— ee ee ee