Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 261 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

——— es ee ee ee i of the shore, he paused, began totread water, and looked bac He could see the lanterns cleamin along the shore, and he knew that the keepers =, guards were looking for him; but he had an idea it was more for form’s sake, and to keep their record clear, than from any anxiety te recapture him. “ There ra are, and here lam, and where’s the boat?” he said. Toot—toot—toot, sounded the horn, away to his left. em itis! I wonder if I can’t bring it up to me?" He put two fingers of his right hand in hia mouth and produced that shrill whistle that boys so well understand; but in that gloom, and in that place, it sounded like the cry of some water bird. The horn immediately answered it, which showed that Mr. John Jackson had heard and understood the signal Fergus began to swim again in the direction of the sound. Soon he heard the movement of oars, and then the form of a boat came through the gloom, “Fergus!” called out a voice, that he recognized at once as belonging to Mr. John Jackson. ** Here!’’ he answered. “Good boy! you're the ticket, every time. Give me your hand. Now then!" Fergus extended his hand to Jackson, who slid his hand down his arm and griped him by the shoulder, and then lifted him with easeinto the boat, saying: “There you are, my hearty !"’ “Thank you," replied Fergus. ‘*You're welcome. Didn't I tell youl'd do it?” “You did—and you have,’’ rejoined Fergus, aupoingly. Mr. John Jackson joined him witha grim kind of a chuckle. ‘* When I say I'll do a thing, you can just bet your bottom dollar it’s got to come. Socco never went back on his word yet!" ‘Who's Socco?”’ inquired Fergus, bewildered by this allusion. Jackson chuckled again. “* That's me,”’ he responded. “TI thought your name was Jackson?" “So it is—t'other’s a pet name that my friends have given me—John Jackson, alias Socco. See?”’ A deep-drawn hb came from the stern of the boat, and Fergus, turning, became conscious that there was another n in the boat, for he could dimly see a human form in the stern. “Hello! got a friend here?" he cried, with his usual bluntness. ** Yes, that's a particular friend of mine,"’ answer- ed Socco—to give him his favorite name—with a chuckle; “I'll give you an introduction, but shake those prison duds first. Here’s a suit of clothes I brought for you.”’ : This consideration surprised Fergus. He could not account for the interest that Mr. John Jackson, altas Soceo, took in his welfare, ‘“* You are very kind,"’ he exclaimed. **“Oh! you'll pay me back some time,” answered Socco, with another chuckle. ‘I can put you up to a dodge where we can make lots of money.”’ Fergus thought he heard another sigh in the stern of the boat, but he was not sure of it. It was evident that it did not reach Socco’s ears, for he continued his discourse. “Shed those striped togs and pitch them over- board,” he went on, ‘You won’t have no further use forthem, I reckon. Do you want a little light on the subject? I've gota lantern here.” “Won't they see it from the shore?” ** Not much—not the way we'll fix it. Turn on the or samrot light was shed F d Socco oO was upon Fergus an by whe person in the stern, who held a dark lantern. was done by pushing back the shade. Fergus st off his prison suit and cast it into the river, and then dressed himself in the suit that Socco had provided. He had selected a suit as near Fergus's size as he could guess, and he bad not made a one, The wholé thing was complete from head to foot; cab, anes vest, pantaloons, shirt, necktie, stockings ‘That's an odd name your friend has got,” said Fergus, as he @ressed himself. “ odd, how?"’ ‘“* Molli—queer name for a map,”’ ‘“A man—oh, yes!” Socco laughed here quite heartily. “ Yes, yes, it's a queer name for a man.” Ae a wondered what he saw so funny about it. “How do they fit?’’ inquired Socco, when Fergus was attired. ‘*\A trifle large, but they'll do.”’ ** Better be too large than too small—give you a chance to w, you know.” All this time the boat had been drifting slowly with the tide. Socco now stepped past Fergus, and took the lantern from the person in the stern, then he stepped back to es and turned the light of the lantern upon his friend. “See here, Ferg, my boy!” he cried. “‘ Here's Mister Moll; take a good look at him!"’ And he obuckled plessantly: Fergus een peti at Socco's Pian sad he was when he saw a re ts framed with dark hair, a of large e wh a staring, mournful ook, and eyebrows of such inky blackness that they seemed = ve been pon the pale faps.and not to ¥e + “ , he's ouly a boy af exclaimed Fergus. “ He isn'ta boy, returned Soceco, who seemed to pee % he en nn ee Fergu 8, dubiously * He isn't # he, but a she,” “A she!” Fergus Fearnaught, the New York Boy. “Tt's my wife, Ferg—my wife, Mary, though I oftener call her Moll.”’ ‘‘ But why have you dressed her up like a boy?” demanded Fergus, surprisedly. “She always dresses that way when she goes on an expedition with me; it makes it handier for her to move round,’ answered Socco. ‘She don’t make a bad-looking boy, does she?” ** Sbe looks nice.” Socco gave the lantern back to the disguised woman. **She’s been as true as steel to me,” he said; ‘‘ and I guess, Ferg, that you are a boy that wouldn't go back on a pal, particularly when he’s been a good friend to you.” ‘**T never go back on anybody.” ‘That's what I thought. I set you down as true blue the first time I clapped my eyes on your good- looking face. Now, just squat yourself forward there, and I'll take the oars, I Always row and she steers, I let the boat float while you was fixing, ‘cause the tide was taking us in the right direction. Socco bent to the oars and sent the boat swiftly forward. Sitting in the bow of the boat Fergus azed over the dark surface of the water and won- dered what his strange companions were, and whither ay d were going. His brain was in quite a whirl over the singular events of the night, But there were stranger things yet to happen be- fore that eventful night ended. Fergus watched the lights glimmering from the shore, and he observ other lights out in the stream which he knew were lanterns attached to the rigging of vessels lying at anchor. ‘There's a vessel right in our way—look out or you'll run into her!" he cried, warningly. “How do you know?” ‘See the light there hanging to the yard-arm.” Socco rested on his oars. “Show the glim, Moll,”’ he said; and a flash of light was thrown over the water, revealing the hull of ite a large vessel. | ‘Is it the one?’’ continued Socco “ Yes,’’ answered Moll, ** All right—douse the glim.”’ The shade of the dark lantern was closed again. **Now for it,” said Socco, and he began to row again; but Fergus observed that he did so ina very cautious Manner. Again his curiosity got the better of him. oe you going to the vessel?" he questioned, oe Ag ** Why—what for?”’ “Hush! don’t breathe a word above a whisper now. These jobs are risky sometimes. Keep as still as a mouse when a cat is watchiny for him,” ‘But what are you going to do?” asked Fergus, perplexedly. e began to think there was something wrong in this mysterious proceeding. “Just you keep quiet, and you'll see, my boy,” answered Socco, with a chuckle, The boat containing Socco, Fergus and the dis- guised woman, whom this singular man called Moll,”’ and had proclaimed to be his wife, glided up to the dark hull of the vessel, cautiously guided by Socco, who shipped his oars without noise, as the contact became imminent, and, rising from his seat, fended off the boat from the vessel's hull. As he did this, Moll flashed the light of the dark lantern along the vessel's side, and disclosed a rope hanging down from the deck. Socco uttered a smothered exclamation of satis- faction as he beheld it, “ Here we go!"’ Socco drew himself up by the rope and disap- peared over the bulwark. ‘* What is he going to do?”’ Fergus asked Moll. “Don’t you know?” she rejoined. “Of course I don't; if 1 did I wouldn't ask,” returned Fergus, rather impatiently. “Then why are you here with him?” This question increased Fergus's impatience. ‘* Don’t you know why I am here?" he demanded. ‘*You were in the boat when I came; you ought to know where I came from and how I got here. ‘‘l do. You came from the Island. What were you sent up for—stealing?”’ “No, I wasn't!” replied Fergus, indignantly, “I never stole anything in my life, and I don't mean to, But I tell hey whe 5 think—E think there is some stealing going on to-night.”’ “yt Sash you knew it. He told you he was ing on an expedition. Don't you know who he is, and what kind of expeditions he goes on?’’ **No, I don't know woo aggre about him, only that his name is John Jackson, and that he lives on the top floor of our house in Baxter street. Do you live there with him?”’ ‘* Part of the time, but we have another house in Harlem. It is not safe for us to live too long in the same place. We have to keep rape bs ay police,”’ ‘‘ Look here, I want to get out of this!"’ cried Fer- s, quickly. “I’ve been jugged once for keeping mpany, and I've had about enough of it. I’m oin the river pirates—he's one of them, t you've said.”’ He is the m otorious of them all, He told you his name— ; he was not joking.” Fergus began to feel decidedly uncomfortable, “T have heard of gett out of the frying-pan into the fire,’ he vaid, ‘and it ‘pears to me that this is something like it, I guess I would have been as well off if I had staid on the Island.” This conversation was suddenly brought to an abrupt close by the report of a pistol, sounding faint and muffled, as if proceeding from the cabin of the vessel. This report was followed rapid succession, thus plainly denoting that a revol- ver was being used. — t a to not go I know, 7 13 “Oh, heavens!"’ cried Moll. © We is discovered, and there is murder doing!” ‘* Shall I push off?’ exclaimed Fergus, ‘I know how to row!” “Not yet—not yet!” she answered, in a voice of command, ‘‘We must wait and see, He may es- cape--he would never suffer himself to be taken alive—that I know. Be ready to move the moment I tell you.”’ There came a hoarse, gasping whisper down te them over the bulwark. ‘**Moll! Moll! are you there?” ‘* Yes, here—are you hurt?” “Yes, some, but I guess I can get down. Bud, . lend us a hand.” They both assisted him to descend into tho boat, and he sunk down in the bottom, resting his head iu Moll's lap. The effort to gain the boat had exhaust- ed his strength. ‘**Row, row, row for your life, for all our lives!’" cried Moll, energetically. Fergus obeyed her gh pee cen . He pushed the boat sth and skill s LE — away from the vesse se the oars, began to row with all his strength and “There they go!” was shouted from the deck of the vessel, and shots rung out startlingly upon the night air. “Pull, boy, pull—faster—faster!"’ cried BSocco, gaspingly, The sound of the oars directed the aim of those upon the vessel’s deck, and a bullet whizzed by Ver gus’s left ear and struck in the bow. Socco rose up to his knees, evidently with the de- sign of taking the oars from Fergus, but as he did 60 a bullet struck him in the back, and with a gasp- ing cry he fell backward into Moll’s outstretched. arms, The career of the river thief seemed over, Fergus ceased rowing. “Is he hit?” he inquired anxiously. “Row, boy, row!’ cried Moll, quickly. ** Never mind him—save yourself, save me! Fergus bent to the oars again with renewed en- ergy. Two more pistol-bullets whistled over his: head. He could see the flashes of the pistols, his: face being toward the vessel as he rowed. “Oh, blaze away !"’ he shouted, deflantly. “Blaze: away if you like it!" “Hush!’’ she cried, warningly. fear?” ‘“Not enough to worry me. What's the use of’ air funky. That won't help us any.” ** Brave boy!" exclaimed Moll. vergys did not reply; he found he needed all his breath for the tremendous effort he was making with the oars. The boat seemed to fairly leap. through the water, and in less time than it es me to tell it they were out of pistol-range, and the ship's. lantern gleamed dimly in the distance. ‘Phew! but that was a breather—wasn’t it!" he exclaimed, “ How is he now?” ‘* He is dead—he is dead!” cried Moll, huskily. ‘“*Are you sure?’’ questioned Fergus, in a hoarse: wipes PS a through the heart, I think,” ‘ @ ”’ ‘Yes, thank God for it!" she exclaimed, fervent- ly. Fergus was greatly surprised. He wondered, in a. bin, ban kind of manner, if all wives uttered a prayer of thanksgiving wien their husbands died, Y’ he asked, in his usual blunt fashion, “Yes; why should I seek to conceal it?” she answered, ‘I know what is passing in your mind but you do not know this man as well as I do, and it is well for rou that you have been spared that. knowledge, th God that I have been freed from a life of c and that you are spared enter- ing upon one,”’ “Good for you!" cried Fergus, qnoonresingly- * Your heart is all right if you have had hard luck. But, wont are you going to do with him’? Take him ashore?” ‘**No, no! we shoukl be arrested as his accom plices. Wemust throw him overboard.” ** What, to feed the fishes?”’ ** What else can we do? If the harbor police should find us with him, what could we say?” “It wouldn't make much difference what we said,. they'd put their own Mer to the affair, and then: it woul be, Sing Sing | ingtea of Blackwel ‘ Island. ou are ; WO must soc ister” Socco overboard.“ , How fortunate I am in having such a boy as you are with me to-night! Now then, I will help. Be: careful or we may upset the boat.” They slid Soeco over the gunwale of the boat, and he sunk with a sullen plunge into the water. “He is gone me Heaven have mercy on his soul!” exclaimed Mok. “Now, take your oars. again, and let us go ashore. The air is full of rain; let us get ashore ore the storm begins. What is. your name?’ she continued, as Fergus obeyed her. * ene feos yey oo " ‘You are we ergus, you havé saved my life to night, and you will always have a firm friend in Mary Jackson!" “Have you no “Are you g CHAPTER XIV. ANXIOUS INQUIRIES. LAWYER Pickues, sitting in his office awaiting the coming of Lorania Yorke, was considerably sur- rised by the unceremonious opening of bis door amd. he entrance of Rufus Glendenning. ** How does our case come on?” Ke asked. “ The boy, Fergus Fearnaught?’”’ thd Yes, ” “Swimmingly.” “That's Bond |” of ove)