Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 683 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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and a slightly skeptical expression appeared on Hill’s face, as was natural; but Fordrest did not think ot entertaining doubt. ‘* Very likely the man was Ross Brown,” he agreed, ‘*‘ Wedid not find that person at his house, Most likely, too, the other feilow whom you saw near Brown’s was some ally of the lat- ter’s, sent to reconnoiter; but when you first appeared, Brown became alarmed and r3n away, ou say there is no telegraph office here?” ** There ain’t none.” ‘Then we must ride to where there is.” ** It’s only three miles down,” volunteered the Station-master. ‘We will go at once,” os =P saying, Fordrest looked thoughtfully at ®) ** Are you particular about going? ‘‘ he added. “Not unless I kin do some good,” confessed Sol, wearily. ‘* Then I would like to have you go back to the raft. I feel sure that, by morning, Captain Twombly and his men will be on hand to raise the Dancing Dervish,” ‘* They ought ter be.” “ Hence, it is my wish that he and Nixon, with other men, if required, take the fresh boat, my daughter and her maid, and a as immy Flocton, and proceed to New York, leaving a force here to repair the Dervish. Understand?’ Fe Cl, Ma ‘Then we'll carry you down to the point nearest the raft. Enter the carriage!” A few moments later they were rolling south- ward at a high rate of speed. With more time on his hands Fordrest could not but regard Sol’s work and devotion with ad- miration, and he did not hesitate to put it in words, “When this affair is settled, my boy, you may be sure that I shall reward you. Such ef- forts as yours should not be repaid with mere words, nor shall they be. Just now I can think only of my grandson, and must give all my en- ergies and time to rescuing him. Poor child! what a world of trouble he has found this!” ‘* He will come out all right, you bet!” Sol de- clared. ‘“* T hope so.” **T ain’t got an artom o’ doubt.” ““Your courage is noble, and I will not let mine fall below the example set, But here we are at the point opposite the raft.” Hill halted the horses, and the raftsman sprung out. A moment more and his friends were receding. He watched them until they disappeared in the darkness, and then turned and walked to- ward the raft. He wanted no more violent exercise that night, CHAPTER XIV. WHAT A HUNGRY MAN DID. ON reaching the Flying Fish, Sal found Nixon pacing the deck, He was the only person visible. ‘* Where’s our messmates?” asked the rafts- an, ‘Miss Caslina an’ her sarvint-maid is in the in. an’ Ned Brampt Vv Ji i cabin, a -rampton an’ Jimmy Flocton is sleepin’ on deck, Nixon answered, “Ned an’ J art Pirate Kidd ain’t bunkin’ ter- gether, be they* : és O ”? “T thought my feller-sailer had better jedg- ment,” Nixon took another turn across the deck, and Sol observed with some surprise that he did not inquire about Fordrest, or, Fordrest’s grandson, ixon appeared to be 1n ill-humor, Suddenly he stopped in front of the raftsman, squared himself away like an athlete APO, to engage in battle, and asked a question In @ Gecp voice; “Do I look like a rascal? bes RS Do you? No! Do you feel like one? **T feel mean.” ** About what?” “ve been insulted.” 7 ‘he did it?” octon!” “Great Scott! you don’t mind that, do ye *“*Some things kin be passed by, explained Mr. Nixon, with fresh warmth, “bub thar Isa limit ter human endurance. I expect folks ter think me homely, an’ wantin’ in brains; an I don’t mind bein’ suspected o’ rascality by decent folks; but when a ’tarnal skunk takes me fur a feller Vulture it’s excrutiatin’ tough ~ : _ “Y gentle frien’,” quoth 50; ‘‘whence is this ebullition in yer honest mind ” s It all comes 0’ yer Pirate Flocton.” 4 Oh! What’s Resta been up ter, now?” ** Tried ter bribe me ter turn traitor!” ' LL — Fl Ohl OO + - CO RhvwOwOO ae Saltpeter Sol. “Oh! did he? S’pose he showed the cash, wharwith ter pay yer?” ‘*¢ He said we could colleck our pay as we went erlong. Said thar was a treasure right on this raft, among your goods, Solomon, that would pay us both right smart, an’ he offered me first half, an’ then two-thirds, an’ then three-thirds —the whole on’t, I mean—ter libertize him!” This statement did not surprise Sol, but, while he would have laughed down the storyjof treasure had it come sooner, it now only added perplexity to the mystery developed by Floc- ton’s strange attempt to get something out of their cargo. What was it? Was Jimmy wholly in error, or was there really something of value in the cargo, unknown to them? ‘*Tt’s p’izon queer!” he commented. ‘‘T laughed the perposal ter scorn,” added honest Nixon, with dignity, ‘‘an’ shall now in- sist on appearin’ ag’in’ James at his trial!” ‘* We'll all be thar, you bet!” ‘‘ Has he called yowa rascal, and other things?” ‘* Ef thar’s an approbrilus word in the lan- ruage he ain’t leveled at me, I’d like ter hear it!” Nixon drew a sigh of relief, hy be glad [ ain’t alone in the racket,” he re- plied. Sol found himself fast growing sleepy, and he did not fight off the friendly enticer, He lay down and slept soundly until morning. When he awoke he found the sun mounting up the sky, aud the sound of voices made him think that Fordrest and Hull had returned, Such was not the case, but Captain Twombly was there with the relief-boat from New York, anda force of men torepair the Dancing Der- vish, There was no sign of the missing men. When Sol had given the message to Twombly, it was decided that the relief-boat should start for New York without delay, taking Caslina and her maid, as Fordrest had suggested, with Jimmy Flocton as a prisoner, Seeing that about all the actors in the recent events were to leave, Sol and Ned consulted as to their own future. The Flying Fish was ready for use, and, as they could gain nothing by lingering, ic was decided that they, too, should start for their destination. Before doing this, the boys went on shore again and looked for signs of Fordrest. They found none. Returning, they arrived just in time to see Twombly and his party depart, and, as the re- lief-boat went speeding down the river, the rafts- men got their own craft under way and left the the scene of so many exciting events. Only the working on the Dancing Dervish remained, and the shore of the island did not appear natural as the Flying Fish receded. The raftsmen looked back half-regretfully. “We're lone navigators again Sol,” observed Ned. ** Correck!” ** Wonder if we'll ever seeany of that party again?” ‘* Mr, Fordrest said we should,” ** He may forget it.” ‘*T don’t consider him bound ter give us the reward he promised, an’ ain’t speakin’ o’ that; but I guess he’s a man ter_kéep his word, so expect him ter show up at Peekskill, some time, an’ give usa frien’ly grip 0’ the hand, Jee- whiz! wouldn’t I like ter know_how he’s comin’ on, huntin’ fur leetle Joseph! I’m almost sorry that I’m all done with the case.” ‘‘ Perhaps you're not.” “What! don’t expect us ter be engaged as detectives, do ye?” “We ran upop them by chance, before; we may do so again.” ; ‘Tain’t likely,” Sol returned, shaking his neat. ‘Wal, le’s attend ter navigation, Cap’n yh ed,” This was done, but the trip no longer possessed the fascination that it did in its first stages. It was tame work to float down the river after the recent experiences, and they felt that the end of their venture could come none too quick, Thus passed the forenoon, and two hours of the afternoon. : At that period a sail-boat with a single visible occupant appeared ahead of them. He had the wind in his favor, and came toward them gal- lantly, but, when near enough to speak, he eo tie fixed on th ullo, ther -e you fixed on things ter eat om : How are y g $e ain’t hungry,” Sol returned. ‘* Ther’s a fish right under yer boat.” ‘*T want somethin’ else, I ain't got 1t, ut ’ Ll Dve got the money ter pay for it; an’ I'd like ter leave a dollar with you for the means of a good, square meal, Kin we trade?” Sol turned to Ned, “What do you say?” ‘‘We can’t refuse him, Even if he had no money, wecouldn’t afford to let him go hungry. Poor folks should give to the poor,” ‘Guess you’re right. Messmate,” to the stranger, ‘‘ef you kin board us, you kin hev the food.” ‘©Good! I’m comin’!” The speaker proved himself a good sailor, and soon placed his boat alongside the raft. He then sprung upon the latter, and proceeded to” secure his own craft, ‘‘T forgot my lunch,” he explained, * an’, be- ing aman o’ prodijious appetite, I thought Pd got ter eat my boots ter keep happy, until I saw you. ‘*Sorry you’re so hard up.” ‘‘Be you? Then lead the way ter the pan- try!” The stranger seemed to be q jovial sort of man, and, although he had a hard-looking face, the boys did not suspect that any harm lurked be- hind his fair request, The raft was drifting all right, and while Ned went to the cabin Sol fol- lowed to the door, A moment later he looked back to the boat, and was just in time to see a startling change. In the boat lay considerable rubbish, and among other things there was a piece of canvas. And Sol was just in time to see this canvas quiver as if with life; then it was flung aside and a man emerged from under it. He leaped lightly to the raft, and Sol was dumfounded to see his old enemy, Jimmy Floc- ton, there, at liberty and full of triumph, It was hard to credit his own eyesight, for Jimmy had been taken away by Captain Twom- bly asa prisoner, but the arch enemy soon gave proof that he was a creature of reality. He came down upon the raftsmen with a bully- ing manner, “Tve got you, this time!” he boasted. Sol found no words with which to answer, ‘¢T told you all the while you were stacking up against the wrong rooster, and it may be you are beginning to believe it. You haven’t got half a dozen men to back you up, now,” “T reckon I’m able ter back up myself!” Salt- peter Sol retorted. “Oh, you’re game; [ll allow that, but it’s just what has got you into trouble. Boys should be seen, not heard; and you’ve been poking your nose into my business a good deal, Curse you! you shall repent it yet!” His air of triumph changed to one of deadly enmity, and Sol half expected an immediate attack. Nevertheless, he did not shrink with fear, ‘Tl thank you ter get off my raft!” he de- clared, “Oh! you will?” “Ves, sir.” ‘‘ Well, I sha’n’t go. This little job has been carefully, though suddénly, planned, and you are in for the war, You can’t order us around, and 1 doubt if you ever tell tales on us,” There was marked significance in the insinua- tion, “Tie a stone ter the little varmints, an’ drop ’em inter the river,” suggested Jimmy’s ally. ‘‘Not much; they might escape somehow, No; our policy is to fix them so they will never be able to blow on us!” CHAPTER XV. A FAMILIAR VOICE STRANGELY HEARD, Sou and Ned could not be blind to the mean- ine of these speeches, Even if past.events had not given them a elew to the scant mercy they might expect from Jimmy Flocton, the evil looks of the men, and their words, would have told a plain story. ‘ As Flocton had said, it was not policy to let them testify against him, and there was only one sure way 0 preventing it, It involved the perpetration of a monstrous crime. “Say what ye will,” stubbornly argued Flocton’s ally, ‘* there ain’t no surer way than mine. When ye bind a feller, tie a stone to him, an’ drop him in the river, how is he goin’ to git out an’ peach?” Saltpeter Sol rallied, ** You chaps are havin’ quite an amoosin’ time, ain’t ye?” he retorted, his voice far steadier than was to be expected. * Now, don’t you think ou kin intimidate us; we ain’t built that way. ore than this, we order you off from our raft!” ‘* Oh! you do, eh?”