Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 683 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

13 ‘ec I do,” ‘“* You—do?” ‘* Say, be you a parrot, or what’s yer species? Should say ye was half-wolf, half-porker, an’ three quarters dog, by the way ye yelp. Come down ter hoss-sense! I know you, Mr. J. Flocton, an’ don’t know no good of you. Wedon’t want you on ourraft. Skip!” ‘‘Now you’ve freed youre mind, I'll free mine,” steadily asserted Jimmy. ‘‘ You know me; perhaps you don’t know my friend. He’s Cole Jones, the fellow who escaped and swum the river, the night your gang captured me,” ‘*Can’t say I’m honored by knowin’ him,” ‘‘He’s with me now, body and boots; and we're here to pay off old debts. Iowe you more than I ean tell of ilJ-will, and the hour of reckon- ing has come!” e advanced upon Sol, and Jones did the same in respect to Ned Sol caught up a club. ** Keep off!” he ordered. Jimmy did not obey; he sprung to close quar- ters, and, though he received a severe blow, seiz- od upon the raftsman. It was another thing to conquer him, Thestruggle seemed very unequal, but Sol was thoroughly aroused, and he fought as he had never done before, Twice he tripped Flocton, but could not hold him; and several times he had writhed away from the seemingly unbreakable holds Jimmy gained upon him; but in theend, the out- laws were successful. Both the young navigators were bound, and the Flying Fish was in the hands of the enemy, The latter drew their boat up on the deck, and proceeded to do away with any tell-tale signs that might arouse the suspicions of chance ob- servers. The boys were carried inside the cabin, ‘‘ Now for the treasure!” exclaimed Flocton, as they went out. And they scrambled up to the upper deck. ‘* Ned, I hope they’ll show us the ‘ treasure!’ ” Sol muttered. ‘¢ What are we to do?” ‘* Don’t see as we kin do anything.” ‘** Looks that way!” ** Are your bonds tight?” “Tight! They cut like knives!” **So do mine. I can’t possibly get out of them. Sol, we can’t expect help, so what are we going todo? Are we doomed?” ‘* Never say die, messmate! I don’t b’lieve we was born ter be wound up by sech p’izon snakes, like as ef we was clocks, Nary time! We'll beat ’em out, yet!” This cheerful view of the case w.s very much like Sol, but Ned Brampton knew that it was not based upon sound reasoning. The chances were very much against honest persons taking more than careless notice of the raft, and that aypcaree to be the prisoners’ one hope. The captors had the will to do any deed of darkness, ’ Flocton and Jones were heard outside the cabin, Perhaps they thought their voices were not audible inside, but, if so, they were mis- ler The raftsmen could hear all that was said. . **Tt’s an innocent-looking thing,” Jones re- marked. ‘* That’s what the kids think.” ‘* Seems strange that it should be worth so much money. Didn’t your boss play a game on ye, when he bired yer?” ** Not much!” Jimmy asserted. ‘‘ Every dol- lar ’m to getis put up with a mutual friend, and even if any hoss gets left on this racket, I get my money just the same.” ** Is this concern worth nothing to the kids?” ** Well, I should say so; it’s worth as much to Ned Brampton as to my boss,” ** How much, d’ye s’pose?” **'Ten thousand dollars, maybe!” Ned’s eyes opened wide with astonishment, ‘* Whew! that’s a pile 0’ money!” commented Jones, in surprise almost equal to Ned’s, ‘‘ Be you sure it ain’t worth anythiug to us?” 66 Yes.” ‘* These boys are fools ter have handled ten énousand dollars, having it under their noses every day, an’ not suspect the fact.” The speakers moved further away, and no more was audible to the prisoners, but they would have given a good deal to know what the object of conversation was, They could not believe that Flocton was talking at Jones’s ex- pense, for he had made strenuous efforts to get the article. There must be cause for it, but what bad they on the raft that was of value? Having started everything into the desired channel, Flocton aud Jones kept the raft on its way in a systematic fashion, and would have Saltpeter Sol. passed for honest navigators with any one ex- cept those who knew that the Flying Fish be- longed to other persons. For along while they did not come near Sol and Ned, and the latter were left in uncertainty as to what the future had in store for them, Ned was, quite certain that Flocton would keep bis threat and kill them, while Sol was more hopeful, and regarded the threats as an effort to terrify them. Despite this alleged view cf the case, neither he por Ned could feel at ease, Flocton was evil enough to keep his word in this case, and it was only a question of whether he would run the — of making himself a candidate for tke gal- Ows, One more conversation was overheard which threw light on the situation. The conspirators sat down near their former position and talked freely. ‘‘ Where d’ye s’pose old man Fordrest is now?” asked Jones, ‘‘Rushing around hap-hazard,” Jimmy an- swered, ‘* He never will see bis precious grand- son again.” ‘¢ Luck favored Brown, didn’t it? Now, ef he hadn’t known that repairs were bein’ made on the railroad, an’ that the train would hev to slack up, he wouldn’t ’a’ dared to take it, an’ the boy, Sol,.might hev run him down, That was lucky fact the first, Second, was when he jumped off the train with the kid at the place o’ repairs, Third, was when Fordrest sent his telegram to hev the train searched, an’ lo! Brown had already gone, Fourth, Fordrest lost all trace, an’ young Joe is still in Brown’s hands,” ‘“‘T’m going to take chargeof him, and deliver him to my boss,” asserted Jimmy. ‘I’ve made a pretty penny out of the kid, but the hue and cry has got to be too hot for comfort.” ‘Pll bet Ae will get nabbed yet.” ‘‘ Fis hope lies in the fact that nobody sus- pects him,” ‘*It’s queer that he should hire you, a year ago, ter kidnap the boy, an’ now hire you ter steal this stuff from the raft, an’ the two jobs be a branch o’ the same game,” **Hush! not so loud!” ‘¢ The kids might hear you.” He arose, came to the cabin-door and looked in, There was nothing to betray the fact that Sol and Ned had heard him, ‘* Well, how do you like it?” he sneered, ** Boss,” Sol coolly answered. ‘*Enjoy it while you can. We’ll make port about dark, and then your case will be disposed of, He sauntered away, leaving the prisoners in new perplexity. In what way did an attempt torob them of a mysterious something connect with the abduction of Mr, Fordrest’s grandson, a year before? The riddle was too deep to be solved, The raft drifted on until the sun set and night began to fall. The manner of the river-pirates then changed, and they acted as if they were approaching their destination. Such was the fact, for, soon after it became fully dark, they headed for the east bank, Nearing it, the Flying Fish was run intoa sort of bay, which was well concealed by an island and a cape which lay at just the right point. After this, the raft was no longer visible from the river. The prisoners knew that something unusual was occurring, and listening attentively, heard and felt the raft brought up to land, Then followed the sound of voices, as if the landing bad been made among waiting friends, ‘*‘ Kin they hev put into a village?” asked Sol. ‘* They wouldn’t be so reckless,” : ‘‘Should say not; but them other folks—” ** Hark, Sol!” ** What is it?” ‘* I know that voice!” *° Who is it?” ‘Thomas Lake’s! Yes; as sure as you.live, cautioned Flocton. it’s that of my guardian, who ran away with my money!” CHAPTER XVI. THE CRISIS, Nep was in a state of sudden excitement, and listened eagerly for audible words outside, but some one there had become cautious, The con- versation was continued in a voice so low that a was to be overheard. . Finally, even the murmur of voices ceased, and nothing showed that any One except them-, selves remained on the Flying Fish. ‘Kin it be,” Sol asked, thoughtfully, ‘* that your ex-guardeen is at the bottom of all this mischief?” ‘‘ Why should he be?’ Ned returned. ‘¢ Who else would be likely ter know there was vallerbles in the cargo you thought almost worthless?” ‘‘There’s something in that.” ‘““Ef the voice you heerd was reelly Thomas Lake’s, you kin put it down fur a fack that he’s in the racket.” ‘‘! thought he must have gone to Canada, after robbing me.” ‘‘ Did you mention his name ter Fordrest!” ‘‘T am not sure, but I think not.” ‘‘Wal, here we be, in Jimmy Pirate Kidd’s own lair, an’ I don’t see what’s ter save us, he says ** Walk the plank!’ off we go in old-time pirate style. Ef he sees fit ter sink us, with a stone tied tous, ez was pleasantly suggested, I don’t see ez we kin do any more than ter be re- conciled ter being mermaids, I presoom Wwe might amoose ourselves fur awhile by equintin’ inter a lookin’-glass an’ combin’ our auburn tresses with a corral comb, ’cordin’ ter mermaids’ fashion; but I’ve an idee it would get p’izon monotonous, arter awhile,” Another half-hour elapsed without sounds outside, and then what little light entered the cabin by the door wassuddenly shut out as some one appeared there, The person seemed to hesitate, but the boys remained silent. “Ts any one here?” finally asked a low, tremulous voice, and it was plainly thatof a woman, ‘* We're here!” Sol admitted. The woman sprung down the steps. ‘‘ Speak your names!” she directed, hurriedly. ms Nod Brampton and Sol Wayne.” ‘¢*Thank Heaven! you still live!” ‘*Say!” cried Sol, in sudden excitement, 00 you Eliza Burch?” ‘Hush! notso loud! Where are you? Let ms cut your bonds. It may cost me dear, but I will not see you killed!” The Jast words were in a soliloquizing way, as if she spoke only to herself, but her hands were at Sol’s wrists, already. , ‘‘ By George! you’re a trump, Eliza!” he de- clared. There was no answer, but she used a knife so skillfully that both were soon free, ‘*T hope I can get you away,” she then said, ‘¢ and there is no time to be lost. Follow me!” She flitted out of the cabin, and they fol- lowed, The deck had no other occupant, She sprung to the land, led the way up a bank, and paused in the shadow of some trees. Sol looked further and saw a light, ‘¢ That’s a bouse, ain’t it?” “Yes, but, of all places, you must not go there. Do you know that your very lives are in sors 9 BP ‘* We ought ter.” ‘* Your enemies are thero!” ** Eliza, you’ve tooken a big resk for us, but we ain’t ungrateful. We'll be yer friends, for- ever,” ‘*T could not see you murdered.” ‘Did they really mean to?” “They are talking it over, but I do not doubt what the result will be, But you must foil them; you must flee, at once. See! That is the direc- tion for you ter take.” ‘* But what o’ yourself?” ‘‘ Never mind me.” ‘‘ITdo mind you! When they find us gone they'll know who did it, fur they’re suspicious on ye already; an’ they’ll do ye mischief.” ‘“They can do no more than kill me!” the girl replied, with the calmness of despair. ‘But they ain’t goin’ ter do that!” Sol de- clared, sturdily. ‘‘We know you hev gota good heart, Eliza, an’ we'll stick by them who sticks by us,” ‘‘T am Jimmy’s wife.” “That don’t alter it; go with us, and git among honest folks, who'll helpye. Come!” a No! You goat once; I have other work to do,” ** What?” . ‘‘Ty) yonder house is a boy who is held a pris- oner, and I fearforhim., I am going to take him and flee, They will soon be on my track, but I hope to put him in the hands of some Lon- est persou—I pray that I may find an officer of law—before my enemies overtake me.” ‘Ts the boy little Joe Fordrest?” yen” ‘¢Then count us in fur the move ter save him, Don’t tell us ter go, fur we can’t do it now. We'll all hang tergether, Eliza; and J’ll bet we'll win the game!” Eliza protested. She did not see how any one |