Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 683 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

2 Saltpeter Sol. pi ee he Sn And, sure enough, the cry once more fell upon their ears, ‘Help! help! Weare drowning!” The scene was on that queen river of New York, the noble Hudson, Two boys stood upon a raft which was floating down with the current, and they peered into the darkness with eager anxiety. ‘*There they be!” cried he who had been called Sol. ‘*See! Thar’s a boat, bottom up, an’ some folks clingin’ toit. I reckon they can’t swim, We must save them,” ‘* But we haven’t any boat!” ** Never mind; we kin fix that,” ar speaker caught up a long rope which lay in coil, ‘‘ Make one end o’ this fast!” he ordered: and then he seized the other end and sprung into the water, Ned caught his idea, and hastened to make the connection sure, ‘*Saltpeter Sol is the boy to save them!” he murmured, The object of this high praiso was swimming rapidly toward the overturned boat... He was almost as much at homein the’water as a fish, and the first part of the task he had undertaken was as nothing to him. He soon reached the boat, The cries had con- tinued, and seemed to indicate a great degree of alarm; and Soi’s liveliest sympathy became aroused when he saw that one of the pair—there were but two—was a woman, ‘* Brace up!” he sung out, cheerily. ‘* We'll hev ou Out o’ this in a iff , an’ you'll rather enjoy it when the racket is all over!” ** We shall perish!” wailed the man, ‘* Nota bit on’t.” ‘* But we can’t hold on much longer.” *¢ You don’t need ter.” ‘‘ We're getting terribly weak, ain’t we, Eliza?” “Ss - ‘* Yes, weare, Jimmy,” the woman agreed, “You kin rest all you want ter, directly. See! we'll tow you in!” Saltpeter Sol deftly fitted a noose of the rope around the end of the boat, and then raised his voice and shouted: ‘* Pull, Ned! Pull strong an’ steady!” ** Ay, ay!” came back the answer. ‘*You’re all right,’ continued the life-saver, *“*Hold yer courage fur the fraction of a second,” So saying he put his shoulder against the boat, and, swimming strongly, began to push the craft toward theraft, Ned had settled down, also, to his task, and their united efforts set the boat ig motion according to Sol’s wishes. It floated lazily along, while the strangers, silent now, clung to it as before, The life-saver did not find his work easy, but his courage was good, and he persevered, All at once something happened which sur- prised him, A bright light flamed up on top of the boat, and, looking, he saw that the girl had set a newspaper on fire, Considering that she had been ah alarmed only a moment before, this now seemed peculiar, but, as she had a com- fortable position, there was no reason why she should not spare time to do it, if she wished. ‘Your friend can see where we are, now,” he remarked, ** Jes’ so,” the young raftsman replied, briefly. The flame flared up brightly, and Sol realized with uneasiness that it was like a signal-light, It would be visible from both shores, and might reach the eyes of others. Perhaps others would come to investigate. The boy could not help noticing, then, how calm the youny woman was, It spoke well for her nerves if she had so soon recovered from severe fright, The transient light went out, and they were left in the fast-gathering night to struggle on. The matter was not prolonged. The boat and the raft drew near each other, and, when the toucbed, it was nota long task to transfer all to the latter. The young woman took Ned’s hand and went first; then both the boys gave the man a lift; Sol, himself, followed, and all were safely upon the raft, ‘‘ Jimmy,” as the man had been called, shook both Sol and Ned by the hand fervently. ¢ ay all blessings rest upon you!” he ex- claimed, tremulously. ‘“*My life may not be pie peesions to any one but myself, but this on See is Ld pp prapinc Le have done a e, heroic work, for which acce warm- est thanks!” en a “And mine, too!” added Eliza, ‘Your motbers must be proud of such sublime sons, and I will pray with her for you\” Sol and thought this rather exaggerated Janguage, buf they made allowance for ths peril the couple had been in, ; : ct ’ ; -_ ‘ i f : - i vat rt PN ae oe 7 ‘ i , A 2 ron Fe ay spill ANC hina: abel sates a “ ‘Don’t mention it,’ Sol cheerfully returned. ‘Tt is jest in our line o’ biz, fur we are fresh- water sailors, an’ we always ketch all the fish we kin, Glad ter have helped ye. But how’d it happen?” Both of the rescued persons had sunk down, seeming to be very much exhausted, ‘*T was rowing the boat,” Jimmy explained, “and I caught one oar on something which I did not see, The oar broke, I pitched over- board, and the boat upset,” ‘* Kinder peculiar.” ** Unpleasant, too.” . “Should say so. Wal, see hyar: we're drift- in’ furder off all the time; reckon we had better land an’ put ye ashore,” ‘* Must we leave?” “‘ Must ye leave?” été Yes,” ‘¢ Don’t ye want ter?” | ‘To be frank, we are in hard luck. We be- long in New York City, We were up here on business, and short of funds. We hired this boat to cross the river and take the West Shore Railroad, after making sure we had money enongh to buy tickets for Orangeburgh, where w. have friends. It was a close call, with only a (ew cents margin, and Eliza was again count- ing the money, to see if it was a go, when the peat capsized. The result is, all our money is ost, **Oh! oh!” moaned Eliza, Ned looked at the alleged unfortunate pair sympathetically, but, if there had been light in- stead of darkness, a look would have been seen on Sol’s face, expressive of slight doubt. ‘¢ Money all gone, eh?” he returned. ‘¢ Yes: we are penniless, and among stran- gers, We can’t go anywhere On the cars, nor zan we buy lodgings for the night,” ‘‘They can stay here, Sol, can’t they?” asked generous Ned, There was only one answer for the second boy to make, and he madeit. He had not been favorably impressed by Jimmy and Eliza, but he was inclined to do waat was right, and he threw off his prejudice, ** Plenty of room,” he agreed. ‘Our raft ain’t so fast as an Express train, but we reckon it will get there just the same.” Jimmy looked about in wonder, ‘¢ What kind of a craft 7s this?” he asked. ‘‘ A raft, as I said before,” ‘¢ Well, it’s a queer one!” He spoke with an air of surprise, and there was reason forit, Such a raft had rarely been seen on the Hudson River, and, perhaps, never in that decade. It was of good size, and buoy- ant enough so that the deck, so called, was gen- erally dry, though some water broke over it now and then, In the center was a box-like elevation, four feet above the general level, and upon this was piled what seemed to be merchandise, though, as all was covered over, it was not easy to tell what was there, ‘“Ttg our own invention!” announced Ned, proudly. ‘* For fun?” ¢‘ Not much!—for business, We're moving!” ‘ Moving!” echoed Jimmy, blankly. ‘‘'VYes, You’ve heard how the ns settlers in Kentucky used to go down the Ohio River in flat-boats, to get to their new homes, of course,” ‘No: I never did.” Ned looked at Jimmy in astonishment, pity and disgust. He could not conceive how any one could be ignorant of an era in American history which, grim, bard and full of deadly peril as it was for those who participated, was full of ro- interest and fascination to those of Ned’s ** Now, come into our cabin,” Ned directed, He led the way, and the rescued persons fol- lowed. Saltpeter Sol remained on deck, ‘“‘T don’t more than half like them folks!” he muttered, looking after them, ‘‘ I’ve seen such before, when I was livin’in New York. They b’long ter the lower sub-stratulum o’ life, That don’t make ’em any the wuss; I’m free ter say it, fur I sprung from jest the same stratulum, I reckon; but it strikes me they hev a sort o’ tough look, as ef they hev never tried terrise from their stratulum., Hows’ever, I reckon it don’t matter; they’re welcome ter their ride.” The cabin of the novel craft, as seen by Jimmy and Eliza, proved to be a compartment six feet wide and twelve long. Its floor was two feet below the level of the deck, and it extended up- ward to the box-like elevation before mentioned, ‘Well, this is a great place!” Jimmy declared, **Good enough to sleep in,” Ned agreed. **T should say so.” ** Did you make it?” asked Eliza. ** Sol and I did.” ‘Tf you will let us stay with you, we shall be: very grateful.” ‘*Oh! that’s all right. We are poor, and have no real accommodations, but you are welcome to all we have,” ‘* You're very good, and that’s a fact. By the way, I haven’t introduced myself, I’m Jimmy Flocton, and-this is Eliza Burch.” And he swung his hand toward the young woman, ‘*Glad to meet Wayne, and I am ed Brampton, Now, l1’ll go on deck, and you can make yourselves comfort- - able, here, and come up when you feel like it,” ** ‘Whe’ll be up afore a great while,” Ned left tiiem, and then Jimmy turned to his companion and facetiously poked her in the ribs with his finger, “ Hey! Lize, old lady, how’s this forhigh?” ho asked, ‘¢ We’re here,” ‘* [ should say so, and them precious kids don’t suspect a thing. The boodle is ours!” ‘Don’t count your chickens until they’re hatched, old man.” ‘‘Do you think we shall fail? J think not! The boodle is here, and we'll have it or break a leg. ‘* Jimmy, don’t you do harm to them boys!” commanded Eliza, with spirit, ‘‘ Hoity-toity! What's struck you, old wo- man?” ““They’re nice boys, and I won’t see them killed!” ‘‘ Bah!” retorted Flocton. ‘* Who said any- thing about doing them up? It won’t be neces- sary. If it was—well, I ain’t no soft-hearted chicken, b’gosh!” CHAPTER II. A SINGULAR ENTERPRISE, THE raft had been built under peculiar cir- cumstances, Edwin Brampton had been an orphan ever since he was eight years old, and Thomas Lake had been his guardian, Property consisting of a house and a lumber-yard had been left to him, though the house was under mortgage. Lake had continued the lumber business until within a few months, wken he began to dispose of the stock and refused to buy more. He was a ** great man” in that country town on the up- per Hudson, and noone ever questioned his right to do as he pleased. This was unfortunate, for, one day, the sleepy town’speople awoke tothe fact that Lake had disappeared, after defrauding every one he ou. My messmate is Sol” mance . day. The explanation was simple—Ned, having | could. He had borrowed money, forged notes, rt been a reader, was intelligent, but Jimmy had | and taken other means of raising cash, and gone i been an idle vagabond in a great city, and knew | to parts unknown, ; | i | little outside of horse-racing, pugilistic matters, Ned Brampton was the chief loser. When he Dae and the price of beer. ‘‘ Well,” Ned explained, after a pause, ‘ that was the only way the @arly settlers had, and they went downsthe river in flat-boats. Our poverty has led us to undertake a like way.” “ Jolly, ain’t it?” ‘*Tt is,some. Are you rested?” Jimmy arose and shook himself, “Yes; but I’m wet,” ‘¢T wish we could give you and the young lady dry »clothes—especially her—but we haven’t any. Dm not much wet,” answered Eliza. ‘* You see, I was right on top of the. boat, and kept pretty dry.” to an unusual degree, : The explanation did not seem to cover the| ‘ He’s got life, pluck and determination,” 40 ¢. whole ground, and account for the fact that, | old army officer had said of him, “and, these, rad after being tip out of a boat, she certainly | like saltpeter, sulphur and charcoal, make an ex- Mu 3 was quite dry, but it passed without comment, ‘' plosive that tellsin every battle.” oN ¥, f \ ay | came to figure up the assets, and get at the situ- ation, he found that he had nothing in the world except some household furniture and a small quantity of lumber. Lake had taken what little money Ned had, and put a second mortgage on the house which covered it for its entire value. The youth was sixteen years old, intelligent and well educated, and willing to work, but he no longer wished to work in the town. It had been the scene of too many disappointments, af- flictions and misfortunes. | One day he met a friend, Sol Wayne, often called Saltpeter Sol, because he was wide-awake : 7 -* - . ; : r r,} \ . et ‘ii “ee : ro tn s ob we. BL? a 4