Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 683 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

yive CT = He dropped .to his knees under its force, but: was not disabled, More than that he fell close to Sol, and at once flung hisarms around the young hero’s waist. ‘* Curse you !” he hissed; ‘* ll drown you in the river!’ ‘* Ketch yer game, first!” retorted Sol. He tried to break away, following up his first blow with others as he did so; but cunning Jim- my had his head under the boy’s arm, where it _ was safe, He dragged Sol toward the edge of the raft, ‘*Down you go, ter feed the fish!” he ex- claimed, in hot anger, CHAPTER V. THE THREAT OF AN ENEMY. SALTPETER Sou struggled in vain. He was strong, but he had neither the strength nor weight to resist successfully one so much older than he, Despite all he could do he was forced toward the edge of the upper deck and, too proud to call for help, he seemed about to be flung into the river, Jimmy’s purpose was frustrated, however. Almost at the last moment he was seized by an- other pair of hands, and pulled back so vigor- ously that he fell over a protuberance of the eargo. As he went down his hold on Sol was broken. Both leaped up quickly, but the one was out of the other’s reach, The ruffian looked to see who had interfered, and grew pale with anger as he saw that it was Eliza. ‘* ‘You she-devil!” he hissed. Not a word did she answer. ** How dare you?” he added, hoarsely. **T wouldn’t see you hurt him!” the girl de- clared, while the resolution in her voice did not wholly hide a hopeless, despairing element therein, ‘‘ Who was going to hurt him?” ‘‘T saw what I saw.” ‘¢ You may see more!” Flocton blustered. ** Hush!” she exclaimed, ‘‘ Hush, isit? You dry up, Lize, or I'll make short work of you !” ‘* Kill me, if you will; I don’t care.” ‘* But I do,” interrupted Sol. ‘* Mister Robert Kidd, pirate, ain’t goin’ ter kick upno more rumpus on this man-o’-war. He’s had his day, an’ his sun has set, I’ve had my opinion o’ him from the first, an’ I know, now, that ’twas right. Sech snakes as you, Pirate Kidd, ain’t wanted hyar—you kin skip!” ** Are you my boss?” retorted Flocton, ‘*1’m boss o’ this raft.” ‘* You can’t bulldoze me,” ** Nobody wants ter, but your room is better mor your company. Skip!” ‘ll go when I get ready!” ‘‘ Jimmy,” said unfortunate Eliza, persuasive- ly, ‘let us leave here.” ‘¢ You traitress!” shouted Flocton, *‘ how dare ' you speak to me?” ** We will talk on shore,” The ruffian stood in sullen anger and irresolu- tion, What was heto do# His gaze wandered along the canvas-covered cargo. Somewhere there was an article he coveted, and he was tempted to secare it at all hazards. It was money in his pocket—strangely enough, more money than Ned Brampton would have supposed the whole cargo worth. If Flocton could take the article to the mysterious man who had hired him to make the attempt he would be well paid, Ned came on deck, awakened by the noise of quarreling, and wondering what it was all about; but that did not influence their enemy, He felt capable of disposing of both Ned-ana Sol, aud was tempted to co it. If hard pressed he had a revolverin his pocket —he shrunk a little at the thought. Evilag he was he had never yet taken human life, and he hesitated to do it—hesitated, but not because his conscience rebelled, Like a good many others of his kind, he feared the Jaw he had often violated. : It was Eliza who broke the long silence, ‘**Come!” she urged, persuasively, taking his arm, He shook off her hold roughly. & Let me alone!” he snarled. siete If you will go ashore with me I will—” Don’t you think o’ goin’, miss!” protested Sol. “ You ain’t safe with this critter. You’re of a different stripe, ef you do keep bad company, You stay here with us—” ** She won’t stay!” almost shouted Flocton. ‘** She will, ef she wants ter!” ‘Look here, my seven-by-nine bantam, who are you to dictate tome ? ‘You hush up, or l’ll punch your head! When I say ‘Go!’ to this gal, Saltpeter Sol. — oe she goes; when I say ‘Come!’ she comes, And don’t you forget it!” ‘* And don’t you forgit that Ned an’ 1 are boss here!” retorted the undismayed raftsman, ‘ Ef she wants tostay, shesball. Ludviseherto, As for you,” and here Sol’s voice changed to one of sarcasm,” when I say ‘Go!’ you take a skip;an’ when I say ‘Come!’—wal, when I do say it, you kin take me ter a horse-pittle fur clams an’ **Don’t you be too fly!” Flocton cautioned. ‘**7?]1 go ashore as you say, but it may bel shall turn upagain. Don’t think you seen the last of me! It may bea week, ora month, ora year, but you Shall pay the debt you owe me. I came here peaceably, molesting nobody, and you’ve jumped on me—” ** Rats!” was Sol’s inelegant, but expressive reply. ‘* And you'll hear from me ag’in!” With this sullen conclusion Jimmy turned, to his ally. ‘*Come!” he said, curtly. He turned and stalked away, Sol looked at Eliza, ready. to take her part if necessary, and on slight invitation, but she did not look at him, She followed Flocton, As she passed Sol, however, she spoke three words in a low voice: ‘* Watch every night !” And then she flitted past him, They left the raft and took tothe island, Even then, Sol, who felt for her deeply, was tempted to call her back, and press the offer of shelter, upon her, but it was so clear that she was deter- mined to follow Jimmy with the dog-like ohedi- ence before evidenced that he controlled the im- oulse, ar What in the world is it, Sol?’ Ned asked, in deep wonder. ‘That snake tried to rob us.” ** He did?” *'You bet!” ‘* But what haye we got that he should want?” ** We'll speak o’ that later, Jest now, I’m goin’ ter see that they really go. Thar’s adry road ter the river-bank, but they may not see fit to take it, Wait until I come back.” He leaped from the boat. Flocton and Eliza had disappeared in the darkness, but, after cross- ing the island, he saw them going along the nar- row track to theshore, He led, and she followed with the same dog-like docility. ‘¢ Wish I knew she’d be safe!” muttered Sol. “That scamp is mad clear through over his failure, an’ be must blame it good eal onter her, I hope he won’t do her any harm!” It wasaserious thought, and the fear could not be ridiculed. Flocton was evil and cruel enough for anything, and Eliza had incurred bis deepest anger. he raftsman went back to Ned after watch- ing the couple out of sight. ‘Our live cargo is gone,” he observed. ‘“Why, Sol? I’m all ina@ maze,” Ned con- fessed. ‘* Lucky you ain’t worse!” ** Are they as bad as you say?” ‘* Worse! But set down an’ hear the story.” He told it all in plain, concise terms, referring first to his suspicions against Flocton, and then to his espionage and the result, Ned was bewildered. ‘* Why, it looks like a regular plot!” ‘¢ So it was, I make no doubt,’ ** But why should they do it? What have we here to tempt them?’ ‘* Don’t know, unless Jimmy Pirate Kidd wanted ter run off with the sofa, or a chair.” ‘¢ Perhaps it was thought we might have valu- ables.” ‘‘The critter seemed ter hunt for somethin’ he did not find.” Ned shook his head, ‘‘ T can’t see what it was,” ‘‘Now, messmate, I hey an idee that Pirate J, Kidd was the very same chap, lookin’ ter bea tramp, who tackled us last night.” ‘* No!” [ll bet cash on it.” ‘ _, Lhen he is desperately in earnest. es’ so; an’ you know he said we hadn’t seen the last o’ him. -Now, whatever the racket 1s,we hey got ter be expectin’ trouble all the way down the river, When we least expect it he an’, mebbe, his heelers, may jump onter us, an’ the ways an’ the means no man fin tell, How d’ye like the outlook? We ain’t got any wea- pons, but we must always be on the watch to see an’ meet danger!” Ned look at bis friend in momentary dismay, but be was of a brave nature, and Sol’s own coolness soon Communicated itself to him. It was hard to understand why any one should 5 ey mean them harm, or covet any of the simple effects Ned was rafting down the river so hum- bly, but, let the cause be what it might, it was not their way to yield tamely. They resolved to stand up for their rights, * They went to work and rearranged the por- tions of the cargo which Flocton had meddled with. Then they considered whether to go to sleep. It looked dangerous, but they could not act as navigators and keep awake night and day. The discussién ended with Sol taking a trip across the island to the mainland, He failed to find any signs of their enemy, and they decided to lie down and take the risk. Before turning in it was noticed that the clouds were growing heavier, making the night very dark, and giving indications of a coming day of rain. ‘hey retired to the cabin, lay down and were soon asleep, Once more they were destined to be aroused, and that, too, rudely. Hours had passed when there was a sudden shock, and they awoke with the impression that the raft bad been ground to pieces, They sprung to their feet in alarm. CHAPTER VI. RUN DOWN AT NIGHT, ‘¢ Wr’RE sinking!” Ned exclaimed. ‘* What should sink us?” ‘* Maybe, it’s Flocton, again!” ** Then let him Jook out!” The raftsmen were rushing for the cabin exit as they spoke, and as Saltpeter Sol uttered the last word he tore the door open, As he did soa scream of terror arose outside: © ** Help! help!” ‘¢ Another trick by Jim Kidd!” muttered Sol. ‘¢ 7 don’t think so, Come on!” Ned left the cabin and boldly sprung up onthe upper deck. Then the cause of the disturbance became evident ata glance. By the side of the raft lay a yacht, and its position in the water showed that it had met with trouble, It was not bard to surmise that it had run into the raft in the darkness, for the latter’s red light at the stern had gone out. Several persons were to be seen on its deck and the sight of two more in the water told another plain story, ! Sol leaped into the river, swum to the side of ' the others, and found them to be a man and a woman, ‘* Give me a lift!” requested the former, weak- ly. sé Ay, ay 1}? Sol spoke with what he considered sailor heartiness, and proceeded to render all the aid he could, The woman was lifted back upon the yacht, and the rescuers followed, ‘¢ We're sinking!” called out a voice. **Can’t something be done?’ another person asked, ‘“ Mo, Don’t you see how the yacht has gone down?” ‘¢ Can’t we run her into shallow water?” ‘‘Tt can’t be deep here, and I think we had better look out for ourselves.” ‘Then clamber onto the raft,” Sol let them do all the talking, Blameless as he was, he felt guilty that the Flying Fish should have been in their way to do such damage, an ‘could not command his voice to tender the hos- itality of the raft, There was a general rush however, for the more substantia! craft, and all were soon aboard the Flying Fish. ‘* What in the world have we here?” demanded one of the previous speakers, Sol rallied. ‘* ‘We've got a raft,” was his practical reply. ‘* It has sunk us.” ‘* I’m sorry, sir, but we ain't nowhar nigh the middle o’ the river.” ‘Investigation will probably prove you blameless, Being in baste I insisted upon my men going forward in this pitch darkness, TI won't say they were careless, just now, Let us grapple with one fact, only; we are wrecked!” “The yacht may not be badly injured, Mr. Fordrest.” reminded one of bis companions. ‘‘ Certainly, a hole is stove in her.” “Tt may be slight.” ‘Time will tell. As for ny trip ta New York I cannot get there on time, and I may as well give it up cheerfully, Let us see just how we are situated. Who has charge of this raft?” ‘¢ Cap’n Ned an’ me!” Sol Wayne pointed to his friend, while For- drest looked in surprise. ‘*You don’t mean to say that you two boys, are in charge, do you?” ‘+ Wal, considerin’ that we are theonly human