Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 915 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

) ee %: Nie apa. weew. Pes j Pee Pt re 1 =e, : - ‘ >. eS »~ Ca ) , Aye J . 4 ra . a : > SQ? > al - o & 2 - a th. 4 i, fr / adel ¢ 4 p wa 4 ie] “7 Pye ig y J aa A ae | | Vive. ’ es ef thy ? 4 hurried to the cabin again. Despite the dis. _ Mal statements of his enemies, there was no proof that Flip had been slain, and he want- 2 a ' A h ay * + “t éy . 7 ~~ * 4 Sl” * A he a ad 7 Ss + ~ poke my head up, but Il won’t go further. Wait a bit!” 3 ~ enough ter do ye up. Git | Starling. a; €d the clear head of his old associate. [t Was plain that if Flip was alive he must be to one of the state-rooms, aud Shoestrings | <* 4 ae ‘ ” ~ y. oe \ er: — He followed Dick. Starling was left alone, and he appeared a little uneasy. He looked after the men and his lips moved once. Doubtless he saw the possibility of trouble, but his mind took a new turn. He moved quickly to the door be- hind which the girl was said to be. ‘* Nell, Nell!” he cried, ‘‘ are you there?” Evidently he heard nothing, ‘Nell, Nell! Speak to me if you are there!” ‘‘ Mister!” cried Shoestvings, losing all fear of consequences, ‘‘ you won’t find nobody there, an’ ef you don’t hustle this gang will do ye up fer keeps!” The ranchman sprurg back. He looked around wildly. ‘* What’s that?” he exclaimed. ** You are in a trap, mister!” *€ Who speaks?” “Me! Skip off from this ship quicker than a cat. You hev been lured here ter be done up. Skip!” Bang! Flip Flasher, Ferret. ‘Flip, Flip, hev I found you?” he joy- fully cried. He seized upon the person and pulled lustily toward the cabin. door, however, he had a surprise; the person was &@ young woman, bound and gagged. He was so much surprised that he dropped her then and there. ‘ Gr-gr-great Scott!” he gasped. A lion-like roar rose behind him, ‘Nell, Nell, my Nell!” shouted Dave Starling, The burly ranchman, pounced upon the girl, and Shoestrings saw that one thing was settled. Another was not,. and he still re- membered Flip. ‘‘ He must be here, ef he’s alive. Where is he?” The boy ran into the nearest state-room, but he found it empty. Only one more re- mained unscen, and his heart was heavy as he rushed that way. He tore the door open; he dashed in. A peculiar gurgle sounded directly before him. He looked and saw Flip in the same | helpless condition that had marked Nell’s There was a clatter above, and dust was | captivity. swept down to the cabin, Dave rushed for- ward with long steps. — ‘** They hev shut up the stairs!” he cried. “‘T can’t get on deck!” He dashed up the steps, and Shoestrings heard him hammer on the obstacle as he reached the highest possible point, “ By jing! we are in fer it!” exclaimed Shoestrings. ‘‘ They’ve shut us in, an’ now their work is complete. We won't cut ice no more.”’ The ranchman came bou “Who spoke?” “Where be you?” “This way, this way!” answered Shoe- strings, hurriedly. Starling rushed into the state-room. Both he and the boy had grown more excited, and they spoke in concert. With a perfect medley of sound was united action on the ranchman’s part, and he dragged Shoestrings out into the cabin. Quick, quick!” urged the latter. ‘‘ Get off my ropes!” : ut came a knife, and the bonds were prey severed. Shoestrings leaped to his ect. nding back. he demanded, excitedly. ‘‘ What is it?” cried the rescuer. “Mister, we are both in the worst of fixes,” responded the boy. ‘‘Didn’t you know them men? They were part o’ the gang that has been makin’ all this trouble fer you, an’ that stole your Nell—” ‘Nell, Nell! here is she?” cried Dave. ‘*T don’t know.” ‘ Ain’t she on board this vessel »” “I don’t think she is; [ pin’t seen her. Fact is, you've been lured here by yer enemies, an’ they mean, ter— [| don’t know What they intend terdo. They are jest bad ange, out On the run ef you can, me! ' Shoestrings rushed up the stairs and bang- ed against the obdurate surface that closed the companionway. The effort showed him how useless such an effort was, “What do they intend ter do?” repeated ‘* Mister, I don’t know. It may be ter im- oe us, or it may be worse. Oh! I wish Flip an’ me hadn’t—’ | _ The new turn of his thoughts Caught his ‘Companion back to mind, He turned and measures to learn if this was so. He Ul ¢ Fei _ Temembered the mysterious sighs and move- - Ments near him, and looked there first, _ _, The opening of the door showed a human . 5? VPm.. te in 7 ~ ei : . 1G ce, . it : . : a , i ‘ ty pS AL > "Ue £% . ed ’ ‘* 7 : y f Pe Lg we ye 1 7 4 ‘ : = : « é ° id *. : ~ . s* * ob . - : . ' * ~ he ' . vif ‘. a OPES OMe ame Seb” Y P >: ™ . ey 64 4 wait we 8 oy ie r ee > an mi Gia a UP Ba a¥ . * ‘* Whoop!” cried the rescuer. Flip gurgled again, and his friend moved to advantage. His hands were busy, and he soon had a part of the bonds off. Flip gave his help, and the rest was soon removed. The older boy leaped to his feet. ‘‘ Jiminy crickets!” he shouted, ‘‘ this is tke p‘izenest Fourth o’ July I ever see! W here are we at?” He hastened to the cabin with Shoestrings at his heels. Dave Starling was still em- bracing his daughter. Flip danced up and down in his excitement. ‘* Where be the heathen?’ he demanded. ‘Show them ter me! Let me git at them! Shoestrings, what has become o’ the drasted gang?” But Shoestrings stood in silence, his head bent forward in an attitude of’ profound lis- tening. Something important appeared to have come to his notice. Then he abruptly lifted his head, ‘They are goin’ ter kidnap us!” he ex- claimed. ‘* They are takin’ us off ter sea!” ‘* W'ot’s that?” . ‘t The ship, is in motion!” There was a dull lurch as he ended, and Flip lifted his head with a sudden change of countenance, Despite his questions he knew What tke situation was as well as anybody there, and he now grasped more than the others knew, ‘* They’ve scuttled the ship!” he cried. “What?” : ‘‘T heard them down below, and I thought then [ heerd the water gurgle in the hold. Say, this was all planned in advance—they filled h2r up as much as she could stand an’ then plugged it with oakum until they got us. Now, the plugs hev been took out, an’ we are ter go down with the ship!” ‘‘ We are floatin’ out o’ the dock.” ‘* Yes, so as to sink in the river.” ‘‘That means death ter us,” . ‘¢ Sure!” ; Silence fell momentarily on the little party. Dave Starling and his @sughter were not sailors, but if they did not understand as much as the river-bred boys, they did realize what it would mean to sink in the East River. | ‘‘ What kin we do?” he demanded. The boys were not quick to reply, and Dave added: | ‘* Ain’t there winders ter the boat?” Flip rushed into one of the state-rooms.. He soon emerged. ‘* Nailed up!” was his comment. The search once started he and Shoest made diligent search, but the only result Was that the fact was emphasized that they | Were securely imprison known to them was m . Every avenue as made fast, and inable to stir from the | 4 | a ft, & r : T 4 2 ‘ «(Tes \ * r 7 ‘A a i) . } A + Lb e Ue aed as \, A +h fal — ay ‘ -, ” 4 nates Lie = —. , a | 7% ro , a, t » “ ¢ =e” . E - As he passed the y were ce assigned to them, | pea * \ wd ~ se) “Fx 4 weal ls © ee | | like a giant as he wielded it. stood out like ropes, and his face was terrible © ‘ ‘7 af fa pn fis (i, shay L V's, f 5) Pas Fs ‘4. ola i sar ‘Aid Fi Aes» : eee oe — ‘“The boat rocks a good deal,” remarked Dave, presently. ‘We hev drifted out o' the dock ter the river,” replied Flip. ‘An’ what then?” ‘Then we’ll keep on driftin’ until we go down in fifty feet o’ water. When we do that, we are drownded, sure.” The ship gave a heavy lurch. ‘“She ain’t goin’ ter keep up long,” added Shoestrings. ‘‘She wouldn't do that ef she wasn’t gittin’ ready ter sink.” The doomed party collected around the cabin table. The light burned fitfully now, but it was enough to show that all felt the danger. They were not in love with the prospect of death, and death seemed sure. ‘‘Oh! that we was on the plains now!” muttered Dave. ‘‘I’d soon find a way out, but this durned ship—lI don’t know nothin” about it.” His gaze turned upon Nell. stung him to fury. ‘‘Drowned!” he shouted, in a voice like a tempest, ‘‘ Never! My gal ain’t goin”ter lose her life so. Drowned! Why, I'll git Sight of her out o’ this ark ef I tear my way out with | my teeth. Ho! to escape!’ CHAPTER XV. THE RANCHMAN’'S AX, DAVE STARLING had turned into a sort of human tiger. Unaccustomed to water life, he had been dulled by the situation, but as he thought more fully of his daughter, he changed wonderfully. His eyes gleamed remarkably and his big frame seemed to grow larger. He swung his long arms in mid-air, ‘‘ Give me somethin’ ter work with!” he cried, ‘‘ an’ I'll cut my way through the very heart of this blamed old ark!” ‘* Look fer an ax,” suggested Shoestrings. ‘They wouldn’t leave any—” ‘** Look, look!” thundered avn All ran about, but for a time it seemed as if Flip’s_ prophecy was well founded—there was not a thing visible with which an attack on the barrier could be made, it seemed. Then a cry rose from Shoestrings. ‘* An ax, an ax!” He came hurrying from a remote corner with the tool in his hand. ‘* It was under a pile o’ boards—”’ ‘* Give it here!” : Big Dave snatched the ax and ran to one of the cabins. He knew a window was there back of the boardsrecently nailed up, and be knew there was some hope of forcing a way through the obstacle. He swung the ax and the blade was buricd in the wood. Up went the tool again, but Dave missed his aim as a heavy lurch of the ship nearly took him off his feet. ‘* We’re sinkin’!” exclaimed Shoestrings, It did seem that the vessel had st up as long asit could, but it gradually recover- eda little and rolled on without the dreaded descent to the watery depths. Starling lost no time, and his ax [began to- ply again. Ile was the one hope of the |im- periled party, and he was doing his pari well. The ax never wavered, and Dave was His uscles. in its intensity. So might a barbarian have. looked in olden days, Crash! The ax went through the boards anc the glass wasshivered beyond. . “mA rY. ‘ ie - = fu : [| JF. 4 ey, ote wea , wa mn. * os aN, ‘ ya eel) ase | a's ~et a . - » Fr. ‘ye ’ & awl a i 1s i! oS, - eV ay. z % * « ‘ A " TP Cow ~ 5 ot Paar ye = f , *- » ’ 4 a? a -#" -. A . ‘ = ‘* Whoop!” yelled Flip. ‘ We will git in- ter it, after all. Goit, Nebraska! Make the chips g oe a | “A few more will fetch it!’ added Shoe- ee strings, encouragingly. ‘este ey Nota word spoke Dave, but the power Beh: with which he drove the ax was wonderful. = Blow after blow he rained, and thenacheer — Bea sounded from the boys as a greut hole ap- rr: * « 4, ® ~_ ad