The Island Bride — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

A PERILOUS PORTTION. (63 continued Tom, from the beach, “and, blow me if it’s te my - taste! There’s no need of it, I can assure you! I give you my word—we all give you our word—that we won't offer you harm.” : - Perceiving, however, that Harmon took no notice of the re- mark, the three men held a rapid consultation in a low voice, after which they threw off their shoes and hats. “Oh, my God, husband!” gasped Minnie, in a terrified voice, “they are going to swim to us!” “Wear nothing!” answered Weldon, as he snatched up the hatchet which he had not neglected to bring away with him; “they will not find it an easy matter to board us, if I know myself!” “ Alas! what can you do against the whole three ?” cried his wife. “Each of them can approach from a different direc- tion.” In fact the men had no sooner plunged into the water than they separated, hoping in this way to gain each side of the raft at once. The clumsy vessel:was now about fifty yards from the beach, and its speed, not being equal to that of the swimmer, Wel- don calculated that they would reach him before long, pro- vided the breeze did not freshen. Dexterously keeping the raft before the wind by the con- stant use of the paddle, he glanced alternately at his little sail and the grim faces of the men in the water. “The wind és freshening as we leave the. lee of the land,” he said at length; “cheer up, Minnie; there’s a chance of our escaping, yet.” . “God grant that we may,” she answered ; “ but, it seems ta me that they are fast approaching us.” “They are still twenty yards from us,” he said. “Oh! it : only had a rifle or a lance!” “Which not being the case,” exclaimed Tom, who over- heard the remark, “ makes all the diff’rence in the world. We will show you no mercy when we get aboard of you—ihat’s certain! Strike out, my lads, strike out !” / The three men exerted themselves to the utmost, and very soon the foremost swimmer—who, as it happened, was Bill Choke—found himself within ten feet of the raft. Hatchet comichooks com :