Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 11 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

ae! | i - — ao ee Midshipman Easy. waves recoiled. lie perceived a chasm right ahead, | fore, and you have no idea how the fleas bite.” | and he thought if the boat was steered for that, she; Our two midshipmen climbed up into the cart, nestled | must be thrown up so ag to enable them to get clear of | themselves into the straw, or rather Indian corn leaves, | her, for, at every other part, escape ap impos- | and were soon fast asleep. As they had not slept for | vible, _two nights, it is not to be wondered at that they slept ‘* Starboard a little—that'll do. pg 18 it is— | soundly—so soundly, indeed, that about two hours after port. Steer small. for your life, Easy, Steady now— they had got into their comfortable bed, the peasant, miind the yard don’t hit your head—hold on.” who had brought to the village some casks of wine | The speronare was at this moment thrown into a/| to be shipped and taken down the coast in a felucca, large cleft in a rock, the sides of which were nearly | yoked his bullocks, and not being aware of his freight, — — —_— — + — — | 5 und then pouring down cascades from their sides as the | than in any of the cottages. I have been in Sicily be- | toward the house, followed by Gascoigne. As they ad- vanced the screams redoubled; they entered the porch, burst into the room from whence they proceeded, and found an elderly gentleman defending himself against two FONE AR, who were held back by an elderly and a& young y. Our hero and his comrade had both drawn their pistols, and just as they burst open the door, the old gentleman who defended himself against such odds had fallen down. The two others burst from the women, and were about to pierce him with their swords, when Jack seized one by the collar of his coat and held him fast, pointing the muzzle of the pistol to d the same to the Other, It wasa ‘ “T hardly know,”’ replied _ycorth robbin been dashed to pieces, and its fragments have disap- pesies in the undertow. , perpendicular; nothing else could have saved them, as, | drove off, without in any way disturbing their repose, — ba they struck the rock outside, the boat would have | altho h the roads in Sicily are not yet macadamized. , his ear; Gascoigne olting of the roads rather increased than dis- very dramatic tableau. The two women flew to the The As it was, the cleft was not | turbed the sleep of our adventurers; and, although. elderly gentleman and raised him up; the two assail- our teet more than the width of the boat, and as the | there were some rude shocl:s, it only had the effect of ants, being held just as dogs hold pigs by the ear, waves hurled her up into it, the yard of the speronare | makin yas thrown fore and aft with great violence, and had not Jack been warned, he would have been struck over- loard without achance of being saved; but he crouched | destination—the peasant unyoked his bullocks and led down, and it passed over him. As the water receded, the boat struck, and was nearly dry between the rocks, but another wave followed, dashing the boat further up, but, at the same time, filling it with water. The huw of the boat was now several feet higher than the \*ern, where Jack held on; and the weight of the water in her, with the force of the returning waves, separated her right across abaft the mast. Jack perceived that the after part of the boat was going out again with the wave; he caught hold of the yard which had swung fore and aft, and as he clung to it, the part of the boat on which he had stood disappeared from under him, and was swept away by the returning current. Jack required the utmost of his strength to maintain his position until another wave floated him, and dashed him higher up: but he knew his life depended on hold- ing on to the yard, which he did, although under water and advanced several feet. When the wave roceded, he found footing on the rock, and still cling- ing, he walked till he bad gained the fore part of the hoat, which was wedged firmly into a narrow part of (ae cleft, The next wave was not very large, and he had gained so much that it did not throw him off bis legs. Ile reached the rock, and as he climbed up the ride of the chasm to gain the ledge above, he perceived Gascoigne standing above him, and holding out his uand to his assistance, ‘Well,’ says Jack, shaking himself to get rid of the water, ‘‘here we are ashore, at last—I had no idea of anything like this, The rush back of the water was so strong that it has almost torn my arms out of their sock- ots. ow very lucky I sent you forward with your dis- abled shoulder! By-the-by, now that it’s all over, and you must see that I was right, I beg to apologize for iny rudenesgs,”’ ‘ ‘There needs no apology for saving my life, Easy,” replied Gascoigne, trembling with the cold; ‘and no one but you would ever have thought of making one at such a moment,”’ ‘*T wonder whether the ammunition’s dry,” said Jack; “T put it all in my hat,” Jack took off his hat, and. found the cartridges had not sufferea, ‘Now, then, Gascoigne, what shall we do?”’ Gascoigne, “ Suppose, then, we sit down and argue the point.” ‘* No, 1 thank you, there will be too much cold water | aap upon our arguments—I'm half dead; let us walk on.”’ ‘With all my heart,’ said Jack, ‘it’s devilish steep, but I can argue up hill or down hill, wet or dry—I'm used to it—for, asl told you before, Ned, my father is a philosopher, and so am I.” ‘By the Lord! you are,”’ replied Gascoigne as he walked on, CHAPTER XX, IN WHICH OUR HERO FOLLOWS HIS DESTINY AND FORMS A TABLEAU, Our hero and his comrade climbed the precipice, and, after some minutes’ severe toil, arrived at the summit, when they sat down to recover themselves, The sky was clear, although the gale blew mare a They had an extensive view of the coast, lashed by the angry waves. “Tt's my opinion, Ned,” said Jack, as he surveyed the expanse of troubled water, “that we are just as well out of that.” “T agree with you, Jack; but it’s also my opinion that we should be just as well out of this, for the wind blows through one. Suppose we go a little further in- land, where we may find some shelter fill the morning. “It’s rather dark to find anything, ” rejoined our hero; ‘but however, a westerly gale on the top of the mount- ain, with wet clothes, in the middle of the night, with nothing to eat or drink, is not the most comfortable po- sition in the world, and we may change for the better,” They proceeded over @ flat of a hundred yards, and then descended—the change in the atmosphere was immediate. As they continued their march inland, they came to a high road, which appeared to run alon the shore, and they turned into it; for, as Jack sai very truly, a road must lead to ARIPO ¢ After a quarter of an hour’s walk, they again heard the rolling of the surf, and pereeived the white walls of houses, “Here we are at last,” said Jack. “I wonder if any one will turn out to take us in, or shall we stow away for the night in one of those vessels hauled up on the be +h) * Recollect this time, Easy,’ said Gascoigne, “‘ not to show your money; that is, show only a dollar, and say ‘ou have n> more, or promise to pay when we arrive at ’almero; and if they will neither trust us, nor give to us, we raust make it out as we can.”’ ‘ How the cursed dogs bark; I think we shall do very well this time, Gascoigne; we do not look as if we were , at all events, and we have the pistols to . fend. ourselves with if we are attacked. Depen ,oon it I. will show no more gold, And now let us riake our arrangements, Take you one pistol an take half the gold—I have it all in my right-hand pock- et—my dollars and pistareens in my left. You shall take half of them too. We have silver enough to go on with till we are in a safe place. Jack then divided 9 money in the dark, and also ave Gascoigne a pisto ri ‘Now chen, shall we knock for admittance? Let's first walk through the village, and see if there's any- «hing like an inn. Those yelping curs will soon be at our heels; they come nearer and nearer every time. There’s a cart, and it’s full of pice AEs gent we go to bod till to-morrow morning--we shall be warm, at all “ oa,"' neplied Gasoaigne, ‘and sleep much better | | them fancy in their dreams that they were | trembling with fright, with the points of their rapiers again in the boat, and that she was still dashing against , dropped, looked at the midshipmen and the muzzles of the rocks. In about two hours, the cart arrived at its | their pistols with equal dismay; at the same time, the astonishment of the elderly gentleman and the women, them away. The same cause often produce con- , at such an unexpected deliverance, was equally great. trary effects: the stopping of the motion of the cart , There was a silence for a few seconds. disturbed the rest of our two midshipmen; they turned ‘“*Ned,”’ at last said Jack, “tell these chaps to drop round in the straw, yawned, spread out their arms, and | their swords or we fire.”’ then awoke. Gascoigne, who felt considerable pain in | asosreme gave the order in Italian, and it was com- his shoulder, was the first to recall his scatteredsen- plied with. The midshipmen then possessed them- ses. _selves of the rapiers, and gave the young men their Easy,” cried he, as he sat up and shook off the corn liberty. leaves. |» The elder] “Port it is,” said Jack, half dreaming. |. “It woul appear, signors, that there was a special ' r: Come, Easy, you are not on board now, Rouse and interference of Providence, to prevent you from com- itt. mitting a foul and unjust murder, Who these are who Jack then sat up and looked at Gascoigne. The have so opportunely come to my rescue, | know not forage in the cart was so high round them that they but thanking them as I do now, I think that you will could not see above it; they rubbed their eyes, Sentien, ES gentleman at last broke the silence, ourselves, When you are calm, also thank them for and looked at each other. having prevented yan from committing an act which ‘*Have you any faith in dreams?” said Jack to Gas- would have loaded you with remorse, and embittered coigne, *‘ because I had a very queer one last night.””. | your future existence. Gentlemen, you are free.to de- ‘Well, so had I,”’ replied Gascoigne. ‘‘I dreamtthat part; you, Don Silvio,have indeed disappointed me; your the cart rolled by itself into the sea, and went away gratitude should have rendered you incapabie of such e eonduct; as for you, Don Scipio, you have been misled; with us right in wind's eye back to Malta; and con- sidering that it never was built for such service, she but you both have, in one point, disgraced Youssalves. behaved uncommonly well. Now, what was your Ten days back my sons were both here—why did you m?”’ not come then? If you sought revengeon me, you could ““Mine was that we woke up and found ourselves in | not have inflicted it deeper than through niy children, the very town from which the speronare had sailed, and at least you would not have acted the part of assas- and that they had found the fore of the speronare sins in attacking an old man, Take your swords, gentle- among the rocks, had reco her, and picked up men, and use them better henceforth, Against future one o ove phon That they had laid hold of us, and. attacks I shall be well eae ared.”’ had insis that we had been thrown on shore in the | wen gr who perfectly understood what, was. said, boat, and asked us what had become of the crew—they presented the sword to the py gentleman from were just seizing us, when I awoke.”’ whom he had taken it—our hero did the same. The “Your dream is more likely to come true than mine, , two young men returned them to their sheaths, and Easy; but still I think we need not fear that. At the quitted the room without saying a word, same time, we had bettcr not remain here any longer;; ‘‘ Whoever you are, lowe to you and thank you for and it occurs to. me; that if we tore our clothes more, my life,” said the elderly gentleman, scanning the out- it would be advisable—we shall, in the firmt place, look ward appearance of our two midshipmen. more wretched; and, in the next place,can replace| ‘* Weare,” replied Gascoigne, “ oflicers in the English them with the dress of the country, and so travel with- navy, and gentlemen; we were wrecked in our out exciting suspicion, You know that I can speak last night, and have wandered here in the dark, seeking Italian pretty well.” for assistance, and food, and some conveyance to Pa- “T have no objection to tear my clothesif you wish,” | lermo, where we shall find friends, and the means of replied Jack; ‘“‘at the same time give me your pistol; | appearing like gentlemen.”’ I will draw the charges and load them again. They _ ‘Was your ship wrecked, gentlemen?” inguired the must be wet.” Sicilian, *‘ and many lives lost?’’ Having reloaded the pistols and rent their garments,| ‘No, our ship is at Malta; we were in a boat ona the two midshipmen s up in the cart and looked party of sure, were caught by a gale, and driven on about them, , the coast. ‘so satisfy you of the truth, observe that our ‘“* Halloo!—why how’s this, Gascoigne? last night we pistols have the king’s mark, and that we are not pau- ouses, and now—_. pers we show you * were close to the beach, and among go where the devil are we? You dreamt nearer the mark!) Gascoigne pulled out his doubloons—and Jack did than I did, for the cart has certainly taken a cruise.” the same, coolly observing— “We must have slept like midshipmen, then,” replied | *‘1 thought we were only to show silver, Ned!” Gascoigne; “surely it cannot have gone far.” ‘It needed not that,” replied the gentleman; ‘‘ your ““ Here we are, surrounded by hills on every side, for | conduct in this affair, your manners and address, fully at least a couple of miles. Surely some good genius convince me that you are what you represent; but were has transported us into the interior, that we might. pom common peasants, I am equally indebted to you escape from the relatives of the crew whom I dreamt , for my life,and you may command me, Tell me in about,”’ said Jack, looking at Gascoigne, | what way I can be of service.” As it afterward was known to them, the speronare| ‘In giving us pomathing. tc eat, for we have had had sailed from the ve wry, tke in which they had ar- , nothing for many, many hours. After that, we may rived that nigh and where they had got into the cart, perhaps, trespass a little more upon your kind offices.” The wreck o “You must,.of course,. be surprised at what has thé spenees had been found, and had | been reco , and it was considered by the inhabi- passed, and curious to know the occasion,” said the tants that the padrone and his crew had perished in the | gentleman; “‘ you have aright to be informed of it, and gale. ad they found our two midshipmen and ques- shall be, as soon as you are more comfortable; in the ioned them, it is not rg nga that suspicion might | meantime, allow me tointroduce myself as Don Rebiera have been excited, and the res have been such as , de Silva,” our hero had conjured up in his dream. But,as we! “I wish,” said Jack, who, from his knowledge of said before, there is a peculiar providence for midship- , Spe. could understand the whole of the last part of men, the Don's speech, “that he would introduce us to his On a minute survey, they found that they were in an b oo: open space which, apparently, had been used for| . “So dol,” said Gascoi reshing and winnowing maize, and that the cart was | —he ordered the ladies standing under a clump of trees in the shade. | ly.” “There ought to a house hereabouts,” said | Gascoigne; ‘‘I should think that behind the trees we | biera. shall find one. Come, Jack, you are ash as lam, “No, Don Rebiera; he speaks French and Spanish,” I'll answer for it; we must look out for a breakfast “Tt he speaks Spanish, my daughter. can converse somewhere.” th him; she has but shortly arrived from Spain... We “If they won't give us something to eat, or sellit,” | are closely united with a noble house in that country.” replied Jack, who was ravenous, clutc his pistol | Don Rebiera then led the way to another room, and shall take it—I consider it no rob . e fruits of | in a short time there was a repast brought in, to which the earth were made for us all, and it never was in- | our. midshipmen did great justice, tended that one man should have a superfluity and) “I will now,” said the Don, “relate to you, sir, for another starve. The laws of equality—”’ the information of yourself and. friend, the causes “May appear very. good arguments to a_ starving | which produced this scene of violence, which you so man, I grant, but still, won't prevent his fellow-crea- | opportunely defeated. But first, as it must be very tures from hanging him,” replied Gascoigne. ‘‘ None | ous to your friend, I will send for Donna Clara and of A et confounded nonsense, Jack; no man starves Ty daugh Agnes to talk to. him; my wife under- with money in his pocket, and as lo leave those that have none to talk about equality, and fore, has but just left the country, where, from circum- é rights of man,” | Stances, she remained some years.” “IT should like to argue that point with you,Gas-,| Assoon as Donna Clara and Donna Agnes made their coigne,”” ap ance and were introduced, Jack, who had not “Tell me, do you prefer mind down here to argue, | be are oe attention to them, said to himself, ‘I have or to look out for some breakfast, Jack?’’ , seen a face like that girl's before.”’ If so, he had never “Oh, the argument may be put off, but hunger can- seen many like it, for it was the quintessence of brunette beauty, and her figure was equally perfect; good philosophy, Jack, so let’s goon,” although, not having yet completed her fiicenth year, ood, which was | it required still a little more development. Donna Clara was extremely gracious, and as, perhaps, she was aware that her voice would drown that of her e; “but we must wait a little prepare something instant- “Your friend does not speak Italian,” said. Don Re- not,’’ mets a hrough th of w went oug © coOpse very thick and soon discovered the wall of a large | the other side. ee: said Jack; ‘‘ but still let us reconnoiter, husband, she proposed to our hero to walk into the gar- It’s not a farm-house; it must belong to a person of den, and in a few minutcs they tock weir seats ina some consequen the better—they will see that pavilion at the end of it. The old lady did not talk we are gentlemen, notwithstanding our tattered dress. much Spanish, but when at a loss for a word, she put I suppose we are to stick to the story of the sea-mews in an Italian one, and Jack understood her perfect at a 'well. She told him her sister had married a§ gate ‘Yes,’ replied Gascoigne; “I can think of nothing | nobleman many years since, and that before the war better. But the Eng are well received in this | broke out between the Spanish and the English they island; we have troops at Palermo.” ! gone over with all their children to see her: that **Have we? I wish I was sitting down at the mess- | when they wished to return, her daughter Agnes, ther table—but what's that? a woman screaming? Yes, by @ child, was suffering under a lingering ccinplainy dashed Jack | and F house on All righ id & was thought advisable, as she was very wee JOOKS heavens!—come along, Ned." And away Go mire as you have that. stanas a little Spanish, and my daughter, as I said be- . €o oe ae . - — a ey ee a ee er ay ree ere) eae ee = - — te — —— ee ——_— ey <—= SS ee ee