Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 420 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

* ap eee ee ee eee It was natural that Mark Hannafin should be | worried, in view of the possibility that Gray Gordon might have witnessed the encounter be- tween bim and Gerald Talcott, Yei, if he had witnessed it, was it to be sup- | posed that he would have gone away without raising an alarm or making any sign? you can swim a little, and that you have sense Hannoafin wandered about the boiler deck, | enough to do just what [ teh you to do, it seems looking inso every space that could holda man, | to me that neither of us is in any real dan- only way to help you then was to jump in after you, and here | am.” ‘You were more than kind to risk your life to save me,” ‘* There was precious little risk in it as far as Tam concerned, and since I have learned that buS saw nothing of the Gray Gordon who was | ger.” kuown on the itowena as Ben Gray. | ‘*T could never swim to the shore, Mr. He as-on ied to the cabin, where Ben Gray was. Gray.” ‘“T have no doubt that you will be able to get there with a little help from me. As we _ don’t care where we land, we won’t make any struggle against the current, but will let it car- pet visible and in the course of a few inquiries concerniug Gray he failed to discover any person who bad seeu Lim lately. Before he retired to bis state-room Mark Han- | nmafin patronized the bar liberally, hastily drink- ing glass afier gla-s of whisky. itin a slow and easy style. we are getting on now, and all we have to do is to take our time, You can keep your hand on CHAPTER VI. IN THE SWIFT RIVER. As the enzineer had informed Hannafin, the | man who siyled himself Ben Gray, but who was | usually known as Gray Gordon, had come down | to the boiler-deck to inspect the working of the | new stvuani-ceuge, and bad conversed for a while wita the man who could tell him the most about | it you maytry a few strokes occasionally; but there is no use in getting tired, as we can rest whenever we choose.” itated to jump overboard to save a chance ac- life in so doing, however lightly he might re- it. gard the risk. When he turned to go back to the hurricane- That action was not all there was to wonder deck, be caught sight of Hannafin and Talcott | at as they were coming from the forward part of | the boat, and almost involuntarily he stepped behind a pile of freight to conceal bimseif. | There was nothing out of the way or unusual | In his speech and his manner the man showed none of the uncouthness and countrified style that had been manifest in Benjamin Gray of the Rowena, and in every respect he appeared The Old River Sport. . | ry us down as it pleases, while we strike across | You see how well | ‘Who the deuce are you?” rudely demanded the man. ‘‘Two poor devils,” answered Gray, ‘* who have been lost overboard, and have swum ashore.” ‘* Jerewsha! Wal, you look it. happen to git overbeard?” “The plain truth is that my young friend here got in a fight and was knocked into the water, and I jumped in to keep him company.” ‘*That’s queer doin’s.s What d’ you want here?” ‘‘We happened to land here, and we want lodging for the rest of the nght and breakfast in the morning.” ‘* Able to pay fort?” ‘*Oh, yes,” quickly answered Gerald, ‘We may bave a little money in our pockets,” How’d you remarked the old man—‘ enough to pay for my shoulder while 1 swim, and if you feel like | | what we want here, I reckon.” ‘** Come inside, then.” The castaways bowed their heads as they en- tered the low dcorway, avd passed into the | interior ofthe flatboat, which. as they had Gerald wondered at the man who had not hes- | uaintance, and who had actually periled his | supposed, was fitted up for trading in a small way. It was a narrow and low apartment in which they found themselves. occupying less than half of the flathboat, and partitioned off from the re- mainder, which prebably contained the kitchen and sleeping arrangements. By tbe dim lirht cf a small oil lamp, they per- ceived that the greater part of one side of the room was taken up by a shabby and dingy bar with a scanty array cf bar fixtures, and that the rest of the space was largely occupied by bar- that of in the fact that two young passengers should come down there at that hour, possibly to enjoy the cool air from off the water; but to Gray Gordon the conjunction of those two at that time aml place was peculiar, to say the least of it. and Le determined to watch them and ascer- tain why. they were there. When they went over to the guards, evidently with tae view of being out of sight, he shifted his place, getting where he could see all of wee was done, and hear most of what was Said, An encounter was what he looked forward to as the outcome of this quarrelsome talk; but Hannifin’; blow and its result was quite unex- ctel tv bim and completely upset his calcu- tions. As the evil had been done before he could in- 1 ap i‘ revent it, there was but one remedy regardless of the swift current that carried him left, an e changed h's intentions with the quickness of thought. ' As Talcott disappeared in the turkid current been passed when they stopped to rest, end then P 4 ’ of tho Mississippi, Gray Gordon plunged into the water, aiming for the spot where the youth had sunk. Gerald had been surprised rather than stunned by th» sudden blow, and soon came panting and sputtering to the surface. As he did so he was surprised again by the hail of a friendly voice near by. Thouzh he recognized the voice, it was not is recent antagonist, and his surprise was iucreased when he saw above the water the face of Ben Gray. ** Can yvouswim?” inquired the old man, ** A little.” ‘That is better than not at all. Are you hurt?” **! don’t think I am, though I am dazed and rather weak.” ‘Pama whale at swimming, fortunately for both of us. Just put your hand on my shoulder and rest awhile. Don’t try to exert yourself. Ther: is no need of any sort of hurry, and noth- ing to be gained by extra efforts.” rald promptiy did as he was told to do, and was able to recover himself and look about, They were far from the hope of rescue by the steamer, even if their disappearance had been known on board. « Though they were going downward with the current pretty rapidly, the Rowena had the aid of her powerful engines and big wheels, and was already out of reach of the loudest hail, It would be necessary to reach the shore by extcuming, and the swift sweep of the Missis- sippi made that a rather difficult task, though the water was warm. The heat of the weather gave them another advantage, as they were both dressed in thin clothing, which was comparatively a slight in- cumbrance. An ther advantage was found in the fact that when they went overboard the steamer was con-iderably nearer to the right bank of the river than to the Jeft—that is to say, nearer to the Missouri shore, The bright moonlicht showed them _ the Rowena rapidly receding in the distance, the dark outlines of the two shores, and the turbid, rushing water that intervened between them cud the ne rest land. ‘*How did you get overhoad, Mr, Gray?” in- quired Gerald, who had not got over the sur- prise which the sigbt of his compani.n had | a loud_ hail, which was speedily answered by a caused him. ‘‘T went overboard because you did.” “To save me?” “Well, I suppose I must have had some such ly opened, and a_rough-looking middle-aged } saw that fellow knock man, with a half-dressed young man a project in mv head, you off the boat, and it occurred to me that the | | ' i ' <<< at EC LE LL LL LLL LL LL LL LL LLL LL | to be not only a clear-headed and sharp-witted man of the world, but. possessed of that tendcr | rels, kees, jugs and demijobns. care and consideration for the needs and feel- | It was difficnlt to decide why an establish- ings of others which marks, the real gentle- | ment in that ostensible business should be lo- man. cated even temporarily in that apparently Gerald had little chance to indulge in these uninhabited region, anc the most paunne sup- reflections or to wonder at the man, as the start position was that there might be an illicit for shore was begun, and all his powers were | distillery near by, from which supplies were brought into play. being drawn, At the first he chose to strike out for him- On a nearer view of the occupants of the flat- self, but soon grew weary, and laid his hand, as_ boat, the castaways saw that one was a man a matter of course, on the shoulder of his _ somewhat older than Ben Gray, but lerge and friend. robust, and that the other was a tall and strap- The old man was without doubt, as he had de- ping young fellow, ugly to look at, but of pow- clared himse:f to be, a whale for swimming, and erful frame. he easily managed the incumbrance of Gerald, Before they had taken the seats that were aiming steadily toward the shore, and gradual- | pointed out to them, another was added to the ly approaching it without any special exertion, group—a scrawny, angular end big-fisted wo- man, who was probably the mother of one of the men and the wife of the other, and who had taken time to arrange her scanty toilet before she came out. ‘Who are you, strangers?” inquired the old 'man. ‘The yarn you told was a queer one, and I want your names.” ‘‘My name is Gray Gordon,” answered the individual who was mainly addressed, “ and my _ young friend is Gerald Talcott. The yarn was straight enough, and I don’t think it necessary to say any more.” : The man suidenly straightened himself up, and the woman’s dari face was lighted by a transient look of intelligence, ‘ All right,” respended the former, ‘‘ I am Tsra’l Gonder, and this is young Isra’l, and that downward. Something more than half the distance had as they were swept down stream, Ben Gray made a discovery that interested him. ‘‘Soems to mo that I see something down in the bend yonder that looks like a store boat. Do you see it, Geral’? I must call you Gerald for short, you know.” ‘“Than': you; Iam pladthet you do. Yes, sir, I think I see something in the shape of a flaiboat there.” ‘‘ That is' what we must strixe out for, It will be better to com. acros: some human beings than to land in the woous and be compelled to scratch out at ranljom.” At once they staricd avain, and aimed for the is mv wife, Jane Ann. I reckon you'll be wantin’ supposed flatboat, Gerald strixing out for him- to turn in, and ther’s a pile ©’ blankets, and thar’s the floor. Lf you want any whisky, and _kin afford to pay for it—” ‘“Thank you,” interrupted Gordon, ‘‘ but we self at first, and resting on the shoulder of his friend when he became tired. By following implicitly the directions that had | been given him, he impeded Gray’s movements don’t drink.” but slightly,and made the task of swimming _ ‘* That’s queer ag’in. easy enough for both of them, | finish out our sleep.” The old man put in some of his best work un- | When the three had filed out of the room and til they had got fairly into the bend, where the | gone to sleep, Gera'd Talcott, who was wea current was slower than ‘in the outer river, and _ and sleepy, was inclined to lie right down in his then he eased off, allowing Gerald to swim for _ wet clothing and seek repose; but bis compan- himself. | ion was more wakeful as well as more suspici- As the youth had by this time recovered his | ous, strength and gained a little valuable experience, | He stepped silently to the door that had just he did very well, and in fact needed no further been closed, and listened to the mumbling of on assistance. | indistinct conversation that came through the They reached the bend a little above the ob- thin partition. ject at which they had aimed, and could then | After a while he stepped back softly, and easily perceive that it was a small flatboat, | seated himself at the side of his drowsy young probably a storeboat. | friend, No lights were visible on it, but of coursethere , ‘‘ You will heave to keep as wide awake as must be people on board, and the rest and re- | you can, Gerald,” he whispered. ‘I am afraid freshment it promised would come in good time that we have gct into a tight place. I don’t to the two castaways. like the look of things here, and am inclined After striking the comparatively still water to believe that our friends in yonder want to they easily swam down to the boat, which lay rob us.” against the bank at the lower part of the bend, ‘““T have precious little about me,” answered out of the way of the force of the current, Gerald, ‘‘ and they are welcome to that.” It had the appearance of an elongated box, ‘But you must remember that you can’t get with a space of a few feet at each end that was home without money. For my part, | have not boxed in, a slightly curved roof, a long several handred dollors of wet money in my steering-oar, and two sweeps on swivels that pockets, and they wen’t be welcome to a dollar were operated from the roof. of it. It is lucky that we are at this end of Then we'll go beck and Ben Gray was the first to clamber upon. the : the boat, and can step out and go ashore if | uv-stream end of the craft, and he assisted his | we want to.” young friend, who had become quite exhausted | Gordon stole to the door, tried it, and step- y his swimming. | ped back to hisfriend. | As no person was in sight, the old man gave | ‘‘It’s no use,” be whispered. “The door is fastened. That shows that they mean business, and what kind of business they mean,” Gerald was then instantly wice awake and appreciative of the situation. ‘*We can easily burst open that door,” he behind sureested. | him, both armed, appeared at the opening. ‘* Yes, and then we would be sure to havea «} wr) , * - : t . r * . ' \ hail from within, followed by the noise of some- body moving about. A light was struck inside, the door was short- 5 ; = eee . —- - _ -- * — : A "4 - _ ——— SS... sl i _ 2 : rm = ee eae Oe ace 4 _" OL => “* (E(0)