Cheer Boys Cheer: The Boys' Journal, No. 62 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

- 36 PAGES. “Tt have,’ Quinthred answered, and he went to grope for the lantern, Gawler going with him, because he dared not stay behind. But when the thing was recovered, Quinthred found that after all le had no mateh. He must have pulled the box out of his pocket with the ball of string, and it had fallen without his hearing it. No further sound of either,man or dog had come; and Gawla@#was beginning to lose some of his fear. But now a new dread assailed him. “ How are we going to get back?’’ he asked. ‘It’s as black as a nigger down here.. Fifty to one we miss our way !”” “Tecan find answered positively. He had dropped the small ball of twine still left him, but he knew it must be lying not far away. He groped for it in the black darkness. ‘** What are you doing?’’ demanded. Gawler. “Oh, mind your own business!’ retorted Quinthred, whose temper was a bit on edge. “Tt is my business! I helieve you’re trying to do a bolt and leave me !”’ “Believe what you choose! It’s no odds to me! For the matter of that, I haven’t accepted any con- tract to get you out of here. I don’t care a hang if you never get out!” Silence fell upon that statement. Gawler scarcely knew what to say. Into the silence struck a sound— a voice far away. Then came another long-drawn, howling wail. “It is a ghost!’ burbled the Rooshian. Quinthred did not reply, but it was on the tip of his tongue to say that the ghost must be Irish, and with a dog in its company; for his ears were far sharper than Gawler’s, and he had caught something that sounded like: : “Och, come on wid ye, ye spal- peen !” Gawler’s presence and the absence of a light kept him from investi- gating; but, naturally, he was not without a good deal of curiosity as to what this might mean. He had found the ball of string now, how- ever, and the best course for them seemed getting back without delay. “ Catch hold of my coat,’ he said. “ All right,”’ replied Gawler, and clutched it in a grip that showed he had no intention of risking his companion’s getting too far ahead. Quinthred’s ears caught the sound of pattering feet. Gawler heard nothing. The other fellow learned later on that the Rooshian’s hearing was somewhat defective — which, perhaps, accounted for his roaring voice. “Oh, something’s bitten me!’’ Something rubbed against Quin- thred’s legs. He put down his ee and felt the rough head of a og. A warm tongue licked his hand. The dog evidently distinguished . between him and Gawler. It had bitten the bully; it wanted to it.2 Quinthred make friends with him. thred laughed. “What are you cackling at, you idiot?’ blared out the bully. “Something bit me, I tell you!” “Rummy ghosts they have round these farts !’” was Quinthred’s reply. The dog was no longer there. Quinthred stopped, and strained his ears for any sound of its going or any token of its master’s near presence, but he could hear nothing. “What are you stopping for?” *T shall stop when [I like, and go on when I choose! I didn’t ask for your company, and I don’t in the least want it!’ was the reply. Quin- 1 Gawler rushed up to the crease and beret man’s head. The ball took Quinthred on the le to the ground like one shot. “T say, Quinthred, be decent! We're in a nasty hole, it seems to me, and it’s not a bit of good squabbling.” “Shut up, then! I can stand you if you don’t talk, I dare say !”’ The bully lapsed into silence. -Quinthred led on again, feeling his way by the string. He had to be careful, for he recognised the fact that 1% would be uncommonly awk- ward if the string should break; and, moreover, he had no notion of letting the Rooshian know how it came about that he was sure of his way. EVERY TUESDAY. ONE PENNY. 19 A few minutes passed in laborious progress. No further sound of man or dog came to Quinthred’s ears. They were now in the thick of the bad air. “Are you sure you're right?’ asked Gawler anxiously. “Do you want to lead?’’ snapped Quinthred. The blood. drummed in _ his temples; the top of his head felt as if it were being lifted off, and the Rooshian’s clutch of his coat had become a nuisance almost unbear- able. Now they came to the narrowest part of the passage, and Gawler threw the ball at the bats- ft temple, and he dropped stumbled continually against one wall or another. “TI believe you’re right,”’ tered. ‘“‘ This seems like——’ “Oh, shut up, do!’ Quinthred returned irritably. He had disliked the Rooshian very heartily before; from now on, he felt, he would loathe him absolutely. That companionship in the black darkness might well have drawn together two fellows in whom was any capacity for mutual liking. But these two were altogether too far apart. : Just as Quinthred began to feel e mut- > — lala as (@\aVla\a\ (a rr rr, COMMU ONOO <n Cola