The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

—_——— _-+-—— ---- er" — 20 TUE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDIS YOUNG CAPTAIN. wee ee eee eee ——————————_ ee ‘‘Then where is my letter?” ‘‘ They sent it off to her father.” ‘Who will, of course, tell all to Flint, and he to. his triumphant son.” ‘‘ But she cares nothing for him.” “That remains to be proved,” said Frank, with a sigh ; “he may do me much mischief, but if he dares step in between me and Nelly Laucaster I'll kill him like a dog.” . “And right, too,” said Mark; “and so would I if any one dared interfere with me and little Polly, the young housemaid at the seminary; so help me, bob, I would.” “So Polly told you all this?” *‘ She did, and said as how she’d found out that Nelly, for a time, had been removed out of your way to a seminary, at a place in France called Marseilles.” “Marseilles ! ’tis the very place I’m going to, Mark,” said Frank, with a flushed face, “Tl find her if I search for my whole life ; she never shall give her hand and heart to that dastard, Joel Flint, I know what his father is aiming at, and striving for. Icannot be mistaken.” — “ You going to France?” asked Mark, in surprise. “France, yés; and from there to join Garibaldi, If I do not find Nelly I care not if I’m shot dead in the first battle we're engaged in.”’ ‘Fight for Garibaldi,” said Mark, looking thought- ful, ‘ going to help him for the cause of liberty ?” ‘Yes, Mark,” “Then I am one in the same cause, I'rank ; come, take me,” Mark said, with a flushed face, and full of enthusiasm. “ You, Mark?” “Yes, me. Come, say the word, Frank; we are foster-brothers, you know, and have been nourished at the same mother’s breast ; we have laughed to- gether, played together, slept together, quarrelled and fought together. Why not let me go with you, and, if need be, let us die together !” In a moment the two foster-brothers clasped each other in their arms, and tears flowed down the cheeks of both. “So be it, then, Mark,” said Frank ; “ yours is in truth a true, bold heart; come, then, let us live together, and, as you say, ‘if need be, let us dic together,’ ”’ CHAPTER IX, ELLEN LANCASTER’S HIDING-PLACE DISCOVERED— MEETING OF THE LOVERS—PERILOUS POSITION OF FRANK FORD—MUTUAL VOWS—THE FAT BOY AT SEA—HE HAS A GLORIOUS SALT-WATER BATH—BUTTONS TURNS NURSE, THE prospect of a short sea voyage across the Eng- lish Channel, from Dover to Calais, greatly delighted Buttons and the Fat Boy, who never in their lives before had seen salt water. The first thing that the Fat Boy did, therefore, to prepare himself for such a trip was to stuff him- ‘self at the inn with edibles and drinkables to such an extraordinary extent that he Seemed swollen out to double his crdinary size. In truth his clothes were much too small for him at any time, but on the present occasion his buttons went popping off in all directions, and he looked like some enormous pudding when helped on*board by Buttons and some other good-natured Gari- baldiang, Young Buttons went so far in his mirth as to hint the necessity of ducking” the Fat Boy in the sea-water, but this proposition roused the corpulent youth from his half-sleepy state, and he threatened a thousand things against the mischievous but fro- licsome page. When they got on board, and the steamer had started, all went well for a time, and the young Garibaldians sang songs in right merry style assisted in no small degree by the stentorian lungs of Mark, and the small voice of Joe Morton, the rescued boy, who seemed to be the gayest of the gay among them, Poor Joe felt delighted that his sister had been placed in a comfortable home in London by Frank and Hugh Tracy, and seemed to care little for him- self, since he was now on his way to Italy, where, as he said, his only brother had gone to long before. A few hours of fast travelling by steamboat and an express train found the young Garibaldians safe at Marseilles, full of fun, and ripe for mischief, Buttons soon recovered from his salt water bath when they arrived at Calais. Not so the Fat Boy, however. He would not recover, but had to be carried about by his comrades, who heartily swore at him, It was not until he had been. put into a warm and comfortable bed in Marseilles, and several draughts of good old brandy had been imbibed that he showed any signs of vigorous iife again. Buttons was ordered to sit by his bedside and attend him. : This he did faithfully enough, nor did he forget to help himself to many of the good things which were especially prepared for the fat volunteer. Even in sleep Fatty thought of the sea, and all of a sudden, while dreaming, he imagined himself to be desperately swimming for his life. In one of these moods he struck out his hands so violently and vigorously that he knocked Buttons and the astonished French landlord sprawling on the floor, But while the young Garibaldians were strolling about the town in their red shirts and plumed hats, seeing all the sights, and smoking cigars, Frank went forth in all haste to seek Nelly Lancaster at the English Seminary, ‘ ig much exertion he discovered her hiding- place, His heart beat wildly with excitement. She was found ! He espied her at a first floor window of the Eng- lish Seminary, looking out upon the glorious sunset, ‘* Nelly !”’ he cried, In an instant she recognised him ! With a faint scream and tearful eyes she gazed down upon him, How was he to reach her? She was far beyond his reach, he knew, and his heart throbbed with anguish. “Are you alone?” he asked. “Yes,” was the faint reply of the sobbing girl, “T cannot get out, Frank !” ‘‘No matter,” said Frank; “if you cannot get out J can get in, my lassie.” On the instant his resolution was formed, He clambered up the water-pipe with the agility of a young monkey as he was. In a few moments, and before Nelly could raise any cry of alarm, he stood with one foot on her balcony, yet still holding on to the water-pipe for support, * In an instant the pipe fell to the ground with a loud smash ! Frank's position was perilous in the extreme, Both his feet slipped from under him. Next moment he would have been dashed to the ground |! Comicboo