The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 61: what you’re looking at

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

5 P : —————— od THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. 55 “Then I will go and visit all our fellows on guard, and put them up to our move, shall I?” ~ {{ Yes; and tell jem not to show themselves to the Austrians, for they are very vigilant on the riyer igs -night. If they were to know we were so near 7em, Buttons, they would land a regiment in uo time, and then it would bevall U- P ap ug? “ All right, trust to me ; J’ll tell ’em.? | So saying, Buttons crept away Sitcagetly the trees, and left Fatty at his post. _ In a few moments the Fat Boy, while passing actos the river-—all the Austrian. guards on the opposite bank—faintly heard the splash of ap- proaching oars. = He cocked his big ears, and opened his eyes in wonder. ~ Jerusalem ! he gasped. ‘‘ Why,-here’s a boat and two men coming across,. What are they up to, T wonder? What's their little game ? Surely they can’t have found us out already:?” _ Now, some boys in Fatty’s position would have felt alarmed, and roused ‘all the soldiers, But he didn} ‘be *‘T’ll see what they are up es ifirst,” he thought, “and if one lands I'll brain him, that’s all.” 97" He hid behind a huge tree, The boat came nearer and nearer without noise, and managed to reach the Italian side .through dense shadows without being perceived by any of the young Garibaldiaus on the look out, who, might have fired. They reached the shore, and one man stepped out of the boat. ‘*You ain’t afraid to go, are you?” asked he in the boat. “Me? No. What makes you think so?” “Why, you looked pale coming across, and seemed uneas eS Did I? Well, the truth was, as we came across I thought. I saw the glitter of bayonets in these woods here,” - “Bayonets? Ha! ha! what nonsense! Why, none of the Italians are within twenty miles of here ; there are none outside of Milan, Crema or Brescia. Ha! ha! what would the Archduke Albrecht think if any one told him that his chief secret’ agent, Major Andre, was afraid to crosstheriver? Ha!ha!”’ ‘ Well, laugh as you will,” the officer replied, “I dare say T don’t look much ‘like a major now, do 1, with this peasanit’s dress on ?”’ “No; it’s a capital disguise. Where are you bound for this time ?” ‘“Milan ; we have several Austrian agents there unknown to Victor Emanuel, who’ regularly, supply the Court of Vienna with news of all military moge- ments going on. The archducke has received much information of late, and he wants me to go and see with my own eyes ‘whether the Htalians are on the move or not, for a great battle is expected.” Well, good luck to you, major,” said the boat- man, who was also an officer; ‘ good luck attend you. When do you intend to return tae In ten days. If you do not see or hear of me in that time you may rest assured I have been dis- covered and cast into prison, Good night.’’ ““ Good night.” The Austitian watched the boat disappear, and then he clambered up the river bank with a quick and nimble step. As he came nearer to Fatty it was ‘leary seen that he was a person of superior rank and con- dition, He was tall, powerful and active. Batty, behind his tree, eyed the major tile a cat does a mouse. The Fat Boy trembled with excitement, for the Austrian was near him. “Halt !” said Fatty, suddenly darting out, sword and pistol in hand, ‘' Half] surrender or die! ! No gammon, mind yer |” The Austrian was staggered. In an instant he jumped on one side out of Fatty’s way, and tumbled head over’ heels down the bank again and disappeared | Fatty was astonished | As well he might have been, for the Austrian tumbled with the ease of an acrobat! _ Who'd ever a thought it ?? gasped Mr. Waddle- duck, in amazement. “Why, he made.a double sommersault backwards, and’ has broken his eee for certain. But where the deuce has he gone to? should much like to captuze him; he’s the best tumbler'I ever see, beats all the travelling circuses hollow !” But while Tony stood, looking down the steep bank after the missing Austrian, and knowing not what to do, he heard a scuffle going on in the bushes just below him, near the river. ‘“ Hillo! what’sthat? Hasa rattlesnake got hold of him? What a scuffle it is |” “ Help! help!” said a voice in English. In a moment, as if aroused from his stupor of surprise, Tony slipped down the bank, and rushed to the rescue, He was confounded to find that the Austrian was struggling with two of the Boy Band, who had per- ceived him, One of them had been struck on the head with a stone. The Austrian was bleeding from a seyere cut in the face, and lay on his back endeavouring to rid himself of a second boy, who was straddled across his chest, and had handeuffed him! This boy was little Corporal Buttons ! “Phunder and lightning!” said’ Tony, ain’t you, is it, Buttons 2” ‘Ves, it’s me. Why didn’t you crack him on the head when you had him? He’s safe now. I per- ceived the whole affgir, His fall stunned him, bound him ee Ben foot while but half- -conscious. He fought well, though, and almost kicked the life out of Jake. He tried it on with me; but I was too quick for him.” ** Do-you-mean-for-to-tell-me that this is. the chap as took a back sommerset,” said Tony, look- ing at the prostrate Austrian in wonder, ‘‘and, not dead yeti?’ Well, ‘all Tve' got; to say is, that his bones must be made of cast-iron, and his body of indian rubber, that's all.” The Austrian still struggled to get away; but Fatty reasoned with him in a yery peculiar manner, “Tt’s no use o’ you plunging about in this ere style when you're tied legs and wings, my circus- jumping gentleman, Not a bit o’ use in the world. I knows yer, and avery smart, active gentleman you are, without a doubt. They must have been geod hands at gymnastics where you came from.”’ At the same time be pounded the Austrian in the ribs occasionally, to keep him quiet, and to find out whether he really was miade of india-rubber, — With the assistance of others, Fatty and Buttons, and Jake Somers carried their prisoner up the bank, and marched him off to Krank’s head-quarters. From papers discovered on the prisoner,’ and which he had not time to destroy before pinioned by Jake and Buttons, much very valuable informa- tion was gleaned regarding the Austriam move- ments ; but what it was Frank did not then reveal. After a short consultation with Hugh, Dick, and Mark, Frank made up his mind to go on a secret expedition that same night, EoOmichooksnco “ that