The Boy Soldier; Or, Garibaldi's Young Captain — page 94: what you’re looking at

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

88 THE BOY SOLDIER; OR, GARIBALDI’S YOUNG CAPTAIN. “ Yes, me.” “ How do you make that out?” “Why, I discovered him first.” “No, you didn’t.” “But I say I did,’ was the angry response of the first speaker, “ And if you did, what of that?” asked the third. “Ain’t we going share and share alike?” the fourth inquired. “ Not a bit of it,” said the first. ‘‘Grumble as much as you like ; it won’t benefit you much. Ask the surgeon if I didn’t discover him first or not.” “Well, if you did, it don’t matter much; we shall all have equal shares,” “I’m glad you think go,” laughed the first ; “ but Z don’t, my lads,”’ ‘But, you can’t help yourself,” the second said, with an oath, and a flashing eye. “Can’t 1? What do you mean by scowling at me in such a fierce style as that,eh? I tell you I can.” “Well, if we don’t have shares, I don’t see why we should trouble ourselves about carrying the youth any farther,” said two at once, Oh, that’s it, eh ?” said the first speaker, with a fierce look. ‘“Then-lay him down beside this group of trees, and I’ll soon tell you what J think about it. If you don’t help to carry him into camp I'll make you.” “Come, comrades, come, let us have no more bloodshed; enough has been spilt already, I think,” “ And more will follow if there are many words over it.’ . ““Y'lt tell you what we’ll do,” said one. ‘ Let us cast lots to see who shall have the largest share of the reward.” “Not me.” “Nor me.” “ Well, then, let us cast dice for it,” “ That’s better,” “Do you agree ?” ‘* Yes,”’ said two. “I don’t,” the first one snarled. ‘ Whoever wins, matters little to me; I’ll have the reward, aye, every florin of it, or the life of him who op- poses me.” ‘You talk very bravely,” said one, “and as if there were not three of us against you.” “T care not if there were a dozen,” said the first one, curling his moustachoes in high anger, During this altercation the four soldiers arrived at the edge of a small plantation. They deposited the body beneath a tree, and walked some few yards away to throw dice to see who should have the reward of one thousand florins offered for the capture of Frank Ford. At first they threw their dice in a very quiet manner, but in a few moments began to quarrel in a terrible style, heedless of the poor youth, who lay unconscious under the trees, _The first speaker, from his habitual good luck in dice throwing, was induced to join in, particularly as the highest score only reached twenty-four in three throws, “I can always beat that number, Ha! ha!” he said, ‘so there ain’t much hazard about it,” He did throw. The total came to twenty-four, It was a tie, He bit his Jip, and cursed at his disappointment, “Never threw so low in all my life,” said he, ‘ Let’s try again,” With a face flushed with an ger the first one sat down by the roadside, and seized the dice-box, Lp) tenet: bee ee -< lod “ A tie was it?” “Yes; the last was,” “Then I have the first chance ?”’ “Yes ; you lead off.” The first throw was twelve, at which he grumbled, The next time he had three fives up. ‘* Not bad that,” said one, “Oh! he’s the perfect devil at dice,” said another. “Look at that! look! there’s luck !” He had thrown two fives and a six. “ That’s good play,” said one of the two, who had lost. “‘ Why, that makes a total of forty-three.”’ The player tossed the dice-box from him with an air of indifference to his antagonist, who smiled darkly as he rattled the box. “Three fives that time,” said one. Not a bad beginning. He threw again. “Eighteen this time,’ said the player, with a triumphant laugh. He turned up three sixes. “ That’s not fair,” said the first player. ‘Tt 18s “Tt was fair,” said one or two. ““Go on, then; let’s see what he turns,up this time.” The last throw counted eighteen. “‘ Bravo |” “Well done.” “ve thrown fifty-one in all,’’ said the player. ‘against forty-three. The reward is mine !” “You lie!” said the thwarted gambler; “you didn’t play fair,” “The lie stick in your throat, rascal !” said the successful one. ‘“ Take that !’ He struck his rival on the cheek with his heavy leathern gauntlet. In a moment swords were drawn. ““ Keep them asunder, comrades !” cried one, “Stand aside till I cleave the skull of this dice- sharper !’’ said the loser, LEE SEELETON CREW/. HIP, HURRAH! BOYS, HURRAH!! HURRAH!!! THREE CHEERS FOR WILDFIRE NED! READ! READ!! READ!!! This great sensation Work of the day, how young WILDFIRE NED, ON SEA AND LAND, TRACKED THE SEELETON CREW OF PIRATES! EXTRACT :— “*My footsteps shall follow you, Phillip Redgill, for ever!” sighed-a voice, in sepulchral tones. ‘*Phillip Redgill!” gasped the money-searching murderer, **that is my realmname. Oh, God! itis the voice of the mur- dered man, And yet he is here, lifeless, and legless. Hark! What footsteps are those I hear? Who could have limbed him thus ?’’ While Bolton, or Phillip Redgill, as the spirit voice now rightly called him, stood trembling thus, the ghostly voice said loudly again— “* Beware, Phillip Redgill! my footsteps shall follow you for ever !”* Dropping the blood-stained bludgeon beside the body, Phillip Redgill rushed from the room, dashed down stairs, opened the back door, and ran towards the orchard. He mounted his horse, and was abont to start off at a furious gallop, when he gave a sharp, horror-stricken shout at some- thing he saw! The gory, phantom legs of the Squire stood bolt upright in the snow beside him ! “‘ Phillip Redgill, I follow you !” ene TB SAErSE plunged spurs into his steed, and dashed from e@ spot ! ~NOW READY, WITH A GRAND PRESENT, GRATIS, THE SKELETON CREW. JA GY GComichbooksnco