The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED. 13 massacre the coachman, butler, and every one, indeed, who did not believe him. Order, however, was soon restored among them, and when the supper bell rang all repaired in great haste to the servants’ hall to hear the various odds and ends of the footman’s strange adventure. They were all seated round the table, playing sad havoc with rounds of beef and good old ale, when all at once the lamps went out ! Roger would have fled on the instant, but he was afraid of being afterwards branded as a coward, and, therefore, remained in his seat, but felt very uneasy. The French cook, at the head of the table, left his chair to go for other lamps. At the moment that lights reappeared the whole assembly were struck dumb at what they then saw. Behind the chair of each there stood one of the Skeleton Crew ! They would have shouted out loudly, but one of the Skeletons, who appeared to be chief of the party, said, sternly, and in a sepulchral tone, to a gigantic Skeleton, “The first one that stirs—the first one that speaks above his breath, despatch him !” Roger groaned inwardly, and felt more dead than alive. Tim wriggled on his chair like a half-skinned eel, The chief cook’s eyes were wildly dancing, and his long working cap rose up to a prodigious height, while, with open mouth, he stood shivering and shaking, The others were in a state of collapse, and aimost slipped off their seats, while they looked about in trembling fear. The chief of the Skeleton Crew made a sign to some of his grim attendants to listen to all he had to say. Turning to the chief cook, butler, and pantryman he said, in a sharp, hissing tone, *“Wine—the best—quick !” Roger and Tim rose from their seats like a shot, but were each slapped on the head by a hard bony hand, which made their jaws rattle again. Three grim skeleton guards followed the cook, butler, and pantryman, to see that their captain’s orders were carefully obeyed. The wine was soon produced, ‘“Where are the silver Beblek ?” the chief asked sternly. These were soon found. Each skeleton filled his goblet to the brim, and raised it aloft. ‘‘Here’s to the Skeleton Crew of the Phantom Ship !”’ he said ; ‘“‘ confusion to our enemies.” In a moment the wine was quaffed. The terrified servants did not know what was coming next, and looked on gasping like so many stranded fish. ‘Remove the table,” said the chief; “let us have plenty of room, we have much business to do.” ‘They are going to murder every mother’s son of us,” groaned Roger. Tim began to think seriously of saying some short prayer, But they had to swallow their own feelings and fears, nor did any of them dare speak, for behind each stood a skeleton, dagger in hand, The table was removed to one corner of the inner servants’ hall. The domestics were now‘sitting ina circle, face to face. ‘The rope,” said the Skeleton Chief, hoarsely. In an instant each of his crew produced a long stout rope, about two inches round, and flourished it before the eyes of their captain with a savage grin. ‘““T thought so,” groaned Roger. dear |” “ All U.P. now,” Tim groaned, “They wouldn't believe me,” said the footman. “ Good-bye everybody,” said Tim. Roger and Tim had another sound thwack on the jaws from their skeleton guardians, which shook every tooth in their heads. “Sling your ropes,” said the grim Skeleton Chief, quaffing more wine. In a moment each threw one end of his rope up in the air over the numerous beams and rafters of the servants’ hall. “ Make each his noose ; mind they fit their necks “nicely.” * Oh, the cold-blooded rascals !” “The merciless villains !” “Mercy !” “Have pity on us,” gasped the servants, as the Skeletons were making the noose in each rope. “If they speak again despatch them with your daggers,” said the chief. ‘“‘ Hanging is better than that,” sighed Roger, ‘‘so I'll keep quiet. I hope my turn will come last, though,” he piously prayed. “Give the rascals five minutes to say their prayers,’’ said the chief, with a gruff laugh. “Tt won't do them any good, great chief,” said one of the Skeletons ; ‘they are sure to go to the devil.” “Yes, oh, yes,” gasped Roger, “five minutes— say ten, only make it ten, or a quarter of an hour, and it-will do us a world of——h-o-o0! ha! ho-oh!”’ A knife glittered before the footman’s eyes ere he had finished his sentence, and he sank upon his knees very humbly and meekly, If any lot of poor wretches ever prayed fervently they did so on this occasion, Roger, who seldom had said a prayer in all his life before, fired away very rapidly. Each one was endeavouring to pray more than the other, and the most wicked among them were loudest. ‘‘Be quick,” said the chief, sternly, ‘‘ be quick with your praying ; the hanging must commence at once. We will begin with the men.” Many of the servants called down more hearty curses on the Skeleton Band than they did blessings on their own heads during their prayers; but it was useless to offer resistance, for each was in the power of a grim, gaunt enemy, ** Rise !’? said the Skeleton Chief. All the servants did so, except Roger. “Rise,” said the Skeleton. ‘‘ Don’t you know we are in a hurry?” “JT haven’t finished my prayers yet,” piously gasped the suddenly converted footman, ‘How long does it take you?” asked one of the Skeletons, chuckling. “ All night sometimes,” said Roger, with a sigh. “Oh, dear! oh, CONMICVOOKSaoCGOM