Diamond Dick, Jr.: The Boys' Best Weekly — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

26 DIAMOND DICK, JR. OUT OMFSKEROT. And then to have found this bottle and to have in his possession the key to the hiding-place or prison, of that hero—well his cup was just running over. He suddenly thought of the other bottle. Taking it up, he broke it at once with- out any monkeying, and secured the paper it contained. On opening the paper, however, he found that it was only a duplicate of the other, and he put them both away care- fully in a niche under one-of the seats. That done, he moved to the prow of the boat, where he lay down with his arms hanging over on each side, and in that position he began to paddle with his hands with good results. The boat was carried forward at good speed toward the point where the darky had left his friends. . Meantime, the sun went down, and it was dusk by the time he reached his destination. The watchful Mascot was the first to discover tlie boat coming. “*Ffi-yil’? he cried. ‘‘Wakee up, Hally, and wakee upali yoursnakes! Hear come Blackbejly with boat, no mistakee! Hi- yi! Chin-kum-foo!”’ ‘Wake up, snakes, an’ rub yer eyes open! Durn me ef you ain’t right, Mas- cot, yeaireso! That nig is worth his weight in gold, he is, an’ he is bound ter be one of us!”? “By golly! You fink I was neber comin’??? the Ace o’ Spades just then sang out, ‘Told you I would be heah, an’ heah I am. Got de boat all right, an’ eot somefin’ else, too. Make yo’ eyes stan’ out like pot legs when I show you'’’ *€ Allee samee what is, Blackbelly ?”’ ‘‘Glee-ory to snakes, yas, that’s ther question !°° ‘Got news from Diamond muck Jun- yah, dat’s what hit am.”’ CB pyil? ‘*Giee-ory !”? ‘CAnd he out of sight sliua nuff, I tol’ yo’! Jes! wait till I make dis heah boat fast, an’ den I done tell ye all about it.” The boat was speedily secured, and then, sitting on the edge of the boat with his feet hanging over, the colored youth told all about his adventures and the find- ng of the bottles. . Handseme Harry and the Mascot could hardly contain themselves when they had heard. They were eager to be off to the rescue at once. **Glee-ory to snakes an’ General Andy Anaconda Jackson!’ cried the Serpent of Siskiyou. ‘‘My leetle pardner, son of his dad, a prisoner in a glass house at the bottom of the lake!” ‘“Hi-yil Chin-kum-foo! Chow-chow- how-ow! Allee sainee we got to gettee him out of that fix, Hally, 1f takee all skin off! No tellee what happen to him if we don’t gettee gait on and do some- thing! Blackbelly, you a tlump, no mis- takee!”? ‘*Glee-ory to snakes, yes, he is so! Git inter yer clothes, ebony, and we’ll make haste to git over thar!”’ ‘“But allee samee got to go slow an’ careful,’’ said the Mascot. “slow nothin!’ We’ll go in like ragin’ lions, an’ ef we don’t raise a dust in that neighborhood then I’m no prophet !”’ °° Allee samee makee good lot noise, let | know we coming, they allee samee kill boss before wecan do anything. keepee lap shutt, Hally, and do what I say, else no gvoodee. am “Wrll, all right, Mascot, all irght; but that is what I would like ter doall the gaine,”? ‘*No can ’ford to makee any mistake.” “Colly, no!» Blackberry was putting on his clothes with all haste. In afew moments he was dressed, and the trio got into the boat and shoved off. ‘*Glee-ory !’’ cried Harry. ‘‘Whar’s yer oars ?”? ‘‘Neber you mind ’bout oars,’’ an- swered the Ace o’ Spades. ‘‘Ali I was after was dis heah boat!”? | Yes, but how in tarnation aire we goin’ to git thar?”? ‘‘Allee samee same like Blackbelly gettee here,’’ put in the Mascot. ‘“Dat’s right, > said Junius Brutus. “Pi play dat Vs a steamer, an’? away we goes.” ‘And allee somee want to keepee still, Hally,’? admonished the Mascot. ‘‘No pay to getee discovered, you bettee!”’ ““All right, yaller, ail right. Ul keep Cconniclooolks You. CO