Jack and His Seven Foes — page 117: what you’re looking at

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

108 JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. Makepeace Jibber sat up. “There he goes,” he said, looking at Jack’s retreating form; ‘‘ cool—as—a— cowcumber. Talk of strategy—this beats all. It’s a good thing for the Bolter that he was in front.” “Ts he hurt?” they asked. Makepeace Jibber turned his follower over, opened his shirt, and pointed to a small round hole over the region of his heart. 3 ‘Whenever vou see a man jump as he did,” he said, ‘‘ you can tell where the bullet’s knocked and entered. Poor Bolter! he’ll never dodge a New York policeman again.” “We'd better bury him anyhow,” said one of the men. “There’s a job for them as likes 11,” rephed Jibber, as he walked off. He went to the place where they had been camping, and was soon joined by the Swaggerer and the Panther. Both were gloomy, and Makepeace Jibber looked very savage. ‘This 1s a nice business of yours,” he said. ‘‘ Robbed me of one of my best men.” ‘Well, there’s three of us,” replied the Swaggerer. “Tt would take about nine of you to make one hke him,” rephed Jibber. “And yet,’ he added, sarcastically, ‘vou all run pretty well.” “i scan tell. how is, “said the Swageerer, wiping his forehead with his coat-sleeve. ‘‘A sort of spell comes over me when I meet that fellow; and yet there’s nothing in him—he’s only a boy.” “His shooting is pretty,” said Jibber. “‘T knew, the moment he took aim, that the Bolter’s clock would be stopped. | Durn me, it was a close shave for more than one!” “IT suppose our contract’s broken,” sald the Swaggerer, after a pause. “TI won’t say that,” said Jibber. “ 111 look about and see how the land lies. We've failed in daylight, and we’ll try the night next.” A rough form of burial was given to the Bolter, and that work being done, the men came in—a solemn, dispirited Jot, and their tempers not at all im- proved when they learnt that the money, for which they had committed two cruel murders, had been taken away. “ Some people bring bad luck to a gang, they muttered, and angry glances | were cast at the trio whom they con- sidered had ovorought trouble upon them. The Swaggerer tried to make light of their tooks, and to win them over by banter. “Of course,’ he said, “we are to blame. We told the Bolter to keep on ahead and make himself a sure mark for the enemy. Isn’tit so, Jibber?”’ “Oh, you be skinned,’ muttered Jibber. ‘‘Now, just you look here. We'll have another go at this youngster, | and 1f we don’t bring it off, then I cry off; | “And they had better be off,’ said one of the men, with a meaning nod. And the others gruffly responded— “That's so.’ “Very good,” said the Swaggerer, with affected ease. ‘If anything goes wrong the second time we'll cut the Bowie Boys.” The afternoon was now clear, and the snow having ceased to fall, they were able to rearrange their rude camp, and make it more comfortable. But it was a poor resting-place at the best, as they could have no fire. In front they made a wall of snow, breast-high, which made the place warm, and could take the place of an earth- work in case of attack. Outside this, as the mieht drew on, Makepeace Jibber decided to keep a sentry. “And as this hullabaloo is all about you and your pals,” he said to the Swaggerer, ‘ you had better do the work between you.” “ Naturally,” rephed the Swaggerer ; “itis just what I expected.” This arrangement could have but one issue, and that was the appointment of the Sneezer to the post. “You will take first watch,” said the Swagegerer. “Qh, yes, I know,” rephed the hap- less Sneezer ; “‘ first watch all night, as Vve done before... Mind I don’t run away.” “Where will you go to?” asked the Swaggerer. ‘* Do vou forget the Panta- loon? He might have been alive now if he had kept with us.” “That’s what you say,” said the COMNICOOCKS.CO