Jack and His Seven Foes — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER LVIIL IN THE SILVER SETTLEMENT—THE SETTLERS BOY—A DASTARDLY DEED. Hatrway up a big hill, part of a“ spur” | of hills branching off the Rocky Moun- tains, was the Silver Settlement, with a little community numbering about two hundred souls. They were all diggers, men, women, and children, each doing what they could in the search for the precious ore. There was not a bachelor in the place. All were married men, mostly with families, varying from eight possessed by Dick Merryweather, to one belonging to Harold Deane. The latter was an Englishman, and a ‘man of good family. The university education his father gave him had not done him any good at home or abroad, but in the Old Country he stood on the borders of starvation, and in the new land he prospered. His wife was a lady, and therefore made no fuss about adapting herself to circumstances. She, both at home and abroad, was admired by all the men, and respected by the women, and had two things she loved ever near her. These were her husband, and Hugh, her son, a boy of eleven years of age. He was a bright-eyed, merry little fellow, who laughed and sung both at work and play, beloved by everybody. He was a little trapper, too, and could snare a rabbit or a hare as well as any poacher. By his cleverness in this way the Deanes often had good fare for themselves, and occasionally something to give their neighbours. One morning the little community awoke at dawn as usual, and after a hurried breakfest, began their labours. Time was precious, it truly meant money to them, and they allowed them- selves bare time to eat, drink, and sleep. Little Hugh and his parents were among the first to appear, and Hugh said he would first go and look to some snares he had set lower down the hill. ‘In a famous place,” he said, with a laugh. ‘ Right in the thick of a lot of bushes, just the other side of the wood. I’1l not be long.” JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. They waved their hands to him, and the boy sped away. With heht hearts they went to their work. The husband dug the earth, and the wife washed it in a “cradle ’”’ with some. water from the rill that ran down the hill close by. So half-an-hour passed. “Hugh is a long time away,” said Mrs. Deane. “Time is always long to you when he is absent,”’ answered the husband. They went on with their work for another quarter of an hour or so. Then the anxious mother stopped again. ‘Hugh has never been so long before,” she said. “The young dog has gone on a little way to set his snares,” said the father. ‘‘T wish I could see him,” said Mrs. Deane. She shaded her eyes with her hand, and looked down the slope. A little farther down there was the wood, as it was called, a mere clump of trees, beyond which Hugh had gone. There were no signs of the boy. ‘‘T wish, Harold,’’ she said, ‘“‘ that you would go and find him.” ‘My dear wife,” he said, “‘ what harm can have come to him?” “T don’t know, and yet I am very. anxious. Will you go?” “Tf you like,” said Harold Deane, and laid down his tools. Putting on his coat, by sheer gentle- manly instinct, he strolled down the slope, passed through the wood, soitly whistling, and on the other side came upon Hugh. He was kneeling, and his head was close to the earth, as if setting a snare. ‘Now, Mr. lLazybones,”’ said the father, jocosely, “give up that sort of fun; your mother is nervous about ou.” The boy did not stir. With a sudden chill upon him, Harold Deane went hurriedly up to the lad, and in a moment all the light of his hfe was gone. a ee are ach) Se eee IN are ga LT he kh on NRC A cS (EO) CONINCELMO@ i im be at yy A] A