Jack and His Seven Foes — page 182: what you’re looking at

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

J * E hh - said, “‘and we are saved men. yt fe re. a ee *4 | JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. — ; : * ¢ ‘<3 “Tee foot Beand runs ewift and strone. From Oe ET argue that it has an open course from the land above, and does not filter through.” ‘‘ Good argeyment,” said Ralph. “By piacing my hand in it, I find which way it runs, and our upward “way is clear.” Hope once more took possession of them, and they set forward again. A gradual incline by the side of the water gave them an easy path. But it was so pitehy dark that they were constantly blundering into the stream, so that, in a few minutes, not one of them was dry shod. “But what matters?” said Jack. “T’ve borne more for a less: welcome friend without grumbling.” So up and up they went, with the sensation of the air growing each moment lighter. Hope was very strong within them now. | “A lght ahead!” cried Ralph. It was more of a gasp thana cry mee sprang from his lips.- The other looked, and saw nothing. “You are fancying it, Ralph,” said Jack. ‘“‘ No, no,” said the old trapper ; “ I’ve eyes like a cat, and can see the faintest gleam of light. There it is again! Now I have it—now it’s lost. There it is, clear ahead. Moonlight, as I’m a man mercifully spared.”’ They all looked, and saw ahead an oval-shaped patch of light that might have been a silver shield hung up in the darkness. But Ralph understood its nature. “Yon’s the mouth of the cave,” he Master J ack, keep it right afore you. Don’t lose it for a moment.” Jack answered with a glad shout, and ignoring many a stumbling, hurried on, and, breathless with eager haste, emerged from the mouth of the cave, into which the little rivulet that had saved them ran. It was all so sudden that they could scarcely believe their eyes. Before them was a deep valley, and a mountain towering to the sky. Over- head the moon and stars. For a few moments all stood still, too —+ -—- See a; DEDEDE INTs IE PDB DI Ii Gin ell Eb s mee Ey lp Pee 4 ‘ 3 thankful for their wondrous escape to give vent to their joy in words. Instinetively they all removed their hats, and stood with their heads bent down, feeling like men risen from the dead. “Tf ever I go ten feet underground again while I live, ”” said Ralph, em it be my fate to remain there.” ‘““Ttis an experience to be remembered in after years,” said Harold Deane. “While we live,” added Jack. “J know this country,” said Ralph; “von’s the Black Mountain, here behind us is the Silver Mountain, and on the other side is the settlement. “We've come right through the mountain,’’ said Deane. ‘As near as may be.” “Wemust get back,” said Jack; “ friends will be anxious about us.” ‘Dear lad,” said Ralph, “the road round is a winding one—a good twelve miles to the settlement. You can’t do ite” our said Jack. ‘“* Let I go on.” ’ said Ralph, ‘“T can and will,” them rest who choose ; “Tf you will you must,’ “and VU go with you.” But Jack insisted that he remain. ‘“T can see,’ he said, “that you are all worn out with fatigue and excite- ment, while I seem to have had my vigour renewed. that prompts me to believe that the end of my long journey of vengeance is at hand.’ “But suppose you meet your foes?” said Deane. ‘They are two to one.” ‘“T may not meet them,” said Jack, “nor do I see how it could be so. But something within me says ‘Go on,’ and I must go, and go alone.” «We will rest a bit and follow,” Deane. In truth they were all worn out, except the wondrous youth who had been their leader, and with him it did indeed seem as if he had received new strength. “Tt is not easy to miss my way if I keep the Silver Mountain on the zh a he said, and, with a strangely buoyant step, left them. should said — (e(6) JOO 1 one may A feeling is on me. SS (E(0)