Jack and His Seven Foes — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

uP the Noda 22 JACK AND HiS SEVEN FOS. “Now, all out together,” said the Swaeecrer, “ sharp te the left, then unl the hut, and with our faces to these bee Who follows me?’ Walter Dribbles and Pharaoh Pip- stone, the Pantaloon, would fain have remained under the friendly shelter of goars, well work our way to the hut, but that would put them at the | mercy of the foe. So they fell in with: the rest. “All close together,” said the- Swagegerer, ‘and smart round as soon. as we are outside.” He threw back the door, and they all rushed out. Immediately a yell greeted them, and: the stones came down hike hail. OVP PR UPI EOD Coton PUL’ UWI GA LOd CDM LAL LOI U2 UU Cr to ve CHAPTER VIIT. JACK AND THE SETTLERS—A STORY TOLD AT SUNSET—CLEANSING BY FIRE. Tue Swaggerer, nimble cf foot, suc- ceeded in getting his comrades into the position of protection for himself, and escaped further hurt, but some pretty stiff, blows were received by the others. Jim Black got a stone on the jaw that made his teeth rattle like dice in a box ; Magson was cut.on the head, and Dun- mores ribs were pretty well knocked about by some half-dozen pieces of red sandstone. The Pantaloon was hit a little lower down—jJust where he wore a beit, and in a breathless condition stargeréd after the others. Walker Dribbles was unhurt until the party had retreated round the hut, where they paused a moment to regain oreath. The delay was fatal to Dribbles, for a stone about the size,of an ostrich’s egg came curving over the roof and lit fairly on his head. He fell in a heap, with all Nature around him heaving and tossing before his eyes. Thus he would have remained, but for his comrades, who lifted him up, and drageed him with them, The wood was about a quarter of a mile away, and they covered that distance aa smart pace, followed by the settlers, who were only prudent in not coming too near. Unarmed, they could not be expected to face revolvers. The retreating party yelled and fired ; the others shouted, but no great harm was done on either side. When the wood was reached, the fight for the time was over. Retreating to the wood, the seven foes of Jack sat down to wipe their bleeding ! i faces, rub their bruises, and to curse the- successful foe. Lhe greatest sufferer was the Panta-- loon, who was ghastly white with pain and malignity. He snapped like a eur-dog at the air as he rubbed his stomach and groaned. ‘f Our stay with our friends has been short,” said the Swaggerer, “but we will return anon.’ “TL vote we go forward,” said Jim Black. “I, for one, don’t want to bother any more about this business.. Who will turn it wp with me? ”’ “Weigh well-what you do,” said. — Hiram Crayton. ‘Remember that. young Jack could hang every man of us. Men of their stamp are best governed. through their fears, and they yielded to his arguments and persuasions. It was settled that they should wait: until night, and make at least one more effort to get rid of the living witness: against them. “That: done,” “we will away.” “But where shall we go?” asked Jim Black, and to his query there was: no answer. Meanwhile the sturdy band of honest men devoted themselves to Jack, whom they had brought ashore literally on the very point of dying. A strength passing that of mortals. generally, had held him up during those days of agony at sea. During the burning days and dark. nights he had heard no sound but the: surging of the waves, and the sighing of the wind, and seen naugat but the: ehastly deck before him, and sea and sky. COMUICOOCKS. COM said the Swaggerer,