Jack and His Seven Foes — page 70: what you’re looking at

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

JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. . «All but one,” said a hollow voice near him. He started, and turned cold, his trembling fingers dropping the tiller- lines. Gl He did not recognise the voice, and dared not ask who it was. And yet it was only the Sneezer, who was thinking of Jack, and involuntarily gave vent to what was in his mind. — CHAPTER XXHI. ON THE DEEP BLUE SEA—LAND IN SIGI(T——A PRETTY LITTLE FARCE ARRANGED. Tue success of their plot put the Panther and Swaggerer into good-— humour, and Sneezer and the Pantaloon, instead of getting a drubbing as they expected, found “themselves not only tolerated, but made welcome in the boat. « After all,” said the Swaggerer, “I’m glad you two fellows came. As a matter of fact, I may say I intended you should come. I never desert an old pal.” ‘Never! ” said the Panther, showing all his teeth with a smile that would have passed for a snarl. “Of course not,’ said Dribbles the Sneezer. ‘And what say you, old Panty ?”’ said the Swaggerer, giving the Pantaloon u terrific smack on the back. “ Oh—ugh—dear!”’ was all the Pantaloon could say, the blow left him so little breath. ‘“ We will live happy in the new land,” suid the Swaggerer, “like brothers. Life is a jolly sort of thing, atter all.”7 “T wonder where young Jack is?” said the Panther, resting on his oars. “‘T’ll bet he’ll drop on us some day.” ‘“ Lord help us then,” sighed Dribbles, looking up at the stars, as if he expected to see Jack descending upon them hke a thunderbolt. “Tm thankful to say that my hands are clean of the last job,’ muttered the Pantaloon, under his breath. The Swaggerer turned quickly him. “Took here, old Pharisee,”’ he said, “JT just warn you not to smooth the feathers of your conscience with that sort of stuff. You’ve done enough to get your full share of brimstone when you die.” « And your time can’t be far away,’ grinned the Panther. upon | The old man groaned, and curled himself up in the bottom of the boat. “Tf I only had my time over again,’ he muttered. The next moment he received a kick from the Swaggerer, who bade him take the oars. — - = —— ann ER — — QQ. me Doait, 2 “Tt’s turn and turn about in this he said. And so it proved from that hour, but the turn and turn about was between Dribbles and the Pantaloon, while the other two sat in the stern, and smoked and chatted, or cast looks of terrible meanire at their two companions. Lhe boat was roughly provisioned, but there was enough biscuit and water for all. The lttie meat and spirits the Swagegerer had been able to smuggle, he divided between the Panther and him- self. ‘‘ You fellows have been overfed,’’ he told the others, ‘‘ you are too gTOSs, and I must bring you down a bit.” SEA: blicht rest upon you,” thought the old Pantaloon ; 386 but 1 Il bring you down some day.” They were two nights and the better part of two days in the open boat, but on the eve of the second day they sighted land. ‘The coast looked hospitable enongh in itself, and there were people moving about. The Swageerer stood up in the boat to take a look at them. “What are they lke?” Panther. “Civilised, with togs of a Spanish cut,’ rephed the Swaggerer. “I see a asked the lot of horses tethered together a little fellows way inland, and I know what these are.’ “ Horse-riders, the Sneezer. ‘ON -OUs GLOGS 1 7 9 perhaps,’ suggested snarled the Swaggerer ; GONG ooo (¢ <“S (C©)