Jack and His Seven Foes — page 85: what you’re looking at

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(hon, | JACK AND HIS SEVEN FOES. CHAPTER XXIX. JIBBER’S ADVICE—A FOOL’S SEARCH IN NEW YORK, AND AN UNEXPECTED FINDING. “So that’s your yarn ? ” said Makepeace, | : when it was concluded, “for trying a as the Swaggerer finished a very fancy story of the doings on board the ‘¢ Albatross.” “Yes, that’s it,’ the Swaggerer replied. , His three friends standing near nodded their heads, and said, aa Jibber had several private rooms, and the one they were now in might be called his very private apartment. Nobody ever enteredit unless invited, and if an unwary or prying stranger showed kis nose there, Jibber first shot or stabbed him, and then asked his business. ‘So this lad, you say, shot the captain of the ‘ Albatross’ ?”’ said he. The Swaggerer nodded. ‘“‘ And because you stood up for him, “« 'That’s this lad has sworn to pepper you? ”’ Another nod. ‘“‘ And as he’s such a dead-sure mark you rather funk meeting him?” A third nod. “Now that,’ said Jibber, with a delicious oiliness, “is what I call the un-a-dul-te-ra-ted trewth. Whittle me ell over if it don’t shine out of your very faces! But I think wl take another version of that yarn.” The Swaggerer was taken aback, for Jibber seemingly had been absorbing the story, but he tried to laugh, and said— “You don’t believe it?” “Do you expect it?’ said Jibber. ‘Now, mind this, you are one of my band, and I’m the captain. I like obedience, and Ill have it. Out with the whole thing, or snakes will be among you. There’s not a man here who won ’'t be food for worms in two minutes.”’ To give emphasis to his words, he drew a brace of revolvers, and cocked them. He was one to four, but the Swag- gerer gave in, and the rest followed. A second story, and the true one was told this time. “T don’t blame you,” said Jabber, | le on first. That was nateral, and accordin’ to your nature. But don’t do it again. So you are all afraid of this boy! ?’’ he added, meditatively. — “ We are,” said the Swaggerer. ‘And you are four men.” “You don’t know him,” said the Swagegerer, excitedly; ‘‘he’s got the power of unnerving us when we meet— hasn’t he, pals ? ”’ “He takes the orit out of me,” said the Panther; “and I don’ tmind taking a lite if I cet a chance.” ic He’ s got some demon at the back of him,” said the Pantaloon. “And when I meet him, [—atchew ! —atchew !’’ said Sneezer. ‘“‘Of course you do,”’ said the Panther, giving him a kick; ‘you always do. One of these days your confounded sneezing will bring somebody to the scaffold.’’ ‘Many a true word spoke in jest,” said Makepeace Jibber. ‘ Now listen to me: you want this lad got rid of ?”’ “Tt would make us all free men,” said the Swaggerer; ‘‘old Pantaloon would look forty years younger if young Jack was dead.” “Then Ill do the job for you,” said Jibber. ‘‘ Find out where he is.”’ “We'll go to-morrow,” said tbe Swaceerer. ‘“No—now. There’s no time to be lost. The day after to-morrow we leave here. ain’t likely to miss. A more uncongenial task could not have been set them, but the prospect of vetting rid of their foe urged them on. “Tf we meet, we are four. to one,’ said the Swagger er. ‘Sneezer, take us back to where you found him.”’ Now it so happened that Jack that night lost his way. New York was comparatively strange to him, and the streets were so much like one another that he could not find the one Where he left his friends. The darkness hid the number a the streets, and there was nobody to enquire IT judge that he’s a figger you | Go and find him.’ Gomicbooks: com : ls