Pluck and Luck #139: Jack Wright and His Deep Sea Monitor — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

*We will let the girl choose between us.” ~ “And her decision shall settle the case.” They clasped hands in old friendship once more. _ Just then the searehlight went out, and Jack dropped behind a rock, When the lightning flashed the duellists saw that he had vanished, and more convinced than ever that they had seen a supernatural object, they picked up their swords and hast- ened away. “They never expected to'see such a singular object as I am in the midst of the storm at this lonely spot,” chuckled Jack, watching them until they were out of sight. “Their alarm was therefore excusable, and the fearful scene around here would warrant their superstition. Two friends parted by jealousy over a girl, a duel, my interference, and their reunion in the bonds of a stronger affection than before, with a sensible resolution in view—that is the pith of the matter. I’m glad I was washed ashore. But for me they might have _ slain one or the other, and the survivor would have had much _ to answer for.” It was evident to Jack that his friends had seen him with their night glasses, else they would not have heid the light upon that spot so long, and he concluded that they would beat about the cape until the storm abated so they could get him aboard again. He did not see the searchlight for some time, but it showed at intervals after that. and he remained several hours upon the -_-beach. a Daylight came at last, and the storm broke and passed away, - and then the boy saw his monitor haul to a mile off the cape. _ She carried a portable boat, and Fritz put off in it and came ashore. ey. “Shiminey Christmas!” ejaculated the Dutch boy, delight- edly, shaking hands with Jack. “Ve vhas tort dot you vhas Jost, undil ve seeded yer by der peach looken on by a fight _mit dose two soldiers vonct!” : to the monitor, and upon their arrival Tim and the professor , greeted him with every demonstration of joy, and he had to ‘repeat his narrative. He learned that the rud@er-lines worked properly as soon as he got the wooden wedge out, and they told him that he eT? a was not missed for some time. Fritz having discovered his loss, they began to search for him. i _ The boy divested himself of his diving suit, and, after a hearty breakfast, he assumed control of the. boat, and she sped along the dark waters of the Guif Stream on her course RY to the southward again. Ri From Cape Hatteras, due south, it was: almost a bee-iine to the Bahamas, among which was San Salvador Island, and ae the Sea Serpent took the nearest course, in order to economize time, the distance being about 750 miles. ost All traces of the storm disappeared by the afternoon; only ge an easy swell ruffled the bosom of the deep, the sky was blue, Bit and a fair wind came from the west. ’ ot a Tim held the wheel, and Fritz and the professor were in “You oughder know yourself someding aboud dot,” said ial ? Et _ the turret “with him. ss “Goin’ at twenty knots,” said Tim, presently; “we'd oughter a p make ther Bahamas to-morrow.” oe “If no accidents occur to us, we may,” replied the professor; “but there’s many a slip, you know. Jack Wright’s inven- > tions are wonders, ain’t they?” ate 3 id \ “Lor’,” scoffed Tim, “that ain’t nuthin’! I reckerlect when rib % wuz aboard o’ ther U. S. frigate Wabash, when somethin’ 4 _ more wonderfulier’n that happened a me. Yer may not # eM b'lieve ie sir, but! 3 ; Mere Rae ESS wey Mey Oh en Ve ite ree pe * SACK WRIGHT AND. Tus. DEEP SEA MONTIOR. Jack explained what happened while Fritz was rowing back } a upon them rapidly, an ways i “Just see how his diving suit saved his life,” said Hopkins. Nike ele pea: iy} pins ae aah Seis “Shestnuts' ” said Fritz, a disgusted look sweeping over his face; and, unable to stand the yarn he khew was coming, he bolted out of the room. et “But what?” queried the professor, who did not ‘Know any- thing about Tim being such a consummate liar that he actu- ally believed his own yarns. : “Why, sir,” replied the old sailor, giving a hitch at his pants, and following the retreating figure of Fritz with a baleful glare from his solitary eye, “I onct saved my own hulk ~ under Davy Jones’ locker, wi’out a divin’ suit on, arter bein’ | sunk miore’n two hours. an’ a hart.” | “How could it be possible?” asked Hopkins, incredulously. “Yes see, we’ wuz in midocean in ther winter o’ 59, goin’ un- der easy sail, an’ ther commodore wuz a-lookin ower some | waluable papers, when ther wind blowed ’em away inter ther | water, an’'I offered ter git ’em. So I dived overboard, an’ seein’ ther papers sinkin’, down I went arter ’em like a fish. { had took a powerful breath, an’, sir, afore I knowed it I | reached ther bottom.” “ol “Of the Atlantic?” asked the professor, suspiciously. rues “Ay, sir. I don’t jest quite remember our latitude, but that ‘if don’t matter. As soon’s I struck bottom, I begun ter search Loo fer ther papers, an’——” ied “I think I’ll leave you BEES Ri for them,” said the pro- ae fessor, going out. ee “Dash my timbers!” roared Tim. “I guess yer don’t b’live me?” The se aati made no reply, and Tim consoled himself with a chew of tobacco. re d A short ‘time afterwards Fritz went out on deck, and de- scried two ships. One of them was following the other, and i ig ‘both were under full sail. es “Sail ho! Sail ho!” he cried. . Jack came out with a spyglass in his hand. é 2 “ “Can you make them out, Fritz?” he asked. | ; “Nein, But I t’ink me dot vun vhas chasin’ der odder yun.” “That looks suspicious,” said the boy, leveling his phen is ie at the vessels, Jack scanned them long and earnestly, and gave a start. “Vell?” dernanded Fritz, impatiently. “[ thought the days of piracy in these waters was Wises re- turned Jack. “Holy Moses! ishment. 4 “One of them is. It carries the ghastly buecaneers’ emblem aie at its truck, and is in pursuit of what looks like an American Es brig! ” . \ Vnas dem birates?” asked Fritz in aston- “Donner und blitzen!” “Tim! Port your helm, and run down yonder vessels! ” “Ay, ay, Sir,” responded the old sailor, complying. 2 “Writz, go and load the guns in the turret. If there is any pirating going on out there, I'll blow the infernal rascals > out of the water! ” Bi “Hurray!” roared Fritz, delighted at the prospect of a neh, a ae and he obeyed. — Off swung the Sea Serpent on the starboard tack, and away she raced toward the two flying ships, when, from the one abaft of the other, there came a puff of smoke, a flash of fire and a dull report. cS fs Still watching them, Jack saw the shot that was fired carry away the topmast of the fugitive brig, and observed that a the pursuer was rapidly overhauling the other. - ° ir The Sea Serpent, buried to her decks in the sea, bore down — RP Jack passed into the pilot-house. — The monitor was not seen until she arrived within half < o mile of the pirate, when the rascal suddenly swung up in ‘the wind, abandoned the chase, and tacked off to the windward. ge Aloft there yet fluttered the black flag, and her crew, having — seen the Sea Ser pent was a monitor, made a hasty effort | to D il a wee ee CO uebek ; com <w