Tip Top Library: Frank Merriwell in the South Seas — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

FRANK MERRIWELL IN THE SOUTH SEAS. inflict death. It took its well-directed course to the middle of the boat just at the water line, boring a hole in the thin wood, through which the sea began to spurt at once. His first shot was followed by several others in quick succession, each bullet puncturing the shell and let- ting’ in more water. The boat was so heavily loaded that the leaks were serious at once, and the savages were thrown into ccnfusion. Whereas they would not have been fright- ened back by shots that wounded or killed, they were alarmed now because they saw that they could not reach the yacht before their craft would fill and sink.. ‘Now for the other,’’ remarked Frank, coolly reloading his weapon. Just then there was a loud report near at hand. The skipper, observing Frank’s scheme, had quickly loaded the little brass cannon on the yacht’s deck with solid shot and fired it at the other boat without waiting to ask for Mr. Gil- lette’s orders. The skipper was a good shot. He had served in the British navy to good advantage, and while he sought to wreck the enemy’s craft, he was not as particular as Frank had been about sparing life. The cannon shot crashed into the side of the second boat, wounded two men, at least, and tore so huge a hole in the bot- tom that the boat filled almost instantly. “Hurrah !’’ cried Gillette. ‘‘Good shot, skipper! Don’t let one of the black ras- cals come within reach of the yacht! Shoot the first one who tries to swim in this direction !”? ‘““No need of that order, ? said Frank. “Why. not, boy ?”? ‘Because, Mister Man, your genuine fire worshiper is scared of water. It’s doubtful 1f any of those unfortunate fel- lows can. swim. They wouldn’t venture out in boats if they weren't persuaded by their priests that the boats are safe. Now that the boats are wrecked, you’ll find their craze at an end.”? ‘*Tt looks so, by Jove!’ “Ves! See! They are in shallow water. Both boats have filled! The savages are not trying to head this -way, but they are floundering around to.get foothold on the hottom, so that they can wade ashore. No more fight in them, Mr. Gillette!” 29 ‘“That’s so! Frank, you’re a good one! Every savage whose legs are long enough to reach bottom is on the retreat.”? So it proved. Ina few minutes the sea near the yacht was deserted by the enemy, anda little later all were seen scrambling out of the low surf on shore and making for an open space, where they huddled together in evident fright. Seen through the glass, it was perfectly evi- dent that such as had not been drowned were done with fighting. Frank suggested that he and Mr. Gil- lette go to land and endeavor to get word with the white high priest. ‘*He’s probably a raving maniac, ’’ said Mr. Gillette, ‘Sand won’t come with us, even if he lets us get near him.”’ ‘‘T Know how to handle a lariat,’ re- sponded Frank ‘‘Suppose we go to land, and if we get near him we can capture him and bring him off. Then perhaps he can be made to listen to reason.’’. Mr. Gillette approved of this idea, and soon they were being rowed toward shore. The natives, seeing them coming, re- treated into the forest, but notin the di- rection in which the high priest had dis- appeared. The yacht’s boat got to land without incident, and Frank and the Englishman stepped ashore. They found that the mountain rose rather abruptly from the. water, and they began the ascent, search- ing everywhere for the white man. Meantime Maud, as soon as her uncle was seen to land and disappear with Frank in the forest, had ordered the skip- per to set her ashore. He was unwilling to obey, but she was emphatic in her demand, and for the double reason that she was accustomed to having her own way and that the owner of the yacht had given no orders to the contrary, the skipper at length complied. Mr. Gillette had not dreamed that his niece would venture from the vacht. Four sailors rowed her. She directed them toa point at some distance from where Frank and her uncle landed, for. through the skipper’s glass she had seen the white high priest standing 1n an open space for a moment, gazing through a spyglass at the yacht. The sailors would have gone on shore ElDOS ian (CO (CO