Middletown transcript., 1873-12-13

s0ss. a wicked shos Of yours Mr. Easy :.
II really am very ssrry." replied Jack.
With polite bow. "snd beg to offer my
bsst apology"
During this conversation. tho purser's
steward felt very faint. and thought he
was going to die.
"Oh dear. oh dear what fool I wss
= never was geutleman-only . swell:
never will pick a pocke. sgaiu--nsvor--
asvcr--God forgive me -
why, confound the fellow" cried
Gsscoigns, 80 you were . piciposks,.
were you 7"
II never will again" replied the fellow
IN = faint voice: "Ili'll hamend and lead
a good lifs-a drop Of waser-oh Jagged
At last. ~
Then the poor wretch fainted away ;
and Mr.. Tallboys ceming up with the men.
he was taken on their shoulders aud walk
ed of to the hospital, attended BY the gun
nsr and also the boatsvain, who thought
he might 40 we'll have . little medical ad-
vice before he went on boasd.
well. Easy." said Gsscoigne. collect
ing the pistols and tying them up in his
handkerchief, I'll bs shot, but We are in .
pretty scrsPe there's no hushing this up.
I'll be hanged II | care. its the best piece
of fun ever met with" And at the re-
membrance Of ii Gascsigne laughed till
the tears ran down his cheeks. Jacks
mirth was not quito so excessive. as hs
was afraid the purser's steward was
severely hurt. and expressed his fears.
"At all svsnt,, you did no. hit him.
replied Gascoigne; "all you have to an
swcr for is the boatswain's mug.-I think
you've stopped his jaw for the future"
I'm afraid that our lcavo will bo stop
ped for the future" replied Jack.
"Tha. We may take our oa,hs Of" re-
piled Gaseoigne.
Then look you. Ned. said Easy I've
lots Of dollars We may as well Be hanged
for sheep as lamb, as the saying is;
vote that we do not go on board"
"Sawbridgs will send and fetch u.s." re-
piled Ned but he must find US first"
That won. take long, for the soldier,
will soon have our description and rou. u,
out-we shall be pinned in fow days. y
"Coniound it, and they say that the
ship is to be hove down. and that we shall
be here six weeks at least. coorcd up on
board in broiling sun. and nothing to do
bu, to watch tho pilot fish playing round
the rudder, and munoh bad npricots.
won't 60 on board; look 70 Jack, said
Gascoigns, "havs you plenty Of money p
II havo twenty doubloops besides del.
lars" replied Jack.
well. then. we will pretend TO BE-
SO much alarmed at the result of this duel
tina. We dare no. show ourselves. lest VI
should be hung. / will write note. and
send it to Jolliffe. to say that We have hid
ourselves until tho affair is blown over
and beg him to in.ercsdo with tho captain
aud frst-lieutenant. | will tell him al
the particulars. and refer to tho gunner
for the truth of il, and then know that
although We should be punished, they will
only laugh; but | will pretend tha,
Easthupp is killed, and We arc frightened
out Of our lives. That will be it; snd
then let US 60 on board ons of ,h,
speronarcs which como with fruit from
Sicily. sail in tho nigh. for Palermo. ant
then we'll have cruise for a fortnight
and whom the money is all gone we'll COM,
back"
That's capital idea, Ned. and III,
sooner We do it the better. l will write /,
the captain. begging him to get me oi
from being hung, and telling him whsr
we have fed to, and that letter shall b,
directed to him after We have sailed"
They werc two very nice lads-Jacl
Easy and Gascoisnc.