Edward Stratemeyer - The Last Cruise of the Spitfire - or, Luke Foster's Strange Voyage
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- Название:The Last Cruise of the Spitfire: or, Luke Foster's Strange Voyage
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- Издательство:Иностранный паблик
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The Last Cruise of the Spitfire: or, Luke Foster's Strange Voyage: краткое содержание, описание и аннотация
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"Anytime you say, Lowell. I owe two weeks' board now, and Mammy Brown hinted last night I'd better pay up or seek other quarters."
And Crocker gave a short, hard laugh.
"Then meet me at the Grapevine in an hour," said the man called Lowell. "I've got to make a few other arrangements before we start."
"Right you are."
"And remember, not a word – "
"Luff there! As if I didn't understand the soundings."
"All right. Come and have one."
The two men arose at once and headed for a saloon that stood upon the near corner.
I arose also and watched them out of sight. The conversation that they had held had not been a very lucid one, yet I was certain they were up to no good. One of them had spoken of making a thousand dollars in an easy manner, and I was positive that meant the money was to be gained dishonestly.
What was I to do? I was no detective, to follow the men, and I was just at present on far from good terms with the police. It seemed a pity to let the matter rest where it stood, but for the present I did not feel inclined to investigate it. I would keep my eyes open, and if anything more turned up, or was noted in the papers, I would tell all I had heard.
I wandered along the docks, piled high with merchandise of all descriptions. Beyond, a number of stately vessels rested at anchor, large and small, among which the steam tugs were industriously puffing and blowing, on the lookout for a job.
The sight was a novel one to me, and soon I walked out upon the end of a dock to get a better view.
"Hi, there! No loafing on this pier!" called a burly watchman; and I lost no time in moving on.
Presently I came to a wharf that seemed to be more public, and walked out to one side of it. Here it was shady, and close at hand floated a large row-boat.
The craft was deserted. Wishing to observe the scene without being noticed, I leaped into her. There was a cushion on the stern seat, and on this I sat down.
The breeze and the gentle motion of the boat were delightful, and for a moment I thought how pleasant a life on the ocean must be. Alas! little did I realize what was in store for me on the boundless deep.
As I sat on the soft cushion I could not help but speculate on all that had transpired within the last few hours. Early in the morning my mind had been free from care that was anyway deep; now I was a fugitive, not knowing which way to turn or what to do.
But I was not disheartened. I was healthy and strong and I felt confident that I could work my way in the world. But I was worried about clearing my fair name of the suspicion Uncle Felix had cast upon it. I must do that at any and all costs.
Presently a footstep sounded above me on the dock, and a well-dressed young man appeared.
"Hullo, there!" he cried, on catching sight of me.
"Hullo!" I replied, shortly. I was not in a talkative humor, and wished him to know it.
"What are you doing down there?" he went on, rather sharply.
"Nothing much."
"Do you know that that is my boat?"
"No, I didn't know it," I returned, and then jumped to my feet. "Excuse me, but I haven't hurt anything."
"But what are you doing there?"
"Only resting. I've walked a good bit to-day and I am tired. I'll go if you want to use the boat."
"Oh, no, that's all right. I don't want the boat for a couple of hours yet. You may stay where you are."
"Thank you."
He was about to turn away, but a sudden thought seemed to come into his mind.
"You say you have walked a good bit to-day?" he asked curiously.
"That's it."
"You are not out of work and on the tramp, are you?"
"Something like that," I replied. "I'm out of work and as I can't pay to journey around, I'll have to walk."
"I see. Well, I hope you strike something before long. It's not pleasant to be out of work and money."
The young man nodded pleasantly and walked away. I must confess I gazed after him longingly. I warmly appreciated the few kind words he had given me.
As I turned back to sit down once more I heard two men get up from behind a number of packing-cases on the pier, and walk away. I had not noticed them before, and I wondered if they had overheard the conversation which had taken place.
It was rather warm in the boat, and the rocking motion caused by the waves soon put me in a drowsy mood. My time was my own, and I felt in no humor to move away. I allowed my head to fall back, and almost before I knew it I had dropped into a light doze.
My wakening was a rude one. The row-boat gave a violent lurch, nearly precipitating me into the water. I tried to scramble to my feet, but some one with a big bag pushed me back.
"Here, what does this mean – " I began, indignantly.
"Shut up!" come back in hurried tones.
Then the bag was pulled over my head and arms, and in five seconds I found myself a prisoner and hardly able to move hands or feet.
I tried to cry out and to ask questions, but could not. The bag was thick, and, being tied around my neck, almost took away my breath.
For the first instant I was afraid that the police from New York had found me, but I as quickly gave up this idea. They would never treat me in this strange fashion, I felt certain. But who were my strange assailants, and what did they intend to do with me?
I felt myself lifted out of the boat and into another craft. Then I was thrown on my back and something that felt like a piece of canvas was spread over me.
The boat, with me and my captors moved off and kept moving for perhaps ten minutes or quarter of an hour. I tried to struggle to my feet, but strung hands held me down.
"Better keep still!" I heard a voice cry. "You can't escape, no matter how hard you try."
When the boat finally came to a standstill I was nearly suffocated for the want of fresh air, and I wondered if I had not been chloroformed when first assaulted. I was hoisted up by several men and placed upon my feet, and then the cords which bound me were cut and the bag was removed.
I looked around with a start. I was on shipboard, with the great ocean all around me.
"Down with him!" shouted a voice behind me.
Before I could turn to face the speaker a big black hole loomed up in front of me, and I was tumbled down into utter darkness. The hatch above was closed, and I was left a prisoner!
CHAPTER VII
ON BOARD THE SPITFIRE
As I have said, I was tumbled into the black hole, and the hatch was closed over me. Luckily I fell upon a pile of loose sailing, so my fall was broken and did me no harm.
But I was so completely bewildered by what had taken place that for a moment I did not know what had happened. Then I gradually became wide awake, and realized that I had been entrapped on board the vessel, which was probably short of sailors.
I had read of men who were thus pressed into the service, but never dreamed that such a thing could occur so close to the great metropolis, and in broad daylight.
Who my captors were or where they were taking me was a mystery. For an instant I thought the affair might be my uncle's work, but soon dismissed that idea as being too dime-novelish altogether.
With some difficulty I rose to my feet, but the motion of the vessel, as the sailors got her under way, was too strong for me, and I was forced to lie down.
The place was intensely dark, and even after my eyes became accustomed to the blackness, I could see little or nothing. On all sides not a light was to be seen, and overhead only a single streak of brightness around the hatch was visible. I was indeed a prisoner, and must make the best of it.
I crawled about the hold for quite a while, feeling everywhere for a place to escape, but none came to hand. Meanwhile I heard the creaking of the blocks as the sails were being hoisted, and the tramp of the sailors as they hurried around obeying orders. I could hear the murmur of voices, but try my best, could not make out a word of what was being said.
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