United States or Togo ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Will Osten had just uttered an exclamation of surprise, and the others had not had time to reply to the question, "Hallo! what's become of Larry?" when that worthy's voice was heard shouting in the distance, and his horse's hoofs were heard clattering along the narrow track as he approached at full gallop. "Hooroo! howld on, doctor; hi' Bunco an' Ben, look here.
For a considerable time they sat thus, when suddenly Will Osten started up, and, pointing towards the horizon a little to the left of the sun, exclaimed "Look there, captain; what's that?" "Land ho!" shouted Larry O'Hale at that moment, springing up on the thwart and holding on to the foremast. All the rest leaped up in great excitement. "It's only a cloud," said one.
To the great satisfaction of Will Osten and his friends, it was discovered that Benjamin Hicks was a wandering trapper, whose avocations led him to whatever part of the wilderness was most likely to produce furs, and who had no particular objection to take a trip across the mountains with our adventurers.
Old Peter, who was close at his heels, fell after him, and Larry, who followed Peter to encourage and spur him on, also tumbled in. Muggins alone was able to stop short in time. "Hallo, boys!" he cried in a hoarse whisper, "are yer timbers damaged?" "Broke to smithereens," groaned Larry from the abyss. Will Osten, who had scrambled out in a moment, cried hastily, "Jump in, Muggins.
The old man cut up rusty at first, and seemed disposed to drive us away, but by howling the name of Osten into his ears and giving him a little gold, we converted him into a friend, and got him to allow us to squat in the empty house.
"Indeed," said the Don, "the last time he have try, I 'fraid I shut up won of his days light it was so sore!" Will Osten ultimately persuaded the Spaniard, however, to consent to an operation, and the whole party accompanied him to his house, which was the most substantial in the town.
Just then a terrible crash was heard, and Will Osten turned round in time to see the large church in the act of falling. Women and children were rushing out of it frantically, but those within were doomed. One wild and awful shriek mingled with the roar of the tumbling edifice, and five hundred souls were instantaneously buried in a common grave.
Here Will Osten found his father's agent a staid old gentleman of Spanish extraction, who, being infirm as well as old, was fever-proof.
They could not have obtained a better reply than was given to them by the Czechs and Yugoslavs in their demand for their own independent states, which would be able to form a permanent bulwark against the Drang nach Osten as planned by the Germans and Magyars.
Here Richards had the temerity to observe that he wasn't quite sure that such things were never done; "for," said he, "I 'eard Mr Osten himself say as 'ow he'd seen 'em do it, an' surely he wouldn't go for to tell a lie." At which remark Jemima advised him to hold his tongue, and Maryann replied, with an expression of scorn, that she wondered to 'ear 'im.
Word Of The Day