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Full Title
Kidnapped Dick; or, the Fate of the Firefly. A tale of 1781 / by J. Stanley Henderson.
Author
Henderson, J. Stanley.
Date Added
9 January 2014
Format
Journal
Language
English
Publish Date
1887-04-23
Publisher
New York : Beadle and Adams
Series
Beadle's Boys Library of Sport, Story, and Adventure > v. XIII, no. 158
Source
Dime Novel and Popular Literature
Alternate Title
Beadle's Boys Library of Sport, Story, and Adventure, v. XIII, no. 158, April 23, 1887. Fate of the Firefly
Topic
Dime novels > Specimens.
About
More Details Permanent Link
Disclaimers
Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement
OCR
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_ tarried out at any time. He determined, there-
fore, that he would make no movement until he
saw how Van Vorst succeeded.
He was both rejoiced and surprised when the
ranger returned from his expedition with Mary
Forrest and Kate Swinton, and he went to him
for the purpose of obtuming an interview with
Mary and asking the marauder why he had gone
further than the plan that had been agreed upon
between them.
‘¢(Juess you’ve made out a little better than
you calculated on, cap’n,” said he, grinning and
rubbing his hands as he seated himself by Van
Vorst. “It ain't everybody who goes out after
a bird and comes back with a brace of ’em.
Who's t’other bird, cap’n, and what are you go-
ing to do with her?”
* That's nobudy’s business but mine, Malachi,
though I don’t mind telling you, as we are shar-
ers in this matter, and as we expect to work to-
gether, She is the sister of Frank Swinton, that
infernal Harry Forrest’s lieutenant, and I owe
him about as much spite as I owe the other. I
found the two girls together in the wood, and as
I couldn’t take one without the other knew it, I
concluded that it would be a good thing to grab
them both, and so work out a double spite.”
“Mighty nice for you, cap’n. You ought to be
obliged to me for starting you out and putting
you on the track of them. What do you calcu-
late to do with t’other one?”
“JT haven't exactly made up my mind, Mala-
chi. I have been thinking, though, since it has
happened as it has, that I may take a fancy toa
wife myself, and Kate Swinton is pretty enough
to please any young man, much more an old and
ugly chap like me. That would hurt Harry
Forrest worse than anything else, I reckon, for I
know:that he means to marry Miss Swinton as
soon as the country gets settled down, I ma
as well say to you, as we are partners now, that
- [ve a notion of quitting this region, for there’s
a feeling in my bones that it may be getting too
hot for me before long. Ihave a little money
‘and other things laid up, and that, along wit
my share of the gold and silver in the strong-
box, and my share of the schooner, when we sell
her, will make enough to keep me in good style
for the rest of my life. After we put Petrikin
out of the way, and get the vessel in our hands,
we can go where we choose, and take the women
with us. For my part, I only want to get to
some country where I’m not known, and where
nothing that has passed here can be brought up
against me. I haven’t exactly made up my
mind to do it, as I told you, but that is my no-
tion just now.”
The Yankeo listened to this explanation, which
wus a long speech for John Van Vorst, to make,
with considerable uneasiness and misgiving. He
had thought to take the ranger into partnership
as far as his own purposes might be forwarded
by the arrangement, but had no idea of such an
intimate union between them. He felt that he
would not be free to do as he pleased on the
schooner, or to take her where he chose to.
Worse than all, he saw that his new partner
meant to claim half the value of the vesssel, thus
reducing very considerably the share of the joint
plunder that’ he expected to have. . He was per-
fectly willing to give Van Vorst half the money,
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Kidnapped Dick. AB
but did not relish the idea of giving him more
than he himself would gain by the villainy. -
Distasteful as the ranger’s proposition was to.
him, however, he made no objection to it, but.
concealed his feelings, for he knew that his valu-
able friend could be a formidable opponent, and
he wanted to think about this new phase of .the
business before making any definite reply.
“Calculate you’re pretty well satisfied with
the speculation, cap’n,” said he. “It ain’t often
you find two such handsome birds on the same
limb. .Whero have you stowed away my gal?. - >
Tf there’s no objection to it, I would like totake
a look at her.”
“They are both locked up in one of tho
cabins,” answered Van Vorst. “ What have
you done toward your part of the business? Have
you made the arrangements for taking the vessel ~
and putting the Dutchman out of the way?”
“That will be all right, cap’n. There is scarce-
ly any arrangement needed, and the work can
be done at anytime. Which cabin is my gal in?
—or are they locked up together?” .
“They are safe, I tell you, and I want to
know about what you undertook to do. The
work must not be delayed, for there is no time .
to lose. I feel uneasy, somehow, about staying. -
in this neighborhood any longer, and the
sooner I get away from here, I reckon, the bet-
ter for me.” .
‘So you have really concluded to go with me
and the Firefly,” thought the Yankee. ‘I shall
bave a word to say about that, and the word -
won't be yes, if I can help it.” But he was
careful not to express his thoughts in words.
‘You needn’t tell me that there are no ar-
rangements to be made,” continued the ranger. «
‘There was never anything done properly that
wasn’t well planned beforehand. Our arrange-~
ments must be made safe and sure, so that there
can be no chance of failure, for there’s no telling
how furious Forrest and Swinton will be when
they hear of this thing. They will scour the
country far and near, and will turn every stone *
and look in every bush, if the red-coats will let
them. That business ought to have been done
before this, Malachi, and now it must be attend-
ed to without loss of time.” ‘
“Guess you're right, cap’n, and I will look ~
after it right away. It can be done at any min-
ute, as I told you before; just let me takea look-
atmy gal, and have a talk to her, and then Pi
be off to the schooner.” .
“You may see her, Malachi, if you will _kee
your word; but you must understand that Iwi
ave no dodging or underband work, It isn’t -
safe to play such games with me. They are
both in the same room, and I reckon you
wouldn’t care to sce them together.”
‘One at atime is enough; two _is company,
but three is none,” answered the Yankee, forc-
ingalaugh, ‘I just want to let the gal know ~
what my prospects are, and what a good hus-
band I mean to make her, and to see how she
feels about it.” !
““T will have them separated, and will tell
Tom Murphy to let youin. Ireckon, Malachi,
that you had better not be in too much ofa
hurry with your love-making, for the young
woman won’t take kindly to it, but will be apt
to say something that may hurt your feelings.”
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