FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142  
143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   >>  
my man," turning to the boatman, "here is the fifty cents I promised you if you would set me on board here. I shan't want you any more. You may go." "Hold on," came firmly from Frank, who also spoke to the man in the dory. "I think Mr. Cooler is mistaken. He will want you--to take him ashore again." "Oh, no--no, indeed," chuckled Mr. Cooler, pleasantly. "You are quite wrong, young man. I am going to Devil Island with you." "The--the--dickens you are?" exclaimed Frank. He came near using another word in the place of "dickens," for now he was literally astounded. "Oh, yes," nodded the queer old man, still laughing. "I won't be a bit of bother. In fact, you will find me mighty jolly company. Tickle me gently, and I am more fun than a variety show. I have been paid in my day to travel around with folks just to amuse them. I'm sure death to the blues, and I am better than all the doctor's medicine you ever took." "Well, I haven't the blues, and I am not in need of medicine." "Say you so? You're in luck. You do look cheerful and healthy, that's a fact." "But I have some curiosity." "Glad to know you are troubled by something." "Yes, I am curious to know how you happened to come aboard this yacht in order to get to Devil Island." "Why, aren't you going there?" "Perhaps so; but how do you know it?" "Feller told me so." "When?" "Little while ago." "Where?" "Up at Jobbins' store." "What kind of a fellow? How did he look?" "Looked as if some chap had swatted him with a brick right on the bridge of his proboscis, for it had a strong list to starboard, and one of his eyes was keeping watch at the end of it, while the other eye was on guard to see that no more bricks were coming in that direction." "The man with the cock-eye!" exclaimed Merriwell. "Sure as you live!" cried Hodge, who had followed Frank to the deck. "It's Hicks." "So that scoundrel has dared venture into Green's Landing so soon," said Frank, grimly. "And he knows he did not succeed in his foul attempt to murder me!" "Eh?" exclaimed the little man, in surprise. "What's that? Murder? Did he----" "Never mind," interrupted Frank, eying the man in gray, as if seeking to read his thoughts. "I have a little affair to settle with Mr. Hicks, and the worst recommendation you could have is the fact that he sent you here. He simply surmised that I contemplated returning to Devil Island." "But don't you?" "That is my af
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142  
143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   >>  



Top keywords:
Island
 

exclaimed

 

dickens

 

medicine

 

Cooler

 
starboard
 
Perhaps
 

keeping

 
strong
 

Feller


fellow

 

bricks

 
Little
 

swatted

 
Looked
 

bridge

 
Jobbins
 
proboscis
 

interrupted

 

seeking


murder

 

surprise

 

Murder

 

thoughts

 

affair

 

returning

 

contemplated

 

surmised

 

simply

 

settle


recommendation

 
attempt
 

direction

 

coming

 

Merriwell

 
scoundrel
 

grimly

 
succeed
 

Landing

 
venture

literally
 

pleasantly

 
astounded
 
bother
 

laughing

 

nodded

 
chuckled
 

promised

 
turning
 

boatman