They signalled for help, and the grotesque
vessel was hove to.
"What do you want?" asked a gruff voice, to their great delight, in
English. "What are you a haling us for?"
"We are shipwrecked travellers," explained the spokesman of the party;
"and we ask for conveyance to a place of safety."
"A place of safety--sounds like a cab-stand," muttered the other.
"Well, jump in." Thus invited, the shipwrecked travellers entered what
seemed to them to be a welcome harbour of refuge. But they had not
proceeded far when the man who had already spoken to them again
addressed them.
"Come--all of you--turn out--but first pay me," and then he mentioned
a considerable sum of money.
"Have you no mercy?" cried a fair-haired girl, pointing to the white
and rain-drenched locks of her ancient parents.
"Not a bit, Miss," returned the semi-savage, with a hideous grin.
"And who are you, rude man?" she asked, plucking up in her very
despair some spirit. "Are you the Captain?"
"Much the same thing--I am called the Conductor."
"And what is the name of this dreadful conveyance?" again questioned
the damsel, with a shuddering glance at what seemed to be a
straw-strewn cabin.
"It is called," replied the man, defiantly, "the Pirate Bus!" On
hearing this, the entire party uttered a despairing cry, and fainted!
* * * * *
THE TRAVELLER'S FRIEND.
Pages:
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38