Beadle's Half Dime Library Vol. IX, No. 230: The Yankee Rajah; or, The Fate of the Black Shereef — page 9: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

"Ty the Black Shereef s “Sleep no more, The avengers are on your track. Beware of the Mute Malay. Beware of Arthur Carrington.” “God’s curses upon them,” he shrieked, stamping his foot angrily. ‘*‘ Are my men both blind and deaf that such things can be done?” He rushed from the room in a rage and com- menced a furious search, but no one had seen Arthur Carrington. As far as Marco was con- cerned, his giant form was well known, and he had not been on the island. “TT shall go mad,” muttered the Shereef. ‘‘Tom Reid was not so far wrong when he warned me to fly. It would have been betterif | he had done so, But Tom, my good, kind, faithful henchman, at least I can take ven- eance upon you, Ha! what do you say, Tonan! ‘(A fleet is making for the island, Shereef. There are seven proas and the Wave Witch leads the way.” = : “The men of Gadon 6 Beg are coming then,” answered the Shereef, ‘‘ But fear not; they can never enter the harbor if we do our duty. Lay the proas which are left broadside to the channel and let every gun be loaded. We can sink them one by one as they enter the harbor.” “‘Tt shall be done, Great Prince. Will you fizht beside me, or shall thy servant, Tonan Denal, do the work?” | “T trust thee, Tonan. Go thy way, and may faa) gods direct thy guns,” answered the The chief bowed and hurried away, and his leader went down to the lower cells, where the four men selected stood guard over Tom Reid. ‘¢ Bring out the prisoner,” he said. ‘* Let him be led to the east tower.” Reid, with bis hands bound, was led up the stairs and reached the tower. : ‘* Bring him to the window,” the Shereef com- manded. ‘* Now, Reid, look out to sea and tell me what is there.” Tom glanced seaward and smiled. There, in full view, led by the Wave Witch came the fleet of the Rajah of Gadong Beg. Ata glance he saw that the decks were crowded with men, and that they were heading for the channel. _ ©¥Vou know them, Reid. It is that cursed Yankee Rajah, coming to attack us, Had you been true to me you would have led the de- fense, but as it is, you shall see us destroy them, and then I shall order you cast into the den of the black panthers. You have seen what a black panther can do.” _ ee REY Reid looked at him with a smile which had no fear in it. ‘Let's sit down to it, Shereef,” he said, ‘‘It is only fair that I should get my pay for serving such a black-hearted dog as you are. Here, Malay: wheel up that divan.” The Malay stared at him a moment and then wheeled the divan in front of the window, where Tom seated himself coolly. The fleet of Saul Belton held on steadily fer the channel, but when half a league away the Wave Witch went up into the wind and lay to, and the proas did the same. : “There is going to be sport,” Reid asserted, quietly. ‘It will amuse me to watch it.” ‘* And I, too,” said the sweet voice of Zarina, as she entered and seated herself on the divan next to Tom Reid, ‘“‘Why don’t you bring Neliie; it would amuse her, too, Shereef.” ‘She shall come, by Heaven,’ hissed the Maiay Prince. ‘Go, Zarack; take thiskey and open the seventh cell in the lower passage and bring the white girl here.” — | Yarina managed to lay her hand upon the wrist of Tom Reid and pressed it softly. He knew that he had a friend. In a few moments Nellie appeared, led by the Malay, and by the orders of the Shereef a chair was nushed up to one of the windows and she was seated. Fas ‘““Yonder are your friends,” sneered the pi- rate, ‘‘and they dare come here to brave my power. You shall see how well they will be met. Thatisthe schooner of the Yankee Ra- jah, and with him is the young American whom you love and your father. ou shall see me destroy them utterly.” } ‘‘ Perhaps,” muttered Tom Reid. Yonder channel is full of torpedoes attached io chains. When they enter they will strike these chains and be blown into the air,” the Shereef asserted. “Qh, if I could warn them,” gas ed Nellie. “They don’t seem to need it,” declared Tom Reid. “The man who catches Paul Belton nap- ping raust rise early in the morning, I tell you.” ‘““ Silence,” hissed the Shereef. ‘“‘See how my proas lie, girl. If by amy fortune one of the | The Yankee Rajah. ships should break through the line, it would be only to meet swift destruction from their uns.’ | * Just so,” interjected Tom Reid; “ but what is the matter with those proas, by the way?” _ Up to this time the Malays had stood idly on the decks of their vessels, their weapons ready, waiting for the fleet of the Rajah to appear. In. the center of the line was the beautiful felucca owned by the Malay chief, her heavy guns all bearing on the channel, and on each side the proas. Attracted by the words of Tom Reid the Black Shereef looked that way, and saw that the proa nearest to the shore had settled by the head, and appeared to be filling. There was dire confusion on board the crait, and the /men were running this way and that, looking over the side and shaking their weapons fiercely at some object under the water, while the others, no longer lying quietly at their anchors, were OeBryacito have cut their cables and were darting about the harbor as if to elude some rreat danger, “Do you know what I think, Shereef?’ said Tom Reid, coolly. “Unless I am very much mistaken, the Mystery is in the harbor. If so, good-by to your fleet.” - The Shereef tore his hair wildly and uttered }a fierce malediction, but at that moment the long black hull of the Mystery was seen to rise from the sea and dash with inconceivable velocity against the side of another proa, through which she seemed to pass half-way. Then the strange craft backed away and con- tinued her work of destruction, while the | Shereef, helpless, absolutely howled with rage. — “1 told you it would be amusing,” Tom Reid said, laughing heartily, ‘‘Ever so much obliged to you for bringing me up here. No mmatter what you may do to me,I have the blessed satisfaction of knowing that the Rajah is sure to win a victory over you and your Malays.” “Tf you speak another word I will cut you down,” screamed the Shereef, “Don't do that. | ing the fact that you brought me bere to hair .w up my feelings. There he goes alter another.” The Mystery seemed directed by a madman, she dashed wildly along the surface of the har- bor, dived into the clear depths, and then came dashing up like a whale from his soundings, throwing the water high into the air and reveal- ing the long cylinder of the hull and the sbarp beak which protruded fromthe bow. The bul- lets which the desperate Malays discharged, at the strange craft flew harmlessly into space and the Mystery hurled herself bodily against a third proa, tearing her way through her sides as if they had been paper. _ Then she backed away, leaving the proa to sink, and disappeared in the waves, Five min- utes after the fragments of another craft were | scattered on the waves, and only the felucca of the Black Shereef remained. i ‘‘ Well done, Mystery,” cried Reid. we will see what comes next.” The Mystery had come to the surface and lay idly rocking on the waters of the harbor, not far from the large felucca, while the Malay chief was making desperate efforts to bring a gun to bear upon her. But, just as he was about to fire, the Mystery darted suddenly for- ward and the ball went plunging into the sea ‘ Now just where the Torpedo had been a moment be- | # an | went to meet them. fore. Then, with wild cri s of fear, the crew ' forsook the vessel and hurled themselves into the harbor and the ship drifted toward the shore. A short laugh from Tom Reid announced the termination of the action, and the Shereef turned fiercely upon him. ‘‘Now for my promise,” he said, hoarsely. “Away with him, Malays; to the den of the panthers.” , 7 Reid sprung suddenly forward, and raising his manacled hands, struck the Shereef furiously over the head, and brought him to the floor like a log, the blood streaming from under his mask, But he was on his feet in an instant, and assisted in dragging the unfortunate man into the lower part of the palace, where they stopped before a barred door, behind which the long shining bodies of two black panthers, either of them as strong as Zarina’s dead pet, were seen. | At the sound of voices they leaped up and clung to the bars, and looked at the comers with puny. eyes. “They have not been fed for two days, Tom,” said the Shereef, showing his white teeth be- neath the mask. ‘‘ What do you say to the prospect?” ‘‘T have nothing to say,” was the quick reply. ‘Could I clear my conscience of one bad act, when I aided you in the attack on the Cairn- This is fun for me, consider-_ | Shereef. destroyed our feet off | proas near Gadong Beg three days ago.” cross, I might even say that Lam ready to die. You might do me one favor, if you had any mercy in your black heart.” § ‘‘ Tell me how to make your end more bitter, and I will do it,” was the savage answer. “Say nomore. I would have asked you to bury your steel in my heart, and end, by a single blow, all my pain. I would like to send a message to Zarina, if—” ‘We waste time. Open the door and fling him in,” screamed the villain. Two meh, armed with spears, beat back the panthers from the grating, although they tamper and yelled savagely, while another man suddenly slipped the door open and signed to the Malays holding Tom Heid. They cast off his bands, and taking him by the shoulders, pushed him quickly. into the cage, shut the grated door dropped the bars on the outside, and then hastily left the room so as not to look upon inis death. As they went they heard the shrill yells of the panthers and then a scream of agony. = “That is over,” said the Shereef cooily. “' Good-by to Tom Reid.” Without another thought of the man who bad fought by his side for years, he burried out of the palace. He found the city in utter con- fusion, the women and children gathered in groups, and even as he looked he saw the decks of his feluceca swarming with men, and at a glance be knew them; not Papuans or Sooloos, but the men of Gadong Beg, who were training his own guns against him, . —MARCO THE MUTE APPEARS. SauL BEeLron, with his fleet, had lain quietly outside the harbor, until the work of the Mys- tery bad been done. He was too wise a war- rior to trust his shipping inside the harbor, when, without danger, he could insure the de- struction of the fleet.” | at Harry Castleton had been eager to follow the Mystery into the harbor at once, but had been restrained by the wise counsels of Yankee Rajah, and as the proas went down one by one, he was satisfied that the delay was useful, _ “Look yender,” cried Saul Belton, at last. ‘t There's the signal fur us to come on.” As he spoke a flag was showed at theentrance to the harbor—a black flag, with a blood-red hand inthe center. _ ‘The way is clear for us now,” asserted the Rajah, ‘‘Makesail, Marco.” _ ‘he mute made a signal to the second mate and the schooner stood boldly into the harbor, closely followed by the other craft. As they came in view of the town they saw a large party of old men, women and children climb- ing a lofty bill behind the city, evidently intent upon flight. 3 : . ‘‘ We've got the devils scared, anyhow,” said the Rajah. ‘‘ They are on the run at last.” The fleet rounded to in front of the palace and trained their guns uponit. Scarcely had they done so when a boat, bearing a white flag, E alled away from the steps and. Bbproechen the Wave Witch, It carried three Malay captains, whom the Rajah recognized as well-known pirate leaders under the Black Shereef. ‘So, so,” he said. ‘‘ They are ready to treat now. Come on board, you thieves,” ‘ The embassy stepped proudly over the rail, the Rajah, accompanied only by Marco, ‘Why do you come here, sons of the Malay?” he demanded, — ae ‘We are sent by our great master, the Black He isks why the Rajah of Gadong Beg comes to destroy his fleet and frighten our women and children?” “T will say that your cussed Shereef has got good cheek. Didn’t he just try to play the sane game on me?” — ie : ‘He did this because the Spirit of the Waves Borneo and sunk the ‘That is all pure foolishness, Malay. Now you understand, just as wellas 1 do, that you wouldn’t have left a man alive in Gadong Beg if you could have gotin. Ain't that so, now?” “My master speaks by my mouth,” replied the Malay, ignoring the words of the Rajah. ‘‘He says: ‘I have sent away those who are weak, but the strong warriors will stay and die upon the threshold of the city before a foot of an enemy shall be placed in the palace, You have beaten us upon the sea, but if you attack us on the land you will find that the Malay Ixreese is sharp.’” : ‘‘We don’t scare, old man,” replied Belton. [Go to youn pastor npal say tbat wenvust have.