Frank Reade Library: Six Sunken Pirates — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

2 SIX SUNKEN PIRATES. The subscription price of ae FRANK READE LIBRARY by the ear is $2.50; $1.25-per six months, poe paid, Address FRANK USEY, PuBLIsHER, 34 and 36 North Moore Street, New York. Box 27 SLA SUNKEN PLRATIES OR, Frank Reade, Jr.’s Marvelous Adventures in the Deep Sea. A WONDERFUL STORY OF A SUBMARINE VOYAGE By “NONAME,” Author of ‘* Astray in the Selvas; or, The Wild Experiences of Frank Reade, Jr., Barney and Pomp, in South America with the Electric Cab,” ‘‘Under the Indian Ocean with Frank Reade, Jr.,” ete., ete. CHAPTER I. A STRANGE STORY OF THE DEEP BEA. ‘¢T BELIEVE that the Golden City of Katunda was no myth. Mor- gan, Blackbeard, and such fellowsas we read of in the ordinary his- torical volume, were by no meansjthe only pirates of fame and fortune who made a rendezvous in the reef bound cays of the Caribbean Sea.” The speaker was a white bearded, studious looking old man, who wore gold bowed glasses, and had a most distinguished and scholarly air. He was Prof. Pentlow of the American Society of Exploration. In fact, he was president of this society. At the moment he stood in ‘the lobby of the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York City. ; The gentleman to whom he addressed the above surprising remarks ‘was young and handsome, wealthy, and what was more, a genius. He was Frank Reade, Jr., perhaps the most famous inventor the ‘world ever saw. The young inventor was instantly interested in the statement of Prof. Pentlow. ‘‘Tam much of your opinion myself, Prof. Pentlow,” he said—‘‘ at least, so far as the pirates are concerned. The Caribbean Sea fur- nished a splendid retreat for freebooters, and the cays, aS you say, were a fine rendezvous.” ‘* History will vouch for all that,” declared the learned man, ‘ but many consider the story of Katunda aa a fable or a legend.” ‘* Then you believe it true?” ‘*T cannotesee why it should be doubted,” declared the professor. ‘‘ The evidence of Captain Bunce, who was a reliable man, ought not to be set entirely aside.” ‘‘T am not exactly familiar with the story,” began Frank. **Oh, you are not? Would you like to have it in its entirety, and backed by such evidence as I have been able to procure?” ‘‘ Indeed I should,” replied Frank, ‘if it will not be too great a task for you to recite it.” ‘‘It will be a pleasure!” cried the professor, rubbing his hands ea- gerly. ‘‘ Perhaps I can interest you in the scheme of my life.” ‘s Ah, indeed!” ‘*But we are in too noisy a place here. Will you not come to my room where we may be retired?” ‘‘ With pleasure.” A moment later they were in the elevator and on their way to the professor’s room. This was onthe Twenty-third street side of the hotel, and far enough up to be aloof from the noise of the busy street. The professor proceeded to extract from a desk a pile of musty time-stained papers, Some were maps and some were plainly enough ancient records. cee th spread upon a large table and then seated himself oppo- site Frank. ‘* To begin,” he said briskly, ‘ here are the valuable records of the affair, and they came into my hands legitimately and have been carefully preserved by me. They were the property of a very aged man who claimed to bea descendant of Captain Bunce, and who upou his death bed sent for me, having no living relative, and made me his heir in consideration of some kindness I had done him. The heritage was only these ancient documents, but I took my chances and buried the poor old gentleman at my own expense, which act I would in all charity have performed anyway.” ‘‘ That was true philanthropy,” said Frank, ward will come.” ‘‘ It has come already, even if no farther benefit is derived from these ancient documents. But now tothe story: Itis told by Cap- tain Bunce of the English frigate Osprey, in the form of a narrative with sworn affidavits of members of his crew. ‘‘It is very voluminous, and to read it in ita rambling verbose form, would require too much time, so J will narrate the story in my own manner, and as taken from his narrative. ‘*The Osprey had been commissioned to cruise in the Gulf of Mexi- co, and to sink every pirate vessel which it could find. No quarter was to be given to crew or vessel. ‘‘ These were the king’s orders, and the Osprey was well equipped for the purpose. But the freebooters of these seas were too wily to be easily caught. | ‘“« Their light-winged rakish vessels would slip away from the clumsy frigate with ease, However, the doughty Bunce chased six of the light-winged craft into the Bay of Honduras, and ‘‘ rounded them up,” so to speak, not far from the present locality of Belize. “These six pirate vessels were a fleet, and unlike the usual custom, kept together. The man-of-war could have vanquished them all in a fair fight, but they did not give her any chance. ‘‘ This irritated Bunce and he made every effort to close with them. ‘*No doubt your re- COMICHOoks (CO) >