Beadle's Dime Novels No. 87: On the Deep — page 81: what you’re looking at

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

THE BURNING CRAFT. | 83 away.the wreck, the rest are lowering the two boats. I don’t understand that,” _ “It certainly looks queer, and if Pm. not mistaken, he’s bracing round. his foreyards.” “ Ay, ay, here the.rascal. comes, making straighé for us, as if he were going to run into us!” “He'll get the worst of the bargain if he tries that foolish trick,” exclaimed the lieutenant. ‘‘ But, look, sir, are not his . men climbing over the bulwarks? I think I can see them.” “So they are. The rascals think to escape us by taking to their boats. Luff a little, quartermaster !” | : “ Luff it is, sir!” “That will .do—steady !” T wert 3 “ Steady she goes, sir!” Scarcely had the deep-toned response died away, when a dense, volume of smoke was seen to roll upward. from one of the schooner’s hatches, completely screening the boats from the watchful gaze of the ship’s crew | The pirates had set fire to. their craft, not only to aia its falling into the hands of their pursuers, but also to facili- tate their escape; for, in order to keep clear of the burning ‘vessel, the captain of the sloop-of-war would be obliged to keep off a point, thus affording his enemies a chance to get some distance to windward. yer | _..“ That’s a cunning trick,” said the lieutenant, “and I’m afraid ivll prevent our capturing the rascals.” “T hardly think so,” answered the captain,’ we'll be after them on a taut bowline, as soon as ‘We, get astern of the schooner.” : The lieutenant pointed out heavy masses of clouds which were drifting slowly toward the moon. _“Tt will soon be too dark to see the boats,” said he “ Ay, ay,” the captain answered, impatiently. “J’m afraid you are right. Do you see them now ?”. “T do. Lcan pat, make them out, far. to windward of the burning craft.” _. This vessel was now about a auiarker of a mile distant off the lee quarter. The flames had burst through her decks, and were shooting upward in“ long spiral columns, winding their fiery coils about her solitary mast and her fore-shrouds. ad comicbooks.com