Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1117 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 Merle, the Middy. own child, and the youth returned his affection, 80 that the bond that bound the handsome boy and hideous giant black together was one that ié would seem nothing could sever. Instantly then, therefore, at the word of Mezrak to “ready about,” Merle, who had the tiller instinctively obeyed, and the fleet craft, was the next instant dashing back under the guns of the castle, and on a course that placed the fishing-smack off ber starboard quarter, “Have. you forgotten anything, Mezrak?’ asked Merle with some surprise, as soon as the yacht was on another course, ** No, master.” ‘Why then do you put back?” “You say that mau was very tall, broad- shourdered, and had blue eyesand a long beard, master?” ‘*'Yes, Mesrax.’* *‘ And was in ths garb of a common sea- man, master?’ ce Yes, >?) “What language dij La address you in?” “* Spanish.” ‘* Nothing else?” “Yes, I now remember he waid ‘ good-by’ in English,” ** Master, I have an idea that that man is your foe and mine.,”’ ‘‘But how have we wronged him, Mezrak?”’ “TI have told you of your yarents, our zoming to the island, and all that you are?” ‘¢ Yes.” ‘Well, master, the man you saw was the same in appearance as the Rais B: sntford.” ‘* But that was fourteen years ayo, Mezrak.” “True, master, but I never forg.t a face. ** How old was the man you saw?’ ‘Seemingly forty, if I may jud,> by men of that age whom [ have seen.” ‘The Rais was then about twenty five, and that would nearly make it. ‘Tf the polacca goes about, and -uns back to Vera Cruz, I shall be convince! that the man was the Rais, and that he reco,',ized me, and is on the determined hunt for the treasure.” ‘* Let us then go on to the island, and let him dare follow us,” said Merle, s ernly, his anger rising at being dogged. ‘Master, that man has too mar s to back him. “He does not know that Valik aad Toolah are dead, and following us, as he vas, to the island, he has force enough to cong er us, and he knew enough of us to feel that it would be no easy matter— See! the pol ;cca* goes about,” The moonlight now plainly rwvealed the vessel, that had been in the wake<«f the yacht a few moments before, suddenly 29 about, and the way she headed back towarr: the harbor, proved the more certainly to wWezrak that they were the objects of the att¢ ytion of those on the polacca. Well, what are we to do, Mvzrak?” quietly asked Merle. First, run back to our anchorage, and seem as though we had forgotten so.nething. ‘Then I will go again up to the shops, and to-morrow some boxes wi.j be brought on board.” ‘** Boxes, Mezrak?”’ ‘‘ Yes, master, and in the evening we will put to sea again.” ‘But I thought you made the purchases you needed?” \ ‘‘T did, master, but I have since thought of something else.” “Then you don’t intend to complain to the harbor-guard of yonder craft following us?’ * No, master, I shall take a better plan.” Merle saw that Mezrak was revolving some plan in his mind, and said nothing more, and socn after the yacht was again at her anchorage. Ten minutes more and her pursuer had dropped her mud-book, and not a cable’s length away. ——— . * So calied on the Mediterranean Sea. CHAPTER XVIL MEZRAK’S RUSE. WHATEVER purchases which Mezrak cared to make were promptly attended to the follow- ing morning, Merle remaining on the yacht while the Abyssinian went on shore. During the afternoon half a dozen boxes and barrels were brought down to the landing on a cart, and a shore boat rowed them to the little -vessel, where they were put in the hold. Merle, without appearing to watcb, observed that the stranger was on the fishing-smack that had followed them, for he saw his head and face several times look out of the com- panionway, and he was confident that any movement on board the yacht was being closely observed. As darkness approached, Mezrak came on board, and instantly, almost, the fishing-smack got under way and stood seaward under light sail, Shortly after the Mezrak left her anchorage and ran out to sea, Merle as before at the belm, Upon gaining an offing the yacht saw the polacca hovering near, and at once her head was put down the coast, Apparently bound upon her own business, the polacca also shaped her course as had the yacht, and thus the two little vessels glided along, not three quarters of a mile apart, and the Mezrak slightly gaining. Observing this as though to keep up a plesant rivaly in speed, those on the polacca spread more sail, and she held her own, until Mezrak ran up the fore and maintopsails on the yacht, which again shot ahead. Thus the race continued for hours, under a stiff breeze, when ahead loomed up an island in sight. Toward the island the yacht headed, and running closer in, it was seen that there were dangerous reefs upon all sides. But Merle seemed to well know the channel and skillfully guided the Mezrak in to a safe anchorage. The island was by no means a large one, and was almost barren; but dropping anchor, Mez- rak drew the towing yawl of the yacht along- side and first set Merle on shore, Then, although seemingly forgetting the polacca, he went back to the yacht and taking from the hold a box and barrel rowed them on shore also. He seemed about to return for other stores, when suddenly in through the reef dashed a large boat containing uine men, and the polacca at anchor beyond showed from whence they had come. Running at once to the yacht two sprung on board, and the balance rowed shoreward, where Mezrak and Merle stood awaiting them. It was now good dawn, and Merle recog- nized the man at the boat’s tiller as the stranger he had seen at Vera Cruz, and Mezrak said calmly: ‘‘T was right, master.” ‘*Tt is the Rais Brentford, then?” ‘* Yes, master.” Still, neither the boy nov the black seemed to make any effort to resist those they knew now could only be foes, and they stood in silence watching the approaching boat, while upon the deck of the yacht, gazing after their comrades, were the two men that had been left there to, apparently, take possession of the little craft. . ‘‘ Aha! my ebony giant, we have met again after long years, and I have run you to your den,” yelled Brentford, as the boat advanced, for he it was. Mezrak made no reply, but as the yawl was now within a few lengths, he turned to Merle, and uttered some word which their foes did not hear. Instantly the boy and the black drew pistols from their sashes, and fired, anc\| in the con- fusion that followed, for ‘two in the boat dropped dead, the tops of the box and barrel already landed flew off, and out sprung two men, also armed. ———————— ———l lll a Lt “Back water for your lives! They have led us into a trap,” yelled Brentford, as he saw the reinforcement on shore, and at the same time turning at the shouts and shots heard on the yacbt, beheld his two men left there in the clutch of four stalwart fellows in sailor garb, The oarsmen only too willingly obeyed the order, and the boat started to retreat, returning the hot fire poured upon them, when Merle, cool as an icicle under his first fire, called out: ‘* Ho, the yacht!” ‘Ay, ay, sir,” shouted a young seaman on board. ‘‘Up with your anchor, and stand inshore for us,’ rung out in the boy’s clear tones. ‘‘ Ay, ay, sir,” was the response, and Mezrak and Merle sprung into their boat, leaving one of their allies dead, and another wounded, upon the shore, for the fire of those in the boat had told upon them The yacht’s anchor was at once apeak, and as it stood across the little inlet, Merle and Mezrak threw themselves on board. The yawl was now dashing out through the rocky channel, but taking the helm Merle held rapidly on after them. ‘““Up with that anchor there! “Spread every stitch of sail!” yelled Brandt Brentford to the two men left on the polacca, and with nervous hands they tried to obey. Just as the yawl ran alongside of the polacca she swung free from her anchor and felt the wind. But, as she fell off to the breeze, and Brent ford and bis men boarded upon the starboard side, the yacht was skillfully laid alongside of the polacca by Merle, and with a cheer the mem followed the boy and the black upon her decks, Brentford saw that be had two more men than the attacking force, and gairing confi- dence, drew his sword, and called to his com- rades to bravely meet the attack. But he was instantly confronted by Merle, who, under Mezrak’s teaching, had become a master of the sword, young as he was, and the two blades came together with a clasb, and al- most instantly the man was disarmed by the boy. “ T hold your life, sir. © ‘Shall 1 take it, or do you surrender?” cried Merle, sternly. Brandt Brentford was well aware that Merle spoke the truth, and as he had seen twe of his men fall beneath Mezrak’s huge blade, and observed that the remainder seemed cowed, he said sulienly: ‘*T surrender, boy, and if you are the son of a Montezuma, as you face and form show you to be, I consider it no disgrace to be defeated by you.” Merle smiled but made no reply, and five minutes after Brentford and his crew were in irons, and the polacca a prize, for Mezrak’s ruse, to ship men aboard the yacht as freight, and run to another island, not the Treasure Isle, and invite attack, had proven most suc- cessful, CHAPTER XVIII A TRAITOR. ‘‘ An, seror!. this man is Brandt the Bucca- neer!” The speaker was one of the men whom Mez- rak had hastily shipped in Vera Cruz, to aid in carrying out his ruse, and he addressed Merle, for instinctively all seemed to recognize the boy as the leader. “What! this man that cruel pirate of whom I have heard so much in Vera Cruz?” said Merle, addressing the seaman, and wittf | his eyes upon Brentford, ‘‘T will take oath of it, senor, for I was his prisoner once. ‘¢ He is Brandt the Buccaneer,” said the mam in positive tones. Merle had often heard the padres and his fel- low-students speak of a red-handed rover of the Gulf, and of the Caribbean sea, who showed no merey to man or woman, and it was hard for him to believe that he thea famo 1s cutlaw in his power. : g . : » 7 » , : z= * i ee ssa iy > oe CON hee * . wie TF ent Ss. * Oke é ° = * Ne . ™ , + ws a i + ‘ oe [y*. 7 * ry i | ‘ ~ _ 4