Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1117 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

» Tas? v et , f a" Nes ‘ a o--oo- C+ Cr oo OO wre ““Tll not be thwarted by these black devils,” ge muttered; ‘for, let me know the neighbor- Good of that island, and the treasure is mine.” a CHAPTER XL. ADRIFT AT SEA. AFTER several days, in which tho small crew of the Nemesis was kept hard at work, and with Brentford constantly on deck, for the weather grew rough after entering the gulf, the yacht came in sight of the Mexican coast. Shortly after the turrets of the celebrated fortress, known as the Castlo San Juan d’ Uloa, came in full view, with the city of Vera Cruz, tbe “ Iron Gate of Mexico,” behind it. Brandt Brentford stood at the helm of the yacht, and the vessel was bowling merrily along. Valik and Mezrak stood apart, talking earn- estly together, while Toolah was in the cabin looking after the wants of little Merle. Forward, leaning indolently over the bul-. warks, and gazing upon the distant land, were the two American negroes, Presently Valik came aft and Brentford said in an off-hand way: ‘Well, Valik, yonder rises Vera Cruz, so which way shall I head now to reach that mys- terious island?” “Come into the cabin, Rais, and look at the map,” said Valik, with more respect in his tone than he had lately shown to the yacht’s com- mander. ‘** But [ cannot leave the helm, Valik.” ‘“‘Mezrak will relieve you, Rais,” : Mezrak came aft at a call from his comrade and quietly took the belm, and Valik descended into the cabin, followed by Brentford. Taking up a map and unrolling it, Valik said: ‘* See here, Rais.” Brandt Brentford bent over the map, when he was suddenly seized in a vise-like grasp _which even his great strength was powerless to shake off. “ Rais, I will not harm you, so do not re- sist.” “Those irons, Toolah,” said Valik, calmly, Instantly the woman handed him irons for the wrists and ankles, and clasping them upon the prisoner, he left the cabin and ascended to the deck, leaving him dazed with astonishment, After a word to Mezrak he returned to the cabin, and a moment after one of the American negroes entered, and at once found himself in the iron grip of Valik. “Oh Lordy! yer hain’t gwine ter kill me, is yer Massa Fetish?” cried the frightened negro, feeling sure he was going to be sacrificed to the Devil. ‘‘No, nor harm you; but I put you in irons to prevent you doing any mischief.” Placing the irons upon him, Valik again left the cabin and called to the remaining negro, He approached with the fear he always felt of the two black giants. “Sambo, help me and I will not harm you.” “Yas, massa, fore de Lord I doall you tell me an’ more too,” said Sambo, who now missed his companion and the boatswain. ‘‘ Well, help me to lower away this, boat.” It was soon done, and was towing alongside, when Valik called to Mezrak to go about, and he and Sambo sprung to the sheet halyards. “Now, Sambo, for fear of accidents, put a cask of water and some provisions in the boat.” The negro quickly obeyed. ‘That is well.” ** Now, as it is sunset we part company.” "Yer goin’ ter drown me, massa?’ cried Sambo in terror. **No, but let you go to yonder city.” So saying Valik entered the cabin and soon returned with Brandt Brentford and the other negro, who answered to the name of Coal. Both were blindfolded, and the irons were still upon them, With the ease that 4 man of ordinary strength would have handled a child, Valik took Brent- ford up and lowered him into the boat, and a moment after did the same for Coal, Me a — - a TT FE a a ‘““Now, Sambo, look here,” The negro tremblingly obeyed and his eyes were ut once securely bandaged, “Sambo, over you and CoalI have the Fetish power, and I will use it against you, if you disobey me in the slightest thing.” ‘* Bress yer, [is goin’ ter do as yer tells me.” ‘“*T is too,” they both cried in alarm. ‘Well, I put youin this boat, and you, Sambo, I leave free to use your hands, though I blindfold you.” ‘*T sees yer does,” answered Sambo, though without intending a joke. ‘* There, the sunset gun from the fort has just been fired, and I command you, in the name of Fetish, not to remove the blindfold irom your eyes until you hear the tolling of the cathedral bell at midnight, for you are but two leagues away and the sound will easily reach you here, “If either of you slaves disobey, beware of the Fetish power forevermore.” The two negroes shuddered, and Valik con- tinued; ‘* Flere is.the key, Sambo, that unlocks the irons on the Rais and Coal, and at midnight you can let them free, take your oars and row to the city, but not before, if you dread my curse,” Then addressing Brentford Valik continued: ‘Rais, the purse I placed in your pocket is well filled, and you will find it ample for ordinary wants, though of course you will be in a rage that you miss the treasure you had determined to rob the Sidi’s son of. ‘To these negroes 1 give also a purse each, so they will not suffer, ** farewell,” He placed a purse heavy with gold in the hand of Sambo, and dropped him into the boat, Then he cast loose the painter, and called out: ** Remember, you black sons of a burnt grandfather, do not touch an oar, or leave this spot until the cathedral bell tolls midnight,” “T hain’t gwine ter,” called back Sambo, while Brandt Brentford uttered a deep curse, stepping aft, Valik then joined Mezrak at the helm, and instantly the yacht’s course was changed, and she headed for the Treasure Island, leaving the boat and its three blind- folded occupants drifting upon the waters, and Brandt Brentford in vain entreating Sambo, whose arms were free, to rid them of the chains, or to at least take off the bandage from his eyes that he might see in which dircction the yacht headed. ‘No, cap’n, der Fetish ruin dis nigger ef he do, an’ I isn’t gwine ter; is I, Coal?” ‘No; fer yer knows better den make der Fetiso mad,” answered Coal, and against their superstitious fears Brentford fumed in vain, while the Nemesis sailed merrily away in the gathering gloom, bound for the secret island. ‘Ob, curse those black devils,” yelled Brent- ford, “for they used me to bring them to land, and then Jeave me here. ‘* But they shall not escape, and that treasure I will yet find. ‘* Ho, you black rascal, if you do not release me of these irons, that [ may see which way the yacht heads, I'll kill you when I get free,” “Pll not free you then, massa, but drop you over in der water ter sink,” said Sambo, sullenly, and feeling how thoroughly in the man’s power he was, Brentford changed his manner and began to offer bribes, ‘No; gold hain’t gwine ter do me no good if de Fetish cuss me,” was the answer. And Sambo remained firm in his resolve, until a. last the sound of the tolling bell floated off over the waters, Then he removed the bandage from his eyes, and five minutes after he had freed Brentford «nd Coal of their irons and blindfolds, Away in the distance were visible the lights of Vera Cruz, but nowhere could be seen upon the waters the white sails of the Nemesis. ‘Get to work at the oars and pull for the town,” said Brentford, savagely, and the ~e@ ' i ’ * : ya 4 ive tat : . . - “ at be st i e. * in ~~ ‘Seid , : al i ye ah 7 BRN PAD ic he as ees ae a i RE Me Ses aE ee o ‘ea : -“ ' J L_ | comIcbooks.com TS ae ers + - . se . " negroes quickly obeyed, for they saw that the heavens were becoming overcast with dark clouds, and the wind was rising, and well knew that was no boat in which to be overtaken by a storm, CHAPTER XII. THE STORM. Ir certainly was a most daring undertaking, on the part of the former slaves of Montezuma, to attempt alone to find the Treasure Island in the yacht. In his infancy Montezuma had been wrecked on that island, and there his mother, the Princess Zulah, had found a grave. There also the treasure of the princess and Freelance, the Buccaneer, had been hidden, and for many long years the faithful Valik had remained there and guarded it. The Abyssinian slave bad seen his master, Freelance, depart with his little son, Merle, for Mexico, and though years upon years passed, he remained true and waited that master’s return, But instead of Freelance, there came back the one who had been born there, the baby boy grown to manhood, and who became the mighty Montezuma the Merciless, Having been true to Freelance, then to his son Montezuma, Valik would still remain true to the little Merle, and to keep his treasure from others he had boldly determined to risk death to all by running the yacht there alone, aided by only those he knew well he could trust, Mezrak and Toolah, Wholly ignorant of finding land when once out of sight of it, Valik yet knew, if he could reach Vera Cruz, he could run to the Treasure {sland if he did not lose sight of the shore by being driven off by a storm. When he set Brentford adrift in his boat, with the two negroes, the night came on clear and starlight. \- But hardly had the boat been lost sight of upon the waters than the wind grew stronger and clouds began to skurry swiftly across the skies. He knew well how to handle the yacht, and Mezrak was also a good sailor, while Toolah was most willing to aid, Luffing up, he set just what sail was needed, and again continued on his course to the isl- and, But the storm came on about midnight, and poor Valik felt that he had indeed shouldered a fearful responsibility. , THe dark line of shore had been visible be- fore the storm broke, and within sight of this he was most anxious to keep, so he lay the ves- sel to aud waited. For hours the storm raged, and then at last the dawn came, and eagerly the three slaves gazed landward, . To their horror they bebeld it only a few cables’ length away, for the yacht bad drifted badly. Quickly she was gotten under way again, and stood off to a safe distance, and then standing off and on the day passed. It was a long, fearful day, with the severest work devolving upon the little crew, and then night again set in, and with the darkness the storm increased, Valik and Mezrak, in spite of their superb courage, were disheartened. Yet they still worked manfully, and though it is a true sailor’s duty to shun a lee shore in a blow, they were determined not to lose sight of it. Not daring to lay to, they let the yacht drive on along the coast and within hearing distance of the breakers. ‘‘Valik, I fear we did wrong in letting the Rais and the two men leave. . ‘‘ We should have made them run us to the island.” ‘‘ And have them know its bearings, Toolah?” asked Valik, for she it was that had spoken. “What did it matter if they did?’ said the woman, | % “They could have gotten away in a boat, — 4 ~~ ~ : . ‘ * - - ~~ * atte aad ds el > = * A i ~~ . « ee — sent e . — . —~