Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1139 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

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The smoke of that Jast discharge hid his move- ment from the pirates’ eyes. Instinctively they guessed the ‘truth. A dozen devilish faces peered over the rail, ready to finish their victim if he still showed signs of life. But the deep waters beneath gave no sign of the victim they had swallowed up in their depths. . The form of the stricken man rose no more to the surface. ‘“*He’s gone to Davy Jones’s locker at last!" ex- claimed the pirate chief, with a savage oath. ‘‘ What very devils these Yankees become when their tem- perisup! Ah! if I had but fifty such men under me, I would fear we ore “Well, boys,” added the pirate, as he coolly wiped his reeking blade upon the sleeve of his shirt, ‘ we have had a harder fight than I expected to take the brig. Perdition seize me; but I don’t remember to have ever been in a Spacer spot in my life. I gave myself up for gone when I saw that gun povertog us and that cool Yankee applying the match. Luck is with us, after you see. e've lost half of our brave boys; but, there'll be the fewer of us to divide the treasure among.” Well did the crafty leader understand how best to reconcile his men to what had happened. A grim look of satisfaction swept over the face cf the crew at his words, Then, like a flash, there came to the pirate's mind the remembrance of the woman his lieutenant had spoken of, A demoniac smile of triumph shot across his face as he wiped the blood from his wounded cheek, ’ Stay on deck all of you!” said he, addressing his men, “If any of the brig’s crew are still alive, you ean a cord around their arms; but do them no harm. I have a fate in store for them worse than death. Sancho, you will see to it that a keg of pow- der is placed in the main parenwray. If there is anything in the hold particularly valuable, you can pass it over to the schooner’s decks.”’ Turning on his heel as he concluded, the pirate strode aft to the brig’s cabin, and disappeared. ‘‘Now to have a peep at the pretty bird in her cage,"’ he muttered. “It’s caused me no little trouble to secure her.”’ Descending the companion-way, his eagle eye took in everything at a glance, The victim he was looking for was not there. ** Could it be possible,” he asked himself, ** that the woman had thrown herself into the sea to escape his hands?”’ : But the look of Sc ep accompanying it speedily vanished. His eye had noticed the door leading to the forward cabin, With a quick stride he laid his hand upon the knob and threw it open. The sight that greeted his eyes was sufficient to have moved the heart of ademon. Kneeling prayer- fully before him, her right hand raised appealingly to Heaven, the other hand thrown protectingly around the waist of a lovely boy, was the object of the pirate’s search. ; No thrill of pity crossed the flinty heart of the wretch as he gazed on the scene. No; only a look of gloating triumph that he had gained so rich a prize. She started up at his entrance, her beautiful face turned pleadingly pon him in a look of suppiica- tion more eloquent than words. “Spare us! in Heaven’s name, spare us!’’ she cried, a“ Nobody Spall Darn iy ae of pat pens a beauty,”’ re the pirate, with a glance that made a Well can alford to lose half my crew to gain such a prize as you.” “Have you no ite of pity in your heart?” cried the woman, pleadingly. , a pirate interrupted her with the coarse re- mark: ‘““Ay, my lass, I’ve plenty of heart when there's such dainty craft as ema to be had for the taking. Pity? Ay, I pity re too much to send you to the bottom in this old hulk, You shall be my own sweet lass; never fear. You have still many years of lite before you yet if you but make the best of it.”’ A look o fixed, terrible despair crept into the woman's eyes at those fearful words, ‘* All is lost!’ she cried. ‘Father in Heaven, for- give me for this act!” CHAPTER !XVi. LOOKING DEATH IN THE FACE, : As the woman uttered those despai words, she snatched a keen stiletto Pecir tha folds of her ress. : | Another moment and she would have accomplish- ed her purpose, but with one bonnd the stalwart pi- rate sprung forward and wrested the weapon from her grasp, cutting his fingers badly in the effort. “Not so fast, my Po bird!” he cried, angrily ; ‘‘ what are you about?” “T would take the life of myself and child,” she rt-broken sigh escaped her as she murmur- ed: mitt is Heaven's will that I should fail.” f ' SS Re cet : LE GO ua tt CT Es ttt tt The Ocean Bloodhound. ————-. =- ee a “Take my advice and don’t try any more such foolish tricks,’ said the pirate, with a wicked glitter in his eyes. *‘ Il am the master, now, and you are todo as please. There'll be time enough for that when—”’ He was about to add, when he was tired of her company, but he suddenly checked the words. “And now,”’ he added, ‘‘ you are to Sw poy your time in picking up such things as you think you will need. You will have fifteen minutes given you for that purpose. It will take me that time to gather up What spoils there are in the after-cabin. No tricks, though "’—with a look full of savage menace—“ re- member I shall xeey an eye on you.” What a wave of terror surged over the woman’s heart as she listened. Slowly and like one in a rae she proceeded to obey the pirate’s sugges- ion. The child at her side, unconscious of the terrible calamity that had befallen them, gazed into his mother’s despairing face with looks of wonder. All hope had fled from her heart at last. She could do nothing but obey the bidding of the human monster, who, keeping a wary eye upon her movements through the open ‘oor, was busying him- self in gathering up the ship’s instruments, the bag of treasure and all else that seemed to him worth the trouble of taking. These he thrust indiscriminately into an empty ag. Then throwing it over his shoulder he again ap- proached the lady’s state-room. ‘‘Ah! you are all ready, eh? That is well, for I like | gama fe bean By the way, you'd better throw a vail over your pretty face. I would not care to have my Own men see what a pretty prize has fal- len into my hands. They might become jealous, you see,”’ That was not the real motive that actuated him. Of all the victims that had fallen into his hands, none of his men had ever seen their faces; but no one ever knew what was the reason for his queer preeaution. The woman obeyed him without.a word. Her hand was still tightly clasped in that of her child as if she feared for his safety. “Never fear for the little chap, m in ” said the pirate, carelessly. ‘‘ I’ve no particular o jection to the youngster remaining with you, so long as you act sensibly.”” What a terrible threat was implied in those few ee 9 yey ey words, The face of the woman turned deadly pale as she heard them. It was only bya strong effort that she retained her senses. How long would her brain stand proof oF that fearful strain before she would go m Slowly, and with faltering steps, she fullowed her captor to the deck, and soon Santillez saw his victim roy ae we coma " the ey on eae . hea earing she esca m , he pus her into a state-room, and bolted the door. . Then he again returned to the brig and looked around him. Three of the brig’s crew, though badly wounded, were still alive. ; tain Zeke, her late com- Added to these was Ca mander, A bullet-hole in his shoulder, pale as death from weakness, he was still watchful and defiant. The pirates had bound the prisoners’ arms tightly behind them. Santillez surveyed them coolly for a moment, and then said: ‘ Bring them here to the hatchway, and lash them fast around it,”’ The hatches had already been removed, and the keg of powder lowered in the hold, The cargo had been lifted out until the bottom of the keg was only a few feet from the keel of the doomed vessel. Santillez snatched up a long coil of fuse lying on the deck, Determined there should be no chance of failure this time, he descended into the hold. Remo the cover from the keg, he carefull coiled the fuse upon the open powder, Then he lit the end and hurriedly sprung out. ‘** Back to the schooner, boys!” he cried, as he led the iy Well he knew the frightful risk he ran. A single stray spark from the frse dropping into the powder might blow them up at any instant, cured to the hatchway in sneh a position that they could easily see the fate in store for them, the wounded survivors of the Birate's vengeance looked for instant annihilation. Literally ‘vere they com- pelled to stare death in the face. With a fiendish malignity, worthy of such a hard- infernal plan. A half-dozen yards of fuse lay coiled upon the open der, Slowly, but none the less surely, the fatal spark crept on its mission. ‘ _ the pirate schooner, with all sail set to catch the ht breeze, moved slowly away from the spot, ith what superhuman strength the wounded wretches tugged at the cords which confined them ; but, all in vain! ‘The pirates had done their work only too well, Hh Bes ™ ith one aecord they saw the hopelessness of the attempt, and ceased their struggles. Their lips moved) mechanically in prayer to the Father of all mercies. Oh, that the Heavens would open in a second de- luge to drown out yonder fatal spark. ith bated breath they waited for the dreaded moment, Instants of time became hours, and minutes ears, | : The spark still crept slowly on its murderous way, ‘ Only one coil now remained upon the open pow- hearted scoundrel, had the pirate carried out his: eo Two minutes more, and the explosion would hurY them to atoms. Just at that instant, something scraped harshly against the side of the brig. In the awful intensity of their danger, they heed- ed it not. It is doubtful if they even heard it. “Sate! Thank God/" said a hearty, though en- feebled voice. Slowly clambering over the side, came the power ful forin of Job Rogers, the mate, Captain Zeke gazed upon him as if he had seen ar apparition. Then in an instant he saw that the form before him was in reality flesh and blood. Expecting instant death himself, he resolved to make the effort to save one life at least. ‘** Overboard soma, for your life!’’ he shouted. ‘* We are doomed men,” The rest of the crew, unheeding the mate's pres- ence, were gazing with fascinated eyes upon the powder beneath them, ; With one bound, Job Rogers sprung to the hatch- combings and looked down. The next instant he had lea nto the hold. ery eeeruly he picked up the lighted fuse then but a quarter of an inch short of contact. Crushing out the tiny spark in his hands, he tossed it upon the deck above, eakened as he was, the exertion had been teo great for him. For the first time in his life, the rane man fainted—his body falling across that fa- Og. ; A cry of thanksgiving broke from the lips of the witnesses, They laughed and cried by turns like men crazy with joy. Heaven had indeed answered #heir prayers, when all human aid seemed im There was still one happiness. Secured as they were, they coul nothing to aid their brave rescuer, What if that act was the last of his life? — Their fears were soon brought toanend. Nature came to the relief of an iron constitution. In a few moments the brave mate ROARS TS Cons aeete Slowly and painfully he dragged himself to the above. He geve one cautious glance in the direction of the retreating schooner. ee this time the latter was disappearing in the dis- ce, : Drawing a keen poniard from the belt of one of the dead pirates, the mate quickly severed the bonde that confined his companions, He worked painfully as if the effort cost him a hard struggle. Then descending into the cabin he soon reappear- ed with a bottle of brandy, from which he served out to his companions a good allo ce. The fiery Naniorrainable ind at such a time—~ served to stimulate and put new spirit into their weak- ore Keep a tiff li hearties; all is not lost *‘ Keep a stiff upper lip, my Ri 0 yet,” said the mate, hopefully. CHAPTER XVII. AFTER THE CONFLICT. DespiTe the mate’s brave words, there was a ange Beiplea ietin inte pirates itches, a Hesened pless vic e s clutches, for a fate far worst shin death. é Severely wonton as were the survivors of the brig, there were hopes of life yet, and the Yankee skipper was not a doctor. ‘Unheeding his own wounds, Captain Zeke at once proceeded to attend to the wants of his companions. Bringing up the vessel's medicine-chest, which luckily the pirate haa left undisturbed, he was soon busily engaged in pre- paring bandages. Jo gers was assis of a sudden, he was notic with a gasp second time, the strong man had fainted. Captain Zeke dropped his work with a startled air. ‘Help me strip him, men," said he hurriedly, “I fear he must be dangero hurt, It may seem a little strange to the reader that this fact was not sooner noticed, 1t must be remembered, though, that the plunge overboard had washed away all traces of blood from his wet ciothing. Added to to turn pale; and this, the salt of the ocean had partly checked the _ flow. It was the violent exertions the mate had after- | ward made that started the bleeding afresh. 8 like a martyr of old, he had preferred to keep h suffering secret until the needs of the others had been supplied. , With trembling hands, they tore open his shirt and bared his bosom. The captain’s face was very = hole where the bullet y rave as he saw the ragged red entered, Very close to the mate's heart it was. Ab! little nore now had they of his recovery. {Yan he captain made a hasty examination of the wound. ; pees e, rawback to their cup ot a in this task, when, ak cry, he sunk to the deck. For the We can but ease his last moments, I fear,” he said sacdy. Suddenly a great flash of joy spread over his rug- ged features. | ‘Heaven has spared his life to us,” he\cried, in a tone of devout thankfulness. ‘ “See!” he added, poin to a hard, round rage on the victim's side, ‘The bullet has struck a and eye igen aside. ; ‘‘Hand me that stiletto, Dick! Hurry, before he comes to,” ey Taking the keen weapon, the captain—his hand now firm as steel—made a ht incision over the 8 and the next moment he held the en ie Pigs rs a n leaden bullet an -' ‘*He has fainted from loss of blood,” said he, as he proceeded to bind up ee wounds, and .* >. ae Aen + J -*% q a P ‘ is ' \ A” » . + ’ ie va : ie let ;