Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 187 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

2 “What ye lookin’ fur?” asked Jack, shortly. erab, or a three-decker?”’ “A boat. Likely a six-oared barge.”’ ‘* And d’ye s’pose yer talkin’ to a land-lubber that ye can’t say barge when ye mean barge?” ‘* {t's the coast-guarders,’’ announced Joe, in a low ‘Se tone. ‘*S’pose I don’t know?” growled Jack. *“*Come, come, Jack Sprat, if it’s you!” cried the voice; ‘‘there’s no use standin’ on your ear about nothing, Whereaway are they?” ‘*Ye'll find them round the p’int of Turtle Island, pullin’ like sin up the inlet. They’ve good ten min- utes’ start of ye. Lay to yer oars, or ye may sell out yer caps for a song.”’ ‘Give way!” eried the voice fromthe boat. ‘* With a will, boys!” The two old watermen watched the boat, as it cut like an arrow through the rippling waters. Hope they'll overhaul the confounded sea- thieves; but I’ve my doubts,’”’ remarked Jack, with a wise shake of his gray hairs. ‘**Hadn’t we best turn in?”’ ‘“*T could bunk on a pine plank in comfort,”’ re- joined Joe. ‘‘I’m sinfu rg, ee While they slowly turned their steps homeward, the pursuing bout was making rapid headway up the narrowing inlet, ‘*Hug the shore closer, Fred,’ commanded the stroke oarsman. ‘The moon is rising over the reeds. Do you see anything?” ‘*Yes,’’ answered the youthful figure at the tiller. “They’ve just ruffled the moonlight around the sharp turn ahead.”’ ims were now nearly a mile within the mouth of the inlet. They rowed on for ten minutes more un- der the shadow of the reeds, Suddenly the bow of the boat swept out from the shore line with a broad SUrSe, and headed across the channel, | ‘**Hallo! What’s up?’’ asked the former speaker. ‘They've smelt us out,’’ responded Fred. ‘The haven’t a quarter of a mile the start, and are head- ing sh a Leather Channel. Lay to your oars pebitd ; hey won’t have much the best of us on an angle,’ e difference between the two lines, from the island shore to the inland channel, was not so great but that hard rowing might overcome it. Both ars shot rapidly forward, the men pulling with a will. ‘* How goes the chase now, Fred?” wb haven’t a pine-tree’s length the start. They'll beat us to the channel; but I'll bet a cow we overhaul them before they are far in. Stoop, lads' Quick! The hounds are going to fire!” His sharp warning was instantly obeyed. A loud report rung through the silent night. An oar, struck by a musket ball, was wrenched from the hand of one of the rowers, and hurled into the wa- ter. A laugh of derision arose, as the head of the fu- gitive boat shot into Leather Chaunel, while the pur- suer swung head round toward the shore. At the same instant a lithe form ran like a squir- rel along the gunwale of the coast-guard boat, and sprung lightly ashore from the bow. It was Fred alyard, the youthful helmsman. He stood for a mument revealed in the full glare of the moon, a tall, slender, graceful figure, with a finely-cut profile, and eyes whose flash could be seen even in that dim light. He remained upright but for a minute, however a3 then stooped, in fear that another bullet might follow. “T’ll track them over the marsh,” he said,in a lowtone. “I know it like a book. A bent reed will be the signal.”’ The next minute he had darted away, running low like a lapwing. He soon disappeared in the long marsh grasses. The scene on which they had now entered was a perfect network of inland waterways, spreading over the broad salt marsh as domes * as aspider’s web. Only intimate acquaintance with these inter- threading streams could enable any one to follow their devious course. te a : — me eg oe its way ae fol- owing Fred’s bent reeds, whic ar sepeered at every branch in the inlets. Tinadly, ides ollow- ing a longer stretch than usual, they reached a new divide, but there was no trace of the signal reed. ‘‘That’s deuced awkward,” cried the stroke oars- man. ‘Is there something wrong with the boy? Jump ashore there and look.” Two of the men obeyed this order, and minutely inspected the ground. ‘*There has been some heavy trampling,”’’ they ob- served. ‘It looks as if Fred had been ambushed and gobbled up.” in reeds were trampled into the mud, as if a se strugezle had taken place. d e's gone, sure enough,’’ was the general deci- sion. ‘It’s a bad business. It will be odd if we don’t catch rats from old Tom, for losing the boy.” The search was continued through the tates ting channels for a full hour, but uselessly. further they went the more hopelessly they e involved, and they were pos obliged to give up ihe fruitless task, and dejectedly return. Meantime Fred had been diligently making his way over the miry and slippery surface of the marsh, ried poe ng. in some sane pool, now rendin ough tangled grasses, but always manag- in to sight the boat at every divide in the chan- nels, ! As he reached the point at which the pursuers hed been baffled, he lost sight, for some ce, Oo the chase. Hurrying forward ra through the tall grass that impeded his Way fell over some obstruction in his pa stumbled and. th, | He rose quickly, but what was his surprise to find. himself surrounded by four stalwart men, who seemed to hin to have emerged from the ground. se gid evidently fallen into the center of an am- ush, “Well, little one, don’t you think you’ve had enough fun of this kind?” asked one of them, as he grasped Fred’s arm with an iron clutch. “ ’Tain’t no joke, traveling afoot through the ma’sh. S’pose. you take a boat-ride with us?”’ Fred was for one moment utterly disconcerted. His eyes glanced from face to face of the hard-fea- tured customers around him. They were regarding” him with a grim aspect that was by no means re- ag ty But the boy was noted for always having his wits about him, and they failed him but for an instant now. His quick glance had taken in the situation. Resistance or ht was hopeless. He must make the best of a bad bargain. ‘* Dunno but maybe it would be nicer,” drawled Fred, with an assumed ease. ‘ Ma‘sh travelin’ is. tiresome work, that’s so. Been doing my prettiest. to catch up with you, and get a lift aboard your at. | “ Well, I'll be blowed!” cried one of the men, with | | cat, spotte }\purred and rubbed its head against the foot of one | of the men. a hoarse laugh. ‘Tf he ain’t a cool young chicken, sell me out.’ ‘*Stirup! There's no time to lose,’* commanded the first speaker. ‘‘ They’re close on our trail. Step | he here, my little hound. We'll find you a ken- nel,’ But he had for an instant loosened his grasp on Fred’s arm. The alert,lad_ made a quick, unlooked- for spring, tearing himself} away, and, ere they could prevent him, leaped headlong into the water. he could but gain the other side, and hide under the shelter of its border of marsh-grass, he might be. safe until his friends came up! But the others were too quick for him. The boat. shot out from the side of the inlet, where it had lain concealed, The quick-swimming boy had _ scarce reached the center of the stream when he was grasped Xs the shoulders, and lifted, as by the strength of a giant, bodily into the boat. ‘* Blast his eyes!, Hadn’t we best knock the water- rough voice of the captor. ‘** No, nol’? came from the shore. him, Bloodshed don’t pay.” ‘**Didn’t want to get aboard a covered with mud,” said Fred, lightly. it was only genteel to wash off first. Bee to act polite.” **Don’t parley with him,” cried the leader, from the bank. And set the boat’s head in. “Tie and gag “ Thought. We must be off.’ Fred would have hazarded another observation, — in the hope of gaining time. But his effort to speak was rudely’cut short by a rough gag that was forced , into his mouth. In the next minute, tied hands and feet, he was flung lengthwise in the bottom of the | boat, a a thrown over his face effectually blinding him, and he le hae ge hopes which he might have had of observing the course of the boat. He had only his ears left to aid him, but he made entleman’s yacht: | n brung up: | “We're losing time here. Tie him, Jack. : : | | | | | most effectual use of them, as will hereafter ap- | ear. as It will be odd if I don’t work a triangulation on — them yet,” he thought. “I haven’t carried a chain in the Coast Survey for nothing.” The boat at length came to rest. Theclank of a chain was heard, as though it were being fastened, The next moment the boy was lifted out and laid on what seemed hard ground. A dry, warm air had ne the coo] air of the marsh. ] confused bustle ensued. Then a door was loud- | slammed, and Fred was left alone in gloom and ence, CHAPTER II. STRANDED IN THE MARSH. FRED HALYARD was not the person to remain long in a state of inactivity while any power of motion remained to him, Bound band and foot as he was, and with the rude gag still in his mouth, he was able to roll, and thus to get rid of the blinding mass that covered his eyes. But the change proved of no essential sarantege. for the darkness remained as dense as before. He was evidently in some inclosed space, which the light of the moon was unable to penetrate. And a low, lap ing sound of water met his ears, seeming to show thai a branch of the inlet penetrated to this place. Yet, as soon as his eyes grew somewhat accustom- ed to the darkness, he was able to make out the out- lines of a long, narrow room, from one side of which came a faint gleam of light. It seemed to pass through a narrow crack at the bottom of a door. Fred was instantly seized with an anxious desire to learn what was going on beyond this door. It must have been through this that his captors had Pp , and there might be a key-hole, or ope of some sort, which would reveal to him the secret of ‘their mysterious operations. His first thought was to break the bonds by which his limbs» were fastened. His efforts, unfortunate- ly, proved in vain. He had been tied too firmly for a. such easy a. another direction he was more successful. The gag had been shifted by his uneasy movements, un- il it was now very painful to him. But he had felt a hard inequality in the floor, ly an .obtruding spike-head. By continued efforts he managed to work himself down so as to bring his mouth oppo- site this, and by degrees succeeded in removing the obstruction, which had been wedged in be- ween his teeth... . ‘It proved no easy matter to accomplish this, and _and broad flat nails. | hogany, and splotched with reddish s ' and singe their whiskers. rat inthe head, and be done with it?” growled the | Fred Halyard, the Life Boat Boy. Fred lay in a state of partial exhaustion while his, mouth was slowly returning to its normal condition. But, there might be no time to lose if he hoped to, make a discovery. His hands were tied behind his back, yet they had some little power of motion left, and he employed this to drag himself, inch by inc. , ba approaching the door whence came the t. t was a slow progress, but the distance, for- tunately, was not great. Ashe drew near the docr the sound of voices grew plainly distinguisha))|: . And now loud bursts of laughter rose, anda clinking; sound, as of glasses or earthen cups. There was but the one point through which the light came, the crack at the bottom of the door, fH'reJ soon satisfied himself of this, and then applied his eyes to the narrow opening, His disappointment was extreme when he found that it only displayed the floor of a lighted-up apart- ment, with a few inches in hight of the opposite wall. Between him and this was discerned a medley of boot- ed feet, and the lower part of the 1] of a table and of a number of chairs. The clinking sound ad- monished him that a drinking bout was oing on. In fact there was but one clearly dist R shable object in sight. This was a large, tiger-like, whiie on paws and tail with black, which This person lowered his band to stroke the animal. Fred’s sharp eyes caught the parece of this hand almost as distinctly as if he had seen a face. It was a short, nf hand, with stumpy fingers, n color it was as dark as ma- ts. On the little finger was a thick gold ring, with a greenish stone, possibly an emerald. “A white cat and a sun-burnt hand,” cogitated Fred, ‘That ain’t much, but it’s something. When it’s nip or tuck everyitem counts. And there’sthree knots in a row on that washboard. Guess I’li know this room again.” **Once more, Cap,”’ came a voice from the room. ‘“Here’s success to the jolly-flyers, and confusion to | the customs; and may the foul fiend sink their boat Drink deep, lads; he’s a traitor that leaves a heel-tap.” The clink of cups was again heard, and then a voice which Fred recognized as that of one of the boatmen. ‘‘We must be going now. Daylight must see us on deck again.” J 1p wes what’s to be done with the brat inside ere?”’ **Don’t puzzle your wise head about him, We'll settle with him.” “The deuce you will!’ thought Fred, somewhat disconcerted, ‘“I’d give six months’ salary to Lo out of this.” The men had risen. He could see their feet mov- ing about the floor. The listener, fearful of bein;: caught in his present position, hastily rolled away as the readiest mode of escape. Unluckily his effort in this direction did not prove as successful as he had hoped. He suddenly felt as if the floor was giv- ing way beneath him, and with a noisy splash, he tumbled headlong into the stream of water in which | the boat had entered that inclosure. It was a dangerous experiment, bound as he was. But Fred had enough of the cat about him to light on his feet, and as the surface of the water only reached his breast, he was safe from drowning, at | all events. The door was hastily flung open, and the men came rushing into the room where they had left | their captive. ‘‘What the blazes is up here? Where are you, boy?”’ shouted the foremost. ** Here! to kaw ig in water. Taking a cool- ing off,” explained Fred. ‘It’s so confounded hot above there.” A laugh followed his remark, given, as it was, with inimitable sang /roid. ; ** And how did you get there, you rascally young water-rat?”’ ** Couldn’t walk here, ’cause I had no legs,”’ replied Fred. *‘ And couldn’t crawl, ’cause I had no hands. Didn’t see no better way except to roll.” ‘“‘He’s got the gag from his mouth, Cap,” said the man who had spoken first. ‘“* Well, and if you’d had the politeness to take it out for me, I'd been saved the trouble,” remarked . “Hope you didn’t think it was so comfort- able that I was going to keep it in for the fun of it?”’ ‘*Dry up there now!’’ came an imperious voice. ‘**How’s a fellow going to dry up in five feet of wees retorted Fred. ‘Pull me out and give me a show.” ‘“‘ Better leave him where he is. It’s his own fault if he gets drowned.”’ 3 A ‘No, no,” said the man addressed asCap. ‘‘We haven’t gone into the murdering line yet. Sag him into the boat, boys. And some of you tie a rag over his eyes. They are too sharp to be left open, Fred had used them to the utmost possible extent during this conversation. But the door was only re ap a and the faces of the men too much in e ow to be distinguishable. “You needn’t gag him again,” said the leader ‘*except he sets that tongue wagging.” ‘Don’t you get skeered, Cap,” exclaimed Fred. “‘T wouldn’t say a word now if words. were apples, and they were worth a shilling apiece. I’m just as dumb as an oyster.”’ . | The speech of the irrepressible ey, Be eee followed by a laugh from the men. But ashe had wit enough to be as good as his word, no further action was taken, and they auietly fell to their oars. ; . How they got out of that place into the open air again Fred could not conjecture, though he heard a | 900 Comic CS) —S a — - 6) +4 — — on ce _ \ 4 \ -