Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 25 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

The Boy Captain. 11 clair was then led off by his guard, who took him to a dark cavern inarock. He hearda clanking sound, then felt a chain passed tightly round his middle, and the Malays went away. Sinclair moved a few steps, to find himself held fast. He knew that he was chained to the side of the rocky cavern. There was a mat under his feet. He perceived that the chain was long enough to admit his lying upon this mat, which was to serve him as a bed. Toward night he heard footsteps. Soon a light flashed into the cavern, The person who held it was the pirate captain. Mora accom- panied him. She carried a wooden dish, upon which was pine-apples, oranges, and bread- fruit. She laid the dish upon a projecting shelf near the youth. “This is for you,” her cold voice and manner chilled him. He looked at her, but she return- ed the glance calmly. The pirate captain watched her, with a look of evident satisfac- tion. She turned away, without deigning the prisoner one comforting word or look, and left the cave with her companion. The youth felt as if his very spirit was crush- ed within him; he would have been willing to be cut down with a sword where he stood. The pirate captain proceeded to his hut, where Mako was waiting for him. Seeing this man, Mora turned away. Soon she was joined by Wilton, with whom she strolled off to a small grove. The two seating themselves under a tall camphor tree, con- versed together, in a low, earnest voice. Meanwhile Mako was talking to the captain. “Too long me have waited, now,” he was saying. ‘‘Me will make Mora wife, to-morrow. You tell her.” “* Be it so,” answered the other. “ After white boy been killed in death ring!” ‘You intend, then, that the prisoner shall be put in the ring, to-morrow?’ “Yes. When sun rise. Me have pick out the best fighters. Boy cannot break through.” “Tf he succeed in breaking through—what then?” “Me let go free. But me tell you, he no break through ring. Me pick out twenty good men; if he get past all rest, he no get past me,” and Mako, drawing up his enormous chest, placed a hand on the hilt of his heavy cutlass, The captain shrugged his shoulders. ‘“T should think not. I would not like to be the one opposed te you.” The Malay smiled grimly, from gratified vanity. ‘‘ Where are the nineteen you have chosen?’ “Tn big hut. Me tell ’em go sleep early, so as to be in good ‘strong’ for fight.” Five hours later everybody in the little vil- lage had gone to rest. At length, however, a figure stole from one of the thatched dwellings, and entered the big hut.”’ The light of a lamp in the hut fell full on the face and form of the intruder—Lieutenant Wilton. The nineteen Malays lay asleep on mats, The young man moved among them, waking each with a shake. They raised themselves on their elbows, and glared at Wilton. | “Why you wake?’ inquired one. “ Mako say we must sleep well.” “You may go to sleep again. But Mako should have given you something to brace your- selves with, for to-morrow’s work. See what I have brought you!” He took from under his coat a couple of large bottles, at sight of which the Malays sprung up, their black eyes glittering. ‘‘Brandy! brandy! Give! give!” cried one. “Hush! Mako may hear you.” Then the young man passed the two bottles round among the nineteen islanders, each of whom took a long, deep draughé. “Now you may go to sleep,” said Wilton, as he left the hut, after the two bottles were It wanted only two hours of dawn. At | daylight the nineteen Malays were waked They partook of breakfast; then they were called before Mako. He inspected them, rather carelessly; other- wise, he would have noticed that their eyes were duller than usual, and more sunken, At sunrise the ring was formed on the green—that is to say, the twenty Malays, including the hideous form of Mako, stood in a circle, their drawn cutlasses in their hands, Near the ring stood Wilton and Mora, behind them many other spectators. Meanwhile, the pirate captain had proceeded to the cave. He found Sinclair awake, leaning dejectedly against the cavern wall. ‘* Your time has come.” igs youth looked up, not understanding “Here,” said the captain, presenting him with a stout buckler, made of wood, covered with a buffalo’s hide. ‘* You will have tomake a good fight.” He then went on to explain that it was sometimes the custom of the Malays, to give a criminal a chance for his life, by putting him, with sword and buckler, in the center of a ring of armed men, that he might try to fight his way through it. If successful in breaking through the ring, his life was saved. “‘Not often is the ring broken through,” continued the captain, “‘by even a strong man. You may, therefore, know what to ex- ” A few hours before, Sinclair had wished for death. Now his heart swelled with a wild hope that he might succeed in saving his life. He would, in that case, rejoin Bolt and his young companions, perhaps raise the yacht and again cruise against the pirates. Now that he could not hope for the love of beautiful Mora, a desperate, adventurous life seemed more attractive to him than ever. The Malay guard took off the prisoner’s chain, and he was conducted to the center of the ring of armed men. He took his place firmly, seized the cutlass, which was then presented to him, and looked round at the dusky crew with whom he was to do combat, “Tt is time!” called the pirate captain to the youth, ‘‘ Begin, if you have the courage.” Sinclair had noticed that all the Malays around him, with the exception of Mako, were trembling, as if suddenly seized with an ague fit. This him, but he had no time to reflect upon it. Holding his buckler on his left arm, he rushed at one of the Malays. With one blow of his cutlass, he knocked the man’s weapon from his grasp; then he whirled round as the others closed about him, But Mako was now the only person he had to contend with, for the others, after a few weak, futile blows, dropped to the ground in convulsions! The gigantic Malay strode toward the youth, aiming a tremendous blow at his neck. Sin- clair received the weapon on his buckler; then he made a lunge at the body of his adversary. Mako avoided the blow by stepping aside, then rushed at the youth again with the fury of a lion. The young captain now had enough to do in parrying the man’s blows, without returning them. At length he thought he saw a chance for making good use of his cutlass, Springing suddenly to one side, he made a thrust at the giant. The point of his weapon penetrated the mantle directly over the Malay’s heart, but it had barely entered the flesh, when, with a tremendous blow, the pirate knocked the cut- lass from his opponent’s grasp. Unable to recover his balance, owing to the impetus of his body, when he made the thrust, Sinclair fell forward on one knee. Ere he ' could rise to his feet, Mako had sprung behind him, bis broad blade lifted to deal him such a blow as would sever his head from his shoul- CHAPTER X END OF THE COMBAT. In another second the keen edge of the cut- lass must have done its work; but half-way in its descent, it struck, with a clash, another cutlass, which had suddenly been thrust out over the imperiled youth. The protecting blade was in the hand of Wilton, who had sprung forward as Sinclair stumbled. There was a shout of surprise from the spectators, Mako, his blow warded off, turned, black with rage, upon the young man. The latter dealt him, on the temple, with the hilt of his weapon, a stroke that leveled the giant sense- less to the earth. A murmur, like the growling of a lion, was heard among the Malay spectators. Witb threatening looks, they advanced toward Wil- ton. Meanwhile, the pirate captain stood per- fectly livid, surprised at the audacity shown by Wilton, in striking down the powerful Mak 0. ‘““What have you done?’ he exclaimed. *¢'You will be torn to pieces.” The young man calmly watched the ap- proaching Malays. Mora had sprung in front of him, as if to shield him from the angry throng. “You see!” exclaimed Wilton, in a loud voice, pointing at the men of the ring lying on the ground in convulsions. “It was not a fair fight. These fellows have been taking too much palm-liquor, and have probably also chewed too much camphor gum. That was the reason I knocked Mako down. I thought it best to have another ring formed for the prisoner to fight against. I will take him back to the cave, and I hope that, to-morrow, we will see a fair combat.” Wilton, being next in command to Mako, had always been much respected for his nauti- cal skill, and for his bravery by the dusky sea- men, who had hitherto readily obeyed his com- mands, Now, however, they continued to ad- vance, their knives, kreeses and cutlasses drawn, Nevertheless they seemed undecided; perceiv- ing which, the pirate captain advanced, and, addressing them, in their native tongue, said it was best to leave the punishment of Wilton to the man he had struck—to Mako himself, at which the Malays uttered shouts and yells of approval, While they were gathered round the pros- trate men of the ring, Wilton, taking Sinclair’s arm, led him toward the cavern, followed by Mora and a party of the islanders. Arrived at the cave, one of the Malays seiz- ed and fastened the chain about the prisoner's waist. The light of the torch carried bya youthful islander, showed the angry eyes and scowling visages of the dusky crew. A ment later Sinclair found himself in solitude. He heard the receding footsteps of those who had brought him here; but, a few minutes later, he felt a hand on his arm. “rt is L” whispered Wilton, slipping a key in his hand—“unfasten your chain, leave the cave, and run to the right. The beach is a hundred yards distant. You will there find the cutter. I will soon join you!” ““How is this? You wish to save my life; you who maneuvered to bring me here?” ** Ask no questions.” The youth heard Wilton’s receding footsteps. He unlocked his chain, as soon as possible, and emerged from the cave. Thick masses of shrubbery screened him from the gaze of the islanders, assembled about the village. Running to the right, as directed, he gained the beach, to see the cutter, which he was about entering, when he heard a cry be- hind him. Turning, he saw a Malay, on a lofty rock, leveling a pistol at his head. ‘The man fired. Sinclair fell on his back, a stream of blood trickling from his temple—but the bullet only had struck his temple, slanting- ly, with sufficient force to deprive of his 6enses, JOO <€om €=) (G (E(@) ; ¥ 4 im: *