Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 25 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

\ » + err ~ spout to pass cnieieeai adie diane Sides * cate an*sdae ene asa | aaa A ae Be them and the yacht without touching their frail vessel. Meanwhile Ben Bolt had sprung to the wheel. As mentioned, there was a breeze from the east, wrinkling the water astern of the little craft. Soon it caught the sails, and away went the yacht on a northwest course, slightly increas- ing the distance between her and the proa. The pirates were straining every muscle. The gigantic water-spout, sweeping toward them, was still on a line with their boat, Like a living thing with its head in the clouds, and its feet in the sea, it bore down for them, writhing, twisting, hissing and roaring, as if in a rage. But, just as it arrived within about forty feet of the boat, it swayed to one side, and the pirates were saved. Curving like a bow, the spout swept on, astern of them, and, shooting to leeward, soon became dim in the distance. The boatmen then boarded their vessel, the proa, which, under full sail, stood off in chase of the yacht. The latter, however, being now under a press of canvas, the Malay did not gain on her. Bolt hoped that, at night, he might ‘‘ double on her ”—that is to say pass her, unseen, in the darkness. Au hour after nightfall, he, therefore, came round on the starboard tack, and stood along, close-hauled with no light. But the lynx-eyed Malays were not to be thus evaded. Like a black snake, the long, low outline of the proa was suddenly seen through the gloom, not twenty fathoms ahead! “Veer ship!” said Ben, quietly. The boys obeyed, and away went the yacht, again on her northwest course. At dawn the pirate was seen, a mile astern, still in chase. ‘The beauty of the yacht evi- dently had captivated the fancy of the wild captain, who seemed determined to use every effort to make her his prize. For a whole week he continued the chase— for a whole week the crew of the yacht beheld their evil-looking pursuer astern of them. The two vessels being nearly matched in the distance between them was neither increas- ed nor diminished. Meanwhile the yacht, ac- cording to the reckoning of Bolt, had left her Australian port at least a thousand miles be- hind her. All the boys except Sinclair looked dis- heartened. ‘“Cheer up!” the youthful captain would say to them. ‘We have provisions enough to last us a week longer. Besides, we may soon fall in with some friendly craft, which can as- sist us; perhaps we will even meet a sloop-of- war. ” Toward twilight, on the eighth day after sail- ing, the young crew beheld a sail to leeward. Bolt scrutinizing it through his glass, pro- nounced it a merchantman, ‘She cannot therefore help us,” said he, As he spoke, ap ominous cracking sound was heard, forward. Sinclair ran out on the jib-boom, looked at it, a moment; then returned, to inform Bolt that there was a wide crack in the center of it; The old tar shrugged his shoulders. “Tt must haye been strained in the gale,” he remarked. ‘We must splice it, and perhaps it. will hold. We cannot afford to haul down the jib, with that rascal astern of us!” Darkness was now closing round the craft. Sinclair and Bolt were advancing toward the > boom, marlinspike, and splicing gear in hand, when there was a away went the spar,. Soa sri Be short off, near the the broken end dropping into the sea! The old sailor and his companion looked at each other, and there was a cry of dismay from the rest of the crew. Deprived’of her jib, the yacht’s speed must be so diminished that, ere long, ‘she would be overhauled by the pirate. . Suddenly, however, Bolt seemed relieved, while he pointed toward the Malay, | The ea a a SE AES Ee BE ODI Ce at BEC 2 3 All aboard the yacht looked, to see the pirate heading away toward the sail to leeward. ““She has found better game than ‘us,’ d’ye see,” remarked Ben, as he watched the hull of the proa, dimly revealed, gliding off in the darkness. “ Now, then, we can tack for home,” cried one of the lads. Sinclair compressed his lips, his eyes flashing. He and Bolt exchanged glances, the old tar seeming to understand at once ‘the significant éxpression on the face of the youth. He shook his gray head. ‘‘ Unarmed, as we are, my lad, I don’t think we can be of any use to that craft: still, if you say the word, we—” “Ay,” interrupted Sinclair, resolutely, “I do say so. We can at least. lie to, and who knows what service we may not render some of the occupants’ of the merchantman? They might, for instance, attempt to escape in boats and we might have the good fortune to pick them up. What say, lads?” he added, glanc- ing round him at his assembled crew. “Ay, ay, ay!” was the hearty response. The broken boom was cut clear, after which the yacht was headed on the same course as the pirate, which was now almost invisible in the darkness, about a mile off the lee bow. Meanwhile the light of the merchant craft was seen not more than a league ahead of the Malay. Several hours had passed. The yacht was now lying-to within a mile of the merchant vessel, which the Malay had, by this time, evi dently reached, for a faint hail was borne across the waters to the ears of the youthful | crew. The next moment the wild yells and screams of the pirates, the shouts of the other crew, the occasional report of a pistol, with the noise of blows being given and received, pro- claimed that the pirates had boarded and com- menced their attack. Sinclair, restless and uneasy, walked to and fro, as these noises, sounding strangely in the darkness, and growing fainter every moment, were borne on the breeze. He said nothing, but he would have given much to have been able to go to the assistance of the struggling merchantman. Suddenly, distinctly heard above the other noises, came the cries of a girl. Sinclair started as if he wasshot. Hisclear voice, low but distinct, penetrated every corner of the yacht. ‘‘ Keep off there, at the wheel!” _ What are you going to do?” inquired Bolt. ‘‘Bear down for that craft!” was the firm reply. ‘A girl needs help. We must rescue her, or run any risk in trying to do so!” “Tm with you, there, my lad,” said Bolt, making up a curious face; then, pointing at a sear on the bridge of his nose, he added: “That was the work of a once flame of mine—Sal, Marton—with a gridiron, but d’ye see, it hasn’t knocked all the chivalry out of my natur’.” Sinclair, providing himself with his revol- ver, and ordering his companions to have hand- spikes, crowbars and hatchets where they could be picked up at a moment’s notice, stationed himself on the yacht’s bow. The wind having freshened, she made good headway, and was fast nearing the merchant craft, aboard which the noises of the combat had. ceased, when, suddenly, sky and sea were lighted by a lurid tongue of flame, shooting upward, evidently from the hold of the trading vessel, and setting fire to the main shrouds. In a moment the blaze, creeping up the tarred rigging, was wreathing round the _mast, which, soon, from deck to truck, pre- sented the aspect of a burning column. By the reG glare, a number of the Malays were seen leaping into their proa, which lay alongside, and which they now evidently feared would take fire. ‘‘The proa lies on the other side of the ship; | the smoke and flame will screen us from the gaze of the Malays,” said one of the crew. As the yacht continued to approach the , merchant vessel, which, it could now be seen, was a large ship, was nearly one mass of flame. Only the after part remained untouched, and on this Sinclair kept his gaze fixed, hop- ing to see the girl whose cries had been heard. “‘Wouldn’t advise your going nearer,” said Bolt to the youth, when the yacht was within twenty yards of the burning craft. “We can board in the gig,” responded Sin- clair. “We might, if we was salamanders,” an- swered the old tar; ‘‘however, we can try, although I don’t think we'll find any gal aboard. In my opinion, them rascals has either cut her down, or taken her off captive.” *« They have not taken her off,” said Sin- clair. ‘Had they done so, we would have seen her with them, when they boarded the proa.” The yacht was now brought to, and the gig lowered, accompanied by Ben and two others of the crew. Sinclair sprung into it, and the boat was directed under the ship’s counter, when her name, “THE TEXEL,” was seen, in gilt letters, above. “Ay, ay!” exclaimed Sinclair. ‘‘ As I live, it is the craft that contains my uncle’s treas- ure!” Seizing a dangling rope, the young captain climbed to the deck. Ben followed him. “Where are you going?’ he asked, as the youth sprung toward the companionway. “Into the cabin; we may find the girl there.” “We haven’t but a few minutes to spare,” cried the old sailor. “The fire has already nearly reached the quarter-deck.” They entered the cabin. It was empty. “You see she ain’t here,” added Ben. “Come, let’s get back to the boat.” But Sinclair was not yet satisfied. He ad- vanced to the bulkhead, and peered through an opening into the hold. “Ts anybody there?” he called. There was no response, The roaring and crackling of the flames now were heard, as if directly overhead. A thick volume of smoke, followed by a lurid tongue of fire, streamed into the cabin! Ben seized his young companion by the shoulder, and drew him toward the stairs. At that moment the youth was certain he heard a human voice, faintly calling. It came from the direction of the hold. “Tt is a girl’s voice!” exclaimed Sinclair. Breaking away from the old sailor, he plung- ed into the hold. A dense cloud ‘of smoke there drove him back. He turned round, drew a long breath; and made another plunge. Staggering on, he had not proceeded ten steps, when he heard the voice again, apparently un- der his feet. He now realized that it came from the lower hold, on the hatch of which he stood. He saw the ring of this hatch, pulled on it, and the opening was disclosed. A face looked up at him, from below. “Your hand!” he gasped, half choked with smoke. The hand was raised. He seized it, and drew up from the hold, a girl, apparently not more than fifteen years of age. Just then, there was a tremendous crash, above. It was the after mast, which had fallen, the shrouds and stays holding it having been burned through. It struck the quarter-deck; the timbers gave way, and smoke and fire, with showers of fly ing sparks, streamed into the cabin! “Quick, my lad!” shouted Ben, ‘‘or we are lost !” CHAPTER IIL SINCLAIR’S PERIL THROWING an arm round the waist of the girl, lifting her with ease, Sinclair hurried to- ward the cabin. This now contained many broken timbe some of which were in flames, but, with Ben’s GOMHIE S JOO Gol a te wm ess ee 2 ee eee ee ee