Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 280 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

-~_ in this Lost Pond, Mezrak, to give him a wel- eome, “Poor girl, she grieves deeply for her fa- ther, he writes, believing u.m dead, and I feel for her in her great woe, ‘But I bave hopes that all will come well, for Captain Pierre has not returned to his ves- sel, that is certain, and this pirate lieutenant peems to bs a good fellow, * Mezrak!” “Yes, master.” “You must keep a bright watch for the coming of Captain Pierre, for this is the ren- desvous where he was to meet bis vessel, end, as [ have time before the fifteenth, to go up to the city, I will row up the bayous, to some of the Indian camps which are there, and get them t:) fhke me to New Orlsans.” “VY n will master return?” ‘““As soon as I can see Little Bett, who I hope wil! be willing to return with me, as, ‘ by this time doubtless, Brandt the Buccaneer has been hanged. ‘(Now to tell Mr. Branch and his wife what this scrap of paper makes known, and give them what hope I can,” and Merle entered the cabin. But, half an hour after he was on his way up the lagoon in an open boat, which was to leave him at the camp of some Indians, known to live inland afew leagues, and from thence he could readily make his way to New Orleans with a good guide, by way of the network of bayous. , CHAPTER XXIL THE LUGGER, Wen the morning dawned upon New Or- leans, after the escape of Brandt the Bucca- ne-r, it found the citizens ia a state of great excitement, The news of the daring escape of the pirate chief had’ beeome known, and while patrols marched the streets and made search of every auspicious locality, guard boats rowed about the river, and overy vessel, from a fishing smack to a clipper. packet ship, was most thor- oughly overhauled, and their crews looked equar ly in the face. To add to the excitement the body of the dead searcn had been found, with a knife thrust in nis heart, and from censure the feeling turned to pity for him, for few could but believe that ‘the bold outlaw had killed him at hie post. One of the first orders of Captain Meredith was to bang the most guilty of the pirates, while the’ others werd sent ashore to te city prison for safe ‘Keeping until their fate was sy ve oy After this Guty ‘was sttended to Captain Merédith Sought ‘the quarters where he knew Little Beit had ‘located herself in the town. To his surprise Little Belt had not visited , as she the ship tipon learning of the escape of Brandt, the B . must bave ‘done, and that fact’ arddeed his buspicions against the woman, He remenibered bow she had, when playing cabin-boy, once before set the chief free; when the schooner that had carried the pirate North $n irons was I¥iig in the Potomac, and some- how, in spite of ber pfotestations of seeking re- vonge, and wishing te see the bticcaneer hanged, hé could not bub doubt her, under ex- reu a5 be nad teared he found that Little Belt rters. Witte tandlond bad that he (for he believed the woman to be a youth) bad’paid his bill at day- light and gone away, leaving no word; bas that just ds he had left the door he yet denly met a person whom he seerned deligh who to “That was the pirate, and none other, she | “ ‘of fraud,” growled Captain quarters of the city office been beard of the buccaveer. Si cc aod — th, as he went mates to see if aught bad Merle Monte’s Fate. ee — But nowhere did he get any comfort, and he returned on board his vessel, to see that a large crew was put at once on the brig and the cutter, as be well knew the daring of the escaped chief, and did not doubt but that he was concealed somewhere in the city, awaiting an opportunity to seize some vessel, and put to sea in it, and perhaps his own craft, And at last night settled down upon the town and river, and Mayo Meredith paced his deck in no enviable frame of mind, after the day having passed, and no tidings of the re- capture of tbe bold fugitive been brought to him, as he had hoped would be the case. Presently he heard the sound of voices in song, and beheld a large lugger coming down the stream under light sail. = He listened, and heard a plantation song, sung in chorus by half a score of voicts, and knew it was one of the coast’ luggers that traded between the city and the estates below, or perhaps a vessel belonging to some wealthy planter. But he had given orders that no vessel should leave the port that night, and sternly bailed: ‘“ Ho the lugger!” The singing of the negroes prevented his hail from being heard, and waiting until there was a pause in the song he hailed loudly again: ‘‘Ho the lugger; ahoy !” ‘‘ Ay, ay, massa,” came back the answer in the dialect of the plantation slave. ‘‘What lugger is that?” ‘Massa Vincent’s lugger, sah, from de Soldier Rest Plantation, massa,’ came the re- ply. ‘*Do you not know orders have been given that no vessel is to leave port to-night?” ** No, sah, nobody done tole us so,” was the innocent reply. ‘‘ Well, I tell you so now.” ‘‘Lordy, massa cap’, @ur massa tan our hide well if we don’t git ter plantation ’fore day, ’cause he sent de lugger after s’plies,” Captain Meredith was in a quandary what to do, He could easily make the lugger come to anchor; but then the negroes seemed so anxious to go on, and on their vessel there could cer- tainly be no pirate concealed, that be concluded to allow the lugger to continue on its way, but called oute ‘‘ Who have you on board?” “Only us, sah.” “Who are us?” ¢ | “Jim, and Dan, and me, and Bob, and Sam, and—” ‘“ Por Heaven's sake hold\ ; “Have you no passéngers on boerd®” “Not a one, massa, ‘cause our massa don’t “ And no strangers?” “‘Nary one, massa cap’n.” “All right, you can goon your way; but ‘keep quiet whilo you ate passing through the shipping.” “We will, massa, t’ankee sab,” and the tog: . ger went on its way. And Captain: Mayo Meredith continued to, pace his deck, little dreaming that there was not a negro on the lugger, but only white faces blacked up, and that-the one who an- swered his hail and questions was none other Brandt, the r, himself, while ‘Captain Pierre:stood by bis side, and two score of men, Enlisted for “desperate work on the bigh seas, and plenty of gold in return,” were crouching below the decks, breathlessly await- ing the result of ther bold venture. CHAPTER XXUI. Tox SEA MARAUDER’S RETURN. errs cep his appointment with his captain, Pe & cruise out into the Gulf, Vance Murell pat ck for the rendezvous at Lost Pond. daieet eae the ‘coast, he was glad to see stood soutie ee was nowhere in sight, so He was a cautious commander, and hence * a e is —--- preferred night to venturé in, and” Tdffed wp until dark, Then he sent Peon ashore to recdnhoites, and see if thé captain had ‘returned. Peon launched bis light canoe and paddled swiftly shoreward, entered the, inlet, then the lagoon, and ran asbore to bave a Jook into the Lost Pond. As he stepped from the canoe he fotind bim- self in a grasp he could not shake off, It was a double grasp, for one band wae upon his throat, and then an arm was thrown around him and be could neither cry out or break away. The Indian was as wiry as a snake, and very powerful; but he had met his master, Without seeming trouble his captor bore him to a small hut, made of the branches of trees covered with moss, Within was burning a ghastly fire, yet the moss kept its light hidden from without. Then there were skulls, bones, and many other things hideous to look at. i But most hideous of all to Peon, was his cap- or. i s+ looked part human, part brute, and ali evi Out of his forehead protruded huge horns, his body was black, and nude to the waist, while his face was blue, with red streaks across it, Hs was deformed in body and head, and Peon, with the superstition of his race, was. assured that the Devil had him, and be lay on the ground passive, looking up in horror at bis captor and making no effort to escape, His captor gazed down upon bim an instant in silence, and then said in sepulchral toneg, and in the Spanish tongue, ‘‘-You are a Peon Indian of Mexico?” ‘Yes, senor,” groaned Peon, “Your name is Itzi?” ‘‘ Yes, Senor Diablo,” ey “You sail the sea in an armed craft?” | “| do, senor.” “They call you Peon there?’ ‘““They do, senor.” “The vessel is known as the Sea Marauder?” “Tt is, Senor Diablo,” ‘* Her captain is away?” | “Yes, good Diablo.” “ Her lieutenant sent you here to see was danger in the Lost Pond ibe oene “Yes, beautiful Diablo,” ‘‘Tam Satan,” — 7 “T know it well, Senor Diablo.” ‘You are my slave?” é¢ I ‘ Fd ‘# You will obey me?” “Tn all 8, senor,” “Then sae “if a ¢ . bey me, your tong gue shall “Ne 9, good Benor Diablo; I will obey.” __ Begone then, on ware!” | The frightened Indian sprung to his feet and darted et like een s | dowa told you, you ‘a3 igo his canoe, be sent it flying’ 0 D. . k, thanks to what Mr. Branch: ayed your part o We), and frightened that poor Indian half out of his wits,” and Lieutenant T) pea xe the moss but, and Ady sttcted wh the hidéousness of the black’s make up, and his fearful surreund- ings. . Lov ~ “He will be faithful, sir,” said Mesrak, calmly. | ; “T do not doubt it, so now to prepare for the coming of the schooner,” and the offieer returned on board the schooner, which was moored to the ahore, and in a short time had his men seseuees on each side of the canal, and securely hidden. : The canal leading into Lost Pond, was, as 1 have said, little wider than 9 vessel, and the banks were clad with trees, while the besi= was 90 qurrounded with follige thet the Gold | com ebooks; co ; 0. > S Le mn