Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 284 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 The Sea Marauder. which some one ized her and hailed lustily, then gliding by Monte Maner, and next the city, she held her way, the seamen on the different vessels at anchor in port, who caw her fly by little dreaming that the beautiful vessel was a prize to the daring Marauder of the Sea who paeed her decks with pride at being again able to fleat his black flag over the seas, and on »a craft which he knew couid outstrip the fleet- est cruiser, CHAPTER XXL. MERLE MONTE’S PLEDGE. THe young, almost boyish, master of the grand Monte Manor, read in his library until a late hour on the night upon which the scones happened thas are related in the foregoing chapter, and he was just abeut toretire when a Visiter was announced. “Whe can it be, Benedict, at this late hour?” he asked. “The same old gentleman, master, that was here te see you before,” was the answer. ‘‘ Ah) show bim in at once,” and the next instant in came Belle Denham in her disguise of an eld man. Witheut waiting for a welcome, she asked quickly: “Mr. Monte, have yousent your yacht down the river?’ ‘* By ne means,” “She has gone past the city under full sii,’ *“Ffalare you sure it was the Dragon?” he ci ied in astonishment, ‘Tt was the Dragon, for I stood on the bank and she went by so near me, that I could al- most bave sprung on board, for she ran close inshore to avoid some vessels at anchor fur- ther out.” “This is startling news. ‘‘Ho, Benedict!” “Yes, master.” “Send Zekiel to me,” and, as the negro dis- appeared to obey the order, Merle continued: “You know I told you that the yacht was up at The Retreat?” _ “Yes, and that is why I at once sprung inte a boat and came up to see you, for her decks were crowded with men, and they were not I am certain, from their voices.” “Then she has been cut out,” said Merle coolly. “Jf so, Pierre Dupont has done it, and played me false, as he may have suspected me,” said Belle Denham. “We shall soon know, for Zekiel, my boat- ' man on duty to-night, must have seen her go by, yet it is strange he did not report her.” At that moment Benedict returned, and Merle said quickly: ‘Well, where is Zekiel?”’ “‘Don’t know,.master, for he isn’t at the boat-house. ” “ Not at the boat-house, when it is his night duty? “Then why did you not order the men os “Phere are none of them there, master.”’ “By Heaven! but this does look bad—ah! there is a knock. “Go, Benedict, and see who it is.” Benedict soon returned and ushered if Basil Branch and his wife, ** Well, this is a surprise: but there is no ill news | hp 8S I do not see Miss Pearl with you,” le, advancing te greet them. ‘“Why no, when you requested us not to bring her,” answered Basil Branch. ‘‘ Not to bring her?” “ So Zekiel told us.” “My dear Mr, Branch, I sent no such word to you, and as you speak ef my boatman Zekiel, De tell me where you saw him last?’ Vhy he just brought us down in his boat from the plantation. ‘We would bhaye come down in the vachi,. but if seems that Captain Murell had gone off with two boats’ crews to attack some river pi- wates, So we came with your boatman, ee nee ee 2 eee ee ie! river like the wind; and aay I hailed loudly | OE enn and aid in the recapture of their I got no response, and I concluded Murell was in chase of semething.” ‘Mr. Branch you astound me by all you tell me, sir, though delighted to see you, I sent no word for you to come to-night. ** Benedict, order Zckiel here!” While Benedict was gone Merle explained what Beile Denham had told him about the yaeht, and then had to tell them who the sup- posed eld man was, and that they had a plot together to capture the Sea Marauder. “Well, Zekiel, what means this going with- out my orders up to The Retreat Plantation?’ said Merle sternly, as the negro entered, evi- dently alarmed from the little Benedict had told him. ‘‘ Abram told me, sah,” “Abram told you what?’ **He told me, master, that you said to go up tode Retreat and ask Massa and Missus Branch to come right down on important business, and not to bring Missy Pear).” 28 ‘Well, the plot thickens. “ Benedict, call Abram.” But Abram could not be found, but his crew came and told of the old gentleman who had Janded that afternoon and had a long talk with him, and Merle said: **] fear, my friends, there is more deep dev- iltry in all this—ha! whois this?’ and Merle turned to the doer, as suddenly Conrad, the yacht’s boatswain, followed by a score of the | crew came crowding in under great excite- ment, ‘It is me, master, Courad, sir, and I have come to tell you that the schooner iscaptured.’” **The schooner Is captured; and by whom?” said Merle calmly, looking at the negro, who was a man of more than ordinary intelligence. ** By the Marauder, sir.” ‘Ha! that tells the story, and Belt you have been deceived,” cried Merle, and then he con- tinued: ‘* Where is Captain Murell, Conrad?’ *T am afraid he was killed, master; at any | beautiful vessel, which they had lost without firing a shot, but which, under the circum- stances, Merle did not blame them for. CHAPTER XXII. MERLE MONTE AT WORK. UPON reaching the city landing, Merle Monte bade Mezrak row on board of a brigamtine that was anchored near. Basil Branch could not but remark upon her beauty of outline as they drew near, and Merle said: “ Sbe is a craft just built at Baltimore and brought bere to be put upon the line between here and Havana, and when sailing in the Dra- gon the other day I met her, with ber owners on board trying ber speed. “‘Tt was really wonderful, and she held her own with the Dragon before the wind, and with the wind on our quarter, she really dropped the schooner into her wake, and she was not bandied well, either, so she is the craft I intend to take.” * But can yeu get har?’ ‘“T shall do so at any rate,” was the firm reply. ‘* But is she armed?” ‘‘No, but Brandt’s brig yonder is,” and Merle peinted to the Huntress at anehor near. ‘* But she is stripped of her sails.” “True; but her guns, arms and ammunition . are on board? ‘Way enough, Mezrak.” The boat ran alongside the brigantine, and the sleepy watch on board was suddenly con- fronted by Merle and Basil Branch, ‘* Well, who are you?” he asked. ‘‘My name is Merle Monte, and I wish to see your captain.” ‘‘ He has gone to bed.” ‘Wake him up, and lose no time, my man.” ** Are you river officers?” ‘‘Tt matters not, obey me?!” The man stepped to the companionway aud rate heis a prisoner, and worse still, Isaw them | called his captain, and by the time he got out carry a lady on board from the shore, and I know it was Miss Pearl.” The poor mother gave a loud shriek, and | would have fallen but that her husband caught her in his arms. ‘*Tell all you know of this affair, Conrad, and lose no time,” ordered Merle. In a few words the negro told his story, and, Basil Branch asked: * Did he say his name was Dapree?” ‘Yes, sir, and that he lived above on the other shore, some six miles,” ‘* There is no such planter on the river for miles, “This is but a part of that devil’s plot, Monte,” ‘“Oh, my poor, poor child,” groaned Mrs. Branch, nearly beart-broken, “ Bear up, my dear madam,” suddenly cried Merle, and his voice rung like a trumpet as he continued: “For I pledge you my honor that I will rescue your daughter from that man’s power, and that be shall yet swing by the same rope that hanged Brandt, the Buccaneer.” ‘God bless you for those words,” said the unhappy woman. “Come, Mr. Branch, I shall have to ask you to be my lieutenant, and you, Miss Denham, remain here in my house with Mrs, Branch, for she will need your care. ““Come, Conrad, get all your men together, and, Zekiel, summon my boat’s crews, too, and all the slaves that can be spared from the place and have them come to the city in boats.” | of bis berth, Merle and Basil Branch met bim in the cabin. ** Captain, I have little time to dally, sir, so I will tell you that my schooner, the Dr agon, bas been seized by Captain Pierre, the Sea ' Marauder, and run cff to sea, and I wish to borrow your vessel to.go in pursuit.” ‘Who are you, sirf’ said the astonished captain, eying the boyish intruder. “My name is Merle Monte.” ‘* Ah! the Prince.” “If so you wish to call me, yes; but let me have your vessel, please.”’ ‘‘T have but a crew of six men on board,” ‘*T have o hundred men coming down the | river now.” ‘' But my vessel is not armed.” ““T can get guns for her.” ‘Yet, my dear sir, I have no authority to de this, and it will be a day or two before you can arm her.” ‘My dear captain, I will arm her within three hours, and as for authority—see here!” “What is it” “You see in my band a roll of bank-notes amounting to five times the value of the brig. antine. “Take them as security, and when you see your agents tell them to take out the value of the vessel as charter mney, and keep the bal- ance for my return. “Tf I should not come back, then the whole amount is for the owners and yourself.” ‘* But, my dear sir—” ‘*But, my dear captain, I will stand me more Five minutes after Merle Monte and Basi] nonsense. ‘*T have told you what I will do, and bereis — Branch were going down the river in a light skiff, rowed by Mezrak, and shortly after five boats left the landing under the charge of Conrad, and they contained a hundred Slaves, brave, and willing to follow their young mas- ter wherever he might lead them, while the boatswain and those that had been the crew ‘“‘ But the yacht passed us going down the | of the Dragon were most anxious to redeem | the money. ‘Obey me and take it, or I shall make you prisoner, and keep you so until I send you back io the brig Huntress, which I intend to take with me.” “ Well, sir, can do no more than yield, though this seems a high-handed affair.” EOMNNIECLOOKS (E (E(@) « t =" | ~