Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 284 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

=> agence st — _ —— - a ee ee ~- -- = ————— 2 ~ ae ‘““Can I be blamed when I have discovered what I have?” **T de not blame you, only I hoped that you would have no more cause to leave off the attire that belongs te you.” ** But vou see that I have?’ “Yes, and wish you to tell me all about it.” ““T will, and commence my stery by saying that the schooner and clipper had hardly get‘en out ef sight when a man arrived at the plan- ‘tation with a note for me. ‘* Tt was from one whom [ had often engaged ‘in different work, and whom I had set upon the task ef finding out if Captain Pierre was dead or net, for I had a presentiment that he meant you harm, and the Branch family also, if he had the power. ‘The note is here.” She handed to Merle a note with the seal broken. It was addressed to “MISS BELLE DENHAM, * Care or Mr. Bast, BRANCH, “The Retreat Plantation.” Opening it, Merle read as follows: “Miss Dennam:—I called at your quarters in town, to find that you had gone up to the plantation of Mr. Branch, so send this note by a messenger to you there. “T have to report that I have found the Sea Ma- rauder, and he means mischief, and what you do to prevent must be done at once. MERELE.*’ ‘Well, Little Belt— I beg yi Miss Den- ham,” said Merle when he had finished reading the missive. “*T at once teld Mr. Branch that I must re- turn to the city, and he offered to escort me, but I refused to take him away from his fam- ily, and a crew of his slaves sailed me down. ‘*Going to the writer of this note, whois a restaurateur, I at once heard from him that the Sea Marauder and the Indian Peon were in the city, and that they were secretly getting a crew together to seize the Dragon; but he also said that the fate of Brandt and his pirates had bad such an effect upon seamen that it was hard to get men bold enough to make the venture. “Tat once hit upon a plot to ferret out his plans, so disguised myself as an old sea captain, got Merkle to aid me, and I went to the cafe of Giro, the same one who got Captain Pierre’s crew for him before. ‘**T told Giro that | had been sent to him by a smuggler on the Mississippi Sound, and that I was old Carlo, the Caribbean pirate, and had to wreck my vessel on the Mexican coast, to save the lives of myself and crew. “That I wanted a new craft, or was ready to enlist in any undertaking, for I had two score men at my back. ““T saw that he was delighted, and he told me that I should meet one who desired a crew, and he would no doubt make me bis first luff. _ ‘“'Then he took me to the bank of the river below the city, where two Indians were en- camped, as I believed them to be. ‘But, Merle, they were none other than Cap- tain Pierre and Peon, his Mexican Indian ally, and the same two we saw at their camp when we came up the river, for Pearl attracted our attention to them.” ‘* By Neptune! Little Belt, but he is as good at ye Srp as you are,” said Merle. ‘* Well, Merle, I agreed with Captain Pierre to be with my men at a certain point on the river three nights from this, and we were to seize your vessel, for he was to join me there with half a hundred men in boats. ** In the mean time he said he had some work for Peon to do up the river, as there was an heiress to carry off, from whose, parents a large ransom could be received. ‘* Now this I found meant Pearl Branch; and I, to carry out my plot, suggested that it would be a good idea to rob your house here too, as, on account of its isolate situation, it could be done, and the schooner then escape to sea, for there was nothing in the city or down the river to stop her. “ Having a upon this plan, and told him where I could be found if needed, I left, and changing my disguise, have come to tell you of my discovery.” _ “‘ Miss Denham, you are a wonder, and know- ing what I do, it will bea very easy matter to thwart ie Pierre and capture and his a . g put on uise agai will have to keep it a and sid bee asia a Woe adly do so,” ‘We will engage for you fort me and you will meet Captain Piorre ws th tient” and together you will board the schooner. “Once on board and | will have force enough, el LS LL = \ The Sea Marauder. os - -_-_——~ ee with the aid of your men, to take the whole arty. a Bat the schooner has gone up the river now, to bring back Mr. Branck and family, and you also, as I supposed, to visit me, se Pearl will be here, and consequently safe from being kid- mapees. ‘ ‘** When is this plot te be carried out?” The third night from this.” ‘Then we have ample time, and I will set Mezrak te work at once, for he returned this mornisg from The Retreat,” and soon after Belle Denham returned to her ledgings at Merikle’s cafe, to prepare for the plot to capture the Sea Marauder. CHAPTER XVI. PEON ON THE SCENT, WueEn Belle Denham, in her disguise of an old Caribbean pirate by the name of Carlo, left the home of dire, where the conference was held with the Sea Marauder captain, Peen, the oe friend of the pirate, quietly followed er. Peon was as cunning as a fox, and had re- markably good sense withal, and he thought he had detected scmething suspicious about the pretended old pirate, Not that he believed that there was any dis- guise, or that it was other than the Pirate of the Caribbees, for he did not; but the idea struck him that he might be anxious for Cap- tain Pierre to select a vessel, get what men he could, and then, with his larger force at once turn the tables upon the Sea Marauder, Consequently he thought he would disgui himself in some way, seek the place where Carlo had said he put up, and make what dis- coveries he could about him. To Merkle’s therefore he went, disguised as a mulatto, and his Indian complexion aided the disguise, and asked Merkle, in a low tone, for Captain Carlo. s the pretended mulatto said he came from Giro’s, where Captain Carlo had just been, Merkle told bim that his guest was in, and how to find the room. Peon went upstairs cautiously, approached ane door, and stooping, put his eye to the key- ole, To his eorpyiae he saw another person than Captain Carlo had appeared, though still an old man, and he was adjusting a pair of spectacles to his nose before the mirror, ‘It is the same man, in another disguise,” muttered Peon, and he went back to the stair- way and waited. Soon the door opened and out ste Belle Denham in the same disguise in which the reader saw her in her visit to Merle. Peon hastily descended the stairs and passed out of the house, and soon after Belle Denham came from the door into the street. “Yes, he is the same that was at the cap- tain’s, and [ll follow and tind out what he is up to,” said Peon. And he followed the scent so well that he saw her enter the palatial home of Merle Monte, and then come forth, accompanied by the young master himself, who placed her in one of his vee pare and ordered Mezrak to row her to e c . Peon was fishiog, or pretending to, out in the river near the bank, and as soon as Merle re- turned to the house he seized his oars and pulled rapidly down the stream after the boat, and again beheld Belle Denham enter the house of the Restaurateur Merkle. While she was in the Monte manor, he learned through a slave whom he had ques- tioned, that the yacht had gone up to The Retreat plantation, but was to return in a couple of days with Mr. Branch and family as guests of his master. This decided Peon upon his course, and he felt assured that the old man was not whom he professed to be, but a detective, laying a plot to capture Captain Pierre. nstantly he went off to communicate his dis- covery, and soon Captain Pierre was in the on of all the facts. ‘Tell Senor Giro to come here, Peon,” he said, without making any comment. Peon left upon his errand, and soon returned with Giro, to whom Captain Pierre made the Indian tell over the whole ome ‘** You are worth your weight in gold, Peon,” said Giro. ; y! “Look here, Giro, you played off Brandt, the Buccaneer, on me for a lieutenant, and I bo you are not playing me false now,” said Cap Pierre threateningly. “T do not understand you, Captain Pierre,” said Giro excitedly. ‘ * You brought that old man to me,” ‘* True, and believed him what he represented himself to be. ‘*Bah! did I want to sell you, Pierre, I ceuld do it at any time and share the priee on your head with ne man. “You are nervous, and it makes you suspi- cious. ‘Take some brandy, and let us talk ever the best way to plot against this old fellow, whe must evidently be a spy of the Senor Mente.” ‘Well, Giro, I retract what I said, fer you hove got it in your power to sell me te my foes without ali this plot, did you so wish. ** Now I have formed a plan.” “* Name it.” “It is to act at once.” “* How?” ““Well, Peon reports the Gold Bhip, which Monte now calls his yacht Dragon, te up at The Retreat plantation. wee “And where is Mezrak?” and Captain Pierre turned to Peon, “At the palace, for he it was who came with the old man to the city.” ‘*Good! then we have him out of the way, and my. old lieutenant, Vance Murell, who played his cards well to save his neek, and I do not blame him either, is now captain of the schooner, on board of which he has a erew of slaves numbering half a hundred.” ** Yes,” said G ‘* Well, to-» orrow night the yacht shall be in my possession, and our fortune is made, for Merle Monte has never removed his boxes of treasure from the craft; has be, Peon?’ ‘** No, senor.” “Then to-morrow night my counterplot shall thwart Merle Monte’s plot.” CHAPTER XVII. CAPTAIN PIERRE FORMS A DOUBLE PIAT. | ‘But, Captain Pierre, how can you act with- out mea?’ asked Gino. ‘The men you must get, Giro.” “As you know, captain, we have thus far gotten but twenty.” ‘That may be, but here, sell these jewels and pay large bounties, and promise them that I wi give them ten years’ pay when the schoener “Now go, Giro, and get me the men, and not less than aighty, fenidie those we have, for there must be no failure in this work,” As Captain Pierre spoke he took from his belt a number of jewels and handed them to Giro, who departed with the remark: **11 do all in my power, captain, and if any- thing will buy men, it is in hand be- fore shipping, for it gives them a hope that tho promises made of more when the work is done, wae kept.” i * Now, Peon,” said Captain Pierre, when Giro had departed: .. ““T wish you to help me,” is Oe $0 take Shits gold <edimuaann “IT wish you e the river and purchase ath iF omit * _ “IT do not care how old and worthless, so that it ed a crew up the river. **T will send the men whom Giro gets, om board to-night, and then you set sail. ‘*Run toa point a league above The Retreat, where you will find a small creek, and hide there until you hear from me.” | “And you, senor?” asked Peon. ** Well, Peon, Merle Monte has not had his new slaves long enough to make faithful Mez- raks out of all of them, and I will see what gold will do with one or more of them.” ™ ‘* Be cautious, senor.” ** Oh, I will be, for I work for a fortune and also for revenge, and either one are wonderful incentives to my nature: but pew lose no time in getting a craft, and I will remaim here and plot out just what to do.” . Peon de upon his important errand, and Captain Pierre began to pace his room, bis brow bent, eyes downcast, and his brain plotting deviltry for gold and revenge, “IT would like to punish Vance Murell in some way, for being a lucky dog, when I have been so unfortunate, but I must get bim eff the yacht, or his eagle eyes, that seem never to sleep, will see something suspicious in the lugger or whatever craft Peon gets, coming near the schooner, and he may treat her to a sample of bis guns, and his example will make his black crew like devils. ‘““T wonder if I could not tempt him? **No, for he is in love with the girl, Peon says, and with Merie Monte for a master, gold. will not bribe him, so that is out of the question. "comicbooks (E(o)] | aie a ee . onal 2% I