Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 320 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

RM Ca good lads are left with nothing to do and mouths _ to feed, so they wanted me to look for a berth on 4 privateer for them while I was up here.” Tee y man, the news you bring us is joyous indeed, for we all believed my poor sister dead. ‘“* 1 will at once go and break the news to my mother and father, and then you must come up to the mansion and tell them your story as you told it to me, while as to your getting berths on _a privateer you need not look further, for I + know of one that will sail in a couple of months ‘or so, and will need a lot of good men fora crew,” With this Ned hastened off to the mansion to tell the good tidings which be had heard from the lips of the fisherman. CHAPTER VII. LOST NORA. THE story of the fisherman was told by Ned to his parents, and their hearts were filled with joy, while the boy sailor was made doubly glad y being allowed to go after bis sister in the (Abed little pleasure sloop which Lieutenant {imore had had built for himself, The fisherman was to goalong as crew, and he promised to return with the yacht, along witha -Shipmate or two, and they could have a talk with Captain Evansand then go back to their island-home to await orders from him as to when he would need them for the new vessel. So anxious was Ned to get off on bis cruise to bring back Nora, that he could not be persuaded to wait until morning, but started with Leander, the Fisherman, as soon as the little sloop was stored with the necessary provisions, The night was clear, and a good breeze’was blowing, and Ned ran out to sea by the upper ‘channel through the islands, which was equally as dangerous as the one in front of the Haunted Fort; but the boy knew every fathom of water near his home, as in his sail-boat he and bis sister had passed hours cruising about, fishing and enjoying themselves, and thus learned while mere children, lessons that served them well in after years. **You are a cool hand at the tiller, sir,” said the fisherman to Ned, addressing him with a respect which the boy commanded in spite of his youth. ‘* Experience has taught me to be cool,” was the modest answer; and to the admiration of Leander the youth ran his vessel through the dangerous gantlet of reefs and islands. “This craft is a goer, Leander,” said Ned, greatly pleased with the behavior of his little vessel. * Yes, sir; she sails like a witch,” and then, as though feeling that be had made an unfor- ‘tunate comparison, he bastened to add: ‘* What is her name, sir?” *The Sea Sorceress is the name that Lieu- tenant Elmore gave her, and I do not care to change it.” “It is a good name, sir—but there is a breaker just ahead,” and Leander pointed to where the water was foaming violently, as though washing upon a sunken reef, ‘Let me show you something about what you call a breaker,” said Ned, and he held on, as before, straight for the foaming waters, which covered a space of fifty feet wide, while upon -eitber side the sea was comparatively calm. ‘*Don’t you see the breaker, sir? It dashes upon a sunken reef,” said Leander, as the bow- sprit of the sloop was almost over the caldron of the waters. “Yes, I see it,” and the next instant the yacht was rocking in the rough waves, while, to the astonishment and joy of the fisherman, she did not strike, as he had expected, hard upon a sunken rock. / **See, Leander, this rough water happens to be the channel, for on each side, not the length of this craft away, are sunken reefs. “nis is what I wished to show yon, for there is no bottom here, that I ever could find with a fi'ty-fathom line, while there is not five feet of water yonder over the reefs. **My sister Nora and myself fcund this out three years ago; but what makes the water so wild here I cannot understand.” Once out at sea, the sloop went bounding The Sea Sorceress. _ —- - It was all that they said for some moments, for their hearts were full. She had seen the sloop coming, and recozg- nized it, while bitter memories swept over her, as the same little vessel had been the one in which Lieutenant Elmore had made many a visit to the cove near the Haunted Fort, where she was wont to meet him. With a glass banded her by the good wife of the fisherman, she had recognized her brother, and she wondered how it was that he came in the Elmore yacht, ‘*Ob, Ned, Iam so glad to meet you again,” said Nora, after a few moments of silence. Ned gazed upon her with joy, and answered: ‘* And we are so happy to know that you are Ae ay Nora, after your fearful fall from the cliff.’ She colored quickly, but remained silent, for his words led her to believe, as he had intended they should, that it was believed that she had fallen from the cliff, instead of having deliber- ately attempted to take her own life. ‘* Oh! it was terrible, Ned, and I have suffered so all this long time since, though all here have been most kind to me.” ‘* Well, Nora, your sufferings are ended now, for you return home with me,” and Ned gazed into the lovely, though pale face of his sister, and thought how soon tbe roses would come back to her cheeks. ‘*Oh! I almost dread to go back to that cot- tage,” said Nora, remembering how happy she had been there, and how the one who bud onda her life joyous bad cruelly deserted her. ‘*We won’t go back to the cottage, Nora, but to a grand house, for we are rich now,” and Ned spoke with an air of excusable pride, ‘* Rich, Ned?’ asked Nora, opening wide her beautiful eyes, ‘* Yes, and I'll tell you all about it as we sail homeward; but now Jet us go and see the kind people who have taken such good care of you, and I have a purse of gold bere for them, and a bundle of clothing mother sent you,” The fisherman had hastened up to his cot and quickly told the news of bis visit, and the hope that himself and shipmates would get a berth on a privateer. Then his wife set about preparing as good a breakfast as her larder could afford, and a pleasant party sat down to the meal, while Ned handed over the purse of gold to the good woman, and some stores which his mother had sent by him, Early in the forenoon the yacht started on her return, four of the fishermen besides Lean- der accompanying her. Nora had dressed herself in some of the cloth- ing brought by her brother, and already looked better, the prospect of soon being with those who loved her cheering her greatly. On the way back Ned told the story of -his father’s return, and Nora wept with joy, for most devoted had she been to him, and bitterly had she mourned his loss, ‘*Oh, Ned! we will be so happy, now,” she said in a low, earnest tone. But, as she uttered the words, out from be- hind a pine-clad island glided a vessel-of-war, and a shot was sent flying over the deck of the little yacht asa signai for her to lay to. CHAPTER VIII, THE WRECK. “Trg a Britisher, as 1 live!” cried Leander, as a face paled, when he beheld the strange vessel, ‘Yes, her rig is English, though she flies the American flag,” answered Ned, calmly, as he headed his sloop in toward a group of islands. Just then came another shot from the war- vessel, which passed uncomfortably near over the heads of those on the yacht, ‘* She’s in earnest for us to lay to,” said Ned, “Yes, sir, and you don’t look as though you intended to take ber hints,” responded a frank- faced fisherman who was one ot the crew, ‘* Not unless I am compelled to, will I,” and Ned glanced at his sister with a look that plainly said to the fishermen that his sister was the one that kept bim from running the hottest fire that the vessel could pour upon him. It was a large sloop-of-war, currying a heavy ‘You are a brave girl, Nora; but he. may knock us out of the water.” ‘‘Then we can swim ashore to the island,” answered the girl. ‘* ‘Yes, and then we would have a mile and a half to swim to the mainland,” ‘1 can make it with a little help, if I get tired, for I am not so weak as I look, having bathed in the surf daily of late. **Den’t mind me, Ned, but run for it.” ‘“‘Ab! Ihavean idea! Here, Leander, take the tiller while I get an English flag that is in the cabin.” Ned ran down into the cabin and soon re- turned with a British flag, which he ran up to the peak just as a third shot came from the ves- sel, which was now in full chase. As soon as the colors fluttered out the Eng- lishman hauled down the Stars and Stripes, and ran up the British flag, at the same time firing a gun that was not shotted, ‘* Aha! Mister Britisher, that made you show vourself as you are,” cried Leander, and turn- ing to Ned he continued: ‘‘ Now, sir, we’ve got to run for it, or our friends won’t see us until the end of the war.” ‘*T shall run for it, Leander, so haul dowy those colors and run up the Stars and Stripes, was the bold reply. ‘* Ah, but is will make him hot to see how wé found him out,” cried Leander, and, as thoug¥ to prove bis words, a moment after the sloop of-war luffed sharp, and sent a broadside flying after the little vessel. Over them, about them, dashing the spray over them came the iron balls, but not a shot touched the Sea Sorceress. ‘* Bravo! we were not bit that time, and may we have the same at the next broadside,” cried Ned cheerily. ; ‘* Brother, we cannot escape them if we hold on, for in this rough sea the yacht staggers, while the large vessel does not mind it, and is gaining fast,” said Nora. ‘* Yes, sis, that is true; but I intend to hold on to see if I can reach yonder stretch of beach on the island, ano then, if they have not given up the chase, I shall run her ashore.” ‘* Just like you, my brave Ned,” said Nora. ‘* It will be better than becoming prisoners, Nora, and we can escape with you to the main- land if they pursue us upon the isJand.” The fishermen crew of the yacht seemed to think that this was the best plan, and they gloried in the boy’s pluck, which made him wreck his vessel and take such a hazardous way of escaping his foe, But the sloop-of-war was determined that the little vessel should not escape, and crowded on every stitch of canvas in pursuit, Her commander evidently suspected that the skipper of the yacht was running for some channel in the island chain, and he called away several boat crews to be ready to continue the chase, should they seek refuge in a retreat where the sloop-of-war could not follow them, Again and again the guns sent their shots flying after the little Sea Sorceress, now and then coming dangerously near, but yet missing, to the great joy of those on board. At last Ned found himself just off the small stretch of beach, his helm was put hard up, and the Sorceress darted away like an afrow befors the wind, while the sea was whitened by the iron hail of a broadside sent from the British vessel, and right in the spot which the little craft had just left. ’ A cheer broke from the fishermen at their es- cape, while Ned turned his gaze upon his enemy, ‘She is sending boats, for she divines our purpose,” he said, It was true, for the Englishman had uickly luffed up and lowered away a couple of boats filled with men, and they came dashing on in chase, while the sloop continued firing at the yacht in an endeavor to cripple her, ‘Stand ready, all! Into the sea, men! Now, Nora, spring with me!” The command came from the Boy Skipper, in his clear voice, and, as the little yacht was about to dash upon the beach, under full sail, those on board sprung overboard into the surf. A mighty breaker carried’ the doomed craft high upon its bosom upon the beach, and it came to a sudden halt with a crash that shiv- - along on her way; but as the wind was ahead and she had to tack, it was dawn before they rR ame in sight of the fisherman’s island. ae ‘At last, shortly after sunset, the sloop ran |. into a little cove, Leander now being at the “~~ beim, and as Ned sprung on shore he was met > = * Seal ‘by Nora, who, with a glad cry, rushed into his * .... @rms. oe) “ Nora, my sister!” AS ey “Ned, my noble brother!” » armament and a ful! crew, and in spite of her flying the American flag, Ned was sure that she was a British vessel. Nora had elso understood the look of her brother, that it referred to her, and sbe said pluckily: ‘** Now Ned, you know well what captivity to a British vessel means, from ali we have heard from those who have been prisoners, so I would say hold on under all circumstances,” % ered her timbers to atoms, sent her mast over her bows upon the sand, and she became a wreck, With strong strokes her crew reached the shore, Nora striking out boldly with the rest and land- ing by the side of her brother. ‘Come, we must lose no time, for the boats are upon us almost,” cried Ned, and the party started at a quick pace across the island. JNA: 4 ah + s. ; ’ _ Tae a & 7 “Wg «, ier , ttre a? Oy » , hae S Bints ol "Cn 4 7 ele: ce) ee St , eis " te. *: < als a _ ' | m ~ 4 > Y > Sa X ad S | Jot e. v4." As vine ay tun, i? : Be cA ea aed ae AM AAD # they SE i OR ee , —e ee - ~.s. © = Yee xa he % . - a “+A —~ si > ody pen a as es “ wee.” « f ’ * Sar + yy pie ‘emmy ~ zw