Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 377 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

Vv Ss <! = & - om CS &e2oa> 4 <4 +38 e468 ~ 2246 re nS 6 an Om “~\ te wome alii 5 | ne ie een 12 come on deck, but I must keep your hands in irons, for if you jumped overboard when near the islands, three boats could never catch you, for men say you can swim like a fish.” ‘*Swin heap good; but Pasquagoula no fool.”’ * You are right, Injun, and you'll not regret be- ‘friending me. ** But dou’t tcl any of my men about the treasure jslaad, fort at must be a secret between us.” ' Me keep. still tongue,’’ was the reply. and the Indian chief was freed of the chains about his an- kles, but upon either wrist was an iron cuff, with a | chain two feet in length connecting them. The men :ooked a little surprised at seeing the «chief come on deck with their skipper, but the latter told them that he had bribed the red-skin to serve asa pilot, yet considered it best to keep him bound for a while. * Yes, but can’t we make the blasted red nigger tell us where that pirate ship was wrecked, which he was pibot on, and where the captain buried the treasure? for he and the Injun was the only oncs that lived, and they say as bow the buccaneer chief was caught and hanzed soon after, so that yaler- skin thar knows whar it is.” This was seid bv an old sailor, who, with others of ‘the wreckers, had heard the story of the Indian’s knowledge of the secret is!iand, where a buccaneer’s vast treasure in gold and gems had been buried. **He says the wrecked craft had no booty on board, for tasked him about it,” said the captain anxiously. ‘Yas, but I knows messmates as heard the red nigger say he knowed whar the treasure was hid- den,” p-rsisted the man. ‘**T know he said so, for he r.dmits it; but he said “80 to save his own life, he tells me, and I have proin- ised him good pay to act as our pilot, for there is no man that knows the Bahamas better than he does.” “That is so, cap’n, and if we ke: ps }:im chained, ‘we kin hold him; but if not. he'll Jey. us afore twenty-four hours, for he is more slippery thana reased eel, and a sea sarpint for cunning, while he as ther narve of a shark.” , **] believe you, Tom, and I will keep my eyes on him; but now let us see if we can overhaul that Steoby, for I feel as though it might turn out a rich e The Indian was consulted, as to which course the wear in her crippled condition, would be the most likely to take, and the smack was put away in chase, PRSaA ROS beiug given tho freedom of the little wessel, ; ——— “YF as V. CHAPTER THE INDIAN PILOT’S REVENGE. BEATING through the channels, leading among fhe Bahamas, was slow work, and it was not until dawn the next day that the sloop was sighted from the wrecker’s smack, “She is heading for the neighborhood of the Death Rock,” said the wrecker captain, “Yes, cap’n, and it hain’t a neighborhood I likes,”’ remarked a seaman. be has * Nor me,”’ said another. | e Siyis" “‘It is where the Phantom Pirate cruises most,”’ chimed in another. Then a fourth remarked: “The Death Rock is where the Skull Beacon is often seen.” * Wel, if the sloop can stand it, we can Iam in chase of her. we will hold on until ture her, ’ said the skipper. ** Suppose we sees the Phantom Pirate, cap'n?”’ “Well, it will be as bal for tie sloop as for us.” *“We may catch a sight of the Skull i eacon, and ane do say that those as seesit onst, is bound to be ost.’ / and, as we cap- “We cannot see the Beacon by daylight, and be- fore night we will be far on our way from the Death Rock,” remarked the captain reassuringly. _ You are right there, cap’n, and I for one, would like to know just what that craft ahead is, and what 7o she carries,” : **We are gaining upon her.”’ “So we are; is there no way, Injnn, that we can cut across and catch ber, for it looks like open water onder?’ and the wrecker captain pointed to where e sea seemed clear of reefs, “No want wreck boat, do he?” ss No.” ** Let Injun go right way.” © * All right, red-skin, ycu are the doctor; only I would like to overhaul yonder craft before it gets too near the Death Rock, which I confess I wish t » give a wide berth.”’ “Death Rock bad place,” said Pasquagoula quiet- ‘* Have yor ever been there, Injun?” | ** Injun been there three time.”” __ * Ah! did you ever see the Skull Beacon?” “*Three time.” * And bar you live?”’ ‘* Yes. Injun still live,’ and at his words the super- stitious crew gathered around him, anxious to have say more. ) To lead him on the wreclzer captain asked; ** Did you ever see the Phantom Pirate?” . “Three time.” “* How was it. Injun?” **See Phantom Pirate cruising in these waters.” a At night of course?”’ re * And the Death’s Head Beacon?” hearers started at the thought that dead folks were living on the Death Rock. ‘‘'Tveir spirits you mean were there, red-skin?”’ “Yes, heap spirit, heap look bad; spirit of bad pale-face,”’ ** You saw them there?” . Yes.” ‘**Did they see you?” **Injun hide, spirit no see him.”’ ‘**Did you stay long on the island?” ** Little time.”’ ‘* Now tell us, do we follow the sloop yonder, for it seems to be going right for the island?” **Yes, we 20 too.’’ ‘Do you think it will run into the island harbor, if there is one?” *'Yeg,"? * And what will we do?”’ +. Go too.’ ‘* But it is almost dark now, and—’’ ‘*injun know the way at night.” a’, Vell, we Will go where the sloop can, and if we find the spirits too much for us, I guess we can run out again, so go ahead as you please, Injun,” said the wrecker captain. It was now sunset, and the Death Rock was yet two leagues away. The crippled Sonp was a little over a league distant, and heading directly for the Death Rock, as though intending to make a run into the little basin. That they had sighted the smack in ch se was evident, for the sloop was making every effort it could, in its crippled condition to gain on the pur- suer, and endeavor to be far enough ahead when darkness came on, to throw her off her wake. But thesmack was pushing on too, and gaining, and if the Indian Piiot could run into the Death Rock Basin after the sloop, the wreckers had no fear that it would escape them. It was adangerous locality for the wreckers to find themselves in; but their greed for gold forced them to take ali risks. They knew well that few vessels ever passed through that locality in safety, and that they were liable to see the Phantom Pirate, which to see was said to be death. Also, not seeing the Phantom Pirate, they might come under the pate of the Skull Beacon, which was said to lure those seeing it to destruction, But the Indian confessed to having seen the Phan- tom Pirate and Skull Beacon several times. and also to having landed upon the Death Rock itself, and there beleld spirits, and yet he still lived unharm- ed, If an Indian could stand it, they could. . If the sloop could run in they could, So they thought and decided. The wind was frish, but not blowing very hard, weer the sea was quite rough from some cause. Stil the sloop with Ler jury-mast held on, and was well managed, end they new that few stancher crafts were afloat than was their little smack. When darkness settled around them, their hearts beat warmly. Then the sloop was lost to sight, and they knew thatit was almost under the shadow of the Death. ock. Had it intended to round the island, the Indian Pilot told them, it would have had to lay its course from about where they then, were, as, from either side of tne huge rock,a reef put out, forming a erfect V, with the small end asthe entrance to the asin, and the outer ends fully a league apart. It may have been imagination, but the wreckers seemed to feel that the winds arose and howled most mournfylly through the rigging, while the seas cer- tainly appeared to rise higher, and several times a wave boarded the smack. The Indian Pilot stood calmly at his post, his feet had been freed of the irons, but his wrists were en- circled Fy handcuffs, and a chain, several feet in length connected them, so as to give him the use of his arms in managing the helm. ' His eyes were kept upon the dark rock rising ahead of them out of the sea, and he was now silent and stern looking. ‘* You don’t think we had better put back, Injun. do you?” asked the wrecker captain in a whisper. ‘**No put back now; in current of Death Rock, and must go.”’ **Good God! do you mean the smack could not put back now?” cried the skipper, in alarm. ' ‘ Pasquagoula speak straight,’ was the calm re- sponse. ‘Then we have to go on?” ‘* Yes,” : ‘* And the sloop?”’ ‘*In the rock basin now.” ‘‘ And we can go in?” * We go.” ‘*For Heaven’s sake be careful, for I see rocks rising here and there about us, and there are break- ers roaring upon both bows.” ‘* Yes. tight place,” was the not very assuring re- mark of the Incian pilot. ‘* And if we strike?” * Go down.” “And dic?” , *“ Yes, die heap quick here,” was the painfully laconic reply. ‘My God! I wish we had not come,”’ ** Pasquagoula glad we come.” ‘**; eap gold yonder in island.” ‘*Ha! that then is the island you know of, where “See him at night too.” ' the pirate tre b | th ‘, How did you get on the island?” reper végienn? Wr Seem Mens ~ Was anybody living there?” | “Bat Ton eNCe togstnlinitetel 4 i is dark, and ! ‘* But you cannot see to run in, for it “Dead follss,”” was the quiet response, and his | seems to grow blacker each moment.” : | , : j . ‘ ‘ Bonodel, the Boy Rover. tsetse - ’ 7 bly a “2 : ‘ » 4S ‘ y (the | te vacrdbee eimut i Gi @ ) Oa. ** Plenty light soon.”’ ‘“What! do you mean the Skull Beacon will be seen?” ‘*May be; see heap soon.”’ A cry broke from the crew as he uttered the last words, for suddenly there streamed out over the dark waters a lurid glare. , It came from far up upon the Death Rock, and as soon as the eyes of the wreckers caught the glare they beheld two rays of light, then a halo below thera, and the Skill Beacon ias iv full view ! ‘We are doomed, { fear,’ said the wrecker cap- tain, turning toward the Indian, who answered in his calm way: “Skull Beacon give good light to steer by; but current swift, wind blow bad; must set all sail to run in. Quickly the order to set all sail was obeyed, and the smack went bowling along at a twelve-knot pace, wind and current both driving ber on. Before her loomed the threatening Death Rock, upon either side breakers roared savagely, no open- ing was visible to the eyes of the wreckers, and the Skull Beacon sent down its ghastly light, which vnused the men to cower with superstitious dread beneath its baleful rays. Suddenly, under the bows of the smack appeared a breaker, and the wrecker captain shouted, as he rushed for the wheel: ** Hard! hard down your helm A wild war-whoop broke from the lips of the Indian Pilot in response, and turning, he bounded over the taffrail into the sea, while the borrified crew stood transfixed, But only an instant of suspense, and then the smack was in the foaming caidron, turned hither and thither, and then hurled upon the rocks with a force that shattered ber helm almost to atoms, }rought her mast and sails to the deck, and the sea following in her wake swept her from stern to bow, carrying upon its bosom the ill-fated crew, whonow well knew in that awful moment that they had been the victims of the Indian Pilot’s revenge, who had sacrificed his own life to destroy theirs, 7? CHAPTER XVI. A STARTLING DISCOVERY. ‘Arrmr the Woman in Black ha’! cunningly gotten Lita the girl wrecker to act as a pilot, the pile ae beaded, asthe reader will remember, for the Death Rock, where the maiden hoped to find her locket, That she would not do so. is already known, for it had becn cleverly stolen from her by one of the crew of the Flegless Cruiser. That she had not before missed it, was owing to the fact .hat she frequently went without it, and also, the excitement of the scenes through which — had ae y been passing had driven all else from er mind, The Water Wolf, his wife and son she had never really loved. l'rom the first there had been an invisible. barrier between them, which the maiden could not account for, but which was the barrier between sin and inno- cence, | They had treated her kindly, after a fashion, but she had never been petted, received a kiss, or a lov- ing word from either-the man or his wife, and from Leo the love he Lad offered bad been as matter-of- fact as though it was a business transaction, The girl had thus grown up to the thres! old of womanhood, unloved and unloving. The island, the sea. the skies, the storms, her — boat and pets she did love, but not the people. When, one night of storm, she was alone on the island, and had seen the American cruiser Sea Owl lying off the island, and had gone out in her surf skiff and piloten it into the secret basin. she first became aware of the crimes the Water Wolves were committing. The youvrg commander of the Sea Owl had told her of the outer world, which she bad known on) through the books she had read. and which came o: of the wrecks. The woman she called hy the sacred name of mother had taucht her to read and write, and the books had educated her mind to 4 certain stand- point; but she knew no harm, played her guitar skillfully, sung as freely and swectly as a bird, Hehted her baleful lamps, and this was her life, her world. But the Sea Owl’s coming had opened her eyes, It showed her that the men on board were dearer to ber, although she bad just met them, than were the Water Wolf, his wife and son. She had aided the Sea O")'s captain in decoying the Phantom Pira'e, an outlaw schooner that was believed to be a real spirit of the deep, into the secret basin, where she had been taken, and she in- tended to help him still more in breaking up the false beacons of the Bahamas, and capturing the wreckers. But she had begged that those whom the had call- ed her parents and brother should not be harmed, but allowed vo go free, Seeing their sloop returning, she had, when it was dismantled in the storm, gone out to their rescue, to find herself captured by the Woman in Black Seeing the Sea Owl run out of the basin, she knew that she was coming to her aid, and could only have come out by forcing one of the men of the Phantom Pirate to act as pilot. But the sloop dodged the cruiser in the storm, the © Woman in Black proved mistress of the situation, and, having Wolves, by putting them u he deserted island, had headed for the Death Rock, » When she had ay the Water Wolves to their fate, . ’ t ’ sa'iated her revenge upon the Water > Jf ' ei Ka COr | i % | a lO Ome ee me eG oe ee ret gmp Se em ge i me — ee ee ee ee .