Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 377 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

7 4. —<—<«——— ee ee eee them ata pace that by nightfall would leave them more than a league astern, But tbe cruiser’s fire was kept up until the shots fell short, and soon after night coming on the mysterious craft with no flag above her decks faded out of the sight of her pursuers. When the cruiser was no longer visible Cap- tain Bonodel ordered the schooner to be put under easy sail, and at once headed back for » the coast. The dawn found him gliding slowly along witbin a mile of the shore and no other sail in sight. Coming on deck the young captain turned his eyes upon the white sandy shore and its dark background of forest. ‘* Lower away a boat, lads! Lively all of you, and, helmsman, bring ber to,” The cry aroused the drowsy watch, and the orders being obeyed with alacrity, the boat was pulled rapidly away toward the shore, the schooner lying to the while. In the stern sat Captain Bonodel, and six men were at the oars, Straight for a wvoded point the Boy Captain headed, ard it was now evident what had caused his sudden orders and pull shoreward, for a man was visible there standing at bay against a dozen wild looking fellows, who had driven bim to the waters’ edge and were still pressing bim hard with cutlass and boarding- ikes. : The man at bay was naked to the waist, and his bronzed body and long black hair showed that he was an [ndian. Leggins incased his nether limbs, moccasins were upon his feet, and a red band in which nats stuck gayly-dyed feathers was upon his His arms were simply e knife grasped in his right hand, and a tomahawk in his Jeft, and with these he had halted to defend bis life to the last. That his death — follow, against such odds he well knew; but he would die with his face to the foe. | Who the Indian was, or what his quarrel with the men, Mark Bonodel did not know or care, He was one against many, and he stood ready to make a good fight; hence the young sailor would aid bim. The Indian had not seen the schooner, in his flight to the beach, nor had his pursuers, until the boat was almost upon them. “Rush on ther red varmint an’ cut him ter pieces!” yelled the leader of the party,-and the order was about to be obeyed when Mark Bono- del called out: ‘Cease rowing! seize your cutlasses, men, and follow me!” hy These words brought the boat into notice, and the Indian wheeled around in a startled way, while bis assaillants checked their intended ) rush upon him. Just at’ that moment the boat grounded, and Mark Bonodel sprung ashore, followed by his men, and as he did so a shot from his pistol brought the leader of the Indian’s fves to the round, atc At them, lads, for they are the Reef Bucca- neers!” shouted the Boy Captain, and with a cheer his party rushed forward to the attack, the Indian joining them, and his war-cry send- cap, aes amecho»back from the dense forest ut the Reef Wreckers, or Buccaneers, f they were both, did not await the attack, f with the schooner now in full view, they turned in full flight, leaving their dead leader where he bad fallen. ‘* Heap good, young Sea Chief! Save Pasqua- oula life,” said the Indian, turning toward ark Bonodel, who gazed upon bim with ad- -miration. ou. nee one time, but bad his — Btn young white chief now.” The Indian was almost a giart in form, straight as an arrow, broad-shouldered, and with muscular arms which a blacksmith might have been proud of. His face was noble, intelligent and full of ng. “I am glad to have saved Pasquagoula, and we will be friends,” answered Bonodel, grasp- ing the bronzed hand extended to him. ** Yes, heap friends, for Pasquagoula go with young chief. ‘What! to sea?’ ‘Yes, me sea Injun.” ‘* Indeed?” | “Yes, me heap good sea Injun; sail boat, koow reef, know Pasquagoula have vil- e-face come and kill so take trail of Reef Pirates, and ula have kill plenty, so go with Bonodel, the Boy Rover. ‘*Are you the Indian Pilot I have heard that American vessels-of-war have had to guide them against the haunts of the Reef Buccaneers?” asked Bonodel. ‘Yes, me Injun Pilot, and heap good,” was the quiet remark. ‘*'lben, you are just the man I want, and we will indeed be friends,” said Captain Bonodel, wor" Shee ‘* Yes, Pasquagoula be heap good friend of young cbief, and make him plenty rich, for Injun chief have secret,” and the latter part of the sentence he whispered in the young sailor’s ear, so that the men should not hear. ‘You know a secret?’ asked the youth in the same low tone. ** Yes, Pasquagoula heap good Injun Pilot, and know secret island where plenty gold and pretty beads—see, have some beads here,” and he took from his waist-belt a pouch of buck- skin, and pouring out some of the contents, Mark Bonodel fairly started, as be saw that they were not beads, but precious stones.” He glanced quickly toward his men, but was glad to see that they were busy examining the bodv of the dead wrecker, and said: ‘*Let Pasquagoula keep his secret from my men, for it might cost him his life.” ‘* Injun no fool, for he know pale-face fight and kill for gold; but Pasquagoula love young white chief and be his friend, so will go wich him and make bim heap rich, for he save chief’s life,” Again he extended his hand, and grasping it, Mark Bonodel led the way to his boat, deeply impressed with the knowledge that the Indian Pilot did indeed know the hiding-place of some treasure of gold and precious stones. Having heard of an Indian Pilot, who knew the reefs, bayous and islands of the Florida coast as he did his mother’s face, and who bad often guided American vessels-of-war against the wreeckers and buccaneers that infested them, he was more tban glad to know that the Puas- q ula chief was the one he had saved from eath. The Indian told how he cruised along the coast in his winged canoe, devoting his days to avenging his people, slain by the wreckers, and it was when asleep on shore be had been sur- prised by a party, who, recognizing him, bad ven chase, and would have slain him but for e timely arrival of the Boy Captain and bis men. - Twis suecor at once caused the Indian to form a friendship for the youth that death alone could sever, and, as the schooner sailed on her Way once more, he stood by the side of bis res- cuer and repeated over and over again: *“Young chief save Pasquagoula. Oy “pase kuow secret, and make him heap CHAPTER IV. THE TELL-TALE LOCKET, It was night, and the waters of the Bahama Islands were lashed by a gale that swept over them, hurling huge waves upon the reefs with ominous roar, and tossing upon their crested vee a stanch craft that, under reefed sails, was holding on her course dead to windward. Fleeting clouds across the skies now and then obscured tne moon from view, and at such times the sea looked black and threatening; but when the reefs pierced the dark masses, the spray lighted up like diamonds, and the ocean appeared like liquid silver. At such a time, when the moon shone forth in all her beauty, lighting up the bull, deck and rigging of the vessel, it displayed the same rak- ish schooner which the reader bas seen mys- teriously fly from a foe far her inferior, Her men were at their posts, for those were dangerous waters by day, and her Boy Captain stood near the wheel, the latter held in the grasp of the Indian Pilot, Pasquagoula. Alone he held the wheel in his powerful grasp, and kept the schooner on her way. | “You certainly know these waters well, Pas- quagoula, to run the gantlet of the rock islands and reefs about us in such a sea, and in dark- ness,” said Mark Bonodel, as the Indian Pilot let the vessel fall off to avoid a huge rock, and then skillfully brought ber up when a reef ap- peared upon the other bow. ‘*Me know sea heap well,” was the calm re- Py Sail bo!” The cry startled all on board the schooner, for what other vessel could possibly be abroad in those waters they wondered. | ‘““Whereaway?’ called out Mark, raising his glass quickly. | ‘* Three points off the weather bow, sir.” . SL — ee Se —— —— ee ee + ‘‘ Ah, yes, I see ber— Ha! she has disap- peared,” ‘* Gone under lee island, lower sai!, drop lror - hooks, so can’t see her.” said the Indian. ‘* Ah, say you so, chief?” “Yes, for island of rock yonder.” B “It was a sloop, and under reefed mains’?! and jib; but it disappeared almost as soon us k caught sight of it,” ‘* Bad pale-face wrecker,” was the quiet re- sponse of the Indian. ‘*IT do not doubt it, Pasquagoula, but is there water enough for us torun in under the lee of the island?” ‘* Plenty of water.” “Can you pilot the schooner in?” ‘* Heap good.” : ‘‘Then do so, and we will see just what that sloop is. ‘*Stand by all, to lower sail and let fail the, anchor !” , The men sprung to their posts and the Indian let the bows fa)] off sharp for seve1ai points and. then held the schooner steady for awhile. ‘‘There looms up the island, and it appears only a huge rock,” said Lieutenant Sutro. ‘Officer Speaks straight; it rock, shape like new moon, and there we anchor,” and the Pilot kept his eyes ahead as though to seek an en- trance between the breakers that were now vis- ible on eitber side, i A few moments more and the schooner shot into quiet water, while dead ahead was visible a large island of rock, rising some thirty feet out of the sea, ‘* Lot the sails come down with a run, lads! ‘¢ Let fall the anchor!” ordered Mark, and the schooner’s headway was checked, just as Lieu- tenant Sutro cried out: ‘* Sloop ho!” ‘““Tsee her and she has done just what you said she would, Pasquagoula. ‘‘Lower away a boat, Mr. Sutro,and I will board her.” “Yon will carry a good crew with you, sir?” ‘Yes, ten men, though I anticipate no trou- ble.” ‘‘ Better bail ber skipper, sir, and have him. toard you, for the wreckers are very treacher ous, and that may be one.” ‘**T will do as you suggest, Sutro,” and rais ing bis voice, Merk hailed: , “Ho, the ‘** Ahoy, the schooner!” came the response in & — clear voice. ‘* What sloop is that?” ‘‘ A trader in distress, having been crippled in: the storm some nights ago and bound for Pensa- cola out of Savannah,” came back the reply in the same voice. | “Ay, 11] send a boat aboard and have you report in person,” “Ay, ay, sir,” and soon aftera boat left the- schooner for the sloop, Sutro in charge, for he had urged the young captain to allow him to go. A few minutes passed away and the boat was: seen coming back, and to the surprise of Mark Bonodel, a woman sprung from it to the deck. ‘““Ab! a lady passenger?” said the youth. politely. ‘No, Sir Captain, if captain you are, lam the skipper and owner of yonder sloop, and, as: you commanded me, and have the power to enforce your orders, I have come on board to: report in person,” t was without doubt the owner of the clear voice that had answered his hail. Mark was certain, and it was a woman, tall, slender, clothed in black and decrl vailed, Raising bis bat politely the youth said: ‘‘Lady, Iam sorry to bave put you to trou- ble; but I did not expect to see one of your sex: in these waters, especially 1m Command of a vesse},” ‘‘ Circumstances, sir, placed me in charge of the sloop, and a sailor, though a woman, my crew obey me; but my craft was canght in the storm some nights since and dismested, so IL have been making my way, as best I could, under a jury mast.” ‘‘-You seem to understand these waters?” ‘‘T baye a Bahama pilot among my crew,” was the bat ap es evasive reply. “Ts there any aid that I can render you,. lady” ; “Yes, sir; I would ask a more suitable spar for a mast than the one | bave.” ‘You shall have it,”° and Mark gave the orders to get the spar overboard to tow to the- little sloop. | “Thank you, sir;:and I am free to go m=mo- lested?” | sc ’ : } . Assuredly, madam.” . The woman’ made no. reply, but bowed. and | “dq i . = eo —— ¥ 4 ¢ > + ( oe | ip Sd 4 5 77 on » 3 i » 4 : + by ‘ P; : » ’ . re : . . ‘\ e b ) i : . | . aflt4> A > BY oh eee S . . P . \ . S ew < , ea 4 — oh ie tt * en kk ; “eT y : : J ag ’ ww & NC ‘EN > : L| RTE NS Pa x ; ill _ ee