Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 386 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

a ee 2) EE ——_ -_ Captain Fortuno turned quickly, to find him- self face to face with the most beautiful passen- ger he had ever carried. Rather tall, elegantly formed, like one of gentle birth, with clear features, large black eyes and a wealth of black tresses, Lona Sew- ard, as she called herself, stood before the Spanish captain, Sbe had taken passage at Porto Bello bound ‘ for Cartagena, where her father, av adveotur- ous American, held an important command in the Colombian army. Although but in her twentieth year, sbe had the stately dignity of one more advanced, and when she approached Captain Fortuno those who saw her stepped courteously back. ‘‘T was suddenly awakened awhile ago,” she said. ‘*‘ The vessel seemed to have struck.” ‘* So it did—a piece of floating wood,” smiled the captain. ‘I assure you it is nothing, lady.” The girl’s eyes wandered to the men rapidly leaving the ship to fill the boats lowered to search the waters for the mystery which had just been run down. ‘‘This is no place for passengers,” said Cap- tain Fortuno somewhat sternly as he avoided the girl’s gaze, ‘‘ For me it is,” was the quick answer, ‘‘ Cap- tain Fortuno, [ ask permission to remain here awhile. I hadaterrible dream just before we struck the floating wood. I dreamed that the best friend I have on earth had fallen into the hands of Captain Cutlass, the Vampire of the Seas, and that he had been treated with the greatest barbarity by that fiend, who has sworn to plunder Cartagena.” Ape Fortuno burst into a loud laugh. ‘* When he does that, lady, the stars will fall!” he cried. ‘‘ Why, he couldn’t plunder the Red Mogul. Don’t let your dream disturb you. Lieutenant Manton, you will conduct the lady to her state-room.” The young American stepped forward, but the fair passenger gently waved him back. ** Pardon me, if I insist ou remaining here till your search ends.” she said, addressing the Spanish captain. ‘‘ The winds. will completely restore me, besides—” She was interrupted by a shout that came up from the waters below, and, without replying, Captain Fortuno stepped to the ship’s side. ** Petch it tol By Jove! hyer’s a man tied to the mast. Dead asa mack’rel! Lay all hands on now, an’ pull for your lives!” Everybody on the ship’s deck beard thase words, and the heart of more than one must have stooa still. ‘‘ Lady, the men have found something which you might not wish to see—a corpse Jashed to a piece of timber,” said the Red Mogul’s captain rather brusquely as be wheeled upon the beauti- ful passenger. ‘‘ My lieutenant will accompany you below. Here, Mr. Manton.” Captain Fortuno spoke English with only a slight accent, although his dark face and glit- tering black eyes betrayed his nationality. ‘* No! IL remain here!” persisted Lona, firmly. *“‘T have witnessed scenes of terror before. You may not know, Captain Fortuno, that I accompanied my father through two cam- paigns.” ‘‘Then you can look at what my men have found in the sea,” and the Spaviard turned away to give orders for the corpse to be cut from the mast and lifted on deck. Five minutes later amid profound silence, so far as human voices were concerned, the half- naked and stiffened body of a once handsome man of middle age was brought over the ship’s side and laid on blankets on the deck. Captain Fortuno took a lantern and held it over the face. ‘‘ Madre Dios!” he ejaculated with a quick glance toward the girl. ‘‘In the name of God! who did this?’ P Then, before he could be restrained, he sprung erect and shouted in thunderous tones: - et the arms-chests and set the Red Mogul in fighting trim! Praise God that we may meet the Vampire of the Sea before we see our homes again!” The men started back and stared at him as if they thougbt him suddenly bereft of reason. Lona the beautiful passenger started toward the body. ‘Don’t look at it now, lady!” exclaimed_ the Spanish, captain springin after her. ‘‘ Holy Mother! it is no sight for fer!” But the the girl escaped his outstretched band, being too agile for him, and the next mo- ment she was looking down on the corpse. All at once a piercing cry, a shriek, parted ber lips, and instead of starting back she flung herself upon the body. ‘‘Father! father! In the name of Heaven, what fiend’s work is this?” she cried, The men drew back and Captain Fortuno knit his dark brows and looked on without a word, Lieutenant Manton stood spellbound. He could not believe that Lona Seward had found dead on the Red Mogul’s deck the father she expected to meet alive in Cartagena, It was a strange tableau, that presented in the light of the ship’s lantern on the deck, the breathless, speechless and sympathizing crowd, and the young girl clinging to the corpse of the ponies so unexpectedly and terribly encoun- tered. For several minutes not a sound broke the weird stillness that had fallen over the scene. The men looked at their captain and saw his eyes light up as with lightning flashes—that was all; he did not move. Allat once the girl stood erect and wheeled upon the Spanish captain. ‘*Do you recognize the fiend by his work?” she asked, pointing down at the dead. ‘‘ Ask me if I know a Toledo blade when [ sea it,” was the reply. ‘“‘ We all know who ties his prisoners to a mast and sets them adrift on a raft.” ‘* Name bim.” ‘Captain Cutlass.” ‘Then, in the presence of Lign heaven and before my fatber, I swear to hunt this Ocern Vampire down, All my fortune shall be spent in the hunt if necessary. I will not enter home until I have settled with him. What is this vessel worth? I wanta sea-hound cf my own!” Captain Fortuno was silent but only for a moment, ‘*‘The Red Mogul belongs to you from this hour, lady,” he said. ‘Captain Fortuno you can command for any purpose. His men are your slaves. Sentissima! you can make them your ocean bloodhounds if you want to. What say you, men?” A cheer that shook the vessel’s timbers was. ee instant response; it made the girl's eyes ash. ‘The Red Mogul frém tbis hour becomes the Ocean Huntress,” she said. ‘* There are trails on water as well as trails on land. Captain Cutlass has made a foe who will never leave him until he floats over the sea he bas cursed, the prey of the vultures of the Caribbean! That man I boped to greet in Cartagena, but he has met me—dead! My dream! my dream! Did I not say that I dreamt to-night my best friend had fallen into the clutches of Captain Cutlass?! My father was my hest friend.” The girl bad scarcely ceased when a startling cry rung from several throats at once, ‘Ship—ship ahoy!” Captain Fortun® and his startled crew turned toward the stirboard watch from whence the cries bad come, “Ship aboy!” rung out again. “My God! the monster is upon us!” At that instant there loomed up before the eyes Of all in the weird lantern light and not five rods distant, the figure of a gigantic ship, It came from the darkness that lay beyond the Ocean Huntress, and was rushing forward with the certainty of doom. The collision could not be avoided, and the terrible situation held spellbound tbe Spanish captain and those about him, he charging sbip dashed into the light like a thunderbolt, and crashed against the sides of the Huntress with a force that seemed to crush her in! Almost everything on deck was wrenched loose and every buman being was lifted from the planks! It was a terrible moment, With hardly a moment’s warning this water monster had risen from the waves, as it were, and thrown himself upon the unsuspecting Spaniard. ‘¢ Boarders to the front!” thundered the voice of a stalwart man who, standing on the prow of the water monster, looked down on the scene of confusion occasioned by the collision, ‘“* Captain Cutlass!” cried the Spaniard, ‘‘ Ser- pents of the Sea, remember the lady’s oath!” A wild cheer was the response as the crew of the newly christened Red Mogul rushed to the arm-chests. Lieutenant Manton sprung to the young girl’s side and before she could remonstrate lifted her from the deck and started below. ‘The battle is no place for you now,” he said toher. ‘‘The weapons of our men will avenge the Ocean Vampire’s crimson deed.” He reached the door of one of the three state- Captain Cutlass, the Ocean Spider. 3 rooms and was about to enter when it flew open and a Man came out, ‘*Heavens!” ejaculated Lona. ‘Jt is the other passenger, Colonel Cristo. He has been ip my room, too!” The following second fetched Mavton and the second passenger face to face with scarcely five feet between them. They bad met before, during the voyage, but only casually, and now the eyes of both men flashed. ‘What has happened?” growled the colonel. ‘* Enough,” was the answer, ‘*‘ Captain Cut- lass is boarding the vessel!” Colonel Cristo seemed to recoil an inch. “ Then,” be suddenly laughed, ‘‘ then we will be bis guests in a few minutes,” ‘‘ Never!” cried Manton. ‘‘By the water gods! this ship shall never suc 4 to him. Here’s your room, miss. I']l go back Qnd lend my sor to your service,” e saw the young girl cross the threshold of her state-room and then turned away. Colonel Cristo, tal), dark and flashing eyed, awaited him twenty feet from the spot. Manton laid bis hand on his sword-bilt as he went forward. ‘*That’s right, boy,” said the passenger, draw- ing his own blade, ‘‘She’s a pearl of pearls, You’ve feught at your captain’s side for the last time!” CHAPTER IIL. THE VAMPIRE’S VICTORY, MEANWHILE the tumult cf desperate battle between the crews of the two vessels, brought together as we have just destribed, was raging above Manton and his confroiter, Directed by the captain of the buccaneer who stood among the rigging above his prow, the ocean scourges had made the two ships fast, and had laid the boarding-planks safely, despite the furious resistance of the Spaniard’s crew. Then it was that Captain Cutlass descended from his position and threw himself in front of his men as he sent forth the signal to board, Captain Fortuno and bis men had already re- covered, and the pests of the sea found them- selves gallantly resisted by men as dauntless as themselves, “Stand your ground! Down to the fishes ee the water vampires!’ shouted the Span- iard. ‘* Death to the Spanish spawn!” cried Captain Cutlass, and his followers as they endeavored to obtain a foothold on the Spaniard’s decks, Urged to desperation by the fate in store for thm should they be overpowered, the crew of the Ocean Huntress fought as men never fought before. Cutlass met cutlass in the terrible encounter, and pistol flash answered flash in the sickly glare of the ship lanterns that flickered here and there, Never before had the pirate of the Gulf met with such resistance, but it only hightened his mad desire to conquer in the end, His crew outnumbered the ore that opposed him, and having fought often hand-to-hand on slippery decks. be possessed a great advantage over Captain Fortuno. But for all this, the conflict remained fora long time undecided. Back and forth swayed the two factions fight- ing like tigers of the jungle, and crimsoning the deck of the attacked ship with hot blood, Captain Fortuno attempted to reach the chief buccaneer, Captain Cutlass, but each time strong arms and red cutlasses interposed, and he was frustrated. At last the combat drew toa close, but not until both sides, worn out witb it, panted for breath and rest. Knocked senseless by a blow on the head, the Spanish captain lay against the mainmast, but not alone, He was surrounded by men from both crews, some dead, others dying—all terrible evidences ( + Ope of the flercest sea-fights that ever took piace, Captain Cutlass stood erect, the victorious lion in the contest. He wasa powerful man, pbysically, and strik- ingly handsome. He wore no hat of any kind on.this occasion, therefore, the long black locks that were known wherever his name was mentioned, fell un- secured around his ample shoulders, He wore a close-fitting yellow jacket that glittered with a profusion of silver braid, and pantaloons of dark green which reached to the knees, where they were confined with silver buckles, Silk stockings, which here and there showed ” *