Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 407 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

——E———EEE < J A men v fled ys yer? TT vm VRSEM ee ll Ts : Lire) ee, ‘<r. The Boy Insurgent. F, 3 “You are a splendid commander, Senor Iso- dor, and you handled your vessel in a manner not to be avoided with such dread, as had the E1 | Moro captured us.” ‘*T am not so sure, senor, that she is not some- where near us now, for I distinctly heard a voico shouting through a trumpet a short while ago. ‘* Was it not from our vessel, Senor Isodor?” ‘* No, senor, for the voice was through a trum- pet— Ho, Bueno!” ‘Yes, Senor Master.” ‘¢ Look sharp for the El Moro.” **T think I’ve got my eye on her now, Senor Master—yes, senor, it is the brig!” and as the moon broke through a cloud there was visible, not half a mile distant, the Spanish brig. **She is lying to! Quick, Bueno! set the sails reefed down, and we'll run away before the The order was rapidly and noiselessly obeyed and falling off before the wind, the Cloud wen staggering along, huge waves rolling before, upon either side and astern of her, and threat- ening to bury her beneath them, it seemed. On, on, flew the Cloud, getting further and further away from her dread foe, until she had “wind, for we are not discovered yet!” dropped her almost out of sight in the darkness, But then the moon went out through a rift in ‘the clouds, its rays fell upon tue white sails of the yacht, causing them to glimmer in the light like silver, and Bueno called out: ** They see us at last, Senor Master!” ‘* Ay, ay, and again it is a race for life, with ‘tthe chances in favor of the brig in this heavy sea, ‘*But we better run under than die at the yard-arm, so crowd on sail, boys, and shake out the reefs to asingle, for there is a worse death in our wake than in the sea for us,” and I[sodor’s voice rung out like a bugle, yet held nota quiver of fear in it. CHAPTER III. DRIVEN TO DOOM. NERVED by the words of their boy command- er, the sable crew of the yacht sprung to work with a will, and, aided by the Cuban Patriots on board, soon hai all the canvas set that the Cloud could possibly bear in that blow. As it was, she reeled like a man foolish with wine, and fairly staggered through the rough waters. ‘‘ We are straining her, but it must be done,” said the Cuban general, and he glanced anx- iously at the little vessel, as she rushed along the waves above her decks upon either side, an astern, while it seemed ahead as though a wave of water was there into which she must rush to doom. ‘* Pll keep her at it if I run her under, for we better drown than hang,” grimly said Isodor Christobal. The brig, large as she is, does not dare carry ae sail you have set, Isodor,” said Leon De- to. ‘** No, for they are not running from the gar- rote; but as it is, she has as much as she can well stand up under,” and it was very evident that the Spaniard was carrying as much canvas as he dared set, for fear of dragging the sticks out of the brig. ‘* We are gaining pretty fast, Senor Master,” said Bueno, coming aft. ‘Yes, Bueno, we are; but the brig intends to try to cripple us,” and this remark was occa- sioned by a shot from the Spaniard. But in that wild sea there could be no aim taken, and the shot flew far out of the way. Still the Spaniard ot if up the fire, and still the yacht slowly gained, until, just as the sun rose the Cubans gave a shout of (oy, for the saw that the iron messengers failed to reac them, falling short a few rods, Thus the fierce chase continued, the yacht barely holding her own, as she had been so severely driven that she was badly strained, and was leaking to an alarming extent. The storm had wholly blown itself out; but the wind held at a twelve-knot breeze, and the sea was by no means smooth. But on her way the Cloud drove, Isodor stand- ing untiringly at the helm, and taking every ad- vantage of wind and wave, while the others did all in their power to keep the pumps going and the sails trimmed, Through the long hours of the day the chase continued, and again night came on; but it was starlight, and there was no chance to dodge the enemy in the darkness. Now and then the Spaniard would creep up just within range, and instantly open fire, and Se once or twice the yacht got a bad wound; but | again she would forge ahead until the shots fell ‘that alone saved us from a peril as great, though | short. Thus the night passed away, and the brig still held on like a hound on the trail. She was crowded with canvas, and they were pushing her hard; but Isodor gave the yacht no relief, ‘but kept her at it, although the water steadily gained in the hold, and necessarily checked her speed. ‘*To-night we must meet the islands, and we must not be taken,” said Isodor, as the sun drew near the western horizon, ‘* They cannot be very far away, Senor Isodor as we have driven along at a tremendous speed ever since leaving Cuba,” answered the general. ‘They are about ten leagues off, senor,” ** And then?” asked Leon De Soto. ‘We must drive the yacht ashore,’ was the cool reply of the youth. *¢ Ashore, Isador?” ** Yes, for the Spaniards shall not have this cargo, and Bueno can run us upon a sunken reef. ‘*We have our boats intact, and can take to them under cover of the darkness, cast off be- fore we reach the reef, and then rush her upon it under full speed. ‘The wind is increasing and the Spaniards will think we have gone to our doom, while we can, under Bueno’s pilotage, row to the island and seek shelter, ‘‘] would like to save the cargo, but we can- not, and our lives are more precious.” ‘You are right, Senor Isodor, and you are the commander, so do as you deem best; but it is a pity to lose your beautiful vessel,” said the Cuban general. ** She is badly strained, sir, and I have all the drawings with me, and the model, to build an- other craft just like her, only larger,” was the response of tae youth, and he sent Bueno to the top to see if he could discover land. fardly had the negro reached the top, when he shouted out: ‘* Land, ho!” ‘** How does it bear, Bueno?” ** Dead ahead, senor.” *‘It is the Chandeleurs, and in three hours we will reach them,” he said to those about him, and then called out aloft: ‘* Pick out your island, Bueno, tell me how to head to reach it, and then come down.” ‘‘ Ay, ay, Senor Master,” answered the negro, and he bent his glass upon the distant land. dalf an hour passed before he called to the deck again, and then, just as the sun touched the horizon, he cried; ‘* Ho, the deck, senor!” ““ Ay, ay, Bueno!” ‘** Let her fall off, senor.” “Ay, ay!” ** More yet!” ac Ay, ay }? _ “Steady now! you are heading directly for it, senor, so keep her at that!” “Ay, ay, Bueno,” and Isodor took his sailing points and held the yacht on her course, running almost dead before the wind. ‘* Now, senor, let me take the helm,” and Bueno came to his side, and lsodor relinquished the helm to the negro, while he called out: ‘‘ Now, boys, get the two boats and the skiff loaded with what stores we may need, and let every man go double armed with rifles and re- volvers, for it may be that we may have to fight on yonder island.” hese orders were promptly obeyed, and the boats were all ready to let fall into the sea at the proper moment, the crews of each bein stationed by them, excepting the men still kep at the pumps. ‘With her heavy cargo, and the water in her hold, she will into kindling wood when she strikes, for we have a twelve-knot breeze astern of us,” said Isodor. “But how will you steer her on, after we leave her?” asked Leon De Soto, ‘‘T will let Bueno head her for the sunken reef, which he knows well, and I will follow close in the skiff to pick him up, for, before she strikes he must jump overboard,” “Tt is risky work,” said the general. ** Not as risky as allowing yonder Spaniard to catch us, senor; but see, the brig gains rapidly now, for the leak is making the yacht loggy.” All eyes were now alternately turned upon the yacht, the island looming up ahead, and the brig, steadily gaming astern, yet still a long way off and just visible in the darkness, As the yacht drew nearer to the island, Isodor ordered one boat’s crew to stand ready, sending two of his slaves with it. | It was lowered into the water without acci- dent, and while dragged rapidly along the men entered it, the staff officers going in charge. ‘*Casf loose!” ordered Isodor, and the boat was left dancing in the wake, and pulling after the yacht with strong strokes, “The next boat! General, you go in this, and my two slaves will manage it,” called the youth, and it too was safely launched and left astern. Isodor, Leon De Soto and Bueno were now all that were left upon the yacht, The light skiff was then put over the side, Lec : De Soto taking his seat therein, and Isodor said: ‘Bueno, you better let me run her on the reef, and you go in the skiff.” ‘‘ No, Senor Master, for I know just where to ut her, and I can swim like a fish, as you cow,” ‘* You must spring overboard in plenty of time, Bueno.” ‘* ‘Yes, senor.” ‘** And off to one side, with a dive, so as not to be dragged under by the yacht.” ‘* Yes, senor.” The uegro now stood at the helm, and though the island was yet half a mile distant, the seething waters just ahead proved that there were sunken reefs there, ‘She is settling fast, senor; now the pumps have oe ae and when she strikes the Span- iards will hear the crash,” said Bueno. ‘*Thank Heaven they do not get her. Ah! she shall go down with the Patriot flag flying,” cried Isodor, and he darted down into the cabin. Returning in an instant he soon ran up a silk Cuban flag, which his sister Estrella had made, and then said: ‘* Now she goes down in glory to her doom.” ‘* Quick, Senor Master! nets the skiff!” cried Bueno, and [sodor sprung into the little boat. ‘Cast off!” shouted Bueno, and the youth obeyed, at the same time seizing the oars, for the little shell was dancing like a cork in the wake of the flying yacht. ‘‘ Now, Bueno! leap for your life!” cried Iso- dor, and heading the insurgent craft directly for the reef the daring negro sprung into the sea, The next instant there came a deafening crash, and the beautiful Cloud had driven to her doom upon the sunken reef, CHAPTER IV. PREPARED TO GREET A FOR. THE moment that he saw that the doomed yacht must strike just where he intended she should, Bueno had lashed the helm, and then, with a run, had sprung head-first into the sea, He disappeared from sight for an instant, and —_ arose, just as the Cloud drove upon the reef, Isodor, in the light skiff, was not far away, and the negro hailing him, he pulled ate toward him, while Leon De Soto aided him into the boat, ‘*Give me the oars, Senor Master, for your hands are all blistered with holding the helm, and we've got to pull hard from here and make for the channel,” cried Bueno, and he seized the oars and sent the skiff away from her perilous proximity to the reefs with a few vigorous strokes. The two boats containing the others were not very far distant, and hailing them, I[sodor made them follow the skiff. This they did, and after running along the reef for a few hundred feet, Bueno said: ‘“Now, Senor Master, if you will row, I will steer, for I’ve got to have my eyes open to run through here, as it’s been so long since I left the island.” The two then exchanged places, and the boats astern aoe close up, the three started to run the gantlet of the dangerous channet leading to the rocks. In a calm sea, and by daylight, Bueno said one could feel his way in, but in such rough water and night it was a most dangerous undertaking. But Bueno seemed not to have forgotten his cunning, and went by dangerous reefs without once striking, while the boats astern kept as close in his wake as they dared, “The brig is shorteningyail,” said Isodor, who » while rowing hgd his face turned seaward, “Yes, Senor Master, she doesn’t want to run too close on this islandat the speed she has been going,” answered Bueno, Continuing to watch the movements of the brig as he rowed along, Isodor said: ‘Well, the Spaniards doubtless think that we were wrecked by accident, and are congratulat- ing themselves that death overtook us, if they did not; but if I know Spanish nature aright,. Senor Leon, the brig will anchor until morning, 55 exe) : ‘S.CO mM