Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 429 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

a — ————— y do you wish to make a landing here?” o look after some business that will pay me well, and which I do not wish to neglect,” ‘The storm will soon break, sir, and I will run you out to sea, for as I said this anchorage will wreck you.” ** [T wish to enter the inlet, my lad.” “*T cannot pilot you there, sir.” ** You mean that you will not ?” »* Yes. sir.” **T will give you a small fortune in gold if you will,” earnestly said Captain Carl. ** Gold will not tempt me, sir, for I have over fifty dollars with me. The two officers laughed at the lad’s idea of a fortune, and Captain Carl said: ‘“‘T will give youa thousand dollars if you will run the schooner into the inlet,” ‘* No, sir; I will not do it.” ‘“* Two thousand.” “IT may not know the value of money as you do, sir, but nothing you would offer me could make me do as you wish.” ‘* Boy, you must do as I say.” “*T will not, sir, though I’ll save the schooner by running her out tosea, for we will have wind soon.” ‘‘ By Heaven! into the inlet you take her, for Tl stand no more begging a boy.” Duncan made no reply, but his face was set with stern resolve. **Do you understand, boy, that you are to obey?” ‘*T will not touch that wheel, sir, to head for the inlet, if I die for not doing so.” ‘““Then die you shall, you stubborn young satan. ‘* Lennox!” ‘Ay, ay, captain.” ‘Take your sword and place the point over that boy’s heart!” ‘*'Yes, sir,” and the sharp-pointed blade was ressed against the broad breast of the daring oy, while Captain Carl took out his watch, and step ing nearer to Duncan Dare, continued: ‘ Now: Lennox, this boy has just one minute to decide whether he shall live or die. “‘Tf you refuse, my lad, to pilot my schooner into the inlet, this officer shall drive his sword through your heart,” Duncan Dare stood upright, fearless, defiant. Bareheaded and barefooted, his little bundle, hat and shoes, still hung at his back, he pre- sented a striking picture, and his bold attitude won the admiration of the two pirate officers. _ n a clear voice came his answer to Captain arl: : ‘You need not wait for the time to be up, Pirate Captain, to kill me, for I will die before I obey you.” Captain Carl was staggered, but he still stood watch in hand, apparently awaiting the time to pass away. With his sword-point pressed against Duncan Dare’s heart, stood Lennox, stern and silent, and perfectly calm was the boy, his fearless face turned upon Captain Carl. ‘¢ A few more seconds only, so speak, what will you do, boy?” ‘‘ You have my answer, pirate captain.” ‘‘ Lennox, you hear what the boy says, so—” ‘Hold! would you destroy your own lives by killing that boy? With the thrilling words, a form glided from the cabin, the sword of Lucas Lennox was struck up, and the one who so boldly interfered, faced the pirate officers, It was a woman, or rather a young girl, for she was not yet out of her teens. She was very beautiful in face, very grace- ful in form. Her hair was golden, her eyes blue as the sea, and she was clad in a suit of dark cloth, close- fitting to her elegant form. | Pale-faced, haggard, she looked, yet the beauty of her features had not been destroyed by the suffering through which she seemed to have passed. The two officers started at her act, and a scowl came upon the brow of Captain Carl, while Duncan Dare seemed surprised at the startling interference for his sake. ‘“Kate, why do you interfere with me thus?” sternly said Captain Carl. ‘‘T interfere to save my own life, and this vessel and crew, as well as that boy. “T have heard what was said about your present anchorage, and, in the storm that is about to break upon us, you are going to kill the only one that can save the vessel from de- struction.” — ‘‘By Jupiter! but you are right!” exclaimed Captain Carl, and then, as he drew the young gil one side, he said; ‘*T had no idea of killing the brave boy, for he will be priceless to me in the future, ‘*T only meant to frighten him,” ‘*Bah! Have you no powers of perception, Carl Casandra, after your long life among men, to believe you could frighten that boy? ‘* Did he not take his life in his hands to come out here to your vessel, and has he not got it in him to die rather than submit?” ‘*EKgad, but you are right, Miss Kenyon, as you always are, except in your little eccentri- city of not marrying me when you know meas I am.” “IT loved you as an honorable man, Carl Casandra, forso I believed you; but I despise you as a pirate,” she said with a sneer. ‘** You will overcome that, Kate—but see, the storm is upon us, and you must retire to the cabin.” ‘No, I will remain on deck, and see that brave boy save this ship, though perhaps it were better if he let it go to destruction, with all on board.” ‘‘T think otherwise,” was Captain Carl’s re- mark, and turning to Duncan, he continued: ‘*'You said your name was Dare?’ ‘6 Yes, sir.” ‘* Well, Master Dare, your life is safe, sir, and I wish you to take the helm and pull the craft out of her present peril, after which I will talk to you about a position on board: for, if youcan man- age a vessel in this storm, young as you are, you are fully capable of Being an officer, and I am really in need of a second luff. ‘** Now, sir, do your best, for the Spitfire is in your hands, and our lives depend upon you.” Duncan ay bowed, cast his ies le from his back, and the maiden picked it up and took it into the cabin, while the youth stepped to the helm. Instantly his clear voice rung out: ‘‘Up with these anchors, men, and lively, for we want them off the bottom when yonder gale strikes us!” The crew sprung to the windlass, the anchors left the bottom, and were soon in place, and not a moment too soon, for, howling with fierce fury, the wind came rushing over the sea, driving a wall of foaming water before it that threatened to ingulf the stanch schooner, ‘* Hold hard, for your lives!” shouted Captain Carl, and he sprung to the side of Kate Kenyon; but she waved him back, and stepping quickly to the wheel, clung to it. ‘*T must have aid here, sir,” cried Duncan, as he saw the storm almost upon them, ‘¢ T will aid you, for [ am a sailor’s daughter, and know what is to be done,” said the maiden, quietly. “T fear you are not strong enough, miss,” Duncan rejoined. “Tf T prove not so, then call for help; but I wish to remain on deck,” The next moment the storm was upon the de- voted schooner, the bows thrown high in the air, as though dashed upon a watery wall, and the brave craft staggered, reeled and plunged under the terrible shock. Here and there @ poor unfortunate was torn from his hold and borne off to die, but the schooner stood the blow nobly, and after the first shock went bounding along into the very teeth of the gale, held on her course seaward by the strange couple at her wheel, Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee, and Kate Kenyon, the lady love of a pirate captain. CHAPTER XI. THE MIDNIGHT MURDER. AFTER his departure from the Dare Farm, Silas Finn went on his way homeward, mount- ed upon the blind nag of Barney Bolls, ‘** | would prefer to walk,” he frequently mut- tered to himself as he rode along, and when at last he drew rein at the village store he was greatly delighted that his horseback exercise was nearly over, He was greeted with a welcome by those con- gregated at the store, for they had never seen the schoolmaster on horseback before, After making a few purchases, Silas Finn started homeward; but he had not the courage. to mount in the presence of the crowd, and so walked off, leading the animal to its stable. Barney Bolls was just sitting down to tea. He lived on a large farm, with only an old man and his wife to care for him, for he let the a out on shares, and he got the lion’s share, The house was an old one, large, and in a very dilapidated condition, for Barney Bolls and the old couple were content with four rooms in a wing of the rambling old structure. we "hn kn — ee Re —— LL Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 7 a The old man-servant led the mare away to the tumble-down stable, and Barney invited Silas Finn to come in and have supper, for the two were great chums. ‘‘No, Barney; a storm is brewing, and I must hasten home,” said the master, who knew Barney Bolls never had much more for supper than a crust of bread and a cup of tea, ‘* Did you see the widow?” asked Barney, who never urged his visitor to remain. be You t saw her.” ‘* And the boy?” ‘*He had not returned home when I left, but I suppose he’s all right. ‘** Haven’t seen him, have you?” ‘**' No, but I guess you didu’t hurt him,” ‘*Oh, no, for he’s a tough one; and I didn’t whip him hard enough to make him cry, or even beg.” ‘“Then you were most gentle with him; but what did the widow say?’ ‘‘It pained her to think that her son was so wicked, though she scolded me a little for whip- ping her boy. ‘*She’s a fine woman, Mr. Bolls.” ‘Yes, master, she is, but she’s proud as Lu- cifer. ‘What! going?” ‘*'Yes, I don’t like that storm yonder, and will get home; besides, I don’t feel very bright to-night, and have a heaviness at my heart I cannot throw off.” ‘* Yes, I feel that same way at times; but good-night, Master Silas.” ‘** Good-night, to you, Barney Polls,” So saying, Silas Finn walked away from the rickety old mansion, muttering: ‘Il would not stay all night in that rickety old house for it. ‘*Ugh! the ghosts of a grim past would be ever before me there, though the school-house, with its surrounding graves, is bad enough.” After a walk of a quarter a mile through the darkness, he came in sight of the school-house. It looked weird-like in its silence and desola- tion, for no light was visible, and it loomed up in the glare of the lightning in a spectral way. The grave-stones seemed to stand out like specters to the eyes of Silas Finn as though they were the very spirit forms of those who lay bu- ried beneath. The old elms stood motionless, for there was nota breath of air, and the roar of the surf, half a mile away, was dirge-like in its mo- notony. Gliding along the path that wound among the graves, glancing about him in a nervous way, Silas Finn reached the school-heuse door, uickly he entered, and, slamming it bebind ag forgot, in his frightened haste, to bolt or ar it, Ascending the narrow stairs he entered his rooms, and his trembling hands found some difficulty in lighting a lamp. The fact was that Silas Finn used more oil, the storekeeper said, than any family in the vil- lage, and he got the credit of studying all night, for no one ever passed the school-house, late or early, that there was not a light within. In the light Silas Finn had not the fear that pomnascd him in the darkness, and the little floor above the school-room had a lamp burning in each room from sunset to sunrise. He had overstayed his time, and darkness had caught him, so Silas Finn had to enter his house where no light greeted him. A sigh of relief burst from his lips, when he had lighted his second lamp, and then he turned to the fire-place to prepare his supper. A stick fire was soon burning, a pot of coffee was put on, a skillet with bacon and potatoes, and a corn hoe-cake was baked in the ashes. But the schoolmaster seemed to have no ap- petite for food. Perhaps the thought of leaving one of the widow Dare’s delicious suppers, rendered him dissatisfied with his own rude meal; but certain it is, that a cup of coffee satisfied him, and he turned away from the table and entered his sleeping-room, It was a comfortable chamber, large, well- furnished, and neatly kept, although Silas Finn was his own housekeeper. Drawing a chair up to a large table, he ar- ranged the light to suit him, and then going to the large sreplace, placed his hand up the chim- ney, and took from their sooty hiding-place, a bunch of keys, With one of these he unlocked a large wooden chest, which was in one corner of the rocm, and took therefrom, a roll of papers, This he stretched out upon the table, festening the ends down. It looked like a map, from the lines drawn up-