Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 468 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

- —_ Pk lm II ‘ ’ 9° water a league ahead of the cruiser, if - tenaciously when there is prize money to gain, I ’ out a break.” Me a. * ; feng i aoe , Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster. . —- ° « . _— ‘ » <-* < r LLL LLL ALAA LL AAA LLL LLL LLL LLL tes . EEE 2 SS 7 Eee eee oC as = ed will send boats in and capture the chebacca, if her skipper does not burn her.” ‘‘ That is why he struggles so hard to round Bold Head?” ‘* Yes, and is carrying sail enough to run him under.” ‘Can the brig see him yet?” ‘‘Hardly yet awhile, but she will soon do so and I fear open on him.” ‘Ts not that some one going up into the rig- ging on the chebacca?” e Englishman has run out of the harbor in ase.” ‘* He doubtless has, for them cruisers hang on have heard.” * : ‘*You are right, wife; but whoever is at the helm of that chebacca knows just what he is about.” ‘‘Those waters are most dangerous through which he is now running, Louis.” ‘So very dangerous, Ellen, you know we; “Yes, it,is one of the crew, and he is evident- coasters call that rock-dotted bay the Devil's | ly trying to get a look over the point to see if he Net.” ean find the brig.” “‘T thought only a few people could pilot even ‘There are men up in the rigging of the brig, a small boat through them?” too.” “Tt is true.” “Yes, and they are looking for the che. ** And sec how that chebacca flies along, avoid- | bacca.” ing every danger.” | ‘*The boat at Blind Pass seems to have stopped “That is what puzzles me, for she has some | there to stay, for the crew are all ashore.” one at her helm who knows the Devil’s Net better | ‘‘ Yes, they know they must stay there to than I do, even, and_who certainly knew he | guard the pass should the brig not catch the could run through the Blind Pass at this tide.” | chebacca in the offing and drive him back into “T never saw a vessel go through there be- | the Devil’s Net; but the weight of that man fore, only you and Ned in your skiffs.” aloft in the little craft’s rigging makes her lay ‘“No vessel has ever attempted it, though it | over fearfully and he is coming down again. cuts off a league coming here from the harbor ‘‘ Ah! it is the helmsman himself, for he takes beyond the ridge— Ha! there comes the cruiser, | the helm, and, as near as I can make out, wife, and she is a large brig-of-war,” and far down | the one who steered while he was aloft, is a the coast there suddenly shot into view a large | woman.” , and pretty vessel-of-war. “A woman?” | ‘‘ She has run out of the harbor and is heading ‘‘ Yes, it certainly is a woman,” and Skipper up the coast to catch the chebacca as he gains | Everard gazed fixedly through his glass. open water,” said Everard. ‘« And on board a smuggler?” ‘‘ And can she do it?” ‘‘T may be wrong about the craft being a ‘Not if that skhipper’s nerve does not fail | smuggler, but I am suro it is the fleet little ” , him.” Sally’s Slipper, for Ned and myself boarded ‘What can he do?” her twice when she was becalmed off the coast ‘He can run back into the Devil’s Net, and, | here, and I know her well. with this half-gale blowing, the boats from the ‘*She is the trimmest little coaster in these brig-ot-war dare not follow him, while he can | waters, and 1am sure I am not mistaken; but escape after nightfall back through the Blind | the brig-of-war has now come into position Pass again.” where they can see the chebacca, for there ‘‘ No! see, there isa boat.” goes a gun from her bows.” ' * “You are right, Ellen, the brig-of-war has ** And they will head her off from rounding left a boat filled with men to guard the pass, and | Bald Head?” she has come round to head him off and catch ‘* Tt looks so, Ellen.” him in the Devil's Net.” ° ‘Ts there no.escape?” ‘* But can she?” ‘* Yes, but a desperate one.” ‘‘ The chebacca still holds on for open water; ‘*'W hat is that, Louis?” but the brig is carrying all the sail she dare ** No, no, her skipper cannot know of it, for with this wind, and will certainly get within | Ned told me only, | am sure, and I could not close range before the chebacca can round Bald | run a craft through,” Head.” | ‘* ‘What is the secret, Louis?” ‘** And if he rounds Bald Head, he is safe?” ‘You see how the waters sweep about Bald ‘¢ Yes, wife, with the knowledge of these wa- | Head?” ters that her skipper has,” “Yes,” ; ‘‘}fow many inen do you see on the chebacca “Tt is all chopped up by reefs, rocks and boat?” islands?” , ‘¢T see but four.” “True.” ‘‘ Would there not be more if she was a smug- i br you believe a vessel could go through ler?” there ‘Tt would seem so; but we cannot tell, andif | ‘‘ Ne indeed.” not a smuggler why is she running?” ‘Well, you see the reef puts out from Bald “True; but may not she be running to save | Head for nearly a mile?” her crew from imprisonment on board the ‘‘-'Yes, Louis.” cruiser?” ‘‘And to escape, the chebacca must round “Yes, Ellen, that is true, and if so all my | that reef at the Sentry Rock?” **T know that.” ‘‘ As he holds on and the brig now heads and sails, he would round Sentry Rock hardly a quarter of a mile ahead of the cruiser.” ‘Then he will be taken?” ‘Sure, if he does not know the chebacca can run through right under the face of Bald Head.” And it can?” : “There is water enough for a line-of-battle ship, but the passage is very narrow and dan- “Yes, Ellen,’ gerous, and could only be made with the wind ‘‘ He indeed knew this coast as no one else ao quarter yes rere now blows.” oes.” ‘‘ Heaven grant he knows of the passage under ‘‘ Tt is true, for he had a knack of finding out | Bald Head ne ’ ree dangers and remembcring them, __“*Teould hardly hope it, as it would be fatal “T have known Ned to go over a sheet of wa- | if the helmsman lost his nerve, or made the ter, studded with dangers, several times only in | slightest mistake.” his skiff, end then sail the smack over it with- | _ ‘The brig has fired no more on the chebacca an: ys ee pe. = 0, she feels sure of her game, and to cri ple the chebacca where she + would be to pe ikea ‘sn es are for the little craft.” ** Just so are mine.” ‘“‘ But see, Ellen, how she rounded the Porcu- pine, Rock. “T tell you, wife, the man at the helm of onder chebacca knows the Devil’s Net better I do, and as well as—” He paused, for he did not wish to bring up sad memories by reference to the absent boy. But his wife sighed and said sadly: ‘‘You meant Ned, husband?” “T do hope in my heart that our poor, brave boy is not dead, Louis. eR: A he finds he cannot make it, he can put **No; he can only run on now, for with this: breeze he can never go about among those rocks, and a moment more he will be into the narrow channel. ‘*Tf he makes it he escapes the brig, throw- ing ber a league astern at least, and then he can escape under cover of the darkness; but if he fails, all on board must die in those wild waters,” said Louis Everard, solemnly. CHAPTER XX. A DESPERATE CHANCE, ALTHOUGH half convinced that the little ves- sel was a smuggler, striving to escape from the king’s cruiser, the sympathies of both Louis Everard and his wife went out to it, so brave was the battle of the weak against the strong. The position of the two craft were wholly un- der the eye of the fisherman and his wife from. the cliff. They could see the ridge-like peninsula, wit. the break in it through which the ckebacca had. passed from tbe bay beyond, and where were» now the crew of the brig’s boat, to prevent am escape back through that wae They beheld the Devil’s Net, dotted with its. rocks, reefs and islet, through which the che- bacca was flying to turn a rugged isle and head away for secure havens beyond along the- coast, Out in the open sea, rushing along under a. tremendous pressure of canvas to reach the oal, and head off the chase, was the stately nie a handsome craft and a rapid sailer. e latter had about a mile to sail to the rag- ged point, and the chebacca boat about balf that: istance, and in those rough waters the former was going the faster. - But when Louis Everard had told his wife of the secret passage close around Bald Head’s: island cliff, he had suddenly seen the little vesseh haul in her sails, for she had been runnin fore the wind, and head directly for the chan- nel which he had considered known only to him- self and to Ned; in fact the boy alone knew its channel, though he had run bis smack through there when his father was on board, ‘“Can it be possible shat he knows of that secret channel?—if he does, he can escape, and if not, be goes to death,” said Louis Everard. ‘Tf he wrecks his vessel, is there no chance for him to escape, Louis?” anxiously asked Mrs, Everard. ‘None in that wild sea about Bald Head, and he is daring indeed to run around it in so smalk a craft.” ‘* May he not intend to run to the mainland, and beach his craft?” ‘* No, he is heading for the entrance to the: secret channel.” ‘**God be with him.” ‘**T hope he may get through; but see how his vessel sways under the sail she carries,” ‘** He should reef.” ‘*'No, the more sail there the better for him:.: but he approaches the entrance now, and if he rounds that huge rock, he knows what he is about; but if he holds on as he now heads, he is» running at random.” Breathlessly the two now watcked the little vessel, which was rushing like a pigeon in its hight, directly toward the huge rock referred Then, as though its danger was not sufficiently. desperate, the brig-of-war began again to open fire upon it, seeming to fear that the daring helmsman knew some way of esca Shot after shot flew about the chebabdd boat, ahead of it, astern, over its deck, and one went. through its huge mainsail. But on its way it went, reached the rock, swept by, then off ran the heavy boom, and be- fore the wind once more the chebacca drove, burying her bows far under the wild waters. A shout burst from the lips of the fisherman as. he saw this, and his wife gazed at him in amaze- = at his excitement, while he cried ex- citedly: Peete on. i, . « , - 2 af wey e * God grant it, and I yet hope for his return; | stroy her upon the rocks,” ‘* Bravo! bravo! that helmsman knows the se- $4: but see, wife, the brig-of-war 1s coming along at ‘Oh! husband, the chebacca is going to | cret passage and means to use it. he a slashing pace.” round to and surrender!” suddenly cried Sirs. ‘* Bravo for him, whoever he be, Ellen.” Si ‘‘And you fear will head the chebacca off be- | Everard. | _ Mrs. Everard was also carried away with de- __ fore she can round Bald Head? 7 For an instant Louis Everard gazed at the | lightat the daring act of the belmsman of the | *, “Tt does look so, I am afraid. little vessel, and then he cried, excitedly: chebacca boat, and, with her husband continued > ** And then?” - ‘Not a bit of it! be has hauled his sail well | to —— her eyes riveted upon its flight. Rte » ‘“‘ The chebacca must run back into the Devil’s aft, and is heading directly for the secret chan- As though realizing that the skipper of thelit- ah, east.” nel under Bald Head.” tle craft knew what he was about, and how he ** And cannot escape?” ; ‘‘Heaven have mercy on him! you see how | could escape the brig, the commander of the lat- -—., * No, for with the wind off-shore as it is, the | wild are the waters there?” ter vessel sent a broadside flying after the “t cP * Be ten can anchor off the inlet to Devil’s the boat in the Blind Pass can keep “Yes, it is a desperate resolve he has taken, ee eee ee |____ ee chase. , | On all sides the iron shot fell, but without. » Net, and 1 and may Heaven indeed have mercy upon him, aot that, secure until to-morrow, when they for it is now life or death to him.” damage the chebacca flew on, j “ he wy : ° ~~ ; Pe hs a PO : 1 eae wins s ii | | L ve ate ten ae = ; ; r, _—s ty. <a sy hoe ¢ a [- " t ; vr A Le, a . “ — * ‘ . oC et ee Rae i eed ght Mad ce Pe PL a Fs fees thal er Fee , meh T . ak Ted, ye Tt Ce eae mm nt ey fie - pig. jis pte “af A. = ee > e's : a - -. j a. . bats Roe rake pee = *~ Pa’ % _ we Dg: = A ne on te. ? “ete