Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 468 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

oe — - a ee sie Pu ‘worse o TS a and in a short while the two men rowed away | and disappeared in the dar!zness. Charcoal was asleep forward, Simple Sam was near him, napping, and Ned was seated in the cockpit, alone, Bertie Buckner being in the cabin. Presently she came on deck and sat down near Ned, while she asked: “ Have Rufe and Nick gone?” “ Yes, they went off to fish awhile.” The girl was quiet for a moment and then she said: ** Do you. know what my father is?” ‘¢ A skipper.” ‘¢ He is more than that.” ‘¢ A very pleasant gentleman,” said Ned with - ga smile, The girl bowed her head while she uttered an impatient exclamation: __ : Then she said, after a silence of a few min- utes: ‘‘My father was born a gentleman; but he met with reverses some years azo, for I can re- member when we had a pleasant home near Portland, and were happy, my father, my moth- er and myself. WREy: ‘ But mother died, and poor papa fell in with a bad set, and lost his money at the gaming- table, “Then he went to sea, leaving me at school in Portland; but I heard a rumor that father had gone to the bad, and‘I determined to find out, and so told a sailor, who each month brought me letters and presents from him, that I would go back with him to see my father. ‘*He would not take me, so I just disguised myself as a boy and followed him. ‘ He took a skiff at the dock, and I got anoth- er, for our home was on the water and Iama pretiy fair sailor, ** I kept his sail in sight and I found my fatb- er anchored in this very cove, on the sloop which was wrecked, ‘**T lay off yonder near the shore, and I heard enough to convince me that my father was the leader of outlaws, ‘*Then I came on board, and such a scene as there was, “* He stormed, the men wanted to kill me, and in his fury father kille1 the man I had followed, although he was not to blame. ** But I said I wished to remain, and so it was settled, I pretending to be content; but having in mind that I would some day get a chance to betray the sloop, on condition that my father should be set free. fe ‘Now he has a valuable cargo of smuggled goods on your vessel, which he got from a Ship a Sea, which he was wont to meet at stated es, “The night after we got. them on board the storm wrecked us, and father has gone after another craft he krfows of to still keep up his smuggling. 3 Now. Captai! Ned, you know just what we all are, and that I am a smuggler’s daughter,” and the pretty girl looked up Innocentiy into the face of the boy, who was deeply impressed with her story. om ot CHAPTER ier THE COUNCIL OF W “Now, Captain Ned, you don’t think the f me for telling you the truth, do-you?” asked Bertie, as Ned remained silent. ‘*'No, indeed, Bertie, I think more of you; but I was iar how hard it is for you.’ “It is hard, Ned, to be the child of a *bad man, hard indeed, ‘and father’s life of wrong and cruelty has lost him my love. ‘Nay, I love him, but I do not love him as a day hter shone for I know he is so wicked; ut I have made up My mind to go my way in life alone, and not Tet him again oar of me,” ‘© What do you mean, Bertie?” “T will go to the town of Boston and find some work to do, for I have a little money I have saved up, to keep me until I get work, for can sew real well, Ned, and embroider, ‘But do you not wish to capture this cargo of s on board?” ™ Whe, BRod: Vi you mean, Bertie?” _ “Tt is as much yours as father’s, and he has gone after a vessel to take it on board and then go on With his lawless work; but I will tell you a secret, Captain Ned, and leave itfor yon to ide what todo.” Well, Bertie?” __ “Where haye them two men, Rufe and Nick, wp a) ave gor ling for a prize. i249 not get your meaning, Bertie.” dfather tell them he wished + eee ee 3 aD ——* ~ Vet o Pd Joke o ne i wail / , - a ~ + bgt Ld * ‘eV # b «SV . ie + P hehe eA ——————— CT ee ee ae | Neptune Wed, the Boy Coaster. them to remain on this vessel, when he and the | others went up to the town. ‘*He told them also to keep a close watch on you, and your men; that you should make no excuse to leave the anchorage until his return. ‘*Then I heard Nick and Rufe talking to- gether, and the latter suggested that the best thing for them to do would be to make a haul for themselves, ‘* Nick asked how, and Rufe said that they could go to the British cruiser and lead them here to seize this vessel, they getting well paid for it, ‘“So they agreed together that they would say they wished to take the boat and go fish- inz, and then row with all speed to the brig-of- war, which is not over a league distant, and there is just where they have gone,” Ned was surprised at this story, and most de- pented that the plot had been overheard by ertie, He hardly knew what to say at first, for he was ina quandary,soheasked: ‘‘ Well, Bertie, what do you think it is best to do?” ** They will hold your men, and even you, on the cruiser, along with your vessel, even though they may not believe you a smuggler, after we have told our story.” ‘** Yes, so it seems.” ‘What will be done with me, I do not know.” ‘* Doubtless the brig’s captain will send you to Portland to your friends.” ‘*T have no friends, Ned, and as I said in- tended to look up work to support myself with, for t will not live under the care of my father.” ‘I suppose I can do nothing more than sur- render the Flying Fish, for I do not wish to do any lawless act against the Government.” ‘** Would it not do for you to go*to the town authorities where your home is, and surrender your eat. to them, telling them how you came by it, and that you knew it was to be taken into port by the smugglers?” ‘* Bertie, that is a splendid suggestion, and I will carry it out. nog ‘‘I can run home and deliver the freight to the village officials, and that will free me of all blame.” ‘* And poor me?” and Bertie spoke in a voice that trembled, for she felt her utter loneliness. “Ti tell. you, Bertie, what I will do with ou, ‘* Well, Captain Ned?” “ll take you home with me and adopt you as my sister, and father and mother will de- lighted to have you, and Pa will be so happy there, and mother will find you such a comfort to her when father and I am away from home, as we will be.” “Oh, Ned, do you mean it?” “Indeed T do.’ ‘But I am a smuggler’s daughter, Ned, and your parents may—” | | ‘You are not to be blamed for what your father has done, Bertie, so you go with me; but now I will call Charcoal and Sam, and tell them just what these two men have gone away to do, and what T shall do, and they are’ not to speak to any one at home as to who you are, for neigh- bors have eruel tonguessémetimes, and it is best that they should know nothing about you, or your affairs.” “You are very kind, Ned, and I thank you,” and she grasped ‘the boy’s hand warmly, while he called to his crew to come to him, Then the force held a “‘council of war,” as Ned called it, and it was decided to get up the anchor, set sail and run for home, leaving the cruiser and the smugglers to find them gone when she cathe, and to catch them if they could. Half an hour after the Flying Fish was gliding swiftly along the coast; but when dawn broke, far astern was seen the brig-of-war, and that she had sighted them and was in hot chuse, they quickly discovered. CHAPTER XXTV. THE FLIGHT, WHEN Neptune Ned saw the brig-of-war in chase, he gazed at it long and earnest y through his glass, and felt convinced that it was ind a cruiser, and that he was the object of her at- tention just then. — Under ordinary circumstances Ned would not have done aught to resist the laws of the land; but now he argued in his own mind that he had determined upon surrendering the rich smug- Bled cargo to the officials of the little town near Which he lived, and therefore was doing right. pean by the brig he and his vessel’ might hel@ for an indefinite time, Charcoal and Sam might be imprisoned on board the cruiser, and i? . 7 ~ t i _* ot - Je ” ‘ +" e —_ .— a 2 ' DSR SRDE Si ial Ay Sabies ate ea: a . hoa ee us Y bas. ere ca, ae a obi ar . é ™ et “ ~~ | si _ , to ; had i es ‘ fide 40 : Py Cie Oty — 4.* ‘ ui en aT! Ym 7 a . ‘a * ‘ re nf = pe Fyn ay A - . oe ? 2 j _ Ww ante sr * A iS 5 py utenaces rane cites one 1S Bertie be sent ashore; if he escaped he would. get the benefit of the prize money for the smug- led goods, save his vessel, his crew, and carry Jag to his home, which he felt most anxious to do. ‘I shall run for it, Bertie, and ifI cannot escape, knowing this coast as I do, why, I de- serve to lose my vessel,” said Ned. ‘*The brig is very fast, [ have heard father say,” said Bertie. ‘She may be; but so is the Flying Fish though of course in this sea, and with the wind. blowing free as it is, the brig will overhaul us rapidly.” **She’s got all her clothes on, Massa Nep- tune,” called out Charcoal. ‘* She has, indeed.” . *‘She’s comin’ like a hound arter a rabbit,” said Simple Sam. ‘** Well, we must do like a rabbit, and run jnto some hole,” Ned answered, with a laugh. ‘Then he added: ‘* But let us dress the Fish up in all she will stand, boys, and hold our own until we can reach the bay this side of the Devil’s Net, where we can run in and the brig dare not follow, for I do not thivk she can have an up-coast pilot on board.” So the Flying Fish was dressed up in her best for the occasion, and went rushing along in. splendid style. The sea was very rough, the wind very strong,. and of course the large hull of the brig-of- war beld the advantage under such circum- stances and gained rapidly. ‘“* Those two rascals brought the brig upon our anchorage and found us gone, so they will do all in their power to push the commander to catch us.” ‘* She gains,” said Bertie, somewhat anxious: y ‘*Oh, yes, she'll do that, and if we had no. shelter would overbaul us before night; but Ill run into the bay I spoke of, and she can never follow unless she has a pilot on board.” And so the chase continued, the brig steadily gaining, until Ned darted into the entrance to. the bay just as the brig was preparing to open fire upon the Flying: Fish. The entrance to the bay was island dotted and though there was ample water, without a pilot, and a one too, a large vessel dared not run in, and Ned felt safe; but as he watched the brig and saw her come boldly in too, he said, quickly: ‘* She has a coast pilot on board, and we are: in for it.” “You will surrender then?” anxiously asked: Bertie. | . ** No, indeed!” ‘*'We is catched, [ guesses,” said Simple Sam:. “'We is done gone, sart’in,” added Charcéal. “No, if I can run through yonder arm of land,” and Neptune Ned pointed toa ridge—like insula that put out from the mainland and ormed the protecting of the bay. "Ts there a passage through there, Ned?” “Yes, Bertie, with the tide full as it now is, we can run through what we call the !Blind’ Pass, and have a couple of feet under our keel to- spare; but at very low tide it is dry sometimes, and again only a skiff can go over.” | . ‘* And you think we can do so?” ‘* T know it,” was the confident mse, and Ned gave orders to shorten sail, and headed for a peninsula, while the brig now began to open re. But, to the amazement of those on the ecrniser the chebacca boat headed directly for what a peared to be a solid ridge of rock, and shot in a narrow pass out of sight. ‘“Now, Bertie, we are in the Devil’s Net, and if we can round the reef points you see yonder, before the brig can run out of the bay and get there, we are all right,” . . ‘The brig will have to go back the way she came in?’ ‘‘ Yes, but we have plenty to do to round the point before she can reach within easy range of us. ._ And if you round the point, Ned?” _ ‘* There are half a hundred of places I can run. into where she cannot follow us, for I know tbis coast well, and we'll get home toa late supper, sure. ; ** See there, Ned!” astern to the pass come. and the young gir] pointed through which they had ‘* Yes, they have sent a boat there to guard the pass,” said Ned, as ‘he saw a boat appear in the channel-way:® see ese" ‘* Why have they done that?” “Doubtless the pilot has told them they can run around outside and cut us off before we can, —* le in at f . % ow ‘ef 4 . aa Ls