Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 468 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

ee ii ee ad ee eee ee. ane « 7 — RT ae 7 fe oer” 14 get out of tho Devil’s Net here and boats can be sent in to capture us.” ‘“ And there is no way that you can get out of what you call this Devil’s Net, if you do not round the point of reefs before the brig heads -you off,” ““No—and yes, for there is one way, but a most desperate one.” “ Well?’ and though Bertie Buckner was per- fectly calm, the girl was most anxious not to have the Flying Fish taken. ‘You seethat rugged cliff yonder?” * Yes, Ned.” ‘© You see how wild the waters are about it?” ‘‘'They are indeed most wild.” “Weill, there is a narrow, a very narrow channel there which I can run through, though at a desperate risk, but rather than be taken I shall do it,” was the firm response of Neptune Ned, and as he spoke the brig-of-war appeared in view once more. CHAPTER XXV. HOME AGAIN. Wirg, I do not wish to raise your hopes to dash them down, but, as sure as I live, I feel convinced that yonder helmsman is our noble boy.” it was Louis Everard who spoke, and his voice trembled with excitement, while his wife was white with hope and suspense. Mrs. Everard was a fair sailor, for she could “handle a boat very well, and was a good oars- woman; but she had not studied the waters - about their home as*had her husband and son, -and though she knewtheir many dangers, she could not, as Louis Everard did, follow the chebacca boat in its perilous course through the wild channel under Bald Head’s shadow. He had seen a rock grazed here, a broken reef avoided there, chebacca luffed sharp to keep off of a ragged island point, and he knew that the bold beluisman well understood his duty. He had not heard of but one person on the coast who could make that run, and that one was Neptune Ned, who had. daringly put the smack through there agge in just such a blow, they being anxious to, ame one day, be- _ fore a rising storm s&s them in the Devil’s Net. So he became more and more assured, as the . chebacca came in, that it could be none other than Ned at the helm. Yet why should his son be there in that little ~ craft? This question he could not answer for his own satisfaction, and as the chebacca boat drew nearer, thetwilight deepened so that he could not . distinctly see who it was at the helm. He saw that there were four persons upon the chebacca boat, one in female attire, then a huge “negro, and two others in sailor costume, one of . the latter being the helmsman. The one in female attire he observed a close by the helmsman all the time, while the » negro and sailor stood at the sheet ropes ready - to do their duty at the command of the skipper. After having so daringly run_ the fearful -channel under the shadow of Bald Head, the -ehebacca boat had headed directly for the basin or haven where Louis Everard kept bis little fishing smack and skiff. The manner in which the chebacca ran into the harborage showed that the one at her tiller knew his way there as well as he did through the Blind Pass, across the Devil’s Net, and around Bald Head. Standing on the cliff Louis Everard saw the white sails of the chebacca boat run for the basin, and as it luffed up to avoid a bar which was there, but not visible, he gave vent to the expression that opens tnis chapter. ‘Oh Louis! can it be our noble boy?” cried Mrs. Everard, her voice quivering with emo- tion. “Tt is, I verily believe, and I to the landing.” “While I prepare supper, with every hope that it is he,” and while Mrs. Everard started for the cabin, her husband hastened along the hill path which led to the shore below. As he reached the cove, a boat suddenly ran upon the sands, and a voice called out: ** Father!” “Ned, my noble boyj” and Captain Everard grasped the hands of his noble son, who had wn greatly inthe year he bad been gone, and was @ splendid looking young sailor. “ T felt it, L knew it, when I saw you run those fearful waters, Ned,” and the man’s voice trem- bled with deep emotion. “T had to take big chances, father, for I knew what to e t if taken, and I saw you and mother watching me, SO shall run down —— wished to show a a= 6 rm ws ~ Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster. — ee et ee you that I had not forgotten the dear old coast in the long time I have been away. ‘¢But I have much to tell you, and have now to gg to you a young lady, to whom I owe my life. ‘Bertie, this is my dear good father, Captain Louis Everard, and father this is Miss Bertie Buckner, a girl sailor, and I have told her she should have a home with us.” Captain Everard was surprised as there step- d from the boat a young girl and he hardly new what to say. Had Ned gotten married, boy though he was, or had he run off with the young beauty? Bertie seemed to divine his thoughts, and laughingly said: ‘You must not think I have eloped with Ned, Captain Everard, for I have not, and he deserves all [ have done for him. ‘Who I am you shall soon know, and if you are indeed to make me welcome to your home, I shall be most happy.” ‘‘My dear child, you are indeed most wel- come, and you must come right up to our house that my wife may greet you both. “Come,” and the happy fisherman led the way up the hillside, Ned chatting gayly as they went aiong. As they drew near the cabin Neptune Ned gave his old-time call, which his mother knew so well, and with an answering cry of joy, the happy woman rushed forward to greeb her son. It was a touching meeting, and for a moment neither spoke, as the boy’s strong arms were clasped about his mother. Then Captain Everard led Bertie forward, and presented her to his wife, who received her without an atom of the suspicion which her husband had shown. Going to the cabin, they found a_ log fire blazing briskly on the hearth, and Mrs. Eve- rard had begun to prepare a most substantial supper. Then Ned, as his mother continued her duties, told the story of his adventures—how he had rone to Melton Manor-house, to find the master dead, and the next heir, after the one who lay buried by his Gypsy wife upon the coast, absent in foreign seas on board his vessel. Then he told of his visiting Molsey, the old Gypsy, and the distress his story had given them all He showed the necklace of gold links which the Gypsy had clasped about his neck, and said: ‘*‘ Mother, this is yours, for a sailor must not wear a necklace.” Then Ned told of his shipping on the brig, the capture by the pirate, Redfern the Rover, and all that had followed, up to the time of his purchase of the chebacca, when he said: ‘‘ Pather, I knew that you had only the little smack, and sadly needed a larger and better craft, and this was one motive for my buying the boat. ] ‘But another was, that I know war 1s upon us, and I did not know but that a trim little craft like the Flying Fish would be most serviceable.” ‘‘Tt will be, Ned; but is there any news about the war?” ‘Yes, sir, the colonists have fired upon a perty of British soldiers, there was a riot in oston, and the ports of the coast are to be blockaded.” ‘Indeed! then the brig-of-war off here is doubtless going to blockade the river?” ‘‘-Yes, sir, and she has a good pilot on board, as you doubtless saw, and will run up thesriver to-morrow, and for that reason I am anxious to go on up to-night and give up the cargo of the lying Fish to the Piers authorities.” ‘It would be best, for if they should search for you to-morrow, Ned, with that cargo they would hang you, for they would believe nothing you told them.” ‘No, father, and as soon as mother gives us supper I will start.” ‘And I will go with you, my son.” “T would be most glad to have you, father, and Bertie can stay with mother.” it was arranged, and after a supper, that Ned said was better than any he had ever before, known, the father and son set off for the chebac- ca boat, Mrs, Everard sending a basket of pro- visions to Simple Sam and Charcoal, | They were soon on board the Flying Fish, which was at once gotten under way and run out of the cove for the mouth of the river, Ned following a channel near in-shore, which he knew would enable him to avoid the brig-of-war, which he did not doubt was at anchor not far away. Petre, _Nor was his surmise wrong, for the brig was sighted, lying snugly at anchor, and riding out the blow, while the I'lying Fish, unseen by those on her deck, crept by, ran into the mouth of the river, and shortly after midnight was alongside of the town wharf. CHAPTER XXVIL. NEPIUNE NED’S RESOLVE, NEPTUNE NED ‘having gone to the homes of the town authorities, and aroused them, he told his story and led them back to the dock, where Captain Everard, with Charcoal and Simple Sam were busy discharging the cargo. All bands turned in and helped, while carts were sent for to send the frei ht to the village’ warehouse, and by dawn the Flying Fish held only her ballast. ‘“T am confident, father, that the brig will run up the river, so Charccal and Sam can run the Fying Fish up the river to some place of safety and keep her there until we know what is to be done, while you and I can wait here, and if the brig comes, go home by land.” “Yes, Ned, that is best,” answered Captain Everard, and they went up to the inn to break- fast, while Ned became a A. as the constable and other officers at once told of bis exploit, as a secret of course, in escaping the British brig- of-war with his contraband freight. As Ned had surmised, the brig was soon sighted coming up the river, and coming very slowly. She bad been firing down the river, but at what no one knew, and she was feeling her way along with just sail enough to steer ber. ‘* She looks as though she was feeling her way without a pilot,” said one. ‘‘Oh, she has a pilot, and a gocd one on board,” said Ned, who overheard the remark. | ‘“That don’t look like it,” cried one, as the, brig almost went upon a sunken rock, ‘True, but she made no mistakes below.” “* Maybe her pilot deserted her last night, not wishing to run her up to the town, for he must have come from hereabouts,” said the chief con- stable. This view seemed to be the right one, and all watched the brig as she came slowly toward the town. ‘‘She’s got her men at quarters.” ‘Yes, she looks hostile.” ‘‘ Maybe she will burn the town.” ‘“Wish we could board and take her, and it would be a good start for an American navy.” ‘‘No, we would only bring death and destruc- tion upon us if we did so, while the trouble may blow over and we have no war after all,” said Ned, who knew if the desperate spirits of the town were aroused they would do something to cause the brig to retaliate, and if she was cap- tured, that a fleet would be sent into the river. “ Never mind, in another week or so we'll have some American soldiers swarming the old fort below, and then we willsee what British craft can come up our river,” said one, “T move that we take this Britisher.” “Bravo for you, mate.” ‘¢ She can be taken, for the wind is light, and we can raise a score of boats and fully three hundred men all well armed.” ‘‘ We can take her, boys.” These suggestions were dangerous, and began to gain ground rapidly, and a mo.t dangerous spirit was being invoked, The brig was now little over a mile distant and coming directly toward the town. The crowd numbered hundreds, and many of them were a bold, reckless lot. The Press Gangs of the British ships had caused the coasting craft to stop sailing, and their crews fearing imprisonment were ashore. Then the trading-coasters durst not run, or at least seldom attempted it, and great bitterness was felt on all sides by the Americans against the English. Here there seemed a chance to retaliate, and it was certain that the one who proposed the capture of the brig-of-war was gaining allies rapidly. ; ; ‘“T say, mates, she carries nine guns to a broadside, is a snug craft, and can hardly have over a hundred men. “They do not expect an attack, and we can form our boat fleet yonder behind the point, dash out upon her, and she is ours before they can kill half a dozen of us. ‘What do you say, mates?” and the ring- leader looked over the crowd. ‘One moment, mates,” cried a voice, and all gazed upon him: “Let us send fifty men down to the old fort, to man the big guns there, and 80 keep the brig from getting ower. we not take her.” “A good idea, Hal, and the guns are all right,