Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 468 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

ee eT a, ~~ oe oth [oer Pe ng 2 —— ee ene RT I ee a ee 3 LS —_— — et Ce — ———— —- — ; piracy, and became one of the worst buccaneers afloat, with all vessels his prey and mercy toward none. ‘Tf I don’t make him mad I guess Pil get a chance to escape. “Tf I make him mad I think he will chuck me overboard and we are a long way from land,” was Ned’s mental decision, and so he said: ‘““P]] show you the best I know, but I only sailed in the brig out of London.” ‘Well, the better you do for me, lad, tho ad ' ' better it will be for you,” was the reply, ana | | the entire work of a commander. the search of the brig’s cabin was begun, while the men had already begun to get out of the hold all that was valuable and place it on deck, ready to take it off on the schooner. The freight of the brig was a valuable one, and it was nearly nightfall before the transfer had been made, the schooner having been made fast alongside. Ned watched the robbery with the deepest in- terest, saw the poor captain and his dead men thrown into the sea, and then the texrs came into his eyes as he heard the order given to set the vessel on fire. This was done, the schooner swung loose, and the flames rose brightly and swifty from below, Soon the vessel was a mass of fire, Ulumining the darkening sea for miles around, and light- ing up the path of the little schooner as she sailed away from the damage sLe bad done. ‘¢ Now, lad, you are a pirate in spite of your- self, and you are just the one I want, so we will be the best of friends, if you do as I say; but if not, if you are treacherous and mean me harm, then you will find I can be as merciless as a ser- pent. ‘© So which will it be, war or friendship be- tween us?’ and the pirate held forth his hand. ‘‘Tt will be friendship, sir,” said Neptune Ned quietly, and he grasped the outstretched hand of Redfern the Rover-in an eager way, though in his heart was a resolve that the forced friend- ship should soon end. ee CHAPTER XIV. A PIRATE IN SPITE OF HIMSELF, Hap Neptune Ned sought the deck of the irate schooner of Redfern the Rover simply to earn seamanship, he could not have found a better school. It was ‘‘seamanship” all the time, the pirate officer, while cruising, not only keeping his vessel constantly under a pressure of canvas, but al- most continually taking in and setting sail, maneuvering the craft in various wys, and doing all in his power to keep the crew from idleness. He overhauled evéry vessel he saw that was not a cruiser, robbed them, set them on fire and went on his wicked career with, seemingly, a love of pillage and carnage. Cruisers he ‘ flirted with,” so to speak, for he would run near them, fire upon them, and then sail away, fully conscious of his power to escape in his fleet schooner, and also risking the reck- lessness of daring them to chase him. ~ In this way several months passed and yet no = a a of escape had presented itself to r Ned. we knew how anxious his mother and father would be regarding him, and yet he had no op- portunity of communicating with them. Redfern had boldly entered several ports, it was true, but the men he could trust watched those whom he could not, and there was no chance to escape, Ned made the best of his situation, anxious to show that he was pleased with his lot, whatever he felt at heart. He had won the confidence of the Rover, and more, he bad made himself most useful to him. ‘Writing a good hand, and a fair scholar, he had gone over the accounts of the pirate, ar- ranged his books, his divisions of spoils, and_ to ‘ fis surprise found that Redfern was putting away his infamous earnings in investments in Havana and several other Gulf ports. Bvery now and then Ned was presented with some handsome jewel, or a purse of gold, as his share of the plunder gained, and quietly put his piratical profits away until he could make his escape, always arguing that the value of the booty might some day be turned to good. As though determined to keep his boy protege, Redfern told him he would some day make him his successor, after he had gained the. fortune which he sought, and to teach him all he could was wont to place Ned in command of the schooner for a day and night at a time. This suited the boy exactly, for by this he could learn to become a thorough sailor, and ——— nu ~~ LE CC CT ——— > Pra — > nn it Atel, igh tn Ot ce rei >- —_— cet full practice in the duties on board a vessel- of-war, even though it floated the black flag. Now and then when a storm was coming on Captain Redfern would turn to Ned and tell him to take command, and nothing daunted he did so, showing wonderful nerve and skill un- der most trying circumstances for one of his years. Once in action with a small Spanish cruiser which Redfern, being in ill humor, determinec to fight to the death, he called upon Neptune Ned to handle the schooner, bring her into ac- tion, order the men to their guns and in fact do Ned obeyed, for he could do nothing else, and Redfern calmly smoked a cigar and eyed him, throwing out no look or word as a suggestion, So masterly was the boy’s management of the combat that several times the crew cheered him from the guns, and the Spanish cruiser, bardly a match for the pirate, was beaten off and turn- ed to run. ‘‘ Now sink him!” yelled Redfern, furiously. ‘No, Captain Redfern, I will not give tho or- der to fire upon a beaten foe who is flying,” said Ned, firmly. ‘‘ What! do you refuse?” yelled Redfern. ‘You told me to take command and beat off the Spuniard, and [ have done 80, sir: but I will not order the men to fire on him when he is running.” Those who heard*the bold words expected to see Ned shot down; but Captain Redfern laugh- ed lightiv and remarked: ‘*Ned,; you have immense pluck; but don’t show it again against my will.” Ned made no reply and the Spaniard escaped, wondering at the clemency of his foe. But Ned had seen how cruel was the nature of Redfern the Rover, and how utterly merci- less, and longed more and more to find some means of’ escape, while he hoped that the schooner could also be captured. Among the crew who had been forced to join he knew that he had friends; but they were a mere handful, and he dared not attempt a mutiny, fearing others of the seamen, though many of them, like the brig’s men, captives, would not uphold bim, The truth was Redfern paid his men most liberally, and this kept them true to him, or rather to their own sordid interests. One night the schooner was cruising along the coast of Florida, the wind being so light as to barely move her through the waters. Ned was on wateh, and he saw the outline of a vessel ahead, and he was confident that it was an armed craft. He meant not to make his discovery known, hoping they would run upon the stranger un- seen, and thus be taken, as the vessel. was a large brig-of-war, he saw as he eyed her through his glass. Just then he saw Captain Redfern preparing to come on deck, and he knew well nothing would escape his keen eyes, so he called out: ** Sail ho!” Then he added, calling to a seaman: ‘‘Ask Captain Redfern to come on deck.” . “Tam here, my lad,” and the eaptain joined rim, Ned was disappointed, but he did not wish to do one act to cause suspicion of himself, and thus prevent a chance of escape some day, so he said: ‘‘There is a vessel dead in our course, sir, and I am sure she is armed,” ‘Right you are, lad, and it is the British cruiser, Scorpion, fleet as a greyhound, carry- ing double my weight in guns and in men. ‘Helmsman, put her away straight for the shore, for there is an inlet we can hide in yon- der,” and while Redfern spoke he had been watching the stranger through his glass. ‘¢ Yes, I know that craft in the dark, and your sharp eyes saved our necks, Ned, for she is coming right along the coast toward us. ‘‘Ho, men, strip the schooner of every stitch | of canvas, get the boats out with muffled oars, and tow in.” ! This was a wise move on the part of Redfern, for his sails would soon have been seen. Aceustomed to quick work, the crew took in the canvas and lowered the boats almost with- out a sound, and the schooner was towed rapid- ly shoreward, while the stranger came slowly along, with just wind enough to keep steerage way upon her, CHAPTER XV. BOARDING THE STRANGER. As he neared the shore, Redfern could not but congratulate bimself upon the timely dis- covery of his boy protege, for. had the schooner Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster. o~< <r mma A lll LL AA = OO OLN -< 7 | held on as she had been heading, she would soon have been under the heavy guus of the large brig-of-war, and escape would have been im- possible, ‘‘ My boy, you have owl’s eyes, and some day you will be a great commander,” said Redfern, as he watched the brig coming slowly along. ‘If we had our canvas up, she would see us now, but under bare poles, and with the forest- lined shores for a background, they cannot find us; while we can tow into a hiding-place in the lagoons, and wait until morning.” ‘Phe wind is leaving the brig, sir,” said Ned, as he saw that a dead calm was coming. ‘“You are right, and she will be Socainlen dangerously near us, ‘‘ But the dawn will bring a breeze and take us out of her way, 1 hope,” and yet Redfern seemed auxious, But the boats had now turned the schooner into an inlet, a search revealed a narrow lagoon and into this the vessel was bauled, her spars mingling with the branches of the trees. ‘You take the first watch, Ned, and Pll re- lieve you at midnight, for we are In a most tick- lish place. ‘‘ 1] send all the crew below decks, for I fear that some of them may escape, reach the shore and hail the becalmed brig, and I'll batten down the hatches, leaving only officers on duty to- night.” “Yes, sir,” said Ned, and he gave orders for the crew to go below, which they did reluctant- ly, not liking the close confinement below decks in that warm latitude. But they knew Redfern well, and dared not disobey, and soon but four men were on the deck of the schooner, Ned and three officers, the cap- tain baving gone into bis cabin. ‘‘T°]] be forward if you want me, Mr. Creal,” said Ned to the first officer, and he walked to the forecastle. The first officer was aft, and tke other two were amidships, Ned being forward. Hardly had he reached the forecastle when he went out on the long bowsprit, which projected into the trees on the banks. Here he sat for a few minutes, and seeing that no one had observed him, he stepped off upon the branch of a tree and slowly descended to the ground, Ned knew well his danger from reptiles and alligators; but he was. determined to take all chances, and so made his way through the woods Pee by the roar of the reef falling upon the beach. He had brought with him two cork life buoys, and in his belt was his share of the pirate booty, so he had left nothing on board the schooner to regret. At length he reached the shore, though a score of times he felt that he had trod je ae a snake or some other loathsome reptile, but he had er na ed for this by wrapping his legs with leather and clothes, lier upon the beach he found that there was nota breath of air — The brig-of-war had dropped anchor and lay nearly a mile distant, and the tide was running out. For some time Ned stood regarding the brig, dimlv seen in the distance, and at last he said: “T must try it if I lose my hfe.” He threw off the bandages about his legs, put his cork buoys about his waist, and drawing his cap down over his eyes calmly walked into the surf. . . Here he paused, while he again regarded the rig. “Tt is a long swim, but if I make it I can lead the boats against the schooner of Redfern the Rover hiding yonder in the lagoon. ‘Jf Ido not reach the t rig-of-war then Red- fern the yaaa escapes and I will die in the sea,’ said Neptune Ned with tie calm resolve of one who had determined to take desperate chances. Then he sprung into the surf and struck out boldiy for the brig-of-war. He was a superb ‘swimmer, with an endur- ance in the water that was wonderful; but un- acquainted with the way the tide ran there, and the currents setting along the shore, he was not certain that he could reach the brig. If he failed he knew there was no hope for him, and to save bis strength, he had brought the two cork life buoys, Which, would readily uphold his weight. ‘ The tide, as I have said, was running out, and Ned soon saw that he had to swim hard to keep it from bearing him past the brig at a long way off. So he got down to long, powerful strokes and saw that he was edging nearer and nearer, “| | sac ot aseime com