Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 468 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

‘ > —~ . ‘ ® ee =e \ —-s Thus half an hour passed, and the briz-of-war vy. as yet a couple of cable lengths away, - But Ned struggled on, and he would not hail, determined to reach the vessel unaided if be could do.so; if not, he knew he could hail, for he would doubtless be heard, and so he felt quite cheerful over his success. As the buoys retarded his efforts he cast them aside, feeling ample confidence in his own pow- ers to make the swim, and soon after was under the bows of the brig. vies She was’ riding at a single anchor, and it did not take Nedlong to mount over the bows, Just as he did so, rising like his namesake Neptune from the sea, the negro cook of the forecastle mess happened to open his eyes, as he lay there asleep enjoying the balmy air, The yell he gave startled the watch, while he darted aft with a speed that was wonderful for bis fat body, But he ran into the arms of an officer, who quickly brought him to his senses, and then turned to Ned, who had quickly followed the frightened negro. ‘* I didn’t mean to frighten you, my man, but having swum off to the brig, I boarded over the bows,” and the last part of his sentence was ad- dressed to the officer, who asked, as he gazed 1n Surprise upon the youth: “Who are you? ‘Neptune Ned, my mates call me, sir, and I have come off to see your commander, for I have news for him. ‘* Are you the commander, sir?” “No, [ am the first lieutenant; but come with me,” and he led Ned into the cabin, The captain of the brig was a young man, and he had just retired for the night; but he hastily threw on his clothes and joined the lieutenant and Ned, the former saying: ‘Captain Harvey, this isthe youth, sir, and he says his name is Neptune Ned, an: I guess he’s right, for he boarded like old N eptune, and says he has news for you.” « ‘I have, sir,” and Ned saluted. ‘* Where are you from, my lad?” ‘*T left tho deck of the pirate schooner of Redfern the Rover, not two hours ago, sir.” This assertion created an immediate interest, and Captain Harvey and his lieutenant listened most attentively to the youth’s story, of his having gone to England on business for others, his capture on the brig, and since then being forced to be a pirate in spite of himself. ‘“‘[ did not mtend to report your sail, sir, when I sighted you, hoping we would come too near to escape; but seeing that Captain Redfern was coming on deck, I did so, as he would at once have discovered you, and then he put into ithe lagoon. ! “ When [ saw that it was calm, I determined to swim out to you,.and the schooner can be _ taken, though they may have discovered my es- r be 2 % +: 7 “— | oi ky’ . “2 j BD. li le 14 | es : i “— = Cis as , 4 ani ‘ee oe. * ~~ ae .7 ol "5 , ant - * « ¢ ~ = . « - = i. | “y * % & * - ‘ , + +. -. ° cape, and be prepared for you. ‘What ata hae Redfern?” asked Captain Harvey. ‘* Seventy-one men, sir, and fully half of them Pa really captives, forced to fight after being en, ‘‘ Tf my absence is not discovered, the men are all below decks, < “There are four broadside guns on the ‘schooner, twelve-pounders, with a pivot amid- ships, a thirty-two, and two more pivots of the same caliber, fore and aft,” ‘‘ Lieutenant Norton, get out four boats, sir, and one hundred men des officers, carrying two boat howitzers, also, will go with me, and It ink we can catch Red- fern, while if we wait he may tow out before dawn, through some of the lagoons, so have all ready to start at once, and let the oars be muf- “Ay, ay, sir,” and the lieutenant left the cabin, while Captain Harvey called his steward wid ordered him to bring Ned a midshipman’s sult and some supper, for the boy was chilled by Jong swim and very bungry. an hour after, Ned, looking very spry in his middy’s rig, and feeling very comfortable after a hearty supper, went over the side into the captain’s gig, and the boat expedition pulled off to attack the pirate schooner hiding in the lagoon. CHAPTER XVI. | ss THE FATE OF THE PIRATE SCHOONER. G away as the schooner was in the on, and feeling assured that she had not ‘Seen by the brig-of-war, the pirate officers did not feel the necessity for keeping strict — —. _ = _—— » * a They therefore made themselves as comfort- able as possible, and went calmly to sleep, lit- tle dreaming that Neptune Ned had quietly Slipped away upon his mission to reach the vessel at anchor off the coast. When midnight came, from force of habit one of the heutenants awoke and looked about him, He did not strike ‘‘ eight bells,” not wishing to send any sound off over the waters to tell those on the brig that another vessel was near; but he looked about him, aroused his comrades and called to Ned, No answer came and he walked forward. But the boy was not to be found, ** He’s turned in,” gruffly said one, ‘Well, the captain will quickly turn him out, I guess, for he told him to call him at twelve,” and the pirate lieutenant walked aft and called for Captain Redfern, who responded promptly and soon after came on deck. ‘Is the boy in the cabin, captain?” asked the officer, ‘* Neptune Ned?” Yes, sir.” es No.” ** Ife is not on deck.” ‘** You are sure?” ** Yes, sir.” ‘* Have an instant and thorough search made, for he must be here,” and Captain Redfern was both excited and angry. But the schooner was searched from fore to aft and without result. ‘* That boy has escaped, and if that brig does not sail before dawn he may signal her and be- tray us,” the pirate chief said anxiously. ‘‘T never thought you could trust him, sir,” suggested the lieutenant. ‘* [ did,” was the laconic reply. Then after a moment the captain said; ‘‘Get up my gig’s crew, Mr. Lorence, and I will row out into the inlet and see how matters are. A few minutes after the gig left the schooner, and with muffled oars started out of the lagoon. But hardly had it disappeared from sight when it reepersted fairly flying through the waters and then came the low orders: ‘Ho, Lorence, get the men up and at the guns, for we are to te attacked,” At the same moment there came a volley of musketry from down the lagoon and the bullets pattored about the fleeing boat. Instantly all was excitement on board the schooner, the hatches were thrown open, the men swarmed on deck, with imprecations and cries, and ran to their guns. Captain Redfern had already boarded, and springing to the stern gun with his boat’s crew hastily manned it, and aiming it himself fired upon the five dark objects coming up the lagoon. The roar of the heavy gun awoke a thousand echoes, sent hundreds of birds shrieking from their roosts and caused the reptiles to spring from the baz.!:s into the dark waters near them. The shot however struck between two of the boats, showered them with spray and went crashing through the forest. ‘Curses upon me! I missed them!” yelled Captain Redfern, as he once more had the gun loaded to fire. ‘* Pull hard, men, and carry her by bearding!” cried a voice on the leading boat, and the boats sprung to the attack, while the broadside guns of the schooner were fired. _‘* They, will not reach them, sir, as she now lies,” cried an officer, and just then Redfern fired the stern pivot a second time, The ball well aimed struck the gig, cries ns the crew were left struggling in the water, ““Don’t mind us! pull for the schooner!” shouted the gallant young captain, who with Ned and several of his men, was in the wuter, | killed or wounded | while some who had been sunk from sight, ‘* Seize your muskets and give them a volley! “Then beat them off with pistols and cut- lass!” shouted Redfern. and in obedience somo scattering shots were fired, But they did little harm, and seeing that tho schooner was to be taken Redfern dashed into the cabin. When he returned a moment after he held a large bundle in his arms, and bounded over the bulwarks upon the shore whither some of his men had already gone. Others of the pirates were crying for quarter, that they surrendered, and the attacking force Was upon them. A few shots were fired as the gallant tars reached the deck, and the schooner was cap- ~ = " ee | Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster. “ 9. Fi A A A LCL ’ —_—___---—_—_—_————- tured, though out of the cabin suddenly bursta — vast flame and volumes of smoke. ‘* He has set her on fire!” cried the captain of the brig, who had, with the others, been picked up by one of the boats. ; Ned dashed into the cabin, followed by half a dozen of the seamen; but instantly he rushed out, crying: ‘To the boats, all, for he has fired the maga- zine!” All was .confusion for an instant, and pirates and British tars leaped from the burning schooner out upon the shore and into the boats, which hastily pulled away from the vessel. And not a moment had _ they to lose, for the flames poured out of the cabin, the fated schoon- er rocked from side to side as the fiery serpents ran up the rigging, and then, with a crash and roar that shook the earth, the pretty outlaw craft was blown to atoms. For an instant all was bright as day, and then came heavy thuds on land and water as the debris fell back again to earth, and intense darkness and silence reigned, broken suddenly by a mocking laugh from far away, and the words: ‘* Redfern the Rover still lives!” To capture the daring pirate in that dense forest at night, the.-brig’s captain knew was im- possible, so he set about looking after the dead, wounded and prisoners, building fires along the shores to’see just what to do, The death roll and wounded list were both light, and about two-thirds of the pirate crew surrendered, all claiming to have been captives of the pirate chief, forced to serve him, and many of these Neptune Ned sustained in their stories, from what he had heard. But, excepting the crew of the brig on which he had been captured, the others were ironed until they could be tried aboard the vessel-of- war, and the boats went back to their ship, the English captain determined to send parties ashore at daylight to search thoroughly for the pirate chief and those of his men who had es- caped with him, ; ‘*'We owe it to you, my lad, that the seas are rid of Redfern the Rover, for with no vessel he will be powerless—at least, for some time.” said Captain Harvey, and Neptune Ned felt that he was fully repaid for his risk of life in escaping from the pirate schooner and swimming out to the Scorpion, CHAPTER XVII. THE FLYING FISH. “My lad, you have proven yourself well worthy of a middy’s berth in the navy, and Ill see what can be done for you in time: but in the meanwhile you can serve on board the Scorpion,” said Captain Harvey to Nepture Ned, the day following the destruction of the pirate schooner, With the comirg of the day parties had been landed to goin search of the pirate chief and his men whohad escaped, and Ned had accompanied the party. He saw that the schooner’s boat, which had been lying alongside of the bank, astern of the vessel, was gone, and speaking of this fact to Ca ein Harvey, it was concluded that Redfern and his men had returned after the departure of the brig’s crew and taken the boat, in which they made their escape. he search of the land and numerous lagoons revealed nothivg, and so the effort to find - fern and bis followers was given up. Then the captain returned to his vessel, and it was when reaching the deck that he turned to Ned with the remerk that opens this chapter. Neptune Ned thanked the officer most warmly for his kind words, and told him he would be glad to serve as long as he was cn the brig, but that his parents would be most anxious regard- ing him, and he would therefore have to return to his home and look after their welfare. and yet would hold himself ready for duty sbould he get the warrant of a midshipman, and hoped he would be ordered to serve under Captain Harvey himself. For a month did Ned remain on the Scorpion, studying bard all the duties on board, from a cabin-boy to captain, and anxious to learn all that he could, Then the Scorpion ran into a West Indian port, and the pirate crew, with few exceptions, were allowed to go, or ship on the brig, for Cap- tain Harvey became convinced that those he had with him were in reality men whom Redfern, after capturing, had forced to serve him. ' Bidding adieu to the gallant young com- mander of the Sco several days a‘ter shipped on board of a schooner bound for Baltimore. | ) Arriving there in safety he re-shipped in @ aa Si yo we © -vigla - _—— — + — — =e ‘ -_ rae § . + —_ + . $ P , 4 = ' + . ion, Ned went on shore, and —