Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 483 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

_— 6 At last one of the two men arose to a sitting posture, and the other quickly did likewise. There they sat, each glaring at “he other in silence, After some time one said: ‘* So you are saved, it seems?” ‘* And so are you?” ‘Yes; but I had hoped that Satan, your pa- tron saint, had not been so good to you.” ‘* Why do you speak thus of me?” ‘* Because [ know you as you are, and I may as well confess it now.” ‘*' What do you mean?” ‘*T mean that you have been playing a double part coward me,” ‘*T do not understand you.” **T will quickly explain.” ‘* Pray do so.” **'You are one of my band of Land Sharks.” ‘Why need you tell me what I know?” ‘When we were driven out of New York by that accursed Boy Detective you remember that our train met with an accident, and that one man, whom [ had known in the past, and had come to dread, found me slightly injured, recog- nized me, and, believing me badly hurt, went for help, that he might nurse me back to life, and then—kill me?” ‘*T know all this,” ‘But I left, while he was gone for help, and he met you, and, believing your story that you were a detective, he told you my secret, and of- fered you a large sum to find me. ** You came to me in Philadelphia, and, hold- ing my secret, forced me to make you lieutenant of my band, “When I went back to New York, you, as leader of the Land Sharks robbed me, then sent for my foe, telling him you would place me in his power, and to do so, vou got some of your old pals, who owned a yacht, to help you. ‘*T was to be taken to Norfolk, under pretense that you would give into my hands, for a con- sideration, Kent Lomax, my foe, and he was to meet the yacht there, you pretending to give me into his power, and permit me to be forced into fighting a duel with him. ‘“‘He was to pay you, and I was to pay you, and if he killed me, then I was to be robbed by you, and he was to be allowed to go free, ‘“‘TIf I killed him, then you were to have his money and valuables, and then you and your pals were to kill and rob me, and you would be chief then of the Land Sharks. ‘(This was your game, as I learned it from one of your pals, the skipper of the yacht, and [ intended to have things my own way, for I had bought your allies to do as I said. ‘* But that accursed steamship ran us down, and, strange to say, both you and I are the only survivors.” ‘* It is strange,” admitted the man, whom he had accused of treachery; ‘‘ and it seems fated ope but one of us shall live, Which shall it e?”? ‘* You mean to try conclusions now with me?” 6s I do.” ‘** Are you armed?” 46 No.” ‘* Nor am I.” ‘¢ Then stand ready, for here in this open boat adrift at night upon the wind-lashed waters, we must fight our fight to the bitter end, for, wide as isthis world, expanseless as is this sea, neither is large enough for both you and I to live in.” CHAPTER IX, FOR LIFE, At the words of his comrade, the man whom he addressed did not move or utter a word. A short while before companions in crime, and each treacherous toward the other, each plotting the other’s downfall, they had met wreck and death upon the high seas. Then, as if by a miracle, each had been saved from a watery grave, while their vessel went down. The same boat had been the refuge of both, — it was stanch enough to save them to- ther, But no, though they loved life singly, they preferred to risk death rather than feel that one ae live, knowing that the other was also ive. ‘“ Will you not wait until we land to settle this.affair between us?” asked the man who had gone down with the boat and had clung to it through all. ‘* No, now is the time.” ‘We both may die, for we have no food, no oars, sails or means to help us to safety.” ‘Then one can do as much as two, and if I kill you, I shall not starve at least,” was the significant reply. a a ee ee ee = The Ferrets Afloat. The other shuddered, for well he understood the words of his enemy. ‘* So be it, if the struggle must come, I am ready, and let the suspense end.” It was dark, yet starlight, for the squall- clouds had drifted away. Not an object ‘was visible upon the vast ex- panse of waters, and sea and sky alone were to be seen, The boat was tossing about on the waters, and facing each other, as they crouched in the bot- tom amidships, were the two men. Their breath came hard, their eyes glared, and their forms quivered with hatred as they bided their time, Suddenly the one who had forced the combat upon the other, stretched forth his hand, grasp- ing at the neck of his foe, The former was tall, slender, broad-shoulder- ed and well built; the other was short, heavily built and muscular. The longer arm of the taller man reached for the neck of his adversary, and yet before he could get his grip upon it, the other had seized his wrist in a grip of iron. Instantly the battle began, and in strength endurance and pluck the two men were well matched. They dared not rise from the bottom of the boat, well knowing that they would go into the sea and both would surely drown. They must fight there, as they then crouched in the boat, They had no weapons, and endurance and brute force alone must kill one or the other. A blow or two, then a fierce struggle; other blows, now reaching one body, then the other, and so the fight went on. The larger man now and then reached the head and face of his adversary with his fist. The smaller man could not reach the face of his foe, so could not punish him in that way. So continued the battle for an hour, and each man snnk down, their grips unclasping, as by mutual consent, for they were utterly ex- hausted., A quarter of an hour they remained thus, and once again the taller man began the fight, Then they were at it again with the same fierceness as before. For half an hour the fight went on, and then, feeling themselves growing exhausted once more, and getting desperate, as one man they arose to their feet. Swaying to and fro, held each in the death- grip of the other, they still fought on, their blows growing weaker and weaker until sud- denly their hands let go their hold; one of the combatants fell backward into the sea, while the other sunk down in the bottom of the life- boat. For one the victory was won, and it was the taller of the two that had proven the victor. It was long, a very long time before he could move even Bis head above the gunwale of the boat, and when he did day was breaking. He saw that he was near land, for a long stretch of shore was not a quarter of a mile away. A second glance revealed a small fishing- smack, standing down toward the life-boat to pick it up. A moment after and he was on the deck of the smack, He was sore from head to foot, his head ached terribly and his clothes were wet and torn with his struggle for life. ‘‘ Where am 1?’ he asked, as the half-dozen fishermen on the smack tenderly lifted him on board, | ‘*Yonder is Fortress Monroe, and we are heading for Norfolk with a cargo of fish,” was the reply of the skipper, ‘*T am safe, thank Heaven!” ‘* ‘Who are you?” ‘‘T am a yachtsman and my craft was run down in a squall last night by a large steamship that never stopped for us, and I alone was saved.” Such was the man’s story, and after arriving at the wharf in Norfolk he said: ‘‘T have no money, but keep the boat, as it is a good one, and I have a frend here who will aid me.” The honest fishermen offered him money, and at least to buy the boat from him at its value, but he replied, saying that his friend would sup- ply him, and sending fora hack he entered it and drove away. He had given a low order to the driver and the vehicle drew up in front of a shop in a dingy street. Above the door hung three gilt balls, designat- ing the nature of the shopman’s business, and en- tering the wrecked man found anold Jew behind: the counter. Taking from an inner pocket a wallet, he drew a, some money that though wet was good, and. said: ‘‘ Jew, I have been shipwrecked and I wish you to fit me out in a good suit of clothes and certain other articles that I will make known to you, and here is your pay.” “T can do it, mine fri’nt, so quick as never vas, for I has everyt’ings you vants,” was the answer, and an hour after the man left the shop in a nice-fitting second-hand suit, hardly worn, however, before it had been pawned, ahd witha sachel in his hand. Seeking a hotel he secured a room and sought breakfast and afterward much needed rest dur- ing the day; but at nightfall he took the north bound train for Philadeiphia. Arriving there he went to the Continental Ho- tel, and late that nignt walked out, wending his: way toward a very low part of the city. As though thoroughly acquainted with the town he soon drew up at a door and gave @ rap of a peculiar kind. A panel in the door was opened and a voice asked: ‘Who are you?” ‘‘A Shark!” was the low response, and, as though satisfactory to the one within, the door swung open and the visitor entered a dimly lighted wre ut he walked rapidly along, ascended a rickety pair of stairs, and knocked five times at. a door on the third floor, The door opened part way, and a man’s voice cried in a startled way. ‘*The cap’n!” ‘* Yes, Tiger; but you came near never seeing me again,” and as he spoke the visitor strode in- to a large room where a score or more of mer were grouped, listening to one of their number who seemed to be telling some strangely inter- esting story. Upon the speaker the eyes of the visitor fell, veal Meee ue ck he beheld the one who had just en- red. Then, from the lips of both broke a cry of horror and hatred commingled, for once more the two men who had had the death-struggle in the life boat were face to face. CHAPTER X. THE DUEL. It was no wonder that the two men, who had so strangely met were horrified, at meeting each other. ach had deemed the other dead. Half an hour before the short man had arrived at the secret retreat of the League of Land Sharks, His face was bruised and cut, his eyes bloodshot, and he moved as though with pain. He had entered the room where the band were assembled, and all were surprised to see their lieutenant battered up. | The man was not popular with the band, but he was a desperate fellow, and was greatly fear- ed by the Sharks. His name is Wolf—or rather, that is what the: chief, Elegant Ed, called him, for it was his: fancy to call his company a menagerie, and to name them after various wild beasts. Secretly the Sharks were glad to see Lieuten- ant Wolf so apparently used up; but they were curious enough to ask, ‘¢ What is the matter?” He told his story, and he was believed—how he had discovered a bitter foe of his chief, and knowing that he meant mischief against the captain, he had plotted to turn the tables upon him. He had therefore told him, the enemy, that he would verey the captain into his hands,. and to dothis had invited him to go upon a yachting cruise. The captain he had told of his plot, and in disguise he had gone along as a common sailor. It was their intention when at sea, to throw this enemy overboard, after robbing him, and thus get rid of bim. They had sailed from New York, and were seeking the Atlantic, when at night a storm came on, and, in the darkness a large steamer had run them down, cutting their yacht in two, It was when clinched in among the timbers that he had gotten so bruised and searred. But he had clung to the life-boat and had thus been saved, while all others had been drowned. His life-boat had drifted with him near shore, in the darkness, when, standing up, he bad Jost his balance and fallen overboard. To his joy he found he could touch bottom, and he waded tothe shore, when he found he was near some habitations, for he saw lights, / ) ‘ : - — ee = £—~—. ” ee ——