Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 933 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XIX. DEATH OF ZORA. CAPTAIN BROKE’S order staggered the Al- US kas and he began to draw in his horns, nally deciding that the British captain’s word would be sufficient, but the latter was not to be caught-so easily. ‘** No, sir,” he said, firmly, ‘‘ here you are, and here you stay until I’m ‘under way. I have good reason to susp’ct that you are detaining English subjects, and I’m going down the coast to confirmit. If it’s true, your town will pay dearly for it.” The Algerian commander protested against **the outrage,” as he termed it, and decared the fort would open fire as soon as the ship began to | raise anchor. ‘* Very good. Then, if you have any prayers to say, you’d better begin immediately,” said | Captain Broke, with a grim smile, and turning | to his first officer, continued: ‘(Jet under way at once, Mr. Barton, Keep that boat covered until we’re outside, snd stand ready to blow this gentleman from the muzzle of a gun the instant the fort opens fire!” That ended the matter, the Algerian being al- lowed, after eating a goodly portion of humble pie, to send his boat ashore with a message that the esca prisoners were not aboard the ship, and that he was going outside the harbor ashort distance. This done, Captain Broke got his ship under way, and when out of range of the fort, allowed bis unwilling passenger to depart. ‘*Crowd on every rag, Mr. Barton—tkat fel- low means mischief,” said the captain, watching the departing Algerians, He had heard the story of the fight at the eure; iy he now ostomy 2 raed * ye get rid of hree of his passengers ore the erians could overtake him. . “ As Captain Broke did not go the full distance, and did not hear all that occurred at the cove subsequent to Laurie’s capture, we will take up the story again at that point. Late in the afternoon of the second day after the middy’s capture, a vessel was sighted bear- ing toward the cove. The slaver without a doubt!” exclaimed Captain Nicholson. ‘‘Can you make her out, Mr. Dare?” ‘* Not guite, sir, but she looks familiar even now. Descending from aloft a little later, Dare said: ** 1’m almost positive it’s the corvette we left in Carthagena, but fifteen minutes will decide the question.” And it did, provi the vessel anchored o every one had vette, The Shark. ‘“ How the deuce did she get her back?” was the question Captain Nicholson asked himself, while the other officers wondered: 4* Why don’t she run in?” The last question was answered by Hawkins who said: ‘*She won’t come in till she’s signaled?” ‘‘Then she’s not likely to send in a boat—to- Listen to them !” night at any rate?” asked Dare, The pirates were in a jolly mood, and were al- Dare correct, for when the cove just after sunset her as Zora’s cor- Not likely, air. read singin and carousing. rT They ve been in luck—all hands’ll be three sheets in the wind before three bells,” comment- ed Hawkins, ‘* And, therefore, three bells (balf-past nine) will be a good time to visit them,” thought the lieutenant as he went to make the suggestion to the captain. rhe idea!” exclaimed Captain Nicholson. “You may command the party instead of my- self, though it’s scarcely fair to give you the eat chance at her—but it’s your idea, so go abea ** Better take all the men you can get into the fouroats,” he continued, as Dare thanked him and turned away to make preparations for boarding the corvette. As Hawkins predicted, the noise aboard ‘‘The Shark” began to cease about nine o’clock and died away entirely before half- nine, at which time four boats commanded by Dare, Porter, Rogers and Decatur left the frigate. Proceeding cautiously and with muffled oars all gained the side of the corvette unnoticed and as Dure climbed up the forechains, he could not help wondering av the lack of ordinary caution shown by the pirates, ** Why. Zora, herself, must have joined in the drunken hurrah!” he muttered as he crossed the bulwarks, and saw the pirates strewn about the deck in every direction. ’ The Two Midshipmen. But he was mistaken, as a sharp report, ania almost as the thought crossed his mind. Zora had come on deck in time to see the first of the boarders, and the report of her pistol fol- lowed by her shrill, piercing orders, quickly aroused the pirates toa sense of their danger, | | ' i i ' and when Decatur, with hissword between his | teeth, climbed over tke side amidships—simul- driven back over the bows. The appearance of Roygers’s and Decatur’s men caused a panic, and after a short, but des- | perate conflict, the pirates gave up the struggle —some fleeing aloft, some below, but most of those, who could, jumped over the side of the ' ship. | i Toward the end of the fight, Zora came face to face with Hawkins, and with a cry like a wild beast sprung at the old gunner. Her saber struck bim once but missed his head, and then, as it was raised again, astray bullet from the rear entered her side, and the career of the favorite and fiercest commander of the Bey of Algiers was ended—amid vaths and maledic- tions that startled the most hardened of her hearers. But few prisoners were taken, those who fled aloft or below thinking it as well to die there as swinging from a yard-arm, while those who jum over the side escaped into the interior. ‘** Short, sharp and successful, eh?’ contmented Captain Nick olson, when Dare reported the cap- ture of the corvette. He was growing a little jealous of his gallant first officer, although the latter’s success wag all to come captain’s credit—at home; and when Dare replied: E Not particularly s . We lIcst only one man outright. Decatur, Hawkins and myself are the worst off of the balance,” he saw his opportunity and invited the young lieutenant to the cabin. ‘* You have been woundsd and are to be mar- ried soon, I believe?’ he said, when they were ted. Dare nodded assent. He saw what was com- ing. f Well, ee be anxious to get back then, of course,1© I shall put you in command of the prize and send her home, We've about seventy-five or a hundred of those fellows we rescued the otber day, and with one or two offi- cers they’ll make a fair crew.” “Thank you—if you are threugh I'll call on the eon,” said Dare very coolly, and rising from his seat left the cabin. Next morning Captain Nicholson informed Dare that Midshipman Decatur, and Hawkins, the ner, were the only men he could spare from the crew of the frigate. ‘“‘Three cripples and seventy-five foreign sea- men!’ commented the lieutenant, ‘* Ob, I'll see you safe into the Western Ocean,” returned the captain, adding: ‘* You may as well start back to-day. Weill runalong the coast until night and then back to the Atlantic. Between this and noon you can get things ship-shape.” Just before noon, while lying hove to, exchang- ing men, a sail was reported dead ahead and bearing down toward them, but as the English colors, which they socn made out, were con- firmed by her hull, spars and general appear- ance, the work.was continued, The stranger proved to be Captain Broke’s ship, which hove to and lowered a boat when close to the frigate. ‘‘ Why, that’s a—that looks remarkably like Laurie and—yss, Maxwell, too!” exclaimed Cap- tain Nicholson who was watching those getting into the boat. ‘¢ And the French captain’s with them!” added Decatur, as the boat came dashing toward m. Waiting barely long encugh to get rid of the passengers, the boat hurried back to the English ship, which immediately got under way again and stood off on her are along the coast with- out any sign of recognition. " What the dickens does that mean?’ asked Captain Nicholson, after warmly welcoming Laurie and his companions. “This will explain, sir,” said Laurie, handin & message from Captain Broke, and tearing it open he read: ‘“*The Algerians are in pursuit of your friends, and I must not be seen near you until they have had a chance to search my ship. Your midship-mite will explain the rest. ROKE,”’ ‘* Better get the rest of hag aboard at once, Mr. Decatur,” said Captain Nicholson, after reading the message. a EE TT LL Lh ~-— sei ——— ! a = ee | | sharper pain in the right shoulder, taught Lim | as soon as the prize is ready. | grasping the taneously with Rogers on the opposite side—the | parties headed by Dare and Porter were being | 13 ‘* Mr, Rogers,” he continued, ** get under way ‘** Laurie, come with me—you, too, if please, Captain Lorris. Maxwell! Mr, Dare with Mr. Decatur.” As Captain Lorris and Laurie started aft after the speaker, they met Hawkins, who ut- tered something like an Indian war-whoop, and, hand of the first-named, ex- you Report to claimed: **Cap’n Lawrence—by the Eternal!” ** Lawrence, Lawrence,” repeated the other, dreamily. ‘*Sail ho!” came the hail from the mast-head at this juncture. “Two frigates and a brig, sir, coming up fast, under full sail!” reported the lookout a minute after. ‘* Pirates!” muttered the captain, Nirwy then, to the third officer, who had gone aloft: ‘*Can ye make them out, Mr. Porter?” ‘* Fairly well, sir, They’re pirates, if looks go for anything, and they’re showing the Bey’s ‘* Beat to quarters! Laurie, take a boat and twenty-five men aboard the corvette!” ordered the captain. CHAPTER XX, FATHER AND SON, MIDSHIPMAN DECATUR, with Maxwell, Haw- kins and the balance of the prize-crew had already returned to the corvette, and through them Lieutenant Dare learned of Laurie’s escape with Captain Lorris, The latter, Oo near by the middy, had oe into “a9 t, “ep a oe frag cid —while warmly greeting Laurie— g close by, his eyes full of painful inquiry, he stepped forward, saying: ** Allow me to congratulate you on your es- cape, Lawrence—és y as it includ- ed the rescue of your son!” ‘* Lawrence! Myson!” repeated the captain, with his eyes still fixed on Laurie, Seeing them together, the lieutenant had sup- their relationship was now an established act, but there was no time for explanation. ‘* We're all ready, sir, and the frigate’s signal- ing to get under way,” said Decatur, approach- ing the little p. Both at Pe t under way at once, the three pirates being now but two miles awa and soming up rapidly, bringing the wind wi them. The corvette and the frigate were both very fast sailers, but the tical craft being first benefited by the wind, kept gaining—the brig more than the others, until only a half-mile astern, when she n firing. ‘*We must get of that fellow—we can soon hold our own with the others,” said Lieu- tenant Dare, and calling to Hawkins, ordered bim to yr to the pirate’s fire. Up to this time the brig had treated both ves- sels impartially, but now her fire was concen- trated on the corvette, Hawkins had fired several times, doing con- siderable execution am the pirates crowding the deck of the brig, when a shot struck the mainmast of The Shark, splintering it and wounding several of those around it-- among them Captain Lorris, who was severely burt about the head. In return for this, Morris, on the frigate, and Hawkins, on the corvette, end made mat- ters more thaneven. The two guns were fired at almost the same moment, and the heavy shot struck the brig’s foremast in the same spot with- in a second of each other. The first blow caused the mast to totter, and the second sent it over side, carrying with it the maintopmast. This put an end to the annoying pursuit of the brig, and were it not for the foreign seamen forming the crew of the corvette, Captain Nicholson would have turned back, but the breeze was freshening, they more than holdin their own, and he could not afford to risk his twice-won prize, 80 they held on their course to agi drawing steadily away from the tes, When Captain Lorris fell, Laurie mae | for- ward, and finding him unconscious, had him borne below. “It’s not necessaril dangerous, but it ma lay him up for some Una. was the surgeon’s verdict, adding: “‘This is the second crack his skull has re- ceived within a few days—isn’t it?” ‘© Yeg—he fell head-foremost into the boat we eomppet in,” ‘So I understand, and he looked dazed, like a. man who had forgotten something. This may com chbooks:com