Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 949 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

ry The Three Lieutenants. li SB a ee —— - — ——$ $$ $$ — — a ee ee ee they do know we are here, Laurie and Haw- | The sea was perfectly quict, there was not a |. ‘* Now, let’s keep at the other fellow,” urged kins can begin firing as soon as they are in | breath of air stirring, and this enabled the sur- | Laurie, as they plumped two shots into the small range.” . vivors of the two boats’ crews to reach their | beat, sinking it. “Gad, you’re right!”. exclaimed Decatur, | vessels, but it also made those vessels splendid Both were expert gunners, but the boat, as it “Hawkins, see if you can find out if those fel- | targets for Hawkins, and when the Algerians | bounded over the waves, urged by a dozen long lows we drove off are aboard either of those gun- | reached them, the gunboats were little better | sweeps, presented a difficult mark, aad it was boats. Kelease one of the prisoners and give | than wrecks, within a hundred yards before they managed to him a glass,” | Realizing that further delay meant final de- | hit it. The ex-slave, who had heard and approved of | struction, the Algerians began towing for the At this juncture the other long boat started, Spence’s suggestion, obeyed, and a minute after | shore. after vainly attempting to fire its howitzer, and the glass was fixed on the slowly-approaching ‘* Bit off more’n they could chew,” laughed | the situation was growing desperate, when boats, said: Maxwell on seeing this, but Laurie was not | Laurie struck that boat fairly across the bow. ‘“They’re there, sir, you can rely upon it, | through yet. The solid shot went straight from stem to Look at this fellow shaking—half-joy an’ half- ‘¢ Yes,” he said, ‘‘but we must not let them | stern, knocking the crew rigbt and le/t, end, of fear.” getaway. Wecanget out and tow, while Haw- | course, bringing the boat to a standstill. ‘Very well, Hawkins, Just tie him up to | kins keeps pegging away atthem.” — ** Now, fire at the other, quick!” cried Laurie, keep him out of trouble, and you and [ will take ‘*Oh, be satisfied with what you’ve got!” ex- Hawkins, who had reserved his fire, obeyed turns at keeping those fellows off, If wedisable | claimed Spence, adding: ‘* You’ve been having | just in time, catching the other at about fifty one, we'll take the other,” said Laurie very ; ali the fun, and now you want us to do the hard | yards, and striking it amidships. ‘aero work,” ‘*Hurrah! We'll beat them yet!” shouted De ‘“By Jove, you’re developing rapidly, Lau- But Laurie would not be satisfied, and the | catur, gleefully. ‘‘ Quick, now, and steady!” rie!” exclaimed Decatur, while the other | boat was lowered and towing begun by Decatur As fast as they could be loaded, the guns stared, . ' and the three seamen, while Laurie and Spence | and muskets were emptied at the long-boats, ‘‘ Take in the canvas,” said Laurie, without | kept up a steady fire on the retreating gunboats | until they began to draw cff, and the little crew aying any attention to either words or looks; | until within three miles of the shore, when an- | of the Seraph were growing exultant when ‘there’s not a breath of air, and we might as | other gunboat appeared on the scene, Spence called attention toa number of boats— well give them only spars to fire at.” ‘*By Jove!” exclaimed Laurie, after examin- | galleys, long-boats, cutters and small sail-boats very one realized the truth of this, and in a | ing her through his glass, ‘‘she’s being towed | —fully a dozen, and containing in all over two by two long-boats, manned by fully fifty | hundred men, coming out from the shore. men.” ‘*Good heavens! We've stirred up a regular This was communicated to Decatur, and the | hornets’ nest!” cried Decatur, after examining cutter swung round and headed out to sea | them through his glass. again, but their progress was slow and the gun- ‘‘There’s a ripple off-shore—see!” exclaimed boat gained rapidly. Worse still, nothing but | Maxwell], whose attention had been attracted by the howitzers could be brought to bear on it, | the small sail-boats in the approaching flotilla. . few minutes the Seraph was drifting under bare poles toward the gunboats, which came on | slowly until within a half-mile without any sign of hostility, | ‘*They evidently expect to surprise us,” re- | marked Decatur. ; ‘+ Well, it’s time we undeceived them,” said ; | : ; | | Laurie. ‘‘Suppose you try the first shot, | and these, as yet, were ineffective, eal with the canvas!’’ commanded Laurie, Hawkins, ’ _“ They'll get tired of towin’, and come for us | himseif springing to assist. “Ay, ay, sir,” responded the gunner, as he | in the long-boats pretty soon,” prophesied Haw- Faint indeed was the breeze, but it was their went'forward and sighted the tong brass 18- | kins, and the words wero scarcely uttered when | Only hope of escape from. certain capture or pounder, ; Spence announced that this had been done. death, and every sail was set and trimmed to There was a puff of white smoke, the dull | ‘Come aboard—we must face the music,” said | catch the wind. headway entirely, owing to the loss of her fore-| And nowa fresh danger presented itself. The | light that the Seraph barely gained headway, balance of the crews of the other gunboats had | and the Algerians came up hand over hand, un- joined their friends—making four boats in all, | til at length the leading boatg were within three but only two guns to fight them with! cables’ lengtb. **Looks ez if we'd get enough fightin’ any- Two of these, carrying heavy carronades, be- | mast, | ‘* Well done!” was the generaly cry, and then Laurie stepped forward to try his skill. The middy’s shot was equally successful— accidentaliy—for it dismounted the shining brass gun in the bow of the other gunboat, be- sides knocking over several of her crew. ‘« It’s getting interesting,” remarked\Decatur. ‘It will be in a little while. They’ll be out b»om of the gun, and the nesrest gunboat lost Laurie. Gradually the sails filled, but the wind was so how,” remarked Reuben Thomas, dryly, adding: | gan firing at this distance, and the shots came f though, there don’t ’pear t’ be much fun in it, | whistling through sails and rigging, while Lau- t’ my idee.” rie and Hawkins replied with the howitzers, do- ing no little execution, but the flutilla still came on, with overpowering strength. in the boats direcily,” said Hawkins, AP ‘*[T hope you'll forgive me, gentlemen, for “So much the worse fur them, Don’t wait CBAs TER TX. bringing you into this,” said Laurie, turning to | for them—keep pegging away.” A DESPERATE FIGHT— RESCUED. the others. Hawkins obeyed until a boat was lowered from each of the gunboats, and just as this was done the other brass gun was knocked over. ) ‘‘Now bring her round as much as possible. We will meet them witk the howitzers,” said Decatur, and the anchor being dropped, the Seraph swung stern first to the approaching boats. On they came, one slightly in advance, both carrying boat howitzers and crowded with men, The leading beat » withi tf g boats were within a half-cable’s I mean Dur peearvatten toes millions length ; it seemed to be their last chance to ex- Can speak like us. change words, and there wasa suspicious mois- : : TEMPEST, ture in the speaker’s eye:—he felt that he had \ } led his friends to their death, “Tr strikes me that we're very much in the ‘Stop that, Laurie! Attend to your gun! position of the man who went tiger-hunting,” | We're not dead—yet!” exclaimed Decatur, with observed Decatur, as he watched the rapidly ap- | a reckless laugh, but, as he extended his hand, proaching boats, *' It was great sport, until the | all understood it was a silent farewell, and each ‘OW! tiger took a notion to hunt the man.” shook hands with the other! until the foremost boat was within two cables’- ‘‘ Better load all the muskets, while Hawkins ‘*Now, boys, back to your werk!” ordered length. By that time Laurie and Hawkins had | and I attend to the howitzers,” suggested Laurie; | Decatur. ‘* We'll makeit a dear victory, yet!” managed to get the long gun swung round and | ‘‘they’ll be alongside before you get through The two leading boats were within fifty yards, trained on it, preaching.” It was do—and die, and both Laurie and Haw- ‘*All right!” laughed Decatur; ‘‘ bring up| kins pointed their guns as deliberately as if our muskets. If there’s a rifleamong thearms, | practicing at a target. et me have it; I used to be a pretty fair shot.” Both A de took effect, and both crews came There were two rifles—long-barreled, with | to a standstill for a minute or more, to right fancifully-carved stocks—and Decatur and | their boat end get rid of the dead. James began using them at once. Decatur, Maxwell and James continued their The leading boat was about three bundred fire, while Spence kept loading, but it was yards distant, and when both fired, two of the | simply desperation—the case was hopeless, ** Now’s your chance!” cried Laurie. Boom! went the big gun, and a moment after what was leftof the boat’s crew were struggling in the water. , After plunging through the boat the shot had carried away her stern. Meantime the other boat was drawing closer, and its gun began to talk, which called attention to it. eee eee —s a ‘* See if you can stop that,” directed Decatur, | long sweeps stopped, Suddenly there came the dull boom of a heavy asashot whistled across the deck, and Laurie ‘*Each fetched his man,” declared Spence, | gun, and one of the leading boats was_knockd and Hawkins opened fire with the howitzers, who was now busy loading muskets. into splinters! The boat was advancing rapidly, and was not an easy mark, Twoshots from each gun had one wild, and it wes within a half cable’s- ength when a shot from Hawkins’s gun caught her solidly on the bow, smashing it, dismount- ‘Yes, and their fire, too,” rejoined Decatur, “siurrah! Here comes the frigate!” called as he saw a man at the howitzer in the bow of | out Spence. the boat, hat: So engaged were all that none had noticed the * Let’s fire at him,” suggested James, and be- | approach of tbe Enterprise. » She was being fore the man could pull the lanyard, the rifles | towed by several boats, and. using ber bow ~ = ee ing the gun placed there, and killing the gun- | rung out again. chaser, but.now the wind freshened, and both ner. ‘‘Good!” cried Decatnr, as the man fell back, | the Enterprise and the Seraph were able to use “+ Well, let’s put those gunboats out of con- | with the guns, and managed to destroy one of ** Very well; you «re all under arrést. igs dition to. follow us when the wind springs up,” | the smaller boats, which had got in aaraaae of | for you”. to the seamen), *‘I shall put yuu in suggested Decatur. the long boat. irons.” 2 ( | ‘ This stayed the boat until Laurie sent a shot ; and then directed the gunners to give their at- | their gails, and, swinging round, the latter ieee right among the crew, and before they could get | tention to the o.her long-boar, brought the long 18 to bear on the nearest boat, a out of range, Hawkins fired again, killing and ** We'll keep these fellows in play for a while,” | blowing it out of the water. EA: wounding several more... he determined, ‘‘ and then, when it comes to the ‘““Now, Laurie! You look after the guns—Tll By this time a small boat from each of the | last, they’ll have some work before they get | do the rest! MaxwelJ! James! Look to tbe ; gunboats bad pulled out to the assistance of the | aboard.” t sails!” cried Decatur, springing to the wheel. ‘Nel survivors of the first boat, and now came to Again and again the Algerians tried to fire Within five minutes every boat was out of eis help those in the second, the howitzer, but each time the two riflemen | reach or sunk; then the Seraph bore up to the | ; wkins, whose hatred of his former masters | either killed or wounded the gunner; whereupon | Enterprise. Ne i was inveterate, was abcut to fire on this boat, | the boat was got under way for the “ Seraph,” Decetur, because of his seniority, was on fy but Laurie would not allow it, forging ahead steadily, notwithstanding the | board: first. vA “Let them go,” he said, ‘itll be a miracle | rapid fire poured at it by Decatur, James and “Well, sir, ~hat excuse have you for this?” if i t if they keep afloat long enough to get on Maxwell, sternly demanded Captain Sterrett. aa, board.” Meantime Laurie and Hawkins were at work | ‘* None, sir.” I ; : ~ — — —,, — — e a. —_ . ee ~ +o = eae oe ha 9 ¢ re 7 a 7] "3 : PAS” A q . 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