Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 959 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

ee > ‘ ~ 10 . a <li” The Four Commanders, stances under which the Jad had entered the service, and turning to his companion, asked, interestedly : ‘* How does the young midshipman progress?” ‘** There is no fault to find. e is very quiet and attentive, and will undoubtedly get along,” replied Decatur. **Humph, No near relatives, except the sis- : ter, I believe?” “I hardly know. Lee!” mend who was standing close by, and had probably guessed he was the subject of conver- en, stepped forward, and Decatur con- wed: ‘**Commodore Preble is interested in your . career, and wishes to know something of your family connections,” ' As mentioned in another chapter, Harry was ‘ not talkative. When he spoke, he usually had something to say worth hearing, and this time his words came like a bomb-shell. Looking re at the captain, he calmly replied: **{ thank the commodore for his interest, but as to my family connections, he probably knows as much, if not more, than I do, in that —Mrs, Preble certainly does!” Eh? What’s that?’ demanded the commo- dore, staring hard at Harry. “Mrs. Preble and my mother were first cousins, 80 she probably—” began the boy, but the commodore, grasping him by the arm, de- | ollow them to the cabin, ** Now,” he said, planting himself in front of Harry, *‘ what was your mother’s name, and where was she born, and how d’ye know she was related to my wife?” ‘* Deering was my mother’s name. She was born in husette while Mrs, Preble was bornin Maine. As for how I know of the re- lationship between them—I know only as other —— know: through hearing it mentioned in he family, and my uncle’s desire that I should change my name when I changed my country, because he particularly disliked my slight re- lationship to the Prebleg.” delivered this long speech calmly and without a break, while the commodore and cap- tain listened in amazement, ‘*Then Lee is not your real name?” demanded the commodore. ‘No, sir. Oxnard was m e y Heaven, ’tis true!—l’ve heard of it be- fore!” exclaimed Preble, taking ’s hand, but the next instant dropped it and asked very ** Why was I not informed of this at once?” ** Because I did not know all of it until my sister was leaving, and— Well, anyhow, I did not propose to force myself upon you.” The two seniors exchanged glances, and with a grim smile, the commodore said: ‘You were lucky not to have reached your destination, for that 5 tet, savors too much of the Revolution to suit gland. ** But come,” he continued, ‘‘ now that you are exposed, we must do something for you, I am going back, as you probably know, but Captain ecatur will look after you until you return. Anything you require, he will be authorized to ve you, ‘*} must leave at once, as I have so much to do that you will probably-be home as soon as I can, Within an hour, Preble had started in the “sc ake the half-dozen or more ports at which he business to transact, leaving with the encouraging declaration, that Harry’s interest should be pushed as fast as there was excuse for it—but he never saw his oung relative again, There was little to be done during the absence of General Eaton on his thousand-mile trip across the Desert of Barca, and Harry’s story _ created no little interest among his friends and comrades—for before leaving the ship, the com- modore made it pretty well known that the mid- shipman was a relative, and much admiration was expressed at his independence in refraining from appealing to the influence of one so power- ful as Preble. He accordingly made ore of the party which Decatur took with him from the Enterprise to the Constitution. The latter vessel was ordered off to Tripoli to assist in the blockade, where she remained cruis- ing on and off until spring. his was anything but ban work, for the Turk was becoming an exceedingly shy crea- ture, and Decatur did everything except join in several stolen visits ashore, One of these visits was the outcome of a con- versation in the surgeon’s By wiry wherein Gentleman ene complain bitterly of their lack of work, and, referring to Laurie, who was present, continued; father’s name.” “*Tf he had not grown so stiff since becoming first officer, we would not be growing rusty for want of exercise,” Laurie laughingly denied the stiffness, and the dwarf, Jones, who had joined the ship at Malta at the solicitation of Decatur—medical men be- ing most difficult to obtain—suggested a trip ashore, ‘* No, no,” said Laurie, ‘‘ that would do well enough for midshipmen, but it will not do now, ** See!” cried Spence, ‘* tis as I said—he’s too stiff for anything outside the strict lines of uty. **If it keeps on, you'll snap in two some day. Laurie,” The dwarf, who was not accustomed to being ph iy up, assured the others that the visit could be made in perfect safety under his con- voy, as he was as well known and respected among the Tripolitan pirates as he had been un- til recently among the Italian bandits, The Constitution was then lying at anchor some distance below the city, nearly where De- catur and Laurie had once landed, and the lat- ter was finally teased into saying he would try arrauge matters with the captain. That evening Laurie suggested to Decatur that as ‘‘ the boys were getting rusty,” it would not be a bad idea to senda few ashore—as a reconnoitering party, for lack of a better name —at the same time repeating the dwarf’s assur- ance of safety. At first Decatur would not listen to the sug- gestion. ‘*Suppose a gale should spring up, and it’s the most likely thing to happen on this infernal coast—and we should be compelled to claw off shore? ‘‘Or, suppose they are detected and cap- tured?” Laurie repeated the dwarf’s words in reply to his captain’s objections, and added that the y might obtain some information of value, as two of them spoke Arabic, French and Italian. Decatur at length yielded a reluctant consent, and that night Spence and Harry, under the dwartf’s escort, started for aia ‘* Be back at this spot, at this time, forty-eight hours hence, or I’ll come after you with Morris, and a file of marines,” warned Laurie, as he re- turned with the boat from which the others had disembarked. This, although said jestingly, was actually a time limit, but circumstances would have pre- vented Laurie from fulfilling his threat—veven if it was made in earnest. CHAPTER XVI. IN TRIPOLI—A FIGHT. THE oa reached the city in safety, and having first procured some more suitable cloth- ing, spent the night knocking around the wine- shops among the soldiers and sailors. Dressed in a half-military uniform, and wear- ing sabers, the three went from place to place, without attracting any particular attention, and just at daylight learned that the Bashaw was aware of General Eaton’s mission in visiting the deposed sovereign, and, what was still more important, that the latter had eagerly em- braced the offer of, an alliance against Tripoli and had furnished the general a fine body of troops. This important information was gathered from the conversation of several half-drunken Turkish officers, who, a few minutes later, be- gan to discuss the chances of their being includ- ed in the army with which the Bashaw was preparing to intercept General Eaton at Derne! ‘“We have heard something of great impor- tance,” sr ea the dwarf, ‘* Come outside, and I will tell you.” “This is of greatest importance,” said Spence, after hearing what Haery and the dwarf had to tell, and glancing at the sky, con- tinued: ‘* There’s a storm brewing—it’s rg Serra to blow already—and the ship will be lifting an- chor within an hour or two at the furthest, so we must get right back.” Harry and the dwarf—or Tom Jones, as he bade them call him—saw that George was right, and, although it robbed them of their holiday, started off at once, At the next crossing they halted to look at a body of unfortunate slaves being conducted to some galleys lying near Fort English, It was now broad day, and, as the first file passed, Harry uttered an exclamation that came near causing serious trouble, ‘*My uncle!” he cried, pointing to a man on the end of the line. ——— = « _ | BC*> edo The officer in c e, as well as the captive,. turned on hearing, the words, and the former, rendered suspicious by the semi-Turkish uniform and English-spoken words, halted and demand- Tackily, Heres ubeleail "bot recognized uckily, y’s uncle no him, owing to the dress he wore, and the dwarf, seldom taken by surprise, promptly replied that they were Turkish officers, just arrived from erne, The officer looked suspicious, he was only half satisfied, but the slaves were intended to man the galleys, and the weather had grown very threat- ening in the last few minutes; 80, vailing his: suspicions, that the strangers might not become: alarmed, he gave the orders to march. ‘*That fellow means mischief—he’ll have a file of soldiers after us in no time—we must get away at once, or—” Jones was still speaking—in English, of course —when Spence was nearly knocked down by a violent push from one of the officers they had heard talking in the wine-shop. The push was plainiy intentional, the fellow having stealthily oe up and joining in the laughter with which his companions, who were standing some fifty yards away, greeted his ef- fort to throw Spence, George’s dandified appearance had suggested: the idea of tossing him into the di street as being an excellent joke, but the slender, grace- ful re abiy of the young lieutenant was very de-- ve, @ was one bundle of muscles—hard as steel’ and active as a cat, and before his assailant. knew what had struck him he was stretched on. me ground by a smashing blow on the: neck, Pam wid as George struck out, he: said: es There, you insolent dog, that will teach you manners! Possibly it did, but it also taught him that. the speaker was not a Turk, and he cried out to: his comrades, who came running to his assist- ane 3° neg a nt a momen es were engaged, for the route of the three Americans was now block- aded by the six Tripolitans, and for a few min- utes the fighting was fast and furious—neces-- sarily so on the American side, since more sol- diers were liable to arrive at any moment. To the astonishment of his friends, Harry proved more expert than éither with the saber,. oe the great strength of the dwarf ren- dered him the most formidable opponent, in the hurricane style of fighting that met the Tripoli- tans’ attack. \ ** Look out—the !” warned’ ere is Harry, as after the lapse of two or three min- utes, his man went down with a split skull, At the same moment, Jones almost cut off his: opponent’s head, while George—on the sword- exercise principle—ran his man through. : Three down in three minutes would have stag- ge~ed most men, Not so the Tripolitans, and seeing his friends would be delayed until the arrived, Jones cried in Arabic—apparent- Fy ws some one approaching from behind the Tri- tans: “Help! , Friends, help!” The ruse was successful. The Tripolitans turned to look, and as they did, the Americans. dashed by them, each delivering a cut across the legs in passing. CHAPTER XVII. . OUT OF THE FRYINGPAN, Brrore shouting to his imaginary friends for assistance, tbe dwarf said, in English: ‘¢ When I shout, make a dash, and each try to. | hamstring his man,” The first part of the programme was carried out all right, but whether the men were ham- strung’ or not, there was no pursuit until the arrived, and by the time the situation was explained, the Americans had gained the road leading out of the city. ‘They will be after ug as 800n as they hear who we are,” said the dwarf, as they passed out of the city, ‘*We must hurry.’ ‘““T can’t go any faster,” groaned Harry. ‘‘Eh? Hurt?” cried Spence, in alarm, as be and Jones came to a stop On each gide of the Oy. it was well they did, for Harry had received the worst wound of all, and had been bleeding for some time, He now fainted, and was cauglit by Spence, ‘‘ Give him to me—we have no time to attend to him now,” growled the dwarf, and ta Harry in his powerful arms, set off again at a trot. **He’s been leaving a regular trail of blood, o eT : : ) a : 7 ; ye ; ; et i, “wy ‘ : / ‘ ‘el, ‘ Bi) toad “4 : TOL He, " ‘ P . : f . ’ “yy ? % . . 7 ie ¥ 4 t R- t ij pi\eh Pm G Ney - £.7(% F be “iM yay ee ee ’ “ : AA 4 18 ht : . oN vs ? 4, vi vea\) : + AN { ¥ " " : NY rw ks Wh Lad) iv! ian Na ” } ae oF 4, > : ; wy WG F. & At > ; » Ee ihe & i eh ra < ist he Wee” an -ytv, : K en ee Lael es Seth el, Sa es | yt they 4 4 {f 7 Fy 4s goat - . “) i> 4 J _ br ?/ of a - o thy ; f . abd, i > Fy rt *’, c ‘ A> ow a ‘as > 7 * "4 4 é — yg a +% e t : . i 2 su 4 4 ry pond = z | boa ¥ — < | gd §. mip 2a". i. ¥ ; - “7 _ eV } “e ole i ~~“ “ } “ “SH a i NS ° ww Rh oe uv . 7 5 FA : , 4 rot “it fs, , “6. oe | Bn \ | \ y en aah a) , Bel a “ * J - Mw Fe . 7 .* : =