Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 982: "The Girl Storm-Pilot" — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

ee er ee mm een + + eee - —— a a ——— a - ~< The Girl Storm-Pilot. CHAPTER XIV. SCENES OF HORROR, ‘* AMEN,” said Dean Hammond, solemnly, though his heart throbbed with pain for the brave girl who had met such an untimely fate. So fast had the horrors of the precedin scenes followed each other that nothing seem quite clear to him, The drunken sailors paused in their strug- gles to watch the drifting boat as it floated nearer. For a time they gazed upon it in silence, then, as it slowly drifted away upon its lonely course, they returned to their drinking and quarreling. As we have seen, they had taken considerable food from the burning ship, but ‘in their mad haste to escape they bad brought off no water! Walf and Lean soon discovered this to their horror. Already they were beginning to suffer the ter- rible pangs of thirst, There was little chance for them to get any of the liquor now, if they bad desired it. But all thoughts of thirst were banished in the presence of that most horrible demon— drunkenness, Their brains fired to madness by the liquor they had imbibed, the outlaws renewed their struggies with increased fierceness, One crowded in another’s way, and the two, locked in each other’s embrace, rolled in the bottom of the boat. Walf and Dean had to be continually on the lookout or they would have upset the boat, At different times three of them fell over- rd and were barely saved from drowning. A little after sunset a fourth, in yoy get a bottle of liquor from another, missed his hold to tumble head-first into the sea. He was too far overcome with drink to swim and before his rescue could be effected he had drowned, His fate somewhat sobered bis drunken com- panions to the relief of the others, Tue liquor, too, was now nearly gone, Night soon crept on shutting out the last rays of hope to the castaways for many weary hours to follow. One by one the intoxicated sailors fell intoa deep drowse. Wolf and Dean were still awake not ae to sleep both at a time, and a lonely enough night it was to them. The sky was thickly studded with stars, but their dim light added to rather than subtracted from the gloom of the ocean expanse stretching away into the boundless space. ‘*We must get sleep while we can,” said Ranger to his companion. ‘‘ You may take your first turn and I will keep watch.” The night wore away without any change in the sitvation. Morning dawned. Once more the sunlight streamed over the Bea, With feverish visions the castaways scanned the water in the gray light of morn. Little good, No sail welcomed their gaze. Not a speck upon the deep, The outlaws had slept off somewhat the effects of the liquor, but a demon ina new form was beginning to show itself in their manner. **God bave mercy upon us,” cried Mark Wild- bell, hoarsely, ‘“‘or weshall perish. My throat is burning up)” ‘* So is mine!” exclaimed Ambushade, ‘* Let me have water.” ‘There is none,” replied the one called Spanish m. “Then give me liquor. 1 must have some- pe to drink.” ith a sinister smile upon his sallow face the other handed him a bottle. Ambushede raised it hastily to his lips, but there was not a drop to moisten them, ‘*Curse yel” yelled he, upspringing with a look of rage, “‘ take that fer yer imperdence!” and he broke the bottle over the otber’s head. Witha Spanish Sam pitched forward into the bottom of the boat—lifeless, The next moment the sledge-hammer fist of Wildbell felled him beside his victim quite as motionless, ‘I'll learn ye!” gritted the giant, his blood- shot eyes glaring fiercely around as if to see who would pick up the challenge. None of the onlookers offer 1d interference. After a few minutes Ambushade began to show signs of returning consciousness, | Spanish Sam lay uite still. ** He is desd!” said one, It was done. Again the half-crazed seamen were awed into sullen submission. Then as the sun neared the zenith they grew restless again. The hot rays of the sun seemed to blister their in, Not a breath of air fanned their heated and feverish brows, ‘‘ Water! water! water!” cried the suffering gang. Walf and Dean were suffering fearful tor- ture, and they knew that of the outlaws must be worse after their drinking. ‘* My throat is burning up!” groaned Am- bushade. ‘‘ I must have water or die!” He laved his brow and touched his lips to the salt-water to find his sufferings increased. ‘‘ Why don’t you speak?” growled Wildbell, turning upon Walf Ranger, who was prudently remaining quiet. ‘‘] prefer to bear my pain in silence,” he re- plied, calmly. ‘* He don’t know nothin’ bout it!” muttered one, ‘’Tain’t for sich as heto want water. Ef it hadn’t been fer’em we sh’u’d hev sighted a sail "fore this!” This speech had a startlin;'-ffect upon the “ Ay, ay, Sheet-anchor Jack!” exclaimed another, ‘“‘ ye hev hove straight to the mark. ‘** Put ’em into the sea!” Others took up the cry. Dean Hammond unused to scenes of violence turned pale, Walf Ranger, cool and collected, realized a new danger threatening them, Wildbell’s heavy features became stern and fierce in their expression. ‘* Ay, ay,” becried, ‘ that’s the talk. ‘‘ Throw them overboard! l'litake the one iu the bow—” ‘* Not by a long sight!” answered Walf Ran- ger, defiantly. ‘* Sit where youareor I'll put a bullet through your brain!’ The giant sunk back with a groan. Instinctively his band sought for his own weapon to find that it was gone, His confederates made the same startling dis- Their weapons bad been taken from them! =~ were unarmed ! ‘‘Them chaps did it when we sleeped,” de- clared one Morey. ** Ay, and he’s got my weepon iu his grip now.” The others saw that it was the truth. The baffléd wretches looked first puzzled, then enraged. Wildbell half-started to his feet, to sink back with a groan as Walf Ranger’s finger was seen to press the trigger ‘f the oer “Don’t move,” warned he, ‘*‘ We mean you no harm, nor do we intend that you shall lay a hand on us,” Mark Wildbell gnashed his teeth, His confederates were spellbound. The sun was now directly overhead, and its scorching ruys seemed to take away their breath. ** Wal, why don’t you shoot me?” gritted Wild- rs when a few minutes had passed without action. *T don’t want your life on my hands,” replied Ranger, ‘‘ Now, look here, If you will prom- ise not to molest us, we will put down our birny ‘* Who’s a-touching you?” snarled the giant. **Do you prom asked the other, clearly. ‘* Ay, ay, man, with my life,” ** And the rest of you?” 2 Fall in with our cap’en.” ‘* Dean, we can lay down our weapons. But it’s best to keep on the lookout, At the least show of hostility, shoot the man as you would a vulture.” Thus a short respite was made. Walf Ranger, bowever, knew the wretches too well to be thrown off his guard, Hardly had this compromise been gained, be- fore the old cry of ‘*‘ Water, water!” was heard. If it was not one thing, it was another, acne the afternoon wore away on leaden wings, The cries of the suffering men grew deeper and more ominous; their countenances more sunken and haggard, their movements more un- wef more threa till no sail! No hope! Not a breath of air. No relief! Then the sun dipped its rim in the glinting ** Throw him overboard!” ordered Wildbell. sea. 13 Ambushade rose slowly to his feet—witb diffi- culty—for the ordeal was telling upon him. ‘* This can t last any longer!” he cried, hoarse- ly. ‘*There is no sail. In course we needn’t look for one! No ship could come up in a dead- calm like this!” Walf Ranger was looking him in the eye while: he was speaking. The wretch shrunk back as if afraid. ‘*! can’t live through another night without something to drink! My throat is all on fire! If I can’t have water, J must have blood |” “Ay, ay, shipmate,” chorused the others, ** blood ! BLooD! BLOOD!” As the cry rung upon the air, a knife flashed in Ambushade’s hand, and with a wild yell he sprung at the throat of Dean Hammond! CHAPTER XV. MARK WILDBELL’S CONFESSION, Crack! rung out the sharp report of Walf Ranger’s pistol, when ths ruffian, Ambushade, fell forward with a groan at the feet of bis in- tended victim. Howls of rage followed, and the maddened wretches sprung to their feet to throw them- selves upon the intrepid twain who had defied them. ‘* Hold!” thundered Ranger, a pistol gleaming in either hand. ‘ | Once more be held at bay the men who seemed like so many demons, Mark Wildbell had not lifted a finger this time, Sea pg his failings, he was not one to forget word. ‘* Back, men, and let them be, They—” ‘* But he’s killed poor Am!” snarled one, ‘+ Not till the fool had opened the fight. Bet- ter let ’em alone, boys,”admonished W ildbell. Again quiet reigned—at least only mutterings of vengeance and looks of hatred came from borde. [t was rapidly growing dark, The night of horror bad set in. We sbrink from its description. The body of Ambushade was thrown over- One by one the numbers of the desperadoes were ak less, Mark Wildbell, his heavy features now stark and stern, looked upon the handful of his con- federates with a sorrowful shake of his head. ‘‘ Ay, boys,” he said, buskily, “‘we made a big mistake in ever leaving Woland. None of you will ever live to go back,” ‘“* An’ it all comes o’ ’em cusses!” growled Morey. ‘* Better let ’em alone, however, for they have got the best of us.” Bitter oaths, which sounded like the growls of wild beasts, followed. Contrary to the previous night, the sky was overcast with threatenings of a storm, How that haggard set watched and prayed for n. The wind had sprung up again. In the hope of a rainfall the outlaws showed no offer of an uprisa! until toward midnight the clouds began to break away. ‘‘ There won't be any rain!” muttered one, Then the old cry was revived: ‘* Water! water! water!” 1g with it was the more startling one of “ec bl ” Not a man had slept thus far. : = one certainly would sleep then. eep! : The volcano would soon burst forth in all its alf Ranger knew it. Dean Hammond anticipated it. Mark Wildbell saw it coming, and he put out his hands as if to drive away the etorm, Morey had discovered the knife dropped by Ambershade. Cautiously he picked it up, and with a furtive glance around him, placed it in his bosom, Walf Ranger saw the movement, to silently await developments. He feigned to be watching the sea, though in reality his gray eyes did not leave the wretch. Toward midnight the ry grew lighter; and then a few stars appeared in the heaven’, dis- pelling the last hope of rain. Like grim specters the men stared upon each other. ‘* This is terrible!” groaned one, ‘*Why need all of us die when one can save the rest?” asked Morey, hoarsely. His meaning was Doubtless it was the thought of others express- ed in words, comicbooks.com