Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 982: "The Girl Storm-Pilot" — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

4 ee The Girl Storm-Pilot. A peal of thunder. drowned his trumpet tone, “Sea Jewel, aboy!” came from the boat a minute later. ‘‘If you wish a pilot, lay to so I can come aboard.” “Not fora woman! Who are you, anyway?” ““The Spirit of the Surf! I had come to save you, But, doas you like!” A mocking langh was borne to the ears of the ted seamen. ** See! she is heading back!” cried the old tar, who had previously spoken. A groan went up from the crew, Captain Morrows gave utterance to a muttered malediction at his own folly. *““She hesitates! She turnsthis way!” exclaim- ed a young man standing beside the skipper. “* She points toward the rocks.” Hastily raising his trumpet, Captain Morrows shouted at the full strength of his stentorian gs: ri Spirit or mortal, if you can save us, come * Ay, ay, sir!” Asif propelled by superhuman hands the boat shot alongside. Light hands seized the grapplings, and with su ng agility the strange pilot gained the **1¢ is her!” declared old Jack Seabell under his breath, ‘* And she never boards a ship ’cept in desperate cases.” Captain Morrows fixed his piercing gaze upon the girlish form; but his vision fell before the deep-blue eyes that met his with what seemed a supernatural light. words upon his wn a did wee One question filled the mind of every sailor present: Was she spirit or mortal? Her countenance seemed to bear a spiritual loveliness, while it was as hueless as the white raiment she wore. **U mph!” exclaimed the bluff skipper, the first to recover his self- on. “Are you the only pilot they have at Black Ledge, miss?” “*T know nothing of the pilots of Black Ledge,” she replied in a tone that thrilled every listener. ‘* But see! there is no time to lose if you wish to reach the harbor. Trust your fate in my hands and = have nothing to fear.” “I doubtit. No girl—” He was checked in his speec flash, followed by a crash more a before. } t was a moment of terrible suspense. ‘**For God’s sake, Captain Morrows, don’t hesitate,” cried a clear voice, ‘‘ Our only hope is in the girl.” It was young Dean Hammond who spoke. **Go forward, miss,” cried Captain Morrows, huskily. ‘‘Save us, or, by the soul of Neptune, your own life shall be the forfeit!” He might have added, as well as all their own, Unheeding his threat or the looks of wonder from the others, the girl quickly stationed her- gelf upon the fore-yard-arm, from whence her orders were passed along to the helmsman in a clear, —- tone, The Sea Jewel was speedily put before the gale, to be borne on at a mad rate to what seemed certain destruction. Higher and thicker rose the frowning rocks of Reef, telling only too plainly that the hidden dangers of the depths were rapidly en- compassing all. Night had now “ay 9 set in, and save the daz- zling glare of the lurid flashes, a sickening som- berness hung over the storm-riven scene. Forging its way furiously forward, the gal- lant ship soon left the open sea bebind and plunged in among the towering rocks which spread their forbidding forms on eitber band. The water was here lashed into foam-flecked waves that broke upon the reefs with an ominous roaring and hissing sound. Feeling the strong vessel trembling beneath the terrible pressure brought to bear upon its timbers, the seamen looked forward with white faces, trying in vain to penetrate the gloom more than the ship’s length ahead, Still, apparently as calm as if danger was un- kuown, the strange gir] pilot stood at her post, directing the ship’s course in a confident tone that gave life and courage to the dismayed crew, As the first rocky point was safely passed, all to breathe easier, and felt that in her hands their lives were safe, But singularly enough, not so with Captain Morrows. Abruteat heart, he lacked the moral courage of a man. As he beheld the fearful vortex into which they seemed to be rushing to a certain doom, dis rugged face grew ashen in its hue, by a blinding fening than looking like a madman, he cried: ‘* Weare lost! Girl, you will drive us on the rocks!” Without heeding his cries, she continued to cail out her orders and watched with straining eyes the channel ahead. At that moment the distant peal of the bell reached their sars. As its notes fell on the stormy scene, a wild cry rung from Captain Morrows. ‘Tis the bell of St. Julian!” he cried, ‘* we are saved!” Seeing, the next instant, that the girl-pilot paid no heed to the warning notes, but kept the ship upon her course, ignoring everything save the perils ahead, he shrieked: ‘* Girl, are you mad? Leave that yard or I'll shoot you!” Only her white face turned for a moment to- ward him gave reply, as she cried: ** Hard a-port !” “Ay,ay! Port it is!” sé Stead aan With a wild cry upon his ashen lips, Captain ae sprung to the helmsman’s side thun- ng: ** Don’t mind that girl! Starboard—hard !” The terrified seaman glanced up, and his p loosed upon the spokes, when the ship urched to the starboard, creaking and groaning in every timber. “Hard a-port— quick! for your life!” shrieked the sub-pilot, from aloft, Her tone aroused the helmsman to a sense of his duty, when he tugged at the wheel with frantic energy. ** Fool!” yelled Morrows, ‘‘ that bell is our ouly hope!” and, with a powerful blow he felled the seaman to the deck, to seize the spokes in his own giant’s grasp and quickly bring the ship half a length on the starboard tack! A wild cry came from the girl as she realized the sudden change, ‘** Port hard! or you'll run us on Wracker’s Reef! That bell leads to the Ribs of Death! Port! port! I say! or we are all lost!” CHAPTER IV. STARTLED WITNESSES, LIKE the knell of doom the words fell upon the terrified men. Bewildered, Captain Morrows still bore down upon the starboard tack, The straggling ship plunged madly forward, trembling from stem to stern as its keel grazed a hidden ledge, Then a crash, and the ill-headed craft swung half round and for a moment seemed lost. ** Hard a-port!” re-echoed the voice of the Girl Pilot, ringing above the wild tumult. At that moment, like a halo of hope, the bea- con light came streaming over the sea! A giad ery left the gir!’s lips. Gaining bis feet with a bound, and seeing the inevitable doom to which his mad commander was consigning them, the helmsman hurled him aside to seize the wheel with almost superhuman power, “Ay, ay! Port it is!” ** Stead y—so!” “Ay,ay! Steady itis!” With a mighty effort the gallant vessel right- ed, and a firm hand at its helm soon wore off from the dangerous reefs, to regain its former course in the channel, ** Light—bo!” cried one of the seamen; and others took up the glad cry, As Captain Morrows ce i to his feet he seemed to realize his mistake. Then his gaze became fixed upon the beacon fire that burned higher and brighter asthe gun sent its answer- ing. boom over the sea, he clangor of the belli was still heard, though the sounds were growing fainter as the ship left further and further to the starboard the point of Woland’s Wreck, The Girl Pilot continued to give her orders as before, while the Sea Jewel fairly flew past the rocks that loomed thick about them, As one after another of the uprearing rocks were safely passed, officers and crew gained courage, The orders from the lookout came less fre- quently until they ceased altogether, The beacon now beamed brightly near at hand, and the threatening reefs no Saves en- com them, Though the storm had lost none of its fury, the waters were more placid, and the Sea Jewel =, 36 om ane on into the waters of St. Julian’s rbor The spell was broken. ES TE LE EE TE = He clutched the ship’s rail frantically and ~ Wild shouts rent the air. ‘* By the eternal night!” cried bluff Captain Morrows, excitedly; ‘‘ that girl has saved our lives. Where are you, miss?” But he received no reply; and then it was found that tbe heroic Girl Pilot had disappeared from ths ship! A few of the sailors declared that they saw her float away into the night, while others as stoutly affirmed that she faded into nothing- ness! ‘“* It’s the way she always goes!” said old Jack Seabell, with a shake of his grizzly head. In the distance the glimmer of lights from the bomes of the fishermen liv along the coast struggled into sight, proving that the mainland was not far away. Leaving the Sea Jewel to makesafe anchorage now that she had run that terrible sea-gantlet, we will turn to other scenes, Cliffwood Mansion, standing on quite an emi- nence, commanded a broad view of the sea, At the moment of the opening of our story a pair of eager watchers stood at one of the win- ows. They were Alan Royston and his wife, the present incumbents of Cliffwood, the home to which Dean Hammond was then returning on board the storm tossed Sea Jewel. And who was Dean Hammond? Morley Hammond, of Cliffwood, had died when bis son Walter was less than a year old. His widow, a couple of years later, married a ovina lover, Calvin Royston, and by him had a son, Alan, Walter, not finding his home as pleasant as it might have been made for him, when ten years of age went to the Old Country, where he lived jorit a distant relative until reaching his ma- ority. He then sent word that he had married an English lady and was about to return to Cliff- wood to live. Time passed on without bringing to their American home young Hammond and bis bride, Then, after an anxious suspense, the tidings of his sudden death reached the dwellers at Cliff- ood, His mother—who perhaps felt conscience- stricken for the ill-treatment of her first-born— did not long outlive the blow, Nearly three years passed, when Walteg Ham- mond’s widowa red at Cliffwood with Dean, her son. Mrs. Hammond, however, had found another husband, and had lost him. Soon after her arrival she became again a mother, Acton Marble being that son by the second m e, Mrs, Marble was kindly received by Ala Royston, her first husband’s half-brother: and, strange enough, a little more than a year lator, she became Alan’s wife. No children blessed that union. His wife, twice a widow, it must be stated, was a agro and wholly-selfish woman, while her excellent husband never found the courage to brook ber will, Of the mother-love for Dean, her first-born, she seemed to have none, while Acton, her sec- ond-born, received every attention an indulgent poreee could lavish upon him, Perhaps it was use he partook more of herown nature. At any rate, from the day of his birth it was her ambition and resolve that he should be the heir to Cliffwood, Young Dean, therefore, found the house of his father’s childhood even more unhappy than it had been made for his father. Royston, his step-father, would have had it different, for he did not like the ways of the ionate little tyrant Acton, spoiled as he was, y his mother’s indulgence. At last for Dean’s sake, kind-hearted Royston suggested that he be sent abroad “to finish his education,” hoping that he would receive a more kindly reception when he should return, Nothing loth, the mother assented; so little Dean was sent away, coming home only after many years, to meet his nearest of kindred, but as a stranger. We may now understand the anxiety with which the watchers at Cliffwood kept their vigil at the window. Royston held in his hand a telescope which he raised often and anxiously to his gaze. ‘**Can you see anything of the ship?” the wife asked for at least the twentieth time as he gazed long and more earnestly over the sea growing Hee er with each succeeding advance of the ale, ene [ think I can make her out, at last,” he said, ‘* She—” ‘* Let me take the glass!” Mrs. Royston ex- ener impatiently. ‘* You act like a wooden man olele) i> mn q55 COMIC co