Beadle's Dime Library No. 103 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

: i _— = — ee ee i ————_— — The sneering order came from Wilber Sebas- tian. er, ee, forward, Lucien Bethune laid his hand lightly upon the pulse. It was strong and strangely even, in spite of what he had undergone, for each blow had been nine stripes ; eighty-four in all. ‘* He can stand four dozen, sir.” Such was the report of the inhuman surgeon, whose duty it was to heal, not to afflict the body of his fellow-kind. The face of Merle was quickly turned toward him, and Lucien Bethune never forgot the look he saw there. ‘Oh, aman with his physique should stand six dozen.” There seemed a strange maliciousness in the voice and words, and Merle turned his eyes upon the speaker; it was Otis Alden, and he remem- bered the gaze that met his. ‘* Boatswain mate, give him another dozen!” Merle nerved himself to bear the torture, and the executioner took his stand. ‘* Never! by the God above, never! with ther tyrants, Jads!” The voice was hoarse and commanding, and Jack Buntline sprang forward, and drove his knife to the hilt in the boatswain mate's bosom. All were taken by surprise at the sudden and bold act; but the crew were now at white heat, and, with their drawn clasp-knives, rushed upon Wilber Sebastian and his supporters. There were loud orders to the marines to fire, and a volley of musketry, that cut down a dozen men, fired at close quarters as it was, and then the officers, and those who upheld them, were driven back upon the quarter-deck. ** Release me! or the love of God sever my bonds!” shrieked Merle; but none heard him; those who had sprung to his defense were seek- ing revenge upon his persecutors. ‘**Oh, God! this must not be,” and with super- buman strength Merle tore himself from the ting, severing the cords that bound him as though they had been so much yarn. With a capstan bar in hand, he rushed into the melee, his face livid, his back bleeding, his eyes glaring, and every muscle standing out ike knots; he seemed a very demon in the fray. ** Back! allof you! Isay back! Obey, or I will crash in your brains with this bar!” It was to the crew he spoke—not to the small — who had rallied around Wilber Sebas- ian, and who were about to be hurled into the sea when Merle appeared upon the scene. “It is for you, sir, we struck,” cried Jack Buntline, in intense surprise. ‘“*T know it, my brave fellow, and I thank you; but this conflict must end here—I com- mand it!” Then turning to Wilber Sebastian, he con- tinued: “‘Captain Sebastian, your hatred for me has caused al] this trouble. Lay down your arms would you and your followers save your lives.’ ‘And give you the chance to lay the lash on our backs?” sneered Wilber Sebastian. ‘“Net so; had I desired I could have raised the men to mutiny ere you scourged my back. Between you and me there is a deadly account to settle, but that time is not now. “Will you surrender, sir?” ‘* What will be done with us?” “Twill hold you and your followers prison- ers, and command the schooner myself, until we meet some vessel that I can take passage upon, accompanied by my brave and unfortu- nate shipmates here. **Then you, and those who choose to remain with you can continue on your cruise in the schooner.” ein guarantee have I that you will do SO ‘“ My word.” ‘“* Bah! you will break it as soon as we are in our power.” ‘Wilber Sebastian, you are a fool; we can hurl you into the sea in five minutes. ‘“* There has been blood enough spilled; a score of dead men are now on this deck as you see; but if you do not accept my terms, which are allin your favor, I will turn the gallant lads loose upon you, and then no mercy shall be shown. “ Why do you wish to save my life?” Merle’s eyes flashed, and his voice trembled, as he said: Peg revenge myself, in my own way, upon ou. Wilber Sebastian shivered in spite of himself and turning to Otis Alden and the others, talked with them for a few moments in a low tone. ‘The time is up! Shipmates get ready!” It was the voice of Merle, and it rung out like a trumpet. “We accept,” sullenly said Captain Sebas- tian, and he extended his sword. Merle quietly took it and threw it into the sea, and in five minutes more Wilbur Sebas- tian and his followers, nine in number, were in Down Merle at once took command of the schooner, appointed acting officers from among the crew and headed for the western end of the island of Cuba, expecting to meet some Mexican trad- ing vessel coming out of the Caribbean Sea. / Merle, The Mutineer. But a storm came on, and for several i Aa the schooner was buffeted about by the ele- ments, and no vessel had been sighted, such as Merle desired to embark on. At length a schooner was descried close in to- ward the Cuban coast, and, Merle’s previous experience in those waters told him that the little craft was one of the Spanish smugglers that ply a good, yet illegal trade along the shores. ‘There is one chance, lads! If the fellow re- fuses to carry us to Mexico we will force him to do it,” said Merle. Half an hour after the little schooner, which had put to flight at sight of the Sea Serpent, was brought to, by a shot. The Spanish flag floated at the peak, and the captain, a swarthy Spaniard, who called him- self an honest trader, was furious at being brought-to, and refused all requests to take the mutineers on board. ‘Then, senor, we shall use force; you have a dozen men and I fifty, all well armed.” The Spaniard saw that resistance was useless and yiekded, while he swore that Spain woul:i make the United States tremble for the insult upon him. ‘* Now, Captain Sebastian, I leave you, butin irons; two of your men I shall carry with me, for a couple of leagues, and then let them re- turn in this boat, by rowing back, and they can unlock your irons. ‘* This will give us several hours’ start, and we will not fear your pursuing us then.” Wilber Sebastian fumed like a tiger at this. He had believed that Merle would release them, and then he intended to stand off and on with the schooner, and sink the little vessel with his guns. . But he was foiled, and saw the mutineers sail away, while he writhed in irons, unable to prevent. When at length the two men returned in the schooner’s yawl, and took off the irons of the risoners, the little vessel was hull down in the istance, and night was coming on. With his decimated crew, and half of them marines, not seamen, pursuit was useless, and the idea was given up. Cram y their having been ironed, all were willing to lie by for the night, and rest themselves; but with the early morn sail was re upon the schooner, and the course laid or Havana. An hour after the yacht was sighted, and with malicious triumph Wilber Sebastian had answered the hail of Arthur Grenville, for he had seen Mildred Monteith ces the deck. His words created the wildest excitement on the Seca and Captain Grenville hissed forth: ‘“ Wilber Sebastian, if you have lied to me I will tear your false tongue from your throat,” and he called away a boat, at the same time tell- ing Estelle to look after Mildred, who had fall- en like one dead upon the deck. CHAPTER XXI. OUTLAWED. Swirt ty the boat from the yacht cut through the waters, and Captain Grenville with angry brow and flashing eyes, sprung upon the deck of the schooner. At the gangway he was met by Wilber Sebas- tian, who saidin a tone of reproach: “] forgive your savage words, Grenville, for I know you must feel fearfully cut and hurt as I do; but it was all so sudden and unexpected.” ‘This is no explanation, sir.” ‘*T will soon give it: but how is it I find you cruising upon the coast of Cuba, when I left you at New Orleans?’ ‘‘Captain Sebastian, are you attempting to trifle with me?’ ‘“ By no means, Grenville; but your presence here rises me, and—” ‘‘Sebastian, you have made the vilest charge, in the naval catalogue of crimes, against Merle Grenville, and I demand that you substantiate it; if you do not, and fully, by the God in Heaven! you should rue it, were you my own brother.” Wilber Sebastian, a coward at heart, was as- tounded; he felt that he had gone too far. He had hated Merle from the first, and had only wished him under his command to destroy him, apparently in a legitimate way, but effec- tually, and the opportunity had come sooner than he had ee Both Otis Alden and Lucien Bethune were largely his debtors for gambling debts, and, un- principled as he was, well he knew that he could use them, hence he had made known to them that Merle was his rival and must, in some man- ner be gotten out of the to and under the ong of a release of their go d obligations to im, they had entered into his plans. Mildred, Wilber Sebastian was determined to win, and he felt that he could do so, if Merle was out of the way. A petty tyrant, he had enjoyed showing the crew his power, buf he had not thought Merle would so soon place himself in his clutches. Now that the affair was over, he could tell his — story, and be backed up in it by those with — Had he been able to kill Merle, so much the better for him, for there could be ne proof against him, and his hirelings would swear ashe wished them, and the deserters and mutineers would not dare appear upon American soil to prosecute him. But now, he had to face Arthur Grenville, himself a sailor and a gallant one, and who he knew would hold him to the strictest account- ability for his conduct toward Merle. ‘Captain Grenville,” he began, slowly, ‘“‘I° desire to make a statement to you, sir, and if you doubt it, you are at liberty to act as you please in the matter.” ‘* First, sir, where is Mr. Grenville?’ ‘He left this schooner yesterday heading the crew whom he led in mutiny.” ‘* How did he leave, sir?’ ‘“*T will tell you all, and Lieutenant Alden, and my surgeon, Dr. Bethune, besides the others that are with me, will vouch for the truth of what I say.” ‘“A gentleman’s word should need ne vouch- ers, sir.” Wilber Sebastian winced at the cutting re- mark, and replied: Upon leaving New Orleans, Captain Gren- ville, [ discovered that I had a bad lot to deal with in the shape of a crew, and, when we struck blue water, their conduct was such that I was compelled to have five of the worst triced up and given the cat; but this did no good, and in dealing severely with one stubborn fellow I was most shamefully abused by Grenville, who, before all, called me a wretch, and—” ‘Did Merle do this wrong?’ asked Captain Grenvillle, who could not tolerate interference with duty upon board ship, yet who little knew what cause Merle had to interfere. ‘***Pon honor he did, and worse; in fact he was so abusive to me that I demanded his sword, and before my eyes he broke it in twain and threw the pieces into the séa.” ‘‘ The boy must have gone mad.” ‘So I thought, and so 1 verily believe, for he st to lose control of bimself all of a sud- en. ‘** When he did this, I ordered him under ar- rest, and, the crew at his back, he led the mu- tineers; the boatswain’s mate was killed, and then a score of men lost their lives, until we aurea aeee and ironed—we whom you see ere. ““ 7 ; LBS ey is astounding, that you tell me, Se- ‘“‘ It certainly was to me, Grenville.” **Go on, I am listening.’ “Well, during the days of storm we were kept in irons, and yesterday afternoon the mu- tineers fired upon a Spanish trading schooner, and captured it, after which he took his muti- nous hounds with him and stood away into the Gulf, but I think his destination is to some Mex- ican 8 he ‘Why did you not sink him with your guns when he left the schooner?” ‘*Such was my intention; but he eutwitted me, by leaving us in irons and ing two of my men with him, until he was hull down; they then rowed back and released us, and here we are, en route to Havana.” ‘Sebastian, what I hear crushes m in mankind. Great God! for Merle to a deed! ‘* But if he has thus been guilty he should not escape. Havana is but ten leagues away and the Governor-General will send vessels in pursuit: no, I believe that there is an American cruiser in the harbor, and you can man your schooner with part of its crew, and both go in chase.” This was not what Wilber Sebastian desired. If an American vessel captured the mutineers it would necessitate a court-martial in the United prep! and the ugly truth, for him, would come out. If a Spanish vessel captured Merle and his fol- lowers they would be given but the show of a trial, condemned and executed within twenty- four hours. Then a sudden thought came to him. “‘ But this was in Spanish waters, and the ves- sel seized was a Spaniard, so the Governor-Gen- eral will have to act in the matter.” “It matters not, so that some one acts promptly. This spirit of mutiny must be crushed at once, or our navy will go to the dogs. Now I will return at once to the yacht, and we will head for Havana. “Ah, me! Itisasad duty to tell poor Mil- dred and Estelle this galling story,” and Arthur Grenville returned to his boat, and five minutes after the yacht and schooner-of-war were swift- ly — along in the direction of Havana. pon arriving on board the or gee Captain Grenville found that Mildred had recovered from her swoon, and she was seated in impa- tient expectancy awaiting his Seem, while, almost equally as pale, Estelle sat by her side. ‘* Well, is he dead?” The words were jerked out by the beautiful 1, ex No! Would to God he was,” “Captain Grenville, what do you mean?” and Mildred sprung to her feet and confronted him. ‘‘ Be seated, my poor child, and have your fond heart torn as mine has been. ’ trust oO such (E(@) EoOmicdooks