Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 11 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

a eS a 18 a et - Se > = Bi - = ” La => The New York Library. receive what he has not seen—why, there are only four | dren, and a of them?”’ **Oh, [have no fear of them, only it may be as well to sleep with one eye open.” ‘When shall we make the land?” | | | —————— Ne ee “Well, if he wishes to take what he has seen, he shall | sailed, and then there will be a pack of wives and chil- ag henge with knives, asking us what has become of the men of the boat?” ‘**T don’t much like the idea of that,” said Jack. “And if we don’t have such bad luck, still we shall be interrogated as to who we are and how we were adrift “To-morrow evening with this wind, and it appears | by ourselves.” to be steady. have our pistols out ready, with the great-coats just turned over them, to keep them out of sight?”’ * Arreed—it’s about twelve o’clock now—who shall keep the middle watch?” **T will, Jack, if you like it.”’ Suppose we keep watch and watch, and | “There will be a difficulty about that again—we must swear that it isa party of pleasure, and that we are gen- tlemen yatching.” ‘ Without a crew or provisions—yachts don’t sail with a clean area hold, or gentlemen without a spare shirt; we have no “Well, then, mind you kick me hard, for I sleep dev- | of pistols.”’ ilish sound. Good-night, and keep a sharp lookout.” Jack was fast asleep in less than ten minutes; and | in our own boat, who went out to Gozo wit Gascoigne, with his pistols lying by him all ready for each hand, sat up at the bottom of the boat. There is certainly a peculiar providence in favor of midshipmen compared with the rest of mankind; they | ifm | nothing in the boat. have more lives than a cat—aiways in the greatest dan- ger, but always escaping from it. ' ‘“*T have it,” said Jack, “we are two young gentlemen pistols to shoot sea-mews, were ne in a gale, and blown down to Sicily—that will excite interest.” “That’s the best idea yet, as it will account for our Well, then, at all even we will get rid of the bodies; but suppose they are no dead—we cannot throw them overboard alive—that will The padrone of the vessel had been captivated with | be murder.” the doubloons which Jack had so foolishly exposed to a view, and he had, moreover, resolved to obtain them. At the very time that our two lads were con- | j | “Very true,” replied Jack, ‘‘ then we must shoot them first, and toss them overboard afterward.”’ 2 Upon my soul, Easy, you are an odd fellow; how- versing aft, the padrone was talking the matter over | ever, gO and examine the men, and we'll decide that b with his two men forward, and it was agreed that they | point should murder, rifle, and then throw them overboard. About two o'clock in the morning, the padrone came aft to see if they were asleep, but found Gascoigne watching. He returned aft again and again, but found the young man still sitting up. Tired of waiting, anxious y-and-by; you had better keep your pistol ready cocked, for they may be pager “Devil a bit of sham here, anyhow,” replied Jack, ulling at the body of the padrone, ‘“‘and as for this ellow you shot, you might put your fist into his chest. | " __ Having finished their meal, Jack went forward ana observed the land ahead; they steered the same coursa | for three or four hours, | ‘We must haul our wind more,” said Gascoigne; “it will not do to put into any small town; we have now to choose whether we shall land on the coast and sink the speronare, or land at some large town.” ‘We must argue th t point,” replied Jack. “In the meantime do you take the helm, for my a1 is quite tired,’’ replied Gascoigne; “ you can steer w: */ enough; by-the-b : I may as well look at my shoulder for it is quite stiff.”. Gascoigne pulled off his coat, av hing but two gallons of water and two pairs | found his shirt bloody and sticking to the wound, whic } | a8 we before observed, was slight. He again took i) 5 _ helm, while Jack washed it clean, and then bathed it wONOe teen th helm again,” said G “Now take the he * ascoigne: “I rm: on the sick list.” ree 7 “And as surgeon—I'm an idler,” replied Jack: “but what shall we do?” continued he; “ abandon the spe: onare at night and sink her, or run in for a town?” We shall fall in with plenty of boats and vessels !f we coast it up to Palermo, and they may overhaul us,” “We shall fall in with plenty of people if we go on shore, and they will overhaul us.” “Do you know, Jack, that I wish we were back arid ome of the y; I’ve had cruising enough.” ‘ y cruises are so unfortunate,” replied Jack: “they are too full of adventure; but then I have nev: r et had a cruise on shore. Now, if we could only get * » | Palermo, we should be out of all our difficulties.” “The breeze freshens, Jack,” replied pap Lk ‘Now for the third,” continued Jack, stepping over | ‘‘ and it begins to look very dirty to windward. It to possess the eo and not supposing that the lads | the strengthening piece—“ he's all among the baskets. ) were armed, he wen the men. é nce more forward and spoke to | I say, my cock, are Gascoigne had watched his motions; he. thought it singular that with three men in the vessel, | the helm should be confided to the boy—and at last he | him,” said Jack, pointing to his pisto saw them draw their knives. He pushed our hero, who | ou dead?’ and Jack enforced his question with a kick in the ribs. The man groaned. “ That’s unlucky, Gascoigne, but however I'll soon settle 1. “Stop, Jack,” cried Gascoigne, “it really will be mur- woke immediately. Gascoigne put his hand over Jack's | der.” mouth, that he might not speak, and then whispered | his suspicions. Jack seized his pistols—they bot cock- ed them without noise, and then waited in silence, Jack still lying down, while Gascoigne continued to sit up at the bottom of the boat. At last Gascoigne saw the three men coming aft—he dropped one of his pistols ‘*No such thing, Ned; I'll just blow his brains out, and then I'll come aft and arguo the D gree with you.” ** Now do oblige me by coming aft and arguing the point first. Do, Jack, I beg of ror entreat you. “With all my heart,” replied Jack, resuming his seat by Gascoigne; ‘‘ Lassert, that in this instance kill- for a second to give Jack a squeeze of the hand, which | mg is no murder. “You will observe, Ned, that by the was returned, and as Gascoigne watched them making | laws of society, any one who attempts the life of an- their way through the piles of empty baskets he lean- ed back as if he was slumbering. The padrone, follow- ed by the two men, was at last aft,—they paused a mo- ment before they stepped over the strengthening plank, whieh ran from side to side of the boat betwen them and the midshipmen, and as neither of them stirred, they imagined that both were asleep—advanced and raised their knives, when Gascoigne and Jack, al- most at the same moment, each discharged their pis- other has forfeited his own; at the same time, as it is necessary that the fact should be clearly proved, and justice be duly administered, the ooh oe are tried, con- victed, and then are sentenced to the punishment," ‘“*T grant all that.” “* In this instance the attempt has been clearly proved; we are the witnesses, and are the judges and jury, an society in general, for the best of all possible reasons, because there is nobody else. These men’s lives being tols into-the breast of the padrone and one of the men, | therefore forfeited to society, belong to us; and it does who was with him in advance, who both fell with the | not follow because they were not all killed send aft of the boat, so as to encumber the midst pmen | with the weight of their bodies. The third man start- in the at- tempt, that therefore “y are not now to be brought out for punishment. And as there is nocommon hang- ed back, Jack, who could not rise, from the padrone | man here, we, of course, must do this duty as well as lying across his legs, took a steady aim with a second | every other. I have now clearly proved that I am jus- pistol, and the third man fel.. done, vr seeing the men advance with their knives, had | acted upon what he saw, also drew his knife and struck | at Gaseoigne from behind; the knife fortunately, after slightly wounding Gascoigne on the shoulder, had shut on the boy’s hand—Gascoigne sprung up with his other istol—the boy started back at the sight o2 it, lost his ance, and fell overboard. Our two midshipmen took a few seconds to breathe. “I say, Jack,’ said Gascoigne at last, “did you ever—"’ “No, Inever—” replied Jack. “What's to be done now ?” ‘*“Why, as we’ve got possession, Ned, we had better put a man at the helm—for the speronare is having it all her own way.”’ ** Very true,”’ replied Gascoigne, *‘ and as I can steer better than you, I suppose it must be me.” Gascoigne went to the helm, brought the boat up to the wind, and then they resumed their conversation. “That rascal of a boy gave me a devil of a lick on | the shoulder: I don’t know whether he has hurt me— | at all events it’s my left shoulder, so I can steer just as well.. I wonder whether the fellows are dead.”’ “The padrone is, at all events,” replied Jack. “It ‘The boy at the helm, | tifie who, it appeared, either was aware of what was to be | does not i eng? Age figs pl gone is the fi in what I am about todo. Bury the arya law of we do not get rid of this man, what is the nature, and have to account for bis consequence?—that we shall | being wounded, and then, instead of judges, we shall immediately be placed in the position of te and have to defend ourselves without witnesses. We there- fore risk our lives from a misplaced lenity toward a wretch unwerthy to live.” “Your last argument is strong, Easy, but I cannot consent to your doing what may occasion you un- easiness hereafter, when you think of it.”’ ** Pooh! nonsense—I am a Se ya “Of what school, Jack? Oh, 1 presume you area disciple of Mesty’s. Ido not mean to say that you are wrong, but still hear my proposition. Let us lower down the sail,and then Ican leave the helm to assist you. Wewill clear the vessel of everything except the man who is still alive. At all events, we may waita little, and if at last there is no help for it, I will then with you to launch him overboard, even if he is net ae Finn aking out, it will be ‘** Agreed; even by your own m out, it w no great sin. He is hal? dead already. Lonly dohalf the work of tossing him over, so it will be only quarter murder on my part, and he would have shown no was as much as I could do to get my legs from under | quarter on his.” Here Jack left off arguing and pun- him—but we'll wait till daylight before we see to that | ning, and went forward and lowered down the sail. —in the meantime I’) load the pistols again.”’ “é I’ve half a mind to take my doubloons back,” said “The day is breaking now—it will be light in half an | Jack, as they launched over the body of the padrone hour or less. What a devil of a spree, Jack!” ‘*Yes, but how can one help it? We ran — be- cause two men are wounded—and now we are obliged to kill four in self-defense.” * Yes, but that is not the end of it; when we get to Sicily what are we to do? we shall be imprisoned by the authorities—perhaps hung.” * We'll argue that point with them,” replied Jack. “We had better ange the point between ourselv Jack, and see what wi our scrape.” “I think that we have just got out of it—never fear but we'll get out of the next. Do you know, Gas- coigne, it appears to me very odd, but I can do nothing, but there’s a bobbery at the bottom of it.” ** You certainly have a great talent that way, Jack. Don’t I hear one of these poor fellows groan?” “T shovJd think that not impossible.’ * What shall we do with them?” “We will argue the point. Ned—we must either keep their bodies, or we must throw them overboard. Either tell the whole story, or say nothing about it.” “That's very evicent: in short, we must do some- thing, for your argument goes no further, But now let us take up one of your propositions,” “Well, then, suppose we keep the bodies on board run into a seaport, go to the authorities, and state all the facts, what then?” “We shali prove, beyond all doubt that we have killed three men, if not four; but we shall not prove that we were obliged so to do, Jack. And then we are heretics—we shall be put in prison till they are satisfied of ourinnocence, which we never can prove, and there we shall remain until we have written to Malta, and a man-of-war comes to redeem us, if we are not stabbed, or es else, ~ the renee : : replied “That will not be a very pleasant cruise,’ re Jack. ‘ Now let’s argue the point on the other side.” “There is some difficulty there—sup we throw their bodies overboard, toss the baskets after them, wash the boat clean, and make for the first port. We may cuance to hit upou the very spot from which they i “but he may have them—I wonder whether they'll ever turn up “hy. ‘Not in our time Jack,”’ replied Gasncaee. The other body, and all the basket lumber, etc., were then tossed over, and the boat was cleared of all but the man who was not yet dead. “Now let’s examine the fellow, and see if he has any chance of eacorery ” said Gascoigne. e man lay on his de; Gascoigne turned him over, be the best plan to get out of | and found,that he was dead. “ Over with him, quick,” said Jack, ** before he comes to life again.”’ The body disa under the wave—they n hoisted the sail, Gascoigne took the helm, and our hero roceeded to draw water and wash away the stains of lood; he then cleaned the boat of vine-leaves and rub- bish with which it was strewed, swept it clean fore and aft, and resumed his seat by his comrade. “ There,” said Jack; ‘“‘now we've swept the decks, we may pipeto dinner. I wonder whether there is any- thing to eat in the locker." Jack opened it, and found some bread, garlic, saus- ages, a bottle of aquadente, and a jar of wine. ‘So the padrone did keep his promise, after “Yes, and had you not tempted him with the sight of so much pot mien now have been alive.” “To which I reply, that if you had not advised our going off in a speronare, he would now have been ve,”’ “And if you had not fought a duel, Ishould not have given the advice,” “ And if the boatswain had not been ob to come on board without his trowsers, at Gibraltar, I should not have — a duel,” ” “* And if you had not joined the ship the boatswain would have had his nh sae on,”’ : ** And if my father had not been a philosopher I should not have gone to sea; so that i‘*is all my father’s fault, and he has killed four men off the of Sic th- out knowing it—cause and effect. After all there's nothing like argument; so, having settled that point, let | helm us go to dinner,.”’ | we shall havea | lown off shore this time.”’ | a Es take the ‘hoist it up; if Gascoigne left the helm to hel eee a ale.”’ ** Pleasant—I know what it is to be short-handed ii. « ale; however, there’s one comfort, we shall not by “No, but we may be wrecked on a lee shore. S« _cannot carry her whole sail, Easy; we must lower it down, and take in a reef; the sooner the better, for it will be dark inanhour. Go forward and lower it down, and then I'll help you.” Jack did so, but the sail went into the water, and }« could not drag it in. “Avast heaving,’ said Gascoigne, “ till I throw her wind out of it.” reefed the sail, but tig roy ACK, the sail filled; if he went to the helm and took the wird out of the sail, Jack was not enti § enough to hoist '*, The wind increased rapidly, and the sea got up; th: sun went down, and with the sail half hoist , ther could not eg 2 to the wind, but were ob to run right for the land. The ronare flew, rising on tho crest of the waves with her keel clear of the water: the moon was already up, and gave them light enous) to perceive that they were not five miles away from ‘'.2 coast, which was lined with foam. “ At all events, they can’t accuse us of running aw..7 with the boat,’ observed Jack, ‘for she’s running away with ead @ , " “Yes, rep ascoigne, dragging at the tiller wit!) ne pe renee **she hea taken the bit between he,’ S was done; the itt, I wouldn't care if I had a bit between mine.” :»- lied Jack; ‘“‘for I feel devilish hungry again. Whe. | do you say, Ned?” “With all my heart,” as Gascoigne; “but, «+ nae f know, Easy, it may the last meal we ever m e 9 “Then I vote it’s a good one—but why so, Ned?” vow In half an hour, or thereabouts, we shall be cov ore ” ** Well, that’s where we want to go.” “Yes, but the sea runs high, and the boat may be ed to pieces on the rocks.” “Then we shall be asked no questions about her <r the men.”’ “Very true, but a leeshore is no joke; we may ~. knocked to pieces as well as the boat—even swimm(’\s may not help us. If we could find a cove or san beach, we might, perhaps, manage to get on shore.” “Well,” replied Jack, “I have not been long at sea, and, of course, cannot know much about these things. I have been blown off shore, but I never have bec» blown on, It may be as you say, but Ido not see tls steak, Canara 10 ‘$8 run her right up on the beach ct n ce. ‘That's what I shall try to do,” replied Gascoigne who had been four years at sea, and knew very well what he was about. Jack handed him a huge piece of bread and sausage. “Thank ye, I cannot eat.” | “I can,” replied Jack, with his mouth full. Jack ate while Gascoigne steered; and the replaity with which the ronare rushed to the beach was o most frightful. She darted like an arrow from wave to wave, anda as if mocking their attempts - 2 they curled their summits almost over her nari -v stern. They were within a mile of the beach, w)): » Jack, who had finished his supper, and was looking ¢ the foam boiling, on the coast, exclaimed— “That's very fine—very beautiful, upon my soul!” ° “He cares for nothing,” thought Gascoigne; “} 5 appears to have no idea o ee “Now, my dear fellow,” said Gascoigne, “in a fe~r minutes we shall be on the rocks. 1 must continuc + the helm, for the higher she is forced up the bet ¢ chance for us; but_we may not meet again, so if we .o not, food by, and God bless you.” “Gascoigne,” said Jack, “you are hurt, and I um not: ae shoulder is stiff, and you can hardly mo * your left arm. Now I can steer for the rocks as wel! -« ou. Do you go to the bow, and there you will havc « rchance. By-the-by,” continued he, picking v > his pistols, and sticking them into his waist, “T won't leave them, they've served us too good a turn alread’. Gascoigne, give me the helm.” rT No, no, \ a “I say yes,” replied Jack, in a loud, authoritat':s tone, ‘‘and what’s more, I will be obeyed, Gascoir-ne, I have nerve, if I haven't knowledge, and at all ever’ s | can steer for the beach, I tell you, give me the heh 1, Well, ther, if you won't, I must take it.”’ Easy wrested the tiller from Gascoigne’s hand, >.:¢ gave him a shove forward. | Rs sd do you look out ahead, and tell me how to r ” ; Whatever may have been Gascoizne’s feeli at ih) behavior of our hero's, it immediately oeckrred to hita that he could not do better than to run the pay + to the safest point, and that therefore he was probah! more advantageously employed than if yp ‘at too KS-CO —