Beadle's Dime Library No. 162 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

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OS a ee ee er es a ~ ee ee 6 ee = The Mad Mariner. _-_ -—— Tl] make it three hundred.” * No necks broken?” sé No.” bs No risk to me?” ““ Nobody shall know I do it” os No. ” **Three hundred dollars?” st Yes. ” “*Got’em with you?’ ** Here they are; take them now.” “T'm the Jehu you is looking for,” and the gold followed its companions into the driver's spacious pocket, “Now talk,” he said, bluntly. ‘‘]| wish you torun into some hole, and tell all hands to get out, excepting the prisoner, and give a push at the wheels; then let the horses go ahead at a run, and leave the party behind; you can call back that they are running away.” ** Well?” “ After you have run several miles you can draw up, and drive back slowly, and tell the officer and his men, when you meet them, that the prisoner jumped out and escaped.” ; ‘Is there any risk to you in this?’ ‘*Can’t see it exactly.” “You have a wild team you say?” “ Yes, indeed; they’reflightning, and the boys at the stable said they’ t away with me.” “Then that would clear you, if anything happened; but mind you, get into a place that you can get out of at a run,” **T’ll do it.” *T tell you this now in case the officer refuses to let me go.” “ What will youdo?” | ‘‘Go to the nearest stable and follow in a hired team; then pass you and keep on ahead.” ‘* You're lightning; guess you're interested in the prisoner.” “ Yes,” “You've put up a good job.” “ And, with your aid will carry it out.” * Tv’s a little ticklish.” “ Here take these odd pieces of gold, and say no more about it.” ‘11 do it, and when Tim Burns pledges his word, he’ll keep it, for you’ve been to me, and I can just fix the old woman and little ones in a snug cottage three years sooner than I laid out I could do,’ “Enough, there is the dock, and I see the boat coming in.” 4 “She's coming, and there’s a good party on board; you hold ’em, and I'll jump down, so as they won’t notice you, for I wants you along on the box with me, as you gives me grit.” The coach drew up then, just as the boat touched the wharf, and the beginning of the end WAR Near, CHAPTER XXV. A RUNAWAY. Neuvovus.y did Clarice Bond watch the boat land, and the person who got out of it. First an officer, enveloped in a cloak got out, and following him camé a sergeant of marines. Then followed, aided by two marines, the prisoner, heavily ironed. Next two other marines, and a sailor carry- ing some bageage. af met besides poor Duke,” muttered the woman between her shut teeth. The officer addressed the driver, and told him to drive to the landing upon arrival in Was1- ington, opposite to where a vessel of war was anchor.d, as the prisoner was to be taken on board of her. - Then Clarice feared that he was going to ride upon the box, but glancing up he saw her, and “Who have you there with you, driver?’ “ My attendant, sir, from the stable.” **Oh yes; well, are you all ready?” ** As soon as you get in, sir.” The officer entered first, taking a back seat. Then Duke Gregory was ai in, and Clarice Bond observed that he was ironed on his ankles as well as wrists, and that heavy chains con- nected the Bppee and lower manacles, ‘So much the bettef; he will not be asked to get out to lighten the stage,” she said grimly, Duke took the back seat, by the side of the Officer, and the sergeant, his four marines and the sailor occupied the other two seats, the bag- gage being thrown on the e few idlers about the dock saw the depar- ture of the stage, but no word was spoken by them. ‘“* All ready, driver,” said the officer. “Yes, sir; get up, critters,” and the driver sent his horses along at a quick trot. ‘* So far good,” he said to the woman. ‘Yes, we have crossed the Rubicon,” she an- swered. ‘*You mean Baltimore street,” remarked the man, not understanding her classical applica- tion. ‘* Yes,” murmured Clarice, not caring to give lessous in ancient history then. . Oh, that’s ahead of us; yonder where you see that lamp swinging across the street. Clarice made no reply, and the stage rolled swiftly, passed off the paved streets, out upon the country road, and the horses moved on at a brisk poe evidently very willing to go. With pants were dead, though an occasional whiff of smoke out of each window showd that the of- ficer and his prisoner were both enj ying a vigar, whatever might be the subject of their thoughts. ‘‘ How far have you come now?’ asked the woman, as the stage rolled away from the Re. lay, where the horses were changed, another spirited four being hitched in their stead. ‘*Ten miles.” ‘‘Then soon you must get stalled in a ditch,” ‘Yes, and I know the exact place.” ‘*Tam glad of it; all depeuds upon you now,” ‘* You bave seen me handle the ribbons?” “ Yes. ” ‘*T hope I do it to suit you?” ‘Yes, thoroughly.” ‘Then don’t worry, sir, for l’ll play my part same as a theater-actor, for having been stuck in the place in bad weather, I guess I can play stuck now,” ‘*T leave all to you.” ‘“You have paid well for my services, and ou shall have ’em, I’ll swear; but I see a ve- icle ahead.” “ec Ah he Instantly Clarice Bond took a dark lantern from beside her on the seat, raised the slide, and made a circling motion with it, and then closed it quickly. ‘* What in thunder is that?’ asked the driver. ‘‘ A signal for that vehicle, if it is the one I hope it ig; if not, there will be no harm done,” ‘That's so. ‘Well, he’s turning round,” “ Then it is the one I hope it is; now find_your stalling place as soon as you please and do your duty.” ‘* It’s right round the bend.” The driver now devoted himself to his horses, and watching the road carefully, as the cage rolled + ge a piece of causeway, ho suddenly drew his wheel‘horses sharply one side, and down went the left wheels of the coach off the end of the logs laid down across the bog. The sudden drop on one side shook those up considerably within the coach, and would have thrown Clarice from the box, had she not been prepared for it. ‘“Goll darn them hosses, sbying like that! they has got my wheels off the causeway,” cried the driver in a loud voice. ‘*[ should think so; is anything broken?” asked the officer, putting his head out of the window. ‘“‘T guesses not, sir; but it will be a hard pall cut of here, and [ll have to ask you all to get out and give mea lighter load to draw.” * All right; myself and men will get out, but the prisoner is heavily ironed, and— ‘“‘Oh he can stay in, sir; his weight won't make much difference; bere, Benny, you take the lines of the leaders, and Ill manage tue wheelers,” said the driver. Out of the coach A aay the officer, and rapidly the others followed him, and the door was closed to, kaving only the prisoner within, ‘* Now, all ready!” sung out the driver. At the same time he showed bis skill with the whip and rein, and the horses bounded for- ward, and after a short pull dragged the wheels back on the causeway, and then away they dashed at 52 a “Hold! stop! river, for God's sake hold them!” yelled the naval cflicer. “‘Help me! catch em, for they is running away!” yelled back the driver, at the same time giving them free rein and urging them on. Tho offcers and marines gave chase, but as wee evens they have attempted to catch the win The stage swayed wildly from side to side, and bounded over the rough causeway at terrific s k But the driver had now all his reins in hand and held control over the frightened team, and felt his ability to check them, for his foot was on the brake, ready for use if needed. **Tt’s a clear runaway,” he cried in real glee, and the next moment they struck the dirt road. ‘* Now let them go,” said Clarence Bond. ‘*1"]1 do it sure; Lordy, that officer and his men will die of running, but in ten minutes we'll leave ’em two miles back; but [ don’t hear anything from the prisoner.” **T suppose he would rather be dashed against a tree and killed, than hanged, s0 take it easy,” remarked the woman grimly. ‘*T s’pose so; but hain’t we ripping along?” ‘““We are indeed, and you are a splendid driver.” | ‘‘Ought to be; been fifteen year at it, man and boy, over this very road.” For a short while the two remained silent, while the horses thundered along, and then the driver said: ‘**There’s that vehicle ahead,” “ All right; how far bebiad are the pursuers?” ‘*Over two miles.” “Then catch up with yonder vehicle and draw up, and we’ll leave you.” “ Sorry to have you go, fer you are a prime fellow; but I’ll just break my brake, and swear n, all was as silent as though the occu- | | pieces into the driver’s hand, Clarice I couldn’t stop ’em afore, though they is almighty willing to stop now.” ‘* Ho! Carl aboy!” sung out Clarice Bond in hoarse tones, as they came up behind the vebicle. ‘Ay, ay, Bond,” ‘‘ Draw rein and we'll make the changes now.” “Ay, ay,’ and the vehicle and the coach stopped side by side in the road. ‘Here, give this to the little ones, for ie old- ond clambered down from the box, and threw open the stage door. CHAPTER XXVIL. THE ESCAPE. ** DUKE GREGORY ahoy !” i The words broke excitedly from the woman’s ips. ‘* Good God! you /” came from within the dark have done nobly,” and slipping a few ge, ‘Yes, and I am here to save you; here, Carl aid him imto your carriage, and be quick about “ec But—” ‘‘ No buts to me, Duke; you must do asI say: aid yourself all you can, while I hold these horses.” He silently obeyed, and the trensfer was quickly made. ‘* Here’s your baggage, my friend, and I am obli to you forever; luck to you all, say I. ‘* Now I must go back and pick up my party and tell them the prisoner jumped out and got away, and I’ll not be lying, that’s certain. “ -by all.” The honest driver saw the vehicle dash away, and having dislocated bis brake, turned his tired horses back for his ao A drive back of a couple-of miles and he met them coming on-as rapidly as they could, and nearly tired out by their run, ‘Well, thank God, you stopped them,” the officer. ‘*That cussed brake broke, sir, or they’d not got away with me; but your prisoner has gone. ‘* Good God! gone?” ‘He has for sure; when I got em down to a4 walk, the door suddenly opened and he lighted out like a deer, having gotten his irons «ff his ] Fed “SC There has been treachery in this, by the Heaven above!” and just then, the sergeant and m in their excitement joining in chorus, thene was a volley of oaths issued, that would bave done credit to the army in Flan- ders, ‘‘He may be taken, sir, for the young man with me went off in itand he’s a good runner; innocently a Ey ver. ‘Quick! drive us to the point where he es- a ; and I will mount with you.” ff the stage started once more, but the driver did not go very fast, urging as a reason, his brake being n, he feared his team might get away with him Again. ‘‘Here’s about where he lit out,” said the driver, drawing up at a spot about half a mile before he came to the place, and adding, to relieve his conscience of the lie: ‘‘ As near as I can recall, being busy with my horses.” It was a gloomy spot in a dense forest, and to look for a prisoner there, was about equal to the Saypestre task of fin a needle in a bay- stack, But the lieutenant dismounted and set his men to work. | They hallooed, as though they expected the prisoner to answer them. Bat only silence was the response, excepting the disnial hooting of a disturbed owl ‘Your man ought to answer, if be is any- where near,” said the officer to the driver. ‘‘ That’s so, sir; but he’s a good runner, as I told you and may have gone on out of hear- ing. Z I'll give a year’s pay to catch that man,” said the officer, adding sotto voce: “Tt will all be blamed on me, though I am at heart innocent.” ‘‘T wonder what bis pay isa year,” thought the driver; but his better nature gaining the ascendency, be added: ‘No, I'll not go back on those as did the uare ching me, if he was an admiral, and offered me his pay.” | Then aloud he said: ‘“‘The Annapolis cross-roads, sir, is about three miles from here, and we might drive on there and see what can be done,” ‘* All right; we can get horses there, and in the morning make a thorough search of the sur- roundings and I believe we can capture him. I also wish to send a messenger to Washington and Baltimore to make a report of his escape and ask advice.” [ato the stage they got and on it rolled to the cross-roads tavern. There was a fresh relay of borses waiting the stage, for those on a had reported its com- ing’; but after a consultation with the landlord, the naval officer decided that all he coyld do would be to dispatch messengers post haste to Eomicbooks.co: