Beadle's Dime Library No. 162 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

RR - ee The Mad Mariner. 19 The plucky officer at once drew a pistol from his breast, and springing back fired. With the report there was a heavy fall upon the deck; but through the puff of smoke bound- ed a tall form, and seizing the Lieutenant Nevil in his arms he hurled him over the bul- warks into the sea, while he cried in stern, suppressed tones: “Do not hurt a man of them, lads, but hurl them overboard.” The speaker was Duke Gregory, and he was towering with passion, and quickly his orders were obeyed until not one of the schooner’s crew remained on board. ‘‘Now up with those sails, lively, lads! ‘‘Mr. Maddocks, take the helm, please; boat- swain, set everything that will draw, and lose no time, for even in this lonely anchorage that shot, and the cries of those men will at- tract attention.” Rapidly had Duke Gregory, no longer in dis- guise, issued his orders, and with promptness they were obeyed by the crew, and the schooner swung free from the bottom, and began to feel the pressure of the ten-knot breeze that was blowing upon her sails. Springing to the side of the one who had fallen at the shot of Arthur Nevil, to his horror Duke Gregory beheld the one who had come ahead as the pretended midshipman from the America, It was Clarice Bond, his mother, and she was dying. ““T told you that my time was coming, my son; but don’t mind me, but look after your schooner,” she said, faintly. With acry of rage, he drew a pistol from his breast and sprung upon the bulwark. All knew his intention: it was to kill the one who had shot down his mother. But the schooner had forged ahead of the boats and out from among the swimming sailors. Duke Gregory, for the devotion of his mother to him had won his idolatrous worship, and he loved her the stronger, for having found so late in life a mother to love, even though she had been weak and wicked. If she had sinned at first, she had not known it, and sinning afterward, it was all for him. With a violent effort he controlled his emo- tion, and called out in his trumpet tones: “Go to your guns, men!” : Instantly they obeyed. ** Prepare for action !” He knew the schooner well, and his direc- tions to get ammunition and arms were quickly carried out, and before the Arrow had gone a mile he had his crew ready for action. ‘* Now, Maddocks, my flag!” At this order Maddocks fastened to the hal- yard a sable roll, and stood ready to run it up to the peak at an order from his leader. CHAPTER XL. THE MAD MARINER, ‘“‘ At the guns, then!” shouted Duke Gregory in stern tones that reached every part of the deck. ‘‘Ay, ay, sir,” came a deep response in chorus from the crew. ‘*Load your guns with blank cartridges to salute your colors!” ‘* Ay, ay, sir, all ready.” The Arrow was now within a quarter of a mile of the group of vess~ls of war, which were five in number. It was evident that her approach was seen; for she was expected, but under a far different captain and crew, and all were anxious to see the craft that had been captured from Captain Cloud the pirate, and which had led such an eventful career, and was now in such splendid condition for another cruise. Her captain and crew on the frigate were all ready to board ber when she should luff up A glance showed him that they were climb- | and anchor, and she was sighted coming down ing into the largest of the boats set adrift by his men upon reaching the schooner. Instantly he ran to the helm, and seizing it from the hands of Maddocks, hc cried in trum- pet tones: ‘*Ready about!” What could his strange order mean? The schooner was dashing swiftly along on her course down the harbor, and yet ber dar- ing commander was putting about. All looked dumb with amazement, until his ringing tones made them spring to their posts. And about the schooner went, as on a pivot, and stood away on a course almost in the op- posite direction from which she bad been go- ing. | And on this she rushed like the wind until the docks loomed up dead ahead. Then came again the order in clarion tones: ‘Ready about!” Once more the graceful and thoroughly working schooner went round, and then getting the full impetus ef the strong breeze, which was blowing almost hai{ u gale, rushed for- ward like a race-horse, with everything set that would draw. Then the crew saw what their daring chief intended. He was heading directly for the large boat, in which he knew was Arthur Nevil. Those in the boat seemed to understand, too, their danger, and pulled hard for the shore. _ But the Arrow’s bows were pointed straight for them. ‘Way ’nough!” “Back water!” ‘‘Paull for your lives!” Such were the rapid orders issued by Arthur Nevil, in a vain endeavor to clear from the schooner’s course. But all was useless, for the razor-like bows struck the boats with a tremendous crash, cut- ting it in two, and passed on like the wind, while a burst of mocking laughter rung in the ears of those who had not been killed and wounded by the terrific shock. ‘* Mother, I hope you are avenged,” cried Duke Gregory, leavine the wheel to Mad- docks, and again kue _ by the side of his mother. , But no answer came. The ears had not heard the crashing of the boat; the tongue could utter no word, and the eyes were staring, yet saw not, for Death’s seal was upon the heart of the unfortunate wo- man, and her wrongs were ended, her sorrows over, and the pulse forever silent. under full sail, with a cheer of admiration at her tremendous speed. Nearer and nearer she came, her low, black hull hardly visible, and her fields of canvas looking like a huge white cloud sweeping over the dark waters. ‘* Ready there!” came the stern tone of the chief. “Ay, ay, sir.” ‘Burn the blue-light! ‘*Run up the flag! “Salute your colors, ye pets of Satan!” The wild, ringing command of the mad chief was heard on the vessel of war with dumb amazement. But suddenly the blue-lights made the flying schooner seem on fire, and up to the peak, in- | stead of the expected stare and stripes, went a huge sable field. Aud the design in its center? That rievted every e)6, and sent a thrill of horror through every heart A gallows with a white skeleton suspended by a red rope, and upon the bony wrists and ankles red manacies and chains, Such were the hideous emblems relieved against the sable folds. So struck dumb with amazement were all the officers of the vessels of war, believing it at first some hideous joke, that not until the thunder of the guns died sway did they move or utter a word. All saw the schooner as plain as day; for she was running in within a cable’s length of the line of armed vessels, and they saw her crew at her guns, stripped to the waist, and in the glare of the bluw-iights looking like demons, as the smoke wafted over them. What meant tiis large force upon the schooner, when her crew was yet on the frig- ate? Whet meant this strange action on the part of Artbur Nevilj The questions were upon every lip. And they were suddenly answered by a tall form springing into the rigging. It was clad in a full uniform of black, trimmed with silver lace, and wearing silver epaulettes. And many on the Dolphin recog- nized that white, haggard face. But if they had been in doubt, his wild words, shouted fcrth in trumpet tones, would have told them who he was. ‘* Ho, the Dolphin! “Would you retake your prisoner, Duke Gregory, the Disowned, seek on blue water the Mad Mariner!” A wild yell burst from the crews of the A groan ot unguish broke from the lips of ' vessels-of-war. Orders were given with wonderful rapidity, and each craft was a scene of excited confu- sion. But the Mad Mariner, as he had named him- self, sprung back upon his deck, more sail was crowded on, and before the Dolphin, in swinging round, could send a shot after the flying craft, it was nearly a mile away. And, going like the very wind, ere the an- chors were gotten up, the sails spread, and the entire fleet in full chase, the beautiful schooner had placed over a league between her and her pursuers, and was rushing down Chesapeake Bay at a pace that seemed to defy her foes. CHAPTER XLIL THE CHASE OF THE DISOWNED. WHEN the morning dawned, the fugitive craft was some four miles in advance of the © swiftest of the vessels in pursuit, which was the Dolphin, hovering just in the wake of the sloop. Running alongeasily, with all set that would draw, the captured vessel, which her daring * commander bad re-ehristened The Disowned, seemed to feel no dread of her pursuers, while her crew gazed upon their mad leader with awe and respect. That he was mad, they knew full well, and that be had method in his madness they had already seen. Realizing how he had trusted them, to with- out a word flaunt his hideous ensign in the faces of the American fleet, though he could not have felt assured of their being true to him under such circumstances, they were forced to respect his indomitable pluck, while there was that in the daring man that com- manded their sympathy and esteem. As soon as The Disowned was fairly free from her foes, Duke Gregory had raised the form of his mother in his arms and borne it into the cabin. There he had bimself sewn it in a canvas shroud, and attachi::;¢ heavy cannun balls to the feet had again carried the form on deck. ‘* Lay to, Mr. Maddocks,” be said calmly. The officer looked his surprise, but said noth- ing, for be dare not remonstrate, although the fleet was hardly a league away. He quickly gave the necessary orders, and the tiny schooner swept up into the wind, and lay with her sharp bow to the breeze, | “It may be mockery, Maddocks, for words of prayer to come from my lips; but I intend to recite the burial service over my pcor mother. “With my wife and child it was different, for they had never sinned, and left the world as pure as they came into it. ‘* But my mother did sin, and her sins were for me, and that the Father above will forget and forgive [humbly pray.” Maddocks made no reply, but was deeply touched by the words and wanner of the man, and himself made all the arrangements for the burial. A board was brought and the body placed upon it, the inner end of which rested upon the shoulders of two gunners; the outer end was upon the starboard bulwark. Then, standing near, in a deep, impressive voice and earnest manner, Duke Gregory went through the beautiful service of the Church of England for the dead. t The schooner rocked wildly upon the waves, the winds howled a requiem through the rig- ging, the waves moaned in sympathy, while the crew stood around with uncovered heads. Flying down upon the little vessel came the fieet, evidently believing some accident had caused the daring commander to decide to strike his hideous flag. But had they beheld the scene enacted upon the deck of The Disowned, even the grim gun- ners would have refrained from firing upon the fugitive craft, for the sight was enough to touch an iron heart, as a dishonored, disowned son, an outcast and hunted man, one who had raised the flag of the pirate above his decks,» was reciting the service of the dead above the body of his poor, unfortunate mother. It had been whispered around already who the dead, clad in male attire, was, and the crew were touched with sympathy, and many 4 voice, as the last words were uttered, breathed from lips that were stained with profanity, a fervent: ‘* Amen !” And into the wild waters sunk the ferm of Clarice Bond, the poor "woman whose life a man had wrecked, and who, more sinned | a GDiOOKS eom (E(0)