Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 172 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

a though he got but iron from one and gold from the other.” “And the Black Pirate is something like him in that respect.” ‘Yes, senor, he loves red work just as well, and is more cruel to his men, than the Vam- pire was; but hark! how the sea moans among the rocks, “‘There’s going to be a regular old-fashioned blow, I’m thinking; but let it come and scatter that British bull-dog’s bones upon the rocks, and to-morrow, we'll bave rare picking of dead men’s pockets.” The other pirates laughed gleefully at this awful prospect for the poor seamen of the brig, and fretted at their cruelty St. Vale said: “ll return and have a look at the sea, I believe, and see if the brig’s officers have an idea of their danger.” “Not they, unless they’ve got some Carribbee sailor on board who knows signs in these waters. ‘Do you want company, senor?” “No, I shall go alone,” and St. Vale de- scended the ladder and set off in the direction of the Point of Rocks. But hardly had he gotten out of sight when the pirate officer said something in a low tone to one of the men on the rock, and instantly he slipped down the ladder and glided away after the lieutenant, as stealthy as an Indian in his movements, and as dangerous. CHAPTER XVIIL THE PILOT. Wuen Frank, the disguised woman, who had allied herself with pirates, from a motive of revenge, parted with the English lieutenant, he, as I shall speak of her while in disguise, went ata light, swinging step down toward the beach of the harbor. But suddenly he dropped flat upon his face and lay like one dead. But only for a short while did he remain thus, and then he began to move slowly back in the direction from whence he had come, After dragging himself some thirty paces from the spot whence he had fallen, he reached a bowlder and sought refuge behind it, while he muttered: ‘* Pretty close, that, and I am thankful to the jolly fellow who laughed and warned me that all of the brig’s crew had not left the island.” Going at a right angle from the direction he had before been pursuing, he soon found himself out upon a point of rocks, wild and dreary in the extreme. Down these he went with wonderful ease, considering that both hands and feet were needed to carry him, and after descending some sixty feet he stopped in front of a small cave, a rod above the water of the sea. Crawling into this dark cavity, he soon re- appeared, drawing after him a long, narrow canoe. + There was a rope at either end, and taking hold of these he lowered the light canoe into the water, and sliding down the face of the rock, skillfully dropped into the center of the frail craft, and instantly seizing a paddle, sent it flying over the dark waters. | The place where he had left the shore was on the outer side of the island,and the point of rocks separated bim from the basin, where the crew on shore were hiding, so he felt no anxiety of being seen by them. So dark was his canoe and dress, and s0 noiselessly did it go over the waters that he ran up to the gangway unchallenged, and unseen, though Sir Roslyn and all of his officers were on deck. Fastening his light craft, he bounded lightly over the bulwark, to suddenly startle two young Officers pacing to and fro in the brig’s waist. ‘Pardon me; senores, but I would ‘see your captain,” he said quickly, without giving them time to address him. “Where did you come from so suddenly?” asked one of the middies. ‘* Over the ship’s side, senor.” “That is evident ; but from whence did you come, what did you come for, where are you going, and what is your name?” and the ques- tioning middy assumed an air of importance designed to impress the stranger. But it failed; for the quiet response was: “T am not here to enlist, senor, and my business here is with older heads than yours.” ‘cc Ah!” —— eee The Black Pirate. “ Better take him to the baronet, Ned, said the other. “Thank you; but I can find him myself.” But the middy was not going to be cheated this way, and seizing the arm of the apparent youth, and who offered no resistance, he led him aft to the quarter-deck, and said pompous- ly: “Sir Roslyn, I found this fellow sneaking on board the brig, sir, and I have brought bim to your presence.” Frank burst into a ringing laugh, and salut- ing, said politely: ¢ “‘I came openly on board, sir, but your watch have poor eyes and did not see me until I spruog on deck.” ‘Well, my merry lad, why are you here?’ asked Sir Roslyn. “* Because, sir, I have no desire to see your gallant craft and brave crew go to wreck and death within the next few hours.” “‘Ha! and what danger threatens us?’ asked Sir Roslyn, quickly. “As I said, sir, wreck and death from the tempest.” ‘“* But the skies are as clear as crystal, and the sea as calm asa lake; you must get some better excuse than that, my lad, for coming on board of His Majesty’s brig Vulture, and coming from a pirate island to boot.” “Do you hear that moaning sound, sir?” “Yes, I have heard it for an hour past?” “It has grown louder in that time.” “Why, yes.” “And have you not noticed that, though the sea is so calm, senor, your vessel tugs harder and harder at her anchor?” ‘* Well, we have all noticed it and spoken of it, and set it down as from the flowing of some current around this island.” “You are wrong, senor captain; the moan- ing is the echo of the sea in the water caverns of the is’and, and the restless motion is the re- bound from the tempest yet leagues away.” “By Neptune! but I believe you are right, for I have heard of such precursors of storms being known in these southern latitudes and islands, “‘ But tell me, my Jad, from whence do you come so mysteriously?” and Sir Roslyn gazed fixedly at the pretended youth. “ As you said, senor, from the Pirate Island.” ‘Hal! are you one of the band?’ ‘“‘T am, senor captain.” “A self-confessed pirate, by the gods of war! ‘*But tell me, have you come on board here to put your neck in the hangman’s noose?” ‘* No, senor.” ‘*For what, then?’ “To save your lives and your brig, senor,” was the quiet response. “In what way, pray?” “By becoming your pilot and running your vessel to a safe anchorage.” “* And do you think I will trust you, a self- confessed pirate, at the wheel of my vessel?” sternly asked Sir Roslyn. “*T have trusted myself, a self-confessed pi- rate, on your decks, and with the only motive, senor, to serve you.” ‘*Ha! my thrust well turned; but tell me, what have you done witb an officer of mine you captured to-day through his recklessness?” ‘‘ He is with the band, senor.”’ “Then, if you wish to serve me, lead me to their hiding-place, and you shall receive a golden reward.” “Senor, there are chests of gold on yonder island, and I am, besides, no traitor. “‘I have warned you, and if you will not heed my warning, then raise your anchor and | stand far out to sea, and when the tempest is over, return. ‘“‘Tf you wish to remain on the coast now, I will pilot you to a safe harborage, and your men ashore can go there in their boats.” ‘‘Ha! you know, then, that some of my | crew are ashore?” quickly asked Sir Roslyn. “Oh, yes, senor.” “And your motivo in wishing to save us, your enemies, is simply— what?’ “To prove to you that one may have a heart, even if be sails under the black flag,” was the bold reply. “IT will trust you, forI notice how uneasy the brig is getting, and that moaning sound grows louder.” “Tf I fail you, senor, make my life the for- feit,’ was the cool reply, as the pretended youth walked toward the wheel and laid his bands upon it. 4 > . we t ‘ , eee ee eee ~~ -Eeomicboo PP te CHAPTER XXTX, _ THE SPY. WueEn Leon St. Vale left the Rock Tower, as the pirates called the funnel-like elevation, by which they gained their secret retreat, it was on account of the great anxiety be felt re- garding the Vulture, which would not allow him to await the return of Frank. Going to the same point of land where he bad before stood, and from whence a good view could be obtained of the sea and the ves- sel, he noticed that in the time in which be had been away, although the skies were still clear, the waters seemed to rise and fall more uneasily, and the moaning sound was louder, while an occasional wave fell heavily upon the beach, though there was but the faintest breeze blowing. As he turned his gaze upon the brig he saw the sails suddenly let fall, and a moment after the vessel glided slowly away from ber anchor- age, went quietly about, and stood toward the end of the island, which seemed nothing more than a mass of rocks. Watching her, he saw her continue her course for a mile, and head inshore, until she seemed to be going directly upon the high rocks : that formed a barrier at the island’s end, when she suddenly luffed up si arply, and the splash of her anchor when let go distinctly came to his ears. At the same time he felt a light puff of wind at his back, and turning to note if the storm was coming from that direction, his quick eye caught sight of a dark form dart back into the shelter of a rock. Apparently not noticing it, he raised his sea- glass, which he wore around his neck, as though locking at the distant. brig, while iu reality it was at the side of his head and his eyes were carefully scanning the rock and its surround- ings. As he divided different objects he gazed upon he saw that one was a crouching form instead of a rock, and he now felt confident that his steps were dogged. Had Lord Cecil been following him since their meeting? he wondered. No, that was not like the young nobleman, Had the pirates set a watch on his steps? That did not seem unlikely, and yet they had seemed to trust him wholly. Perhaps it was some of the crew from the Vulture, who had remained with Lord Cecil? If so, he cared not to injure them. Neither did he care to have any one of them, other than Lord Cecil, know that he was not held as a prisoner. : After running over these thoughts, watching the crouching form the while, at the same time holding the glaes to his head, under pretense of watching the Vulture, he turned his gaze once more toward the brig, and detected several dark objects upon the water. Attentively he watched them until they dis- appeared in the basin where the brig’s crew had landed. That they were boats he well knew. Waiting patiently for some fifteen minutes, and still observing that the crouching form did not move, he saw the dark objects reappear and move in the direction of the brig. Still patiently watching them through his glass, though never losing sight for more than a second, of the form within twenty feet of him, he beheld one boat gliding swiftly over the waters, round the point, and come in close under the cliff upon which he stood. He now felt that it must be the pretendel. youth returning from the Vulture and he was convinced that the person so quiet near Lim was not one of the brig’s crew. It must therefore be one of the pirates from the rock, who bad dogged his steps. From the position of the one spying h’s movements he could see that he had also sre. the brig move quietly to another anchorage, the boat come back from it, the boats going to it, and the return of the solitary craft. If one of the pirates he must know that some one of his comrades had been the brig’s pilot, and who could it be excepting Frank, as the others of the band were ali in the secret re- treat? If Frank was suspected, then be would be, and that would ruin his whole plot by making him a prisoner, and perhaps cost him his life. To betray a knowledge of the presence of 6 foe, might cause him to fly, so he must act cautiously. With an impatient exclamation he lowered his glass and said; a - 4 ’ “ - as oe ate wr. “ > a ‘ - ¢a* re II ee