Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 172 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

a or a — eo ———_———— ee + naaiie - —_ — eee — 7 oo es EE —— 4 o > ’ ' ° : * . . . ~ Ze ee ee = eee ee ee ee Ease ee . a — ? e Black Pirate. oS Se a ee = * the king of England to hunt you down, be- lieves you to be a merchantman, so let them continue to believe.” “‘But why should you, a king’s office. by your uniform, wish to ally yourself with pirates?” “‘Crime has sent many a man to piracy: I killed a brother officer, and, when the secret is known the punishment will come, so I took this means of escape, as when cruising in the Gulf of Mexico a year ago I saw your vessel and re- cognized her.” “ All right, sir, for we want good men, and it will be just. like the chief to make an officer of you. Shall I dismiss your boat?” ** No, but permit me to write a line.” The pirate _— him suspiciously, and St. Vale said quickly: ‘It is for your eye, of course.” An ink-horn, with quill and paper, were brought, and St. Vale hastily wrote on the immer page the note the reader already knows the contents of. Then he wrote: “Tt is a merchant craft from America with the worst of contagious diseases on board, and, having boarded her, I will not return, especially as an officer is needed to take command. ‘* Will re-join you at New Orleans.” This note the pirate read and smiled, and folding it St. Vale carried it to the ship’s side, and, pretending to give it to the coxswain, handed to him the other, and bade him return with it to the Vulture, He had made a daring move, but felt that it was about the only one he could do under the circumstances, and that the Vulture would at once come in pursuit and the capture of the Black Pirate would follow. ‘‘Come, sir, now I will lead you to the chief,” said the pirate officer, and silently St. Vale followed him into the cabin. Once down the companionway he started with horror at the scene that met his gaze, for though he knew well the fearful character of the Black Pirate, he had not expected to behold in him and his surroundings anything so terrible. A table was spread in the cabin, and upon it were plates laid for eight. At the head of the table, facing the compan- ionway, sat a giant form, a huge negro with a cruel, brutal face, gold rings, diamond-studded in his ears, his fingers covered with gems, and his large but splendid form arrayed in a daz- gling uniform, while a cocked bat and plumes was upon his iwonstrous head. Upon his right aud left, on the three seats on either side of the table, were six skeleton forms, bolt upright, and with their bony fingers yrasp- ing a bottle in one hand, a glass in the other. e foot of the table, ay before St. Vale, was unoccupied, and as he started back, the Black Pirate called out: ‘* King’s officer, you are welcome; take that seat and the Black Pirate and his guests will drink your health.” CHAPTER XII. A PIRATE HOST. THouGcH Leon St. Vale was wholly dum- founded at the view that suddenly presented ony before him, he did not lose his presence of Whatever might have met bis startled gaze, could not bave been so horrible to him as the scene in the Rock Ruin cell, and on board a buccaneer craft, whose chief was known the seas over as a monster, he could not but be prepared for startling surprises and sickening sights. With an effort he gained control of himself, and looking the smiling Black Chief squarely in the a said, in an upruffled tone: “Tt was to join you, captain, that [ came on board, and I took big chances too; but I had not expected the honor of becoming so distinguished a@ guest. ‘Don’t mention it, my dear lieutenant, for such your uniform gives Sarg rank, unless you are in disguise,” and the chief looked fixedly at St. Vale, who could not but give him credit for tas Mae near the truth when he spoke of being in disguise, as his motives certainly were, whatever his uniform denoted. ‘*Ob no, chief, I am an officer of the king and was, until an hour ago, first luff on board His Majesty’s brig-of-war Petrel, especially sent to the erican coast to hunt you and other noted pirates off the seas, “You will find my name and rank in the Ad- miralty’s Register ou have one on board.” ‘** Be seated, and when I have looked, I will present you to my guests,” and the huge Afri- can touched a silver bell at hand. deformed negro, hideous to look at, and et dressed in silk Persian garb, and wearing umerable precious stones, at once appeared. “Congo, my register of the British navy,” _ said the chief, and the book was placed before a the negro not even casting a glance at St. e. “Your name is—” “Teon St. Vale, captain.” The chief ran his finger down the list, and read aloud: “Leon St. Vale, First Lieutenant; on duty off American coast, sloop-of-war Phoenix.” LL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL LLL LLL cette ‘*Since then, sir, as that ri gga? is nearly a year old, I have been promoted, and assigned to be Vulture brig-of-war.” “Ah! you were promoted for leading a boat expedition inst a pirate island, having chased the schooner into a haven where the Phosnix could not follow her, and you were suc- cessful?’ and the chief eyed the officer closely. ‘IT did, sir,” and St. Vale seemed surprised at the knowledge of the Black Pirate, “That was one of my vessels, sir, and the island was my rendezvous, so you hit me a hard blow, yet I feel no ill will toward you. ‘Had I been at the island with my brigan- tine the sloop could never have taken it; now why is it that a rising young officer leaves the king’s ood to become a pirate?” ‘“‘T killed my rival, and—” “Enough, sir: unpleasant complications may arise therefrom, and zon prefer to live a pirate than die an honorable man; most of us have had cause for becoming what we are. ‘Well, Lieutenant St. Vale, I am having a schooner built in America, that I will make you commander of, and in the mean time you can aid me on board the brigantine. ‘“Now permit me to present to you guests of mine, who were too bonorable to leave behind them pirates’ names,” and he waved his hand to- ward the six hideous skeletons that were skillful- ly fastened into the chains upon either side of the table, and whose bony fingers gra the flagon and glasses, as though pouring out wine. St. Vale had already taken the seat assigned to him at the foot of the table, and in answer to the Black Chief’s last remark, said: ‘* Permit me, sir, to suggest to you, that the Vulture will come down with the breeze now springing up, and she is a thoroughly armed and manned craft.” “Thank you for the suggestion, sir; you prove your loyalty to the new field you enter upon by it; but my lieutenant, Henrico Bonado, has the deck, and were the Vulture to get in range and he not prepared against it, my first act would be to string him up to the yard-arm, and my second, to fight my vessel. “T rule with an iron hand and merciless heart, Lieutenant St. Vale,” and the Black Chief sm led as though he had said something of a most pleasant nature. St. Vale bowed at the hint of what he might expect as an officer of the Black Pirate, but made no remark, and the chief continued: “Tpere is a glass at your hand, Senor St. Vale, and your decanter faces you; fill up, please. St. Vale calmly did so. ‘‘ Now, sir, to the introduction; the gentleman to your right is Captain De Lanier, of the French brig-of-war, Le Diable, sent after me. ‘Instead of catching me, I caught him, and as he ete death to becoming a pirate, 1 let him sit right there and quaff the draught, mixed with poison, that killed him. ‘* My surgeon, sir, is a man of superior skill in his art, and you see how well he has prepared the skeleton, so that Captain De Lanier is still my honored guest.” 3 St. Vale did not move a muscle at this horrid story, but braced his nerves to hear more. “This gentleman,” and the Black Pirate pointed to the next skeleton to the unfortunate captain of the French brig. ‘‘ This gentleman is an Englishman, sir, and you may bave known him, as his name was Paul Vernon and a lieutenant—” ‘‘Good God! poor Vernon!” cried St, Vale, unable to restrain himself. ‘*'You knew him then?” “‘T did, sir; we were middies together, and it was believed that his vessel, a schooner, sunk with all on board.” ‘* Well, it must be pleasant for you to meet our old friend once more; but you are mis- en, sir, as regards his death, for I captured his craft, after a desperate action, in which he lost two thirds of his men, ‘‘He was wounded, but my surgeon brought him round all right, and then, as he treated my offer of his life with contempt, had the pleasure of preparin his skeleton, as you see. “The t on your right, Lieutenant St, Vale, is a Spaniard, and a lieutenant. “He came on board my vessel to kill me, having volunteered for the work with two men,and I leave it to you whether he succeeded. ‘One of his men told on him, and I strung him up and the surgeon made him presentable for a seat at my tab.e. ‘*T keep him, as you see, upon my left, for he needs watching. “The one on your left is a Spanish commo- dore who landed with a force on my island and got captured, and few of his men reached their vessels again, for | was prepared for their coming. : ‘*T made him take his own life by drinking ison, and he did it like a man; the surgeon d the rest for him, as you see, “ Senor Ricardo, the second on your left, is a Mexican, and was an officer under Lafitte, which gave him the idea that I should be an officer under him. “We quarreled, and he tried to drive a i cc knife in my heart, and got the blade turned upon himself. ‘This gentleman on my right is an Ameri- can, and held a lieutenancy in the navy of the United States. * He attacked me with his schooner, and find- ing that I was sinking him, took to his boats and boarded me, and tried to take my own ves- sel from me, and, by Satan’s wand of sin nearly succeeded. ‘His men, at his order, refused to cry for wearers and were cut down, while he was s ; ‘“* You see what I spared bim for? ‘*Now my dear St. Vale, you know my guests, and I sincerely hope that you will never eccupy the seat you now do in the same skeleton form, There was that in the tone and manner of the Blacx Chief to prove to Leon St. Vale that his story wastaken with suspicion, and he felt that the slightest word, or mistake on his part, would make him a skeleton guest of the Black Pirate, with those on either side of him. CHAPTER XIII. THE CHASE. I WILL now return to the Petrel, in her chase of the Black Pirate. Being free to fight, without any fear of the results, on account of the presence of Sir Grey Alstone and Eve on board, Captain Cuthbert at once gave orders that all sail should be set in chase, and that the vessel should be put in per- fect fighting trim. ‘ Most anxious to car into Halifax the famous pirate, Lord Cecil Milnor, the daring and energetic young lieutenant, devoted himself to his work with the greatest ardor, determined to win favor in the eyes of Eve, whom he would have been most loth to have given up, if he had not believed her to be in the greatest danger on board the Petre], should the Black Pirate fight with the ferocity for which he was noted. But though they held the brigantine in full view, a stern chase is proverbially a long one, and daylight dawned with the Black Pirate steadily holding his own. He had squared away directly west, and as a good breeze was blowing, was bowling along at an eight-knot rate, while the brig, though not gaining, was certainly not losing, and was just out of gunshot range dead astern. ‘“‘Tf we could only gain on him enough to make him alter his course, then he would see what the Petrel can do on the wind,” said Lord Cecil to his commander. lord, for we've got e has not,” and the ‘**He beats us this way, m all set that will draw, and i captain shook his head. True, sir, but if the wind changes, we can show him the Petrel may have a better point for sailing than before the wind.” ‘“‘l am afraid that brigantine has, too, for she’s as trim as a coquette’s slipper, lies deep in the water, and sails asif the devil commande her, and, from all accounts, I believe he does.” Both the captain aud Lord Cecil anxiously watched their vessel and the pirate all day, and et neither could note the sliglitest change in he distance of the two to each other. “It is strange that he does not fight us, when he seemed so determined in his attack on us be- fore the Vulture came,” said Captain Cuthbert. “It is not because he fears us, I am sure; well, we will soon find out what his intentions are, I hope.” But still the wind kept up its steady blowing from the east, and thus held on for another forty-eight hours, which brought the two ves- sels — a few hundred miles of the Americas coast, Then the Black Pirate, just after sunrise one morning, suddenly chan his course and went merrily bowling along with the wind on the port quarter. Captain Cuthbert and Lord Cecil were at breakfast at the time, but both hastened on deck, and the brig was headed in the same di- rection, though not so close-hauled, in an en- deavor to keep pace with the pirate, and at the same time creep a little nearer. ‘¢ As L said, my lord, he sails on this course as well as on the other; ay, better, for he is dropping us.” ore canvas was now spread on the brig, and then she just held ber own with the brigantine, which had some sails to spare, ‘‘We want a fierce blow, and then our larger hull will do better work in the rough water,” said Lord Cecil. ‘* I don’t know, for he lays very deep; but the blow we’ll soon have,” and the captain pointed to the eastern horizon, where clouds were gath- ering. But the storm held off for that day, and just at nightfall the wind rose and sent the two ves- sels along at a merry pace, the Black Pirate again squaring away fore the breeze, as though anxious to get nearer the American coast. ‘‘ He'll hold on and dodge us in some of the inlets of the erican coast, for which he is heading,” said Captain Cuthbert. And so seemed the pirate’s intention, for he held on, though the gale increased, until it JOO COME ¢s) . - a ——