Beadle's Dime Library, No. 198 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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28 The Skeleton Schooner, not many hours before they had the piratical nest in the city in their power, and leaving for his subordinates the work of caring for them, Captain Norton organized a crew of picked men, and that night the Jack-o’-lantern started upon her return voyage, Percy Wyndham in command, and bis aim to haul down the black flag of the famous Skimmer of the Seas, CHAPTER LIV. THE SURPRISE. In the deep waters of a lagoon, almost wholly hidden by the overhanging branches of trees, festooned with Spanish moss, lay as trim-looking a vessel as the eye of a seaman would care fo look upon, Long-bodied, narrow, deep in the water, and witb low bulwarks, pierced for guns, raking masts, and bows as sharp as a razor, and we have the Skeleton Schooner, who had become known far and wide, over sea and land, by her ghastly name, to which had also been added that of the Skimmer of the Sea, from the fact that she seemed to fairly skim over the waters when driven by her immense spread of can- vas, But the schooner was now undergoing re- pairs, as if showed numerous recent ghastly wounds in hull, bulwarks, spars and rigging. It was evident, from her torn de’ks and general appearance, that the fleet ci>.t bad suffered severely, and how it bad escaped was hard to tell. But it had escaped from the savage fire at close quarters of two large war vessels, and shown a clean pair of heels that defied all pur- suit, though she carried two-thirds of her crew dead and wounded upon her decks. Seeking her haven of refuge, the Skeleton Schooner bad laid up for repairs, and the sound of the ax echoed in the forest near by, where her men were cutting timber. There were but few men upon her deck, aud acry from one of them, in a cheery voice, at once caused a commotion, for he had sung out: ** Sail ho!” There, not far distant was a graceful yacht visible, coming up the lagoon, and drawn - along by the foliage upon the banks, The cry brought a tall form from the cabin, and the crew ashore, also came on board, un- tila score of men were ready to secure the yacht. But, though the yacht also saw the schooner, and must know its character, from hiding there for repairs, instead of seeking port, the crew on board showed no dread of it. Nearer and nearer the yacht came, until suddenly it was lashed firmly alongside. ‘* Well, Lomax, how many?” called out the leader, who stood upon the deck of the schooner. ‘‘We have two-score men, sir,” was the reply, and then, in trumpet tones came the cry: ‘Follow me, men, and take yonder craft, for this is the famous Skimmer of the Seas.” The speaker bounded forward upon the schooner’s decks, pistol and cuilass in hand, and two-score brave men followed him with a cheer. The ascounded buccaneers knew 30t what to gv, and some were cut down before they could fly, or ery for quarter, and in less than ten minutes the Skeleton Schooner was jin the | | | | | hands of Percy Wyndham and the crew he had | shipped in New Orleans, aided by Lomax and the others of the yachtsmen, who had willing- ly joined the honest party to save their necs and get pardons for their dishonesty, Deserted in the time of need by his men, the pirate leader sprung overboard, and disap- peared beneath the dark waters of the lagoon; but he had been first seen on the deck of the Skeleton Schooner, and recognized by Mabel Mortimer, who congratulated herself upon her narrow escape from becoming the wife of a pirate, who had been playing such a deep game as a yachtsman, when he was in reality a buc- caneer whose name had long spread terror over the Gulf, persons little believing that the handsome gambler, Frank Forrester, was other than a man whose nimble fingers won for him a fortune at cards. Keeping the Jack-o’-lantern as his own special prize, Perey Wyndham sent Mabel in it to her home, while he carried the schooner round to New Orleans to deliver over to the authorities there, who at once made a lion of him for his great capture. But he was anxious to return to his home, and upon his arriving there was startled and SE Se ee ee a ee SS — grieved to find that his mother had escaped, as well as Duke the negro prisoner. For the captivity of the latter he little cared, having accomplished his purpose; but a diligent search was made for his poor crazy mother, though without success, and it was at last given up in the belief that sbe had taken her own life, and her loving son swore that the secret of her duel with Major Mortimer should die with her. Although after all he had done for Mabel Mortimer, Percy Wyndham found that her brother was even more bitter than ever, and though he had learned to love the maiden devotedly, he felt that they could never clasp hands across the two graves that lay between them; and bitterly he mourned over his sad fate. Shortly after the return of Percy, from his capture of the Skeleton Schooner, another tragedy was enacted almost beneath the shadow of The Everglades, for the haughty young plan- ter was seen to shoot dead in his tracks Juan Gito who had come to the mansion to see him, What it was about no one knew; but ere her brother fired Mabel distinctly heard the fisher- man say: “‘T will have the money, for I did my best, and here is your ring, for I recognized you, Mark Mortimer, beneath your mask.” They were the last words he ever uttered, for he fell under the fire of the young planter, who sprung into his yacht and set sail for New Orleans, where he entered upon a wild life that made his name famous, As for Bessie, the Lady of the Lagoon, she disappeared suddenly from her cabin home, after the burial of her father, and rumor had it that she entered the convent of the St. Ursulines though no one seemed to know exactly what had become of her. And though their homes adjoined, though their hearts loved each other with passionate fervor, Mabel Mortimer and Percy Wyndham were held apart by the cruel vendetta that bad dug graves and reared up grim phantoms between them, and cast a shadow upon their lives forever. Beadle’s Dime Library. 20 Tae Banpir at Bay. By Gustave Aimard.... 21 THe TRAPPER's DaAvGHTER. Gustave Aimard.. 10¢ 22 WurreLAw. By Dr. J. H. Robinson.......... 10c 23 Tue Rep Warrior. By Ned Buntline ...... . 10¢ 24 THE PRAIRniz Flower. By Gustave Aimard.. 10c 25 THe Gotp Guipe. By Francis Johnson........ 10¢ 26 The Deato TrAcK. By Francis Johnson .... 10c 27 Tue Spotrer Detective. By Albert W.Aiken.. 10c 28 THREE-FINGERED JACK. Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 10e 29 Tieer Dick, Tae Faro Kine. P.S. Warne 10¢ 30 GosprL Greorar, By Joseph E. Badger, Jr . 10¢e 81 Tue New York SHarpP. By Albert W. Aiken.. 10c 82 B'Hoys oF YALE. By John D, Vose........ .. 10¢ 33 OveRLAND Kirt, By Albert W. Aiken... ..... 10¢ 84 Rocky Mountain Ros. 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