Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 206 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

a a ee ee ee ee phin-striker to avoid being thrown off into the ocean. When they obtained a glimpse of the sur- roundings from the top of a wave nothing but open sea was visible, and from this both con- cluded that the Penelope must be working away from the island out to sea. Where she was going they knew not. Noth- | have no more trouble with that confounded felucca. She’s gone to the bottom, safe enough.” ‘* I don’t know that,” Both listeners started violently and the other man answered: ‘* Well then, you can’t believe youreyes. I | ing but the instinctive love of life made them | believe mine, and I know we ran over her.” retain their hold, for a more hopeless position could hardly be found, That week they had enjoyed atriumph. They had chased the Bric- ish cruisers from the sea round St. Helena and reduced the island to a state of siege. Now, by a chapter of accidents, against which they had never provided, they were reduced to a state of complete destitution. Their vessel, in which they had taken such pride, was at the bottom of the sea; the treasure they had rescued from the Spanish galleons had gone with it; and two men, clinging under the bows of a British frigate in a stormy sea on a dark night, were the sole remnants of an ex- pedition that would have saved the emperor had he consented to be saved by his followers. retty soon, as they clung to their precarious post, they became sensible that the wind was increasing. A black cloud came sailing down on them with a heavy squall in its depths, and they heard the hoarse shout of the officer of the deck: ‘*Hands shorten sail! Topgallant clewlines! Clew up and furl!” Then a heavy plunge nearly tore Delmont from his hold, and he made signs to Martin that they must go higher. To go higher was to run out of one danger into another. Escaping the peril of suffocation, they would run the risk of being seen from the ship’s deck, A second more violent plunge decided them on the alternative. They had been sitting astride on the lower- most chain of the bobstays holding to the spar called the “ dolphin-striker,” and the next time the vessel plunged each caught hold of the chain next above him and climbed up to the next tier. There were three lines of chain under the bowsprit of the Penelope, and the third, owin to the rise of the bowsprit, was above the leve of the deck, The second tier gave them a little more ease for a while; but as the squall increased in violence, they had toclimb to the third, right under the bowsprit, from whence they could see the white deck of the ship and the crew at work, Every one seemed to be too busy to look out under the bowsprit, and as more ‘than one sea came aboard the Penelope, the watch had too much to do to take care of themselves to think of any thing else, and our heroes had a short rest. ‘Where is she going?” whispered Jean Mar- tin, one time, in a lull, ‘“‘And where is the schooner of our friend Norton? Can it be possi- ble this ship is looking for ber?” Delmont nodded his head. He had his back to the frigate, and was peering into the dark- ness for the schooner, while Martin, facing him, watched the ship. The schooner belonged toan American named Norton, a native of North Carolina, who made Delmont’s acquaintance in Baltimore, and had always aromantic desire to be associated with bim in his scheme to deliver Napoleon. Indeed, outside of the British ministry at that date, there seemed to be but one sentiment in the civilized world as to the exile of St. Helena, thatof pity and admiration, and in America, especially, the enimosity toward England re- maining from the war of 1812-14 made the feel- ing of sympathy unusually warm with Eng- land’s old foe, The schooner had been in company with them at dark, and Delmont had supposed she had ~ doubled in company with the felucca when they stood back to the island. But, look as they might, there was no sign of the schooner in the darkness of the squall, and when that wore out its fury the stars came out again, and the frigate dashed along under astiff en while the sea seemed absolutely void of sails. Now that it was clear, the adventurers could perceive the mountains of St. Helena looming up like a cloud astern of the ship, and they flattened themselves oe the spar to which they clung, to avoid any observation from the deck, while the voice of the officers amd men in the frigate were borne plainly to their ears, the ship being before the wind. It was a strange sensation to these daring men to be so close to their enemies and hear their unguarded remarks. Delmont, in the natural recklessness of his disposition, was dis- posed to make light of the peril; but Jean Mar- tin’s face was grave and anxious. — Presently they heard the following words: ‘Tsay, Tom, what do you think of our leay- ing those poor fellows to drown?” ‘‘Confounded barbarity,” was the emphatic answer. ‘Never knew a British ship to do such a thing before.” ‘‘NorI neither. Skipper must feel as bitter ‘* Yes, but you were too busy to look astern as I did.” ‘* Well, what of that, Tom?’ “A good deal. I saw more than twenty men swimming in our wake.” ** Poor devils. squall was coming down, and we were a good ten miles from shore.” ‘** That wasn’t all I saw.” ‘Well, what did you see?” ‘Pll tell you, if you'll promise not to report to the skipper.” ‘* You forget, sir,” said the other officer, in a sharp tone, *‘ that we have our duty to perform. J insist on your telling me what you saw. I’m officer of the deck.” ‘* And it is my watch below,” interrupted the other, sharply. ‘‘l know my duty, Mr. Mal- colm, without your instruction, If you want to come regulations over me, good-night; but I thought I was speaking to a friend, Donald Malcolm,” They saw the two officers separate, one strid- ing angrily off, when the other said: “Come, come, Chumley, don’t get huffy. I was only joking. I won’t tell the skipper, pon my honor. What was it you saw?” “IT don’t think I shall tell you now,” said Chumley, coldly. ‘‘It might have been only fancy, after all. I don’t profess to see anything Ane escapes the vigilance of the officer of the deck, Then they saw Malcolm go to him in a coax- ing way: ‘Come, Tom, old fellow, I beg your pardon. Isn’t that enough?” ‘Well, yes, Donald. All right. But your idea of telling the skipper what I saw would ‘What, Tom?” ‘Infernal cruelty, He’d go back and pick up the poor wretches to be tried as pirates, and I, for one, rather admire their pluck.” ‘Why, Tom, do you really mean that they bad a chance for life?” ‘IT mean more. The wreck of that poor felucca floated ap after we had passed her ae conn lengt . _ wot pee — re ight. is e, 1 only cau a glimpse o her, and the hull hardly floa above the level of the sea, but it floated,” ‘‘ Then we shall see it in the morning,” **T hope not.” “Why?” ** Because it’s sure to be covered with the r Frenchmen, and I think they ought to ave a chance for their lives.” ** Do you know, Tom—” ‘Well, what is it? Say it out.” ** 'You’re talking—” What? Mutiny?7 ‘Not exactly; but—” ** Treason then?” ‘** No; one can hardly call it that.” ‘Well, what then?” ‘‘ It’s disobedience of orders.” ‘No it isn’t. I’ve no orders to report what I saw astern,” ‘* But we were sent here on a duty—” “I know we were. Confounded mean- spirited duty, too, watching for brave men in time of peace to hang them if they sympathize with the grandest man in the world.” Malcolm started back, .“* My God, Tom, is it possible you’re turning Bonapartist?” “No. But I can’t help admiring genius, even in an enemy, and I say that we ought to deal lightly with these poor fellows. hat have they done, after all? ‘* Tried to carry off a prisoner of war.” “He’s no such thing. The war ended five ears ago. It’s peace everywhere. Who ever eard of a nation making war on a single man, except he were a pirate?’ “Well, Tom, I won’t pursue this talk with you. I swearlI never beard you express such sentiments. One would think you were a Frenchman.” “Tm not,” returned Tom, in a tone of sup- pressed vehemence, ‘but I swear there are times when I feel ashamed to be called an Englishman, under our present government.” en he turned away to the other side of the quarter-deck, and they saw him lighting a cigar and smoking in short, quick puffs that showed he was trying to calm his excitement. As_for the listeners under the bow of the Penelope, they were divided by hope and fear, They saw they had a friend in the ship as far as sentiment went, and it tempted them to hope, But, when they reflected on the sternness of naval discipline, and that this very man was an officer of a Bri frigate, they felt they had little to hope. One thing they noticed about the whole con- versation, that the speakers did not seem to be They couldn’tswim long. The | One Eye, the Cannoneer. — tte —_—~ as a fellow who’s been jilted. One thing, we'll | | | . 2d — — — <a ——— = — afraid of being overheard by the ship’s com- any when they used such loud tones, and artin whispered: ‘* We have friends where we did not think it, captain. These men hate their chief.” elmont nodded. ‘* Did you understand them?’ ‘Certainly, my captain: but I cannot fit my Gascon tongue to those ugly English vowels,” ‘* Do you know what I think, Jean?” ‘* No, captain; what?’ “That we have been seen by that officer, if not by others, and that he meant to let us know it.” ‘ Heavens, captain!” “I feel sure of it. We can see the deck ener Why does not the lookout at the night-heads look out over the bow?” “He may, yet, captain ” ** Well, I have a suspicion—” ‘**Look out there!” called the officer of the watch, as if to confirm him. “What's the matter with you? Are you asleep?” , ‘* No, sir,” answered a voice, not twenty feet away, as a sailor rose up. ‘Then why are you not at your post?” “‘T am, sir.” ‘“*T didn’t see you.” “Twas sittin’ down, sir. well that way.” ‘* Well, stand up till I relieve you. The ser- vice is going to the devil with you lazy lubbers before the mast.” ‘Ay, ay, sir,” growled the sailor; and he took his post, staring right over the heads of the two Frenchmen, who remained as still as if they were part of the spar. Presently they saw the man look aloft and out on either bow, then turn his back to them and glance back at the quarter deck, when he said in a low voice to some one in the shadow of the bulwarks: ‘* The poor beggars is there yet, Jim. Iswear I don’t like to report ‘em, but if Scotchy comes forrard to look, it’s all up with them.” Delmont pinched Martin, A grumbling voice answered: ‘Why in blank don’t they get under the old woman's arm? Them frog-eaters ain’t sailors, nohow. They might stay hid till all’s blue, if they knowed enough.” Delmont touched Martin. ** They are friends,” he muttered. vice is well meant. Come.” He alitped down the t while the sailor kept his back turned, and he and Martin found themselves once more on the lower bobstays, up which they crawled to the very cutwater of the ship, above which stretched out the huge figure- head of the crowned woman, who represented the Queen of Ithaca, at least ten feet high. Her arms were outspread, holding a scepter and globe, steadied by iron rods, and, as the sailor had said, there was a place under the I can see jest as “The ad- arms where they could wedge themselves in, secure from view on deck, and prevented from falling by the braces that kept the image in its place under the buffeting of the sea. True, it was a precarious post, for in a heavy sea it was under water at every plunge: but at present the waves only touched the feet of the image at intervals, an clinging to the Be, george It had the dis- advantage that they could bear no voices on board unless a shout was given; but neither could they be heard themselves, ‘* You see,” observed Delmont, “fortune has not deserted us yet. We have friends.” Martin grunted. ‘Yes, English. Who knows what will be our fate in the morning?” ‘*To-night we are safe. care of itself.” ‘Since we cannot help ourselves, my captain, we will permit it to do so.” Then they secured themselyes behind the braces in a sitting posture, on the platform at the feet of Penelope, and Delmont said: ‘Martin, Lam going to sleep.” “To sleep, captain?’ “Yes; why not?” “Tn this position, captain? would be too anxious.” “Can you tell me what better we can do?” ** We can watch,” “True; but one can do that. We may both need sleep before long.” ‘‘ Well. captain, I must say you are a cool hand. Who would think—” “Think what, Martin?” ‘That you came to sea, a soldier, green as the grass in Normandy.” “ Ah, but you forget something.” ‘“ What, captain?’ , ‘“‘ That I had you to teach me the lore of the sea, my friend. I am about to do eredit to your training. Good-night.” o 79 Martin growled. 4 ‘‘Good-night, captain, I wish T had my pipe and matches here, but the cursed te gave me no time to go below and look for them. ‘* Smo is said by doctors to be injurious to the constitution, . See how is Providence, to help you break a bad habit,” They were both jesting to keep up their spir- Gomicbooks Let to-morrow take I should say you it was more comfortable than — (E(@) ee oe eee ——_— op