Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 210 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

me 4 A es Nt yg all that we do, if you are willing to try it, we can ir time take the chief, who will now com- mand the Rover.” ‘“‘By heaven! Harding, you strike the right ehord now. “Come, we will go at once,” Quietly they walked to the bow of the schooner, and slipped over into the water, after relieving themselves of their outer clothing, which was tied upon two oars, to be towed after them as they swam. Once out of the basin and the current was in their favor, and they went along with strong and rapid strokes. After swimming awhile, Raoul Langdon suddenly asked: ‘“‘ Harding, what was done with my sister’s body f” “Thrown into the sea, sir, by the chief’s orders,” The young officer swam on in silence for some time longer, and then cried quickly: ‘(By heaven! Harding, we bave made a mistake?’ ; “How s0, sir?” ‘We should have set the schooner on fire, then made our escape, and return here in a cruise for the accursed band.” “True, sir; but it is not too late, for they will carouse at the cabin until daylight.” Instantly the two turned to swim back to the island; but the current set dead against them, and the little sea that was running also was not in their favor, and after a desperate strug- gle, they were compelled to give it up, and continue on to Little Gull Island. The sloop was found aground, and soon gotten off, and quickly they set sail to drop the pirate haunt as tar astern by daylight as it was in their power to do,.for well they knew that the schooner would start in pursuit as 5000 as their escape was discovered. As: if to aid them in their daring flight, the wind sprung up quite fresh, and the fleet little boat went bowling swifUly along toward the Fiorida shores, and causing bope to rise high in their hearts. CHAPTER XXVI. THE WRECK. I WILL now return to the chasing of the packet brig, Lioness, some ten days after the scenes related as transpiring at the pirate Gib- raltar, by the schooner Red Rover, on whose deck stood Frank Forrester, the Freebooter Chief. When the dawn came, and the drowsy, rum- crazed pirates awoke, ready for any excess of deviltry, the discovery was made that the prisoner bad escaped. How he had done so was not known, as the hatches had been clcsed, until the man Harding was found to be missing. As the boats of the schooner were all pres- ent, it was of course surmised that the fugi- tives must be on the island, and a diligent search was made for them. They not being found, and well-known to both be superb swimmers, the other islands were visited by boat crews, and all were care- fully searched. Wild with rage, Forrester offered large sums for their recaptura and uttered tbreats against his whole crew if they were not found, but all to no purpose, for after two days’ diligent work in looking for them, the schooner set sail, Under their chief she at once began her red work of murder and robbery on the high seas, and the crew were delighted to have gotten rid of Captain Don, as they called their Jast officer, who had commanded them for months without taking a single prize. It was a week after leaving the island haunt that the schooner was caught in the fierce storm which swept over the Gulf and its shores, But the schooner was a most stanch ‘sea boat, and when it could not seud before a gale, could be lrid to, and thus ride out any storm. At dawn one morning, the second day of the tempest, the Lioness was sighted by the -harp- eyed lookout on the Red Rover, and Captain Forrester was at once summoned to the deck by the pirate officer in charge. ““ Head for her, be she cruiser or merchant- man,” was his first order, as he coolly ar- ranged his glass to level upon the brig. ““f know that craft well, and she must be our prize,” he said, with more excitement; and then, in response to a question of his lieutenant, he added: ‘Tt is the Lioness, one of the Mobile and New Orleans packets. ‘She is as stiff as a staple in a blow, can show a clean pair of heels to almost any cruiser in these waters, and generally carries considerable specie in her Lold, besides being a favorite passenger craft, and their gold and | jewels are always to be taken into considera- tion. “Crowd on sail, Senor Navallo, and see if the Rover has forgotten how to overhaul a prize while under the command of that ac- cursed Langdon.” The sail was crowded upon the schooner, until even those desperate men who manned her guns cast many ac anxious eye aloft, and then at their daring commander, in wonder at his temerity in forcing her as he did in such a gale, But Forrester the Freebooter stood silent and calm near the helmsman, glancing at the nying brig through bis glass, and determined not to let her escape him. But Captain Bessie had recognized, as the reader will remember, the face and form of the pirate chief upon the echooner’s deck, and was as equally determined that tho Lioness should not be taken. She already knew what the brig would do, and stand, and she putupon her every stitch of canvas she dare risk, To the coast she knew was just four hours’ sail, as the brig was then going and at the rate at which the schooner was overhauling her, if no accident occurred, if would take her just eight bcurs to run alongside. In the gale that was blowing she did not be- lieve that Forrester would fire upon the brig, for fear of dismasting her, and having her sink in the wild sea that was running, and thus lose his prize. And besides, she knew if be did bring her to, he dared not beard in such mad waters. All these thoughts passed coolly through the head of Captain Bess, and she made her calcu- lations with a nicety that showed her pluck and skill. ‘‘Tf I can reach the shore, B'nnacle Ben,” she said, ‘I will run into the Lost Lagoon, and orce in its mouih, we'll bave all in readi- ness to pub tho boats ahead with muffled oars,’ ‘‘ Muffled oars, cap’n, in daylight?’ asked Ben. ‘¢ Yes, so that they cannot hear us, for they will not be able to see us, if I get in four cable Jengths ahead of the schooner.” ‘Well, we'll have all ready, cap’n, so that the boats can be dropped, and the men in ’em in a second’s time, almost.” ‘* And, Ben, I seo no reason why we sbould not fire upon the schooner from our stern guns.” ‘* No, cap’n, but it hain’t no use.” ‘No aim can be taken, I know, in this sea, but then accident might help us, you know.” ‘*'That’s true, cap’n,” answered Ben, and he called the gunners alt, and at once set the long eighteen, mounted on the poop-deck, to belching forth fire, smoke and iron at the schooner. The shots flew so wild, tbat all knew it must be only accident if the schooner was bit in that wild sea; but, as her daring com- mander, without returcing tbe fire, for the very reasons which Bessie had surmised, crowded on more canvas, by shaking out another reef in her sails, though at the risk cf driving her bodily under the sea, she began to creep up the faster under this additional pressure, and it was considered best to keep the long eighteen at work. Suddenly a cry came from forward: Wreck ho!” ° All glanced ahead over the wild waters, and only efter a close search was a smuil wreck discovered. The mast, for it had had but one, was snapped off about a man’s hight from the deck, end to this had been nailed a piece of sail, that fluttered wildly in the gale. The bowsprit was gone too, and every sea broke over the little wreck, while in the cock- pit two men wera seen waving their hats to attract attention, as though fearful the brig would go by them. “Tt is strange that so smalla craft as that could have Jived at all in this tempest,” said Captain Bess, turning the glass upon it. “What shall we do, cap’n?” ‘Try and save them, of course, Ben.” ‘But the schooner, sir?” “Well, we must not desert those two men to ssn LO, _ —— their fate, in spite of the risk we run ourselves from the schooner.” “Tf we luff up, cap’n, the schooner will be upon us, before we can get good headway agaiv, and besides, no boat can live in this sea,” said Boatswain Brail, in a tone of remon- strance. ‘‘T know that wel’; but get a dozen men on each side, ready with lines and life-buoys, to throw them as we go by, and you, boatswain, who have a voice like a trumpet, go forward, hail them when we come near, and bid them spring into the sea and catch the lines as we dash by.”’ These orders of Captain Bers were quickly obeyed, and in a moment more the little wreck being but ashort distance away, and dead in the course of the brig, the stentorian tones of Boaiswain Brail were heard shouting: “‘ Wreck ahoy!” “Ahoy the brig!’ came back in a clear, manly voice, “Jump overboard and catch at our lines and buoys as we go by,” yelled the boatswain. “Ay, ay, sir,” came back in clarion tones, and the next instant both men were seen to spring off of the wreck and strike out manfully give the brig a chance to clear their sinking ulk, “Cast!” shouted Boatswain Brail, and half a score lines, with life-buoys attached, were thrown over from each side. Hardly had they touched the waves, when the bows of the brig passed between the two men, who instantly grasped at the lines and buoys. It was a desperate chance, and they received rude shocks, but they knew their danger, held © on like grim death, and were drawn safely on board the brig, while a cbeer broke from the crew at their rescue, and Boatswain Brail said: ‘** You are in luck, lads; but if it hadn’t been for our young captain, you would have had to go under,” CHAPTER XXVIL CAPTAIN BESSIE’S RUSE, “My lads, we owe you our lives, for had , yonder craft seen us, we would have shuffled off at the yard-arm, “Inthe name of my friend and myself, I thank you,” So said one of tho two men thus saved from a watery grave, and it is hardly necessary, I suppose, to tell the reader that the speaker was Raoul Langdon, and his companion, Harding, to whom he owed his escape from the Pirate Gibra'tar “You are welcome aboard, Jads; but come aft and thank the captain, and not us, for it was her idea to run between you and throw the life-buoys,” said Boatswain Brail, leading the rescued mariners aft, and gazing upon the faces of each with considerable animation. “Captain Ben, here are the men you saved,” said the boatswain, as he joined the fair young captain aft, where she stood near the wheel. In amazement they could ill conceal they gazed upon the beautiful creature whom the boatswain had addressed as Captain Bess, while she said in her low, pleasant way: ‘Tam glad to see you, gentlemen.” “Is not this the packet brig Lioness?” at last gasped, rather than said Raoul Langdon, so overwhelmed was he with astonishment, not only at the beauty of the maiden, but also at ber. being addressed as Captain. “Tt is, sir”’ answered Bessie. “And you her captain?” ‘“‘T am at present her commander, sir,” “Pardon my curious questioning, lady, for your boatswain addressed you by a feminine name, which your appearance algo confirms, and ellow me to offer for my shipmate and myself our sincere gratitude for our lives,” and Raoul Langdon spoke with a courtly grace that was natural to him, and which impressed Captain Bess favorably with him, for she an- swered pleasantly: ; ‘““ITam more than glad that we were able to rescue you, for it looked doubtful, and im fact your Own nerve and strength aided you most; but how is it that you were so far off shore in so small a craft?” “We were flying, lady—” ““My men call me Captain Bess,” said the maiden ag a significant hint, which was not Jost on th@young man, for he instantly said: ‘*Pardow me, I wil] remember in future, and permit me to introduce myself as Raoul Lang~ - lcomicboo <S icon