Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 210 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

22 brance of her awful scene with another kid- napper, when Percy Wyndham was once more her rescuer, and saved her from death. But now. where was that bold man who was the foe of her name? No hope could there be for her now, and she gave up to despair. A good swimmer, though without a thought that it would serve her, poor Mabel kept her- self above the waters, buffeted rudely about, and with only darkness around her, and the darkness of death threatening to close over her every instant. Suddenly she brushed the salt spray from her eyes and stared before her. Was ita huge fish that she saw springing above the waves? No, tt was a boat. A shout of joy arose to her lips, but the waves washed over her and smothered it. Again she rose, and the object that had attracted her attention was nearer. It was indeed a boat. But mastless, seemingly crewless, and a floatirg wreck upon the waters. With tremendous exertion she managed to reach its side, as it was borne by, and clutching at it convulsively, her hand caught a rope, Then she drew herself nearer, grasped the coamings, and with a mighty effort drew her- self upon the deck, and staggering to the cock- pit, threw berself in it with a fervent groan of thankfulness, What mattered it that the hulk was crew- less, mastless, a waif upon the waves, and the ‘eockpit full of water? To her it was a refuge, a haven of safety, nd she felt that she was safe. **T will not die, for Heaven has not’ given me this hops, raised me from despair, to let me perish now,” she murmured, And all night long she clung to the eoamings that encircled the cockpit; and hoped and prayed, for she well knew that her danger was desperate. But at last the dawn came, and she looked about her. Her boat was the wreck of a email sailing eraft of four tons, but though water-logged, seemed yet buoyant. In the small cabin, drenched with the waves, she saw provisions and clothing, so that she need not starve, and once the wind went down, she could make herself compara- tively comfortable. From her investigation of her little barque, which she loved as the preserver of her life, she cast her eyes out over the waters, to start and give vent to an exclamation of surprise and joy commingled. There, not a quarter of a mile distant, ‘and coming directly toward her, was a large sloop yacht. That she was seen was evident, for several forms stood on tbe yacht’s forecastle gazing earnestly at the wreck. And, while she looked, there came slowly from ber lips the words: “Saved a third time by Percy Wyndham, for that is his vessel, the Jack-o’-lantern, and [ see him now, standing by the mast. ‘Oh, Holy Mother! what does this mean? “What strange fatality in life causes us to meet? ‘‘What mysterious fate makes me owe to that man, whosa band is stained with my father’s blood, my life?” She bowed her head in her hands, and raised it only when Percy Wyndham sprung upon the deck of the little wreck, and, recognizing her cried: ‘Good God! you here, Mabel Mortimer?’ CHAPTER XXXTX. WHEELS WITHIN WHEELS. New ORLEANS was greatly excited over sev- al circumstances, that were certainly calcu- lated to set the good citizens all agog, for scenes of an important and mysterious char- acter came in like a tidal wave. In the first place, the brig Lioness came to her anchorage at an early hour the morning after her captain had resumed command, and at once went forth the startling tidings of hor adventures during the voyage over, from her capture by a horde of pirates, to the taking com- mand of her by a youth, who afterward proved @woman. . The Skeleton Schooner had also disappeared in a most miraculous manner, and in its place was anchored a small schooner, which was known as the Scourge of the Coast, and which, ee also, had been captured by the very young buccaneer who had returned the Lioness to her captain, let the vessel and her passengers go unrobbed, and then had saved the cuppat ship from the pirates. Tbis remarkable course of a baccanser seemed contradictory; but then it was better understood as the very thing that ought to bave been done under the circumstatces, so said the wiseacres, when it was taken into consideration that the buccaneer was a woman, and, consequently, entitled to be in some par- ticular like ber sex. The midshipman on board the schooner, in the absence of the admiral with the fleet, made his report of what had happened, to the Gover- nor Commandant, He however forgot to state that both offi- cers and crew were below decks, dodging the rain, and enjoying a game of cards, for high stakes in the cabin, for low stakes in the fore- castle, He simply stated that he was surprised at the coming on board of the boat, but was un- able to keep them off, and hence the capture of the schooner. The Governor seemed deeply interested, asked any number of questions about the dar- ing Captain Bess, and told the middy to retain command of the little schooner until the return of the admiral. But after the departure of the midshipman, the Governor luughed heartily, and said to bimself: ** Well, that was a clever trick to play. ‘*She said she would secure the vessel, armament and crew, and in faith, she has done so, and I expect to hear good tidings of the girl. ‘* She certainly is no pirate at heart, for she acted most handsomely with the brig Lioness and ber captain, and saved the clipper ship from capture by that accursed Scourge of the Coast. “Well, we shall see, we shall see,” and the Governor continued his pondering over all that had happened, and made up his mind to keep secret the fact of his having commissioned a person who was now getting the name in the city as Buccaneer Bess. On the top ofall this exciting news, the yacht belonging to The Everglades arrived at the lake shore, and her negro sailing-master made the report to his master, who it was said was lying dangerous ill at his rooms, that bis sister, in coming to the city to nurse her bro- ther, had insisted upon reroaining on deck in a blow, and, in an unguarded moment, had been washed overboard and lost. The shock of this new, it was said, well-nigh cost Mark Mortimer bis life, and bis physician refused to permit even his most intimate friends to see him. Of course the loss of a beauty and an heiress caused a feeling of gloom to pervade the city, and many were those who dee;ly sympathized with the poor brother, who, by his {sister’s sad loss was left the last of his race. Back to The Everglades the yacht was sent with her negro crew, and the almost broken- hearted Fidele, while Duke, the faithful mu- latto, remained to nurse his master back to life. Hardly was this sad story going the rounds, when the Jack-o’-Jantern arrived in port. All knew that famous craft by name, for had it not been the yacht of the notorious Forres- ter the Freebooter, who bad so cleverly de- ceived the citizens of the Crescent City? And wasn’t she first supposed to be a smug- gler craft, and reported as purchased by For- rester as his yacht, when in reality she was plying her calling as a pirate? Then she had been taken by Percy Wynd- ham as his own vessel, after ho had daringly captured the Skeleton Schooner, and bence, with such a history as-ha¢ the Jack-o’-lantern, it was no wonder that her arrival created an additional stir in the circle of gossipers. But when it became. known that Percy Wyndbam reported that the day he had sailed from bis plantation, he had sighted a craft, rec- ognized to be none otber than the famous schooner known as the Red Rover, and bad been chased by her, and only escaped by run- ning inshore and hiding in the bayous, excite- ment again rose to a fever heat, and the climax was reached when the young planter yachts- man made known the fact, that, on board the Red Rover, he had distinctly recognized none other than Forrester the Freebooter. He knew Forrester too well to mistake bim, Buccaneer Bess, the Lioness of the Sea. he had recognized him with the naked eye, and confirmed that recognition with his glass, and vouched for the fact that. the Skimmer of the Seas, though deprived of the Skeleton Schooner, was again afloat under his black flag, to leave another red trail through the waters of the Gulf. Several days after the arrival of the Jack-o- lantern in port, her master was seen to go hurriedly on board of her one day and at once set sail, and thus it was that wheels within wheels were working toward a certain end, CHAPTER XL. THE MYSTERIOUS LUGGER, ‘MASTER, does yer notice nuthin’ suspicious *bout that lugger, sah?’ It was Caleb that asked the question; the faitoful sailing-master of Lakelands, whom Captain Wyndham, and after him young Percy, had full confidence in as slave, friend and sailor, for hewould bandle anything from a sail-boat to a clipper ship. It was the morning after the Jack-o’-lantern had sailed from New Orleans, and her course lay toward Lake'ands, and master and slave stood together, the latter at the belm, as the yacht swept along under a six-knot breeze, ‘IT do notice something suspicious about her, Caleb; but tell mse what particular thing it ig that has attracted your attention?’ returned Percy Wyndham. ‘*You see, sab, though sho look a leetle clumsy, she do sail well?” “ Yes,” “She holdin’ her own with the Lantern, sah?” ‘She is, Caleb.” ‘‘ And we is makin’ six knots, out o’ a four- knot breeze?’ ‘* We certainly are, Caleb.” ‘*She doin’ the same, sab?’ ‘('Yes,” ** But she look like common coaster.” ‘*Sbe has that appearance.” ‘* Waal, master, I think she don’t show her true color,” ‘Why, Caleb?” ‘*' Yer see, sah, when we was anchor in de Lake, she sail in an’ drop anchor too,” ‘* When?’ “Two day ago.” “Well?” “Waal, master, I watch her close, an’ I see @ man go ashore, gan’ I didn’t see him no more till you come on board de Lantern,”’ ** And then, Caleb?” ** Den, sah, ‘he comed out to de lugger, an’ soon as we up anchor she foller mighty quick, an’ dar she be, sah, not haif a league away, altho’ we hab sail well, fer de Lantern hain’t no pokey boat; is she, sah?” ** No, Caleb, she is the fastest craft afloat, of her tonnage, I think, ‘* But is that all you have noticed about the lugger?” ‘‘Not adzactly, sah, for it do seem ter me that she hab been builded too mighty awk- ward like,” ‘* How so?” ‘Yer see, master, she hab got mighty pretty sticks, sah, an’ mighty large sails, and de bull it am awful narrow fer a lugger, an’ de bul- warks don’t look natural.” ‘‘ By the Lord Harry, Caleb! but you havea good eye, “There was something queer about that craft I couldn’t find out, and now I see it,” ‘* Yas, master.” *‘Sbe has false bulwarks and a false Poop- deck and bows to her, or I am greatly mis- taken.” ‘*She do look so, sah,” “How mapy men did you see on board of her?” ‘* When she were at anchor, gah?” . «c Yes,” “Three, sah, 'sides de white mA I seen go ashore.” ‘* Negroes, were they Pa ate “Ore nigger, sat an’ other two. white.” ‘* And these were all?” ‘‘ All I seen, sab; but dere may be more in dat bull,” ‘Well, Caleb, I will tell you that I sawa man constantly following me when I was in the city, though he tried to appear as though he was not doing so... . ‘“‘ When I came ont to the yacht day before yesterday, he jumped into a vehicle and drove ‘ (E cS . 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