Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 210 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Buccaneer Bess, the Lioness of the Sed. 9 ther, who had also saved him from death on one occasion. ‘*‘ Hence, against him I have a feeling of in- tense hatred and a longing for revenge. ‘* Your good vessel, and your brave hearts can aid me to reap that revenge, and gold shall be your reward. ‘Make me your leader, and this very hour will I cast the past bebind me, and live to be- come a very Nemesis, while the gold you have so striven to gain, which you have sinned for, struggled for, you sball have, “*IT mean it by the dead body of my father.” She seemed to fathom each heart, and to look into each eye as she spoke, and like a very queen she stood before them, fascinating, awiog, and controlling them with her magnetic power. Instantly Binnacle Ben broke out with: ‘Lads, three brayoes for our chief, The Lady of the Lagoon!” With a will they were given, the hoarse voices momentarily drowning the fierce roar of the tempest without, “Thank you, my lads, and believe me I will do my duty toward you in all things, though I follow the bent of my humor in carrying out the aim of my life. “From this moment I am no longer the Lady of the Lagoon, but Captain Bessie.” “Captain Bessie, the Liouess of the Sea,” shouted Binnacle Ben, and three more hearty cheers were given, when one of the smugglers hinted that it would be the proper thing to driuk the health of their new captain, and the success Of the cruise. Bessie at once took the hint and set the flagon and glasses before them, after which she set to work preparing for her departure from her home. What she cared to take with her was soon packed up, and then the graves were dug at her request, and the form of her father laid away to ‘Sleep the sleep that knows no waking.” First, she intended to bury her father in tho sea, and so wrote the first note which Percy Wyndham bad found upon his return to the cabin; but Binnacle Ben suggested in a delicate way thatit would bs better not to set sail on their first ertiise with a corpsé6 on board, and then came to ber the thought of burying her dead, and leaving an opsén grave for Mark Mortimer, when he should Have fallen by her hand, for the young girl was now nearly crazed by her grief and thoughts of revenge. All being in readiness, Bessie determined to at once go on board the brig and set sail, fear- ing that Percy Wyndham might return for her at any moment, for well she knew his noble heart would prompt him to.come back and be near her in the storm that had swept up over land and sea, and that his adventurous spirit would cause him-to risk any danger to got back to the cabin. Bidding the men go ahead she remained to kneel for a moment at the grave of her father, and in suppressed tones, yet terrlbly in earnest, the words broke from her lips: “Father, though in thy grave, hear my vow, for here I swear to hunt down on sea or land, wherever he may be, the one who took thy life, and bring his body here to bury in that yawning grave which I have dug for him!” Quickly she arose from her knees, turned away, and upon reaching the cabin took a last, lingering look at each room, and each fa- miliar object. Then, with tearless eyes, white face and stern lips, she walked quickly down to the beach, where Binnacle Ben and his comrades stood awaiting her coming, and gazing with surprise at the wild sea that was tossing about ia the little harbor of Clift Cottage, CHAPTER XV. THE LIONESS SHOWS HER CLAWS. THE scene that met Bessie’s eye was certain- ly a wild one, when she tripped down the path- way from the cliff and stoud where Binnacle Beri and his mates were standing, just out of the reach of the waves. The little harbor, only a few acres in size, was a perfect maelstrom, for the wind was from a quarter that forced the waves around the point of land, the sheltering arm of the basin, and drove them with fury across it, to break with loud report upon the beach. Then too, the winds were so fierce in their strength, that they sent volumes of water fly- ing far upon the cliff, and already were the seamen drenched with the spray which had dasbed upon them. Out from the shore, only a couple of cables’ length, was a trim-looking brig, clinging with both atichors to the bottom, and riding lightly upon the waves, in spite of the savage gusts of the wind and the chaotic waters, though of course she was deluged from stem to stern. Upon the deck of the brig, and clinging astern as best they could, were visible a score or more of men, eagerly watching the party on shore, but whose voices, when some stento- rian tones were shouted shoreward, hardly reached the ears for which they were meant. A closer glance at the brig showed that her topmasts were housed, and that all precau- tions bad been taken to strip her thoroughly to meet the gale, Beyond the point, out upon the waters, the spray, mingling with the inky, trailing storm- clouds, rendered it impossible for the vision to penetrate to a great distance, and the white waves, hurled back from the sheltering land- arm, and then recoiling upon the opposite shore, gave to all the appearance that the good ship was bedged in by a wall of breakers. Here and there upon the shore lay a small skiff, shattered by the waves, and closer in under the point rode at anchor, though with drowned decks, the little sailing craft which had been the pride of Juun Gito, and one of which he had pretended to use as his fishing smack, but more commonly filled her with a cargo of wines and other smuggled goods, ** Well, Lady—” *‘ Captain Bess, if you please, Binnacle Ben,” corrected Bessie. “IT admit it, miss—I mean cap’n; but as I were going to remark, mi—cap’n, you see we are ashore, and likely to remain for some time, for that storm hasn’t risen yet to show what it can do,” ‘*T believe you are right, Ben, it does look as if the clouds were getting blacker, and the winds rising,” answered Captain Bess, with a know- ing look around her. “Then here we are, like fish in a net, and if the brig jumps about much more, the lads aboard will be here to join us.” * You fear the cables may part?” “Yes, miss—cap’n, I mean,” “Then we had better get on board at once,” They looked at her in astonishment, and Binnacle Ben said: * Didn’t you tell us, cap’n, you was a sailor, if you do wear petticoats?” ** did.” ‘And yet you talks about getting on board the brig?” ‘* Yes.” ‘Tn this blow?” ‘¢ Certainly.” ‘‘ With the waves running as they do, and the wind blowing my hair out hair by hair?” “Why not?’ was the cool question. They looked at her with the expression on their faces that plainly showed that they had made a mistake. ‘“ Why no boat could live, that’s why not,” bluntly said Binnacle Ben. ‘*My man, choose more respectful language when you address me, for I am your captain, and intend to be such in the full meaning of the word. ‘*Now come with me to yonder break in the point which you see, and we wil go out to the brig in my surf skiff, which has lived outside in storms as severe as is this one.” She moved off along the cliff, and in wonder and silence they followed her, watching her slender, cloak-enveloped form in admiration as she went along. At last she reached the break in the cliff, and got down under the shelter of the rock, while she said, pointing to a surf skiff that was drawn out of the water and lay half concealed in a niche: “There is my surf skiff, so throw my bag- gage into it and shove it into the water, and the wind will drive us to the brig, while you can steady the boat with your oars. ‘*T will take the helm.” In silence the half-score of men obeyed, go- ing into the water to their waists with the skiff, and then springing into it at an order from Captain Bess, who had already coolly taken her seat at the tiller. The rebound of the next swell caught the surf skiff upon its bosom, and sent it flying frcm the shore, when the wind sweeping over the point of land drove it along at vwerrific | Se a ae speed, while six of the smugglers had the oars out steadying iv all in their power. Straight for the brig it went, like an arrow from a bow-string, and when almost upon it, the clear, bugle-like voice of Captain Bossiv shouted: * Ahoy there! throw us a line!” Almost instantly it was done, and skillfully . caught, and the surf skiff swept around under the brig’s stern, and was drawn close aboard, when other ropes were thrown, and watching their chances, each occupant of the boat was safely drawn up to the vessel’s deck. ‘‘Cast the skiff off, and all hands get up those anchors and set sail!” came in the ring- ing voice of Captain Bess, when ‘Binnacle Ben, the last to leave the boat, was drawn on deck. The order fell like a thunderbolt upon all who heard it, for not one of the brig’s crew had a thought of going to sea in that blow, and a burly seaman sprung forward and con- fronted Captain Bess, while he cried: ‘You can’t puton airs here, girl, though you did handle that skiff well Pll admit, but men, not women have the say aboard this craft’ ‘“Sh—, Bo’sen, the girl are Juan Gito’s daugbter, and he being dead, she is to be our cap’n,” cried Binnacle Ben in the ear of the man who bad spoken so rudely. “No petticoat cap’ns for me, Ben. If Juan Gito is dead, then Ill be master of this craft, as I see you can’t be trusted;” cried the huge sailor. But with the spring of a panther Captain Bess was by bis side, and a pistol, she’ had quickly drawn from beneath her cloak, stared the mutineer squarely in the face, while she cried in suppressed toues: ‘Drop on your knees, sir, and beg my par- don, or you are a dead man.” Tbe man tnrned livid, but hesitated, and again came the words: “Obey, sir, for I am captain here!” The man saw that death to him was certain, if he refused, and down he went like a clumsy “Ask my pardon, sir!” and the pistol was pressed against his face, the slender finger on the trigger. IT do ask it, miss, if you really is to be chief,” was the whining response, ‘‘T am chief now, Rise, and see that you obey me. Here Binnacle Ben, you act as my first officer, and get those anchors off the bot- tom, and set what sail the brig will stand te run out!” ‘* Lads, we has made no mistake, for we has a cap’n, ifshe does wear petticoats,” was Bin- nacle Ben’s remark, as he went forwara among the men. , With a will the crew sprung to work, and in ten minutes the brig, under storm-sails only, begun to beat out of the little harbor, Captain Bess herself at the helm, and, aided by Binnaciv Ben, managing her with a skill that won the admiration of even the bully she bad so quick] tamed. r CHAPTER XVL CAPTAIN BESS. Tuer girl chief had not been ten minutes at the helm of the brig, before the smuggter crew felt that she was indeed a thorough, sailor. She gave her orders to Binnacle Ben in a low, decided tone, when to port ar starboard the wheel, and handled the craft in a manner that won admiration and astonishment, The run into Cliff Haven, as the little har- borage was called, was a comparatively easy task in a light breeze and still water, for the shoals could be seen there, and the channel fol- lowed. | But with a perfect tornado sweeping over the sea, the waves tumbling shoreward with fury, to be hurled back masses of snowy foam and spray, it was by no means a light under- In that same blow and sea P. Wynd- dam was then striving to run out in the Gide, to go to the rescue of Bessie Gito, and knew, after once gaining an offing, that bis yacht could not live, so put back 9 doh The large bull of the brig, however, better met and stood the fearful chop seas, and strip-~ ped of her topmasts, and only with just enough sail to make her mind her helm, she beat out of the harbor on sharp, quick tacks, that soon brought her to deep water. Once a sail wus blown away, but an order from Captain Beesie quickly replaced it, and —_— Gomicdooks (C €O