Beadle's Dime Library No. 230 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

- ney gy -— fold mae: -_— lw oF —— ——— ee But I soon forgot everything else in the love- ly view before me on deck. Tbe ship was just piled with snowy white sails, that swelled in the breeze like wings; and the pretty tricolor flag fluttered up above us against the sails, making a splendid patch of color. The Flying Dutchman of | ' Those picturesque sailors were grouped about | on the deck, at different tasks, coilin ropes into little round coils, as reg ol of cotton, or polishing at the silver work; while a dark Hindoo, in a huge. white turban, | in stood at the wheel to guide the ship, and Mr. : L - ——aee ee — meee ‘“Ye speer too mony questions, lassie. There are things a lassie shouldn’t ken, Till be glad when we’re at Batavia, for ye get too free in manner.” So I had to be content with thinking over what I couldn’t say, and the evening found us all out at sea, with no sight of land anywhere. Mr. Vanderdecken left us alone in the pes away | with a delicacy I shall never forget. He seeme as a | to feel that grandpa distrusted him, and actually slept on deck that night, as [ found next morn- | Vanderdecken, with his tall Malay officer, was | at the very stern of the ship, watching two lit- | funny, with their brown mats and double ca- tle specks (all that was left of the pursuing | noes, but there were a few of our own kind, and ships) through telescopes. I looked all round and could see that we were not by any means out of sight of land, and I wondered where we were. I went softly up behind Mr. Vanderdecken, thinking to surprise him; but that odious Hin- doo, with his rolling eyes, madea sort of a grunt in some language, and Mr. Vanderdecken and the Malay officer turned round with a start. Mr. Vanderdecken looked amused at my com- ing up without grandpa, for be said: “You flatter me greatly, Miss Bruce. Well, have you found cut any skeletons yet in this ter- rible ship?” ‘““No,” I said, laughing, ‘‘but I.saw a most terrible black dragon in the sky, and I begin to think you must have dealings with people down- stairs. “‘Oh, you mean the smoke dragon,” he said, lightly. “That is nothing. Have you never heard of Japanese day fire-works? They are common enough here.” “Day fire-works?” echoed I. ‘‘No. What are they?’ ‘““You’ve seen one of them,” be answered. “ ¥ sent it off in a rocket, to make a smoke that would hide my vessel till it got out of gunshot, The captain oF the Cyclops thought to make me heave to by firing at me, and he has some very bi But the best guns in the world can- not hit an object unless the gunners can see it, and my dragon confused him just long enough to enable me to run out of distance. Would you like to see some more of those fire-works?” “I’m sure I should be delighted,” I said; *“ but please don’t have any more dragons; they hten grandpa.” He smiled, and said something to Mr. Hassim, whom I had a good look at now, and couldn’t help thinking 1’d seen him somewhere before, but couldn’t tell where. Mr. Hassim made a funny sort of bow, with both hands up at his forehead, and went away. “T’ll send u pa comic balloon,” said Mr. Van- derdecken. ‘Those Englishmen shali see what { think of them.” And very soon the sailors brought out a brass cannon, like a big coal-scuttle, and put in some powder and a great red ball that looked as if it was made of pasteboard. And they fired it np in the air and it burst with a loud noise, and, to my amazement, out jumpela great enormous, huge figure of John Bull, just like a comié pic- ture, and went sailing round in the air, with a oa nging to his coat-tails, all swellcd out and shaking. ; I oon see it was only a paper balloon, but it looked so comical I couldn’t help laughing, for I knew grandpa would lose all his superstition if he once saw that figure, which blew up while we looked at it and vanished. CHAPTER VII. : CALLING THE SPIRITS. Arter the bursting of that funny Saha we sailed on without any further adventures all the morning; and I began to see how it was that the yacht had no appearances of a steamer about her while yet I knew from her tremulous mo- tion that there must be an eugine working on board. Mr. Vanderdecken showed nie that one of his masts was hoilow and made of steel, while out of the a of it came a little smoke, not thick and black, but pale and yello v, like what comes from our New York chimneys where we buro hard coal. He told me he had only a emall engine, which used up very little fuel, so that be could keep at sea a long time, without having to take in ] coal. -: aa do you stay out at sea a very long time?” I asked. : ‘* Yes,” he said gravely. ‘‘I have to, When a man has many enemies, he has to fight or fly as necessity guides.” ‘And have you many enemies?” I asked n. ‘‘T have,” he answered, still more gravely. “They are all of one race, and our warfare will never end,” Then he pulled himself up, as if be had said too much, and left me thinking over what he could mean. I saw that his enemies must be English, but when I remembered what a favorite he was at apore, I could not quite understand it. I tho ht [ would ask grandpa, when we were bat he only sbook his head crossly and | | rr when Inez told me about it. uite a number of sails ext day there were ttle Malay vessels, so in sight, most of them Wwe came up with one of these about noon. I saw the dear old stars and stripes on her, and my heart warmed to them, for there was _ovly one American ship at Singapore when we were there,-and she had gone away with Mr. Denyse in ber. It struck me this might be the same vessel, so I asked Mr. Vanderdecken if he ecouldn’t read the name of the ship as we came up with her. “Why, certainly—with pleasure,” he said, and he leveled his glass and read out: *** George Washington, Boston.’ It needs no more to tell us the nationality of that ship, Miss Bruce.” Yes,” I said; ‘‘and I think there are some people on board that I know.” ** Who, lassief”’ asked grandpa, who was be- side me. “Why, there’s Doctor Sam, you know. He went on the Washington, and Mr. Denyse is something or other in her, grandpa. We shall get to Batavia before them.’ Grandpa looked at the ship wistfully. She seemed to be very slow, and made a great fuss in the water, without going very fast. ‘‘She’s a stout ship,” he said. ‘‘ Doctor Sam did ye say lassie? Maybe Maister Vanderdecken wadna object to speaking her.” Mr, Vanderdecken had been standing by us as we talked together; but when I turned to look for bim he had gone off, silent as a spirit, and [ saw him forward among the men, talking to his officer, Mr. Hassim, and paying no atten- tion to the passing ship. “IT sup he’s busy,” said I. ‘‘!mesorry. I wish I knew if they are on board.” But Mr. Vanderdecken did not come near us, and very soon we passed by the Washington, as she went plunging and foaming along like a cart-horse. I saw Mr. Hassim hold out a big black board at the side of the ship, and then I saw Mr. Den- yse get up on the rail of the Washington and show another black board, with some chalk fig- ures on if; and grandpa said, with a sigh: “Tis only the latitude figures, lassie. They won’t talk ony mair. There’s too mony ships about to make it a preevelege.” But justi at that minute, asif to contradict him, I saw a t yellow-bearded sailor jum up in the rigging of the Washington, and hea him roar out like thunder: ** Ship ahoy! Where from?” Iknew the manina moment. It was one of those great, big, yellow-haired giants of Danes, who had paper save us on the raft. Isaw Mr. Vanderdecken look at Mr. Hassim but neither of them answered, and then I beard Mr. Denyse call out angrily: “You, Nelson, how dare you bail a ship, sir? Get down, and let me attend to my business.” But Nelson opty Seer louder: “ Shipahoy! Where from?” And then there was a confusion on board the other ship, and I saw the other Dane who had been with us jump up into the rigging by bis he to ane begin to curse and swear at the peo- e inside, “Why don’t we tell them what they want to know?’ said [ to grandpa. “The poor fellows are curious.” “It’s no discipline, lassie,” said he. ‘‘ They’re only just common sailors, ye ken, and ha’e nae business to be ower-curious.” But the noise in the other ship grew louder as we passed them, and the two Danes, who seemed to be intoxicated, all of asudden jumped into the sea and came swimming toward us like water-dogs. I saw Mr. Vanderdecken shrug his shoulders and walk away from Hassim, and then the Malay called out to our men, who threw ropes over the side and let them drag, so the Danes might catch them and come on board. But that was all they did, for our vessel went on as if nothing had happened, and we soon left the Washington behind. _“ Eh, sirs,” said grandpa, amazed, “heard ye eer of sic a thing as stealin’ able seamen in broad daylight out of anither sbip? Nae won- der the mon has enemies,” And when I looked over the side, there were the two wild Danes, who had caught bold of the ropes and pulled themselves up close to the ship, but could get no further, we were going so fast. I never saw such crazy fellows. ey were in the sea, and didn’t seem to mind ita bit. They had given each one his rope a twist round his y, 80 as to relieve bis arms, and there they were, dragging along, sometimes above, rrmccnn nnn nen nee n en SSeS SSS sss sss 1880. sometimes under water, as quietly as if lying in bed. I was frightened, and began to cry out: ‘* Oh, they’ll be drowned |. they'll be drowned! Please pull them on board.” And then I beard Mr. Vanderdecken give some order in Malay, which Mr. Hassim re- eated, and the dark sailors pulled the two anes on board. But what surprised me was the \’ay they treated them. Instead of giving the poor fellows dry clothes, if they didn’t just tie their hands and feet as if they’d done something wicked, and then Mr. Hassim told bis men to take them down-stairs somewhere, and down they went, struggling and kicking, but tied so firmly that they couldn’t resist. . At first they roared out all sorts of terri- ble words, but that stopped all of a sudden when Mr. Hassim gave some order. I saw some men pull off their turbans and tie them over the Danes’ mouths, and then they were quiet, Mr. Vanderdecken never came near us all the rest of the morning, but sbut himself up in some place down-stairs, and Mr, Hassim came and paced the quarter-deck as if we weren't there, never offering to notice us; while the ship sailed on faster than ever. : _ It was very singular, and I could not account for it all. hat had the poor men done to be srengen so? Grandpa wouldn’t say anything ut: ‘‘Haud your claver, lassie; ‘tis nae concern of ours. Ill be glad when we're in Batavia.” — was in the cabin, and I waited till Mr. Hassim passed near me, when I said: eb ‘** Please, Mr. Hassim—” ya! He passed on as if be hadn't heard me, and took the other side of the deck. But that wasn’t the way to get rid of me. It . only made me mad. I went boldly after him, laid my haud on bis sleeve, and said: ‘““Mr. Hassim, I want to speak to you. Why did you punish and tie up those poor men?” He turne : his eyes down on me, just like the “ag of a great cat, and said something in Ma- y. 1 ‘* Don’t you understand me?” I asked. He jabbered again, the seme language. ‘*Dont you speak English?’ I persisted, Then he shook his head and gave a sort of scowl at me that made him look more likea cat than ever, as be said something about: ‘* Inglis! Inglis!” It was just as if he was cursing the English, | and I understood his face as well as if he had i spoken in my own tongue. And he looked so herrid that I dropped his sleeve as if it bad been red-hot, and burried away to the cabin stairway to go to grandp: And when I got there F couldn’t help ta a last glimpse, w ben I caught a queer look on the Malay’s face as if he had been laughing at me, It changed instantly to a scowl worse than before; (for this time be looked like a perfect demon,) and I dived down into the cabinina hurry, where I almost ran into Mr. Vander- decken’s arms, as he was coming up from talk- ing with grandpa. . I was so frightened and angry that I burst our: oa “Oh, Mr. Vanderdecken, that dreadful Ma- | lay! I’m sure bell murder me some day,” ~~ | ‘What Malay?’ he asked, with a and a glare of his eye I shall never forget. ‘Has ¥6 * of my crew dared to insult you?” nd be looked worse for a moment x Hassim. I began to understand what away my eyes, and I trembled all over as LS stammered: erty ‘*No, no, cnly—only, Mr. Hassim—” =—— His frce cleared geet F otal ‘Ob, Hassim, Is thatall? He wouldn’t burt a fly. What bas He done to you, Miss Bruce?” &é Nothing,” said 7 “e only—on!l —T asked him a little question, and he scowled at me like a demon.” Pas ‘And what question did you ask him, Miss Bruce?’ said he, quietly, done “Tf asked bim why you punished those two poor fellows who swam to our ship.” % ‘*Miss Bruce,” said Vanderdecken nye | * when you want to ask questions, ask me. Malays don’t talk English. MHassim is an honest fellow, but he can’t say a word ex- cept Dutch and Malay.” ‘But you were away and [ couldn’task you,” said I, pouting. ‘‘ You didn’t seem to want to be spoken to.’ . He smiled in bis sweetest way, PR “Piitell youwhyt{ = | “*T was busy,” he said. tied up those men. They were deserters the other ship.” I, pertly, for P’'d got so I didn’t fear bim ony more, and I saw grandpa close beside me. Mr, Vanderdecken bit his lip as he said; © “You are a regular lady Jawyer at crosge questioning. I had notime. I am in a hurry to land you in Batavia. Moreover, I had other reasons, about which I do not wish you to ques _ tion me, young lady.” He ended in a tone just like Madame Ler: my old French teacher, when she was ry IOOKS EGOmic + al ‘2 > At last I plucked up courage, when grandpa +o meant by calling him a demon. I had tte - x rele) the 4 , 8s ) hy i. {