Beadle's Dime Library No. 307 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

aa — —_—— or res ae —— sr. ba _~+-- —— + a oe Slat aa Spee ~ > > LS eS a Saas 6 — ———_—<$— KL we ‘The Phantom Pirate. — —asas a a ere Sail She was dressed in a costume that a young princess might have worn, for its richness, and yet her little brown feet were bare. Her fingers glittered with rings studded with rubies, emeralds and diamonds, and she wore a necklace of precious stones. “Who are you?” asked Irving Brandt, caught wholly off his guard for once, and seemingly dazed by her appearance. ““T am Lita,” was the innocent reply. 4é Lita?” ‘* Yes, sir.” ‘* May I ask how it is you are out in such a storm?’ and Irving hardly knew what to say. ‘Oh! I have been out in worse; but this | is a bad one for you to be caught here in, and I came out to save your vessel and crew, for I don’t like to sce mien drown; their cries for ae haunt me sometimes,” ‘**T should think so; but do you hear such cries often?” “‘@h, yes, very often.” ‘Where did you come from?” ““My home.” *‘Is it possible you live in one of these islands?” “* Yes, sir,” **'Then you know these waters?” “Oh, yes, I know every rock and reef.” ‘And can pilot us to a place where we can ride out the blow?” ** Yes, sir.” ‘*God bless you, my sweet girl, for those words; but ge whither can we go to safety, for I saw only rock-dotted waters around us by day.” ‘Yes, these are deadly waters for vessels to sail in; but I can save your pretty craft, only you must make me some promises t ” **Gladly.” “You must promise not to tell on me, or to come again to the island.” “T will promise you, certainly.” “Nor will you allow your men to harm me or our home?” ** By no means shall they, and, owing you their lives as they will, gladly will they promise for themselves.” “Ah! I thought that rock habitable to a bird only.” The girl made no reply, and kept her eyes riveted ahead. ‘**Port, sharp, sir!” she suddenly said. “Port ’tis,” responded the midshipman. ‘*Hard down, hard!” and her voice fairly rane ‘“Hard down ’tis,” responded the middy, ot the yacht minded her helm beauti- ully. “You are heading directly for the Death’s Head Beacon,” suddenly said Irving, as the sharp bowsprit of the Sea Owl was pointed toward the hideous skull. “Yes, that is the way I must steer from this point to pass through.” ‘Pass through what?” ‘““The reef.” ‘*Ah! you intend to pass through a reef, then?” ‘Yes, sir, and the opening is little wider than this vessel, so do not talk to me, please.” The boy captain took the hint and re- mained silent, while the crew, in breathless suspense, watched every movement of the girl pilot. Around them were ragged rocks, before them loomed up the island, and altnost over | ing every vessel that sailed in the waters» the decks now shone down the skull beacon. “Great God! we seem dashing directly upon yonder wall of rock,” said Midshipman erbert, hoarsely, ‘Yes, we scem so, but we are not. ‘‘See, we are passing through the reef now,” calmly answered Lita, and the yacht’s deck was almost flooded with spray, while she bounded on with terrific speed. Then, in a voice that rung like bars against the wall of the island, she cried: ‘‘Hard up! hard up your helm!” *‘Hard up ’tis,”” came in the quiet tones of the boy captain, and the yacht’s course was quickly changed. ‘*Let her fall off sharp!” was the next order, and, just as the crew expected to see the yacht shiver her bows against the rock, her falling off was checked, and she darted into the narrow passage leading to the ‘‘You are our enemies, for father and | basin. mother and Leo told me so, and I should let The wheel to port and starboard once or our vessel be wrecked and see you all die; | twice, and the Sea Owl emerged into the but I will not, and only hope you will not cause me to regret saving you.” She spoke with such perfect innocence |: she impressed all deeply, for the crew had gathered close around her, gazing upon her as the cabin lights shone through the com- panionway full upon her. ' “*My dear young lady, I would rather die than cause you harm: but you must not think us your enemies, but your friends.” _“** All vessels carry our foes, sir, except the Phantom Pirate, father says.” gen you are from the Wrecker’s Isl- “We are Water Wolves, sir; father says men call us so.” _ All started at this frank confession, and vag Brandt said earnestly: ‘* Well, whatever men may call those Weta are with, you can never be term- a Water Wolf, I will swear; but see, are we not d ging too near down upon yonder reef?” and he pointed to the reef, not a cable’s length astern. ‘Yes, sir; get sail on the schooner and I will take the wheel,” she said quietly. **And I will aid you,” and orders were at once issued to get up the anchors and set the mainsail and jib, reefed down. - With quickness and skill these orders nee obeyed, and, the irons leaving the ttom, the yacht moved swiftly away from the dangerous rocks astern. _ Lita had taken her stand by the wheel, and Irving Brandt himself stepped to her assistance, saying: ‘‘Can you manage a vessel, miss?” ‘*‘Oh, yes, sir.” ‘“‘And you know what course to take in such a black night?” “‘Of course I do, sir, or I could not save your vessel.” tr seemed plausible, and Irving again “Do you know aught of yonder hideous oer b8,.Air. t rip basin, while one long, loud cheer burst rom the crew, ‘*Drop your anchor here, sir, please.” The request was obeyed and the yacht rode quietly at anchor, for the wild storm with- out did not reach into that sheltered bowl. ‘* Now, sir, I will leave you; but I shall come off in the morning to pilot you out to sea,” “Thank you, miss, and God bless you for saving the lives of us all.” 71 { like to have you say God bless me, for the books say that good people talk that way, and I know that you will not be wick- ed toward me; but I will go ashore now, and, please, sir, do not let your men land.” ** No, sir, for I do not wish it.” “Your wishes shall be respected; but will ‘notthe Water Wolves board our vessel?” { | “There is no one on the island now, sir, but myself.” ‘‘Indeed! are you alone on this fearful island?” ‘* Yes, sir, and I must get your vessel to sea again to-morrow, for if the sloop came back and found you here, father would kill me.” Irving made no reply, and her little boat, which had been axsaged astern through the wild waters, was quickly drawn alongside, and into it she sprung and seizing the oars, pulled rapidly shoreward, followed by many a fervent ‘‘God bless you’ from the crew she had saved by her daring and skill asa pilot, girl though she was, CHAPTER XLVIII, THE PHANTOM AND THE REALITY. Ir was the night after the running into the basin of the Sea Owl, and still the yacht lay at anchor in the little harbor. The day had been stormy, and Irving Brandt would not allow Lita to pilot them to sea, when he knew that she had to return alone over the wild waters, She laughed ut his feais; but he told her that the two days of storm had made the waves rougher than even a tornado would have done, and he would not hear of her risking her life to save his vessel and crew. ‘To-morrow will doubtless be a pleasant day, and then we will run out,” he had said to her when she came aboard in the morning to act as pilot. She was compelled to acquiesce, and did so with good grace. The fact is she was drawn toward those whom she had been taught to look upon as foes, in a manner that was new to her. She knew that, in the blow, Wambold would not attempt to return, and she felt safe on that score, while she really felt anxious to keep the yacht in the basin, as she took great pleasure in the company of those whom she had saved from death. By questioning her, in a way not to alarm her fears, Irving Brandt found out from her how she had been cast upon the island in a wreck, and was not the child of those whom she called father and mother. He also learned that Wambold, his wife und son had been on a dismasted vessel, which had driven right into the basin in a storm, and that there they had lived ever since, car- rying on their diabolical practice of destroy- with one exception. ** And that one?” asked the young officer. ‘Is the Phantom Pirate.” ce Ah!” ‘“That craft he cannot destroy,” said the Girl Wrecker. Having learned from the girl all that he could of interest, Brandt began to quietly open her eyes to the outer world. He told her of right and wrong, and of the enormity of the crimes committed by the Water Wolves. Not to alarm or distress her, he did not: condemn her, but those whom she was forced to obey. He explained to her that all nations pun- ished wreckers, such as was Wambold, the Water Wolf, with death, and begged her to let him remain there to capture them upon their return, promising her that she should” have a home with his sister at the Brandt Plantation, and they would do all they could to find out her parents for her. The young girl began to'see life as it was in reality, and not as painted by Wambold and his wife; but she would consent to his remaining only on condition that, after break- ng up the wreckers’ haunt, he would allow ambold, his wife and,Leo to go free. This Irving Brandt was forced to agree to, and felt delighted in having at least been able to break up the Water Wolves’ home and destroy the false beacon. “Now, will you permit me to go ashore with you and show me the mystery of the Skull Beacon?” he asked. “Yes; I will show you all, for your words tell me that I have done very wrong,” she answered frankly. Going ashore, the pretty wrecker showed the cabins of the Water Wolves, pointed out the cows -grazin 4 the vale, the chickens picking along the hillsides, and other evi- dences that the wreckers took their comfort, which might, in that lone spot, be termed luxuries. The young midshipman gazed upon all with deep interest, and then Lita led the way up to the cliff, and then along it to the false beacon. ‘Well, this is a remarkable island,” said Irving Brandt, as he gazed at the valley, sur- rounded by steep hillsides, the little harbor, er basin, overhung by lofty cliffs, the pass out to the sea, and the precipitous pointe on all sides that faced the waters. In the basin lay his yacht at anchor, those on board gazing up at him‘as he stood on a point of rock surveying the scene. “Will you come down to the light?” asked Lita. “ce Yes. ) , P She swung herself over with a recklessness which he dared not attempt to equal, cool- headed as he was, and descended to the shelf upon which rested the huge skull. He saw the wall of canvas that concealed it from view, and examined it intently. The winds whirled savagely about them, and the spot was by no means a pleasant one to remain in, so they soon returned to (E ihe cliff above, f* Ai , (E(0)