Beadle's Dime Library No. 341 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

eee ee gy ~The Sea Desperado. 21 ‘That she would wait.” ‘‘Tt is enough,” said Captain Morte, while a triumphant gleam shot through his eyes. ‘Did you see Captain Tom, also?” ‘Oh, yes, and after giving him a good scare, enjoyed a bottle of his very excellent wine.”’ ‘‘ [ told you he kept the best; but you told him to put spies upon Miss Hayward, and to keep me informed of all that transpired?” f* . Gig. Gar.ts ‘‘Then your trip was a success?” ‘‘T did as you told me, Captain Morte.” “Any news from that fellow, Riaz, who ran off with my lateen-rigged vessel?” ‘‘ Nothing could [ learn about him.” ‘‘T wish to run across his path, and vor man on his craft shall be put in the hold, and the vessel sent to the bottom with them for serving me the trick that they did,” said Captain Morte, savagely, and Duval fairly shuddered at the fearful revenge which was contemplated upon Riaz, the rebel lieutenant, and his crew. “There is one thing that I wish to ask of you, Captain Morte.” ‘‘Well, Duval, it is granted beforehand, for | owe much to you.”’ ‘‘Thank you, sir; I have tried to do my duty while with you, though I find I was not cut out for a pirate.” ‘Bah! you are not getting faint-hearted, and wish to leave?” ‘‘T am not faint-hearted, sir; but I drifted into piracy as though it was my destiny. ‘‘Circumstances, Which I will not make known to you, took me from my home, and avenging a wrong made me a life-taker and a fugitive. ‘‘T tried to live honest, became a captain of a merchant vessel, but it was taken bya pirate. ‘“‘T escaped, and began life again to be wrecked on an island, and after a year of suffering I was rescued by a pirate craft. ‘‘T remained with my rescuer until I could leave him, and taking passage in a schooner across the Gulf it was captured by the very outlaw | had left. ‘His first officer was killed, and he asked me to serve him until he visited Havana, and I could but obey. ‘“You remember that you attacked that pirate vessel, captured it, and offered me a position as your first luff?” ‘Yes, for I was struck by your splendid use of weapons and cool courage.” ‘‘T accepted, and L have served you for quite a while now, but I desire to leave 9) “ Not while I am down on my back, Du- val, surely?” ‘‘T will remain with you another week, sir.” ' ‘‘You cannot do better than remain.” ‘‘T may not do better as far as makin gold is concerned, but I can certainly fee that what I earned has not cost human lives to get.” “Bah! you talk like a child, Duval ; you are canting, and I am too ill to bear it, so leave me and send Lieutenant Buck here.”’ Duval bowed and left the cabin, and a moment after the pirate officer Buck en- tered. | He was an American evidently, but his face was evil in the extreme and _ treacher- ous. ‘‘Buck, I wish to promote you to my first luff,” said Captain Morte, abruptly. «And Mr. Duval?” ‘¢ Has turned chicken-hearted, and, havin been up to the town, and wishing to leave, i believe intends to betray me, so I will cut his days short.”’ ivaver, tts “Do you mean to kill him, sir?” asked Buck. coolly. “Yes; L wish you to go on deck, have a guard seize him, and swing him up to the yard-arm, without time for a prayer.’ ‘‘But he is most popular with the men, sir, and—”’ ‘Tell them that he has laid a plot to sur- render us to an American cruiser, and that my orders are to hang him. ‘Tron and gag him, so that he cannot talk, and while you are preparing for the work, order the anchor up and sail on the brig in great haste to bear out the story by at once _ putting to sea. ‘‘Do you understand, Buck?” ** Yes, sir.” SS EE ‘‘Then obey,’ said Captain Morte, ab- : *€ Once out from the shadow of the wooded ruptly, and the pirate officer turned to leave | shores of the inlet, and the stars shone out the cabin to execute the chief’s dastard or- | bright enough for him to see the two boats cers. coming in chase of him. Straight out to sea he held his way, hoping that the boats would not dare to follow him very far. But Buck was urging upon the oarsmen that if Duval escaped, he would bring down several cruisers upon them, as he had sold them to their foes, and the men strained every nerve to overtake the man who would _ betray them. “Bey gain on me a little, and if they CHAPTER XXXVIII. A HOT CHASE. WueEn Duval, the first officer of the Wing- ed Witch, left the cabin, after telling Captain | Morte that he wished to give up his position | on board the vessel, there was something in | the look that flashed suddenly into the pirate chief's face that caused him to feel that he was suspected of treachery. | For Captain Morte to suspect any one of | push on, and the wind does not increase, at being a foe to him was to sign a death-sen- | the present rate of speed that we are both tence upon that unfortunate one, Duval well | going, I will be overtaken in an hour’s time,” knew, if it was in the power of the chief to said Duval, with cool calculation. Watching his little skiff ciosely, he held carry it out. Thus warned, he determined to know | 0D, while his pursuers steadily gained on him. more, and having told officer Buck that his | captain wished to see him in the cabin, he As they drew nearer, seeing that they did quickly sought his own snug quarters, and | not fire, he seemed to comprehend the rea- thrust into his bosom a leather case that he | son, and said grimly: took from a secret hiding-place under the ‘‘Captain Morte has given orders to take berth. | me alive, I see, and if they get me he will Then returning to the deck, he stepped to ; doubtless have me shot in his cabin, so that one side of the cabin companionway and lis- | he will not miss the execution.”’ tened. | For some distance further he held on, and Buck had just entered, so he heard Captain | then said: Morte promote him to first officer, and then ‘“ Well, as they are within easy pistol- what followed. range, I will give them a hint that they are The boat in which he had come from the | fishing-hamlet was alongside, and it was just taken.”’ dark, so that Duval knew that if heexpected | Drawing one of the two pistols from his to escape the awful fate intended for him by , belt, he took quick aim with one hand, his treacherous commander, he had no time | while he held the tiller with the other, and to/lose. the flash and report followed. ** Hold the deck, Lansing, until Mr. Buck’s The oars stopped their steady swing in the return, for | am going ashore,” he said, with | leading boat, and the excitement showed the utmost coolness, addressing an officer | that he had fired a death-shot. who was not then on duty. *e Instantly he leveled at the next boat and “Ay, ay, Mr. Duval,” answered the | drew trigger. pirate, and passing on quickly to the gang-| The same result followed; but only for a way, Duval sprung over the side into the | moment, and the two boats once more came boat, seized the oars, and shot away fromthe | on, seemingly more anxious to capture him we? than ever, while the heavy splashes in the He had not gotten out of sight when | water showed that he had done his work Buck came on deck and called out for | well. him. * Py Neptune! but the wind is failin ‘‘He has just gone on shore, sir,” said Lan- | me,”’ he suddenly cried, as the breeze seeme sing. to slacken up a little. Hastily he sprung to the mast and laid it in the boat with its little sail, ready for use again, should the wind freshen, and spring- ing to his oars again, sent his boat flying over the waters. But the failing wind, and the time he lost in resuming his oars, had caused the two boats to gain rapidly, and it now became a desperate row for life for the brave man. CHAPTER XXXIX. INTO THE DEPTHS. DvuvaAL, the fugitive officer of the Winged Witch, realized fully the danger he was in and that the boats’ crews were determine he should be captured, even if they rowed out so far that it would take them the bal- ance of the night to pull back, | Glancing at the land as he rowed seaward, Duval saw that it was two leagues away, too ‘*Gone on shore?’ By whose orders?” yell- ed Buck, who was fearful that he was going to be cheated out of some cruel work, in which he always reveled. ‘By his own orders, sir, I suppose,” was Lansing’s reply. Buck darted back to the cabin and made known to Captain Morte that his intended victim had gone. ‘*Curse him! he overheard what was said. ‘‘ After him, Buck, and bring him back; but mind you, do not wound or kill him un- less to prevent his escape.” ‘‘Ay, ay, sir,” shouted Beck, and going on deck he yelled: ‘Which way did that man go?” ‘‘ What man, sir?” coolly asked Lansing. “Duval.” “Oh! he is just visible yonder, sir, going out of the inlet,” ‘* Ho, men! clear away the third cutter and the dinghy, and get to your oars, for there is work before us. ‘* Yonder man has sold us out, so we must | run him down.” The words of their officer startled the - crew, and the boats were quickly lowered, and into the larger one sprung Buck. Away they darted from the brig’s side in hot chase of the boat ahead. | At any rate, it would be an easier death to Duval could have landed, had he taken die by sinking beneath the waters, than by another course from the brig in starting out, | the Seven arn manner in which Captain and hidden in the woods; but he had wished _ Morte would seek to end his days. to go by water, and hence pulled straight In the boat he remembered that there was out of the inlet, a long coil of small rope, and seizing this he With a rocky shore upon either side, a | bent over the stern, made one end fast to the strong tide running out, and a heavy sea, it | iron staple in the rudder-post, and seizing was impossible to land once he had gotten | the other he sprung into the sea while the into the inlet, so he had only to pull for it. | boats were yet sixty feet distant. He was a superb oarsman, and knowing | A yell of rage broke from the crews of the that he would be pursued, he bent to his | boats as he disappeared from their sight, for blades with a will. they seemed to feel that he had chosen. The skiff was a light one, and a small leg} death by drowning rather than fall into their of-mutton sail lay in the boat, so that as soon hands. as he got out through the surf he stepped his! _‘‘ Pull, men, pull hard, and we will pick mast and spread his canvas. | him up before he drowns,” yelled Buck, and This carried him along as swiftly as he the men bent with renewed energy to their could row in that rough water, and he held oars, one going to starboard, the other to hope that the pursuers could not make bet- | port of the floating skiff. ter speed. | «Way ’nough! = SS — ee eee —— him, should he jump overboard and trust to hiding from his pursuers in the rough wa- ters. had to be captured and taken back to die, or take the chances of reaching the land. One way it was certain death, and the other there was a ghost of a chance. IOO com cs (S following a man who will not be quietly~ far for him to swim, with the tide against. . But it soon became very evident that he | } (ECO) \~ 7”