Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 346 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

~ ~3 ' ' 7 San lines a Had their Lady Captain determined to punish them? With night, the vicinity of the Witches’ Island, their ringleader lying dead aft, and their utter failure in the mutiny, they were cowed. With all their superstitious ideas too, of the Witches’ Isle, they yet had formed a plan to benefit themselves by the jewels which they knew Rita had with her, and their leading spirit had, by sacrificing her and the lieutentant, intended to wipe out the rob- bery of the victims by their death. It was therefore the second time that the Smuggler Queen hailed before she got an- swer. “Forward there! I called you, men!” eg ay, lady,” they now sung out in chorus, and in a body they walked aft. “Halt there!” and she indicated a spot some fifteen paces distant from where she stood. | They obeyeu in silence. ‘*Men, you wanted two lives as a sacrifice to save this lugger from some awful doom ¥ hich would come upon it? “Well, at my feet lies your ringleader, and he shall serve as one. ** There stands the second !” and she pointed to the midshipman. Not a word broke the silence that followed her words, and after a moment she con- tinued: ** Men, throw that youth into the sea, and then get to your re for the lugger must fly swiftly away from here and leave him to his fate.” Resistance on the part of Irving was use- less, and he knew it; but he would not allow the advancing men to lay hands upon him, and sprung lightly over the bulwark into the sea, While, as he rose to the surface, rung in his ears the mocking laughter of the Smug- gier ~ sete and her words: ‘“Now, boy, I have avenged my poor fa- ther.”’ With the last words she uttered, a loud cry broke from her lips, followed by a chorus of voices in tones of horror while Chester Gran- ger shouted: ‘In God's name, what is that ?” CHAPTER XY. THE SKELETON HELMSMAN., THE cause of the sudden outcry of those on board of the smuggler, was at what they had suddenly discovered coming straight toward their craft, and appearing in the darkness with a vividness that revealed that which sent a chill of horror to the heart of every one who saw it. ‘For God’s sake! get the lugger under way!” cried the Smuggler Queen, her voice quivering with terror, and, with trembling hands, chattering teeth, and livid faces, the crew obeyed, the sails filled, and the craft be- n to forge ahead, while every one on oard stood gazing at the object that had so startled them, and still held them fascinated by the awful sight from which they seemed unable to raise their eyes. And what was it that they beheld? A sight that would unnerve the stoutest heart, a sight that would have put to flight the bold skeptic of the supernatural in those days of superstition. here, a few cable-lengths distant, was a boat coming in the wake of the lugger, and when first sighted had been heading directly for the smuggler. It was a boat, yet not a boat, for it was simply a huge coffin. In this strange hull was a mast, to which was attached a red leg-of-mutton sail, with a large white skull and cross-bones in the cen- ter. But the one who sailed this weird craft, I hear my reader ask? Ah! there was the greater terror to the crew of the lugger, for the one who sailed this remarkable boat was a skeleton. There. he sat in the stern, one bony hand upon the tiller, the other holding the sheet rope, and gesting his boat straight in the the wake of the lugger. And all this was distinctly visible from the glare of a green light, as spectral as a will-o’- the-wisp, that shone down from the mast- head, shedding a weird halo over all beneath it, and bringing out the coftin-boat and skele- ton helmsman in bold relief. ee Ocean Guerrillas. Was it a wonder then that the smuggler | crew did all in their power to urge their lug- ger away? Was the skeleton helmsman in chase? Was this strange craft a warning to them of their doom? None of these questions could the smug- glers answer. | All they wished was to drop it out of sight | as soon as possible. | ‘Where is the hoy?” suddenly asked the Smuggler Queen, and her voice was hoarse | and quivering as she put the question to | Chester Granger. | In their horror at the little death-craft in | their wake, all had forgotten the midship- | man. Now all eyes turned over the waters in anxious search of him. | He, too, had seen the death-craft, but what | had been the effect on him? | Had the sight unnerved him, and had he | sunk beneath the waters? | Anxiously all eyes turned toward where | he had last been seen as he struck boldly | out from the lugger when he sprung over- board. Now ths weird craft was about in that bc? spot. he greenish halo it cast from the lantern, or light, on the mast-head fell in a circle about it, illumining only a short distance around. Elsewhere the waters were too dark for the swimmer to be seen. But suddenly a cry came from Rita’s lips. ‘See! see! the boy! the boy!” Then in the are of greenish light now ap- peared a dark object upon the waters. All upon the deck of the lugger saw it, and there was no doubt, for a chorus of voices cried, and yet in hushed tones: “Yes, it is the boy.” With strong stroke he was swimming, with no sign of nervousness, and his course lay directly toward the bows of the coffin- boat. Dazed by the sight, those on the lugger stood in horror, their eyes fascinated by the spectacle. On glided the lugger, her tattered sails drawing full, and sending her at a brisk pace through the waters. On came the spectral craft, seeming to gain as she came on, dancing over the waves, | the halo from the mast-head making the crests look like showers of emeralds, and her skeleton helmsman still holding on his way, his little crimson sail, with its hideous | emblems on it, drawing well, and a curl of green foam under his blunt bows. But the brave young swimmer? He was still directly in the course of the ghastly craft, and still swimming boldly di- rectly for it. Was it a fascination that drew him there, a power he could not shake off? Was he, reckless as he was known to be, daring enough to attempt to hail that skeleton helmsman? It could not be that he was thus defiant alone in the sea, and with such asight before his eyes. But from the moment he had appeared within the circle of light, he had been seen to be steadily swimming toward the very bows of the coffin: Not with a struggling, uncertain stroke was he going; not as one who was drowning, a TO or as one who was in mortal fear; but, on the contrary, as fearlessly, it seemed, as though he sought to catch the gunwale and draw himself on board as readily asif it were a gig, or a cutter sent to his aid from a ves- sel-of-war. Breathless, all stood the ripple of the waves under the lugger’s bow, mingling with the murmuring waters in her wake, alone break- ing the stillness of the night. All eyes were riveted upon that arc of greenish light. None spoke, for no one dared to, No one moved, other than the hand of Chester Granger upon the helm, and that movement was mechanical, as the ‘‘ feel” of the rudder caused him to port or starboard the tiller. Thus a moment of mortal anguish to all, and then the bows of the coflin passed over the young swimmer and instantly a was darkness, for the spectral craft disappeared as suddenly as tt had come into view. iil — — a CHAPTER XVI. THE PLANTER AND THE MONEY-LENDER. Don Rvupo.pno, the money-lender, was pacing to and fro ‘in his ‘private office, a smile upon his lips, and a strange light glim- | mering in his eyes. He was just then in a good humor with the world in general, for all had gone well with him, though with those whom he called ‘*frients ” all had gone wrong. One of those so-named friends, Restel, the Sea Owl, had been slain, and his daughter, the beautiful Lady Captain, was then absent, trying to arrange some plan to avenge her father, and also to rescue her husband, the Sea Ghoul Pirate, who then lay in prison awaiting his doom, From Rudolpho’s office Barton Keys, the Ghoul of the Sea, had gone forth with great expectations of certain reyengeful schemes he intended carrying out, and a few hours after he had been recognized as the famous sea Outlaw, in spite of his disguise as Mon- sieur Enrique Erricson, a French merchant of wealth, Of course Don Rudolpho regretted the cir- cumstances, for in the pirate chief he had a richly-paying patron, and he was more than willing to aid the pirate in effecting his es- cape. But, should Barton Keys die on the gal- lows, then Rudolpho knew he held certain jewels in keep for him to which he would doubtless fall heir, although he had given a receipt for them. ‘“Well, I will call upon the captain and have a talk with him to cheer him utp, tell- ing him that that sweet wife of his is doing all she can, with my aid, to rescue him,” muttered Rudolpho, and putting on hig hat, he was going out of the shop when a visitor entered. “Well, sir, how can I serve you?” asked Rudolpho politely, regarding the visitor, who was a distinguished-looking gentleman, with a soldierly air, yet with a certain embarrass- ment of manner just then, as though he did not like the surroundings of the place to which he had come. ‘*| desire to see you a moment on busi- ness, please,” was the response. 8s Don Rudolpho was a man who lived with the keen Knife of the law suspended above him; but he was yet one who covered his tracks well, and he held so many great people in his power, through loans due him, that he was in a measure defiant. But when a stranger wished to see him, Don Rudolpho took him to an inner office, first speaking a word ‘to an attendant. Once in that office, a stranger was wholly in the power of the money-lending Don, for he was under the muzzle of a revolver held in the hands of one whom he could not see, or whose presence he did not suspect. ‘*‘ Now, sir, be seated, and say how I can serve you.” ‘*T need some money, senor.” “This is the place to get it, sir.” *T need quite a large sum.” “ How much?” ‘“Ten thousand dollars.” ‘*On what security?” ‘* My autograph.” ‘‘ Ah! you are—” ‘Colonel Rupert Brandt, sir,” said the visitor, and with the air of one who felt that his name was good for the amount. ‘I know you, sir, and your autograph is good enough for my acceptance; but may I ask why you do not go to your bankers? ‘‘Simply because this is an outside loan that I do not care to have known,” said Col- onel Brandt, with some nervousness, ‘‘ All right, Colonel Brandt, it is none of my business; but I will let you have the money, sir. : ‘* When do you want it?” ce Now. ” ‘*Please make out your paper, sir,” and Rudolpho shoved pen, ink and paper before the borrower. ‘“*T wish it for one month, sir,” ‘All right, sir, make the note out for twelve thousand dollars, payable onc month hence.” ‘Ten thousand was the sum.” . ‘*True, but the interest is two thousand.” “This is usury, Senor Rudolpho,” angrily said the colonel, ‘It may be; but if you do not care to pay my price, go elsewhere, Colonel Brandt.” (EC) JOOKS AN ICE (EC)