Beadle's Dime Library No. 364 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

—~ = ill oem eee —~ er The ‘** Was he the tall, fine-looking fellow whom I asked to drink and who refused” 15 ** Aha! there is an opening there, after all, and there in that boat are women, Sea Fugitive. ——____ -____ __ ee eis et ee Ce lings on the boys for auld lang syne’s sake, and | I'd order you a bottle of Buntline’s best if you He was not maudling drunk, however, though approaching that stage, and he had seen the look of the constable, and understood it. He went out of the inn, and found Cass Ken- edy awaiting him. ‘*Well, Tap-room Tom, you are in luck to- night,” said Kenedy, looking with contempt upon the man. ** Constable, the gent is a gentleman.” “* Yes, oy one is a gentleman who would treat you to liquor; but I thought you intended stopping this hard drinking?” _ “It isn’t hard drinkin’, Cass, it’s easy drink- in’, easiest thing in the world.” ‘Yes, to make a sot and fool of yourself; but tell me, Tom, what Las the gentleman asked you?” ** To drink.” ‘That is very evident; but what has he got- ten you drunkards to talk about?” ** Everything*and anything.” “‘Tam glad that a knowledge is so vast; but think what has n the main topic of con- versation |” ‘*T cannot think.” **Then you'll regret it, for I was going to give you a dollar or two to make you solid with the gentleman by treating him.” ‘*Oh, give me the money, Cass,” pleaded the or ‘* Not until I know just what that man was treating you all for.” “IT don’t know, but I was drinking all tie same, ‘* He asked us about Madcap Madge, then of ‘Well, what about this constablef” ** He asked me about you?” ** Ah, he did?” “He did, did he.” “* Well?” “You knows best if it is well.” “You think I have cause to fear him?” “Any man has who hain’t square clean through.” “Do you think he is tracking me?” ** He is,” “Well, I am glad you warned me, though I have done nothing for him to watch me, ‘“‘T want good sailors.” ‘** They can be found,” ‘*Men I can trust.” ‘‘One man must take his chances in trustin’ another.” ‘True; but do you know two such men?” ‘*T does.” ** And can get them for me?” “ Yes. ” ** When?” “Call it to-morrow night when you come to the inn.” ‘* All right.” ‘*But I must eat.” “T gave you a sovereign.” ‘“* That’s for drinks.” ‘¢ Here is another, now fail me if you dare,” ‘**T’ll never fail, onless I gets sober and songs what we has said,” and Tap-room Tom walked off congratulating himself on his good luck, for he never had picked up so much money in so short a while before, Darke Darrell meanwhile took his boat and started upon his return home, when the reader will remember that he saw Silly Sam coming up the river, and discovering who he was felt as- sured that he was on the right path to discover the hiding-place of Noel Brandon. With hope in his breast he started upon his way home, his brain full of a plot for mischief, while he felt a trifle uneasy at the fact that Cass Kenedy the constable was watching him closely. CHAPTER XXII. low him a skiff. It held two occupants and made for a certain part of the shore, where suddenly it disap- eared, eT hat is strange, for I know of no opening ere, “Can the skiff have sunk?” he said to him- self, For a long time he watched, trying to account for the strange circumstance of a skiff pep pearing within what appeared to be a solid rock, and keeping his powerful glass at his eye, he suddenly saw the Moat reappear, - ve it.” * joy re | i, ae was oar 4 i. : free ialabiie of course, is one, and who is rs : ave no claim upon you, sir, that you ‘ell, you watc im for me and Jet me | the other: 4 should spend your money upon me, and these | know, when next I come to the hotel, what he | “ That I must find out,” and he went down to — Set aarnae aimee ‘gtibe a os hg seen | pee “ x ue sy and, springing in, pulled rapidly for is d-e : snone can’t live on air. 1e cliff. of my business how you throw your gold away,” | ‘* Ah! you need money?” Darke Darrell knew the river well. and Cass Kenedy wheeled on his heel and walked “Who don’t?’ He had fished cay its shores from his earli- away, leaving an uncomfortable feeling upon ** You'll get drunk with it.” est boyhood, and his father had been captain of ae eheathe amt the age bf sank th | BS a eee a now, boilin’ over, but I don’t git > om her ara and many a cruise ut one of the crowd had caught a look of | no drunker.” ad the youth made with him. the constable, and soon followed him out, | ** Well, here is an English sovereign for you, But his seeing a skiff go into the cliff and He was a sad-looking specimen of humanity, | and I'll match it if po give me valuable news. | disappear, puzzled him. for drink had marred his once fine face, and his | _ ‘‘ Now tell me if I could get a couple of good True, he was a long way off, and might be os clothing was in tatters. ' men here,” mistaken, but he did not think so, and hence he It was not often that he had had such a| ‘‘ What to do?” went to investigate. ; chance to “fill up” at another’s expense ason| ‘‘ Go to sea.” He reached the cliff, examined its side closely, that night, and he had religiously devoted him- ‘*[’'m one.” drew nearer, and at last’ discovered the open- self to the pleasing task of seeing how much he ‘* You won't do, for the salt water air would ing. could hold, kill you. ‘Aha! now I have a mystery,” he said, and. into the channelway he forced his boat, To his surprise he came out in the Mystic Cove. It was the very place for a safe retreat, ho knew. Slowly he pulled around it, came to the rock where a landing had been made to reach the cave, and here lay a white kerchief. ‘Well, the plot thickens—B is the initial em- broidered on this bit of linen, “B stands for Brandon, and Noel Brandon has a sister, and there were two girls in that boat ‘“*T see! I see!” Slowly he got out upon the rock, and going ot , his eyes fell upon the crevice in the wall, Then he paused, for suddenly he heard a voice, It was raised in song, singing a sailor glee of a century ago. “That is Noel Brandon’s voice, and I have found him,” and the man fairly trembled with delight. Slowly he retraced his way to his boat, mut- tering: ‘Well, he’s got nerve, for he takes his im- srisonment and his sufferings coolly, but that’s just like him. ‘*Now, Noel Brandon, though I missed get ting the handsome sum you won at the gambling table, I'll make the Government pay a like amount for your body, and [ll not have to di- vide it, either, for my pals are dead, and the men I need now I'll simply hire. ‘*Morally or physically, mate?” ‘** Physically, I year? ‘* First-class.” ** And their morals?” ‘* Has been stove in bad.” ‘* ‘You mean they'll do anything?” ‘Tf it pays.” ‘** Are they seamen?’ ‘* Best in the land.” z, aay What are they doing out 2 job, in thesg times when a berth is open to all $s pending the money they made on their last cruise,’ JOO (COMIC <SiiG (0) ~~ the Leftenant Brandon, his home, sister, and ** Now to return home to supper, and then to such, and then wanted to know who was YOUSED- go to the village and see what kind of men that | Master Noel’s shipmate here in the village.” AFteER reporting at home to his waiting mo- | drunken vagabond has secured for me. ‘* Ah! anything else?” _ ther, and having a short chat with her he bade ‘What I do I must do at once, and it will be | “Well, we told him Silly Sam and Captain | her good-night and retired to his room, while | no small task to get the sloop, resene_ the pris- | Buntline were his friends, though we all liked | she, with her son safe beneath the roof at once | oner, and run out before dawn; but I must do | the leftenant.” sought rest and dropped off into deep slumber. | it, cost what it may.” | ‘** Anything else, Tom?” Then Darke Darrell sprung lightly out of his With a swift stroke he sent his skiff flying | ‘‘ Well, he asked us if it was easy to get a | window, went to the shore, sprung into a skiff | homeward: his os ed was waiting and hastily | crew here for a voyage?” with a sail, and went flying down the river. eaten, and telling his mother he expected to go | ‘Well, Tom, here is the money I promised Approaching the other shore at a point notfar | to Boston to buy a craft, and take the packet . you, so go inand see what more the man asks | from the Vernon haven, he lowered sail and | out that evening, he bade her farewell. | you and be sure to let me know. took to his ors. The poor woman stood gazing after him, the ‘* And mind you, don’t drink any more, unless Cautiously he rowed into the little harbor, | tears streaming down her cheeks, and until the ) you wish to go to the jail for a week or two to | keeping under the shadow of the land, and then | sun set and the shadows fell, sho did not move sober up.” rested upon his oars. from her point of observation. ! “Tl only get one or more to balance up con- In the haven was the Blue Bell, lying about As he sailed up toward the village he would | stable,” and taking the money Tap-room Tom | the center, glance astern and see her standing there, and it | hastened away, depositing the silver in some Then he saw the Pree. yachtlike craft which | made him nervous. out of the way pocket, for he had not the re- | Madcap Madge had captured from him, and it ‘‘Curses on it! she watches me as a witch motest idea of spending it on any one else than } lay close within shore. might, and they say it brings bad luck to be | himself. A yawl, several skiffs, and a smack on the | watched out of sight.” f But the talk with the constable set Tap-room | shore also caught his eye. Again he looked, and still the form remained, | Tom to thinking, and getting near to Darke Then he cautiously approached the small craft | growing fainter in the distance. } Darrell he said in a meaning way; which he bought in Boston to aid him in his plot ‘* Why don’t she go in?” he said savagely. ‘**Want see you when, you leave here—some- | to rob Noel Brandon, _ . Again he looked astern; the twilight was | thin’s’ up.” A dim light was visible on the Blue Bell, but | deepening, but he could indistinctly see his Darke Darrell nodded, called for drinks | the smaller sloop was all darkness, mother still watching. | around once more and said; ‘‘- Yes, no one is on board of her, and she can ‘* She'll give me bad luck, I’m sure, ‘*Then mates I must leave you, for I have | be readily cut out. “Tm a man, and why can’t she let me take an old mother anxiously awaiting me at ‘‘T would rather get more men and take the | care of myself, without watching me as if I wag hone,” large sloop, for she would be more useful, and | a boy?” | The drinks were served and paid for, and | bring more pee when I sell; but her crew And so the man raved on, his heart unable to | then Darke Darrell left the inn and close on his sleeps on board and I will take no chances, see the depths of a mother’s love, even when | heels followed pe rake ep Tom. ‘As it is Imust prevent the big craft follow- | bestowed upon so unworthy an object. | 1 ‘Well, what did you mean?” asked Darrell, | ing me when I run out, for she looks to go| It was just dark when he landed at the village | turning upon the man who followed him, when | well.” pier. | they were a short distance from the inn, , So saying he rowed slowly out of the little There stood Tap-room Tom awaiting him, . ‘Cass Kenedy’s got his eye on you.” harbor and once in open water hoisted sail and ‘Well, my man, are you sober yet?” | ‘‘ And who is Cass Kenedy? stood back homeward. ‘Heaven forbid! I would not darewllow m ~ ** The constable.” It was just dawn when he arrived; but he | self to get sober, for I’d get the terrors.” - ** Oh!” gained his room unseen and was soon fast ‘You look as if you had’em now; but what | ‘* That's what he is.” asleep. about the two men I wanted?” | ** And who are you?” Not caring to go to the village by day, and ‘**T has em.” 4 ** A loafer.” come under the eye of the constable, Darke Dar- ** Where?” | ** What do you do?” rel remained about home, idling away his time. ‘Tl produce ’em on demand,” ** Drink.” Sweeping the waters with his glass he saw be- ‘** Are they good men?” ;