Beadle's Dime Library No. 364 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

as to be known enly as Tap-rcom Tom—felv the tears come into his eyes, and he murmured: ‘‘T am beyond redemption, so let the grave close over me when it will.” CHAPTER XXIV, A CLEVER RUSE. WHEN he had gotten away from the cliff some distance, Darke Darrell raised sail upon the skiil, the wind being favorable, and went mer- rily along at a seyen-knot pace. ile seemed disinclined to talk, and several times when Noel Brandon addressed Tom, he re- pie to him ina way that the drunkard meant rv him to keep silent. ‘fb was some time after midnigit when the Vormon Haven was reached, and then Darrell jowered sail and said: ‘There are those on the large sloop that must not knew of our running out, so Ido not wish to be seen and hence lower sail. ‘“Once { get out of the harbor on the sloop, ‘Tom, I wish you to return in the skiff to the vil- Tom nodded, and Darrell pulled into the harbor. The Blus Bell lay where he had seen her on his former visit, and the small sloop also lay at her anchorage. A light burned upon the Blue Bell, but the little sloop was in utter darkness. Tar up on the hills the walls of the skipper’s cottage gleamed out in their whiteness, but all was as still as the grave on the water and ashore, Gliding quietly alongside of the sloop, Darrell got on board, and to his joy, found the cabin door unlocked, ** Will you enter the cabin please, sir?” he said politely, and Noel was aided into the dark place, ‘** Now, Tom, let the skiff tow astern, and aid me to get sail on the sloop.” Almost noiselessly the two worked, and the jib was hoisted just enough to get steerage-way upon the craft, so that she ann glide out of the harbor, for to raise the mainsail the creaking of the blocks would doubtless arouse those on the Blue Bell, or reach the ears of Skipper Vernon, Tom then drew up the anchor, while Darrell took the helm, and the sloop glided slowly away from her anchorage, directly before the wind. ‘**[ meant to attach an anchor to the big sloop, to keep her from sailing fast, but I am doing well enough without taking that risk. ** As itis, [have risk enough and my hands full, for I am not sure that there is a pound of provisions on board, and that Tom may give me trouble, ‘The leftenant I can lock in the cabin, and thus he'll be safe; but it’s a hard task I have cut out for myself, yet, with gold at the finish Pll not know fail!” Without the slightest sound the sloop stretch- ed out of the harbor, and when a long way off- shore Darrell said: ‘* Now, Toi, help me to get up the mainsail!” ‘* And then I’m to take the boat back?” ‘Then we are to have a little talk, just as to what you are to do.” ‘* Hain’t there no spirits aboard?” ** Your skin is full of rum now.” ** No it hain’t, for I’m dry as a wolf.” ** Don’t you ever get hungry?” “For rum, yes.” ** Well, I brough’ a cask of rum on board—” ‘* Hallylujah, amen!” “You are the rum-cask though, and you'll have to tap yourself if you want anything to drink, for unless the leftenant has something to drink, there isnot a drop on board,” pe Oh, Lord! I'll have the terrors before I can get back to tho village, for I never go an hour without a tipple o’ some kind.” ** Well, up with the mainsail.” _ Up went the mainsail into the air, and feeling its influence, the sloop went bowling along making fine headway under a six-knot breeze. ‘‘Now, Tom, take the helm while I go below and light the lanterns, and see just what there is aboard ship.” } Tom took the tiller with a deep sigh, and Dar- rell went below. He found Noel Brandon reclining upon a cush- ioned seat upon the starboard side, which served also the purpose of a bed, and beneath a locker, e knew the craft well, and a short search with his lantern revealed the fact that the pro- visions that had been on board of her when copentie by Madcap Madge had all been taken oO ‘I fear our stores were not put on board, sir, and Miss Madge must have been prevented from getting them from us, from some reason,” “ All right, I can stand it, my man, if you can; besides I have something to eat in ‘my “Tee there, which will last us into Portland.” “lll arrange you comfortably, sir, for we are started on our voyage.” ‘“‘T thank you,” and having been made com- fortable the wounded man said he could sleep, ‘Tt will be dawn in half an_ hour, sir, and I wish to drop the land as far as I can by sun-up, “Tf you need me call me” and Darrell, hay- ing assumed a kindness he did not feel went on ' Tap-room Tom was dolefully holding the til- and groaning. OL LLLLLLLL LLL LLL LL, CL tren = eee - —_—- sea Fugitive. The ‘** Bah, man, don’t be a baby,” sternly said | ing of his going, and contented herself, as it Darrell. ‘* | want to go back, mate, and I'll start now, for [ have that gnawing of my vitals for some- thing to drink, Pll die if I don’t get it.” ‘** Maybe, or more likely you'll get the ter- rors.” **Pve almost got em now, mate, for I feel like breaking things.” Darrell saw with some alarm that the wretch | was really suffering. He had been for years sucha complete sot, drinking at all times, that now, deprived of it for several hours, he began to feel a craving that was irresistible. But he said sternly: ‘Well, if there’s anything broken on this craft, it will be your head, so be quiet.” Tom was momentarily cowed, but then he broke out with: ‘* Luff up, mate, and let me go back in the skiff or Pll die.” ‘** You go on this cruise with me, Tom, so con- tent yourself as best you can,” **T go with you?” ** Yes, so go forward and take a nap.” ‘*Great God! do you think sleep will come to me, Man, unless my brain, my senses are steeped in rum? ‘*You are a fool, for I cannot sleep unless I am drunk, ‘*T have a conscience and it will not be stilled, for I would have been far different a man had I not yielded to my thirst for rum. ‘*Oh, what a curse it has been to me, and now that I cannot get it I shall go mad—mad! did you hear?” ‘You'll go overboard if you cut up any of your pranks here, Tommie my boy,” was the heartless response, ** Man, do you dare me?” shouted Tom, becom- ing more and more wild. ‘*Keep still, you drunken brute, or I will silence you.” ae you think me a poor harmless sot, do you ‘* But you lie! for see I am armed, and I will have your life, then run the sloop back and oh! how [ll drink, and drink, and drink the deli- cious rum. ** See, it is you that will die, not I!” and with a frenzied shriek the now drink-crazed man sprung toward Darrell, a pistol-flash illumined the sloop’s deck, and with a bound into the air the poor wretch went overboard into the sea. ‘Ho, on deck! what was that shot?” cried | Noel Brandon, whom it had awakened from a deep sleep, which the movement of the vessel had at once lulled him into. | ‘That drunken fool went mad for liquor, and attacked me, sir, so I was forced to shcot him,” coolly said Darrell. ** And kill him?” **He went overboard, sir.” *“You surely will lay to and discover if be is wounded or not.” ‘* He did not rise, sir, and the sloop is going a slapping plage; besides I could not manage him, and it is better so as it is, for he would have be- trayed you, I am confident.” ‘*Tt is a sad end for the poor fellow; but is it not growing lighter?” ‘Yes, sir, and we are not as far out as I could have wished, for we have just rounded Seguin [sland—” “Seguin Island? Which way do you head, my man?” ‘I headed out, sir, to leave Seguin Island on my starboard, and then take a course south- west by west, so as to make Portsmouth, as it would be a better port for you to make than Portland, which is too near.” **T prefer Boston, for it isa larger town, and I can the better remain in hiding, while a vessel going into that harbor would not attract the at- tention it would in Portland or Portsmouth.” ‘* T guess you are right, sir, so Boston let it be, if we can get there without starving, and you are willing, sir, to take a trick at the wheel, if I am forced to rest.” ‘*Willingly, for I can steer all right if I am wounded, and I guess our provisions will hold out a couple of days, and we ought to reach there in that time if we have any kind of weather. ‘Yes, Isee that dawn is breaking fast, and Tl relieve you now at the helm.” ‘* No, no, sir, it is not necessary now, so get what sleep you can, and when you wake up we will have something to eat, and then Ill take a nap,” and little did Noel Brandon suspect that the man who seemed his friend was his bitter foe, and from whose lips had come the muttered words, after shooting poor Tom: ** Curse him! he must needs go overboard, be- cause he had my sovereigns in his pocket.” CHAPTER XXV. THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE, THE night of the flight of the prize sloop, Captain Vernon was not at heme. He had received a letter, brought by a man on horseback, early in the afternoon, and had gone overland on an expedition, which he had told Madge might detain him for several days. vera! times a year the skipper was wont to ee a er ee ee A pe a ee ———— —- 17 make these inland trips, so Madge thought noth- was often her fate to do, alone, except for the companionship of the two old negroes, Philip and Phillis. It was when left to herself that Madge had won her reputation for reckless daring, and the sobriquet of Madcap Madge, for often had she gone out to serve as pilot to some vessel in dis- tress, and s2emed to revel in the danger she faced, Soon her name became known along the coast, and passengers on the packet ships running in and out of the Kennebec, had the bee of Mad- cap Madge, the Maid of the Kennebee pointed out to them, and gazed upon with Ceep interest, Ri ing early, as was her wont, Madge started ‘out to her favorite seat, glass in hand, to have a aor over the sea until Phillis called her to break- ast. Her first glance was down in the harbor, Something struck her that the scene was not the same that she had gazed upon at sunset the evening before. ‘**Something is missing—ha! it is my prize sloop!” she cried, and instantly her call brought Phi iP to her side. ‘** Where is the sloop?” ‘* Dunno, missy.” ‘*My father went on horseback, did he not?” ** Yes, missy.” * But the sloop is gone.” ‘** 1 don’t see it, missy.” With an impatient exclamation Madge hasten- ed down toward the beach, and springing into her skiff sent it flying out toward the Blue Bell, which lay quietly at anchor cut in the harbor, the light at her mast-head still burning. “These men gamble all night, and oa late; but I will rouse them,” she said, referring to the 5 men who comprised the crew of the Blue Cll. ‘** Ho, here, men! what does it mean that the prize sloop is not at her anchorage(” and Madge darted into the cabin of the Blue Bel). The scene she came upon surprised her, and her coming was a surprise to ious she found there. Fully a dozen men were in the cabin, most of them asleep upon the floor, one seated at the table, his head upon his arms, and others snor- ing, as they sat or reclined in chairs, Jpon the table were bottles of wine and li- shore 9 pipes, cigars, and glasses, and a pack of cards. It was evident that she had surprised the rev- elers after their orgie, At her words they awoke, looked about them stupidly, some arose, some did not, a few tried to be gallant, and the whole effect was ludicrous in the extreme, ees for Madge, she was completely taken anack, What did it mean, to find these men in the cabin of the Blue Bell? Her father was away, yet he had said nothing of leaving a large crew on the vessel. They were a wild-looking set, too, and all of them were armed to the teeth. Turning to the one whom she knew, and who served as mate, she said, sternly: ** What does this mean, Gaspard?” ‘Tt means, miss—it means—” and Gaspard came to a sudden halt. ‘* What does it mean, I ask you, that I find the cabin of the Blue Bell full of drunken sail- ors, and my father away?” It's the new crew your father has shipped, miss.” ‘* What new crew?” ‘“*The new crew, miss,” and Gaspard’s head was by no means clear. ‘*T knew not that he had either shipped or needed a new crew.” ** Yes, miss, he does.” ‘* What for?” ‘‘To sail the Blue Bell, miss, for times is get- ting dangerous, and he wants to be able to pro- tect his vessel.” ‘Gaspard, there is some mystery in this that you are keeping back; but upon my father’s re- turn I will know all from him.” ‘‘ Yes, miss.” . ‘But I shall advise him to get a crew of sober men, and not carousers, and who allow a vessel to be cut out under their very noses.” “The prize sloop Madcap gone?” cried Gas- ee in amazement, making a rush for the eck, ‘* Hold! answer me! did you not know she was gone?” and Madge stepped directly before bim, stopping him as he was about to bolt out of the cabin, and his example the others were anxious to follow toescape those expressive eyes turned upon them. ‘* No, Miss Madge—upon my honor I did not know it. ** She must have got free from her anchor and drifted out to sea with the tide.” ‘** Nonsense! her anchor was all right, and so was her cable, for I left her shipshape. ‘** She has gone to sea with some one at her “pens and doubtless the one who brought her ere, : Sax’ we would have seen or heard something, and— eines CONNIE XOOLKS (E(@)