Beadle's Dime Library No. 364 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

“They are sober enough, Miss Madge, but there are curious eyes along this coast, and the men better remain below decks until we get well away from the Kennebec.” ‘‘All right, Gaspard, but if my father wishes a good crew for the Blue Bell, I do not see why he should keep them in hiding,” | and Madge broke the seal of a letter which Philip had brought her from Brandon Hall, in answer to the one she had written, telling Joyce of the kidnapping of the Madcap, and that she would leave at once to see if Noel Brandon was safe and let her know. | Though not having time to read her letter at the cottage, Madge had told Phillis to tell Miss Brandon that she had gone in the Blue Bell in chase of the sloop, and would see her immediately upon her return, but to feel no uneasiness, “ak knew that Joyce would understand this. The letter from the beautiful girl was of a most friendly nature, and she told Madge that she woe ride over to the cottage the next day to learn any tidings that she might have for her, Having destroyed the letter, Madge turned to the sailing of the Blue Bell, taking the tiller herself. “Ts not that some one inthe sea?—look, as it rises on a wave!” she suddenly cried, as she beheld a dark object upon the waters. All eyes were turned in the direction indi- cated, but, before they discovered what Madge saw, she continued excitedly: “It isa man, and he is clinging to a plank —quick! get the skiff ready, and I will run near and lay to—see, he is waving to us.” A man’s arm was now seen to wave above the waters, and soon after the Madcap ran down near and luffed up. Silly Sam and Gaspard sprung into the skiff, and in ten minutes they were back azain, bearing in their arms a limp and un- conscious form. a ‘It’s Tap-room Tom, Miss Madge,” cried sani, Madge gave a slight start in spite of her self-control. Tap-room Tom she remembered had been the man who stood guard over Darke Dar- rell, and it seemed that now she was to know all, and by a strange circumstance of taking a half-drowned man from the water. Had she not caught sight of his form, as it arose upon the waves, the sloop would have passed him by, and his death would follow, for he was then unconscious. The bloated face of the drunkard looked ghastly as the men lifted him upon the deck, and Madge saw that he breathed heavily. Quickly she descended into the cabin and brought up with her a bottle of brandy. — ‘‘Force this between his lips, and rub him well, for he is half dead,” she said. It was a long time before Tom showed signs of returning animation. The sloop was held on her course, and to the evident deep surprise of Silly Sam, the half-score of men in the forward hold came on deck, by the command of Madge, who now felt that they could not be seen from the coast which was leagues away. 4 ‘‘ Will he never be able to speak?” cried Madge, as she gazed into the face of the un- conscious man. ‘He's getting better, Miss Madge, but slowly. “He'll come round all right,” volunteered Sam, and then turning his gaze upon the men who were grouped together forward, he con- tinued in a whisper: “Who are they?” “Some of my father’s crew.” “*T never seen ’em afore!” ‘*Nor I Sam.” ‘“ They look like pirates.” ‘““They may be for all I know, but if he trusts them, | can, I guess.” Silly Sam shook his head, and then asked: ** Where did you get them?” “They were on the sloop.” “ Tlope they are all right, Miss Madge.” ‘‘T hope so too, Sam.” = ‘You has got weapons on board?” ‘“‘ Yes, IT am armed.” “« Any for me?” “Yes, there are some in the cabin.” “Tl go down pretty soon and look ’em up; but I guesses that Gaspard and Melmer is all right.” ““Oh yes, we can trust them, and if those ee a eee The Sea Fugitive. _ fellows mean mischief we will be four against ten, Sam.”’ ‘‘Big odds; but I’ve seen big odds come out small in my time; but Tom is getting bet- ter, see!” The eyes of the drunkard now opened, and his lips parted. ‘‘He says something, Sam; see if you can understand him.” ‘‘T don’t hear him, but I guess I know what he wants.” “Well?” “Rum.” ‘Give him some of the brandy.” The way in which Tap-room Tom swal- lowed the brandy showed that Sam had not been far wrong. ‘You see, Miss Madge, he never touches water, and he has been pretty well soaked, so he’s got to counteract the effects of the sea with the rum, or he’ll die.” ‘‘Then give him more,” said Madge, not knowing how much a man needed to coun- teract the effects of a long stay in salt water. Tap-room Tom gave a satisfied grunt, as he took more brandy, and the prescription seemed to be of immense benefit, for he opened his eyes wide, glanced out upon the sea, and then at Madge, while he asked: ** Am I dead?” ‘“Not by any means, Tom; but you were nearly dead when we took you out of the sea,” said Madge, kindly. ‘‘T got wet,” Tom remarked, with a shud- der, at the thought of coming in contact with water. ‘You did indeed.” ‘‘T’m dry now.” ‘*No, but we'll find you something dry to put on,” ‘*No, it hain’t the clothes, miss, but I’m dry inside.” ‘*'Will you have some water?” ‘‘] think I have had just a trifle too much, so if you have a leetle ¢ Ae of rum on board, I'll be obliged for a spoonful.” ‘‘T have no rum, but we have brandy, such as you have had.” ‘“* Have I had any?” ‘* Yes, several times.” ** And I didn’t know it? Whata pity; but I'd like a thimbleful more, miss.” ‘* You shall have all you want, my man.”’ ‘All IT want! then I’m in great luck,” and Tom seized the bottle and took a long pull at it. ‘You'll eet drunk, Tom,” said Silly Sam. ‘‘Sam, is that you?” and he eyed the youth. ‘* Yes, [’m here.” ‘‘And you say I'll get drunk on a little brandy. “ Oh. no, it will take weeks o’ drinking to get me back to my former happy state, for the long struggle in the sea has made me sober.” ‘You better stay so,” said Madge. “Oh, no, lady, for if I were to get wholl sober, my sins would rise before me in suc a fearful way that I’d commit suicide,” and the man seemed in desperate earnest. ‘‘ Now tell me how you came to be in the water.” ‘“You are Madcap Madge, ar’n’t you, for my eyes are a leetle watery yet.” ‘Yes, | am Madge Vernon.” ‘‘ Silly Sam, on board the Blue Bell, skip- per Vernon’s sloop, and yonder men I don’t know,” and Tom ‘gazed at the strange crew forward. ‘They are men that have come with me on this cruise, and I again ask you how it was we came to find you in the water, for, upon your story much depends,” and Mad- cap Madge spoke sternly. Tap-room Tom started, clasped his hand upon his pocket, then thrust it inside and drew out a handful of gold, ‘Tt is safe!” he cried eagerly, ‘«T believe he has lost his mind,” impatient- ly said Madge. ‘«He’s more likely drunk,” Sam muttered. ‘No, Sam, not quite drunk enough to re- member correctly or to tell my story straight. ‘‘ Another pull at the bottle, miss, and I'll tell you just what took place, though it does not reflect great credit upon me to do so.”’ Madge saw that the man seemed rather to pa Se under the influence of the brandy, and, anxious to hear his story, she gave him TE I a EN a i ee a ee 19 : | the bottle once more, and this time it seemed as though he'd never let go until he had drained it. | But he did so, and smacking his lips with | great gusto he said: | ‘*Now I can talk, miss, and I will.” | CHAPTER XXVIII. ON BOARD THE BLUE BELL. Ir was some time before Tap-room Tom composed himself to tell his story, but at last he began and, without striving to defend himself told Madge and Silly Sam how he had been tempted to release the prisoner, Darke Darrell, to get gold, and had done so. Then he made known how cleverly he had been taken prisoner himself by his former captive, and of the run down to the Mystie Cove, and the carrying off cf Noel Brandon. ‘“And this man Darke led him to believe that he had been sent after him?” Madge asked. ‘* Yes, miss.” “This accounts for the easy manner im which he got the lieutenant into his power; but pray continue, my man.” Tom then told of the clever way in which the sloop had been run off with, and then of the fearful pangs of anguish he suffered | when he could get nothing to drink, The remembrance of his sufferings were too much for him and he instantly seized the | brandy bottle and took another long drink. ‘*T feel better now with this life-preserver | in me,” and he looked affectionately at the bottle. ‘*Go on with your story,” said Madge. “Well, Darrell wouldnt give me any rum, and he wouldn’t let me take the skiff and go back, sol determined to jump overboard and die, rather than suffer as I did. ‘* But it seems to me my brain grew wild, and that I felt a desire to kill him, and then I heard a pistol-shot, a bullet flew by my head, and I fell overboard. ! ‘IT remember to have seen an island not. j far away, and the water reviving me, I de- | termined to try and save my life. | “The sloop had gone on rapidly, and I | was alone in the sea. ‘*But | felt better, and struck out for the | island, which now seemed a long way off. ‘But the tide was running out, and | felt | that I must die, and I gave myself up for lost, and oh! the horror of that moment, for I saw all my misdeeds as in a glass held up before me. ‘‘T must die drunk, miss, when I go, for I’d die a raving maniac if I was sober enough to think of the past. ) ‘*But suddenly I felt a blow in the back, | and turning, beheld a large log. ) ‘Instantly I grasped it, dragged myself | upon it, and felt that I need not drown. ‘* Dawn came, and suffering intense agony I drifted about. | ‘‘T kept my mouth full of salt water, to allay my thirst, and yet I thought at times it | was best to let go the log and die. ‘* But] ned on, and at last sighted this sloop, and you have saved me,” and Tom again seized the bottle. . ‘‘And Darrell evidently believed that he | shot you?” ‘Yes, miss.” | ‘‘ But made no effort to see if you sunk?” | ‘‘None, for I do not believe he looked | back, even.” | ‘‘ And Mr. Brandon, where was he?” 2 eee ee . ——— —— = —_—— rene ip — —_—— —————— — — “Lying in the cabin, and doubtless asleep.” | ‘‘Did you hear Darrell say where he was \ going?” ‘He spoke of Portland, but the leftenant said Boston, so the sloop was headed for that ' ort.” 4 ie But with only Darrell to do all the work, : he will doubtless make Portland.” ) ‘*T don’t know, for he’s a zood one, is that man, and alone or in company, seenis all the same as to nerve,” | ‘* Well, I will go first to Portland, under | the belief that one man cannot manage the sloop alone for a great length of time, and . will seek the nearest port. ‘“* Tf he is not there we will at once go to Boston, and I believe follow him into port ' very close in his wake, for with the breeze we are getting, he will be unable to stand | the strain under full sail and must conse- quently reef, while with our force we can hold on under full pressure. 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