Beadle's Dime Library No. 364 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

* a ee a a — oo ‘*Tt’s true Captain Vernon wants to protect | speed to Vernon’s Haven, and tell her father him, but that’s on account of his daughter, who is doubtless in love with him, and it ‘would hurt her sweet heart to see him strung up; but then I think it would be wrong to let her marry such a man, and I intend she shall not. *“Now you all know just how we make our living. ‘‘It is hard work, dangerous work, and we are liable to get into trouble any day, and all fora liitle pittance of a few hundred a year. ‘‘ Now I'll take the lead in this matter, do all the thinking, take all the blame, and just turn Leftenant Brandon over to the captain of the Scorpion. ‘*There are, with Melmer and the lads on the Blue Bell, just thirteen of us, and I will take four thousand dollars and give you all six thousand, which will make five hundred dollars for each of you twelve, and nothing to do more than to obey my orders, ‘© What do you say?” Five hundred dollars was a big sum, es- ecially for doing nothing, and the men ooked at each other in a pleased kind of way, never thinking how readily Gaspard was grabbing the lion’s share for really doing nothing more than they did, except to take the initiative. ‘*T says yes,” cried one, ‘* You lead, I'll follow.” ‘Tm your lad, Gaspard.” ‘‘Shipmate, what you say is right, in my mind.” Such were the answers of the crew, and seeing that he had won them over, Gaspard said: ‘* We could do this alone, if we played our ecards right; but [ think we should let our other mates into the game, as they have the officer on board the Blue Bell, and we will. ‘*Now we'll head for Monhegan Island with all speed, wait until the Blue Bell ar- rives, and then I'll have a talk with Madcap Madge.”’ ‘* She’ll show her teeth, mate,” said one. ‘Yes, she'll never say die, for she’s got nerve enough for an admiral.” “Well, we will be thirteen against her,” ‘*There be two others who may take her part, not to speak of the wounded officer.” ‘Who are they?” ‘Why, Sam, and Tap-room Tom, as they call that soak.” “The one an idiot and the other a drunk- ard; but even with them to aid the girl, and Brandon too, we are thirteen against four.” ‘‘You wouldn’t harm the girl, Gaspard?” ‘‘ No, indeed; but she must let us alone, ‘*[T will let her go with the idiot and Tap- room Tom, taking the Blue Bell, while we go in this sloop to look up the Scorpion, and get the gold for our prisoner, ‘““As we can no longer serve under Cap- tain Vernon, we can go South with the slaop, and I can give you a berth with me, for I'll have enough, with this craft, to get me a good vessel. ‘“Now, lads, you know Gaspard’s little game, and | intend to play it to win, and for all there is in it. ‘What do you say?” The men said but ore thing, and that was that they were thoroughly in favor of the en- tire transaction, only they would not see Madge harmed, and she should certainly go free in the Blue Bell, along with the drunk- ard and Silly Sam. This Gaspard was determined fully upon, and so the matter was decided, and the Mad- cap was pushed rapidly for her rendezvous with the Blue Bell, and then the trap was to be sprung, the game was to be taken, and the blood-money won. b CHAPTER XXXIV. | MADCAP MADGE AND HER ALLIES, AFTER running out to sea for some leagues, the Blue Bell felt that there was ample chance to avoid an enemy, and so was put on a northeasterly course by her Girl Captain. Madge was anxious to reach the rendezvous as soon as she could, for she did not know how soon her father might wish the sloop, and she determined to get Noel Brandon safely concealed at the earliest moment it was possible to do so. Her plan was to go to the rendezvous, and there give the Blue Bell over to Gaspard and his crew and have them return with aj] | LSS The Sea Fugitive. she would soon be back, Then, in the Madcap, with only Silly Sam and Tom to aid her, she determined to seek some place of security, among several that she knew, where the wounded officer could remain in hiding until he was wholly well and able to look out for himself. She had a talk with Noel, and he decided with her that this was the best course to pur- sue. ‘“But how about Tap-room Tom?” he asked. ‘‘T have thad some long talks with Tom, Mr. Brandon, and I see that he has changed for the better. ‘*He drinks, it is true, and I allow him so much each day, for I dare not do otherwise, but I cut down the allowance, and I believe he can be reformed. ‘‘He likes you, says you are not guilty, and he would defend you with his life, while he says he owes his life to me and will be my slave if 1 wish. ‘*[ therefore feel that I can trust him as thoroughly as I can Silly Sam, who is as true as steel.” ‘Yes, he is a noble fellow, and I agree with you about poor Tom Fletcher; but what a lot of trouble I am, and I cannot but feel that it would have been better to have gone to the yard-arm and had it all over.” ‘‘And thus die in ignominy, and for a crime which you say you did not commit?” indignautly answered Madge. ‘“'True, l am innocent; only, wounded and helpless as I am, suffering continually, and putting you and my other true friends to such trouble and in constant peril, I feel like giving up, whereas if I could help myself I would never aig and his splendid eyes flashed fire as he spoke.‘ ‘You must not give up as it is, nor do we intend to give you up. ‘* Your wound renders you almost helpless it is true, but then that is healing fast, and in a month or so you will be perfectly well, and then you can, in some disguise, solve the mystery of these fearful charges laid at your door.”’ ‘Miss Madge, Rae talk like an admiral, and I owe my life and all to you, and for your sake I will some day prove that I am indeed innocent,” and his voice quivered as he spoke. She held out her hand, in her frank, quick way, and then went on deck. ap-room Tom was at the tiller, for Madge gave him something to do to keep his mind off his misfortunes. It was the day after leaving Boston, and no land was in sight, but the Blue Bell was skimming along flatly and heading toward the Kennebec, or a course that would bring her not-far from it. Tom looked better than he had for years. The fright, of being so near to death, the long stay in the sea, and drinking good liquor, and in certain quantity, and at given times, as a medicine, was helping him, Then too he had found in Madge a warm friend, Silly Sam treated him well, and Noel Brandon was kind to him, while the crew were not unfriendly, All these circumstances made the poor drunkard seem like another being. He smiled pleasantly and saluted, as Madge joined him, and said: . “Do you know I’m beginning to feel like my old self, Miss Madge, before rum had the mastery of me and made me do so many wicked things.” “T am glad to hear you say so, Mr. Fletcher for—” ‘* Mister Fletcher! how long since I have heard myself called by that name, and never before when it seemed so sweet. “ Of late years it has been Tap-room Tom, Tom the Drunkard, Drunken Tommy, Sot, Tipsy and Soak that I have been hailed with, “Ah! me! I have much to answer for, Miss Madge, but I hope some day to be square again. ; ; ‘‘T cannot give up drink right off, for it would kill me, but what you give me now I crave as a necessity, and do not pour down as I did from love of it. ‘You are reforming me, Miss Madge.” “‘Tam more than happy in hearing you Say so, and I have now come to prove my trust in you by telling youa secret.” 23 _ “Indeed, would I respect it, miss,” ** Well, I intend to let all go on the Blue Bell, when we meet the Madcap, except Lef- tenant Noel, Sam and yourself, and then we will run the little sloop to a safe hiding-place for the wounded officer, where he can remain until he gets well.” ‘“A good idea, miss.” ‘*Do you believe him guilty, Mr, Flet- cher?” ‘‘I do not, miss, for I have sat here at the tiller and watched his face, as he lay yonder, and I feel that, though he has sorrows, he has no great guilt in his heart!’ ‘“And [ can trust you to know where his hiding-place is, Mr, Fletcher?” “You can trust me in everything,” was the earnest reply. ‘*{ thank you, and I will trust you,” and Madge walked amidships to talk with Silly Sam, who was leaning over the windward bulwark, idly gazing out upon the ocean, while the crew were fobwaed playing cards in a group. ‘*Sam, | have in my mind a place where we can leave Leftenant Noel, and you and Tom and I are the only ones to know the secret. ‘You think I can trust Tom?’ ‘As you can trust me, Miss Madge.” ‘*Then I know he is as true as steel, for I could trust “inky with more than life,” and Madge laid her little brown hand upon the young man’s arm. Silly Sam trembled at her touch, his face flushed, then paled, and then came from be- tween his lips in a groan: “ God be merciful to me, a fool |” ‘Why, Sam! what do you mean?” cried Madge, astounded at his strange manner and almost savage prayer. **] mean that I am a fool, and as such can never have the hope of winning your love, Madge. ‘But Vl not wrong you, only do not let me feel, or know that you love any one else,” ’ and the man looked into her eyes with a look that fairly startled her, ‘Why, Sam, don’t talk so, for I love no one, and | have no thought of so doing. ‘‘Come, you are my strong ally in what I am doing, and I need all the aid you can give me, so don’t get blue, but help me.” ‘* | will do all in my power, Miss Madge,” he said, regaining bis former look and man- ner, and then the two talked together over the plan Madge had formed for the safety of Noel Brandon, and the Blue Bell sped on her way toward the rendezvous with the Mad- cap. CHAPTER XXXYV. THE BLUE BELL BROUGHT TO. As she neared the mouth of the Kennebec river, the Blue Bell was headed in nearer the coast, so that when off Bald Head she was but a league from the shore, It was nearing night, and the wind was blowing fresh, so that the fleet sloop was bowling along at a lively pace, when sudden- ly, out from the coast darted a vessel under full sail. There was no disguising the fact that the stranger had already seen the sloop and was after her. Tom waa at the tiller of the Blue Bell, at the time the stranger ran into view, and called quickly to Madge, who was in the cabin. Just as Madge stepped out of the cabin the sun touched the horizon, and its fading light fell full upon the stranger. Did the sloop hold the course she then was on she would soon run right upon the strange sail, while, to escape her she must go off dead to seaward. It appeared that the new-comer was a rat- tling good goer, for he came on well, and was spreading all the duck he could get up. One glance at the vessel and Madge said quietly: ‘It is the Scorpion, and we left her in Boston harbor, so I believe she has been in chase of us.” ‘* Then it is all up,” said Tom. “Why?” coolly asked Madge. ‘Well, she’ll take us, and Master Noel will have to hang.” ‘*1 do not exactly see what can be done Tom, for yonder vessel in this breeze an rough water can outfoot the Blue Bell, while, nat “ } * f o's be iy Gomichboo SEGon ¢ .™ i Q . Pm ee | a % ees TE. 5