Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 369 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

; 4 ' } - ' em, — ——_ —_——— ——_ =- __- —————— The ee CAS CAI ee ee Sik coor one, stp, RE ask a ec Corsair. — a Z —— — > = ——— = = —_ — the refinement of a city bred lady, and the pluck of a irate. hy I never saw her nerve equaled, while she can command a vessel better than [ can to- da Y She ’s educated too, for I started her on books and she got in too deep for me, for she took me over my head in learning, amused herself with me for awhile, and then landed me on the rock of ignorance with a hook in ‘eS heart, for I too am dead in love with her,” Ray Raymond. ‘** Then why don’t you caine 7 her?” urged Leo Lauderdale. ‘** She hasn’t asked me to.” ** Why don’t you ask her, Leo?’ ** Because, Lieutenant Maynard, I'd as soon walk up to the Port Admiral and ask him to ex- change swords with me, as to ask an exchange of hearts with Madge the Madcap. ‘“ Why, she’d laugh at me, and then I'd ask the bo’sen to kick me. ‘No, sir, I must bear my love in secret and see some one else win the prize.” ‘** Leo, you are really sad over it, and to be pitied; but, joking aside, she is a wonderful girl, and fully the pote not the superior in beauty to poor Noel Brandon’s handsome sister, J oyce. 4 She too is very lovely,” said Raymond. “Yes, if they are specimens, gener, 4 a Joyce, 0 of Maine girls, in high and low life, know no other part of the coun that ae boast of feminine beauty in comparison.” ** Well, lieutenant, what about the escape of Brandon?” ‘* How do you mean, Raymond?” ‘You do not think that you will be condemn- ed for allowing him to go?” *‘Hardly under the circumstances; but if I am I must stand it. ‘* Tt was either wreck and death, or to let him 0, 59 ‘“‘T chose the latter, for that girl loves him, I am sure, and refusal would have made her desperate. ‘** As it is, Brandon has gone to the bottom and thus escaped the gallows, for hang him they would most certainly have done. ‘‘ The girl lost her father’s craft, and that is a good thing, for she had not her equal i in speed and beauty on the coast, and if she was a smug- gler, as many say, it is a good riddance, for it will be many a <¢ ay before another vessel can be built like the Blue Bell.” ‘*You are right, sir, for she was as perfect asa vessel, as Madi Madge i is aS a Woman, “T studied the oral often, in ay and I hope some day to build me a yacht like her, when I leave the service and settle down to home life upon the sea-shore.” “You would do well to have such a craft for pleasure, Raymond, and I too studied her hull, spars and rig, hoping to get a model of her, for a schooner hike er, say of two hundred tons, o like the wind.” her model is in pieces now.” ‘ Yet Skipper Vernon may have the drawings and when next I visit this coast I shall see and ask him for them.” The officers thus conversing stood on the Scor- ion’s deck, and it was late in the afternoon of ae day following the storm in which the vessel had run such a fearful gantlet under the guid- ance of Madcap Madge. All on board had seen the Blue Bell dash to destruction, and believed those on board lost; but when Sam and Madge had been discovered on the rocks, the next morning, they had been sent after, and the schooner-of-war had gone out of the dangerous waters under the pilotage of Melmer. Then Madge, Melmer and Sam had taken their skiff and gone ashore, where they had been met, the reader will remember by Skipper Vernon. The Scorpion meanwhile had sailed back down the coast, “tntil nearly sunset, and then, under easy sail, had head homeward, or back to Boston harbor. Night came on, and as the Scorpion cruised along some leagues off-shore, her officers dis- cussed the happenings of the past few days, as they walked the deck, or stood in a group smok- their cigars. i erwaril the men were also discussing the same subject. and it was a strange fact that where his brother officers, or those that had been, gen- pede believed Noel Brandon the slayer of his tain and robber of his body, the sailors did mid tam and they so expressed age that he wae innocent and could not be gu Mayo bn d hardly knew Orne to think. He randon immense ‘am and had alwa jooked “oe him as the soul of honor: ; but with the evidence against him he could but believe him guilty, and yet, after his asseveration of innocence to him, he could not believe that he was criminal. But the rest of the officers, though pis g Tfoel Brandon, conceded his guilt, and t the matter stood. Of course all decided that Madge Vernon had loved Noel Brandon, and therefore bad risked her life for him; but it puzzled them to see how calmly she took ‘his death, and they talked over this phase of the maiden’ s character again and 2s ain. The moon at last arose, though the night was cloudy, and four bells had been struck, when suddenly a distant flash was seen, followed by the deep boom of a gun. ‘**Ha! a gun at sea, and in-shore from us. ‘** What vessel-of-war can be in these waters?” said Ray Raymond, and he hastily called Mayo Maynard on deck, for the young commander hac Poe into his cabin. sounded like a small gun, sir, and it was yonder, not a long way off,” and Ray Raymond Pe pte in the direction where the flash had been “ 7 cannot understand it, for I know of no war- vessel in these waters, though one may of course have run out of Portland in chase of a smuggler —ah! there is the flash again and again.” Twice more the flashes appeared, and then, after quite a long wait the report of a gun came to their listening ears. ‘I should say that those guns were six-pound- ers; but they were shotted, that is evident, and we will crowd on sail and see what it means.” ‘They were fired a long way off, Lieutenant Maynard.” ** Yes, Raymond, two leagues or more; but we have a good breeze, and you can dress the Scorpion up in her best, so that we will soon see what it is all about.” More sail was spread upon the Scorpion, an and h she went, leaving a foaming wake behind, eading in the direction the flashes had been Om went the cutter-of-war, until two leagues had been sailed over, and no eye had detected any. sail, he reports of the guns had ceased some time before, and all eyes were on the watch to see from whence they had come. The coast, island and reef-dotted, was miles away to the ‘starboard, and no white sails loom- ed up between the cutter and the land. Then, far away, off the port bow, a sail was sighted, and Mayo Ma had his glass upon it in an instant. ‘*She is headed as we are, and is a schooner under full sail, now what was she firing at?” he said slowly, and he began to sweep the horizon seaward with his glass. Slowly he took a view around the arc of sight oe me renege) 2 stop and utter an exclamation of se. ll turned toward him with interest. ‘“ There lies what we are looking for, off yon- der on the sea, and not a mile away.” **T see nothing, sir,” said Lieutenant Ray- mond, ‘*T do, but she has not a sail set,” cried Leo Lauderdale the middy. “ Right, Leo, and i am glad to see your eyes are noe too dimmed by weeping for the loss of of your lady love, to be able to see them. Yes, yonder craft saw us long ago and dro ped her canvas to hide, thinking we would sight the schooner and give chase. ‘** But I will now see what the rascal is,” and orders were given to put the Scorpion away for the strange craft. CHAPTER XV. CHASING A SPECTER. THE vessel discovered lying so quietly upon the waters, and with not a stitch of canvas seb, was hardly over a mile from the Scorpion, when the latter suddenly changed her course, anc headed for the stranger. The wind held good for the vessel-of-war to run down upon the stranger, and in going round to do so, all on board were occupied in the duties devolving upon them, so that momentarily no eye was upon the stranger. The moment, however, that they did glance at the sail, a cry of surprise broke from the lips of officers and men alike, for in that instantas it were, for it seemed hardly more, the sloop had become covered with canvas. So quickly had her sails been set, so swiftly had she glided away from where she had been lying quietly upon the waters, that it seemed like magic to those on board the Scorpion who beheld the change. Taking his stand Mayo Maynard turned his glass long and earnestly upon the stranger. Then he said: ‘* Raymond, come here.” The lieutenant stepped to his side. ‘*Take my glass and examine that craft close- ly; then tell me what you think of her.” The lieutenant took the glass, turned it upon the sail, and said: ‘* It is the very image of the Blue Bell.” ‘* It is indeed, and therefore I wished you to see her; but say nothing, and I will call Leo Taatardaie: for he knows the sloop well.” ‘*There are several others on board, sir, who know the Blue Bell, for she has so often anchor- ed near us in port, as you know, and on the sea we have had many a race with her; but it can- not of course be the sloop of Skipper Vernon.” ‘**Of course not; still I wish to see who thinks it resembles her, for to me the likeness was startling.” ‘* And to me, sir, in hull, rig and sail, as I can see by the moonlight; but I will call Leo.” ** What do you think of that little craft, Leo?” he asked, quietly. ** The Blue Bell, by Heaven ! ‘*T beg your ardon, sir, but I forgot myself, and more, the Blue Bell is in pieces; yet yonder craft is her twin sister.” ** You are excused, Leo, for your exclamation, as I was almost : guilty of a like expression. pire you think yonder craft is like the Blue e ? ** She’s her ghost, sir,” was the quick response, ‘* Now, Leo, Bo’sen Vance here, for I put him on Chard the Blue Bell once, you re- member, when she was suspected of having smuggled goods, and he had charge for some days, and even sailed in her to Portland to join us, When the sloop was released, so he should know her.” Boatswain Vance was called, and he two was given the glass, with the remark: ‘** Bo’sen, yonder craft I call a trim sailer, and I want your opinion as to whether you have ever seen her before?” ‘*T’ve been watchin’ her from fo’ard, sir; but I can’t see well with bare eyes, so Pll take a look through the peepers, sir.” The boatswain took the “ fa in ” as he called it, put it to his eyes, took it down, rubbed the glass carefully, an once more raised it. Then he lowered it once more, rubbed his eyes, and, after a long look, simply said in a ts Bo’sen!” “Cap'n, does you believe in sperrets?” “ Ardent spirits, bo’sen?” ‘*Dunno, sir, if you calls ’em ardent, but I calls em spooks and specters.” ‘*Oh! do you believe in such things, bo’sen?” **Cap’n, 1 believes in what is, and yonder is the specter o’ a dead craft,” and the boatswain ke most impressively. “Why, nonsense, man. s “N 0, sir, it’s sense, sure, for it’s the ghost o’ a See What wget ‘*The Blue Bell, sir, as we seen go to pieces in the storm only last night.” ‘* Bo’sen, youneed not speak of this to the men, as it might alarm them, and, in the moonlight, without a glass, they cannot see the sloop as well as we can, while they also do not know the Blue Bell as well.” ‘No, sir, they don’t, and I don’t want no closer acquaintance with her than we has now.” ‘‘T admit there is a startling resemblance, Vance, but of course it cannot be the Blue Bell, as we saw that craft wrecked.” ‘“That’s why it can be, sir, for it’s dead vessels, like dead folks that comes back again.” “Well, we’ll not discuss that, Vance, only kee os quiet about your fears, and before long we Wi know what yonder craft is,” “Tecan hold my teeth shet, sir, and I will,” and saluting, the boatswain went forward once more. ‘* Lieutenant Maynard!” ** Well, Raymond?” “ Have you observed one fact?” sé Well. ll. “The sloop has steadil gained on us, sir, since she started mide sail,” % ‘* You are right, and she has gained consider- able and is now walking right away from us. “Set more canvas on the Scorpion, Mr. Ray- mond, in fact, dress her up in all that will draw a hatful of wind, for yonder craft ought not be able to drop us as she is.” Ray Raymond hastily gave his orders, and the extra sails were quickly set, and this caused the crew to realize that the chase was lke 5 Mee aa a fact they had not discovered before, or possible, for the Scorpion was known to be t - fleetest vessel in those seas, and when headed in chase of a craft was always wont to walk right over it, Now, however, all saw that the sloop was fur- ther off than when discovered, and the men were surprised. : ; She’s walkin’ away from us,” said an under officer. ‘*She’ll not ae it now, that we have put the Sco ion’s to : ut she is, ‘arid the last remark caused had one to the more attentively regard the sl 00 ‘Has she set extra sail, Raymond?” ‘* Not that I have seen, ‘Lieutenant Maynard.” ‘* Yet she still gains on us,” ‘*T believe she does, in spite of our increased canvas,” ‘‘She’s a strange vessel, Raymond.” ‘She acts spooky, sir, in my mind.” ‘** Don’t be superstitious, Raymond, because the Scorpion has met her match and she looks like a wrecked sloop.” “T don’t like things I cannot understand, sir. ” ‘Then you don’t like a woman, for where is one that man can understand?” said Mayo May- nard with a light “7 Ar “You understood adeap Madge pretty well, when she threatened to wreck the Scorpion, % The middy approached at the call, and Mayo — and Raymond laughed. Maynard handed him the glass. ‘* Egad I did, for she made herself thoroughly (COMMU S) O)ONO) ee - - TS cee inal J er a ‘age, ee + a *< *