Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 369 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

owe 2 ee ay ws o——-eganee 14 The Coast Corsair. ‘“Then Brandon and the drunkard were not on board the sloop?” ‘“They were, for Mr. Brandon was taken there just before, from this schooner.” Darrell shook his head dubiously, and then said: ‘* Well, Captain Maynard, you may believe that Noel Brandon is dead, but I do not, and I shall set to work to hunt him down.” ** His body?” ‘Yes, dead or alive I shall find him, and then [ shall claim the reward.”’ ‘Tt is to be paid to the man, Gaspard, who delivered him to me, and he holds my receipt for it, for being set free does not cancel the reward to him. ‘Now, Mr. Darke Darrell, I have been most patient under your questions, and I have but one request to make of you.”’ “Well, sir?” *'To go ashore as quickly as you can get there, and never to set foot on this vessel again.” “If L come with Noel Brandon, dead or alive?” “Come with his body, dead or alive, and it will spare you, otherwise you will go into irons if you set foot on this vessel again. ‘*T hope you understand,”’ **] do, sir,” and Darke Darrell bowed himself out, sprung into the waiting boat and the lad pulled him back to the pier. ** By Heaven! I do not believe that Noel Brandon is dead, or that it was Tap-room Tom that was alive. ‘* The latter I shot and he went overboard, and Noel Brandon evidently had some one else with him, claiming to be the drunkard, ‘*This is all some trick of that she-devil, Madge Vernon, to save Brandon’s neck, and I believe that Lieutenant Mayo Maynard, commanding the Scorpion, is in the plot with her. “* But Pll ferret it out yet.”’ ‘‘Did you speak to me, sir?” “No, lad; I was talking to myself, or rather thinking aloud—here is your fee,” and springing out upon the pier, Darke Darrell strode rapidly away in the darkness, But close upon his heels came the boy, liding along as silently as his shadow, and he followed him until he saw him enter a sailor’s tavern known as the Forecastle. The boy then took the locality of the place we Ildown in his mind, and afterward walked rapidly up the streets to another inn, which he entered; but. soon after he came out and he was not alone, for two men ac- companied him CHAPTER XXL, A CLEVER RUSE. Tue youth led the way quickly down to the pier, his two companions following close- ly, and there they descended the water stairs into his boat. Seizing the oars he pulled them swiftly to- ward another dock, and there one of them got into a boat that they found there, while the other took the blades from the lad and sat down to pull. Both boats then headed up the harbor, the lad seated in the stern, but though he held an oar in his hand he did not use it to steer with, but seemed engaged in whittling it with his knife. In silence they rowed for several miles, and then the oarsmen ceased rowing and the two boats lay side by side upon the water. A moment they lay thus, the occupants talking together in low tones, and then the man in the lad’s boat got into the other one with his companion. Then the lad took the oars and led the way. Presently they entered the mouth of a creek, and here one boat stopped, the other pulling on. The lad was the one who continued on up the stream, but only for a short distance, as a sloop lay there at anchor, Leaning over the lad let one of his oars loose in the water, while he took up the one that he had been whittling on, after which he pulled slowly toward the sloop. ‘* Ho, the sloop!’ he called out, as no one hailed him from on board, ‘“‘Ay ay,” anda man stepped out upon deck. ‘*Cap’n, is that you?” asked the lad. | | | | | Se ss ‘** Ho, lad, back so soon?” * ¥e6. or. ‘* And the Scorpion is in, sir, and I rowed | | Maynard before I leave, and I'll trouble you for that receipt, Gaspard.” ‘‘Never! you shall never have it,” hissed out to her.”’ the man. “Ah! Pil*be with you et once, for we! ‘Sam, search him and give me the receipt, can get there before the captain retires. | please.” ‘* Come alongside!” Sam did as directed, and in a short while Tes, er. _the desired paper was in the hands of Mad- The lad obeyed, while the man re-entered | cap Madge. the cabin, and said: The three prisoners were then confined in ‘‘ Now you men keep a clear head on you, | the cabin of the sloop, and, with the two and don’t go to drinking, for | may want | boats in tow the Madcap sailed out of the you to start at any moment, and will send | creek, the daring girl in her disguise as a,boy back for you.” at the helm. 7 The next moment he came out and sprung | Running down off the pier where she had into the stern of the boat, the boy having the | obtained her boat, Madge luffed sharp and the anchor was let fall. oars, “4 Now, lad, you can pull as fast as you; ‘‘ Sam, you take the boats ashore, and wait wish.” on the pier until 1 come for you, while you, sir,” and the lad pulled a slow, even stroke. | make a visit on board the Scorpion.” He had gotten nearly to the mouth of the Getting into the sloop’s skiff Madge moved creek, when he saw, as he faced to the stern, | away from one side, as Silly Sum departed a light, as though a lantern swung around a | from the other with the two boats, leaving man’s head several times. Melmer on deck in charge, the prisoners It came from where the sloop lay at anchor | being both ironed and gagged below. and which he could not observe in the dark- ‘“‘Soon asl get out of the creek, I will, Melmer remain in charge, for I intend to ness. CHAPTER XXII. ‘* Now, [ll row fast, sir,”’ he said, and he THE LAD AND THE LIEUTENANT. bent hard on his oars, when there came a| ArreEr his return from his successful, and loud snap, and he was thrown off of his | yet unsuccessful cruise, Mayo Maynard had seat. no desire to go ashore that night, so amused ‘Curses! one of your oars has snapped,” | himself in his cabin with a book and a cigar. growled the man. | He however often became lost in deep ‘Yes, sir, and I'll have to scull, for the | reverie, and at last cast the book aside. wind is against us.” The dove-like eyes of Joyce Brandon “* No, pull back to the sloop, for we could- | would rise before him, and then the brilliant, n't reach the Scorpion for hours sculling.”’ fearless orbs of Madcap Madge. ‘* You have an oar there, sir?” “T declare they are both beautiful, very ‘Yes, several pairs.” beautiful, and yet one is the perfect antithe- ‘*l’m glad,” and getting in the stern of the | sis of the other. boat, the lad put the oar out and began ‘‘] wonder if I shall ever see either one of to scull in a way that showed he understood | them again. well that peculiar means of locomotion. ‘‘ What a lucky dog I would be, if I could For a short while the boat ran alongside of , win Joyce Brandon’s love. the sloop, on board of which were seated two ‘‘As for Madcap Madge, egad, I'd be men. afraid of her, I think, for though wholly ‘Curses on my luck! the boy’s oar broke, | womanly, she is every inch a man when she so get me a pair quick,” said the man. makes up her mind to play a man’s part. Hardly had he uttered the words, when the ‘‘Now, this reward matter worries me, boy leaned forward, and a pistol in his hand | and although it is a large sum, I am half a was thrust into the man’s face, while he | mind to pay that fellow out of my own said: pocket, for Government will not wish to pay ‘* Gaspard, you are my prisoner!” for a prisoner that I released afterward. ‘Ha! what does this mean?” ‘‘True, the vessel and crew were saved, ‘* Just what I say.” but the old admiral will not pay it, I am “Who are you?” assured, and the man holds my receipt, and ‘Madcap Madge!” I must do it, and it will hit me hard just “By Heaven! but I’m glad to hear that, | now.” for you are in my power, not I in yours, So the young officer went on in his reverie, girl. until at last a middy came into the cabin to ‘* Seize her, men, and don’t sit there like | say a person wished to see him. fools, for don’t you see she holds a pistol in “It is after ten,” said Lieutenant May- my face?” nard, not caring to be disturbed. The two men leaned quickly forward and ‘So I told him, sir.” seized— Gaspard. “Who is he?” With a quick jerk, they dragged him upon ‘*A mere lad.” deck, and in an instant he was handcuffed. ‘A lad? Show him in.” ‘‘In fury’s namne, what means this?” he And into the cabin came the supposed lad. gasped. Madge had put on a different make-up ‘*It means that in the darkness you don’t | from one she had worn when she had gone recognize Silly Sam and your old shipmate, | on board the Scorpion, in the Kennebec, and Melmer,” was the quick reply. said she was sent by “sister Madge, to act. “‘Oh, Heaven! and my men?” groaned | as pilot.”’ Gaspard. o Darke Darrell had not recognized her, ‘‘ They were playing cards when we board- | and neither did Mayo Maynard now do go, ed, and they thought that you had returned She had on a red wig, and her attire was until | had my pistols on them, while Sam | an odd one. handcuffed them, not forgetting to put the | As she entered she nodded to the officer gags in their mouths. familiarly, and said: “They were as much surprised as you are, | ‘‘ Good-evening.” and it was all done before you got a cable’s Maynard was aroused, and at the same length away, so we just signaled the Lady | time struck with the appearance of his Madge to come back, and, by her clever ruse | visitor, so he said: we have you in our power. ‘Well, my boy, what brings you on ‘Do you see, Gaspard?” board a Government vessel go late at night?” ‘‘Ourses upon you, and upon the girl. ‘My boat, sir.” ‘But what is your intention regarding | ‘‘Doubtless; but what is your business. me?” here?” ‘““The Lady Madge will decide that,” an- ‘*'To see you, sir.” swered Melmer. ‘“‘It is my intention, Gaspard, to take you back to the Kennebec, in my sloop which you stole from me,” said Madge quietly. ‘“‘ You wish to get my receipt for Brandon’s reward and draw the money on it,” ‘‘Oh no, the Government will not have to pay that money, my fine fellow; but come, lads, put the gentleman in the cabin, ‘* He sent me here, sir, to see you.” along with his comrades, and we'll get out of ‘“ Yes, to demand the money?” growled this, for we have accomplished our purpose | the officer. in coming, though I do wish to see Captain ‘“*It is payable on demand, sir,”’ ‘¢ A man, sir.” ‘* What man?” ‘‘One you gave a receipt to for blood. money.” ‘‘Ha! the man Gaspard?” ‘* Yes, sir.”’ ** What of him?” —_——_—_——_—— aeennnnnnnnnmmn naan re sss sss SSS steam COMIGHCO cS gi -_ ‘What about?” - (E(@) .. fk ¢ —~.~ |