Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 369 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

* Lraive girl an ag = ° » 8 Captain West, Melmer and Sam stood gazing ‘| will do nothing of the kind, sir,” was the Le the boarders in seeming horror, though adge still held the wheel and the two vessels held steadily upon their way. But the strangest of all was the fact that the men who boarded wore long black robes and each carried a cutlass in his right hand, a red lantern in his left, and their faces were wholly masked from view, ‘* Well, Sir Masked Corsair, you have boarded the sloop with your crew, so what is your plea- sure?” coolly asked Madcap Madge, stil hold- ing the wheel. CHAPTER XI. A MYSTERIOUS RETRIBUTION. ‘* My pleasure on board of this schooner is, as | I said on hailing you, to take possession of one Job Jennings, along with his baggage and mer- chandise.” The one who spoke was a man of commanding — presence, tall, upright in form, and his voice | was deep and seemed mufiled in tone, coming as it did from beneath his mask. The mask completely concealed his face, a | tarpaulin was drawn down over his brows, and a png robe of black hid his form from view. In his right hand he carried a cutlass, and in his left a red lantern, and the light of the latter | was turned full upon Madcap Madge, as she faced him, one hand upon the wheel. Behind the masked speaker stood his men, at- tired and equipped as he was, while in a. semi- circle near Madge were Captain West, Melmer and Sully Sam, with the crew of the schooner amidships, looking on with superstitious dread and wonder. It was a strange scene, and Captain West, now realizing that he had pirates and not ghosts to deal with, felt angry with himself that he had not kept the little sloop at bay. Still he saw that if tke craft was not the Blue Bell, it was her perfect fac-simile. In answer to the words of the leader of the masked crew, Madge answered: ‘* There is Captain West, sir,and he can tell you whether he has such a passenger on board | and if he intends to give him up to you.” ‘*[t will be to his interest to do so, as it is not my intention to take aught else from his vessel,” ‘* ] will not yield, sir, to the demand of a pi- rate, and I regret not taking the advice of this keeping you at bay; but your vessel is the image of the Blue Bell, a craft that las been wrecked, and I am frank to confess both my men and myself looked upon you as spooks, and now, what you are I do not know; but you seem human, and I will risk a struggle with you to protect my passengers.” Captain West was now fully aroused, and be- lieving that he had to deal with people of the earth, he was as brave as a lion. But the leader received bis words with a light - Jaugh, and replied: ‘*My dear Captain West, you will not be so rash as to res'st us, for we already have foot on your vessel, we are armed, and beneath the decks of my sloop are a s°ore more of gal- lant fellows, and we could make short work of ou. ‘*I do not believe that you have more men,” sullenly said the old sailor. - ‘* Ho, lads, show yourselves to this doubting ‘Thomas,” called out the leader, and out of the hatches and the companionway of the sloop men began to pour, dressed and armed as were ‘their masked comrades. ‘* Hold! return to your places, for [ see that my dear old friend Captain West no longer doubts me.” Then turning to the captain he continued: ** My dear sir, you have two guns, and enough | men, had you had the pluck of this girl, to have kept us off; but we are here now, and I beg you to lose no time in calling Job Jennings upon deck.” ‘*T shall not do so, but if you want him you can call him yourself.” ** Very well,” and shouting down the com- panionway the Masked Captain said: ‘*Ho, on deck here, Job Jennings, for you are wnnted.” ‘‘ Who wants me?” came faintly up from be- Ww. ‘* Old friends with new faces; come, do not delay, for you are wanted upon deck.” ‘* By whom?” “‘ Come and see.”’ ** Do you mean to harm me?’ ‘‘A guilty conscience needs no accuser— come!” ‘** 7 will not.” ‘*Then I shall send for you. ‘t Here, lads, four of you go below and bring that man on deck; but min you, do not harm him, and if other passengers offer resistance, you must not use firearms, or your blades,” ** Ay, ay, sir,” answered one of the men, and he step down the companionway, followed by the three others. ‘* Now, captain, you will save trouble and delay by pointing out tomy men here the boxes and luggage belonging to Job Jennings,” and - to masked leader turned to the old sailor, sloop’s commander. ed goes ap =F keep your oe on m ee The Coast Corsair. blunt reply. ‘* Then 1 must belp myself—ho, Breslin!” ‘* Yes, sir,’ and a man in a mask and gown came from on board the sloop and stepped to the side of his leader. ‘* You know what belongs to Job Jennings?” ‘* IT do, sir, every box and piece of baggage.” ‘** Take four men and remove them, for you doubtless know where they were stowed.” ‘‘T saw them stowed away, sir, and can read- ily find them,” and the man went forward, just as the other party came up the companionway with Job Jennings a prisoner. It was the up-country merchant, the man wit the sinister face, who had objected to Mad- cok Madge being at the wheel cf the schooner. is face was blanched with fear, and he trembled violently, as he said: ‘** Ah! what do you want with me, sir?” ‘“*{ will explain that to you, Job Jennings, when the proper moment arrives so to do. ‘“Now, take him to the sloop’s cabin and guard him well.” ‘* Mercy! don’t carry me off!” cried the poor wretch. ‘I show no mercy, sir, to such as you,” was f = | the stern rejoinder. / ‘* Captain West, I implore you to protect me!” the man cried. ** If I only could! but I was a superstitious old fool, and can do nothing now. 7 Lads, you had better throw me overboard as the fool, and not that poor fellow,” and Captain West turned to his crew, who seemed ashamed that they had allowed themselves to get caught in such a clever trap. ‘Sir, why do Pp take that poor wretch?” asked Madcap adge,and she confronted tLe ‘* | want him,” was the stern reply. ‘* Has he harmed you?” ‘** He has, most bitterly, and he must suffer the penalty.” ‘*Oh! sir, would you do him violence?” ** Girl, when the sloop and schooner have part- . little craft, and you will see a sight that will show you what my retribution is.” * You would kill him?” cried Madge. ‘* Wait and see. Ah! here come my men with the boxes of Job Jennings, and you, lads, go into the cabin and get his baggage.’ The poor trembling wretch had been borne away tothe sloop’s cabin, and intuitively feel- | ing that entreaty would be wholly useless, Mad- cap Madge said no more, and once more resumed her place at the wheel, for Silly Sam had taken her place meanwhile, The two vessels, the bow of the sloop lashed to the quarter of the schooner, had steadily held on their way, during this strange scene, and were gliding swiftly along. | At Ditieth all of the boxes and baggage be- longing to the kidnapped passenger had been re- | moved to the sloo , and the man Breslin so re- ported to his chief. ‘* Now, Captain West, I will take my depar- ture, with regret at having given you such a terrible fright, and having to deprive you of a pasacnast and his traps; but it could not have een helped, unless you had taken the advice of that brave girl and beaten me off when you could have done so.” ‘*T wish to Heaven I had,” growled the old ailor, ‘* It is too late to cry over spilt milk, captain; but now I will say good-night, and to you, brave lady, I wish good luck through life,” and the leader bowed low. ‘* Who are you, sir?” asked Madge, in a low tone, | ‘*T am a skimmer of the sea, lady, a nameless wanderer upon blue water.” | ‘* A pirate,” sneered Madge. | So call me if you will—farewell,” and the man bounded to the deck of his sloop, his voice deep and harsh as he sternly gave the order to cast loose from the schooner, and, released of her fastenings the sloop shot away, going up into the very eye of the wind until she had pass- ed the schooner, and then, quick as a flash she was put before the wind and she shot directly across the bows of the Kennebec Queen and went flying away over the moonlit waters. But wy had she gone a cable’s length away, when her bows again swept around, and she began to glide along to leeward, keeping level with the ge eg For awhile all was silent on board, and then there came to the ears of those watching upon the Kennebee Queen, a wild, terrified shriek. Then the red lanterns were formed upon the deck, and the dark forms of the three men hold- ing thera made a spectral scene, A moment of silence, and another shriek, in | the voice of a man, rung out over the waters, _ and suddenly up into the air, drawn by the flag halyards in the peak arose a dark object. It was the form of a man, a red lantern swung above his head, another below his feet, so that he was distinctly revealed to those on the schooner’s deck. | ‘*My God! it is r Job Jennings,” cried Madcap Madge, as she gazed on the scene from the schooner’s deck. ‘** Yes, and he has met his mysterious retribu- tion at the hands of the Masked Ccrsair,” said Madcap Madge, as she turned ierf ce away from the weird and fearful scene, CHAPTER XII. A SILENT FOE. ‘**CAPTAIN WEST, this is a fearful scene,” cried Madge, suddenly turning to the old sailor, who was deeply moved at what he saw. ‘It is indeed, Miss Madge, and oneI wish could be prevented.” ‘It would be a great feather in your cap, to take yonder pirate, sir.” ‘Ho! what? Ah! did you say take him, Miss Madge? asked Captain West excitedly. ‘Yes, I said it wculd ke a good thing to cap- ture him, and, if tco late to save the life of your passenger, to bring punishment upon them for their crime in hanging him.” ‘* By Jupiter’s ghost! but your words 1ing like steel, miss, and it can be done, for we lave cur guns, and now the lads know we are not fighting a spook, they will play the very devil to get even for their fright.” Madge saw that her words had accomplished just what she intended they should, and she added: ‘*T think, as the sloop is so near, we could open fire with your guns, bear down upon her, firin mane Oery and cripple her so that we could boar er, ‘Born for an admiral, you were, Miss Madge, and it shall be done, for I will get my crew to- gether, while you manage the schooner; but no! a would not be right to have you on deck ina ght. ‘*T certainly should not remain in the c for I have a woman’s curiosity to see the was the cool reply. ‘Well, you command the schooner, Miss Madge, and Ill take charge of the fighters. ‘* Ho there forward! clear those two guns for action!” The small six-pounders on the schooner were kept amidships, one on either broadside; but they were so mounted as to be readily run for- ward, or aft, and ports were pierced for them in the schooner’s bows and astern. The men seemed to understand just what their captain meant todo, and sprung to the guns bi alacrity, hoping to wipe out the stain upon them. 1 just then Melmer stepped forward and said: bin ght,” " Captain, did you observe that the sloop was armed?” ** No; is that so?” ** Yes, sir, she carried a pivot gun on her bow I think a twelve-pounder, though it was covered by a tarpaulin, and there was another pivot abaft her mast amidships, and a third on her stern.” **'You don’t mean it?’ ‘I do, sir, and these three guns make one more than yours, and they are double the caliber, while the crew is superior to yours.” ‘** Well, this looks black, so I had better coun- termand my order to—” ‘Captain West, I certainly should try to take the sloop, for your schooner is much larger, you will have the advantage of a surprise, you can vai her, doubtless, with one cr two shots, and certainly kill and wound some of her crew, which will give you every advantage.” Madcap Madge had uttered the words, and the captain again leaned toward her way of thinking, for he said: “What have you got to say to that, my man?” ‘“T would advise, sir, that you do not attack the sloop.” a han why not, Melmer?” asked Madge. ‘‘ Wor the reasons stated, lady, the chances are against us.” ‘“T do not believe it, and Captain West, it will be an act of daring that will make a name for you,” urged Madge. rT By Jupiter! but Tl do it. ‘‘ Here, lads, get these guns lowered, and the moment I give the order to put the schooner before the wind, let the sloop have it hot and heavy, as fast as you can load and fire, while you, Miss Madge, can stand right for the craft and lay us aboard as soon as you like, and we should capture and hold her.” “T certainly think so, sir; but much depends upon crippling her with your guns, before he can return our fire or escape.” ‘Right you are, Miss Madge.” ‘*‘And Mr. Melmer here, sir, has been an old man-o’-war gunner, 80 Suppose you give him command of the guns.” “Tl do it, if he'll serve them; my men know little about it. ‘Will you command the guns, my man?’ ‘ Willingly, sir,” and Melmer walked quickly forward, while Silly Sam said: ‘** Pll help you, Miss Madge.” ‘Thank you, I was just going to ask it; but captain, get out your arms, and call up your male passengers to aid you!” ‘Yes, yes,” and the captain soon had his weapons on deck, and had arranged his crew Me the addition of his passengers, as he wished em. 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