Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 369 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Ce ee irate rennnrpnenennennnennnnnnnn nnn IEIIEIE EEE I Three men stood at each gun, with Melmer in | command of both, as he said he could fire first one and then the other, and there was that about the man that even the mate cared not to interfere with him. ‘* Are you ready?” called out Madge from the wheel. ‘* Ay, ay—all ready!” answered Melmer, and Captain West, standing wiih his men with mus- ketry, upon either side, called out: ‘* All ready here! put her before the wind, miss, and straight for ihe sloop.” Instantly the bows of the schooner swept down the wind, the sheets were let fly, and she went swiftly down upon the sloop, while the guns were fired in quick succession, But the shots flew wild; but those on the sloop were ene taken by surprise, yet they acted promptly and silently, seemingly knowing just what to do, The sheets were trimmed close, the bows point- ed into the wind’s eye, and the fleet craft rush- ed to windward ata pace that was remarkable, and so suddenly and skillfully that she shot by the schooner to port, and was a cable’s length away before the Kennebec Queen could be brought alcut, The men ou the schooner seemed wholly taken aback by the promptness of the sloop’s crew, and the skill with Whish she had been handled. They had expected cries of alarm, some men to fall dead, others to be wounded under their fire, and the sloop’s rigging and sails to be crip- led. ; But in an instant the well-manned craft had hauled her sheets close, and setting a flying-jib, had coolly passed to the port of the schooner, whose crew were too much amazed to spring to their sheet ropes and trim in, as Madge called out to them to do, iy es Madge put her wheel sharp a-star- board, anc the sails to starboard, gibed to port as the vessel swept around in chase of the little craft. But, ere the schooner’s crew could trim taut, and get the craft down to good, steady work the sloop was fying, rushing up into the wind in a way that kept closer by several points than could the larger vessel. ‘‘Now open with your guns, Melmer!” cried Madge, nettled at the demoralization of the cket’s crew, when all had seemed in their avor. Melmer fired first one gun, and then the other, but the shots flew wild. ‘That is not like an old navy gunner, Mel- mer,” said Madge. ‘* The ition is bad for good aim, miss, for we are falling off, while the ea constantly cuts closer into the wind; but I will try again.” Again the guns were discharged, but witha like useless result. ‘* It is strange that he does not return the fire,” said Madge, who had left Sam at the wheel and came forward. ‘‘It is strange indeed, for he has the means, that is certain, miss,” the old captain remarked. ‘You had the means, captain, and failed to use them, when the sloop swept by us, for your musketry might have done considerable dam- bb] e. ‘‘Egad! the boys never thought of firing, nor did I, so sharp were the actions of the sloo Ha! another miss,” and Captain West watched the result of Melmer’s last shots. | ‘‘Permit me to try, Melmer, for I certainly can do no worse,” and Madge stepped forward, But Melmer grasped her arm with iron force, and hoarsely said: ‘Lady, for the love of God do you not fire these s!” M ge turned her head angrily, and seemed about to make some sharp retort but the words the tone, the manner of the seaman impressed her, and she said: ‘* Well, I do not care to stain my hands with human life,” and she turned and walked aft. ‘The sloop will escape us, Miss Madge,” said the captain, as she ‘* So it seems, sir; but I suppose we have done the best we could under the circumstances. ‘Ah! itis a sad sight to see that poor fellow yet dangling in mid-air against that sail, and no wer to avenge him.” “Tt is indeed, Miss Madge.” ‘““T hope, Captain West, you feel now that yonder sloop 1s not the Blue Bell’s ghost, and that her crew are not spooks,” ‘Miss Madge, I do not know what to say, or to think, for see, they do not fire upon us, and there is something weird, uncanny and mysteri- ous in the craft and the actions of her crew. ‘“‘Tf we get safely into port, Miss Madge, after what we have seen, I will be surprised.” Madge made no reply, but walked aft, a trou- bled look upon her face, for there was that about the weird sloop that she too could not comprehend, try how she might. Going into the wind the sloop showed her fleet- ness, and pointing so close, she soon oxonpes the schooner far to leeward and astern, so the chase was given up and the Kennebec Queen was put away on her course once more, while Madge re- ired to her state-room to think over the eon scenes she had witnessed, and to ponder over the remarkable behavior of Melmer. : | ———— TL ne — jor} The Coast Corsair. CHAPTER XIII. THE SAILOR AND THE LAD. WirHout further adventure, the Kennebec Queen arrived in Boston harbor. The run was a rapid one, and Captain West was proud of a new vessel; but somehow there was a restraint upon all. Passengers and crew alike did not seem hap- py, and the latter felt that they had in no way distinguished themselves, Madge went on quietly, sometimes taking a trick at the wheel, then reading, and romping with some ehildren that were on board, and the old captain eyed her askance wondering what she thought of him. Sam was silent, reserved, and seemed to be Vory thinking for one who was called a fool while Melmer, as was his custom, appeared stern and calm. So when the harbor of Boston appeared in view, neither passengers or crew were sorry to part company. ** Keep gr eyes on the lookout for the Mad- cap,” said Madge to Sain and Melmer, as they ran into port before a good breeze, ** We will have you on the outward run, Miss Madge,” said Captain West, approaching the inaiden, as the schooner drew near her pier. ‘* No, I think not, sir, for I have come, as I said, to take my sloop back with me.” ‘* But you may not find her.” **T think that I shall.” ‘* Well, good luck to you, Miss Madge, and remember, this schooner is always as free to you as though it was your father’s.” Madge thanked the old captain, and soon after went ashore, seeking lodgings in an inn not far away from the water. Sam and Melmer ap, hp Same place, and after a rest, they took a tand started around the harbor to look for the sloop. As they rowed away from the dock, a man stepped out from behind a pile of freight and gazed after them. ‘*My! 1 thought they saw me and were after me; but they did not, and it’s lucky I stooped down behind these boxes, for Melmer would have recognized me at a glance, as also that fool, for he is not so silly as he makes out. “What does their coming here mean, and so soon after my arrival? ‘* Why it means they are after the sloop, and I must look out, for they will have me up for stealing her, try me for mutiny, and, my re- ward for Brandon’s capture will do me no good if I am in prison, ‘* But they’ll not find the sloop, I am sure. ‘Still, I wish the Scorpion would return, so that I could get my money, and then I’d quickly sail for Southern waters. ‘* Now I have kept a close watch for the com- ing of the Scorpion, but she is not yet in sight, and so I'll get a boat and row up to her anchor- age and change it— Ah! there is a boat even now. ‘* Ho, the boat!” ‘“* Ay, ay, sir,” answered a boy, who was at the oars, pulling slowly around the pier, and watching the man, with the evident belief that he would find in him a patron. ‘*T want a boat for several hours, my lad.” ‘*I’m at your service, sir.” ‘* It’s a long pull.” **Pve got a spritsail, sir, to use when the wind is right.’ ‘Allright, Pll hire your boat, so jump out and let me get in.” ‘‘T cannot let the boat go alone, sir, for my father would flog me, as it is all I have to make a living with.” ‘*Can you keep your mou h shut as to where you gor” “ Sure?” ‘‘ What my patron does, sir, is none of my business, so that he hain’t a pirate.” ‘* Ah! that is good; but Iam no pirate, and I only wish to run up the river to where my sloop is at anchor, and carry her to another anchor- ‘* And then return?” ‘Yes, my man, unless I can hire you to do some work for me.” ‘*Guess I can, sir.” ‘“ All right, we'll talk it over, my lad, so now give way as fast as you please.” The lad, a mere youth of fourteen he looked, pulled a good stroke and sent the light boat swiftly along until free of the shipping, and then, as he turned into the river, he set his small spritsail, and, with a fair breeze, went scudding away at a good pace. ‘*Do you know the harbor well, lad?’ asked the man.” ‘* Yes, sir, pretty well.” ‘**Do you know the cutter-of-war Scorpion?” **T do, sir.” ** And her anchorage?” ‘She is not in port now, sir.” ‘* Where is she?” ‘* She went to sea, sir, somewhere on the Maine coast, to capture a naval officer vho had been killing somebody, I heard.” ** And is she back soon?” PN: I heard she was liable to come in at any e, ‘ | | | | 9 ‘* Now, my lad, I have something that will keep me on board my vessel for a short time, and I'll pay you handsomely, far more than you can earn with your boat-fees, if you'll go back to the harbor and watch for the coming of the Scorpion.” ** Yes, sir.” ‘* As soon as she comes into port you come here with all haste and take me down to her.” ¥en. are ‘* Now, here is more gold for you to show you that I mean well, and every day you work for me [ll give you half as much more.” ‘* Ah, sir, you are too generous, for I could gomez this much in a week,” said the delight- oy. ‘If all goes well, ’1 do far more for you, /and as you are a bright fellow, and handle a | boat well, 1 will make you a cabin-boy, some day ona fine vessel.” ‘*'You are very kind, sir,” and tke lad pocket- | ed his gold. | eee i (_i_i_iai‘“‘OO_N — They had now sailed some miles up the river, and the man directed the lad to head for a dis- _ tant clump of trees, that sheltered the entrance to a water-way, and after entering the creek, oe f came in sight of a small sloop trimly built and stanch-looking. ‘* That is my craft,” said the man. ‘**She’s a beauty, sir, and I wish I could get one like her some time, and I mean to try.” ** Yes, she’s a beauty, indeed, but she’s notmy style, for I wish a large vessel. ‘*] guess the men on board are asleep, for they do not show up, or hail.” In a few moments more the boat ran alongside the sloop, and at once two sleepy-looking men came out of the little cabin. ‘* Men, you must keep more on the alert than oe do, and not play cards all night, so as to ave to sleep all day,” sternly said the man who had come in the boat. **'We were napping, cap’n; "but it’s awful dulE work lying herein the woods, and I hope the Scorpion has come,” answered one of the men. ‘* No, she has not; but I have come up to stay with you until she does.” ‘* And the other lads at the inn?” ‘*They’]l stay there until wanted, while this lad will run up here the moment the vessel ar- rives, and take me on board. ‘*Tll arrange my little business then with the captain, and go ashore to get the men, and we'll set sail as soon after as we can.” ‘**T hope it will be soon, sir.” ‘*T hope so myself; but now, lad, you can re- turn, and the closer you keep your tongue be- tween your teeth the more gold you will earn, for I am on a little work here that is secret, but nothing wrong, as you may know, when I have to go on eden the Scorpion.” = SOR, ate" ‘The fact is, lam one of her cfficers, and— but I cannot tell you all, though you'll know if you decide to go with me.” ‘““Tll ask father, sir, and be delighted to go with you. “i vou again, sir, and as soon as the Scorpion comes in, Pll come right here for you,” And casting off, the lad set sail once more for the harbor, arriving there just at sunset. As he reached the pier from which he had started, he glanced down the harbor and beheld og Scorpion coming toward the city under full CHAPTER XIV. ON BOARD THE SCORPION, | “WELL, Raymond, we are again homeward bound, for it does seem to me now as though Boston was my home.” ‘It does to me also, Lieutenant as ing and 1 guess Midshipman Leo Lauderdale will be glad to get back to flirt with the Boston lasses once more.” And the junior lieutenant of the Scorpion turned a sly glance at the young middy who stood near. ‘I’m not as anxious as I was, lieutenant, for I confess it, my heart is gone entirely, and not on a Boston girl,” answered the middy. ‘‘ Ah! you are in love with Madcap Madge, the Kennebec beauty,” laughed Mayo Maynard. ““T confess it, sir, for somehow she has wor my heart entire. and, if I stood in your shoes, Lieutenant Maynard, in command of a vessel, young, handsome, rich and—” ‘Say, Leo, what favor do you wish to ask of me that you pour on all this flattery?’ laughed the commancer. ‘‘ None, sir, only if I was you I’d marry that girl; but as it is, 1 am a poor middy.” ‘* You are a deuced handsome one, and you'll win your lieutenancy before very long; but you are too young for her, as she is eighteen and that is about your age.” “ea ‘* Calf love, Leo, and nothing else; why, you'll forget the girl before you are one day in Bos- ton.’ . ‘* Maybe, sir, but I doubt it; but why don’t you marry her, sir?’ ‘* She wouldn't have me, Leo.” “All of that, she is perfect | comic ‘*She’s very beautiful, sir.” IJOOKS