Beadle's Dime Library No. 388: The Giant Buccaneer — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

oy —e —~ oe «* Will you do this?” “T will.” ‘‘ You pledge yourself, Don Rudolpho?” **T do, lady.” ‘‘Then I pledge myself to become your wife as soon as you have placed these people in my power. ‘| have no more to say to nitht, Don Ru- dolpho, but do not delay in keeping your pledge.” : ‘*] will not, lady,” and upon returning to his sanctum the Don found Bono knocking loudly at his door. ‘Well, Bono, what is it, for I was out in my garden?” he said, quietly. “That big planter is here to see you, senor.” ‘* Show him in.” The next moment the Giant Buccaneer en- tered. ‘‘Ah, Captain English, glad to see you, ‘* And what have you done for me?” « ]’}1 tell you, sir. ‘Wirst. I want you to run your schooner through the Rigoletts, and you'll find, over on the shore, nearest the river, hiding in some bayou, a very pretty yacht. *« She will have on board a score of splen- did seamen and a young and gallant officer. “The men you can win over to your side, but the young officer you must threaten to hang unless he will become your lieutenant. «This will give you a good crew, and you can sail back with the yacht and schooner, leaving your vessel deserted, and keeping to the little craft.” ‘1 don’t clearly understand, senor.” ** Listen and you will. ‘You have a lieutenant whose name is Perdido?” ‘* Yes.” ‘* Well, that man you must leave upon the schooner, ironed hands and feet, in a state- room of your cabin.” ‘‘Why must I do this?” ‘* Because he has sought to betray you and me too, ‘‘ Leave him there, as I direct, and I will | see that he is punished. ‘Then you sail in your yacht to an anchor- age in the lake, and come to me, and I will give you a forged letter, pretending to come from Irving Brandt, the middy, and address- ed to the commandant, telling him he has captured his yacht, with the aid of yourself and a crew you raised in Mobile, and beg him to send the schooner Sea Fox right round on an important service, and that he sends you and your men to act as a crew under Captain Palafox or any officer he may send in charge. ** Captain Palafox sent three-fourths of his en ona frigate to-day fora short cruise, as Limow, yeas he will take the balance and go in command. “Once out in the Gulf and you must kill Palafox and those of his men who will not join you, and you will have the finest craft afloat. ‘“‘ Now do you see my plan?” i'd. and a good one it is and shall be at once acted upon.” “Don’t forgot to have your old schooner deserted by all except Perdido, and take nothing except your booty from her, as the Sea Oe ees armed and stored,” “T will do as you say.” “As for the lieutenant, Granger, if he does not go with you, kill him, for he may be a dense foe; but if he enlists with you, keep him at sea. ‘* Now a you understand?” ‘¢ Perfectly.” ‘¢ Then pay me my money, captain, and luck to you.” : With Y enis the Giant Buccaneer paid the sum asked by the money-lender and depart- ed, while he Den ere moments after, re- ceived another V1 5 rr ‘Ah, Captain Merida, I am glad to see you, for | have news for you ” “Tam certainly glad to hear it,” was the answer of the pirate captain, who was look- ing less haggard than the day before, ‘ Sou want a schooner? as es.”’ ‘ “You want revenge upon one who has ” we Whom do you mean?” _ ** There was one on the Witch’s Island that commanded, and the Giant had to obey,” ‘ ve , . LZ ns We r “ 4 ane) & on ae 7 Party j The Giant Buccaneer. **How know you this?” ‘* He was one who looked like a Monk and Satan combined, and three nights from this I will have him in your power,” Where?” ‘You will meet on the lake-shore three- score men, whom I have engaged asa crew for you. ‘*A pilot will be with them to guide you to a bayou, where a schooner lies hidden. ‘You will find her fully armed and equip- ped, and in her state-room will be a man in irons, and the only one on board. “That man is the one who wronged you, and you can either put him to death, or sail with him to Death Island and there land him by night, leaving him there, though you must not put foot on the island, or allow your crew to do so.” ‘*T will obey you.” ‘“‘Knough, then, for you know what you are to do, ‘“Give me the price of the vessel, please, and the amount I will have to pay your men as bounty.” The money was counted out, and Captain Merida too took his leave of Don Rudodpho, who was chuckling with delight at the bar- gains he was driving for his own pocket, and at the same time working out his plot of re- venge against Perdido and Captain Palafox. As for the Giant Buccaneer, he felt that he might be of service to him in the future, as also might Merida, the pirate; but, with Per- dido safe on the Death Island, the Sea Fox dead, and Chester Granger at sea as a bucca- neer officer, he did not have much fear for himself. It was a desperately bold game to add to his ill-gotten wealth, get a dangerous rival out of the way, and to get rid of two men whom he feared, Perdido and the Sea Fox. But then the Don was just the man to play such bold games, and successfully. CHAPTER XLII. LEFT TO HIS FATE. CHESTER GRANGER, the reader will re- member, successfully cut out the Lad Maud from her anchorage in the lake, and, after running the Rigoletts, sought the hid- ing-place on the coast, where he could go across the neck of land to the Mississippi river, and meet the boat, which the money- lender had told him would bring the Smug- gler Queen to him. He did not for a moment doubt the good faith of the Don, and little dreamed that he was being made a tool of by that cunning rascal, Finding a safe retreat he left the yacht, and sought the river shore to wait. Impatiently he waited while the hours dragged along; yet still no boat came in sight. Ie dared not leave when the expected hour came round at which he was to meet the Smuggler Queen, and passed, for something might delay her, 0, with several of his men he waited on, little dreaming that there was trouble brew- ing for him. nmindful of the danger, too, in that se- cluded spot, the men on the yacht were, not keeping guard, and saw suddenly sweep down upon them several boat-loads of men. Before they could offer resistance, one whom they recognized, threw up his hands and shrieked: ‘Ho, crew of the Lady Maud, we come as friends!” Then the men advanced and told the yacht’s crew that they were to give up the acht and go in a schooner, for so orders had come from their secret agent in the city. Without a word against it the men con- sented, and then messengers were dispatched for the lieutenant, who, unsuspecting dan- ger, returned in haste, hoping to hear news of the Smuggler Queen from that quarter. Instantly he was seized and carried before the Giant Buccaneer, who sat in the cabin of the schooner, which was anchored further down the bayou. Tn amazement Chester Granger gazed upon the huge chief, who said sternly: ‘“ Well, senor, you are my prisoner.” “Yes, so I have discovered; but, as you are an outlaw, as I am, is it nota strange thing to make war against one who is of the same league?” boldly asked Granger. - i “9 A . Ne ee ee ee ” 33GS> ee aS . Een —,— 23 ‘‘T do not make war upon you, unless you force me to do so. ‘* Your crew have joined me, | havea good vessel in view, will have some eighty brave fellows, and need just such a man as you are for my first luff, so offer you the berth,” ‘| thank you, but cannot accept it.” “You must.” ‘But [I have another duty to perform which I cannot neglect.” “You would do well to save your life by serving me.” ‘* Save my life? ‘Yes, for if you accept my terms I will spare you, if not I will kill you,” was the cool response of the Giant Buccaneer. Chester Granger loved the Smuggler (Queen; but he loved life more, and after a few moments of thought he said: ‘“Under such circumstances, nothing else but accept.” ‘*PDo so, and you'll find me a friend, for I like your face; but, as you are doubtless known to those that I may have to deal with, and we have a bold deed to perform, I will give you adisguise to put on, if you will give me your pledge you will speak to no one, and make no effort to escape, until we are in possession of another vessel I have in view,” ' “‘T give you the pledge.” “Enough! now we will set sail in the schooner, and your yacht shall follow.” Soon after the two vessels were under sail, and back to the retreat, which the schooner had left, they went. ‘* Now, Senor Perdido, your career under my command ends this night,” said the Giant Buccaneer, addressing that exceedingly amazed personage, as the schooner came to anchor in the bayou. ““Great God! what can you mean?” gasped Perdido, who was naturally a coward. \ ‘Just what I say, sir. *‘ Here, men, put the officer in irons, and make the chains fast to that ring-bolt!”’ came the stern order of the buccaneer chief, and, unheeding the entreaties of the lieutenant the men obeyed, and Perdido was left alone on the schooner, which remained at anchor in the bayou, while the yacht, with the Giant Buccaneer and his now large crew set sail for an anchorage at the Jake-shore landing of the Crescent City. The sudden change toward him, by the rag Buccaneer, Perdido could not account ‘or. He meant himself the death of the man he hated, as did his mother, now that he had broken the bonds of his slavery on the isl- and; but he had not expected retaliation, Could it be possible that the money-lender had betrayed him? No; he certainly had ative that, excepting revenge for his as he did. Thus thoughts flashed through the mind of the man in irons, as he sat in the state-room of the schooner. Not a sound could he hear on deck, and he felt that he was utterly alone, The thought nearly drove him wild, and his coward fears conjured up all kinds of terrors when the night should come on. Thus the day passed away, and it was one of long agony to him, Then slowly the shadows deepened, and darkness came. Perdido fairly trembled with awe, for he had been left in that lone spot, alone with his conscience, and upon a vessel wherein he knew now that he was the only human ” I ean do ‘to gain by eserting him being. roe ie a splash came against the sides, then a slight shock, followed by a voice cry- ing: : 5 ‘* Follow me, lads!” Scores of feet sprung upon the deck and rushed hither and thither. No one met them to resist their way. ‘“My God! they are Government men and I am doomed!” groaned the prisoner, ‘Down this way, lads! here, bring that lantern to me!” cried the same voice that had before spoken. Then a light flashed in the cabin, rapid feet advanced, the state-room door w thrown open, and Perdido beheld before him, Captain Merida, of the pirate schooner, Skele- ton Fiag ! He had believed him to be dead, and his teeth chattered, m JOOKS (E(0) (¢