Beadle's Dime Library No. 388: The Giant Buccaneer — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

“i = ° fs . ~ we = toe —_: : > 24 But the pirate cried: ‘Hal here is the one I was told I would find here. - You, sir, can tell me how it is I expect to seize a vessel, and find it my own craft, with you the only one on board.” ‘‘T will tell you all, if you will spare my life,” whined Perdido. ‘Oh, your life will be safe enough, senor; but talk quick!” _ ‘Tt was the work of the giant, who held you prisoner on the Island. ‘‘ te had a grudge against me and brought me with bim in irons. ‘‘To-day he deserted the craft to get an- other one, I believe, and left me here.” ‘“Well, I care not what has become of him, so I get my craft again; but she is rob- bed of the treasure I left. ‘Still the seas are broad, and hands and hearts are willing to make more; l’ll do it, even if I have a strange crew.” ‘And you will allow me to go with you as an oflicer?” asked Perdido. “Yes, you can go with me, but not as an officer, and only for a limited time. ‘Come, lads, get the schooner out of here, for we must raise our flag in deep water when the sun rises!” Orders were given at once to get the schooner under way, and an hour after she was sailing merrily along under a fair breeze. Determined to keep his contract with the money-lender, and anxious to get rid of Per- dido, whom he looked upon as a ‘‘ Jonah,” Captain Merida headed for the Death Island, and, although it was night when he reached there, he sent a boat with Perdido to feel its way ashore. Perdido had learned something of the chan- nel, and his own fears caused him to direct the coxswain how to steer, and soon he was set down upor. the island, But the irons were not taken off of him, and the boat returning to the schooner, he was left to his fate, for the Skeleton Flag sailed swiftly away in the darkness, CHAPTER XLIII. THE SEA FOX’S STRATEGY. THERE was no more stirring man in the service than was Captain Palafox, the re- formed rover, for he was constantly striving to redeem his past lawless career, for the sake of his beautiful daughter, by serving the Government all in his power. This did Rudolpho, the money-lender, fully realize, and he kept his spies constantly upon the track of the en Fox, knewing that he was very apt to give him trouble at any time, and in a most unexpected way. Having, however, discovered that the noted rover had settled quietly down in his inn, after the departure of the Sea Owl with the colonel and his family on board, the money-lender began to carry out his little scheme, and so set the Giant Buccaneer and Captain Merida to work in the accomplish- ment of their ends, which were so largely to favor their own. The reader has seen that the Giant Bucca- neer captured the yacht, made Chester Granger a prisoner, swore him over to serve him, and then deserted his schooner in the bayou, leaving Perdido the only one on board, Having done this act, just as the Don de- sired, he sailed in the yacht for the lake-shore, and at once reported to the commandant, with the pretended letter of Irving Brandt. The commandant was impressed by the noble appearance of the huge man, and at once told him that he would send him and his crew on board the Sea Fox, sending the captain of that vessel in command, and hav- ing him sail with all dispatch to carry out the scheme the midshipman suggested in his letter, At this the Giant Buccaneer was delighted, and said he would have his crew ready to go on board within a couple of hours. He also asked commander Nazro how many there would be in the Sea Fox’s crew, and learned with secret pleasure that there - would be not more than a dozen. Just then the Sea Fox himself came in, and, though anxious to start, when the sup- posed letter of Midshipman Brandt was read to him, he stated that it would be impossible to get off before midnight, on account of certain repairs needed to his vessel, and that ee eee a ESE S ~ ee Ce es qc The Giant Buccaneer. he would run up opposite to the city when ready, and take the giant sailor and his crew on board there, Argument was useless in favor of an im- mediate start, for the Sea Fox was firm, and so it was decided, after which the giant and the rover returned to the city together, the latter to make some purchases. Separating at the tavern, where the giant had his men stopping, the Sea Fox went his way, while the former was compelled to im- patiently wait the coming of night. Chester Granger, in disguise, had not been permitted to leave the tavern, having had an espionage held over him by the crew, and he sat in hisroom alone, aad with a heartache at the uncertainty of the Snmuggler Queen’s fate, for he had not heard of her escape. Several hours after nightfall, the lookout on duty on the levee reported the schooner coming up, and the entire crew were quick- ly on the landing. As the schooner ran in to the pier, Cap- tain Palafox gave the Giant Buccaneer a friendly greeting, and bude him come on board with his crew, which numbered some sixty men, ‘You have a large force, sir,” said the Sea Fox ‘‘Yes; there are just fifty-nine of us, all told. ‘And you?” ‘‘1 managed to scrape up a few more men, so as to give us a good force.” ‘¢ And how many have you?” ‘“‘There are twenty-one of us, sir,” was the reply; and the different crews were as- signed to their duties, while the Sea Fox went flying down the river under a stiff breeze. Thus several leagues were cast astern, and all was going well on deck, when suddenly Captain Palafox, who was standing by the side of the Giant Buccaneer, dealt him a stunning blow on the head, with some bard object he held in his hand, which felled him . ine deck as though he had been struck ead. At the same time in trumpet voice the Sea Fox cried: ‘‘Ho, Sea Foxes, at them and do your duty!” a cheee answered the words of the Sea Fox, and every one of his crew, who was standing near one of the Giant Buccaneer’s band, be- gan an attack on him, while up from the hold, and out of the cabin, where they had been concealed, poured a stream of humanity, armed to the teeth, and some three score in number. At the same time, battle lanterns, already lighted, illuminated the deck, and the scene became one of grandeur, yet appeared like a fiery holocaust from nich “no human being could escape. The crack of pistols, clashing of sabers, groans of the wounded, shouts of the com- batants, and trampling of feet, mingled in the grand but fearful chorus. At the helm stood two of the crew of the Sea Fox, and they held the flying craft, run- or like a ship load of demons on her way. aken by surprise most completely, where they had expected to surprise, the Giant Buc- cancer’s men were panic-stricken, while their huge chief still lay as though dead upon the deck, With yells of rage and fright, when they saw that they could not withstand the on- slaught, many of them sprung into the river, while others cried for quarter, when they suddenly saw their last officer, who had fought like a fiend, fall, run through the heart by the sword of the Sea Fox. ‘‘ Hal that man is Chester Granger, ‘‘But I will be merciful, and those who love him shall never know that he died on a pirate deck,” said the Sea Fox, and he raised the form of the misguided man and threw it overboard into the river. ‘‘ Now put irons on that huge fellow, who I verily believe igs shamming unconscious- ness,’”’ ordered the Sea Fox. Then, as if to prove the truth of the words, ge Giant Buccaneer suddenly sprung to his eet. , ; Back from him the men shrunk in terror: but he had no idea of facing them, for, with a bound, he reached the bulwarks and sprung into the river. A score of shots rattled after him, and the Sea Fox rushed to the side and sprung into See ct BP OO. PE Oe —e EE ———————————— ————————— ———————————— 722 eee eee eee ee eee ee the shrouds; but the huge form was not seer to rise again above the murky waters. Then the Sea Fox gave the order to put the vessel about, and back to the city sLe sailed, and Captain Palafox had placed another laurel on his brow by his ciever de- tective work in getting the secret of the Giant Buccaneer’s intention, and so sucecss- fully carrying out the bold plan he had formed to save his vessel. CHAPTER XLIV. THE WITCH AND HER SON. Ir was certainly a most pitiable condition for Perdido to be left in, upon the Deuth Isl- and, and in irons, But the pirate captain cared not what be- came of him, so he carried out his instruc- tions from the money lender, which was to leave him there. He knew not whether the island was in- habited or not, and cared nothing, so as soon as he had accomplished his task he set sail, determined fo change the names of himself and vegsel, raise a different flag from the skeleton one, and cruise in other waters for riches. Whether he carried out this intention or not, it 1s very certain he was not seen on the Gulf shores any more by the Government cruisers, or the coast-guard vessels. When left on the island Perdido was not so wretched as might be expected. Life was better than death under any cir- cumstances, and he knew that his mother, old tattooed Witch that she was, dwelt there, and for the present he would be content, and trust to getting away at some future time, for such a desolate life as she led did not at all chime in with his views of an earthly ex- istence. He saw the boat row away, and then the schooner grow dim in the distance, and was about to drag his way to the ravine where his mother’s quarters were, when he for- tunately remembered the hounds. ‘They did know me, but I dare not risk it to see if they have kept up the acquaintance,” he muttered. Ironed hands and feet, he could do little, yet to remain there would be to have the bloodhounds discover him, and his fate would be instant death he feared. So he dragged himself slowly along, fear- ful lest the rattle of the chains might catch the ears of the dogs, and at last reached a small boat. But it was upon the sands, and he could not, handcuffed as he was, get it into the water, So he walked on until he came to astunted pine. Up into the branches of this, with great effort, he drew himself, and then he hailed loudly: ‘Ho! Mother Witch, ahoy!” At his first cry the baying of the hounds began, showing how great had been his dan- ger, and socn their pattering feet were heard approaching, and next the whole pack were at the foot of the tree, leaping up and yelp- ing with frenzied rage at not having come sooner, ‘Ho! the Witch ahoy!” again he hailed, and in his loudest voice. The Witch had not heard the first hail, but the yelpmg of the hounds had aroused her. Hearing the second hail she became white with dread, for she was superstitious herself, and believed at first that the cry came from the clouds. | | But, when it was repeated a third time, she knew that the sound came from the shore, where the hounds were so furiously baying, and she hastily dressed herself and hurried thither. | “Who are you?” she called out. ‘‘T am Perdido, your son,” was the an- swer. Instantly she called off the dogs, and then aided her hopeful down to terra firma, while she cried: “ My God! what does this mean?” “The Giant Buccaneer got tired of me, robbed me, put me in irons and landed me here some hours ago, and in vain have I tried to rouse you,” answered Perdido, with ever reacy lie. The Witch aided him to the cabin, threw wood on the fire to make a bright blaze, and then looked over her collection for keys to unlock the manacies. —— a ee (E{o) ,00 iniKe Cc t