Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 393 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

So +e ae & ~ -~9~™ ieee Bay * ="? 4 > _" ms J “a ° ra é * “< > Tie é r 2. 10 tarnished by crime, for that which is given the church has often been stolen, cost a human life, or contributed first to sinful pleasures. ‘No, no; your gold may have come more honestly into your hands than did mine, but it in itself (ll wager high is none the purer; but let me prepare while I can.” The priest handed to him a razor and brush, and as he began to cut off his long, black, silken beard, Father Adolph asked: ** Will you not promise, my brother, to give up your evil career, once you are free of these prison-walls?” ‘** No, brother, I can make no promises, ‘**T bave cast the past and its loves, its joys, its memories behind me, and [ live in the present alone. **T have no home but the sea, no country, and the Black Flag, which so long has floated above me, may yet be my sable shroud. ** Forgive me, and, if it bea pleasure to you so to do, pray for me; but I would urge that you forget me as one unworthy a thought. *“Your robe now, please—oh! I do look monk-like, but ’m a wolf in lamb’s wool. ** Now, Brother Adolph, farewell, and may the God you serve forever bless you!” With this prayer upon his lips, Caspar, the Corsair, rapped upon the iron door for the keeper to come and let him out, while his brother, the priest, dressed in his uniform, stood i anxiously awaiting the result of the daring pilot. CHAPTER XIV, LIEUTENANT HARVEY. Ir had been three years since Henry Harvey had set his foot upon the doorstep of his home, for the young officer had been away ona length- ened cruise. He had departed just before the arrival of Count Leon Delorme upon the coast of Maine so knew only of the grandeur of the Cloudland Castle and its surroundings, from what his fa- ther wrote him about the new-comers and the wonderful improvements made. Just after leaving home for his cruise, and while in command of a small schooner-of-war sent on special service, Lieutenant Harvey had run across and captured the noted rover par the Corsair, and this had greatly reflected to his credit with the Government, with which he had already stood most high, owing to his past services, for he had ever been a most dar- ing and skillful young officer. Mary Harvey was the only child of r arents, who dwelt upon the coast of Maine some leagues from Cloudland Castle. His father was a farmer, making a fair living, and also the commander of a coaster, that he was wont to run to and from Portland and Bos- 200 when there was no work to be done on the arm, In his voyages Henry had accompanied him from his seventh year, and the boy became a thorough sailor by the time he was fifteen. He id chores about the farm, attended a country school, when it was in session, and was ‘very ambitious to learn and to rise in the world. | He fished all along the coast waters for miles, knew the bay perfectly, and was a successful huntsman. One night an armed vessel was caught in a ealm off the coast, and the boy went on board to sell some fish, game and vegetables to the The captain told him it was a Spanish vessel- _ of-war, and the ensign of Spain was flying above her decks; but Henry Harvey was himself a sailor, and a boy of remarkably good sense, he saw certain things about the vessel that made him feel that she was not what her commander ) - * * i ‘ a] a 4 Peis : Ae L- 5° oe? } 1 ae ,* if P ” ie) > 0 ‘ nan . a? > the bay,” was t % aA “ represented. e saw that astorm was brewing, and com- ing up from seaward, he knew the vessel would be caught on a lee-shore, and, from where she had anchored, it would be impossible to go to sea against the tempest, and so he told the cap- tain. | ‘*Then what am I to do?” cried the captain in alarm. ‘1 can run you toa safe anchorage, sir, in hs answer. ‘Tf you do, boy, I will pay you the ransom of a prince,” was the earnest response. . / P ' lly | rt "7 ar * 7 ‘ee * * 4 <*> 1 - wt _. turn the next morning an a ‘ cs » t r fi a . in great need. So, Henry remained on board, and when the storm struck, he took the helm and ran her to a safe anchorage in what afterward became the harbor of Cloudland Castle. Then, Henry took his boat and went down the coast to his home, to keep his parents from being anxious about him, but promising to re- d pilot the craft out to sea, and to a spot up the coast where pine spars could be cut, of which the captain said he was Father, that craft is a pirate, I am sure, so please go in the sloop at once to Portland and warn ‘the cruiser there, for I shall take the ves- ‘sel into the Island Pond, where you know there is good spar-timber, and she will be there for several days I know. “But bring the schooner in by night, so she will be anchored across the channel by dawn, ‘ ; and don’t let a light be seen on board, for those are sharp-eyed fellows, / The Convict Captain. ‘*T will anchor the schooner over by the shore, so that they will not see you come in, if there are no lights on board.” So saic Henry to his father, and the old skip- per was anxious to get off at once for Portland, and, accompanied by the farm-hand, he was soon sailing away in his sloop, while his son was , returning to the suspicious schooner. Early the next morning the schooner got under way and stood up the coast, Henr Harvey at the wheel, and so much pleased wi the boy was the captain, that he ania ; ** My lad, I have determined to keep you on board with me.” ‘** But my poor mother and father, sir?” **Oh, they'll get along all right, and you will gO back home rich; but where is this Island ond you spoke of?” ‘Some eight miles from here, sir; yonder | where you see that high point of land.” ES ‘*Are there any fishermen or other dwellers near?” ** Only a few, sir, living inland, with perhaps half a dozen fishermen further up the coast.” ** Well, I do not care to go in by day; the fact is, I do not desire to be seen off this coast just now, so stand off until night and then run in to the anchorage you speak of.” o'r es, vir,” ‘* You are sure good spars can be cut there?” “The very best, sir, for we coasters always get our masts there.” PE i some craft may be there now fitting out? ‘* Not at this season of the year, sir.” “You call it Island Pond? ‘Yes, sir, for it is a round sheet of water, formed by a link of islands.” **] see; but you can run in by night, for these are dangerous waters?” ** Oh, yes, sir, for I know them well.” ‘* Well, keep off until night, and then put in,” and the captain turned away. This conversation convinced Henry more than ever that the schooner was a pirate, and he dis- covered too that he was not to be allowed to go ashore. Anxious not to be suspected however, he pre- tended to be desirous of remaining on board, and Cas- | so told the captain. The schooner carried a heavy armament for her tonnage, and nearly a gold Be men, while they were as hard a looking set as ever trod an outlaw deck. With the darkness coming on Henry headed the vessel shoreward, and an hour after night- fall ran her into the Island Pond Harbor with a skill that won the admiration of the captain and crew. The next morning dawned, and Henry glanced toward the channel entrance to seeif the cruiser was there, for he hoped to find her there, though he hardly thought there had been time for his —s to get to Portland and return with the vessel, The men went at once ashore and began to cut spars, the captain finding, as the boy had said, fine timber for the purpose. During the day, as he seemed to have become one of the crew, the boy found proof that his suspiciops were correct, and that the schooner was a West Indian pirate, that had left his regular cruising-ground to seek prizes elsewhere, and, when fi out, intended to maraud some of the small villages along the coast, With darkness the work ceased, and the cap- tain said he would remain in the harbor until his vessel was in perfect condition, and Henry’s heart bounded with jo at this tecision, as he feared the cruiser might not be at Portland and his father have to go to Portsmouth, an perhaps to Boston. That night the boy turned in with an anxious heart, and, after midnight he hardly slept, so anxious was he to be on deck, and see if the cruiser was there. It was not light when he went on deck, and cast his eyes about him. The crew had been called to get to work early, and, as they were turning out dawn broke, and Henry turned his eyes quickly to- ward the channel entrance. His heart bounded with joy as he saw lying at anchor there a large brig-of-war, ‘Why there’s a vessel,” he said, innocently. But his word awoke the wildest consterna- tion on board the schooner, the captain rushing on deck half-dressed. ‘“‘An American cruiser, as I live!” he cried, in broken English, and instantly the men were called to their posts, ‘* There isn’t any war between Spain and the United States, so you needn’t be scared, cap- tain,” said Henry, with affected innocence. “Get to the wheel, boy, and let us run out of this, for Pll have sail set and the anchor up in a minute, and we can put to sea between yonder two islands,” said the captain excitedly, while his men were hastening to get up the anchor and read sail. ** We can’t go between those islands, sir,” said “Then between the next ones.” ** We will not be able to do so, captain.” ** Then how can we get to sea?” ’ a -_-— a “By running out through the channel, sir, for we've got room, I guess, to go by the brig.” " y did you not tell me this before, boy?” ‘What, sir?” ‘That there was only one entrance and exit to this infernal trap.” “I didn’t think you wanted to know.” ok Curse you, boy! You have come into a ap. ‘* The brig won’t fire on a Spanish vessel, ‘* Fool! this is no Spanish vessel, but a pirate. ** Now take the wheel, and we must go to sea, if we have to fight the brig at close quarters.” ‘*She’s bigger than the schooner, sir.” ‘** Never mind, we must whip her,” . “But you didn’t tell me you was a pirate, ‘Well, you know it now, and you'll hang with the rest of us if we are taken, so do your duty.” ** We are moving, sir,” said an officer. ** Luff, boy, as soon as she minds her helm well, and we’ll give a broadside to yonder brig, and then head for the channel, and we’ll pour shot into her from our bow guns. ** We must get out of this, or hang!” The brig, as though conscious of her strength, lay in the channel at anchor, and with her sails furled. She was half a hundred tons larger than the schooner, and carried two more guns, while her crew numbered a score more of men, As the schooner began to move the brig’s crew suddenly began to set sail, and the anchor left the bottom. ‘Why, captain, she ran in for spars, I guess, and didn’t seem to mean any harm, until you showed fight,” said Henry. ‘* Well, she does mean harm, and so do we. ‘* Luff, now, and at the guns there! fire!” Henry luffed very skillfully, for the brig, as he managed to make the broadside fly wild. ‘* Boy, you are losing your nerve, so be care- ful, for remember you are on a pirate’s deck, ‘Keep her straight for the channel, now,” and raising his voice the captain called out: “Work those bow guns lively, men, and aim to kill every time!” The. roar.of the guns awoke many an echo along the coast, and went thundering inland among the hills and valleys, telling of a battle at sea. But somehow Henry acted as though he was frightened, and the schooner swerved badly, causing the shots to fly wild. But Henry was playing a deep part, and play- ing it well. He saw his father at the helm of the brig, which now was under way, and heading into the barbor, and he determined to do all he could to aid the cruiser. : Upon the deck of the brig the men were now at quarters, and her commander stood upon the le with half a dozen officers about im. At the wheel, aided by a seaman, was a man with bronzed face, iron-gray hair, and a look of one in the better walks of life. He was dressed in a sailor suit, and held the helm with the air of one who knew just what he was about. As the schooner fired her broadside the brig’s mee was looking at her through hisglass, and sal n, Skipper “That was well meant, but your saw him Harvey, saved us from getting it, as suddenly move the wheel.” ‘‘Harry knows, sir, just what can be done with a vessel,” answered the old man proudly, and as the bow gun’s shots also flew wild, the brig’s captain cried: “That boy will get himself into trouble, I fear, if he helps us again, ‘¢ Now, Skipper Harvey, we will stand toward him, and let him feel our metal.” It was a thrilling sight to see the two vessels, the one a cruiser, the other a pirate, going intoa battle to the death, -with a mere boy at the helm of one, his gray-bearded father at the wheel of the other. A thrilling scene indeed, and a deadly one in that island-guarded harbor, with only wild and rugged shores overlooking. , At — as _ two ene were ed not a ourth of a mile apart, the brig opened fire pour- ing a broadside into the schooner, and standing off and across the channel, so that the schooner could not run out. The captain knew that the brig would be no match for the schooner in a race, and so having his enemy ina trap he meant to keep him there, for the pirate could not get to sea without being laid aboard by the cruiser. The b de of the brig was well-aimed, and then the battle began in earnest. Understanding the desperate situation he was in, the pirate captain maneuvered to run out to sea, by catching the brig in stays, or out of the channel on a tack, so that he could get by, and to do this he took his stand by the helm and or- dered Henry Harvey just what moves to make. Thus a game of chess was begun between the two vessels, and the schooner drew nearer the brig all the while, and each kept up a hot fire, making a continual war of heavy guns, and do- ing much damage on both sides. GOmic Sad