Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 393 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

nee j rs pieces of sails, and odds and ends of cloth used ‘for bedding. Smoked game and dried fish filled the walls, ‘and there were traps of various kinds for in- sharing birds and rabbits, upon the floor, while outside hung rudely-made nets, fishing-lines, and +. .@ sharp spear made with a large nail and a “stick. , Such was the home of the Mad Hermit. : ‘* Ah!” he cried, as a terrific crash of thunder R came, and he sprung to his feet, for he had knelt 18a -y the grave of his darling. ‘* The storm is breaking! ‘** I must-watch, that the schooner runs safely in, and that no one ashore mistakes her for an earthly craft and sends out a pilot to guide her ‘to a haven. ** No, no; she comes here, and I sail in her for a haven beyond the skies,” So saying, he hastened to the rock that over- looked the sea, and beheld the yacht moving landward. Then he ran to the inner shore, and a cry ~escaped his lips as he saw a skiff coming out toward the island. \ There comes a bold man, but I will frighten Shim off. Ha! ha! ha! I will frighten him off gS quick!” he darkness was now settling down fast upon vall, the storm was preparing to burst in its fury, _.. sand the skiff was coming bravely on, for in it was Henry Harvey, as the reader has seen, going ‘to the rescue of the seemingly crewless yacht, and running in to get under the lee of the Haunted Island and from there start out to face ‘tthe tempest out at sea in his daring attempt ‘to save the little vessel from going down beneath ‘the wild waters. CHAPTER XXIX, TREBLY A TRAITOR. Wuen Duluth set sail in his little schooner he had high hopes of finding some trace of those who had robbed him, as knowing that the yacht’s “owner often cruised in the vicinity of Portland, Boston and New York, he supposed that the men would put into some port where the craft was not known, as they knew that news of her hav- ‘ing been run off with had without a doubt gotten _—_--—_ eee eee = ——— son anak —-- Se ee We 7 ete, « re 4 > dl ‘a —— om = Sn er ews <> = wre, ae “a oe x - ‘* ” g - we we , —_ Fe — eee Pew = +f eee ~ wie 4 - ~a ~ Dy ee z a i Pt pe aa | known, WwRE He did not expect much success from Phila- | _ -delphia, but in Baltimore and Norfolk did an- oe ticipate finding the vessel. So he hastily sailed on his way, visited Phila- ti a -delphia, satisfied himself that she was not there, / and then headed for Norfolk. te Not a clew could be gained there, and Balti- it ss «more was the next port he made. WAS He spent a week here, and was compelled to + «admit himself foiled, so set sail for the rendez- _ ~~ -vous on the Coast of Maine, determined to put jn at different small ports on the way. Pena One night while on duty, one of the men came to him and slipped a piece of paper into his * ‘hand, with the remark: ie ** Read it, sir, when you go off watch.” ; ie He had observed the man often as a thorough ss» seaman, and above his messmates in looks and _.. education, and he felt that he had given him some information that was important. At twelve o'clock he went to his cabin, when relieved by Cordova, the mate, and taking the er reper, glanced over it Pe ; t was written in a bold hand, and was as fol- ren ows: han ‘*f write you, sir. to make known a plot against you, not daring to be seen talising with you, _ ~ “Phe boatswain, Cordova, is at the head of it. and fi seems he is doubly treacherous, for he was set by ss sthe captain to watch you. nt “Tf you found the treasure and made any effort to ‘keep it, and not join Captain Caspar, Cordova was to shoot you dead and take command, running the .——s »vessel to the rendezvous, where he was to be made : first luff, and get half of the captain’s share of the t. 7 4 ha, > ' ‘treasure. > ———s * Now, as you have not found it, Cordova is de- _ °termined to play a game against you, and the cap- a ‘gain too. Be | te ‘*Tt seems he was third officer of a pirate vessel, Yi | which was badly used up by a cruiser, and in a storm. . er crew had dwindled down by death, desertion and capture, until] there were but a dozen left, so the captain ran to an island hount on the Maine Coast sana hid the vessel away, while Cordova was sent off “to get sails, spars, stores and everything to refit with, cand also a crew. 2 RY ‘Cordova got on a spree, however, spent the ss money, which was all the captain had, and meeting Gaspar the Corsair, shipped with him. % ** He was ee . Honea S02 was to be ap- -- pointed a first luff bv Caspar in time. : em But you were picked up at sea ose the berth was given to you, though Cordova understood that you Mee were to be gotten rid of as soon asthe treasure was found. r ‘* You were therefore put under the eye of Cor- . dova, and he has _ now plotted to kill you, take this _—-— -gehooner, get with the money you have on board all - -—-—s« that is needed for the pirate craft in hiding at the ae _ -dsland, and go and take command. en os ae “There are sixteen men there with the captain, eleven of us herr, without you, and Cordova is to + ghip forty more when he buys the outfit for the \ _.. sschooner in New York, ag \ “ He will then sail for the island, kill the captain : ae - “there, and proclaim himself captain, making me first aa ie Ee Once he has done this, he will put the schooner --~—s in perfect trim, and sail to the Isle Haut Bay to q be. Pht | - ymeet Caspar, going in this little schooner. ae Des 6 Se 7 vie oe The Convict Captain. | ** He will tell him the treasure is found and hidden away on an island which this small schooner can only reach, and get him to accompany him with about half of his crew, as he will tell him the men there show fight for it. “Then Captain Caspar and his men are to be trap- d, the chief slain, and his schooner then captured y strategy, and Cordova, with the three vessels, will proclaim himself a pirate commodore. ‘Cordova is to command Caspar’s vessel, I the other large schooner, and with this craft also to be armed, we are to sail tothe West Indies. ‘*T agreed to the plot, for it was death to me‘not to do so, and now I teJi you, for pirate thoughI am, I am no traitor to my commander. “The crew are stvayed by Cordova, but deal sha’ ply with him, and all will be in your hands. ** Cordova is not only a traitor to his old captain, but to Captain Caspar, and to you, and he will kill you surely unless you act promptly.” Such was the communication from the sea- man, who was known as Elgin aboard ship. He was an Englishman, said frankly that he had been well born, was educated and had gone to the bad, and accepted the wretched al- ternative. ‘*T will act promptly,” said Duluth to him- self, and, placing a pair of pistols in his pockets, he went on deck. It was bright moonlight and the schooner was bowling merrily along under a six-knot breeze. The seaman Elgin was at the helm, and two others were on duty forward. Without a word to Elgin, Duluth walked for ward and his voice rung through the vessel as he shouted: ‘** All hands on deck, ahoy!” Out from below the men came with a rush, and the two on watch gazed at Duluth with surprise. ‘** Cordova, move an inch and you are a dead man,” and Duluth covered the mate with his pistol, while he ordered sternly: ‘* A rope here and string this man up! ‘* He who disobeys dies!” This was grasping the situation with a ven- geance, and the crew were at once cowed by the bold stand of their commander, while Cor- dova, livid with dread, cried in a voice that was quivering: ‘*Oh, captain! what have I done?” ‘*I know you to be a traitor, sir, set to watch me, and kill me, by Captain Caspar, and I will show this crew who is commander here.” ** But, sir!” ** Silence! put that noose over this man’s neck, and one of you get up into the rigging with a block and make it fast.” ** Pll not do it,” cried the man addressed in a sullen manner, and who was the particular friend of Cordova. ‘*Then die, sir!” and quick as a flash Duluth drew his right hand from his pocket and sent a bullet through the mutineer’s brain, ** Now, sir, you obey my order!” The man he turned to sprung with alacrity to obey, and five minutes after he shouted down: ** All ready, sir!” ** Spare me, and Pll be your slave!” shrieked the Spaniard, in terror, as he felt his arms pin- ioned behind him. ‘*T know no mercy, sir, with traitors and mutineers,” was the stern response, and then followed the order: ‘*Up with bim!” Into the air, shrieking, struggling, the wretch was dragged, and the mutiny was at an end, for the crew were now thoroughly cowed by the stern, silent man whom they had felt that they could do with as pleased them. “Mr. Elgin, you are officer in place of that wretch,” said Duluth walking aft, and he called a man to take the wheel, while he motioned to Elgin to follow him into the cabin. %. ag I act promptly enough?’ he asked calmly. ’ ‘* Indeed you did, sir, and if there had been a hundred men on board your decided and merciless manner would have mastered them.” ‘* Now you know, I suppose, just what that schooner in hiding needs to fit her out?” ‘** Cordova had the list, sir.” ** And you know where she is?” ** ‘Yes, sir.” “Well, I shall run into Boston Harbor, secure about fifty good men, and purchase what is needed, after which we will go to the hiding-place of the schooner. ‘“*T will then put my men and outfit against | the captain, his vessel and the crew he has, and offer to gamble with him for the captaincy. “Tf he wins, second, he of course chief. “If I win, I am to be chief, he first luff and you second. : ‘*Then, as Captain Caspar has been treach- erous to me, I hold no faith with him, and I will meet him at the rendezvous as agreed: but it will be with the armed schooner, and one of | sss sss —_—---—_————————— ee i ! I to be first officer and you | am so well provided for mysel | LL S-— _--sessenpe-=nnn-nnn>-sm>=e on her course for Boston direct,” and without asking Elgin for an opinion or an acceptance of his plans, the Convict Captain calmly re- tired for the night, as though he had not just been the actor in a deadly tragedy. CHAPTER XXX. AN UNEXPECTED LEGACY. WHEN Henry Harvey left his house, to report in Boston for duty, he watched the form upon the ridge, until he no longer could see, even with his glass, the wave of her handkerchief. Then he stood gazing out over the waters, with a sad look upon his handsome face. ‘*T have to get two million dollars before I can claim her hand,” he muttered. ‘Why the more I think of it, the further she seems off from me, for how can I ever get that sum? ‘It isa king’s wealth, and it was the count’s way of telling me, I guess, that he had other plans for his daughter. ‘* Well, she loves me, Iam sure of that, if I can read her heart through her eyes, and yet I fear our love is hopeless, ‘* Why even pirates have not such vast wealth as that, and I would have to capture a dozen buccaneers to get such a sum in prizes. ‘*T wonder what duty I am to be ordered on? ** Perhaps to foreign seas, where my pay as a lieutenant will be all I can get. ‘Well, I do not despair; I hope, and will struggle for the prize.” Having made up his mind to this, Henry Har- vey, not to be idle, asked the captain to please assign him to duty as a mate, and the old skip- per said quickly: Y | dear young gentleman, just step into my shoes for the trip, for I would like to overbaul my books, which I have gotten behind in the past few voyages,” and so Henry Harvey took command of the sloop, and quickly woke the lazy crew by to action, But they knew him well, and had from boy- hood, and they were glad to serve under his orders, Upon arriving in port, and the wag had never made as quick a run of it, Henry Harvey went to the inn, and the first one he met there whom he knew was Preble Bainbridge. ‘*Ho, Harvey, I am glad to see you, and I can tell you what your orders are,” he cried. “Foreign service, captain, I suppose?” ‘**Not a bit of it, and you owe it to me that you are not sent to the Mediterranean. ** The fact is, ] have been made port captain here, and there will be three or four cruisers to report to me, and I take command of the brig- of-war Scorpion, and shall mostly remain about the harbor cruising-ground as a protection to shipping interests here, while you are to take command of the new schooner-of-wer Blue Blazes, and go after pirates that cruise from Montauk Point to Halifax Harbor.” ‘*T could not have asked for a duty I would like better, Captain Bainbridge.” ‘* So I thought, ard you bave a chance before ou to make a name for yourself, and I asked or you for the service, when the commodore was looking ahout for a man for the work. “The fact is, they thought of putting me on that duty; but then I like my ease, and asked for harbor service, and suggested to them your name, reminding them that you bad been most lucky in the past in capturing pirates, and tell- ing them that you knew the coasts north as no pilot did, ‘** So they are you the orders to go pirate- hunting, and I will accompany you to hkead- uarters, as afterward I wish to talk to you about another matter.” Taking the lieutenant’s arm ina friendly way, Preble Bainbridge led him to the quarters of the commodore commanding the squadron of ves- sels upon the upper coast of the United States, above Montauk Point, and the young officer made a good impression on his superior. The schooner-of-war, Blue Blazes, a beautiful little vessel of two hundred tons, with a crew of seventy men and an armament of eight guns, was then visited by Bainbridge and Harvey, and the latter assumed command, after which the two young officers returned to the tavern, and the lieutenant invited the captain to his room, for several times he had hinted of an im- portant matter to be talked over. : ‘‘Now, Harvey, I have another surprise for you, and I congratulate you upon it, while you | must think me sincere in my soe wishes, as I I can afford to be generous. ‘“Now let me ask you if you are aware that there is a relationship between us?” ‘Oh, yes; I know that, somewhere, far back in the past, we had the same ancestor,” was the indifferent reply. ‘‘Have you ever heard of a great-uncle of us must command both, for he shall be punished | your mother, by the name of Cummings?” if I have the strength todo it. “Uncle Jesse Cummings? Yes, indeed, I “If I capture him, you are to command his | have, and he was my hero as a boy, vessel, and we are to go on a special cruise, which I will make known to you hereafter. ‘He was my grandmother’s young brother, and be ran off and went to sea when he was a “Tf he defeats me, you can make what | mere lad,and for a long time he was believed terms with him you can. ‘‘ Now, Mr. Elgin, please put the schooner dead, ‘*Then he appeared as an officer in the Rus- e€om ebooks.