Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 393 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

-man—in time. : ; ‘4 ."< 27 fo sian Navy, and he had won his way up from cabin-boy. ‘* Years after he reap as admiral of the Russian Navy, and his fleet put into Boston Har- bor when I was a little boy, and I went on board with my parents to see him. ‘* But what of bim?’ ‘‘ Well, he is the same blood relationship to me that he is to you, and he has accumulated a vast fortune in Russia. ‘* But he has resigned his high rank there, and come here to die. ‘‘He has bought a handsome house on the edge of town-—-to die in, he says—has furnished it grandly, and is to live there, surrounded by his Russian servants. ** My father called upon him at once, with me, and tae old fellow very coolly told me that he had had two heirs in his min his property, which is worth, he said, something over two million dollars.” ‘*Two million dollars!” gasped Henry Har- vey. 4 Yes, and it is almost as much as my father is worth, you know. ‘* But the old admiral spoke of you and me as his intended heirs.” ** Not me?” ‘* Surely, for you are the same to him in blood kindred that I am; but it seems the old fox has had an idea of his own about his heirs, and has very quietly investigated us. ‘* The result is that he finds I have risen in the navy by influence of my name only, as he says, and also that I am inclined to be fast. ‘* He told me flatly that I gambled heavily, lived like a prince, was a Don Juan in society, and consequently not fit to be his heir. ‘*On the contrary he said you had risen, as he had, from before the mast, and by your own ex- ertions alone, and that you were not a gambler, nor a drunkard, while you respected all ladies as you would a sister. ‘* Mark the difference, and so the old admiral very coolly told me you should be his sole heir, that I had plenty as it was, and to bring you up when you came, ‘* So we will go up and dine with the old sea- dog, and you can learn from his own lips of your good fortune.” arg Harvey was speechless from amaze- ment. What to say, what to do, he knew not. His first thought was that he had wronged Preble Bainbridge, and that he had wholly misuuderstood his character, so he said: ‘* Preble, I have never looked upon you as friendly to me; but the pleasant way you tell me of my good fortune, and take your disap- ointment proves that I have misjudged you, so i beg your pardon, and let us be friends, while, believe me, all I can say or do, with Uncle Jesse, will be devoted to his dividing his legacy equally between us.” “Nota bit of it, Henry, for my father will leave me as much as you will get. ‘‘The old admiral has made his will, and in case of your death, I believe, he leaves it to me; but this is done as a soft sop for me, as you will live to a ripe old age and enjoy your legacy. ‘* Now let us go up and see the gruff old sailor; but you will like him, and he says my indiffer- ence to being cut off, makes him admire me too.” \ Half an hour after the two young officers were ushered into the old admiral’s elegant home, and Henry Harvey heard his bluff wel- come: ‘*T am glad to see you, my boy, and to know that you are not the scapegrace that Preble here is, and while you gain by your manly life, he loses his share by his disreputable one. ‘* But he’s a good fellow withal, and if he’ll take you for an example, may become a good ‘Tam worth two million and over, my boy, and it’s all yours which may at any time, as I disease, ‘* Now this is your home, and so consider it,” and the admiral grasped the hand of Henry Harvey who was too deeply moved to speak, for now he felt that he could match the fortune of (Queen Delorme. CHAPTER XXXT. THE BLUE BLAZES ON A CRUISE. Wuen Henry Harvey went on board of his fine schooner, to make his first cruise under his new orders, he had a happy heart. He had had a long and pleasant chat with the admiral after dinnner, for Preble Bainbridge had left early, pleading an engagement, and he had told his newly-found kinsman all of his ambi- tion and hopes, at the same time urging him to make a cruise with him, as his guest on board the Blue Blazes, and promising to leave him at home with his parents for a few weeks, while he took a run down as far as Halifax and back. The admiral accepted the invitation, for he was anxious to see pie te parents, his mother te always been his favorite among his kin- atly when I die, have heart The admiral also wished to satisfy himself as to just what kind of an officer Henry was. o he went on board with his Russian valet, and was given the cabin to bimself. . . — 2 —— . o hee ‘ re . . fu *. : “2 a ' , * 7 , > 3 af & » ‘s re” 4 . — : a "s ae « \ to whom to leave | « -.* iiss . = - > rN. ‘ ) J “ .) ee xs 7. > ¢ 7? The Convict | Tt was well fitted up and very comfortable, with two state-rooms and all to make life at sea enjoyable. But the admiral would not turn Henry out of his quarters, and insisted that he should share the cabin with him, and then he went on deck to | see how his great nephew got a vessel under ' way. apt ain. | He heard his orders, saw that the crew real- | ized that their new commander knew his business thoroughly, and noted how the young officer took in every rope, sail, and the behavior of each man, ' “You've got a splendid vessel, Lievtenant Harvey, an excellent crew, and I may say she is handled in a masterly style,” said the delighted | old admiral. | Henry Harvey was pleased with the compli- _ment, and he found his uncle after that often on _deck watching him closely, and he was glad to have him do so, for the young officer felt a con- scious price in his seamanship. One night a fearful storm swept suddenly up, and the admiral at once went on deck. ** Couldn’t have got her undressed and in such en shape in less time myself,” he muttered, as e saw that Henry had t meet the tempest. All during the storm the aged seaman re- mained on deck, and as he retired to the cabin, leaning on his nephew’s arm, he said in his blunt e schooner stripped to way: e Lieutenant Harvey, you area better seaman than I was at your age, and I rose to be an ad- miral by my own exertions, and you'll yet reach the rank through merit, and long before a and regular promotion will put you there. ‘““Why, sir, you handled your schooner su- perbly, with no fuss, no confusion, and your men know you are master.” The next day the Blue Blazes put into the lit- tle haven near Harvey Farm, and Henry was delighted to introduce the old admiral to his parents, who met them upon the shore. Leaving the admiral to enjoy a visit at the farm, Henry Harvey sailed on his cruise, but his mother, watching him from the point near, saw him head into Cloudland Castle Haven. Seated in the Overlook Arbor, Queen Delorme saw the schooner coming in, and she wondered who it could be running the channel so boldly without a pilot, and with the sea quite high. But soon, with her glass, she recognized the manly form upon the quarter-deck and her face flushed with joy. As a boat put ashore, Queen arose and met the young officer upon the stair landing, and the warm welcome she gave him caused his heart to throb with delight. ‘*T am on my first cruise in my new schooner, Miss Delorme, and took the liberty of running in for a few hours,” he said. ‘* Why will you make so short a stay?” she asked. ‘There is duty ahead of me, for of late our coast has become infested with pirates, and a great deal of damage has been done to shipping, so I am ordered on the special service of hunting down sea outlaws, wherever I can find them, from Halifax to Montauk Point.” ‘*Ah! then you will be quite often in our vi- cinity.” **T hope so.” “Your duty is a most dangerous one,” “No, for the sly sea rover wants gold, not lead, and he generally runs from the sea dog, where he chases the ocean hare,” “Still it is dangerous, although you make light of it.” ‘ A sailor’s life is always dangerous, Miss De- lorme; but I saw Captain Bainbridge before I left, and, expecting that I might see you, he desired me to present his kind remem- brances.” | ‘Thank you,” said Queen, coldly, and with- out again referring to Preble Bainbridge, she continued. ‘We had a visit not long since from a Span- ish officer, Captain Conrado, a very entertain- ing gentleman indeed, and an old friend of my father.” ‘¢ Indeed! I had not heard of a Spanish cruiser being on the coast.” ‘‘His vessel is the Iron Don, a schooner-of- war.” ‘* Ah! a vessel lately purchased by Spain then, for she had not a schooner-of-war in American waters three months ago; but I should like to meet him, as a friend of your father’s, and show him some courtesy in port.” ‘He is now in these waters, for he has called on us twice, and said he expected to remain near for a while. at. think he has his eye also upon the pi- **T cannot but hope I shall be the first to get my guns upon them; but let me thank you for yout kind farewell to me from the point of ocky Ridge.” ‘You saw me then?” innocently said Queen. “Did you not see my salute with the colors?” ‘‘Oh, yes; was that for me?” she asked, in the same innocent tone, ; ‘*Who else could I mean it for, Miss De- lorme' ee ess EEE LT vif > : . "7 — ‘ - ‘ + an J . ~ ’ Dae ; 7 “‘T saw your father in his skiff, and your motner on the lawn.” ‘* Ah, yes; but I could kiss my hand in fare- well to them, you know.” @ueen blushed, for she remembered she bad kissed her hand in farewell to him. But feeling that he was treading on dangerous: ound, after his promise to the count, Henry arvey said: ‘* But let me ask about your father.” ‘‘There he comes now, and pardon me that | have not before asked you up to the house ” 4 The count now entered and warmly greeted the young sailor, who at once extended an invi- tation for the father and daughter to dine on board ship, after which he would have to put to sea The invitation was accepted, Queen saying: ** And we can take my new yacht in tow and run outside with you, and I can sail father back,. for I wish you to see the little craft 1 have had built in the place of the one the pirates burned. that day.” Thus it was settled, and they were about to start down to the shore, when a schooner sud— denly came into view, luffed sharp, fired a gun, and lay to half a league from the Haunted. Island. ‘“ Why, I should take that for a challenge to run out and fight him, if we were at war with any country,” said Henry Harvey, turning his. glass upon the vessel. ‘It is the Iron Don, a Spanish cruiser, whose commander is an old friend of mine,” said the . count quietly. ‘Ah! it is he of whom you spoke, Miss De— lorme?” ~~ Fea, ar.” ‘*Then he is just in time to join us at dinner, for a boat is putting off from the side of the schooner, I see,” ‘*'Yes, he has no pilot for these waters, so an- chors in the offing, and comes in in his boat,” Queen remarked, adding: ‘‘ I know you will like Captain Conrado, Lieutenant Harvey, for he is: a most delightful conversationalist.” ‘* Any friend of yours, Miss Delorme, I cannot: but like,” was the gallant reply, while the count. remarked: ‘*Even to Bainbridge, eh, Harvey?” ‘“*Oh, yes, sir; I like Bainbridge, but always thought he did not like me. “In some things I misunderstood him, as I now know, for he was most friendly to me in Boston, and secured me my present service on the coast, when otherwise I would have been sent to foreign waters. ‘* And more, Count Delorme. Captain Bain- bridge met me on my arrival in Boston and gave me information that an old great-uncle of mine, who ran off to sea when a lad, and became an. admiral in the Russian Navy, had come back to America to pass his last days, and had made me his sole heir to a property worth something over two millions. ‘*The admiral came up with me as far as m home, where he will visit until my return, and should like you to meet him,” and Henry Har- vey gave the count a look which plainly said: daughfer’s fortune.” CHAPTER XXXII. A DUEL FOR MASTERY. Upon one of the most rugged islands of the Maine Coast aman stood gazing out upon the sea. A man with a determined, reckless face, bronz- ed by long exposure to wind and wave, and with a short, thick-set form, clad in a sailor suit. — “Curses upon bim! he is not yet in sight, ‘*T wonder if he has proven traitor, forhe is — none too good for it. ‘* Perhaps he spent my gold, and fears to re- e turn “Te so, 1am doomed, for my vesse] lies yon- - der, utterly worthless as she is, I have no shot for my guns, and just sixteen men in my crew, so lam surely ashore. ‘“*T gave him six weeks to get back, and he has r “oe pond nearly as many months, boat to the nearest port and see if there is any vessel there that I can seize, and with her get. what I need for my schooner, ‘*T will go within the week, for any day a cruiser may happen in here upon me, and thenI am caught like a fox in a hole.” He turned to go, but after a few steps stopped — and again let his vision sweep the horizon. ‘‘Sail, ho!” he called out, with seamanlike promptness, as though on board of his vessel. Pe e is close hauled and heading for this and. before. ‘‘A small schooner, unarmed as I make her — out, but with a good many men on board—ah! it is Cordova returning, after all. and replenish my lockers from the rich traders of the sea.” He kept his glass upon the little‘Vessel for a — long time, though he remained hidden by a — from the view of any curious eye upon the Eomicbooks J 21 ‘*T’ve got the two millions now tomatch your ~ he does not soon come, I will goinmy small — ‘Yonder point of land concealed her from me Cs ~ t>. ‘* Bravo! now I will again fly over the waters I teas <> ft , cor . a? J oe OE i Y 4 .