Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 393 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

* = ~ — , + . 3. ‘ , : \ ‘ ots The Convict Captain. But the schooner had not been idle, and had set all of her canvas, and, standing up well un- der it, she came rushing along in chase. “ She is a fleet one, sir,” said Mate Bronx, as he noted the fact that the schooner was gain- ing. CV es, but we will soon have it pretty black with the rising storm, and may dodge him; but if not, I hardly believe in a gale he can hold his own with us througha oak sea.” ‘* It would seem not, sir; but you know him, you say?” ‘** Yes, for [ have seen much sea service on the American coast, from Maine to the West Indies, _~ he has chased other vessels that I have sail- in. ‘*'You have heard of Caspar, the Coast Cor- sair?”’ ‘* Yes, sir.” ‘That is his schooner, and he isa cruel wretch so we must not be taken.” ‘* Tf we can outsail him.” “Tf not, we must fight him,” was the deter- mined reply. The heavens were now becoming overcast with clouds that shut out the stars, and the wind was each moment growing stronger, which sent the ue flying along, a great white bone in her teeth as she parted the waters. The schooner still rushed on in chase, and steadily gained, it was evident to all ae As was the custom in those days, the barque was armed with several small cannon, and had also boarding-pikes, a score of muskets, cutlasses and pistols, while her crew numbered, all told, twenty-one. ; With this armament and limited force, Cap- tain Duluth began preparations to resist a ves- sel, evidently heavily armed, and with acrew of four-score. He determined to try and gain an advantage by strategy, and made his arrangements accord- ingly. n, however, the storm broke mga them, and sail on the barque had to be greatly shorten- ed, while in the driving mist the captain at once changed his course, putting oor directly before the gale, to elude the pursuer while hidden from his view by the driving spray of the tempest. An hour did the gallant barque drive on, the seas rushing wildly about her, the wind howling through the rigging, and the few sails set as flat and hard asa rd, Then the tempest swept on, the winds ceased their violence, the clouds disappeared from the skies, and the moon, which had risen, poured its silvery light down upon the restless waters. ** Sail, ho!” The words broke from the captain’s lips, for his eyes had been the first to fall upon the vessel near them. ‘The pirate!” cried the crew in chorus. ‘Yes, it is the schooner, and we failed to shake her off!” ‘*¢ All hands to make sail!” and in obedience to the order of their captain, and realizing their own danger the crew of the schooner sprung to work in earnest. CHAPTER V. THE BLACK HERMIT. A SMALL vessel was driving along over a sea white with foam, and waves were threatening to ingulf it each moment, as staggering, reeling, bounding, it was held on its course. It was a craft of only thirty tons, strangely small to be out in such a mad tempest, and but half a score of human beings were visible upon her decks. Two of these clung to the tiller, to hold her on her course, one a giant negro, the other a white man. Forward the crew crouched, lashed to the mast, for the waves swept the decks in torrents. Suddenly there came a glare of vivid light- ning, and the white man at the helm shouted in a voice that rung above the storm: ‘“ Breakers ahead! Hard! hard! down your helm !” : He obeyed his own order, as did the negro af his side, and the bows of the sloop were swee ing around when, with a terrific crash, the little vessel was hurled upon a reef. In an instant her mast went down, her bow- sprit was torn off, the bulwarks were stove in and the crew were hurled off into the foam- lashed waters. The vivid flashes of the lightning revealed an island a cable’s length away, upon which the eyes of the strugglers for life were fixed, the renee having evidently lodged upon an outer reef. , It was rugged, desolate and forbidding, but it was a chance for life, and all struggled hard to reach the goal. Tossed here and there upon the rocks, several of the crew lost their lives, while others, more fortunate, were able to find a landing-place, and worn out with their efforts, to crawl quickly be- yond the reach of the mad waves, and there sink down to rest. | For a long time no one oy and then the man who had controlled the destinies of the acht, he who had been at the helm with the African, cast his ha over the little group, counting them, said: ‘* Six of us have been saved, and five are dead, my black slave being lost, strange to say, for he could swim like a fish. , ‘* What, Anchor, you here?’ and his eyes fell upon a slender form near him. ‘‘ Yes, Senor Captain: I swam in your wake and landed near you,’’ was the response, in a boyish voice, ** Well, lads, our sloop is lost, and the treasure we had on oo) and were so anxious to hide upon one of the islands of the Bahamas, is hid- den in earnest, for it is at the bottom of the sea, and Heaven only knows how we are to get away from this barren rock, for it seems scarcely more. ‘* Come, let us see where we are.” The men arose in obedience to their captain, and followed him up the hill toward the interior of the island. A short walk revealed the fact that the in- terior of the island was not as desolate as they had feared, for they came to a clump of trees, and, exhausted, they threw themselves once more down to rest, and soon all appeared to sleep. But the captain arose quietly, glanced at his sleeping men, and then slip noiselessly away. 6 walked back toward the shore. As he reached a spot where the waves broke at his feet he started, as he beheld a huge form suddenly rise from the sea. ** What ho! it is you, Congo?” he cried, \as he recognized the African who had stood with him at the helm of the ill-fated sloop. ‘Yes, master; I was thrown into the cabin when the sloop struck, and when I came on deck allof you been washed overboard,” was the answer of the negro. ‘*T wondered why you had drowned, for I so believed; but do you just come from the sloop?” ‘*'Yes, master.’ “« And she is not in pieces?” ‘Her hull is as firm as a rock, though the mr break over her; but she is firmly set upon a reef. ‘‘And the treasure?” quickly cried the cap- tain. ‘* Ts safe, sir, for if the hull goes to pieces, the weight of the boxes of gold will keep them upon the reef.” “Then, all is not lost; and, Congo!” ‘* Yes, master.” ““[see a way to get all of this treasure for ourselves.” ‘* Yes, master.” ‘*This is the oe island I was heading for and intending to hide our treasure, though had no idea we were in a dozen leagues of it, when we struck. « several months here once, in fitting out my vessel, and there is a good cabin over in the center of the island, and we Jeft a large yawl here too, which we can now depart in, all but you, Congo.” ** Master.” ‘Yes, Congo, I wish you to remain here on this island?” ** Alone, master?” “Yes, Congo, and I desire that the men with me believe the treasure lost, and will sail with them in the morning, while you can keep hidden from view, ‘*The reef on which the sloop struck is all exposed at low tide, and you can walk dry- footed out to it from here, so the treasure will be safe, and you can gather it together after we are gone.’ ‘¢ When will my master return?’ asked Congo ony. a ithin a year if possible, or as soon after as I cau.’ ‘““T obey my master’s commands.” “‘T felt that you would, Congo, and, for your long stay here as a hermit, I repay you well some day, for we will yet live as grandly asa king, when I get my hidden treasures together. ‘‘ Now hide away somewhere, good Congo, and I will return to my men, and in the morning de- ” He held forth his hand and the African grasp- ed it, raised it to his lips, as he bent in respect- ful manner, and turning, walked away. Returning to the spot where he had left his men, the captain found them still sleeping, so once more he silently stole away, but at dawn he came back and aroused them, and asearch of the island was begun. It cone hag Ppa bn oe was sur- roun ragged reefs, and from the sea seem- ed utterly barren and inhospitable. But in the interior there was a rich vegeta- tion, and the cabin of which the captain had spoken was found, built of the wreckage of vessels, Tied to the shore of a penetrating arm of the sea, the yawl was discovered, and, to the joy of all, it was found to be in good condition. While the men were nay Bf discoveries the boy, Anchor, a handsome lad of sixteen, had one to look at the scene of wreck, and repo t the sloop had gone to pieces. ‘* Men, to stay here is to starve, and with noth- ing to eat, the sooner we depart the better for us. “‘This boat will bear us away from here and we will sail at once, and by to-morrow should ; ' nr LR poo Aa oe from whence we can go where wé would. ‘“‘ Fortunately I have a number of. precious gems in my pocket, and we will be able to each get from their sale a few hundreds in money, so we are not so bad off as we might have been.” So said the captain, and the shipwrecked crew could but consent, and, with a last look to see if the sloop and treasure were a total loss, they boarded the large yaw], its sail was spread, and, hungry, wretched, bemoaning the loss of their treasure, they sailed away from the island, little dreaming thatan act of treachery had been rpetrated and that behind them they were eaving one of their fellows, poor Congo, the African, doomed to remain there as the Black Hermit of the Isle. And the African, thus left upon the barren island, crouched in a hiding-place among the rocks, and gazed after the receding boat. Suddenly he sprung to his feet, and stretching forth his arms toward the receding yawl, he cried in deep, quivering tones: ‘* Left alone! perhaps to die! a to live, for months, for years, waiting, watching, hop- ing! ‘* Who can tell what the end will be?” CHAPTER VI. A FATAL SECRET. THe man who sat at the tiller of the yawlI, which had sailed away from the island among the Bahamas, leaving upon it Congo, the Afri- can, had a face that would not go unmarked in any gathering of men. t was a face to see once, and remember; a face full of power, and every feature stamped with boldness, decision, and resolution; but yet a face to awe rather than admire. He had, from a purpose which the story will develop in good time, sailed for that desolate island among the Bahama group, to hide awa a vast treasure, until some future time when it. could be made available. He was not alone in the enterprise, and yet the inte er was so great to possess all, that. he was determined not to resist it. He had allies, men of his own race, and the giant vs pi Congo, and the reader has seen how the latter obeyed his simple bidding, and remained alone upon the island. Having seen that his wearied comrades still slept, the captain had once more returned to the shore, and, signaling for the African, the two had held long converse together. Then, whe e dawn had come, the men little: dreamed that their leader had done aught else than remain there, where he had thrown during the hours of the night. Realizing fully that remaining there meant starvation, and anxious to seek safety in flight, the men gladly contented themselves in the yawl, and their destiny under the leadership of one whom they dared not seth Away then sailed the yawl, dropping the island astern, and leaving upon it the lonely” Black Hermit, who had obeyed his master’s. command without a murmur. They had not seen his huge form crouching among the rocks, gazing after the receding boat; nor had they secn him spring to his feet) and stretch forth his hands in agony of spirit at. being deserted by his fellow-men. So on the yawl sailed, the stern, silent com- mander at the tiller. It was a good sea boat, broad of beam, and roomy, a slow sailer, but one to depend upon in rough weather. The sea yet ran rough, and the wind was fresh, but the boat stood up well and cast the miles astern, as the hours went bY There was no compass on board, only the skill of a commander, and his pluck, to find a port. of safety. The men scattered themselves about in the yawl, where they would be most comfortable, while in the stern sat the boy, Anchor, his eyes. ae the land as it gradually faded from sight. A small keg of water they had brought with them, filling it at the spring on the island, and. this was all they had. Not a mouthful of food, not a blanket, nothing to sustain life or keep warmth in the body other than the keg of water, which allowed a quart to. each man. : : Thus, across the waters they eee for the day to come to an end, and feeling that. it would bring them that much nearer to their destination. : Other islands were sighted and passed, but bleak and barren, no one cared to stop on them, as there could no succor be found there. So on the yawl went, and at last the sun drew near the western horizon, and hope grew higher in the hearts of those on board. Still silent, stern, untiring, the captain sat at. the tiller, his lips parting as twilight crept over the waters, to say: ‘* We are going to have a blow.” The men had noted the gathering clouds, and feared a storm, and now they felt their dread was to be realized, as they knew that the man at the tiller seldom ered in his predictions of the weather. — They had confidence in his ability to save» <coim Ebooks imself -