Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 393 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

ed ~The Convict Captain. 5 them, even though their boat was small, and they were in dangerous waters. At last the predictions of the helmsman began to be verified, for the wind blew stronger and a: and the sea began to run high. ‘‘ We must land on yonder island, for we dare not go on at night in these dangerous waters,” said the helmsman, and he nodded toward a ‘small island that loomed up off of their star- ‘board bow. It seemed but a huge rock, and yet it was a place of safety for the night. Approaching the island under the lee, the boy, who stood up in the stern, suddenly sighted a small cove, and called out: ‘* There is a haven for the boat, sir; it is two points off your port bow.” ‘“* Ay, ay,” came in the deep tones of the helmsman, and, with the sail shivering, he headed for the little inlet. Into it the yaw] glided with safety, the boy sprung ashore, and the men followed. The storm was increasing in violence, and the two men dropped an anchor fore and aft, so that the yawl would ride in safety, and springing overboard they swam the few yards to theshore and followed their comrades up among the rocks to shelter. Wet, hungry, upon merely a rock and sand island, the poor fellows were in a pitiable condi- tion; but they huddled together in a crevice of the rocks, to shelter themselves from the storm as best they could, and await the coming of day, when they could once more go on their course. Whether he ho a off to sleep or not, the chief seemed not to know; but he started up sud- denly, and saw that his men were sleeping. The winds had ceased their mad skurrying noe the rocks, and the stars were shining over- head. ‘*T must have been asleep, and yet I did not seem to sleep; but hours have certainly passed since I threw myself down here to rest.” So the man muttered, and rising noiselessly, he glided away from the spot where his com- rades still slumbered, His steps led him to the top of the island, and then he made a hasty circuit of it. ‘*Barren as a desert, and, if I remember aright, not another bit of land within leagues. ‘This will do; it is better than taking other chances.” So he said half-aloud, and, as though havin made up his mind to some course, he walk around the shore of the isle, until he came tothe little cove where the yaw] had been anchored. It had ridden out the storm well, anchored fore and aft as it was, and walking into the wa- ter he swam out to it with a few vigorous strokes. To clamber on board was but the work of an instant, and then he drew up the bow anchor and noiselessly placed it on board. The anchor over the stern followed, and then, ‘seizing an oar he noiselessly paddled out of the cove. Once in open water he raised the sail, the blocks creaking ominously as he did so. Then, as he sprung to the tiller, and catchin the wind in the sail headed anew from the islan there came from the shorea wild wail], mingled with groans. ‘* Ha! the creaking blocks aroused them, and they know I have deserted them. ‘* But I am safe, and they are doomed. ‘‘Thirty-six hours already they have gone without food, and there on that desolate rock can not live much longer.” said the cruel man, and he grimly looked ‘back toward the island, where dimly seen the wretches he had deserted were shri for help, and imploring him to come back to them, stern silence he sailed on, a bitter curse ris- ing to his lips, as their continued cries appealed ‘to beens and burying his face upon his arm, he tried to cover his ears to shut out the appalling As he did so a slender form crept from under the deck forward and started toward him. It might have been that the sail fluttered, that a movement of the one ing toward him rocked the boat and caused to raise his head suddenly. As he did so a cry broke from his lips, for he - sound. beheld, almost upon him, the boy, Anchor, and n a knife leamed in the uplifted right hand. ‘‘ Put back for those men you have cruelly de- serted, or I will kill you,” hissed the boy as he sprung upon the seat nearest the helmsman and gazed down upon him, | It was a bold, noble thing for the boy to do, to attempt to save the men, left on the island to die, and to dare one whom his crew feared as they did Satan. And the brave boy meant all that he said, and he was preparing to spring upon the helmsman like a tiger, unless he obeyed. For a moment it seemed as though the man was armed, that, unarmed as he was he knew the boy held him at his mercy. Then he said: ‘** Anchor, you are as big a fool as those howl- ing idiots, for I could not sleep and am simply sailing about because I had either to act, or go mad. ** Put up that knife, Anchor, and though I ap- a Ses— SC preciate your good intention to serve your com- rades, as you believe, never draw a blade on me again. The boy instantly lowered the knife, and, as he did so, the long, slender tiller was snatched out of its socket in the rudder port, and sweep- ing through the air dealt a blow upon the head of the youth that dropped him like dead in the bottom of the boat. A cruel laugh broke from the lips of the man, and he quickly readjusted the tiller and put the yawl on her course once more. For a long time the cries of the deserted crew rung in the ears of the man who was leavin ne to their doom, and then he sailed out o earing. boat, calmly looking at him. The tiller had cut a gash in the scalp, and stunned him but a few moments, yet the injury was not severe. ‘** Boy, I was in hopes I had killed you,” said the man. ‘You were mistaken, senor, as you see, for 1 at hard head,” was the caJm reply of the outh. ‘**It had been better for you had the blow caused your death.” **Do you mean to kill me, senor?” ‘*T mean to let you die,” was the stern re- sponse, The boy’s face never changed a muscle, and his eyes looked straight into those of the cruel man at the tiller, who now kept his gaze ahead, and upon the yawl, as though dreading to meet that earnest look he felt, though he did not see. CHAPTER VII. RETRIBUTION. THE man who had so coolly deserted five of his fellow-beings upon that dread island, know- ing that a few hours must seal their doom, fair- ly seemed uncomfortable in the presence of the boy. The latter had not touched his knife, for it lay near the feet of the man, where it had fallen, and if he saw it he did not show a desire to grasp it. A boy, though agile and full of nerve, he yet was no match for that man with his great strength and broad shoulders. And yet the man seemed cowed under the stare that was upon him. He glanced at the sea ahead, then at the be- havior of the boat, the sail, and then astern at the island, but not once at the one who so fixed- ly _ upon him. he island was now far distant, and the yaw] was pot Hg 2 it below the horizon; but in that look which he gave om, Se helmsman saw the five men grouped together, their bloodshot eyes fixed upon the rapidly disappearing boat, and hope d out in their hearts as it Eoaak dimmer and dimmer in the distance. Ahead of the yawl, yet a couple of leagues away, Was another island. It was not as large as the one upon which the men Shad been left, and it was, if anything, more and barren. Toward this the helmsman headed, and the —_— lay in the bottom of the boat, watching m. Miles were passed over, and yet the black eyes rested upon the face of the man. Under that gaze the nerves of the helmsman twitched, his hand fingered the tiller in an un- easy way, and glancing backward he saw that the island had n dropped out of sight, and 9 longer were the pleading men ble to im. Then he bent quickly and seized the boy’s knife, from where it lay at his feet. The act seemed to break the oe under which he was held, for it caused the boy to start and cry out: Te My knife! I thought ou already had it, or it had gone over when you struck me. ‘*No, I have it safe; but do not fear, for I shall not use it upon you.” * Yet hae intend to kill me?” “Not in that way,” and the man looked for- ward once more, to see that the island for which he was heading, was but a few cable-lengths away. Then he arose, released the helm, and said: ‘** Boy, your accursed eyes almost fascinated and I seemed powerless; but now I am myself once more, and — too shall perish, for you possess a secret that has proven fatal to your comrades, and it shall to you.” The boy arose as the man spoke, for he saw that he intended to advance upon him and, without waiting an attack he began it, by springing like a tiger upon his foe. The man was taken by surprise, and the weight of the boy carried him backward in the bottom of the boat. As he fell the knife flew out of his hand, and this put the two on more equal terms, though still it was man against boy. ‘**Curse you! T’ll have to kill you, boy,” cried the man,in a fury, and he grasped the boy’s throat; but, in an instant he became cool again, and began to struggle simply for mastery. * ea Ce eS ew Om mmr Oe | | | Then the dawn came, and he saw that the boy | was not dead, as he had supposed, but lay in the | His endeavor seemed to be not to hurt his young antagonist, but to weary him out and conquer bim. For a long time the struggle continued, the boy showing a wonderful courage and endur- ance, and the man finding it hard to master him; but at last the end came, and che youth’s arms fell powerless to his sides. Then the man seized a rope and quickly bound him securely. The boom, in the mean time, had swung out over the side, and the yawl was at the mercy of the wind and waters. But quickly the sheet rope was trimmed in, and the boat put on her course for the island. A landing was made, and making fast, by throwing an anchor ashore, the man raised the boy in his arms and took him ovt upon the | island. — ) ‘* Ah! you intend to desert me here, as you did my shipmates?” cried the youth. ‘*] do,” was the firm rejoinder. ** Kill me outright, but don’t leave me here to starve,” was the entreaty. ‘* No, you attacked me this morning, and again this afternoon, and you have a secret that shall be fatal to you. ‘* There, release yourself as best you may, and then die of starvation,” and without another word he turned away and once more went on board his boat, which he at once shoved off from the island. As he did so the boy struggled up to his knees, and, in that posture, with his hands tied behind his back; and his ankles bound, gazed after the departing boat. ‘**Good-by, my lad,” called out the man in ne tones as he sailed away from the isl- and. ‘*Curses upon you forever for your act of crime toward me. ‘* May you meeta retribution equal to the pun- ishment you make me suffer!” came in the clear voice of the young victim, and his every word reached the ears of the inhuman being who had condemned him to such a living death. Once more that strange feeling of awe came over the man, at his diabolical act, and he shut out the sound of the voice from his ears. Over the waters he sailed, mile after mile, be- fore he had the courage to glance astern of him. The island was barely in sight, and the form of his victim was no longer visible. ‘*Great God! I have done a cruel deed to keep the secret I hold alone now—no not alone, for that negro, my slave, possesses it. ‘** But he is faithful, I fear him not. ‘““Now to seek the nearest haven, and the pooong I have will readily bring me gold, and can go to England and carry out ey ee *‘'Ha! ha! ha! I will be as rich asa king, with what I have laid away, and that treasure on the island, and gold will drown all remorse, all mem- ory. a Ha! I believe a storm is coming up. ‘* How strange, that three evenings in sucees- sion we have had a gale. ** And there is no island near, to which I can go for refuge, and this will be a hard boat to manage alone in a blow. “ God! how those black clouds roll up above the horizon; they fairly a me. ‘* How strange, when never before did I fear wind or wave at sea.” He watched the clouds anxiously, saw them sweep across the heavens, and at last luffed up into the wind and reefed down close. Then he made all as shi and once more took the tiller, heading the yaw to meet the coming storm. Hardly had he done so, when the gale broke upon the little boat with fury, nearly swamp- ing it in the chaos of waters, and driving ber before it with frightful velocity. Increasing in violence, the sail was from its fastenings, and went flying awa like a huge bird driven before the pest. All that the man could do was to crouch at the helm and hold on, while he glanced about him at the appalling scene. Darkness coming on, the sea and heavens be- came more fearful to behold, and the man, livid _ in face, with quivering muscles and dread upon ae soul, could only crouch down and await his oom. For hours he drovo on, until at last he mur- mured: “* This tem is driving me far to the west- wand into the Atlantic, and I will be surely ost, At last the storm died away, the waves ran — less hi b, and with the dawn was no land in sig Almost starving, for it had been over forty- eight hours since he had tasted food by bis struggle for life when wrecked, and then with his victim, he was fast losing his nerve and strength, and he looked with pleading eyes around the watery horizon, longing to see some vessel near. , But not a sail dotted the blue expanse, hour after hour on until noon was to and the hot sun fell mercilessly down 4% bim, Night came, and brought relief from the heat, but he felt that he was starving for food, dying of thirst, and he groaned aloud in his agony, iG . ‘ (eo) EOmichoo (E .S psbape as he could, — , weakened and — id, . "ie 4g to % e © ua ot age Bee, ss - - ——