Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 393 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

ers : i er ere ~ —— pe r 7 So —— = -_" a =a? an = Se * ~@f 2 -* » ad i ‘ t= ~ = Aa 3 > Se ee ee 8 islands known as the Bahamas, and u which, San Salvador, Columbus very nearly four centuries ago. The next morning found the little vessel slow- ly cruising among the islands, under very light sail, going slowly, and frequently changing her course, as though her silent helmsman was searching for some particular isle. Thus the day wore on until noon came, and ’ then there came the ringing cry from the Con- vict’s lips: ** All hands, ahoy! crowd on sail, lads, for yonder lies our destination!” and he pointed to a distant island, clearly outlined against the horizon. All was at once excitement on board, sail was crowded upon the little schooner, which went bowling along at a six-knot speed, and it was not long before the island lay dead ahead, and was in plain view. As though he knew just what he was about, ‘the Convict Captain held on until near the isl- and, and then sail was taken in, and under mainsail and jib, both reefed, the yacht headed “toward the inhospitable looking shores. Z The crew could only see a barren wall of rock, rising from the sea, and they gazed anxiously toward their commander. But he held on, the vessel going very slow, for ,dangerous reefs were visible here and there, and - upon getting within a cable’s length of the shore, ‘an opening was discovered. Into this the yacht glided, and the crew saw ‘that they were in an arm of the sea. ' “Get the boat out ahead and tow in,” came ‘the order, and it was obeyed with alacrity. Then a susprise burst upon the crew, for the inhospitable shores of the island, were but a shell of rocks as it were, surrounding a garden- like interior. There was a hut there, too, with trees, grass, ‘cool springs, and every indication that the isl- ‘and was inhabited. Yet no human being was discovered, and night ‘coming on no search was made for any, while the men slept on board the schooner. The next day all hands made a thorough ‘search of the island through without finding any Sb peal thereon, and then the Convict Captain said: - ** Whoever dwelt here has departed, or died, but that for which I came remains, and I have found its hiding-place.” ‘* The treasure?” cried the crew, in chorus, ** ‘Yes; come!” He led the way to a secluded spot, and there, to their joy they found boxes of gold, silver, jewelry and gems. _ The men nearly went wild with joy, while the Convict ag rp stood silently gazing on, a grim ‘smile upon his face. ~ ** Come, men, we have no time to lose, so get this treasure on board the schooner,” he sternly ‘ordered, and the men set to work with a will, and at sunset that day the little vessel glided out of the inlet, and with the riches of a king on board, he sail for a port which’ the Convict had in “view. | But the crew were gold-crazed—the riches had “maddened them, and they wanted all for them- ‘selves, and were not willing that the man who “had given them a fortune should have the lion’s e share. _ So they whispered together, plotted together, and one night, as the vessel was nearing the ‘American shores, and the Convict ir mage worn ‘out with his labors, was sleeping, they sprung “upon him in a mass, bound him, and dragged him on deck. , Qet the small boat ready,” ordered the leader ‘of the mutinous crew, he who had been the old Bailing-master, and the order was quickly yed. ' n one of set foot ste 7. jee Sir Convict, in that you have enriched us, we will not kill you; but we set you adrift upon the wide sea. **'Youshall have food and water, and this bag “of gold, which is a generous gift, and maybe you may gain land, or be picked up bya g ves- gel; but you are a convict, and bad luck would attend us if we kept you with us, so we bid you ” ! 4 B50 said the leader, and the boat was cast adrift at > i Convict in i pairing, he floated | vid, quivering, des ng, he floated away, calling back over the waters: ee upon you, oh treacherous demons that you are! “May spirits haunt you day and night, and ‘the devil’s touch contaminate every dollar you eet Gio pour wayal bid Sates! attend sl our ways attend you, sleep- ing and waking.” is voice was now no longer heard, and soon darkness shut him out from the view of the puny wretches, who stood gazing at each other silence, awed by his bitter curse. Suddenly a wil shriek burst from the lips of the helmsman, and, springing away from the tiller, he came bounding dships where his - shipmates stood. he moon had risen and was shining brightly, and all eyes beheld the cause of the helmsman’s terror, for there, coming out of the cabin com- Looe ng Ont a being, monster or devil, that m, appalled ‘ in ee a ail a = ‘ The Convict Captain. Tall, black as night, with horned head and huge inky wings, his hand stretched toward them, the seeming devil came swiftly forward, while utterly appalled, the crew, with terrific cries, mingled with prayers, sprung into the sea to escape the Satan which they believed |their guilty deed and the Convict’s curse had brought upon them. CHAPTER XII. THE RESCUE. QUEEN DELORME possessed an utterly fear- less nature, and she had won admiration from even the bold seamen of the coast, by her cool indifference to danger, in the most terrible storms. One night she had gotten lost in the forest, while out riding, and had remained alove until the morning, when she appeared at home with a laugh at her adventure. But, when she saw that she was the object of attention of the five men in the boat, she became = pgs as she knew not whom they might e. Pirates were at that time often seen along the coast, and the appearance of the men, their des- perate rowing in chase of her, showed that they were men she should fly from with all speed. Her little yacht was doing well, making five knots; but the skiff was coming on at a six-knot pace. Not a weapon did she have in the boat with her, though she seldom went out without rifle or pistol. Seeing that she would be overtaken, and hop- ing that the men did not know those waters, (Jueen determined to head for a pine-covered isle known as Big Sentinel, as it and a smaller one, some cables’ length apart, formed the entrance- way to the island-dotted bay within. Formerly Big Sentinel Isle, and the Haunted Island half a mile away had formed the gate- way; but it was a most dangerous channel near the latter island, and the coast men had been glad to give it up on that account, they said, though they had never done so until the wreck of a vessel one night upon the reef surrounding it, when all on board perished, and rumor had it their spirlts haunted the spot ever after. So the new channel, very deep and narrow, between Big and Little Sentinel Isles was dis- covered and used, while the Haunted Island and its vicinity were avoided by one and all, and the ghosts that roamed through its pine woods were left alone in their weird solitude. In the channel between ‘* The Sentinels ” there were sunken rocks that the experienced pilot knew well how to avoid; but near to them rana rugged reef, a foot or two under water, and with an occasional break in it that was deeper. ueen determined, therefore, to round the Big Sentinel, hug the shore, and dart between one of these openings in the sunken reef, well knowing if the boat’s crew did not know of its existence, they would dash up on it and crush in the bottom of their skiff, which must draw at least eighteen inches, and the sunken rocks would not be seen in time to check their speed. So past the Big Sentinel she swept, roundin it to enter between it and Little Sentinel, an keeping off from the former half a dozen boat's lengths. er eyes were fixed u the waters ahead, and she picked out ily the place at which she was to run ape She knew that she had not a foot beneath her keel in going over the reef, but then that was Sey te she made no mistake and hit the open- airly. t was a risk, she knew; but she felt confi- dence in herself, and took the chances that she might wreck her pursuers. she had before felt any doubt as to their motive, it was dispelled when she turned for the channel, as the ship held on in hot pursuit. Seeing that she was heading for the island, Queen recognized their ignorance of the locality, when the helmsman called out: ‘“* Ho, lady! we bear a letter for bed father, the count, Will you giveitto him?” .- ** Count Delorme lives in yonder mansion on aa a and you will find him there,” she shout- ** But we have no time to go there.” ‘* Then you should not have been the bearer of a letter you had not time to deliver, and I am also in a hurry just now,” was the cool retort. ** Will you not stop for us, lady?” **T will not.” ‘* This gentleman wishes to go ashore.” Without arguing the point as to where was the gentleman, Queen rejoined: _**Then let him swim ashore, if you have not wn Cures you gilt tai te\ cud ‘Curse you, or I will fire on you!” shouted the man. yi ¥ ‘Coward! if pe would fire upon a woman, do so,” was the plucky rejoinder. But the man did not fire, and urged his oars- men to greater exertions, As the boat was not directly in her wake, Queen saw that they must also pass through the break in the reef as she did, What to do she knew not, for she dared not change her course then for fear that she, too, would strike a rock and go down, as the waters just there were dangerous in the extreme. Her hand trembled slightly as she held the tiller, but she could do nothing but hold on and trust to some accident to save her. A league from home, she knew no help could come from there, as the men must be called up, sail set on the yacht, and then, by the time it reached an offing, the men in the skiff could have captured her and their lugger be far out to sea, while, darkness coming on, they could elude pursuit. It was no wonder then that the maiden almost yielded to despair, and her lips began to quiver. Another moment and her strength would have a. her, when suddenly she heard a clear voice ail: ‘* Yacht, ahoy! stand on as you are, lady, and I will do what I can to keep back your pur- suers!” A cry of joy came to Queen’s lips at the words, and turning 1n the direction from whence the voice came, she suddenly beheld a light skiff shoot out from a cove in Big Sentinel Island and row toward her. It held but a single occupant, and Queen noted that he wore a uniform and naval cap, while his broad shoulders and strong arms sent the boat flying over the waters. His face she could not see, for his back was toward her; but she noted that the skiff was long, narrow, very light in build and painted white, and that the oars had large blades, and caught the water with tremendous power. Without looking behind him, the oarsman headed on a course that would about meet the yacht, or at least come between it and the pur- suing boat. - That the man in the skiff had courage was evidenced by his boldly rowing out to face five desperate men. olding on for the break in the reef, with re- newed courage, Queen’s face flushed and paled by turns as she watched the skiff with its single occupant, the sailing of her yacht, and her pur- suers, who were now bending every energy to overtake her. ‘* Avast there, Gold Lace! Keep off, or Pll fire upon you!” cried the helifisman at the pur- suing boat. ‘Fire away, you cowardly sea curs!” came back the defiant response, and the oarsman never turned his head to see if the threat would be carried out, but bent to his blades with a strength that made his skiff leap forward at each stroke. Just then Queen shot into full view of the Cas- tle Cloudland, and he saw the signals flying to give an alarm, and beheld her father upon the cliff, pacing to and fro, and stopping at each turn to gaze out upon the waters, while he wait- ed for the coming of his crew. As she looked, she started. for the sound of a gun came from the boat astern. The shot had been fired to alarm the man in the skiff; but it failed to have the desired effect, as he still held on on yb, ty A moment more came his clear voice or- dering: ‘* Luff your yacht sharp, lady, and Ill run eae and take you off, for I can outrow them. ‘‘ Ay, ay, sir,” Queen cried, now perfectly calm and full of courage. 4 As she spoke, the helmsman of the pursuing boat fired Yet still the oarsman held on, and was now almost upon the yacht, which Queen had brought to, and stood upon the stern, ready to step into the skiff, as directed by the bold man who was attem her rescue. As the skiff drew near, the oarsman dextrous- ly checked its speed, whirled it alongside the acht, and suddenly raising a rifle from between his feet, fired upon the coming boat. | A shriek from one of the men, a heavy pret) as a man g over in his agony, to how true had been the aim of the oarsman. ‘‘Now, step into the skiff, lady!” cried the oarsman, resuming his oars, and are wine the iy - his boat around so that Queen get into it. Instantly she did so, and a vigorous stroke of the blades sent the light shell away from the acht, while a skillful turn placed the little craft tween them and the boat, which, momentarily checked by the death of one of its oarsmen, again came forward, the helmsman taking the since of the dead man, who had sunk from sight. ; A ‘‘There is a reef ahead, sir,” cried Queen, as she saw her rescuer dashing swiftly on. ‘*T know it well, lady, and that with this tide there is but a foot of water at the shallowest int; but this skiff draws but four inches with th of us, and I'll lead that boat into a trap, as I observed was your intention,” was the reply, and the oarsman never checked his terrific strokes as he spoke. Glancing astern, Queen saw that they were gaining upon their pursuers, and that the single pair of arms were outrowing the four pair. Then she glanced into the face of her rescuer, as she sat in the bottom of the skiff, and never before had she seen a handsomer man, she was forced to admit to herself. A Ebooks et | com * & 7 c4 é - “ «fs cs oe ope —_ ~~ A : re | 7 7 ‘ “* —"