Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 418 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

— ay-b ~y- < penne eg GR A, LT ES I tm . ) The Sea Siren. li drew his attention to the stranger, which had just shot around the headland on the starboard «quarter. “The brig-of-war!” “* The captured brig, Brimstone!” Such were the cries that arose at sight of the sail, and Hugh Bronx saw at a glance that the stranger was indeed the Brimstone. ‘** She has been recaptured!” he cried, and ina low tone he added: ‘*T hope that Moncrief has been killed.” The gun from the brig had not been loaded with ball, for it seemed to have been fired to ‘attract the attention of the large sloop-of-war, a had not seen the stranger, it was evi- ‘dent. ‘** What does that mean?’ asked Hugh, as he saw the Brimstone signaling rapidly to the sloop-of-war. ‘* The brig is under the British flag, sir,” said _Rossmore.” “So I observed, and she has therefore been captured. ™ ‘It would seem so, sir, but that makes but another foe for us.” ‘* Yes; but do you read those signals?” ‘¢Ves.. air.” And Rossmore, who was gazing at the brig ‘through the glass, read aloud: “‘ This is his Majesty’s brig-of-war Brimstone, ‘and yonder schooner is our prize, under our own crew. “Around tke headland to the south is our we 8 ‘*This is remarkable,” said Bronx, and then Rossmore continued, reading the signals from the sloop in answer: ‘This is his Majesty’s sloop-of-war Consort. ‘* The schooner should have come to at our fire. ‘*Ts it the American frigate President, that is beyond headland?” To this the brig returned answer that the ‘schooner’s commander had doubtless mistaken the sloop for an American. She also answered in the affirmative regard- ing the vessel beyond the headland being the American frigate President, and added that after speaking the schooner they would follow the sloop and aid in the combat with the large and formidable Yankee craft. The British sloop at once squared away to round the headland to the south, while the brig headed toward the schooner, which had held on her course during the signaling. ‘* What do you make of that, Rossmore?” **T make out one thing, Captain Bronx, and and I care not what he is, though I certainly did Captain Bainbridge held it for the one-armed not believe him a traitor.” | ge: ve, all waited for his report. ‘‘Nor I, sir; but had we not better round | ter awhile he said: yonder headland as quickly as possible, for we ‘‘ Take the glass, Sibyl, and make your report can run a mile nearer to it than can the brig or and see if it accords with mine.” sloop, were they to chase us, as they draw far The maiden leveled the glass, arranged the more than does the schooner, and it would give | focus, and all saw her face flush as she said: us a grand start?” | ‘‘ That schooner is the Sea Scorpion!” ‘*Do so, Rossmore,” answered Bronx, and the ‘““Such was my decision, my child; but what schooner at once was headed so as to round the | else?” ** She is leading her pursuer a mile, and gain- . else int of land from behind which, half an hour | fore, the Brimstone had come into sight. ing slightly, 1 should judge, though she seems to have suffered, as her sails are torn and her As she did so it was seen that the sloop-of-war | was heading so as to round the southern head- | maintopmast shot away.” land with all speed, while the brig was following | ‘ Right, my child; but now go to the end of in her wake and gaining on her. That there was some cause of excitement on board the British sloop was soon evident, as Bronx noted, having his glass turned upon her; but what it was he could only guess at, and a moment after the Sea Scorpion went out of sight | around the bigh point of land. A few moments after the roar of heavy guns | ; reached their ears, and with all sail set, the schooner went flying away to seek safety, having | the piazza and see if you can get a view of her pursuer.” Sibyl did so, and when she came back her face | was pale and anxious. ‘* Well, Miss Sibyl, what report have you to make?” asked the major. ** The leading schooner is certainly the Scor- pion, and she is straining every nerve to reach port. ” ** And our young friend Bronx is in command, made a most narrow escape through the coming | then?” of the brig. As she s on the firing in the distance be- caine hotter and hotter, though it seemed to be receding more rapidly than from the schooner’s speed would cause it to do, and Bronx said, with | not in a way a tone of exultation: ‘*They have run upon the American frigate beyond that headland, and I ho Manton Moncrief will be mtr treachery, for a traitor to our cause he has cer- | “* That is his vessel, major.” “He should have the craft in his wake as a prize in tow,” said the major. ‘*He is bringing her after him, major, but as e would like,” dryly responded ibyl. ‘That is cruel, Miss Hurst,” said Robert now that | Bainbridge, ‘‘ for the bravest of us must some-~- ed for his | times run.” “True, but poor Hugh went to sea with such — tainly become, or he would never have been in | determined resolves to do or die, I expected alliance with the British sloop.” CHAPTER XXI. | THE TWO SCHOONERS. Four weeks had passed since the sailing of the Brimstone on her cruise, under her daring captor and commander, and in that time Cap- tain Hurst had improved so much that he was able to sit up for hours each day, enjoying the view from the piazza of his friend’s home, where he had been cared for with the greatest kind- ness. With the reception of the stores, arms, and ammunition brought by the Mermaid, in her eventful voyage, the struggling Patriot Army had gsined new life, and had been able to more than hold their own, where before the scarcity of powder and ball had threatened seriously to | cause the forces to fall back or surrender before | | great things of him,” was the quiet rejoinder. But Captain Hurst had observed, more than had the others, that her face wore an anxious look, and he asked: ‘*Did you make any other discovery, Sibyl?’ ** Yes, father.” “What was it?” < A I know the craft in chase of Hugh.” : l ** Yes, sir; it is a schooner.” “Then it isa British cruiser of heavier metal than Captain Bronx bas,” remarked the major. ‘““f only wish we had a vessel in port that could go out and aid Captain Bronx in the cap- mee of his pursuer,” remarked Captain Bain- ridge, ‘* Yes, it is too bad there is nothing here. We must keep some armed craft in harbor for just such an emergency.” ‘*' Yes, major; for yonder vessel chasing the . that is that I see Lieutenant Moncrief distinctly rey the advance of the British. Scorpion would be a valuable prize, as it is the — on yonder vessel’s quarter-deck. The home of Major White had been the scene | schooner known as the Sea Torch, commanded — ‘* A prisoner?” eagerly inquired Bronx. **No, sir, he does not look it, for he appears to be giving orders.” ; He is either a prisoner, Rossmore, or a trait- ? ‘*T don’t understand it, sir, but there he is, as you can see by turning your glass upon the’ rig. ( ; i You are right! he has turned traitor; but he is signaling to us.” Rossmore, who was perfectly skilled in signal- reading at once read: ‘‘Head out to sea and cross my wake, as I follow the sloop.” ** What does he mean by that?” ~ “It looks as though he wanted to giveusa “chance to run out to sea.” *“We can doit, and neither the brig or the ‘sloop can catch us once we cross his wake,” eagerly said Bronx. ‘It does not look as though the brig wished “to do so, for she could head us off ly now, as you see, sir.” e schooner’s course was now changed so as ‘to go astern of the brig, which was following in the wake of the sloop-of-war, and about half a league astern. $ n her changed course, as the Brimstone was then heading, the Sea Scorpion would pass across her wake about half a mile from her, and once well across, she would have nothing be- tween her and the open sea, True, did the sloop and pct Boi. to pursue, the schooner would still be within range, even within easy range of the latter; but ere the two vessels could go about and give chase, the Sea Scorpion, in the breeze then blowing, could get _a fine start, and if she could run the gantlet of their fire in safety she could rapidly increase her lead, for she was on her best point of sailin and the light wind, a ten-knot breeze, woul ‘send her along twice as fast as it did the two larger vessels, But the brig did not seem to care to put after her, and the sloop held straight on to round the southern headland, to find an enemy there, as signaled from the Brimstone. ‘He certainly is not a prisoner,” said Bronx, referring to Manton Moncrief, who was seen distinctly, in full uniform, standing upon his quarter-cleck, and, as the schooner shot across his vessel’s wake, waving to her. **T do not understend it, sir, for, while he pro- “tects us, as he seems to be doing, he certainly is in league with the sloop-of-war and carries the British flag at his peak,” answered Rossm ‘** Well, we are safe, for a mile divides us ‘how, of many a gay gathering, for thither were wont | by Bianca the Buccaneer,” said Sibyl, in a rc LLL LLL LS ES | to congregate the young officers and beautiful | maidens of the town, and Sibyl gained more | and more renown, not only as a heroine, but on account of her exquisite loveliness of face and form, added to which was her wit, intelligence and noble heart. low, earnest tone. CHAPTER XXII. THE RETURN OF THE SEA SCORPION. THE feeling in the heart of Sibyl was that it would be better for her father and herself not to Captain Robert Bainbridge had become her | speak of the rest of mankind, if Bianca the most devoted admirer through all, and many | were the sails upon the harbor, and horseback rides the two had together, for the major great- ly admired his junior officer, and being a con- uccaneer was captured and hanged, as he cer- tainly would be hanged if taken. His being her father’s brother and her uncle, had nothing to do with the matter, as he was an nection of his wife, he was anxious to see him | outlaw. with the fair daughter of his dearefriend, Cap- | tain Hurst, and rumor had it that Sibyl would surrender her heart before long to the attacks of the gallant soldier. As for the skipper he calmly looked on, con- vinced that Robert Bainbridge was a man worthy of any woman’s love, but withal con- vinced that Sibyl was not one to act hastily in anything, and when questioned by the eager major on the subject, he had said: ‘* No, major, there is nothing between them, I am sure, as Sibyl would certainly tell me.” One afternoon, a month after the sailing of the brig, the major was seated upon the piazza of his home, fy with the npn when the keen eye of the latter caught sight of a sail in the offing far away. ‘*Tt is a schooner, and she is crowding on all sail for port,” said the cag “ah ‘And do you not hear firing, though it is a long way off?” asked the major. ‘*T certainly do; and it seems to be coming nearer,” answered Captain Hurst, whose pale face flushed with the brave spirit within, as the roar of distant action reached his ears. Thus the two sat for quite a while, watching the coming vessel, while the firing of heavy guns grew louder and louder. ‘* Ah! here comes Bainbridge and Sibyl, and they ride as though they had news forus!” cried the major, as, mounted upon spirited horses, the young captain and Sibyl Hurst dashed up the carriage drive to the door, ‘Father, do you see that chase?” cried Sibyl, pointing out to sea at the distant schooner, **Ts it a chase, my child?” asked the skipper, as, aided to alight by the soldier, Sibyl ascended the piazza steps with Captain Bainbridge, ‘* Yes, captain, you do not see the second ves- sel from here, as she is directly in the wake of the leading one; but from our ride along the shore we saw both, and it bas been a long and hot chase,” said Robert Bainbridge. The major at once got his glass, and while , oo -- -e-- > ty PS Te Ps ee wre + (ee: Daa eee --- oe oo - With the exception of Hugh Bronx, no one on the brig had heard what had passed between the pirate and her father as to their relationship, though it was evident to the crew that the two had met before, and recognized each other. With the Sea Torch chasing the Sea Scorpion into port, it was a great ao ee she could not in turn be chased and captured, and Captain Bainbridge seemed to fret greatly under the act. ‘“*Tf the Mermaid was only ready, I would take. command of her with acrew of artillerymen, and go in ge he said. **] only wish she was ready,” added Sibyl, while her father, who did not wish to see <2 gg taken, crime-stained though he was, ‘* She is not ready, and will not be for several days, while I am sure the pirate will not remain in this vicinity long.” ‘* No, he is drawing off now, as he nears the forts, evidently suspecting that we have a cruiser in port that will soon be after him,” Captain Bainbridge said. | The Sea Scorpion was now quite near, and the naked eye showed that she had been under a hot fire, while the pirate vessel, with the aid = - glass, seemed to be unharm vely. | ‘Why, with that very schooner Lieutenant Bainbridge drove the buccaneer away from our brig, when he held it as a prize, and yet the Sea are is running now. ‘** What can be the matter with Hugh, I won- der?” and Sibyl wore a troubled look. No one could answer her question, and all re- mained watching the coming vessels, As they drew nearer the forts the pirate — shortened sails, and luffing, senta broadside fly- ing after the Sea Scorpion, which still pressed on under every stitch that would draw. Then, under easy sail, the Sea Torch stood off — to sea once more, her enemy b&Ving es eared comic <s.com me. —— ae OOo) ed, compara-~ : . o—