Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 418 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

} The Sea Siren. 23 ‘Good! now to get more men, sir.” ‘‘- Yes, we will want say forty.” ‘Yes, cap’n, better have enough to work with in a tight place.” ‘*Then you get the men, and I'll give you five dollars each for them.” ‘‘ It’s a bargain, cap’n.” ‘‘ Then now let us return on board ship and pay off the crew.” his was done, and the sight of money dispell- ed the clouds from the faces of the men, and checked a plot on hand to mutiny. | Hutchins told the crew to keep silent upon all subjects, except what he told them they could say, and the schooner was at once taken into the Navy Yard, and a heavy force put to work upon her. Supplies were also ordered on board, the mag- azine was stored with ammunition, a complete outfit of small-arms was given, and a week after arrivai the Sea Scorpion set sail in splendid trim, fully supplied in every particular, her crew numbering ei “~ men, all uniformed, and with Hugh Bronx havied several thousand dollars in his cabin locker, and thus feeling himself rich and to be envied, with such a fine cruiser under his command. As the schooner swept out of the East River, and rounded Governor’s Island, Hugh Bronx saw Hutchins give a sudden start. ‘* What is it?’ he cried, excitedly. ‘* Do you see those three vessels down near the Narrows?” ‘* Don’t you recognize the Brimstone, the cap- tured schooner and the barque, sir?” ‘‘By Heaven! you are right, and they are coming up to the city.” ‘* Sure, cap’n.” ‘* What is to be done?” ‘‘ They cannot recognize us here, amene. these other sail, so put about, head through Hell Gate out into the und, and thence around Montauk into the sea.” ‘““T’}] do it,” and the vessel was at once put about and headed up the East River toward Hell | Gate, Hugh Bronx muttering aloud, as he ner- vously paced the deck: ‘*Once I get into deep water I will wina name storm drove us back to the brig, so she es- b | ‘**T heard firing.” ‘Yes, we opened on her, but she paid no heed to it.” *“Then Captain Bronx has outlawed himself by his act?” ‘‘ Tt would seem so, Miss Sibyl.” *‘ And what is your intention, Mr. Rossmore?” ‘* Lieutenant Roe has asked me to remain on board and assist him, for the brig has lost several officers in action of late, you know, a lieutenant is on the schooner-of-war that was captured, a midshipman has charge of the barque, and the captain’s being now wounded, cramps Lieutenant Roe for aid.’ ‘*T am glad of this, Mr. Rossmore, for your sake, and when Lieutenant Moncrief is _bet- ter, { shall have father ask him to extend to you the offer he made to that most unworthy man, ee ‘Will you go up and report to the major, and also see Surgeon Bennett, who can tell you just how Lieutenant Moncrief is?” Rossmore decided to do so, and was ushered into the library by Sibyl, where sat Major White, Captain Bainbridge and Skipper Hurst. hey all greeted the young sailor kindly, and heard his story of the unsuccessful chase of the schooner. Then Captain Bainbridge led him up-stairs to the room of Surgeon Bennett, who gave him strong assurances that Moncrief would pull menses all right, and in a few days the crisis would be passed. Happy in the thought that he had made friends out of these who had appeared as foes before, on account of his connection with Hugh Bronx, Rossmore returned on board the Brim- stone with a happy heart, and when his report of Moncrief’s condition was made to the crew, they broke forth in three ringing cheers. ajor White had told him to also say to Lieu- tenant Roe that it was best for him to go on with the work of fitting the vessels out, and arming the Sea Siren, just as Lieutenant Moncrief had determined to do. The men were at once set to work with a will to get the barque, schooner-of-war and Brim- and send in so many prizes, the Government will | stone in readiness to sail when the Sea Siren overlook any little irregularities I may have | been guilty of.” CHAPTER XLIV, THE WOUNDED LIEUTENANT, Wuen the young officer commanding the brig-of-war Brimstone, saw that they were to be departed for New York. CHAPTER XLV, OUTLAWED. AFTER several weeks it was seen that Lieu- tenant Moncrief could not be able to depart for a month or more, though he was improving rap- idly, and all danger was past, so it was decided, caught in a calm, he felt that the chances were | in a council held in his rooms, at which the port in favor of the schooner’s escape, as he expected | captain, Major Perry White, Skipper Hurst, she would get a breeze first. Then Allen Rossmore had asked to take the boats and carry her by boarding, and it had been granted, so that the boats were lowered and filled with men. As they discovered that the schooner was using her a a hot fire was opened, and the boats, in the face of the coming storm, were forced to put back, so that the Sea Scorpion, as the reader has seen, made her escape, The brig, however, when the storm struck her, and Lieutenant Roe were present, that it would be best tosend the prizes on to the Navy De- partment for Government use. The barque was a fine vessel and a fast sailer, and could be readily made into a cruiser, while the captured schooner was in good condition to be used as such. The Brimstone, which had been depleted of her best guns for the Sea Siren, could have her armament made complete at the Government yards, and would be a most valuable acquisition held on, hoping to find the schooner, but when | for the navy. dawn came and no trace of her was visible, it was decided to put back to port. Having ably done the duties devolving upon him, Allen Rossmore was asked by Lieutenant Roe to remain on board the brig and assist him for the present, an invitation the young man ac- cepted with pleasure. ‘TI wish you would go ashore, Mr. Rossmore, and find out how Lieutenant Moncrief is,” the officer had said to Rossmore, as soon as the an- chor was dropped. Calling the gig alongside, Rossmore entered it and started for the landing of the White man- sion. Captain Bainbridge, who was aiding as a nurse for Moncrief, saw the return of the Brim- stone, and he was about to go down to meet the ig, which he saw approaching, when he beheld Sibyl in the river arbor awaiting it, so he re- frained from going, for since he had become convinced that his love for her was hopeless of return, he wished to shun her all in his power, eee as was the temptation for him to be with er. As the gig reached the shore and Rossmore sprung to land, he was met by Sibyl, who, after greeting him pleasantly, said: “You did not catch the schooner?” ‘*No, Miss Sibyl; but I will tell you after I know if Lieutenant Moncrief is better.” ‘* He is better, and Surgeon Bennett says if in- flammation does not set in he has strong hopes that he will recover.” The port captain made his report, the major added his, and the highest praise was bestowed upon Moncrief. Then it was requested that the admiral com- mandant should appoint Allen Rossmore a lieu- tenant in the navy, he beingin every way fitted for the rank and worthy of the bonor. The young sailor was to go on in command of the barque, and was to then return with the crew of the Sea Siren, who were divided among the three vessels for the run north. So it was that the three vessels set sail one night for New York, and, short-handed as the were, the brig but half-armed, the bark wit only a show of strength,and the schooner-of- war with only a third of a crew, it was decided to keep close together during the vo age, SO as to present a formidable look to any large Brit- ish cruisers they might meet. The result of this strategy was that an Eng- lish sloop-of-war sighted gave them a wide berth, and a ship-of-the-line seemed not at all anxious to try conclusions with three formidable looking Lawn, and New York Harbor was entered in ety. Running up close to the Government yards the anchors were let fall, and Lieutenant Roe, Rossmore, and the officer commanding the schooner went ashore to report their arrival, and the former to deliver dispatches and other important papers that he bore. The iral received them most graciously, and was immensely pleased to learn of the safe “I am glad to hear this, indeed, as all will be ; arrival of the Mermaid, and the capture of the on board ship. barque, especially with her most useful cargo. mand of the schooner, and you can get your outfit and crews here. “This gentleman, Mr. Rossmore, as Moncrief earnestly requests it, I will make an officer of his schooner, the Sea Siren, and, as more sup- plies must be sent South, he can take them on the barque with the Sea Siren’s crew, and b spre time Captain Moncrief will be able to sail, hope. “Then he is to be captain?” eagerly asked Rossmore. ** Yes, sir: you will carry back his commis- sion as such, for these three prizes would have won it for him, if nothing else.” And the delighted faces of the three young officers proved to the admiral how popular Mon- crief was as a commander. **'You will hear from mops oe Moncrief, sir, I assure you, for the Sea Siren is the fleetest craft afloat, as she escorted us out to sea when we left, with a junior lieutenant and twenty men on board, and she walked away from us, admiral, as though we were at anchor, and we were under a press of canvas and she had not her topsails set,” said Lieutenant Roe. ‘We have heard of Moncrief ever since he commanded a craft, and his name of the Dash- ing Privateersman was well won; but bow about the fellow Bronx, of whom you speak? ‘Tell me all you know about him?” st Mr. Rossmore can tell you better, sir,” said oe. Thus referred to, Allen Rossmore said: ‘*He was mate on the Mermaid, now the Sea Siren, admiral, Captain Hurst j his daughter Sibyl, whom we all call the Siren of the Sea, his first mate, for she is well able to command and navigate a vessel, and really saved the brig when we were chased by Bianca the Buccaneer, and her father was, as we be- lieved, mortally wounded. ‘* Bronx belongs to a good family living on the coast, and they are well-to-do, his father having bee a sea-captain. , “Hugh is a good sailor, but has a temper that is ugly in the extreme, and outside of -j the men liked him, and suspected no harm of him, ‘* But, from the day of the chase by Bianca, he developed a new nature, and after arriving at Charleston be seemed to bate everybody he came in contact with. ‘* His attempted rescue of the Scorpion, and capture, his purchase of the schooner and sail- ing as a privateersman, and all that followed, you have there, sir, in Captain Moncrief’s re- tare along with those of the port captain and jor White's, ‘“He seemed to feel a deeper antipathy for Captain Moncrief than for any one else, and I was sent with his challenge to that officer, after the affair of our being so cleverly saved by the ruse of the signals to the British sloop. P He accused Captain Moncrief of treachery, and— ‘‘He was the traitor!” grimly said the ad- miral. ‘** Yes, sir, it seems so; but his accusation was replied to in a manner that he took as an insult, and hence the challenge, the result of which you know, sir.” ‘‘And the scamp never came to when you ~ fired on him, Roe?” ‘** No, sir, and itis lucky for him he did not for I could not control my men, and they would have swung him up to the yard-arm.” ‘* Egad, it would have been an easy settlement of his case; but then of course we cannot coun- © tenance disobedience in a crew.” ‘** And then he came to New York, you said, admiral?” ‘‘'Yes, Mr. Roe, and represented himself as lieutenant commanding the Scorpion, Captain Moncrief as laid up with a wound, and that he had come in to repair ship, add to his crew and ship stores. ““T gave him a carte blanche order, and he got about thirty-five hundred dollars out of us, ran then put to sea in perfect trim only yester- y. ‘* I hope he will do something to retrieve him- self,” said Rossmore, | ‘He can do nothing, for his wounding Mon- crief as you say, his flight, refusing to come to when you fired upon him, and coming to this port and fitting out under false pretenses, ren- der him unfit for the service asa privateersman, and he is an outlaw.” ‘*An outlaw, admiral? ' “Yes, Mr. Roe, and I shall give to Moncrief the no doubt cheerful task of capturing him wherever he finds him, while you too can do the © same. ‘* But did he pay Moncrief for his vessel?” ‘“‘ He gave him an order, sir, for ten thousand dollars on Blake & Co., his agents, of New York, and Captain Moncrief put it in my hands ore. ‘* Lads, you heard what Miss Hurst said?’ and; He went on board the brig, the schooner, and Rossmore turned to the coxswain and four oars- | the barque, pronounced them first-class vessels, men in the gig. | and complimented Moncrief, his officers and men ‘Yes, sir, and we are glad to hear it,” an- to collect,” said Allen 54 ‘*Ten thousand! why Moncrief gave him the | craft, for she was worth, asshe wasarmedand ~~ : ad in the highest terms. | fitted out, five times that sum. <i swered the coxswain. ‘‘As you say that Moncrief_ prefers to com- ‘** But I warrant the order is no account,” said ‘‘ Now, Miss Sybil, we were gaining upon the | mand his new vessel, the Sea Siren, I will raise | the angry admiral. - Pte | schooner when a calm caught us. you to a first lieutenant, Mr. Roe, and give you| ‘‘I think it is, sir.” “a ‘*T went in the boats to attack her, when she | the brig Brimstone, promoting also this officer ‘Then go and see, Mr. Rossmore, and I will — got out sweeps and pulled away from us, and a_ here, Mr. Flemming, and leaving him in com- ! await your return.” oft I00 - : fy} { é a, “Sb : ’ sO ay (E cS e rs i) a ? ere 3 ve os . ~ a . 7 i. =. pS eS ee