Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 418 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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his men, and his crew idolize him. ‘‘ Had the Scorpion been as fleet as was the old Sea Dragon, we would have ended the career of Bianca the Buccaneer, for Lieutenant Mon- crief was once the captive of the pirate chief, and has a score to settle with him for his cruel- ties to him, outside of his acts of piracy.” ‘* Ah! he was the captive of Bianca, you say, Surgeon Bennett?’ asked Sibyl. ‘*' Yes, Miss Hurst, for Lieutenant Moncrief has risen from before the mast to his present position, and, when cabin-boy on board of a merchant vessel fell into the hands of Bianca, and, for nearly a year was his prisoner.” ‘*He has had quite an adventurous experi- ence?” ‘*'Yes; he began life on a vessel at sea, for he was born on board ship, he says, and nothing more is known of his life than that, for he has little to say of his past, and, in fact, seldom speaks of himself.” ‘** He is quite youthful looking,” said the skip- r. a Twenty-five, I believe, but with the expe- rience of a man twice his years, and a nerve of iron, a courage that reaches desperation at times, for he takes fearful chances to win, and asa sailor I have never seen his equal, and I was surgeon of the Sea Dragon when he was third officer on board, and saw him, in two years, go up to commander,” and the surgeon devoted himself to his captain, ran on about his rood qualities for a long time, little dreaming Cate deep an interest he was awakening for him in the very heart that he was so anxious to win, for Sibyl had been deeply impressed with Man- ton himself since the moment her eyes had met his as he boarded the crippled brig. The next day the two vessels were becalmed and lay a mile apart, rolling upon the swell an flapping their sails idly, as they were spread to catch the first breath of a breeze. ‘*T will go on board the Surprise, Captain Hurst, wt g see if I may be needed, for this calm will doubtless last for hours,” said Surgeon Ben- nett, and Bronx ordered a boat to be lowered, and it pulled away for the schooner-of-war. ‘* Well, Bennett, how is your patient?” asked Lieutenant Moncrief, as he sat in his cabin, idly pufling at a cigar. He wasa man of fine physique, with an air of grace in every motion, and the appearance of strength, endurance, and activity of one who _ knew his power and kept up his athletic train- e was attired in a neatly-fitting fatigue uni- form, wore it well, as though long accustomed to it, and his feet, that rested upon a chairina lazy way, and his hands, one of which held his cigar as he spoke to the surgeon, were small and shapely. His teed was small and well poised above his broad, square shoulders, and his face was a study in its power, intelligence, and manly Looking older than the years with which Sur- eon Bennett had accredited him, he yet had a ae of boyish pleasure resting upon his face, | mingling well with the stern manliness his posi- tion demanded. His hair, a dark brown, was rather long, and clustered in waving masses about his neck, while a long, silken mustache, then uncommon in America and England, gave him a foreign look. Tn answer to his question Surgeon Bennett said: ‘‘T came aboard, sir, to report him rapidly improving, and in a fair way to recover.” ‘Tam glad, indeed, to hear this, for his own and his sweet daughter’s sake; but I hardly be- lieved he could rally.” ‘* His will is great, sir, and he was determined not to die, while he has an iron constitution to uphold him and has had the best of care.” ‘*T do not doubt that, Surgeon Bennett, for otherwise he would never have pulled through with such a wound.” ‘** No, sir, the bone was shattered from below the shoulder to the hand, and the shock was fearful to him; but he is a man of pluck.” ** And his daughter inherits it?” ‘Yes, Lieutenant Moncrief, to a wonderful extent. wee £ sir, she can command that vessel as well as her father, and fear seems to be a word unknown to her.” ‘Who are they, Bennett?” ** From what I could learn, sir, from the young mate, Bronx, and what they have said, Captain Hurst is a retired sailor, and a rich one. ‘* He has a farm on the Long Island shore, near Jamaica Bay, I believe, and dwelt there with his daughter, his only child.” ‘** And has taken to the sea again, it seems?” ** Yes, sir; but he built the brig, after a model of his own, and was going to present her to the Government as a cruiser, so Mate Bronx said when he was asked to run a cargo of stores and ammunition in her to the Carolinas, and he left New York for that purpose when he was over- hauled by the Sea Torch.” . ‘“ Well, the brig sails like the wind, and, but led by the pirate, would have es- for being cri caped iin, tan sure; but it was strange that “Yes, he is called the Sailor of Destiny, by | LLL LL ieee The Sea Siren. —_——-- - — —S— o_o _-- fC aon neither vessel we were seen until I opened re. ‘* Still, Bennett, if the brig was mine, as I have watched her the past few days, I would rig her as a schooner, and so rigged, my word for it, she would outsail any craft afloat.” ‘*T agree with you, sir, and he might sell her to you if you asked him.” ** Well, I have just twenty-five thousand dol- lars laid up from my prize-money, and all I have put away, and I'll give it to him for the brig, so ask him if he will sell her.” ** Better go back with me, sir, and ask him, for this calm wil] last till sunset,” and Surgeon Ben- nett put another stumbling-block in the way of his winning Sibyl’s heart, by this invitation to his handsome commander, who promptly ac- cepted it, CHAPTER VI. THE SKIPPER’S STORY. WHEN Surgeon Bennett had departed for the schooner, Sibyl asked her father if she should read to him, as was her wont often to do. ‘* No, Sibyl, talk to me, or rather let me talk to you,” he replied in a thoughtful manner. ‘‘The surgeon said that you were to keep quiet, father, and not to talk much.” ‘*True, but I will feel better after what I have to say to you is off my mind.” ‘* You are sure it will not hurt you, father?” ‘**T am certain, for I wish to tell you a secret.” ‘** Indeed, father?” ‘** Yes, for I have never told you much of who I was, never told you more ef our family than I had to, as I was in hiding, as it were. ‘*But now, since my meeting with my poor, sinful brother, I feel that you should know all. **Tam an Englishman, as you know, my child, and well born, for I bear a title. ‘** My parents both died ere I was twenty-three, and our family consisted of my father, mother, my two brothers and myself. ‘I was the oldest and therefore the heir to the title and estates, while my brothers, as younger ones, got but a small income. ‘* Unfortunately my parents made both Ra- fael and Bianca feel their inferiority to me, as did the servants, though, I am happy to say that I did not, and have nothing to censure myself for in that respect. ‘Bianca entered the navy, and Rafael be- came an army officer, while 1 remained at home in the enjoyment of my estates, after the death of my parents, and devoted myself to the call of my large mercantile interests, for I had several ships in the East India trade ‘*A year after the death of my mother, who quickly followed my father to the grave, I mar- ried, and the lady was one who had discarded my brother Bianca, for she never loved him. ‘Our little boy that was born to us died soon after his birth, and under mysterious circum- stances. ‘*Then your mother was taken ill, and I nearly lost her; but she recovered, and one day I was shot at and wounded, while returning home from a hunt. * T felt that my brothers were the Euilty ones, | and caring nothing for the title I held, and pos- sessed of riches had made, outside of the estates, after a long talk with your mother, I determined to bape them up, and in such a way that I would supposed to be dead and the next heir, Rafael, enjoy the prize he coveted. ‘For this purpose | fitted out a vessel, with all we should need in the New World, and ordered her to a certain part of the coast near my home, ‘Then your mother, with two faithful ser- vants, went sailing one day in my little yacht, when it threatened a storm, and after nightfall we boarded my vessel, capsized the pleasure craft and set it adrift. ‘*Tt was washed ashore, and we were natural- ly supposed to be lost, and Rafael was of course the next heir. ‘So thoroughly did I drop the past, and wish to wash out every memory of my brothers, that I never ee of them, and never tried to find out one thing regarding them. ‘Purchasing our gh ape home upon Long Island, I was content to turn farmer, and yet was drawn into sea service, after the death of our mother, and became oe of a vessel in he Boston and New York trade, and, as you know, Sibyl, I but added to my fortune, until "ro inheritance will be far larger than it would ve been from my English estate, ** And also, you have been equally as well nur- tured and educated, while ay, from the sea service you have seen with me, you are as fit to command a vessel as are half the skippers I have met. ‘* Having been chased by the Sea Torch, I re- cognized her, and so dreaded to see you fall into the hands of a pirate, little dreaming that that pirate was my own brother. ‘* His words told me that poor Rafael had been wrongly judged by me in the past, for he is now in possession of the title and estates of Norman- Hurst, and has doubtless been the victim of Bi- anca’s plotting, as I have been. ‘Then, when I ‘left England, Bianca was-a midshipman in the British Navy, and now I find him, ! a pirate, and a curse to mankind. X lS ** But, thanks to that noble young Americam Officer, we escaped from his clutches, and we can return to our home on the Atlantic, and there dwell in peace, for Bianca will never track us there. _*Such, my dear child, is the story of my past life, and bitter indeed is the thought that Theva to tell you of my brother’s crime.” ** You are not guilty, father, for no one could have done more than you did for your brothers, g and if one has turned pirate, he has his own crimes alone to answer for, so bury him from a}j ° memory once more as you have in the past, and we will not let his evil deeds make our lives un- sic, “* You are the dear, noble girl I thought you, Sibyl; but hark! a boat is coming alongside, for there is a hail,” and as the skipper spoke Bronx appeared at the cabin companionway to report the return of the surgeon, and along with him Lieutenant Moncrief of the Scorpion. CHAPTER VII. THE JEALOUS SAILOR. SrpyL Hurst had seen the young commander of the cruiser under the glare of battle-lanterns, and heard his voice when it had the stern ring of warfare, and he had impressed her then in a manner that never had man moved ber before, Taken up with her grief for her father, whom she feared she would see die ere anotber sun should rise, she had not regarded Manton Mon- crief as otherwise she would have done; but he had been often in her thoughts, and the sur- eon’s story of the gallant sailor had interested ay. en, therefore, he was ushered into the cabin, where she sat by the side of her father, she arose to greet him, and to thank him for his great kindness to them. She saw the face no longer lighted up with the fire of conflict, and heard a voice that was soft and full of the sympathy that Moncrief’s looks slip while the pressure of his hand, though rm, was the grasp of a friend. ‘*T certainly am most glad to see ban improv- ing so rapidly, Captain Hurst,” said the youn commander, as he took a seat by the wound man. Then followed a pleasant chat upon general topics, and Manton Moncrief was well enter- tained and left the brig to return to his schooner with the knowledge that the skipper and his pas rng were no ordinary people. ith the sunset the wind arose, and it brought with it a brig-of-war flying the British flag. “Hold on for port, and I will throw myself between you and the Englishman,” signaled Manton Moncrief from his vessel, and the Mer- maid was crowded with all the sail that her jury rig would bear. ‘That brig is Jarger than the schooner,” said Sibyl, as she stood on deck watching the prepa- rations of the American to throw himself in the way of the Englishman. She addressed the surgeon, who answered: ** Yes; and she has a very heaywy armament, I notice.” ‘Tt seems cowardly that we should run away and leave the schooner to fight our battles,” Sibyl remarked. ‘* No, Miss Hurst, for the cargo of this ves- sel is worth more than a sbip of the line, just now,” ‘But, Surgeon Bennett, your place is on board your own vessel, for there will be wound- ed men for you to look after before long, and L cen care for my father now,” and Sibyl spoke with sudden earnestness, as the thought flashed through her mind, ‘‘Miss Hurst, that was my own thought, though I did not wish to ask my release of you.” ‘Then go, I beg of you, for you can take th gig and readily reach the schooner,” ‘*T thank you, and I will do so,” was the an- swer, and the surgeon hastily entered the cabin to visit the skipper, gave Sibyl a few instruc- ticns as to the care of her father, and ascending to the deck, found the gig ready for him. ‘*) hope we will soon see you in Charleston, Surgeon Bennett, and for all you have done for us I sincerely thank you. ‘My thanks also to Lieutenant Moncrief, and prayers for his got pet bal said Sibyl, as she eae the hand of the surgeon, who bowed ow, and with a few words of farewell, went over the side into the gig. The brig at once signaled the schooner of his coming, and the answer came back ae Sibyl, and bidding her to crowd the brig wit all she would bear, adding: ‘‘This is a formidable foe, and if he defeats me he will — on after you; but I shall fight him to the last, so as to detain him from pursu- ing the brig.” A noble man,” muttered Sibyl, as she turned . to Bronx and said: ‘* We must push the brig to her utmost, Bronx, for the schooner is no match for her,” ‘““So I think, Sibyl,” was the reply of the young mate, who added in an undertone to him- self: “Tam ew le: wish it, but I hope the English- man will sink the schooner, for that handsome young captain is becoming a dangerous rival.” ‘S (EO!NMICE LOK e) ad a a ee a mete ee