Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 476 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

foes and weapons grasped ready to deal death, on that silent vessel. Nearer and nearer came the boats, until sud- denly uhe stern voice of Brazos the Buccaneer gave the word to fire. The boats were almost upon the schooner, and the pirates were growing very uneasy at the close proximity of their foes, sé Fire ” With the command sixty muskets flashed forth, and then it was that those who had come to surprise were surprised themselves, Then it was that the brave crew who followed Basil Brent were *panic-stricken, and the dead and dying in the boats rendered those unhurt wild with fear of a like fate. In vain was it that the gallant lieutenant urged on his men, that he gained the deck of the pirate schooner, with the pilot, Rodriguez at his side, dnd a few others of his men upon his heels. He was surrounded by foes, wounded severel and fell to the deck just as his men sprung bac into their boat and the entire flotilla fled in dis- may. But though the attacking force had been beaten off, and were rowing rapidly away un- der a scattering fire, Brazos the Buccaneer had fallen upon his own deck. A bullet had glanced upon his head and felled him as though it had pierced his brain. But Brazos the Buccaneer was not an easy man to kill, and excepting a gash through the scalp the bullet had done him no harm, though for a few moments he was insensible. Officer Moralez had sprung to bis side and was bending over him when Captain Brazos raised his hand to his head, passed it several times across his forehead and then opened his eyes. The light of the battle-lantern just brought flashed full in his face and the chief sat up. His head hurt him and he ran his fingers over the wound, ** A close call, Moralez,” he said. ‘* Yes, senor; you fell like a dead man.” * The boats were beaten off?’ ** ‘Yes, senor.” " ** Ah! who have we here?” The eyes of Brazos rested [upon the form of Basil Brent as he spoke. ‘The daring leader of the enemy, sir. ‘He gained our decks with half a dozen of his men, and one of them it was who shot you. ‘** He fell, and there lie two of his men stone dead, but the others sprung back into their boats and escaped, for I did not pursue them,” ‘* You are right, Moralez. ‘‘' That man wears a naval officer’s uniform. ‘* Is he dead?” ‘*- Yes, senor, without doubt.” ‘Turn him over and let me see his face.” The officer obeyed, and a battle-lantern was flashed in the face of Basil Brent. ‘* By Heaven! I know thatface. _ “It isone I can never forget,” cried Brazos the Buccaneer, and kneeling by the side of Basil Brent he placed his hand upon, his heart, ** Moralez, he is not dead. ‘* He lives, and his life must be saved, “Carry him into my cabin and send the surgeon at once to me there!” ‘This man must not die,” and Brazos the Buccaneer seemed more excited than his crew had ever before known him to be. CHAPTER XXVI, CAPTAIN BRAZOS IN A RAGE, ‘‘ WHICH way, senor, shall I head?” So asked Officer Moralez several days after the attuck upon the Sea-Raider by the flotilla of boats under Basil Brent, as the schooner headed out of the basin where she had been so long hiding away. It was nearly sunset, and the light fallin upon the graceful craft, showed that she ha been put in perfect trim, She no longer sailed loggy, and her hull was painted scarlet, as were also her masts, and spars, relieved only by black lines from bow to stern and on the end of the ‘ Her sails were new, her guntackle had been wholly replaced, and her deck, seamed by many a shot-mark, had been made smooth and w ; hite. Under a light breeze she sped along in a man- ner that charmed her captain and crew, causing Brazos the Buccaneer to say: “She seems like her old self once more, Moralez.” ‘““She does indeed, senor; but I hope we will ‘be able to get the brig for all that, as no vessel afloat would I fear on that craft.” ‘You are right, and we will get her, for even now she belongs to me; but, to answer your question as to how you shall head I will say run along the coast toward Boston and find another safe hiding-place, as I will have to visit the city for a few days.” ‘You run a fearful risk in doing so, Captain Brazos,” said Moralez, who was really attached to his chief. | *¢T run a risk at sea, in fact anywhere; but I must gO, Moralez, for there is work for me to do We can find a retreat somewhere, sir, and 1- ae DE tS ~~ 9). Bob Brent, Buccaneer. I'll talk with the men and see if they know of any.” nf Do so.” The result of questioning the men revealed the fact that there was one who knew the coast thoroughly from the Kennebec to Montauk Point, having been a coaster before he turned pirate, and he readily directed the Buccaneer where to find a safe hiding-place. ‘‘ It’s a safe harbor, sir, where nothing ever goes except a coaster now and then to hunta refuge from a storm, and by housing topmasts the schooner cau hide snugly and not be seen from any passing vessel,” said the man, who had given up an honest life to turn pirate and lived to regret it many times over. ‘‘ All right, my man, act as pilot and you shall be well rewarded. ‘* But can [ readily get to Boston from there?” “ BY boat, sir.” ‘* How could I zo by boat?” ‘‘Take one of the schooner’s boats, sir, and row there, for it is a matter of not many leagues,” *“T will only take my servant, Jet, so could I go by land?” ** Yes, sir, a could walk to a village two leagues inland and get conveyance; but it would be risky as they might wish to know something about you that you could not tell.” ‘True, my man. ‘*Tll take the gig and Jet only need go with me, ‘‘Have the boat rigged with a sail; water- cask and a few days provisions, Senor Moralez,” and while the schooner was put away for the hiding-place, under the coaster as}pilot, Captain — ——_— SN OOo 0 _—S*" 15 while he is assuming to be such, stopped in his quick walk and said s ; ** Jet, send that frightened fool here to me,” ‘* Yes, massa,” and Jet sought Phillis in her culinary domain, Phillis was walking the floor too. She was swinging her hand and presented a picture of despair when Jet entered the kitch- en, ‘* Is he still mad, Jet, honey, and will he kill me?” she asked, hastily, looking as though she expected to hear her death sentence. ‘No, Phillis, massa hain’t gwine ter hurt yer; but he’s mad at what yer tole him had been did here in his absence; but it hain’t with you.” “Lordy! I thoughted it were all right, Jet, I did, *fore de Lord, chile.” ‘**T knows dot, Phillis; but come, massa wants ter talk with yer.” “Is he goin’ ter kill me, yer reckon?” **No, indeed, fer he hain’t mad wid you, woman.” ** But his eyes blazed like fire at me, ‘* Does you think he’ll spar’ me?” **sY es, ob course he will,” ‘Waal, Jet, jist wait ontil I says a leetle prayer to the Goo’ Lordy ter take keer o’ me in de den o’ de lion, for dat man do hab a power- ful lionish look in he eyes, ‘‘Tell him I’se a-comin’, Jet, soon as I gits a apron on: but it bain’t a apron I is arter, but prayer, prayer. ** Now, go, Jet, while I knees an’ prays?’ ‘Better say yer Amen quick, Phillis, for massa don’t like ter be kept waitin’.” ‘* Maybe I better pray arter 1 gits back—if J slumps down on my Brazos went into his cabin and told his negro | gits back ter pray!” she added dubiously, servant, who was valet, cook and steward for | his master, to get ready to accompany him to ; coming,” called out Jet, as he heard his master’s Boston. i} ‘Yas, come along now— Yas, sah, we is vehement call, and old Phillis fairly shot into The place in which the enaster ran the schooner | the dining-room with a face that was so scare: was certainly a snug retreat, a little harborage | that Captain Conrad saw he could get nothing locked in by high hills, and where to-day stands a pretty town, but then was a lonely spot. he topmasts were housed, the anchor let fall, a lookout was placed upon a high hill command- ing a view seaward and landward, and not even a huntsman could approach the shore of the harbor without being seen a long way off before he could discover a vessel at anchor there. Seaward a grand view was had, so that a craft coming up or down the coast, or shore- ward, could be sighted leagues away, giving the schooner a chance to escape should a cruiser appear, eeling confident that his vessel was snugly hidden, and with perfect confidence in Moralez, Captain Brazos set sail just after dark in the gif for Boston. ' The little craft had been fitted with a leg-of- mutton sail and jib,sand had several days’ water and provisions on board, though the buecaneer knew that he should reach port with a fair breeze in seven or eight hours. But then Captain Brazos was a man to pre- are against emergencies, and he went well- urnished and also well-armed, Jet was his only companion, to the great de- light of the negro, who was glad to get a chance to visit the city again, where he had enjoyed himself on several occasions before. If the truth must be told, Jet preferred city life to aby but then he was devoted to his master, would die tosave him from death if need be, and so was not one to desert him, be his life what it might. The wind was fair, the gig sailed well, and following the coast the little craft went so swift- ly along that the Boston Light came in sight several hours after leaving the schooner. Holding on his course, it was just dawn when Brazos, the Buccaneer, ran into a wharf which he knew well, for, while pretending to be Cap- tain Conrad, a Southern planter, he had often enjoyed a sail on Boston Bay in a pleasure-boat, and thus learned the waters well, so that in case of necessity he could be his own pilot. This knowledge now served him well, and giving an early market-wagon his traps from the boat to carry to his home, he started for the abode with Jet, which we have seen Rafael Rodriguez enter several days before and make himself so thoroughly at home in, His keys admitted him to the house and to his rooms, and telling Jet to let Phillis know of his return and not to have breakfast before noon, as he was much fatigued, he retired to rest in his comfortable bed, little dreaming of the occupant which it had held three nights be- fore him, Promptly at noon breakfast was served and when ‘‘ Captain Conrad,” as Phillis knew him, sat down toenjoy the meal he learned somethin from the negress while seemed to take away his appetite, for he arose from the table and began to pace the room, which now and then bitter oaths broke from his lips which sent the woman ite from his presence in terror, for, never be- fore had she seen her master in such a rage, and the glitter in his eyes caused her to fear that he had gone mad. _ CHAPTER XXVIL. , A SURPRISE, Ar last Captain Conrad, as I shall call him / > ' ‘, i* — - Wy 7 * “ ING acd ho t=“ *S . F uo’ it ‘ ‘ Tes 1 pe sé by ee Pe le * 5 ey = pe “ : ; =t as = rai be from her unless he calmed ber fears irst. So he said: “Come, Phillis, my good woman, I am _ not angry with you, so don’t be frightened, but tell me all you can, ‘¢ Sit down, first, for you are trembling like a child, and Jet, give her a glass of brandy to steady her.” aft Under the kindly tone of the buccaneer and the brandy given her by Jet, Phillis calmed ber fears and said; ‘‘ Massa, | wants ter tell yer de Bible truf, sah, about it all, and just lem’e gib rer de gold dat he done gib to me, sah,” and Phillis laid the money upon the table. ‘‘T do not want the money, Phillis; but I do wish you to tell me all that you know about this strange visitor, bis coming, his stay here, and his going.” ‘* Well, sah, massa, I were a leetle surprised to hear my bell ring, ’cause I wasn’t ’spectin’ you back as you knows, sah. . ‘*[ found a sailor gemman here, sah, one as helped you, [ recommembers when you moved here. “‘ He told me you had sent him, and he had your keys which you had give to him, ‘‘T got supper for him, and he made himseif that pleasant, I thought he were a very nice gemman. ‘Waal, sab, he put on some o’ your clothes | ; ther next day, and looked that fine, I seen he wasn’t no poor trash. il * Pied Sw sf ‘Ho jist made himself at home, sah, andI did all I could for him, thinking you had sent him as he said zou had, ** He looked all over the rooms, sah, axed me— about what was ter be done with your things ef you was ter die, and I tole him Jet was ter come about ’em, but ef Jet didn’t come, arter ther year were gone, I was ter take a letter you had writ to Lawyer Allen. ‘‘ Arter two days, massa, de gemman had a trunk and some packages come here for him, and then he drove off in a carriage and I hain’t ‘3 see hira no more.” , ‘* You told me at first that he was a foreign- looking man, dressed in sailor garb!” ** Yas, massa, so he was,” ** He spoke with an accent?” ‘Yas, massa.” \ ‘Had a handsome face, wearing full beard?” ‘* Yas, sah, when he fu’stcome; but he shaved off his whiskers while he were here,” : ae Ab ” “Yas, sah.” ** About how old was he?” : ‘‘ About de same age as you is, massa,” re- pled Phillis, not caring to guess at a venture, or she was a woman, and though a er. ‘‘ A man of forty perhaps?” ‘Yas, sah.” S ‘*- You do not know where he went?” No, ” ee He here?” 46 Yas, sah,” ** And drove off 5 oe carriage?” . ‘“Yas, sah, and I recommembers it was de same driver as you bas sometimes had : negress sensitive about the numbers she had put behind had a trunk and some things brought oi inh eee '¢ oa) alt La An —<. ery ? : ~ all co * | COmMicboo 4, a2 ‘s.com ae ee <a | |