Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 482 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 r ceived from the purchasing agent the gold i i which he received for all, pt Then he set sail for the rendezvous with the } schooner, and for weeks cruised about the | vicinity hoping to find uis vessel. ' Pit But the schooner did not agpear, and though Wt: many a sail was sighted Carlos Conrad was yi soon made aware that it was not the pirate | an? craft. Lh At last, fearing that harm had befallen his Ha chief, he stood away for the island retreat of i, the buccaneers, to see if aught could be learned | there. This island was an out-of-the-way ono of the be Bahamas, and it was by no means easy of ac- t cess, for it required the most careful pilotage to J reach the land-locked barborage within its ire earthen arms, , ue For this reason it had proven a safe retreat b is, for the sea outlaws, and Belmont the Buccaneer had sent thither much of his booty for which he could not find ready sale, and also some of his prizes, which, with their masts cut down could ~ not be seen from vessels passing near when at anchor in the small harbor. Upon the island, too, were kept the crippled among the pirate crews and a few other men as - aguard, To this retreat then Carlos Conrad went in the lugger, to learn if aught bad been heard of the schooner, He was growing very anxious about his com- mander, and this feeling was deepened when he arrived at the islandand found that nothing had been seen of the schooner. The island was a barren one, a very unattrac- tive place in fact for a habitation; buf men who were sea-robbers, and in hiding to escape the allows, could not expect to find an Hden of oveliness to dwell in. The coming of the lugger was welcomed with joy, as an event, by the score of cripples npon + the island; but anxiety fell upon all when it be- came known that Carlos Conrad their lieutenant dreaded evil to their chief and his vessel. ey After weeks had passed away at the island, and the schooner did not appear, Carlos Conrad : decided to run to several ports in the lugger, as an island,trader, and endeavor to find out if aught cquid be heard regarding the fate of Belmont the Buccaneer. He had determined to set sail the following day, and had given orders to get the lugger in readiness when the lookout on the highest point of the rocky island signaled that something was in sight. It was not a vessel, but was soon made out to be a life-boat. It came on under oars alone, and was heading bamed toward the entrance to the island har- or, Of course there was nothing to fear from a — boat’s crew, though a dozen men were visible in jt, and the islanders stood on the bill watching its approach until it reached the harbor. Then upon the end of an oar a flag was hoisted in the boat, It was a black field with a white skull in the center. _ “Tt is a boat from the schooner!” ** The schooner is lost!” ‘“¢ The chief is not there!” _** No officer is in the boat!” _ $* Yes, it is the schooner’s life-boat!” uch were the cries that arose upon all sides, and when at last the boat grounded upon the sandy beach of the little harbor, a.man sprung out whom Carlos Conrad knew to have been - boatswain upon the schooner. Bh, ‘“¢ Manton, what does this mean?’ he cried as he omned the boatswain’s hand and gazed into his haggard face. “Give us food and drink first, senor, and then -we can talk. Z ** Weare almost starved to death,” said the |, Man hoarsely, and Conrad saw that the men were allhaggard-faced and suffering, while most of them were too weak to get out of the boat, Instantly willing bands brought them ashore and food and drink was given them, the half- _ starved wretches eating ravenously. _ * Now, Mafiton, tell me what has happened?” _ said Carlos Conrad, and his own face grew white, while that of the boatswain was flushed _ from what he bad eaten and the wine he had - drank. Ts all over with the schooner, senor,” was the sad reply of Boatswain Manton, and a _ groan from the crowd of buccaneers followe _ his words. Tell me just what has happened, Manton,” ordered Carlos Conrad, quietly. __ ** Well, senor, after you sailed in the lugger, the schooner held on in the Gulf, and we got “ close, in a fog, to a vessel which we soon a out was an armed schooner flying the _ American flag. “She gave chase, and, in spite of our speed, gained and opened fire, ,» “Our guns would not reach her, and she well- _ nigh cut us to pieces before we could hit back, - z ea a Belmont did by putting back to | er. | “But though we boarded it was no use, @ - our men had been slain like wolves in a pen, and a storm coring up, we were obliged to ar - ‘ Ocean Tramps. part the vessels, as our craft was threatening to go down, “a3 ‘‘ But the captain was taken, along with the lady captive, her child and the negress, and a few of our wounded lads who fell upon the cruiser’s decks,” ‘‘ Was Captain Belmont slain?” asked Conrad, while his eyes burned brightly, as though with hatred. **He was wounded, I know, senor, but just how. severely I am not aware; but he was made a prisoner, as I saw.” ‘** And then?” ‘* Some of our lads lost their heads and sprung into the sea, and our wrecked schooner went surging away with the balance of us before the storm tbat struck us. ‘* She was leaking badly, and so [ had the life- boat fitted out with what we needed, and as soon as the storm blew over, we left the wreck,” ‘* And have been drifting about ever since?” ‘Yes, senor, trying to make this island, and I can tell you that we have suffered bitter agony the past few days, for our provisions and water gave out, as you see.” : ‘* And the prisoner?” ‘What prisoner, senor?” ‘‘The Cuban planter, the husband of the sencra.” ‘* My heavens! I never thought of him! ‘* He was in irons in the hold of the schooner, so went to the bottom in the wreck,” ‘‘T am sorry for this, for it will be a bitter blow upon his beautiful wife,” and Carlos Con- rad’s face showed that he did feel for the unfor- tunate Victorine. CHAPTER XXIV. A VOW TO AVENGE, THE crew that came in the life-boat to the island retreat of the buccaneers were indeed in need of rest and care, for they had suffered fearfully. While waiting for them to recuperate, Carlos Conrad was forming his plans of action. A strange tie of friendship had bound him to Belmont the Buccaneer, Less cruel, less wicked than Belmont, he had often urged him to good, and he had loved him almost as a brother. To have him die at the yard-arm, as ho felt that he must, if he was not seriously wounded, was a severe blow to him, and he longed to be able to prevent it. He therefore did all in his power for the rapid recovery of the men who had arrived in the life- boat, for he wished to at once leave the island and discover the fate of his chief. He had the lugger fitted for a cruise, and_ his destination was the various ports of the West Indies, in a desire to learn, if he could, what had befallen Belmont. From the West Indies, if unable tolearn aught regarding him, he would touch at somo Ameri- can port on the Gulf, and then seek to discover what had befallen Belmont the Buccaneer. To do this he would have to turn the Jugger into a trader, and there was enongh of booty on the island for him to make up a good cargo for trading. He had, besides the crew he had brought with him, the men of the life-boat, and half a dozen whom he would take from the force on the island, and thus have, all told, some thirty men, all good seamen and trained under the eye of Belmont the Buccaneer, When the men were sufficiently recovered to start, the lugger sailed away from the island re- treat and made her way from port to port among the West Indies. But no news had come of the fate of the schooner, and so Carlos Conrad boldly headed for Pensacola. There the news had arrived of au American cruiser having sunk in action the famous vessel of Belmont the Buccanéer, the noted chief being taken prisoner. From Pensacola Conrad sailed for New Orleans, and there he heard that Belmont the Buccaneer was certainly a captive to an Ameri- can schooner-of-war, then cruising somewhere in the Gulf. But just what cruiser it was no one seemed to know, and the news had been received from Cuba, where it was said the schooner-of-war had gone in a crippled condition after her action with the pirate. To Havana then the lugger went, and Conrad sought his old haunt, where he had been wont to visit with Belmont when they were in that port. Remembering his having been an actor in the duel there, between Belmont and Senor Rodri- guez, be disguised himself to prevent recogni- tion as he went up into the town. The place he sought was a sailor’s inn, kept by a man who was the Havana agent of Belmont for the shipping of men, when needed, and the sale of piratical booty. His name was Vendome, and he was half French, half Spanish, while he spoke a dozen languages with equal pa Senor Vendome received Conrad with a warm grasp of the hand, and, as he led him away to | very comfortable quarters, he asked eagerly: a tee SSS ————e———EeEeeoEoaoaoEoaoaooooooaoaoaoaoaoaoaoaoaoaaEEeeEEEeE—eeeeeeeeee ‘¢ How did you escape, senor?” ‘¢ You mean from the schooner?” ce Yes.” ‘**T was not on board.” ‘** And the poor captain is hanged!” ‘* Do you mean it, Vendotne?” ‘* Yes, senor, for news comes from the United States that the American cruiser that sunk the chief’s schooner, sailed into port on the Massa- chusetts coast with poor Captain Rglmont swung up to the yard-arm.” ‘* My God! Can this be true?” . ‘It is, Senor Conrad, for [I have talked with the crew of an American clipper ship who know it to be true.” ““ This is awful, Senor Vendome,” ‘Tt is, senor; but tell me of yourself, and I am happy in seeing that you have escaped.” It was some moments before Carlos Conrad could comply, and then, in a low, suppressed voice, which showed his deep emotion at_the loss of his commander and friend, he told Ven- dome of his leaving the schooner in the lugger, and what had followed, with the report of Manton the boatman, ‘‘T have gone from port to port, Senor Ven- dome, trying to learn what had been done with Captain Belmont, and always hoping that, with his usual good luck he had escaped, and this news you make known to me is a fearful blow,” “TY fear that it is true; but I had forgotten that I had a letter for you.” ‘‘ A letter?” asked Conrad in surprise. ‘‘ Yes, it was received but yesterday, and came in the United States mail. ‘‘T will get it,” and so saying Senor Vendome left the room. In a short while he returned, and Carlos Con- rad, who was pacing to and fro, eagerly met him and grasped the letter. Ng Ne tune! but it is in the writing of Captain Belmont. ‘““Yes, here is his seal! after all he is not dead.” Eagerly he broke the letter open and his eyes fell upon the cipher, traced by the pirate chief. His face grew white as he read, and his eyes burned fiercely. ‘‘ Well, senor?” asked Vendome anxiously. ‘‘The letter is written in cipher, Vendome, and is from Captain Belmont.” ‘* Then he yet lives?” ‘No, he is dead, and has been for four weeks, according to the date hereon. “Tt was written on board the American cruiser that captured him, months after his capture, and just before the captain’s death, and in fact while they were rigging the rope to hang him at the yard-arm.” ‘* This is fearful, Senor. Conrad!” ‘Tt is, Vendome, and the captain addressed this letter to me here, knowing that I would some day seek you, and he has left me a leg- acy. ** Ah! senor, his fortune?” a) No.” ‘* Not his treasure?” ‘‘ No, for that went down in theschooner, you know.” ‘* What then?” ‘* He has left me a legacy of hatred, a duty of revenge to do, and, before high Heaven, I vow to avenge him! ‘* Do you hear, Vendome? I vow to avenge Frank Belmont, so note if I do so or not,” and the voice of the young sailor quivered with the emotion that possessed him. CHAPTER XXV. TO THE MEMORY OF A PIRATE. WHEN in the seclusion of his own room Carlos Conrad took out the letter of the dead pirate and read it over and over afain, after Vendome had left him alone, It brought back to bim ringing memories of his own evil life, and before him in all itsa alling horror he bebeld the man he claimed his riend, struggling in dying agonies at the yard- arm, : He had gone wrong in his own career, and he xen no aim in life, and what to do he did not now. He could turn pirate again if so he wished, for ke had already a small crew under his com- mand and the procuring of a suitable craft would be an easy matter. ; But for the present at least he determined not to again hoist the black flag. He read over the letter from Belmont the Buc- caneer, and he read the cipher aloud. It was ‘dated upor the schooner, and, as the reader will recall, was written just prior to the execution of Belmont by Captain Sprague. The letter, as read by Conrad, was as follows: ‘*My Frrenp ConraD:— ‘* As I write these lines the shadow of deathis upon me, for I am to be run up to the yard-arm of ap American craft within five mir utes. “My vessel was overhauled by the cruiser, and he ; proved too strong for me, ‘*T boarded him, but could no nothing, so was sur- rounded and taken, while my men went down with the wrecked schooner, in the hold of which was the prisoner, Rafael Rodriguez, “His wife and chil cruiser, so that ended my dream ‘of making the ' beautiful Victorine my wife some day. " —_w _ were taken on board the - : « *. a 4 — ¥ . ope . ? vy 4 ©} @) ~. bl aa “N “a a wn Pre