Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 482 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

the boat attack?” said the young man, who evi- _he saved my life once, and (ll risk mine now to who was greatly attached to his young lieu- tenant. - sprung with uplifted cutlass toward his lienten- ~ make that young man walk the plank,” was the pooh dae upon his cutlass-hilt, 6 CHAPTER X, UPON A PIRATE’S DECK. A BOAT attack from an American vessel-of- war had just been made upon a small armed brig lying at anchor in a lagoon upon the coast of lorida. The brig was a pirate craft, one that had been a scourge to honest merchant vessels in the Gulf of Mexico, and a large price was offered for the head of her Commander Mora, the West Indian Buccaneer Chief, and a man of most vicious mercilessness. The brig had fled for refuge into the lagoon, and, iantle to follow her the sloop-of-war had sent an attacking force in boats. But the force had been unequal to the contest and, though the crew of one of the boats had reached the pirate’s deck, they had been all beaten back, except four, who were wounded | and made prisoners. One of the prisoners was a mere youth of nineteen, and he had been the first to reach the deck of the pirate, and several of the outlaws | pen fallen under the deadly sweep of his cut- ass. But he had twice been wounded, and, as the other boots were beaten off, the attack was a failure, leaving the youth and three of his brave comrades upon the deck of the outlaw. “Rig a plank and bring irons, for these devils shall quickly walk to their death!” yelled | Mora, the chief; who was a heavily bearded | savage-faced man, ana he was livid with rage at the attack made upon him. The pirate crew sprung nimbly to obey the bidding of their chief, and the youth and his | companions heard their doom without emotion, The plank was soon rigged over the side, and the men placed in irons, with solid shot attached to sink them into the depths of the lagoon. Just as Mora was about to give the order for them to go to their death, a boat came along- side and a tall form sprung upon the deck, ‘* Did you find an outlet from this trap into the sea?’ shouted the chief. ‘‘T did, senor, and the boats can tow through the lagoon into the open water and thus escape the sloop-of-war; but you beat off dently stood in the position of first officer. ‘*Y did, and captured three or four devils, who shall now walk the plank,” was the angry retort. The moon shone brightly into the faces of the | four men, and there was something in one of | them that caught the eye of the pirate lieuten- | ant, for he stepped quickly toward him and took | a closer look. ‘*Have you not seen me before?’ he asked, while Mora and the pirate crew looked on, ‘Ts not your name Frank Belmont?’ asked the young prisoner. ‘It is, and you are Carlos Conrad?” “Tam,” ‘*‘ What are you doing here, lad, as a sailor on | a ‘vessel-of-war? Give me your hand for old times’ sake, for I have never forgotten you, lad, though my letters to you remained unnoticed,” and Frank Belmont, the pirate lieutenant, grasped the hand, ironed though the wrists were, of the boy who had, five years before, saved him from the gallows. ‘* Here, Belmont, we have no time to delay with your sentimental nonsense, so bid the fel- low farewell and let him die,” cried the chief. ** No, Captain Mora, this lad must not die, for save him,” was the bold reply. ** Will be join us if I spare him?’ asked Mora, ‘You hear what the chief says, Conrad?” “ Yes. ” ‘Will you join us?” ** No, and I am surprised and sorry to see you a pira te.” ‘Could not helpit, boy, forit was all that was open to me. I tried to be honest, but went downward instead of upward. “You had better promise.” 6 No. »” ** You will have to die if you do not, while I will save youif you do,” ** Will you spare my comrades also?” ‘* How about that, chief?’ and Frank Belmont ed to the chief. 4 No indeed! They must die, and the boy, “eT say no, chief!” ‘* You dare me?’ and with a bound Mora ant, for if made a madman of him to be met with 0 position. a TEEEEEnEEEEISEIIEIIINEEIIEEEEEEIEEEEREREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEN are you, Chief Mora, if you attempt to undaunted reply, and the hand of the lieutenant ef Mora was enraged beyond control, and _-with a cry such as a hyena might utter, ts epemog enon the young outlaw officer, while the men stood aghast. _ The cutlasses clashed; there were small circles of light, like writhing serpents, and Chief Mora dropped to the deck dead, cut down by Frank Belmont! q Ocean Tramps. ** Ho, lads, to your posts, and get your boats out ahead to tow out af this, or we'll all hang! ‘*Lively, lads, lively! for that sloop-of-war did not send half her force, and others are com- ing! The ringing words of Frank Belmont broke the os which the death of their chief caused to fall upon the crew. Their lieutenant was a favorite with all, and known to be a most skillful commander and daring officer, while the chief was dreaded and hated. By the crew, the change of commanders was not regretted, and yet, but for their own danger and the quick orders of the lieutenant, there were men among them, led by an under Officer, who would bave caused trouble. The four prisoners, still in irons, were sent below into the cabin, the boats were got out ahead, the anchor hauled up, and the brig was swiftly towed further into the lagoon, and thence, by a way discovered by Frank Belmont in the gig, half an hour before, through a net- work of bayous out into the sea. Just as the dawn broke, the brig went flying away over the blue waters of the Cult, leaving the sloop-of-war two leagues down the coast awaiting the return of her boats, which a second en had gone to attack the pirate craft in its air. Thus, after five yedrs, had Frank Belmont and Carlos Conrad again met, the one an officer on a pirate vessel, and the other a seaman on board of an American vessel-of-war, instead of, as he had hoped to be, captain of a fine clipper ship of bis father’s merchant fleet, CHAPTER XI. FOR GOOD OR EVIL. DURING the run through the lagoons the body of the pirate chief had been dropped overboard, along with the other dead, killed in the attack by the boats, and the wounded sent below. When the brig was at sea, and day had dawned, Frank Belmont went into the cabin and took the irons off the four prisoners, To three of them he said: ‘*Go forward among the men and do your duty, if you wish to save your lives. ere you refuse you walk the plank. ** Which shall it be!” The men were only too anxious to escape their dread fate, and went quickly forward and re- ported for duty, while the pirate crew eyed them with a look that plainly showed that they re they were only playing pirate to avoid eath. ‘* Well, mate, it has been a trifle over five years since last we met!” said Frank Belmont, grasping the hand of the young sailor. ** Yes, and changes seem to have come upon us both,” replied Carlos Conrad. ** Yes, and though I fought against an evil life, you see I was not strong enough. ‘* Through you I escaped the gallows, your boat served me a good turn, 1 assure you, and I sold itin Norfolk for a fair price and then shipped on a coaster. ‘* We were captured by Mora the pirate, and I shipped with him to save my neck, for he had a bad habit of making prisoners walk the plank, as you know. ‘* T intended to escape when I could do so but put if off until one day be made me bo’sen, and then a mate’s berth followed and next I got to be second in command, ** So it went on until to-night, when you find me incommand of a pirate brig and crew of cut-throats!” ** But will the crew submit?” ** They must; but tell me of yourself.” “It 1s soon told, for I owned up, when I found that a sailor was suspected of setting you free, and my father gave me a beating and drove me from my home!” **T am sorry for this!” ‘* It was the fault of circumstances!” ** And then?” ‘* [ shipped as cabin boy on a vessel leaving Philadelphia, to which port I walked, and a year after went on board of an American vessel- of-war which came into Havana where I then was. ‘*T began as powder-monkey and rose to be gunner, and to-night my career was cut short by my capture, as you know.” ** Well, what do you-wish to do now” ** 1 suppose there is little choice left me.” ‘** Well, you can act as my first luff for the present.” ‘* And you intend to continue your piracies?” ** What else is there to be done?” ** A life of honor might still be before you, though it is a little late in the day to begin.” “Do you mean for me to give up the sea?” **Oh, no.” ** What then?” ‘** When our vessel was in the Vera Cruz I found out that the Mexican Government was trying to fit out a small navy, and I determined, when my time of shipment ended, to go back and secure an officer’s berth, for one was offered to — by an official whose life I saved one night. ¢ ae ** He told me that the Government would pay a good price for an armed vessel, and give com- missions to Americans who were able to com- mand, so why can you not run your brig to Vera Cruz and turn her into a Mexican cruiser.” “They'd hang me.” ““They need not <now that you have been a pirate, ‘“‘ As it is, you lead a lawless life, and your neck is in a noose,. while in the,Mexican service you can at least be regarded with honor, and hold high rank.” ‘*You plan well, my friend, and I will he in- fluenced for good by you, for I believe my crew will be glad to change their colors, ‘* If I decide, will you be my first luff?” ‘* Yes, for my time of service in the navy ran out a month ago, and I was only waiting to reach port to go to Mexico.” ** And your comrades?” ** Will go with me.” ‘* Well, I will run down to the vicinity of Vera Cruz, send you to the town, and trust you to make all arrangements, and, if satisfactory, ‘will once more try to start right with the world. ‘* Now [ll have a talk with my crew, and we will go armed to the teeth, for we know not just what will happen.” Frank Belmont and his new lieutenant then went on deck, and in a few words the former told the crew that there was a chance for them to take their necks out of the noose their crimes had put about them. ‘“'The treasures of Chief Mora, I will divide among you, lads, and then we’ll sail under honest colors. ‘* Does any man wish to do otherwise?” There was not a dissenting voice, and the fleet brig was put away for Vera Cruz, and arriving off the coast Carlos Conrad was landed and made his way to the town. Two days after he returned, and the result of his visit was that the pirate :raft was meta- morphosed into the Mexican brig-of-war Sea Eagle, with Captain Frank Belmont in com- mand and Carlos Conrad as first lieutenant. But, after a short-lived life of honesty the evil nature of Frank Belmont again broke out, and he could not keep his hands off a richly freighted Spanish craft, and so made her his orize. , Dragged into the whirlpool erties with his captain, Carlos Conrad was forced to see the Mexican flag give place to the sable ensign with its white skull and motto, and thus it was that a swift schooner, which had taken the place of the brig, was turned into a pirate craft and the name of Belmont the Buccaneer began to be a’ terror upon the seas, It was while upon a piratical cruise that Frank Belmont had picked up the boat contain- he the Cuban planter Rudolph, and his beauti- ful daughter, and what followed, up to the duel on the sea-coast has .been already told, so now the thread of my story can be taken up again and followed to the end. CHAPTER XII. THE MYSTERY SOLVED. THE surgeon who accompanied Rafael Rodriguez to the dueling field, that morning on the Cuban coast, was mistaken, for the wound given him by Frank Belmont was not fatal. It is true that it was well-nigh so; but the keen point of the sword had missed touching the vital spark of life by a mere scratch, and so near to dying did the wounded man go that the i ea stated that he was dead. na West Indian port, some weeks after the duel, Frank Belmont had read of the death of | the man who stood between himself and Victorine, and he smiled with grim satisfaction as he said: ‘‘She will not know Belden Montrose, the supposed American lieutenant as Belmont the Buccaneer, so will not look upon me as the slayer of her husband, and so will not abhor ” But in the meantime the man he supposed was dead was hanging between life and death. Viectorine had been sent for, and she hastened to Havana with all speed to reach the side of ber wounded husband. She had expected to find him dead, from the report sent her by the surgeon, so was surpr to find him alive and that there was an atom of hope. Day and night she lingered hy the side of her husband, until at last life’s pendulum swung strong and steady once more, 5 es had come from out the very jaws of eath. The first opportunity she had she bad decided to take her busband back to his home, knowing that the change would do bim good, By easy stages the drive was made, and at last Rafael Rodriguez layin his bed, looking out upon the sea, and with the balmy, flower- scented breezes fanning his brow, and every hope that after his months of suffering a few more weeks would find him a well man. During her stay in Havana Victorine had heard of the duel, aud what had led to it, She knew also that all felt that the sup q “2%. . of cheating at cards to bring about a duel with ny Yeu * American lieutenant had accused her hus him, baving some sinister motive to kill him. Major Mendez had made inquiries, of other Bis (E com — Pn, f \ aw, 9 one ™ ee re Nea ta - ale ek —_ = ‘a wz, ~~ < ; one ee ‘ - ee im,