Beadle's Half Dime Library (873) (1894 04 17)
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| . el ry : / secu . i | | : A\\ HOW , a Cie tit ame I et i cr i Entered a as § Second Class Matter at the New York, N. XY, Post Office. € Copyrighted 1894, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, April 17, 1894. “y $2.50 PUBLISHED WE EKLY “BY BE ADL E AND ADAMS. Price, Yo. 87 3. a Year. No. | 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 cents. Vol. XXXIV, ROY SPRUNG FORWARD, ONE HAND UPON HER THROAT THE OTHER UPON HER HAND THAT WOULD HAVE CLUTCHED THE PISTOL,
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manding tones. Th “‘Deck-Hawk Ray's Big Soonp: THE SEA-ROVER’S PROTEGE. BY COL, PRENTISS INGRAHAM. CHAPTER I, THE SEA ROVER’S PRIZE, Upon the blue expanse of waters, some fifteen degrees north of the equator, and im the latitude of the Antilles, my story opens, Over the quiet waters a trim-looking vessel is slowly gliding, close-hauled on the starboard tack, and urged along by the balmy south winds, As the sun neared the western horizon the fit- ful wind gradually died away, leaving the hand- some craft becalmed upon the sea. Upon the deck of the vessel all was trim, and for a merchant craft, as she doubtless was, she carried a heavy armament and full crew, for the time of which I write was when the thun- ders of war shook the world, and the waters everywhere were the highway for the cruiser, the privateer, and the pirate. Upon the quarter-deck stood a lovely woman, of perhaps twenty-seven, dressed in exquisite taste, and with her sad eyes dreamily looking out over the blue waters. ' By her side stood a handsome boy of six years, with a face strangely bold, intelligent and ex- ‘pressive for one so young, A glance into the faces of the two, and it was | evident that they were mother and son, though | the one bad dark-blue eyes and golden hair—the other was a brunette. Near by, pacing to and fro with monotonous tread, was a stout, fearless-faced man of forty— evidently the commandér of the vessel, for he ijety, that attracted the attention of the lady, “You seem worried, captain?” she said, “‘T fear my face indicated, my thoughts, my lady, To be truthful, 1 do — this latitude to be becalmed in; there are too many cruisers hereabouts, that can’t show a commission,” 6 lady’s face changed slightly; but she re- 100; f ‘‘ After what I have seen of the speed of your vessel, captain I do not have much dread.” “* The Gull can fly when the eagles are about, I admit, my lady; yet I wish we were well out of this latitude, See! there is not breeze enough to ripple the curls upon your brow,” Kat The lady cast her eyes around the waters, and everywhere beheld a dead calm, es In the westward the sun was going down in gorgeous splendor, leaving a rosy hue upon the waters, and tinging every cloud with golden beauty. Then, as the Jast rim of the flery hie sunk from sight, a disk of silver appeared far away off above the eastern horizon, ‘* Tow wondrously beautiful!” exclaimed the lady in a rapture of deligbt. ‘“ Yes, my lady—the ripples are coming—the moon is our friend,” returned the blunt old sailor, pointing far off in the moon’s wake, to where snowy caps were visible, proving that the long-wished-for breeze was burrying over the waters, as though conscious of being tardy. dar ped in a spell, from the exquisite beauty around her, the lady heard not the remark of: the captain--she seemed dreaming of the past, recalied by the scene and the holy influence of the hour, res ‘* Sail, bho!” Startlingly clear the voice a | out from aloft, and both the captain and the lady were at once on the qui vive, ‘The dream of the one was broken by the rude voice breaking tke stillness—the heart of the other throbbed with dread of coming evil. ‘*Whereaway?” called the captain in com- ‘Almost in the moon’s wake, sir, It is a large schvoner, coming down toward us, wing and wing,” replied the lookout from aloft. ‘I see her, and a saucy-looking devil she is, an ih feel the wind! All hands to make Sal 2 ator The cateat spoke with an earnestness that _ sent every man to his post of duty with a will, _ A few minutes more and the Gull fell off to the fresh breeze, and the voice of the commander hailed from the deck: ‘* Let fall! sheet home!” toi iby Ina moment the canvas fell from the yards, the men on deck manned the braces and sheets, and the Gull heeled gracefully over, then dart- en bis vessel was fairly under way, Cap- mg forward like a sea-bird. watched the waters with an expression of tain Leroy turned again to look after the strange sail. It had flung its mainsail to port, and was steering almost the same course as the Gull, and baving the wind of her, was en- deavoring to creep up on her. ‘** That fellow is either a cruiser, or a pirate— [fear the latter—and his rakish-looking craft sails like a witch. Mr. Koderi¢k, Vl dress the Gullin her best,” and Captain Leroy turned to his mate, Mr. Roderick made no reply, but silently pointed towari the west, where a great bank of inky clouds were rolling swiftly up into the blue of heaven’s dome, ‘* By Jove! yonder is a friend to us! We will dodge him in the storm. If everI get safely into Liverpool, [ll get my lady to use her in- fluence to procure me a commission and a cruiser, for lam tired of running from every little sea-dog that crosses my course,” and the captain spoke with the same determination he had on making the same threat hundreds of times before. Nearer and nearer crept the strange sail, and darker and darker grew the skies in the west- ward, while the wind steadily increased and sent the Gull flying through the waters, now rapidly rising into rude waves, Still the lady and her son remained on deck. The moonlight was not yet eclipsed by t storm-clouds, and the scene was now one of al- most sublime grandeur. : In spite of the speed of the Gull, the little sail to windward still held on, her raking spars crowded with canvas, A few moments more and the inky vail of the storm was drawn across the face of the moon, and darkness fell upon the sea; but, refusing to retire to the cabin, the lady and her son still re- mained on deck, crouchirg down in the shelter of the companionway. Then followed a strange scene. The storm from the westward met in midair, and upon the sea, the swift wind from the eastward, and the howling combat began with giant force, lashing the oceam into fury. » Stripped of all canvas, except sufficient to hold her steady, the gallant Gull bounded on- ward, while with each moment, the waves rose higher and higher, and the vivid, forked light- ning played wjth ghastly effect upon the tem- pest-lashed seas. Like a huge pall the heavy black clouds hung over the deep, ever and anon met ‘by the spec- tral arrows of electricity and the roli and, rat- tle of thunder resounded like the crash of a thousand guns in battle, while the shrill scream of the unpent tropic hurricane swept -over the watery waste like the shrieks of a hundred mad- dened fiends, ; It was a spectacle, sublime, awful, almost ap- palling. ‘Tl thank God for this storm—fierce as it is, for it will throw that fellow off our track, per- haps send him to the bottom!” cried Captain Leroy in the ear of his mate. ‘*-You think him a pirate, then?” “*T do, Roderick, He hadevery indication of being one. His decks were crowded with men, and he carried a heavy armament. By Heaven! I never saw a worse blow,” and the anxious captain now bent every energy to the safety of his vessel, which strained and plunged and bounded madly, as though frightened by the tempest. But fiercer and fiercer blew the wind, harder and harder the waves struck the devoted ship, until one huge breaker tumbled aboard with ir- resistible force, sweeping with it in its retreat back into the sea, a dozen dark forms, torn from their shelter and their hold. Loud cries for aid, wild shrieks of despair rose amid the tumult and roar of burricane and wave, as the F gs fellows were hurled into eter- nity—doomed to perish in that wild waste of waters, beyond all human aid. ; ‘*My lady, you and your boy must go below. The sea has just torn off a dozen of my crew, and dealt the ship a terrible blow,” and the hoarse voice of Captain Leroy resounded in the ears of the frightened woman, who, with ker child held close to her heart, crouched down in the comp onway. ‘‘T cannot! I will not! Oh, let me stay, Cap- tain Leroy!” The seaman turned away, and one glance over his vessel told him that there was but one thing to do. The Guli was straining hard, and her canvas was being lashed into ribbons. 3 “ Roderick, we will lay to. All hands ahoy! and the hoarse trumpet resounded through the gale, men, undeterred by the fate of their comrades, e Sea Kover’s Protege, It was a desperate charce, but the bold sea- —_—— -—-—-—-"[T[F[FSj>FYVNVOCICTCTCTCTCTTT:TCV-C---._HHH’—_ wrroOo———"7o sprung.to their duty, and im « few moment more the gallant vessel lay with ber head tc the hurricane, rocking, pitching, drenched with the up-creeping seas that broke over her decks, yet ~ comparatively safe, even in that maelstrom of waters. Thus the hours passed, until the tropic hurri- cane had spent itself, and, unlashed by the PES of the winds, the waves gradually sub- sided, Then the clouds almcst suddenly swept away, and from above shone down the moon, silvering every wave-cap, and causing the spray to glitter like myriads of diamonds hurled broadcast into the' sea, ‘* Well, my lady, the storm has blown itself to death, and you have proven yourself a splendid sailor, See, the waves are running down rapid- ly,”and Captain Leroy pointed out over the waters. ‘“ Ah! what a night of horror it has been. [ shall never forget the despairing cries of those poormen. But, the strange sail: do you think the—the—schooner could have lived out the storm?” : ‘¢ There is no telling, my lady. These devilish craft—begging your pardon, my lady—have as many lives as a cat. They strip themselves, and under bare poles. the trim little cutters ride likea duck upon the— By the Lord Harry! look yonder!” In surprise at this exclamation of their com- mander, all turned their eyes in the direction of his outstretched arm. ‘4 There lay the pursuing schooner not a mile distant ! : ‘* All bands to make sail!” The loud order of the captain brought every seaman to his feet, and the next instant they were running up the rigging like squirrels, ** Roderick, we must give that fellow a wide * berth—he means mischief. {am certain. Thank God we have the wind of him now,” and the captain issued his orders in a ringing, earnest manner, which proved that he felt that a new ‘| danger menaced the ship—one even worse than the hurricane, A few moments more and the Gull was lying well over under the pressure Of canvas she was forced to stand, and every eye was turned upon the strange sail. ~ ROS With the first show of sail on the Guill the white wings, double-reefed, of thé schooner were spread, and rapidly in’ chase came the daring little craft. There was no doubt now; it was the intention of the stranger to overhaul the Gull! Through the bours of the night the swift chase continued, the Gu)l straining hard under immense sail-clouds, and the schooner holding ee hrough the night the mother and her boy remained on deck; as long as the moon- light glimmered on those white sails astern ba would not go into the cabin, ; e boy knew not bis danger, but the fair mother realized it with an almost breaking: heart. Should the one in chase prove a buc- caneer, what a fate would be hers! At length the mounlight faded away, and with the first peep of the sun above the ocean’s eastern rim a change cameover the pursuing schooner, Ali’ the reefs were’shaken from tke sails; a burst of flame shot from the sag bows; a deep boom followed, while an iron death messenger flew above the deck of the Gull, with a sharp, hissing, sound, toplungeintheseaahead, At the same moment a dark rojl ascended to the mainpeak, was shaken out, and the sunlight fell upon the flag of the corsair—a black flag, having in its center the usual” insignia—the white skull and cross-bones, of the sea Outlaw, while above, on the black ground, were two red iat be eee ae 7 ith a pale, stern, face, Captain Leroy or- dered the English ensign flung to the breeze, and ‘then gave his beautiful vesse! still more sail—every stitch, indeed, which the masts would bear. Like a frightened antelope on the plains, the Gull now skimmed over the blue-green waters, but behind her came a relentless, UNtiring pur- suer, steadily gaining, in 8p! of the great speed at which the English craft was flying. ** Roderick, I have but @ 8COre of men now. while his decks are crowded. him?” ’ 4 “Captain, I see no enanceof success, Resist: | ance will only jnfuriate, and if not fired upon | he may be satisfied with robbing the ship, and let us 20,” replied the cautiousmate, = If the captain did not agree With his first of- ficer, he quickly changed his mind as } Co ie ft pabee ‘ ‘ Me , ae all we fight ther ] her own, and like a hound on the track, coming gy~~.. aria f along in pursuit. \ a a i nance, BC | Toa Tae =I
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Paine Fa) aan pia Jit la file Se i — The Sea Rover’s Protege. shot flew close above his deck, and im saddened tones gave the order to lay to, On came the schooner, bounding over the yet rough waters, and dashing the spray from her sharp bows, half-way up her tall, slender masts, A few minutes later the Sea Scourge swept up into the wind, just under the stern of the Gull, | and at the same time a boat, crowded with men, lett her sides, A hard, rough row, and the boat was under the lee of the ship. ‘Throw us a line!” rung. out in commanding tones, and sullenly Captain Leroy obeyed, and soon a man in full uniform sprung upon the deck, and politely saluted the Gull’s comman- der. He was a person of splendid physique, an possessed a dark, Spanish-looking face, strange- ty handsome, yet stern almost to cruelty. His black hair was long and wavy, and his heavy mustache but half-concealed his mouth. His uniform was dark-blue, trimmed pro/use- ly with silver lace; his trowsers were stuck in half-top-boots, while a slouch hat, shaded by a drooping plume, sheltered his head. At his side hung a jeweled cimeter, and in his silk sash were stuck two pistols and a kuife, From the moment his fuot touched the deck, the eyes of the lady passenger were riveted upon him, with a wild stare that amounted almost to a@ look of horror; but. not observing her, he said to capeain Leroy, in quick, determined tones: ‘*You are boarded, sir, by an ocean tax- atherer. Well for you that or your moderation we wil you, for I dislike bloodshed, ‘* You are doubtless richly freighted, for you are from the West Indies, bound to England. I judge.” Then a slender form glided between the buc- caneer and the English commander, and the beautiful, pale face of the woman turned full upon the Sea Rover Chief. As though he had seen a ghost the buccaneer started back, his lips half-parted, his eyes glar- ing. F Good God! Alma! Alma, you and I meet ‘thus?’ he said, as though with an effort. “Yes, Rudolph, but alas, alas! that I should ‘ou did not resist. deal fairly with ~ s——yrmigioea pirate !” -_ < a The woies were low and inexpressibly sad, ‘and the man. bowed his head as thong in very shame, His chest heaved, as thoug down by a mighty weight, and his features worked like one in an agony of remorse and in. PaThen he slowly raised his eyes; a softer light shone in them, and his features were losing their hardness; but he started suddenly—his eyes fell upon the boy, the dark-eyed, handsome boy, ‘* Ha! that is his child!” he almost shouted, and quickly casting his eyes aloft, he continued: ‘* And this is Ais vessel, for yonder flics the flag of his house, Back to your boat, men, for I would take no booty from this ship were I dying starvation. ck, I say! Here is my ze With a bound he was alongside the boy, and the next instant he held him securely in his left arm, while his gleaming cimeter was raised in his right. : ~~" One loud shriek, and the mother sprung to- ward her boy, tos er and fall into the out- stretched arms of Captain Leroy, She was stricken with terror, benumbed with fear, and dread, and agony, yet conscious, ‘‘ Back, I say! do you not heed?” and the bue- _eaneer faced his men, his eye’ glaring, Lis whole frame trembling. | ; But, they stood in sullen silence, . - “Do you hear?” ) “Ay, ay, sir; but where is our part ot the _ prize? We've received more hard knocks of late than booty.” ‘The speaker was a tall, reckless-faced seaman, whose malevolent eyes met his commander’s un- fiinchingly. Atel An Petaut the buecaneer chief gazed upon him: then he said in strangely soft tones: ** Will you retuin to the schooner, Halford?” ‘¢ Not without a rich booty. ‘They were the last words the man ever spoke, forthe gleaming cimeter cut him to the deck, and the buceaneer chief confronted the rest of his mutinots crew like an enraged lion. But, they were cowed, an¢ dashed over the side into their boat, in holy horror of the glit- tering blade. ‘+ Here! two of you hurl that mutinecr dog in- os -tothesea! Leave no such hideous sights for a are v fair lady’s eyes to gaze upon,” called the Sea over, and two of his men obeyed. One glance then upon the mother, who, upon Sn ee a ee ee ee ee ES eee her knees, and with outstretched arms, the | fingers working convulsively, pleaded in dumb, | silent agony for her boy, and the freebooter chief turned away, still holding close to his broad breast the frightened child, ‘*Mamma, my mamma, take me!” cried the little prisoner, und a shriek of anguish broke from the mother’s lips, ** Alma, this is my revenge—the Sea Rover's prize! Farewei:!” and with a bound the chief went over the bulwarks into his waiting boat: then came the peremptory order to ‘‘ give way,” and the men pulled rapidly back to the corsair schooner, A moment after the buccaneer was upon his own deck ; his ringing voice issued his orders to the surprised and startled crew, and the beauti- ful vessel filled away, and plowed once more through the tropic seas. But to the ears of the chief came on the swift ene, the despairing cry of tne desolate mo- ther; ‘My child! oh! my poor, poor boy—gone forever! gone from your heart-broken mother! My boy, oh! my poor, poor boy!” CHAPTER II, THE ORUISER AND THE CORSAIR, “STARBOARD! hard a-starbcard! for the love of God! starvoard your hela!” The stern order broke from thelipsof a young officer, standing on the extreme bow of a trim- looking brigantine, and peering searchingly be- fore him into the gloom of night, and a dense fog that rested upon the face of the deep. A four-knot breeze was blowing at the time, and from tue effects of a recent storm the sea was running high, while a drizzling rein; made the scene gloomy indeed, Obedient to the almost frenzied order the quartermaster at the helm put his wheel harda- starboard with the promptness of a thoroughly trained seaman, while, aroused by the startling voice of the young officer, a score of men rushed upon deck, and the watch sprung to busy life—ready to meet any danger that might confront them, ‘ As the sharp bows of the graceful brigantine swung off, obedient to her helm, there loomed up in the misty gloom dead ahead in her former course, and not half a ship’s-length away, the graceful outline of a large schooner, lying si- lently dark upon the waters, No light and no human being was visible on beard of her, and in the fog and darkness she looked like a specter craft, for her tall, raking masts were bare of canvas. _ Slowly the brigantine glided by, and gazing intently upon the strange craft was an officer who had just come on deck, A moment he looked at the seemingly desert- oe nee? and then from his lips proke the ‘* Schooner ahoy! what schooner is that?” But the-hail was unanswered, and the brigan- tine glided on until the stranger was lost in the gloom astern. . Then, suddenly, the officer who had hailed crigd , commandingly : ‘Stand ready all to man ship. To your guns, men! to your guns/ Boarders ahoy! ahoy! Quartermaster, lay the brigantine alongside yonder craft.” Instantly the vessel was a scene of excite- ment. Half-dressed seamen rushed from below and ranged themselves hastily at their guns. Others jumped nimbly to é¢ase off the sheets and braces, while every officer sprung to his post. The magazines were thrown open, and, in al- most an instant’s time, the brigantine was ready foraction. — 7 ‘* Boarders aboy!” called out the officer, whose sudden order had so metamorphosed the scene on the brigantine’s deck, and coming from the cabin, armed with cutlass and pistols, he placed himself at the head of two-score seamen thor- oughly armed for the fray, and gathered in a group in the bows of the vessel, _ In the mean time the brigantine had put about, and, with the wind upon the other quar- ter, was gliding back toward the spot where the schooner had been last seen astern, and for which every eye was anxiously searching, _ Nearer and nearer drew the brigantine, creep- ing say her prey, anda silence like death rested upon her crew. ‘ Nearer and nearer appeared ahead, no sh loomed up in the mist! ‘* Strange. very strange! We certainly could not have zone ten lengths of the vessel before we put back. Mr. Ellis, ask the quartermaster if he has steered so as to cross our former course where wo saw the schooner?’ and the captain yet no vessel’s outline adowy-looking, schooner . turned to the young officer, whose keen eyes and ready order had prevented the brigantine from dashing into the silent, lightless craft, Quickly the officer ran aft, and ina moment returned with the answer: ‘‘He has held directly for the spot, sir. He markedtheschooner’s position well,andis certain she has moved.” ‘‘Moved? Why, the craft was without a stitch of canvas set, and #ll were asleep on board, It cannot be that she has stirred,” ‘*Tf it is the vessel you think, Captain De- lorme, you know he has served us some shrewd tricks before.” ‘True, Ellis; but it is hardly possible for him to have eluded us thus quickly—-yes, it was the schooner of Royal, the buccancer, I am con- fident, though the fog was so thick I could see but the outline.” ** And so with myself, sir; she locmed up sud- denly, and, in giving the order to starbcard the heim, I did not particularly notice the craft.” ‘Tt was Royal, { would take oath. Too bad, too bad, if he has: escaped us again!” and the commander of the briguntine stamped his foot with impatient anger. ' All through the remaining hours of the night the brigantine cruised slowly off and on, every eye on board diligently searching) over the waters, far and near, f{. r the missing vessel, At length gray daylight stole over tbe sea, and, breaking through the fog,a ray of sun- light soon after fell upon the brigantine, dis- playing her exquisite proportions, tier long, low hull, sharp and narrow, and painted black; her tall, tapering, raking masts, and her white deck heavily armed with six carronades to a broad- side, and a huge pivot-gun upon her fore- castle. Still at her guns stood their crews, and crouch- ing down forward were the boarders, headed by their commander, a man of striking appearance, noble face, and courtly manners, One glance into his strong face was sufficient to show that he had suffered much, for 1t wore a haggard, almost tired look when in repose, while, ever and anon, the dark eyes lost their flashing fire and would droop with an expression of todchin sadness, He was dressed in the uniform of the British Navy, and with the first peep of day the English ensign fluttered up to the main-peak, The crew, of a hundred men, seemed as though picked for some special service of desperate danger, and the halJf-score of officers who stood at their posts were all young, fine looking, dar- ing fellows—a number of years the junior of their commander, whose dark hair and beard were threaded with silver, for he had passed the meridian of life. . i } As the sunlight grew stronger, the mists sud- denly raised from off the sea, and a cry of sur- pees joy burst from every man on board the motionless upon the waters, was the schooner for which they had searched the night through. ‘‘Quartermaster—yonder is my game! Lay her aboard!” and the commander of the brigan- tine pointed with his drawn sword to the schooner, lying quietly to windward, under bare poles, and apparently crewless, for no one was visible upon her decks, te But, as the brigantine changed ber course, a sudden change came over the schooner. Like huge white wings her sails were spread to the breeze, and, as she fell off and filled away, there arose to her peak a dark roll of bunting. Quickly the wind caught its folds and un- rolled the black flag of the sea outlaw with its strange device—the skull and cross-bones, and over, the red swords crossed. f ‘‘Hal it is Royal, the Buccaneer! See his red, white and black banner! Now, my beauti- ful Enchantress, run down yonder scourge of the seas, and on my knees will I thank you,” — The face of the brigantine’s commander was now flushed; the haggard, tired look vanished; the sad light had gone from his eyes, and he looked much younger; but, in another moment, the expression of joy swept away, and in its lace came a hard, stern, almost vengeful look, tsurely was more than a hatred for the free rovers of the sea that moved him thus, | _ Asthe beautiful schooner bounded away in flight, her sharp bows were seen to suddenly fall brigantine, and then from her dark hull burst forth flash after flash of smoke, until four deep reports broke upon the still morning air, and the hurtling iron was aie shrieking with fury upon the devoted brig- antine.. “dps Then followed a crashing of timbers, of anguish, loud and quick orders from off $iAa- t or. i ea “Dh ieaaentd ; na Teh xt hoe ee iy ‘nak tye ee fo Pay et) Oe fi ie Ae rigantine, for there, not half a league away, off rapidly, until ber broad side lay toward the red flame and white |
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while,” said the captain in a disappointed tone; _ the wind was each moment blowing fresher, then we'll have bim,” declared Orland Ellis, and a heavy fall, as the foretopmast came uubling to the deck, but the well-trained crew never flinched in the midst of the wreck, confusion and death, and the brizuntine never swerved a half-point from her course, Into the r'gging crowded nimble forms to re- pair the damage; the decks were quickly cleared of the dead and wounded, and away rushed the fleet craft after her swift enemy, who, under clouds of canvas, was agair press- ing on in flight, for a tireless pursuer was on her track. CHAPTER III. RUN TO DOOM, WuHeEN the brigantine had recovered from the effect of the broudside of the schooner, Captain Delorme stood silently watching the flight and pursuit. Under all the canvas she would bear the En- chantress howled swiftly along; but the wind was increasing to half a gale, and the sea was getting very rough, which caused the stanch craft to stagger under the load of her white wings. “By the Lord Harry! see bow that fellow carries sail! He wili run under and thus save his neck!”? remarked Orland Ellis to his com- mander. ‘‘- Yes, and we are not gaining an inch upon him ; we are barely holding our own, Sbe must have morescanvas, Mr. Ellis!” and Captain Delornie glanced aloft. : ** She staggers now, sir, like a middy in a waltz, and—’ ** True—she has every stitch set now that will draw. I will try the bow-chaser,” Walking forward Captain Delorme ordered the forecastle gun cleared for action, and sight- se, om himself applied the match. he white smoke biew back into his eyes, but, the moment after, a disappointed lovk crept Saige face—the ball had not gone trueto the mark. Again and again the piece was loaded and fired; but with the same result, for the sea was running too high for accurate aim, and the brigantine staggered badly in the rough waters, ‘*[ amonly retarding her: I will wait a ang he again walked aft. Land ho!” came from the lookout in th cross-trees. ‘* Whereaway?” hailed the commander from the deck. ‘‘Right over the starboard fore-chains,” reé- plied the lookout, ‘¢ The schooner isslightly changing his aries 4 sir,’ announced a young midshipman, who h: been watching her through a glass. ~ “You are right. He doubtless has a haunt on some of the Bahamas. Yes, ho is heading directly for tbe land. ‘Now, Ellis, we will run him to his haunt, with some chance of following him in, when we have chased him to his den before he has been befriended by night.” ‘| fear we are going to have a blow, captain, St may keep us from venturing too near in- shore. ‘¢T will go where be does, He shall not es- cape me nuw, Ha! the Enchantress feels her canvas, and we must not drive her too hard, Shorten sail @ little, Ellis,’ aud the captain glanced anxiously aloft, for the pressure of can- vas was dragging the brigantine far over, and ~ But, without a change in her sail, the schooner stili held on, and her keen bows could be seen to literally cut through every wave, while her masts bent like whip-handles. ** He'll blow his sticks out, at that rate, and after a long look through the glass, ’ ‘*Nosuch good luck, I fear. Yes, yonder is the land, and he heads directly for it.” : And thus the desperate chase continued, until the stiff wind increased to a gale, and brigan- tine and schooner were both foyced to shorten sail or run under. 2 Ahead of the schooner, and nota league dis- tant loomed up a bold and rugged range of hills and directly toward them the pursued craft bil Ske $ Sal kis A balf league astern the brigantine followed in the wake of the buccaneer, every eye on hoard turned first upon the rocky shore and then upon the craft ahead. ‘ ‘That fellow is running for his haunt. Crowd on canvas again, Mr. Ellis! I will fol- low him in, for he has some safe harborage in- shore, I'll wager my life.” Orland Ellis glanced into his commander’s : . ee SE ee ee 8 eS Oe face and then aloft and sbook his bead; but the order was repeated in a stern, abrupt tone, and the young officer did not hesitate longer, ore sail was crowded on tue brigantine, which stag- gered fearfully in the rough waters, and lay over until her lee scuppers were far under, ‘* Royal is taking the hint, sir, and is crowding on, too,” cried a midshipman, as the reefs were shaken out of the pirate schooner’s fore and mainsail. ‘¢ Yes, he has a secret passage that he fears we may follow him turough, if we are close on him, Mr. Ellis, tne brigantine shall stand more! Shake the reef out of the mizzen-sail, and set her fore-course,” With an ominous deprecating motion of the head the lieutenant obeyed, and torrents of spray drenched the deck fore and aft. Still the disciplined crew stood at their guns, their faces calm, their lips silent and stern, No word escaped them, though they felt thas their commander was driving the faithful brigantine too hard for safety. To be dismasted there was to be wrecked ona lee-shore—even if the clouds of white duck did not run the vessel bodily under the sea. But the stanch craft bore her burden wel), and though ste careened over until her wind- ward guns pointed at the sky, she staggered along, as if she too held hatred fcr the daring corsair, ‘¢Ha! he sets more sail. too. Aha, my fine fellow, we have you now!” cried Captain De- lorme witb grim joy. Sti:l on flew pursuer and pursued, until but half a mile divided the sharp bows of the schooner from the rocky shore, and a deep, ominous roar, like deafening peals of thunder came to the earsof all and blanched the faces of the brigantine’s crew. It was the boiling, beating, surging breakers, hurled against the rock-rimmed coast, and they were dashing with mad speed upon it. Suddenly a cry burst from officers and crew, The schooner had sLimmed by a huge rock far out from the land—the point of a ragged reef upon which the sea hurled itself witb fury! ‘“* He is going to run ashore, I verily believe for I can see no passageway inland,” Orlan Ellis decls red. ‘*He prefers drowning to hanging,” added another officer, as he glanced into the face of his commanier, from whose lips escaped a sudden exclame ion: Gres God! he is going to jibe in this gale.” As Captain Delorme spoke, the sharp bows swépt around like lightning; the huge sails went over to port with a report like a discharge of artilery, and the schooner heeled over until her keel was visible, A moment she seemed to hang thus; then, with a loud crash heard distinctly on board the brigantine, the mainmast was wrenched off near the deck, and the foremast went with it. With a terrible lurch the schooner soon right- ed, while along her decks rushed her crew, cut- ting away the wreck of timbers, sails and rig- ging. hans of horror broke from the brigantine’s men, but the resonant voice of their commander brought them at once to attention. ‘* At the guns, there! Stand ready to pour a broadside on yonder wreck! Quartermaster, cit her broadside to bear on yonder pi- rate All shuddered at the order. To fire upon even a pirate in distress was pitiless cruelty, but none hesitated when they beheld the face of Duncan Delorme, which now was livid with a terrible passion; the veins stood out like whip- cords, the teeth were set with iron force, and the eyes blazed with’ unnatural fire. _ Relieved of sufficient canvas to bring her lee guns up out of the wash of the sea, the helms- man brought the bows round, and the whole side of the brigantine seemed on fire, as the flames burst from the iron muzzles, and the cruel shots were poured upon the wrecked schooner, which rapidly drifted shoreward, “Stand off and on, helmsman, and let her have the full broadside again!” came from the stern lips, and the constant roar of artillery mingled with the thunderous booming of the breakers. Nearer and nearer the rocky coast swept the wreck, now lifted on a inighty wave, and now down between the huge shore billows, and all the time the iron hail of the brigantine tearing through her shattered hull, and strewing her decks with dead and dving. . * Ha! she has struck! Now you have a fair target, and see that:jyou do not waste your fire,” and the captaig turned grimly to his obedient cre and ant toward the stranded te Sen Bh 8 SAREE a ee a eR St eS ee > fe ee ey BES ner ee a ee ae aes a The Sea Rover’s Protege. corsair, which had been hurled with terrific force upon a sunken reef, while the waves broke rita her blood-drenched decks with irresistible ury. And thus through the remaining hours of daylight the brigantine coutinued her murder- ous fire, and at last, when the gloom of darkness and storm settled upon the sea, she bore away from the desolate shore, the wind howling dis- mally through her rigging—a dirge to the un- happy wretches slain by the remorseless guns of the beautiful vessel. CHAPTER IV. ROYAL, THE BUCCANEER, ALTHOUGH theschooner, when first sighted by the brigantine, had seemed so silent and crew- less as she lay upon the waters, her decks were filled with crouching men, and a hundred eyes peered out upon the graceful English craft as she glided by, almost near enough to cast a line aboard. Fisst discovered by the lookout on the schoon- er, and seeing the impossibility of continuing on ber course without being observed, the young officer of the Sea Rover's deck at once gave hasty orders to the watch; the sails came down with an almost silent run, just as the lights were seen on a vessel, whose square yards betokened ber to be a man-of-war, ‘ Slowly the brigantine glided by the seeming] deserted schooner, an: the hailof ber Conan: er remained unanswered, But hardly bad the brigantine disappeared in the mist than a remarkable change was visible on the saucy craft. The deck, thronged with quick-footed and nimble-handed men; the fore and mainsail and jib went up aimost as quickly and as noiselessly as they had come down, and, gaining steerage-way, the schooner moved on directly in the wake of the Englishman, the glimmer of whose strong lights were dimly vis- ible ahead, ‘*Heimsman, keep directly in the wake of deg vessel, and hold her in sight; you have er lights to guide you,” and the officer of the deck went below into the main cabin. Therein was a scene of Juxurious comfort. Velvet carpets covered tke floor; soft divans invited repose; a sideboard, glittering with Ciit-~ flase decanters and silverware, contained rare iquors and tempting refreshments, ‘Around the walls hung costly mirrors and paintings, and above the stern-lights or ports were grouped arms of all kinds and nations, from the jeweled cimeter of the Turk to the diamond-hilted pon- iard of the Spaniard. It was an elegant and commodious saloon for a small vessel, and evidently fitted up by one of refined tastes, for books in various languages were thrown about, es though in constant use; ’ a harp occupied one corner, while a Spanish guitar lay upon a divan, as though recently fin- ered. f Forward were three doors: one in the center, leading by a narrow passageway to the quarters of the under officers, and the other two into oon furnished as luxuriously as was the cabin. As the young officer descended below decks, one of the state-room doors was opened, and a man stepped into the cabin, at the same time drawing over a brilliant uniform a storm-coat. He was of middle age, with a darkly-bronzed face that would have been handsome, were it not for the look of settled melancholy which © rested upon it, and, added to his sternly-cut features, made him. seem older than he really was, His form was of splendid proportions; his eyes restless, dark, and burning; and his hair and mustache iron-gray, ‘* Well, Octave, what is the stir on deck?” he asked in terse, decided tones natural to him, dressng the young officer who entered. @ This officer was » youth of scarcely more than twenty years, end with a face so strikingly handsome, so fearless, determined, and yet stamped with «# look of almost womanly sweet- ness, that it was fascinating. : ‘§ In repose, and minus the dark curling mvus- tache that shaded the mouth, one might have said it was a face of feminine beauty ; but, with * the eyes lighted up with excitement, it could | change into the countenance of one possessed of undaunted courage and a will of iron. His form was simply perfect—itall, graceful, and indicating both strength and activity, woile his feet and hands were remarkably small and well-sbaped—those of the born aristocrat. He was attired in a storm-suit, and a slouch — hat, which he had doffed upon entering the cabin. j _ re . a oe ce te age A or a - J=. > Ro. tS ae .
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it 0 Nes ——e niall hime eaniiaianennamai \ ms a OK , we FY So Oy, - The Sea Rover’s Protege. Tn answer to the question addressed to him, he replied quietly: ' ““*)¢ is raining, and a dense fog rests on the water; but I spied the lights of a vessel ne on, and, finding I could not run for it, strippe the schooner to bare poles, hoping the coming craft would run by without seeing us; but it sighted us and hailed. I returned no answer, and, as soon as we lost her form in the mist, I set sai] again and we are now following in her wake, wile he is looking for us,” ‘You did well, Octave. No better seaman livestban youare. The craft proved to be a war-dog, then?” ‘* Yes, Captain Royal; she is the brigantine | that has so long been dogging us, if I mistake not. Have you any orders, sir?” *‘None; 7 will go on deck with you. The noise above aroused me, and sleep is banished for the night. Intruth,I am in no humor to toss about on my pillow until morning, wrest- ling with my conscience, which is getting strangely poignant of late,” The manseemed to speak the latter part of his sentenceas though thinking aloud; but the youth made no reply, and returned to the deck, while his chief approached the sideboard, and poured from a decanter a glass half full of brandy. This he dashed @® at a draught, and tben left the cabin. With the lights of the brigantine in sight, it was an easy thing for the helmsman to keep the schooner in her wate for a while; when the schooner was suddenly put away in a fog-bank, and once more lay under bare poles upon the water, But the brigantine again changed her course, | | aud, as the reader has seen, discovered the | ae otine shortly after sunrise, and at once gave chase. Seeing that it was war to the bitter end be- tween them, Captain Royal promptiy showed his defiance by giving his enemy » broadside, and then stood away at racve-horse spaced for his rendezvous in one of the Bahamas, whose Jow- lying islands, with their intricate approaches and reef barriers, afforded almost perfect se- curity and secrecy. ‘“* That brigantine sails ikea witch. If Ihad my full crew, 1 would try and take her away from hex zommiander, for the schooner is get- TInk&O10; said Royal, addressing the young man Whom,be called Octave, and who was his first ofticer. : ‘* Yes, ain; the Bride of the Sea has done good service, and the brigantine would be a fine cap- ture,” responded O¢tave, and bis eyes flashed, as though he half wished his commander would attempt to capture the Englishman. | On continued the chase, until the island ren- dezvous appeared im sight, and the Bride of the Sea stood boldly in toward the Jaod, her com- “Mrander, fully conscious that the Enaglishman cord not follow through the cireuitous passage between the reefs, and which led to the harbor- age beyond the cliffz—a sheltered haven almost in the very heart of the island, and for years the retreat of sea rovers and buccaneers of the Gulf, t. ‘Curses on the fellow! He is making me strain my Bride out of all shape to thus carry canvas,” growled the chief, as the brigantine’s ‘increased canvas caused him to shake the reefs ~™"Gut of his reserve sails, Lixe an arrow the buccaneer flew on, her deck swept by the high-reaching swells and her mests groaning beneath their weight of duck in such a fierce swell, Mead On, on she swept, until the outer reef was left astern and a narrow channel loomed up ahead. ‘make this channel, in a storm, was a des- undertaking, for, approaching the island id, and with the wind blowing from the nit was, the chief knew he would have to veese], “Now, my Bride of-the Sea, you are to prove our aety or our coffin,” grimly said Royal, as ij forward and took the wheel, motion- youth to aid bim. hs oie Down helm! hard, bard down!” Like lightning the wheel flew round, the sharp ws swung swiftly through the wild waters, ae the ait were caught and hurled to star- board-with a force that was irresistible. A moment after the Bride of the Sea was a : of masts and Papen] : e a statue stood Royal, the Buccaneer, his still clutching the wheel, his eyes glaring jis doomed vessel. — - dismasted hulk upon the mad breakers, and a se@e of strong arms were cutting away the Then he started, for the roar of artillery burst on his ears; the brigantine was firing upon the wreck ! ‘*Ha! how the proud Englishman hates his foe! Down all! Here comes a broadside from a merciless enemy.” Loud rung the voice of the chief, and all but two threw themselves prone upon the deck to escape the iron bail, Those two were Royal and his young lieuten- ant, They stooped and stirred not as the burt- | ling shot struck the doomed wreck, cutting, tearing, crashing flesh, Up from the blood-stained deck went a wail of anguish, aud above those shrieks of pain were heard the curses of the corsair crew—cursing those who fired upon them, wrecked, helpless and drifting to death as fast as the mad waves could bear them, : Silent, stern, his eyes glaring like a tiger at hay, his hands still clutching the wheel, stood Royal, the Buccaneer, By his side, in like attitude, was the young lieutenant—calm, unmoved, fearless—ready to raeet unflinchingly any docm. that was meted out to him. Again and again came that appalling iron hail from the brigantine, when, suddenly, the Sea Rover staggered back, bis face livid, bis eyes starting, and a great red stream bursting from his side, upon which his right hand was convulsively clasped. With outstretched arms, and a smothered ery of dismay, Octave sprung forward and\ caught the staggering form of his chief, and Jaid him gently upon the deck, while the bronzed-faced crew gathered quickly around, In the fall of Royel, their chief, their dead und wounded eomrades were forgotten; a greater grief had come, “‘Octave—my boy—I—am—dying. Deathhas at last bit me—hard, Thero is much I would say, but my heart—is—is—bursting—raise me up—tbhere—you, Octave, are my successor! I leave you my name,and my flag. Men, saiute your rew chief!” As the words left the lips of the dying Sea Rover, the crew of the scaooner burst forth ina wiljd cheer! Ere the echoes died away, the wreck was raised high on a-mighty breaker, awd hurled with terrific force upon the coast-line-veef, Then, suddenly, down upon the blog |-stained deck poured a relentless wave, that be 2 off on its crested besom.the form of the m7 dead chief, and a dozen struggling wretche,, ‘:urled into a grave beneath the sea. Yy through wood, bone and CHAPTER V., A NIGHT OF SUSPENSE. THE death-scene on the deck of the schooner so engrossed all who witnessed it, that the land- ward flight of the Bride of the Sea was un- noticed, until the shock came, when it was hurled upon the rock. Then the boarding wave followed, and ere all could spring to a place of safety, its relent- less force tore a number away to be ingulfed in the pitiless surges, Octave seized hard hold of the wheel, and thus saved himself, while a number 6f the crew grasped tightly to the nearest means of safety, and, though it was a terrible struggle for life, 3 wave passed on and they were momentarily safe. With the last words hislips uttered, the breath had fled from the body of the chief, and, borne oif on the sea he found a grave in the blue deep upon which he had for years been a terror, alike totraders and cruisers, for even vesselr-of-war had good reason to remember the Sea Rover's guns and fleet craft. The last huge breaker, though it had torn away some of the crew, rendered the position of those that remained more secure, for it forced the stranded bull bigher upon the reef, and ina position that prevented the seas from again so completely washing her decks, Yet at the same time it rendered her a better target for the avenging gunsof the venturesome brigantine, which still poured their merciless fire upon the wreck an, now utterly helpless crew. : Toward their young chief the eyes of the crew now turned, What should they do in that | dire extremity? Calm, unmoved by- all that had happened, Octave, or Royal, »s I will now call him, stood by the wheel, his eyes turned over the waters, in the direction in which he had last seen the body of his commander borne on the crest of a wave. But the men came around him and broke his reverie, and he turned st once and glanced out upon the brigantine, which was going about, a full mile distant, and preparing to pour her starboard breadsice once more upon the wreck. Then he glanced over the side of the schooner for an instant, and,in oalm tones said: ‘*Men—go down into the hoid! The brigan- tine’s shots canuot reach you there, and dark- ay will put an end to her merciless work before - ong. Silently the men obeved, and, as they disap- peared below, another iron stormswept literally the deserted decks, But the young chief did not flinch as it tore by andover him, It brought to his face a reck- less smile, Then, with a glance around the horizon ard at the gloomy skies, he turned and descended into the cabin, closing the companion-hatch be- hind him, Here there was but one mark of destruction. An iron messenger from the Englishman bad passed through and through thecabin, yet doing shght damage. As stationary as the rock upon which she lay, except when a buge wave struck her aad caused her to tremble from stem to stern, the schooner seemed more like a house than a vessel, and with firm tread the chief began to pace the floor, his lips sternly set, his brow clouded, W hat his thoughts were who can tell? Young, elegant in form and manner, brave as a lion, he occupied no place jn the world where he would be an honor to his race—no place, for did he not tread the deck of a irae craft? as he not the leading spirit of a band of wild, reckless, crime-stained men? Did he not fly the black flag of the buccaneer, and was he not hunted from sea, to sea as an ocean brigand—a flying freeboocter? Why was be brigand, free- hooter, corsair? Had wil or circumstances made. him what he was? Had that delicately- shaped hand willingly taken the life of the inno- cent? : : f A. moment be paused as he caught sight of his face in a mirror, and a strange smile hovered about his mouth while he muttered: ‘* Well, my inheritance is a pirate flag, a | pirate crew, and a pirate’s name; but I will not cast one unkind thought upon your memory, my ~ chief, for you have been to me all that a father could have been; ay, you have been eas gentle to mo as would have been my own mot! er, Oh, God! would that I had'a mother,a father! How dearly would [love them! But that joy is not for me. Had they lived, 1 would not now be bere, a hunted man, a sea- outlaw, Md ‘‘ Sometimes I think [remember my mother —an arfel form, an angel face, who was wont to sing sweet melodies to me and call me her in- fant king. Mother—mother!” And his voice quivered with uncontrollable emotion as the word lingered on his lips in a whisper. ae me “But, what right have I to dream?—am I not really a buccaneer, hounded from sea to sca? Am [ not homeless, nameless, lost to the great world where honor is to be won? Is not dishon- or my only inheritance? ' ‘* By heaven! how cruelly determined that brigantineis! She is knocking the poor schoon- er to pieces; hut her time may yet come, for I shall be again afloat, and woe be to one who was so merciless as to slay helpless men!” A while longer he paced to and fro, and then, as though the close cabin stifled him, he threw open the companion-hatch and went on deck, Already was darkness stealing over tho per~ turhed waters, The avenging hrigantine was barely visible in the distance. Even the rocky shore was shut cut from bis view. The huge swellsstill ran high, but were subsiding, for they no longer reached the schooner’s decks, which were sirewn with splinters. and fearfully torn up, while here and there the body of a dead buecaneer was wedged in between the bulwarks anda gun-carriage or entangled in some pf the shattered rigging. ; | “Hal there comes yet another broadside! You ere terribly in earnest, Sir Englishman! Perhaps you have some private gruige to settle against my dead chief. If so, you can take it out againgt me, for am I not hs son and suc- cessor? I shall soon again be/on the trackless sea; that is my destiny--my./fate; ‘and, once more afloat, urder the flag which Royal made so dreaded, I shall keep hia memory green,” , As the chief spoke, the broadside rattled over and against theschocner, and a wild sees from , ‘ below told thatsome unfortunate buccaneer had — been struck as it torethrongh the hull, But the _ , ace of the youth remained unchanged; hisgaze ok was still on the distant brigantine, “* Aha! you have decided to leave now, after” 4 TEE pee Tou maettiske Relat
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your work of ruin, and well for you, for if I mistake not, this lull is only a gathering of wind and wave for a fiercer struggle,” and the young Captain Royal watched the brigantine until she slowly disappeared in the gloom. ‘* Hol! below there! All hands ahoy!” he sud- denly called out, in ringing tones, and hurrying feet were at once heard as the crew obeyed, with eager alacrity. r ‘* Men, our enemy has gone, at last; but it is not through mercy. Darknessand yonder com- ing blow frightened the English vulture away trom his prey. Overhaul the boats and see if they are fit to trust our lives in, for, strong as the Bride of the Sea has proven, { fear her shat- tered huil cannot stand much more.” *The men gave their young chief a cheer, and a groan for the departing brigantine, and then | foul of a rock, set to work with a will. The boats, the two yet remaining, were overhauled, and with blank pay sprung ahore to have his hand grasped | | The Sea Rover’s Protege. Back upon the hillside, and half-hidden in the trees surrounding it, glimmered the white walls | of a more imposing structure than the cabins on | the beach, and upon the porch in front, leaying | against a vine-encircled column, stood a female | form—her eyes narrowly watching the coming | boats. : All these scenes fell under theeye of the young | chief, and, doubtless, as his gaze rested upon the | young woman, recalled unpleasant memories, a his brow clouded, and his lips became stern- set. ie the cutter grounded on the beach, pi aan ya ie dark-looking man dressed in a gaudy uni- orm, ‘¢ Well, Sefior Vane, has the schooner run that you return in the boats?” have neard the firing off the island,” answered faces they reported that they were so badly | the chief, while the crowd gathered around, shattered it would be madness to attempt to use them in that rough sea. ‘Very well, lads; we will remain here and take the chances. The wind is veering a little and the sea may be merciful. Turn in and we will make the best of it.” The young chief spoke cheerfully, and the crew, somewhat reassured, once more went be- low, leaving their Ne tee pacing the dis- ordered and shattered deck, And there he remained until the bursting of the new storm drove him once more to the cabin Tbrough the long hours of the night the wreck trembled beneath the Titanic blows of the sea, and those who crouched in her hull ex- pected each moment to feel her wrested from _ her rocky bed and torn, timber from timber, acti them at the mercy of the raging wa- ers, But the stanch hull of the Sea Rover had bat- tled too long with the tempest-swept ocean, and met the shock of combat too often, to be wholl subdued, and the morning broke to find her still resisting the mad violence of the surges. With the first ape of day the storm sub- sided, the wind died away, and the waves be- came less violent, so that hope arose in the hearts of the wrecked and wretched crew, The carpenters at once set to work repairing the boats. By noon the mountainous seas had run down to such a degree of calmness that the surface was no longer turbulent. The young chief and his crew therefore seized that moment to embark in the two boats, and pulled rapidly away from the wreck, laying their course to- ward what appeared to be a wall of rock, rising toa hight of a hundred feet, precipitous from the coast-line; but, as thé boats drew near this seemingly solid sea-bastion there appeared an opening in it fully a cable’s-length in widtb. hrough this rift in the rocks the young sea chief held his way, as though perfectly acquaint- ed with the rough-cut channel, Upon either side were visible the rugged tops. of sunken reefs, and around bim was a wild scene, for a ragged shore Jay on his right, a net- work of reefs were on his le/t. But ahead the passageway enlarged, and soon the rocky entrance was passed, a snug little harbor was before them—ahaven of safety, with green sloping hills surrounding it, and a small hamlrt of cabins nestling away under the hill- side, and close to a silvery beach. ‘ Captain Delorme had guessed aright—the buscaneer, when wrecked, was running with all speed for his rendezvous; but fate was relent- less, and death h overtook him in sight of his island home, CHAPTER VI. RICARDO, THE MUTINEER, Iv was a picturesque scenv—the island home of the Sea Rovers, and, as the young chief sat in tne rtern-sheets of his cutter, and glanced aronnd him, Lis face lighted up with a look of interest, ; B-fore him Jay tho little bay.i*s waters un- broken by a ripple, and protected seaward by the bigh wall of rock, while jandward the snniv y neack was sheltered by the green bills. Nestled away amid a small grove wero a score of rude cabins, before which were gathered groups o* men, women and children, gazing in- tently at the approaching boats. pon the wnite sands lay a dozen boats of various size’,and anchored, not far from the shore, was a large hulk, doubtless once a mer- chant-vessel that had falien a prize to the buc- » canecrs. ; A small, trim-looking schooner of thirty tons, a craft of an equal size, lateen-rigged, and half a dozen catboats, comprised the pirate fleet. a ae ee ee ee ee eee eee h f.?? eager to hear his words, “Firing! Santa Maria! has harm befallen the schooner, sefior? The roar of the sea against the rocks has drowned all other sounds.” The man spoke with intense earnestness. “Yes, the bride of the sea lies on Devil’s Reef, dismasted and a broken wreck.” ‘“* And the chief—the Sefior Royal?” : ‘Tg dead—killed by the fire of an English cruiser,” sadly responded the youth, ‘‘ The schooner wrecked and the chief dead?” and there came a flash of triumphant joy into the man’s face, as he added;:‘‘ Then I am chief now!” ‘*No; Captain flag and his command,” youth. ; ; But Ricardo’s eyes blazed with fury, and in.a mocking tone he retorted: “You, a boy—to step into the place of one like Captain Royal!” ‘* Yes, a boy, who will prove your master; 80 I warn you not to try conclusions with me, Ri- cardo,” Instantly there was a scene of excitement, for all felt that trouble was brewing, and the seamen and the islanders quickly chose sides. Ricardo had for years been second in com- mand to the chief, and was known asa brave aud skillful officer, : - A Spaniard by birth, he had yet been brought up on board an American man-of-war before the mast, but had given up the life of an honest seaman for that of a pirate, and his ability soon made him most useful to Royal, who promoted him to be commandant of the island, where he ‘‘Your ears must be dull, Ricardo, not to | | Royal willed me his name, his quietly returned the But those who haa served on the schooner un- der the young officer, the adopted son of their chief, preferred him to Ricardo, and they quick- Jy ranged themselves behind the youth, while the islanders, some sixty in number, formed a line to support their leader. quiet smile rested upon the face of the young chief asheobserved these demonstrations, and he said, calmly: ‘ ‘*Men, there is no need of this demonstration on your part. The quarrel—if such it must be —is between Lieutenant Ricardo and myself, I will not permit strife and bloodshed among you. Then, turning to the mutineer officer, he con- tinued; ** You feel yourself aggrieved, Ricardo, that you were not made chief. Were you fit for such a position I would cheerfully yield to you, for you are my senior by many years; but you are of a cruel, ambitious nature, and Heaven have mercy on the helpless creatures who fall into your hauds on the high seas,” ‘* By the Mary Mother, boy, I will teach you a lesson for your words!” And Ricardo sprung forward with drawn BORGES ees. es "9 Instantly it cros ed the' blade of the young chief, who said, sternly: “Back, men, and give us room! He who proves himself the better: man now will be your chief. A cheer answered the words, and then, with glaring’eyes and exzited manner, men, women and children gathered around to witness the deadly combat, for they felt that one or the other must fall, With determined energy and hatred in every | feature Ricardo wielded his heavy blade. He pon was fighting f6ra prize he had long coveted— that of chief of the buccaneers, With cool skill Royal met the attack, ward- ing off every blow, parryiug every thrust, and proving himself a perfect master of the wea- His indifferent manner, the smile upon his 2 $$ § wet 4 4
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a a? ee ee es ip oe _ — Py ee ee ea ee aro Protege. — 7 a yj Marary ye eee Whase os S over’s sorrow, fury She drovpe mock respect, said in her harsh tones: * All hail, chief! Royal left a fit representa- tive in you, for if you are not a devii’s cub, I know not where to find one,” ‘¢ Woman, for years I have put up with you from the love I bore my chief. Now I rule here, and I warn you to bave a care lest you drive me to extremes. The home back in the hills you shall have, and all the jewels you cau hang about you ure at your service, with ser- vants to look after your wants; but this cot- tage is mine, now, and to-morrow you must leave it, for [ will not put up with your pres- ence.” Something in the tone and manner of the young chief warned the woman to beware, and she remained silent, while he passed on into the cottage. It was a rather pretty little home, whose four rooms were luxuriously furnished with articles taken from captured ships. : Entering the room on the right, the chief threw himself into an easy-chair and seemed lost in thought. ‘ ‘*Oh, God! that I could cut loose from this hell of miseryand lead a different life. And why can I not?’ he resumed, while his face lighted up with a flash of hope. ! ‘* Yes, there will be war between the United States and England, that is certain, for the Americans will not longer submit to the out- rago3 perpetrated upon them. And then I have a tisld before me to win an honoradle name, for lcouid skim the seas as a privateer and sink: forever the name of Sea Rover. Yes, I could win pardon for the past, and berespected among honorablemen. God knows my heart is not in this life, and that circumstances I could not con- trol made me a sea outlaw, Yes, I will sail for Vera Cruz in the carera, and cut out of the harbor that beautiful schooner which the Mexi- cans have just had builtin Boston, and which ~ “we chased so long in the Bride of the Sea in her outward passage. Well, it is good we did not catch’ her, for she would have been wrecked, No, I forgot how swift she was—she could easily have ran away from the brigantine, for she showee the Bride her heels without satting halt her canvas, Yes, I will talk the matter over with the men, and henceforth lead an honest life. Ha! if 1 fail in getfing the schooner, I will hunt the seas down forthe brigantine and carry “}\ern her by boarding—Royal, my loved chief, would then be avenged!” ; Excited by his thoughts the chief sprung to his feet and paced to aud froawhile, Then he walked out upon the piazza, and stood gazing over the now moonlit sea. Mechanically he walked down the steps and wended his way toward a distant cliff, from which a fine view was visible, of the ocean, the rock-bound coast, the little harbor, amd the buc- caneer hamlet. CAs he passed from the cottage thé womrn, who still stood where he had left hér, after their interview, watched his departure with eager (i ae the tall form disappeared in the gloom she darted into the house’ and etered the room where he had sat so long musing, and planning future. . ‘ eo the chamber of the former chief, and more resembled a ship’scabinthanaroom, — | Stepping quickly toward a large iron box, or chest, in one corner, the woman touched a small my spring and the lid flew open. ths Bor ae The sight that met her eyes was dazzling, for hey a treasure of precious stones lay in a coafused | heap before her—the wealth of years of sea- : robbery. ary, Ra But the riches were pushed indifferently aside - untila bundle of papers was visible on the bot- ; the box. ace tay quickly seized and thrust into her bosom with a half-cryof joy. - Then, having rescued the prize she had sought, ‘the woman gazed gloatingly down into the iron receptacle of countless treasare, her eyes xrow- - ing greedy and'more greedy asshe looked upon the dazzling display, which trembled and glit tered in the moonlight that shone through the open window, - back many-hued lights, But, with a shake oZ the head, 4 of crystal and green. she lowered the and caused the stones to throw eee ee EE on the other side of the hall. : Here she deposited the bundle of papers in a safe place, and thrusting a dagger and pistol into the folds of her silk sash, she walked from the cottage and took the path leading to the cliff —the same path that Royal, the buccaneer, had taken, CHAPTER VIII. ACCURSED AMONG MEN, ‘* Rlsie, why have you sought me bere?” and Royal spoke kindly, as he turned and beheld the woman before him, her snow-white hair looking like threads of silver in the moonlight. Struck by his kind tone the woman paused, for it was not often that words of kindness passed between these two. Indeed, for years the youth had seldom spoken to her. *} came to talk with you, chief. To-morrow I must leave the cottage, you say, and go to the house in the hills, where Royal first had his home, and whcre ho was wont to come to see me whenever he was at the island. But, that was when I was not what I am now; it was when I was beautiful—years ago, years ago.” . ‘*Tt is best that you sbould live there, Hlsic. The house is a pleasant one, and you shall. have about you every comfort, and servants to wait on you. Besides, it is only a mile from the hamlet.” ‘s Yes—there ¥ will go, for you seem not in- clined to have me rear you. Perhaps, now that you are chief, you will wish to bring home wich you from the seas, some fair mistress—one whom you would drag down to perdition, as I was dragged down by your predecessor.” ‘* Elsie, well do you know thet you wrong me. Except in battle I have never wronged my fellow-man; I have never shown aught but kindness to the unfortunate women whom we have captured. The chief has told you this,” ‘¢ Yes—he told me you made a poor pirate, that you carried your heart in your hand; but what are you to do now?” ‘« Elsie, [ have determined to lead a new life. Hold! listen to me! You know that England end America will go to war soon, In fact, bos- tilities have already commenced. I have deter- mined to seek an honorable name in the service of the United States.” ‘* Ha, ba, ha! and leave me to become queen of the buccaneers?” ‘*Oh,no; 2 man who commandsa horde of bu-caneers must be a very devil—a woman would be worse, If I am not complimentary, blanie yourself for it. The men will side with me, and—?’’ ** Will you cruise against the English?” “'Yes—my sympathies are with the Amer- icans, and I believe lam an American by birth; but ef that my chief never told me—he was strangely reticent about my early life,” ** Boy, you are a fool ** Thank you, Elsie!” © ‘ **T repeat it, you area fool! Here, at an age hardly beyond your teens, you find yourself with a name and flag that has terrified the world, and now you wish to cast aside your brilliant chances to win fame and wealth, and turn honest.” ‘*T huve wealth, if I desire to touch treasure that is tainted with blood; fame I intend to win unter an honest flag.” ‘* Bah! what right bave you to talk of hon- esty ?” ‘* It is pever too late to mend, Elsie. As long as the chief lived, I was subservient to his wishes, for he took care of me almost from in- fancy, brought me up toknow right from wrong. Even though he led me to do the latter, he taught me as thoroughly as would a tutor, and all that 1 know, all that I am, [ owe to him.” ‘** Yes, youare a pirate’s protegé,” sneered the woman, ' ou the young chief seemed determined not to lose temper, and replied, quietly: ! “Yes, [am a pirate’s protegé; Elsie, I will be no longer a willing see rover.” ** Why do you wish to turn honest—yon, who are disgraced of mankind?’ and the woman’s eyes flashed viciously. | ; ‘- Because I am tired of leading the life I have —sick of outlawry and ill-doing.” “ “That is,” in bitter sarcasm, ‘‘ you have cut throats im the past, under a black flag; you pro- pose to cut throats in the future under a fing of | bons of green, red and wh enother color? /Ha, ha, ba! One would think | hull, which wes long, low, and narrow, with — you had been taught Bible lessons by a loving |. mother!” : y ‘* Elsie, beware! my mother’s name is sacred. I do not.know her; in dreams only can I recall and raked saucily; her spars were light, \ \ SB She) Ron? ta iat ee es ay f NAN es he The woman seemed almost wild with sup- pressed emotion, and her face turned the hue of death; and with a hard-drawn breath she said, in a voice deep and cruel: ‘* You talk of honor, Royal, my brave young buceaneer chief! You hold with respect the | name of your mother! Boy, your mother was a curse to you!” ; For a moment the chief seemed awe-struck by her words and manner; then his face became livid; the blue veins stood out on his forehead, and his eyes fairly burned with brightness, Like a tiger about to spring, he stood, and the | ip seeing her danger’, puc her hand in her sash, But she was not quick enough, for, with a cry of rage, Royal sprung forward, one hand of: iron upon her throat, the other grasping the hand that would have clutched the pistol, A shriek of pain and terror escaped from the livid lips of the woman. ‘* Accursed hag!” cried the infuriated young chief; ‘¢ I will hurl you from this cliff for thus insulting my mother’s memory !” Raising her in his powerful arms he seemed for an instant about to carry out his terrible threat; but his madness left him and he placed her once more on her feet and shoved her rudely from him, “You are a woman! Accursed as you are, you are of the same sex of her that gave me birth,” For an instant the woman stood in silence, hatred and fear struggling for the mastery; then she spoke again: “ Boy, you came near doing a deed that has no parallel, Listen! You havecursed me, and, bitterly as you may regret it, Ican tell you a terrible truth: Iam your mother !” Like one pierced to the heart, Royal staggered back until his very steps were on the edge of the cliff, There he halted, and his burning gaze was turned upon her, For some moments he stood thus, but at. length he said, as though thinking aloud: . ‘*She lies in her false throat! Ske whom I see in my dreams was young and beautiful; this is a hag of Inferno!” ‘* Boy, once J was beautiful, and my vinci \ made me what I am—a hag of Inferno: but] - tell you the truth: You are my child! Yes, I hated you because you disgraced me in the eyes of the world—hold! hear me—when you were born, I was not an acknowledged wife.” “Oh, God! oh, God! can this bef? “1 is true, boy! I tried hard to love you, © and cored for you wher you were a wee prattler; but upon the high seas I met him who hed lured me from heaven—met, yoyt Sather, for I was flying from my native land to finda home in one where I could at least shun those who de-— spisedme, Yes, met him, your father, Royal, the Buccaneer.” ay ‘“f am listening, woman.” ; ‘Woman? Did I not tell you that I was your mother? The name seemed a pleasant sound upon your lips awhile since—call me mother now! No, you will not? Well, I wiil tell you ‘more of your life, and then hear you talk of ror. “ ‘* To this place Royal, the Buccaneer, brought the mother of his handsome boy, and here she has lived the years that hsve zone hy sines that meeting on the high seas, The other, bis gal- lant boy, he took with kim in bis schooner, and taught him the trade of piracy! You were raised by Royal not to know that he was your father, and [ your mother. : ‘* Now, Octave Royal, will you talk of honor Will you--” ae But Royal heard no more; he bounded away ~ from the chiff, the ring of the woman’s demoniac — laugh still echoing in bisears, CHAPTER IX, , TAKEN BY SURPRISE. * IN the fortress-sheltered harbor of Vera Cruz, _ and lying close inshore, was anchored a schooner of a build decidedly American, and which looked out of place there in the midst of vessels so wide- ly differing from her in model. _ oh ” At her penk fluttered the green, red and white’ _ flax of Mexico, and upon her decks were a score of men wearing the uniform of that country, — The schooner was about three hundred tons? burden, and painted black ; excepting three rid tetbat encircka ber to combine grace, beauty and swiftness, \ Her masts were exceadingly long and sean ‘ a shyt sharp bows and sufficient roundnessinthc head = : Lawak < ang ete Ss 3 a a ~! = 2 SS ae ie Bee ae iS es ee 4 akcw =- 1
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5). Sine Bt ne nae oa eI EE "The Sea Rover's Protege. a nm a = — and of great length, while like her masts they | would do, and if he could vouch for his com- panions they would also answer. shone as if varnished. The sails were white as snow and neatly Thus it was settled, and the crew of the furled, while her fore-tap gailant and royal | schooner was nearly made yards—with which she- was also rigged—were squared with unusual precision and care, Upon her deck was an extremely heavy arma- up. The following morning Tiasiterinast Rupert Maurice, the young and handsome naval officer, who had been ordered by his Government to ment for so light a craft—three glistening guns | carry the schooner to Vera Cruz, was relieved to a broadside, and three pivot thirty-twos | of hiscommand by a dark-faced Mexican lieu- _-——s amidship, and fore and ait, giving her a battery | tenant, who came aboard with two midshbipmen of nine pieces, and with those mounted on pivots, | and forty mcn. six guns to a broadside. As the heutenant went over the side into Around her masts were racks filled with | his waiting boat, he beheld coming up the har- boarding pikes and cutlagses, and upon the decks | bor his own vessel—an American brig-of-war, ‘not a rope was out of place, not a coil of rigging | which, scon after, came to anchcr a few cables’ ay Mexicans are enlisting a crew now, - more to my taste at t _ but one shou'der-strap, _ win,” and the gay young. od lightly, as though he enticipated rare sport in | ' are the war with Great Britain. : . The commander of the officer, and which was not carefully suspended from its | length distant from the svhocuer. pin. It was about six in the afternoon: the sun was | Mexican lieutenant gave himself 10 resr. -yet an hour high, and those on her deck, an All through the remainder of the day the He was drilling his new crew »t the guns, and officer and a score of seamen, were watching the | working them nearly to death, for he was anx- coming into the harbor of a small, lateen-rigged icus to invite the officers of the American brig craft, driven before the fitful sea-breeze that | to dine with him vbe following evening, and was just springing up. ? With a speed hardly believed possible in such ‘n light breeze the carera came along, and run- hence was determined to have all shipshape, and the crew disciplined. When night came, at last, he rested from his ning close under the stern of the schooner came | labors and robed himself iu lis best for a visit gracefully up into the wind and let drop her anchor, *¢ Well done for a Mexican, for such the fellow at her helm seems to be,” exclaimed the only officer upon the schooner’s deck, and he bent bis gaze more searchingly upon the corera, which | was now lying quietly at her anchor, the dozen men who comprised her crew, skillfully putting all in sbip-shape,as though for a lengthy stay in port. . ‘** Ahoy, the schooner!” suddenly rung out in the clear voice of the carera’s helmsman, “* Ho, the carera !” called ous the officer reply-. ing, a3 he had been addressed, in Spanish, , **T would see the commandant ct theschooner, sefior; can | come on board?” ; ‘¢What the deuce does he want, f wonder?” ‘muttered the officer, and then he called back: “ec Ay ay 17 ‘ ' A few moments after a small boat ranged alongside. In it were three persons— the helms- man and three oarsmen, 4 “As the former stepped upon the ceck of the schooner he beheld before him a man of strixing | appenrance, for bis form was elegant, bis face frank, fearless and intelligent. _ “You would see me, sev,” he said politely, gazing also with admiration u "ge his visitor, es, sefior, I learned at Tampico that the Mexican Government hed built, in the United States, a schooner to protect its coast from the bueeaneer’s, and I desire service; upon her if this is the vessel.” **You can doubtless be accommodated, for the As formy- self, L merely brought her from Boston to Vera. Cruz for them, for lam nota Mexican, but an offizer of the United States Navy.” ‘*' You found hera swift craft, judging from her build, and doubtless had a pleasent ran ont?” ‘and the man looked admiringly over the beauti- You see, I and have another yet to x American laughed the carera then thanked went over the side into his own he young: volunteer, to the American brig. for he bad promised Lieu- tenant Maurice that he would call in the even- ing. As he had found the young volunteer from the carera such a useful hand, he left him in command, for his Mexican brother officers had not yet come on board; they would flirt with their dark-eyed lady-loves until the last mo- ment beforerordered to sail on their perilous work, As the boat rowed away, with a crew of eight oarsmen, a coxswain, and the pompous officer inthe stern-sheets, its course wasviosely watched by him who had enlisted to serve against the buccaneers. As the boat disappeared in the gloom of night, be passed along the deck and called to a number of seamen to follow him int» the hold, | as the lieutenant. bad left orders regar ling the moving of the ballast, the schooner listing too much to starboard. A few moments after he came on deck, alone, and glancing outtoward the carera a moment, he took a lantern from the deck and raised it three times above bis head, Ten minutes of silence followed; then the boasts came alongside, loaded gunwale deep with dark forms, which, the next momeut, stood on the deck of the schooner, where half a score of men were busy securing the hatches of the steerag2 and cabin companionway. ** Now, Benedict, return to the carcra and slip | your cable: thereis a mist coming in from the sea that will greatly aid us. Steer up the coast and there I will join you within tbe hour... If chased, head for the island—1 will stand out.to sea, and if discovered draw the pursuit after me, Do you understand?” _“ Ay, ay, sir,” replied the man addressed as Benedict, and he sprung back into one of the two boats, which was at once rowed back to the carera, with the other in tow. Swutly from the sea came in a light mist hang. “cefior, 1 would not kill you willingly—do not drive me to it, You are my prisoner, and if you resist, or cry out, | will cut you down. Men, come forward here, and no harm shall be- all you,” and he turned to the boat’s crew, for Rongwed their leader on deck, oa \ nt ath: . il ‘knew it was death to resist, and a moment after Silently the Mexican and his men stood. They they were securely ironed and gagged. Taking the wheel of the schooner, the captor of the beautiful vessel turned her sharp prow to- ward the open sea. Like a she dew vessel she sped along, and after an hour’s run sighted the carera only a short distance ahead. Running up into the wind, th arera lay to, and a short while after the schooner was along- side of her, ** Now, Sefior Mexican, you and your men are at liberty to return to Vera Cruz; and in place of the vessel i bave taken from you, I leave your Government the gracefullitile craft along- side; and having been a pirate herself, she will be well adapted for the work you had in view for this schooner.” ‘‘In the name of the Virgin! who are you?” grosned the unhappy Mexican. “Tam Royal, the Buecaneer—so tell your Government.” The Mexican started visibly; but he made no reply. He silently went on board the carera, followed by those of his crew who desired ty accompany him, for a wild set most of them, they were only too willing to ship uuder the black flag of the buccaneer when Royal gave them a chance to do so, . A few moments more and the two vessels swung clear of each other—the ¢arera with its cursing crew of Mexicans heading back toward Vera Cruz, the schooner, with Royal, the huc- eaneer chief, pointing her sharp prow toward deep water. CHAPTER X. THE RETURN. THE island home of the buccaneers was bathed in a flood of silvery light, for the moon rode high in the heavens, and the skies were blue and cloudless. One month had passed away since the thrilling scene upon the clit! between the young chief, and she who called herself his mother, and from that time no word had come from Royal, who had fled fromthe spot after the interview, feel- ing accursed before God and man, That very night be bad gone aboard the earera. at anchor in the harbor, called his crew to their posts. and spread bis sail, leavipseythe sim island under command of one whormthe felt ht could well trust—ar old English seaman who had long sailed with him. \ As the bright moonlight fell upon the cliff that night, one month after his departure, it lighted np the form of a woman—she who had driven Royal, the chief, to fly from her in hor- ror, Like a statue she st dod, gazing upon the wild scene of wave and rock, while her face Wore an anxious air, and her hands fingered nervoysly<~ at ber dazzling necklace of diamonds, which “rate forth a thousand fiery glances in the moon- ight. No life was visible anywhere else, to animate the wild scene of rock and ocean—only an iron- bound coast that dashed back with ominovs roar the foam-covered waves that surged against it, No sail dotted the moonlit waters, and the buccaneer hamlet lay in silent repose, no light twinkling, from a single cabin window. Suddenly thé woman leant forward wit? eager, straining gaze, and her wild eyes were fixed far off upon the waters, “It is a sail—no,it is a bird. Bah! a bird would not hover over the sea at night—no, itis: a sail,” and she bent forward still further, her whole manner that of nervous expectation, © ‘‘Ha,ba,ha! I feared I had driven him to madness and to death; but no, he loves life too well—be will return—ay, he comes now. But no—that is not bis vessel. Ha! I forget, be went to capture a fair bark with which to skim over the glad waters, and redden their crests with human blcod.” For a long time , a her eyes fixed ppon the approaching sail, which could he made cut asa Jarge schooner, under @ cloud of eanvas, heading directly for the cliff, and coming swiftly on, driven by # ten-knot breeze. 4 “She comes boldly on—ha! she turns the outer reef—there is one aboard who knows this channel—it is the boy, But no—she may have roanded that reef by accident. I will wait and see.” Eagerly she looked until the schooner drew near inshore, and then she said, quickly: ‘*Tf he puts his helm hard-a-starboard now, — itisthe boy; if not, yonder pretty craft wil dash to death in ten minutes. Ha, ha, ha! it is the boy. I will await him here, for be wijl_ the woman stood in silence, , ~ pio t+ a a 3-0
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Peer ae : an a — — = — “The Side Rovel’a Protege. The leading vessel was a large meng age 7 flying the Stars and Stripes at her peak, and evidently straining under the tremendous clouds of white duck that hovered above her decks, That she was flying from danger, the manner in which she was forced through the waters proved, while upon her deck there was anxiety upon every face—from the captain, a bluff, determined-looking man of forty, to the cabin- boy, a lad of twelve, **Oh, Captain Pinkney—the cruiser is still gaining upon us,’ cried a sweet voice, and a slender, gracefully-formed maiden of Seventeen came from the cabin, and looked anxiously astern, while her beautiful face turned a shade paler. ‘* Yes, Miss Maurice, the Englishman seems too much for us-~altaough, as you will see, if you cast your eyes aloft, [ have got the Queen dressed in every stitch she will bear in this breeze; but how is your father, Miss Maurice?” ‘*Heis no petter—nay, he is worried so, that Cfear he may,have a relapse, and he was just getting strong again, after his severe attack of illness, * But is iv not strange, captain, that the | cruiser has not fired upon us?” ‘He certainly is in range, miss—ha! down into the cavin, miss, for yonder comes a sbot,” and the captain seized thé maiden hastily by the arm, and dragged her into the cabin, just 48 an iron shot whistied over the 8? ip’s deck, A moment after he was again standing by the. helmsman, narrowly watching the cruiser through his glass, as she came committe on, her lea scuppers under water, and a great wail of * come; I know he will come to receive his moth- er’s greeting. Yes, they will tell him I await i "him here, and have waited night after night ae i “since he left, Come, come, my brave boy, your mother longs to clasp your blodd-stained hands pee and greet you home,” Like an enraged tigress the woman paced to and fro, keeping her eye upon the schooner, which most skillfully followed every turn in the tortuous channel, until she glided into the little harbor, came up witb her ~ sharp bows to the wind, and dropped anchor. A moment after a boat left hor side, and in | i half an hour a tall form came from the ‘shadow | of the trees, and approached the cliff with quick, stern tread. It was Royal, the young buccaneer chief, and his face was cold and stern. you have come for your "said the woman, f } t ‘*Ha, ha, my boy, mother to welcome you home, in a harsh, sneering voice, “T have returne ad, woman, and I was told I would find you here. One monthago you drove me from youin despair, for you told me that which crushed my heart, dashed to the earth every noble aspiration, T have returned suc- cessful, for I cut out from under the guns of. Vera Cruz, youder schonncr. You saw her come in, and know how she sails. With that vessel I longel to serve the Americans, in their struggle with England; but if you speak the truth, and I am accursed, as you say, then [ turn wy back upon ali truth and nobleness, and fight yonder craft under the biack flag—my in- | heritanc efrom him who you say is miy father, Now, woman, as you hope for the safety of your * soul her eafter —by all 'the honor you once had | foam about her bows, in your heart, tell me, did you spe» kthe trath— “1 youder fellow astern of the cruiser is an **Am I your s: m—was Royal n 1y fatner?” American, I fear John Bull is going to get two prizes, for he comfs boldly on,” he said to his tate who approached. ‘He has gained considerable on the English- man—he certain ly is not going to attack him, {or he is not half the size of the cruiser.” , ‘¢ He may beano'her John Bull, sir,” said the quartermaster politely. “True, but he looks American; there is no flag at his peak that I can tell by—by Jove! how he c omes on!” Tue cruiser referred to was a heavily-ay mec brig, with square yards painted jet black, ani her "figure head, a gilt St. George’s cross on a black shield, was plainly visible whenever her bows raised hig on a Wave, Sbe waugpierced for sixteen guns, and carried acre ee, aryed and fifty men, a large nuni- ber fof a’ sg her armament, Almost imploriagly tie chief Held forth his arms, and pleadingly his eyes turned upon the woman, while his lips quiv ered with emoticn. “yo hoke the tr ith—you are my son, and Royal was your father, Ay, more still, you were born in sin—a curse rests upon you. The woman spoke in terribly earnest tones, and every word cut deep iato the heart of Lim who heard, ‘It is enough—I night you will find your ' . dishonored mother—his crime-stained father.” Pe te heelin” quickly on his heel, the chief strode } rapidiy ree yy, unmindful of the call of the wo- man for his/retarn, Taking the path leading to hisown quarters, ne ontered his room, and was met there by the seaman whom he had left in command of the island and who, as a British subject, rejoiced. under the name of English, “Captain, I am glad to see you home, sir— you slipped in unawares.’ ‘Yes; Tran right in to ‘the anchorage, and I “nave eaptured the finest craft afloat. But tell me, English, has the woman, Elsie, removed to the cabin in the bilis?” “Ves, sir; but she has spent most of her time on the cliff, watcbing for your return.” ‘“‘ And did you get “the guns off.of the wrecked ide?) - sats Ven sir; and all that was of value from the cabin; she. has gone to pieces now, poor crait, bus I had ood weather for the job, ‘aud we lost put little.” ask no more—from this son worthy of uis w at the guus, and her com- is officers upon the quarter-deck, biahetoge- 1t the merchant - craft agd tie veszel rushing on astern, with a bat was hardly credible, ,fleaven! the cruiser is going to fire agaih—ft is ‘useless to resist, and L wi beforegl get my sticks knocked out,” and the captayn of who American merchant-vessel issued his ordersyto Jay to, just as another iron shot buried itapit in the ocean, not a feat from the vessel's stern The nex alopg with the speed of a race-horse, ~ Ao ‘You deserve credit, Now I am going to As thie Vessel ceased her flight, there came on | upon the schooner, pach -ie8 was "still pariceg et again leave you in command of ths island, and hi ‘+k the §ame maiden who had been ushered so | down toward him, as i. a determine 1 fo. B 4 { wish you to fortify the commanding points of | uaceremoniously back into the cabin, by the | board, even in th at rough Bea, Fs the channel, for I may be run home some day, | kind-b ad captain, In the mean time ta Barat ot under } an as Lintend to make the ocean a hot piace for} Leaninpg heavily upon the arm of a negro | way, and her mnastenvetor ¢ high * a, every flag that floats.” servant, there followed a gentleman of perhaps ‘with canvas, while VERY, heart bea igh met B 7 And the chief spoke with a sternness that fifty, his face worn by sickness, and his form ne e of escape. | a surprised his companion. emaciated. ut suddenly a hurtling ‘shot’ ‘came flying af- ay ‘© When do you intend to sail, captain?” ** Well, Colonel Maurice, you have come on ter the American, fired from eras ‘and rR. “Ina day ortwo, Lintendto put my vessel | deck to'see me surrender, » said Captain Pink- cut anes the mizzen topmast, — c a in perfect trim with what I take from the Bride | ney, sadly. | **On, 0 ee anust not mind a iti -} + of tho. Sea, and I wish a crew of a hundred ‘* Yes, Pinkney; it was death to me to remain’| iron,” m eried Colonel ¥ resin oe . * ha mony? below, I wished to see for myself what was g0- But seeing that the Ame rican did not y his ; a 8) ‘¢ That will leave me about half a hundred all | ing on,” replied the gentleman, taking an easy- | stern summons Lon irate Tulfed qui Fan chair brought him by the maiden, wages ae iron-broads Geir: : aa, told.” 4 ; ca eae Yes, they are enough, Now let us go-down to the beach, for I wish to begin work at once— my brain and heart are both on fir , and if I do not have excitement I will go mad. Tha last sentence he muttered to himself, and leading the way hestarted for the beach, where a busy scene was ‘being enacted, for the whole island population had turned out to welcome ee new schooner, ‘CHAPTER XI. — HE THREE VESSELS. OvER the rough watersof the Gulf, and urged on bya twelve-knot breeze, three vessels were staggering onward, their masts curving beneath _ the pressure of canvas that covered them. “e It me outdf the water.” that astern of the cruiser?” coming on after the Englishman—perhaps also. As Captain Pinkney spoke a puff of | followel, and a shot went tearing through the cruiser’s rigging. ‘ geese eases Tie Pag | <= ce = dogging their wake was an enemy—a small but | plucky A gis everything was in perfect: lay to. moment the American was rocking | upon sae aters, and the cruiser came bowling tage—ha! the cruiser is now, 1 “You did right, captain; but what craft is | fell at the. fect Sib g **An elegant little schooner that has been | - under the flag of— No, by Heaven! see there!” | ae} came from the schooner’s bows, a deep en} know w att sat epee 1 Instantly all was excitement on board the | ( Englishman, They had found out that the craft | 1 eas 03° ig a sad sight, colonel; but I outa not do | othervige, as the cruiser would have knocked | ** Tt is an American cutter, « or privateers and a daring one, too, to attack yonder John Bull, 1s said Colonel Maurice, while every eye on the merchantman was turned upon the two vessels, now known to be hostiles, ‘Ha! the Englishman is going to wear ship and attack him. [t is madness for that schooner ae to offer battle. See, heis going about, and will run for it.” Rage ‘* By the Lord Harry, no, captain—behold!” exclaimed Colonel Maurice, and his pale face flushed with excitement, As he spoke the scnooner brought her broad- side to bear upon the cruiser, and a burst of flame and smoke followed, while.a hurricane _— of iron rusbed upon the ‘Baglishman, whieh I was just going in stays, preparing to putback. and fight his daring little foe, The result of the schooner’s broadside was at once evident to the watching eyes on the mer- chantman—the rigging wes cut in a hundred places, the sails were pierced, and it was evi- dent that sad havoc had been made among the crew, while, missing stays, she rolled tearfully ‘ithe waters. ; But the schooner was not idle, for its other broadside was delivered with telling effect, and she showed an inclination to come to closer quarters, ‘By the Lord Harry! be will sink the Eng- lishman in balf an hour at that rate,” exciaimed Colonel Maurice with enthusiasm, ‘Colonel, that craft is handled as wickedly as though the Devil was her commander,” said Captain Pinkney. Yam ““She is arise beautifully, and her com- ve eres deserves a frigate—brave little Amer- scan, a! see, there flies her flag—a pirate,” “by Jupiter)” lt was Captain Phkaest that spoke, and all eyes Were turned upon the schooner, anda sight inet their gaze that sent a thrill of ‘horror © through every heart. There, at her ‘peak, waved the black flag of the buccaneer, One look through bis glass, and Captaih Pink- ney said, quietly: via, “ 1 said the Devil Somes her; it is Royal - ee the Buccaneer.” ; a CHAPTER XU, a - THE CRUISER AND THE BUCCANEER, | Tse remark of Captain’ Pinkney almost caused a panic throngs tae ship, while the face ot Peart Mauries turued so an ashen hue—to be x taken by an Enughsb cr oiger was bad chou ely * but to become the prizeuf a pirate—the thoug was too horrible to dwell apo, : **Captain Pinkney,” and ‘the voice of. Colonel | Maurice was deep and stern—‘you hauled down your colors to an English man-of-war, and nova pirate. The cruiser thas hisbandsfull with the schooner, and i insist that you at once ; get under way—if the British Government _ claims this craltas a prize, she can get %G but , not now.” som “Tam only too willing—all hands to make face sail!” and at the cheering order the crew of the: ic: ty -merchantman sprung actively to work, — ~ _* The schooner is still peppering raat ifr a cruiser, and he bas bim at efron ip yaa Es Lia! pl the colonel spoke, the E Pagisboan the flying vesse eried Capt are te fy os a Bute alas! the sy | gh iron swept ver fe devoted. vessel, : kill ie iad ng seal dozen of her: crew, one of ee eset Ai “Tt is no use, c fellow fires ach a broadside tight sink me.” Kn “True, Pinkney ; but incis torn As ithe eo:
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sails aback, the buccaneer again turned his whole attention to the cruiser, and a flerce com- bat followed between the two, Head the schooner not fired deadly aim, and in the first broadside gained such an advautage, it would have been ten ehatces to one in the Englishman’s favor; but the buccaneers were dead shots, and their vessel was handled with masterly skill, while, as if to nid them at close quarters, the sea was rapid- ly running down. Repairing damages as quickly as possible, the eruiser stood off to get to tae windward of the buccaneer, when two broadsides, delivered in rapid succession from the schooner, again caused with such the Haglishman to lose steerageway, while so far no shot had touched the beautiful and dar- ing little vessel. * That schooner is going to whip the English-, man, certain,” said Colonel Maurice, ‘* And we have gotten out of the frying-pan au into the fire—under other circumstances I could enjoy that fight,” remarked Captain Pinkney. ‘* He is crowding down upon him to board— and see how his grape rakes the cruiser’s deck, Pearl, my daughter, do you not think you had better go below?” “No, father; there is a fascination in this scene that I cannot resist—please let me re- main,” and the maiden never took her anxious si / eyes off of tue fighting vessels, which were now not a mile distant from the merchantman. Nearer and nearer crept the buccaneer to tne cruiser, both firing rapidly, the Englishman wildly, and the schooner with fatal precision, for few shots had yet touched the pirate’s rig- ging or deck, earer and nearer they came to each other, until by a skillful maneuver the sharp bow of the buccaneer swept up under the stern of the cruiser, and the vessels were lashed firmly to- ether, while half a hundred dark forms hurled emselves upon the decks of the Englishman, and the rattle of smalj-arms, the clash of steel, and shouts of the combatants, were distinctly heard on board the American. **Now, Pinkney, now is your time to fly, ‘while those fellows are playing Kilkenny cats,” cried Colonel Maurice, excitedly, and again the voice of Captain Pinkney rung through the ship, again the men sprung to their posts— catching, like drowning men, at a straw of ope. few moments more and the merchant ship Queen was again plowing through the waters, and hope of escape rose igh in every heart. \ But a ery trom Pearl Maurice, whose eyes had been riveted upon the combatants, caused all ye to turn toward them. ne Heaven! the pirates have been driven back to their own vessel—the Englishman was Pig too much for them at close “ake Colonel Maurice, and as he spo sels swung apart. ‘You are mistaken, colonel; the combat still rages on the Huglishman’s deck—the buccaneer has it all his own way, and has cut loose to chase us,” said Captain Pinkney, sadly. “You are right, Pinkney—luff up, quick! or _ we will get another broadside,” Seeing the utter impossibility of escaping. from the tenacious little buccaneer, the Queen was again brought up into the wind, and seeing the movement the schooner put back, and once more lay alongside of the Englishman, upon whoss decks clambered a reserve of a score of -« -‘men, whose wild shouts spread dismay among the brave crew of the cruiser. For a few moments longer the fight raged fiercely, and then an exclamatio horrified disappointment arose from the decks of the ueen—for ali beheld the English ensign hauled own, and the black flag of Royal, the Bucca- neer, run up to the peak of the cruiser, CHAPTER XTII. A DOUBLE PRIZE, “Tr is all up with us; but bear up, Pearl, my dear child, for gold is what the pirate wants, and he shall have a golden ransom—his double capture will put him in a good humor, and we make terms with him,” uarters,” cried the two ves- can ey Colone ness—yet he dreaded the worst, rain ** Royal has never bad a bad name for mur- Ny) dering captured crews, or insulting women,” said Captain Pinkney, and a moment after he a: continued, at thesame time watching the two: ae vessels closely: : i Now he is coming to interview us. See, the schooner has cut away from the cruiser.” | Swiftly over the waters bounded the graceful luffing quickly up, a cable’s length Wessel, and ae Maurice spoke with cheerful hopeful- ; 7" 1 ee he T rapidly toward the American. A few moments more, and the tall, command- ing form of Royal, the young buccaneer chief, sprung upon the deck of the Queen, and ad- vanced toward the quarter-deck, where Colonel Maurice, Pearl and Captain Pinkney awaited im, In the backgrcund stood the negro valet and maid of the colonel and his daughter, their eyes wild with fright, their dark taces ashen in hue, ‘¢ Who commands this ship?” and the voice of Royal was stern, his brow dark and lips firm. **]T do, sir—it is the American merchantman Queen, Colonel Delancey Maurice, owner; bound from Vera Cruz to Boston,” promptly replied Captain Pinkney. ‘* You tried hard to evade me, sir; did you suffer much from your stubbornness?” and Royal cast his eyes over the vessel. ‘¢Three men killed and three wounded—two of whom will die. Do you blame a man for fly- ing from death?” ** Tt is not always certain death to be captured by Royal, the Buccaneer—though a black flag rover, he is merciful,” said the chief, with a slight tone of -arcasm. ** And what is the intention of your chief re- garding us?” said Colonel Maurice, quietly. ‘*T have no chief—] am Royal,” sternly re- plied the buccaneer, ** You! you are Royal? a man with your face a pirate leader?” : ‘The young chief started, and for the first time’ his eyes fell upon Pearl, for she it was who had spoken to him, ** Ha! I knew not that I had turned my guns upon a woman, Lady, from my heart, I regret that I caused you dread,” and he doffed his plumed bat and bent low before her, : Then his eyes sought hers with an eager, wist- ful, admiring gaze, all commingled, and after a long glance into her beautiful face, a glance that caused the crimson blood to course through her every vein, he said, softly, while a look of inexpressible sadness crept over his counte- nance: ‘* Lady, had such as thou art crossed my path years agone, I would not now have been the guilty neiug Iam, Yes, lama pirate, lady.” ‘‘T would never have believed it from other lips than-your own—you are too noble looking to possess a bad heart. Ab! sir, it ig not too late yet to change your life, for the seal of wick- edness is not yet stamped upon your face,” and | Pearl spoke almost pleadingly, while her beauti- ful eyes looked full into his own. ‘‘hady,a suort while ago andI made a de- termination, to sin no more, and endeavor to win honor and a name as thefriend of America, and the foe to England—and then I might have touched your hand without dishonor,” ‘You can yet win honor, sir, for your gallant combat this day will give you fame from sea to sea, It was most daring of you to attack a ves- sel so vastly your superior,” and Pearl spoke with enthusiasm, ‘We poor wanderers of the sea, lady, fight with a rope around our necks. Isit a wonder, then, that we fight well? Upon the seahasbeen my home for yearsand years, aad the roar of battle the music that charmed my boyish hours, while the bluod-Steined deck, the white face of the dead, the groans of the dying, have greeted my eyes aud ears by nightand day. A rough school has been mine in the past, sweet girl; and yet L would have given up yonder sable banner, and no longer have been a buccaneer!—had not a great sorrow fallen upon me—a grief I could ‘not shake off, a stain that was deeper-dyed than the stain of blood. This it was, lady, that sent my good resolves whirling to leeward, and made me again revel in the gory combat of the bucca- neer,” i : The deep feeling, the sorrowful face, .im- pressed, not only Pearl, but all who heard him, and almost pity arose in their breasts for the pirate chief. ; i ‘¢ What you refer to, sir, [ cannot know; but let me entreat that you riso above your griefs —a good resolve should not be idly broken.” The chief gazed in silence across the waters for some moments, and then turned his eyes expin upon the maiden. After an instant he said: ‘* Lady, a have conquered—from this mo- ment I make a new resolverone I will never break, Captain, yoa can proceed upon your voyage unmolested, Hold! I willdo more. Ho! the Witch of the Wave!” . Ay, ay, sir,” and a young officer from the buceaneer boat alongside approached and sa- luted his commander, ; E “Roy, go on board the English cruiser, ; ,] " and -yard-arm of your own vessel, put your crew in ht A EE CS ee EC Teme request, her commander to return* here with you. ‘* Ay, ay, sir,” and the young officer departed upon bis errand, while Royal, with clouded brow and stern lips, paced the deck of the ' Queen, none daring to address bim, for they (8 feit that some terrible struggle was going on in { his breast. a. CHAPTER XIV. PEARL’S CONQUEST, } AFTER an absence of haif an hour, in which 1 her course to the cruiser was eagerly watched from the decks of the Queen, the boat returned, and two officers, one clad as an Englisi naval captain, the other as a midshipman, came on board, “The English commander is here, sir,” and the youth, whom his chief had called Roy, walked up and addressed Royal. The buccaneer started, turned in his walk, | and his eyes fell upon Pearl. Instantly his face flushed, and then recover- ing himself trom his fit of abstraction, he bowed | to the English commander and said, in his terse, _ decided tone: : / ‘Captain, since I left your deck, I have changed my plans. Itis my intention to make your vessel a prize to the United States—” ! ‘* Ha! tne United States employs pirates, then, in its service?” said the Englishman angrily. 4 ** You ure mistaken, sir; I am not under the employ of the United States, and owe no alle- | giance to other than myself, Still I sympathize with the United States in their present war with Great Britain, and hence send you into an American port as a prize,” ‘* This is a remarkable proceeding, sir.” ; ‘‘Tt may seem to you such, sir; but now, I 7 would ask, are you willing to go aboard your vessel, and in company with this ship, sail for Boston, there to surrender yourself, your vessel and crew to the United States?” '**No, Sir Pirate, I am not,” haughtily re- sponded the Englishman, ‘*Are.you aware, Sir Englishman, that I made you my prisoner, after a well-tought en- gagement, and that it is a well-known fact that buccaneers are not merciful to prisoners?” and Royal spoke with an almost threatening air. ‘*T am aware that superior marksmanship, on the part of your accursed gunners, disabled my vessel, and enabled you to b@aa me with your cut throat crew; while to sawe‘life, [—” ** Surrendered a brig-of-war, carrying sixteen guns and a crew of one hundred und fifty men, to a schooner of six guns and one hundred men, But that has nothing to do with the subject in band. I well know an Englishman’s love of honor, so I again ask, will you run your own vessel into Boston as a United States prize, giv- ing me your parole so to do?” All were surprised at the offer, and breath~ lessly awaited the reply of the Englishman, who, after a moment of painful thought; said, sternly: ‘* And suppose I refuse?” ; ‘“‘T will hang you and your officers at the ed double irons, throw half of my own men aboard aud run your vessel into the nearest American port and give ber over to the authorities.” ~ As he spoke Royal wheeled with flashing eyes and determined mien upon the British officer, who felt that he would do what he said, and re- plied impatiently: ‘To save my own life, Sir Pirate, I would not yield an inch; but for the sake of my offi- cers, and my crew, [ accede to your wishes.” “Tt is right that you should, I ask your parole, as a man of honor, for yourself, your officers and crew, and demand that no signal shall be made to any British vesseP you may ‘ meet to inform them of your condition. If you Ths meet an American man-of-war, you are at lib- i erty to surrender to her, if you desire, and should avy vessel of your own flag attempt to overhaul this merchant craft we are now on,’ you are to claim her as your prize. Do you un- derstand my terms, captain?” — Pney “‘T do, Sir Pirate, and such a remarkable proceeding was never heard of before.” } _ Things still more remarkable will transpire My before this war ends.” 5 aR * And we are to rot in an American prison, I suppose, until—” . ‘No, I pledge myself, through this gentle- ie man here, the captain of this vessel, that you A ith shall go free as soonas you have surrendered ew 3 your vessel to the proper authorities.” = = ‘* And my officers and crew?” iv ‘Shall be released with you. I know the United States will grant'this in return for the == present 1 make them of a fine cruiser.” A “HA » 1 pei $e
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ee eS ee a The Sea Rover’s Protege. eee a, ee NRT OOP Te TEAL Set ; ~ ee 7\e 4 2) every effort to escape, for she had all the sail set that would draw. ‘“‘Thatis the schooner; but I cannot see how itis that we are creeping on her—she must be crippled some way—beat to quarters, Mr. Ross- more, for we are about in range of Long Tom.” The roll of the drum resounded through the ship, and the obedient seamen went quickly to quarters. ‘¢ Gunner, clear old Long Tom, and send yon-, der schooner our card,” called out Captain Ru- pert Maurice, delighted at the prospect of over- hauling the famous rover, A few moments after the deep boom of the gun broke over the waters; the whir of the shot followed, and the iron messenger buried itself very near the stern of the schooner, ‘Run up the Stars and Stripes,” was the next. order, and instantly the American flag fluttered. to the peak, Instantly there was a change visible on board the schooner, for the black flag, with its white skull and cross-bones, and red crossed swords, was run up—the flag of Royal the Buccaneer, At the same time the beautiful vessel seemed to fly ahead, and every instant gained rapidly upon the brig. ‘* By Jupiter! the fellow was towing cables. astern, to retard his progress, so as to have a better ook at us. Give him another shot, gun- | ner, The order was obeyed; but the shot fell short, and, although crowded with canvas the brig could not hold her own with the fleet schooner, which was soon out of range, and bowling along quietly, as though no deadly enemy hovered in. her wake, feared by Great Britain, against whom he has proven himself an untiring and deadly enemy. Standing upon the deck of a vessel, which the reader once before saw, coming into the harbor of Vera Cruz, were a group of officers, gazing earnestly ahead upon the waters, where was visible a sail, perhaps two leagues distant. Under chasing canvas, the American brig-of- war was rushing down toward the stranger and making eight knots an hour, One of the group of officers, upon the quarter- deck, and he who seemed to be the commander, was gazing through a glass at the strange sail, and after a while remarked: ‘* Yonder craft is the Witch of the Wave, Rossmore,” ‘*T hope you are assured of it, Captain Mau- rice,” replied Marsden Rossmore, the officer next in rank. ‘*T am certain. You know my father, the colonel, built the schooner for the Mexicans, and I was put on board of her, with a crew from this brig. It was before you were ordered aboard, and pase to the death of Captain Scott, whose place I took, you know. ** Well, I run her out to Vera Cruz, and we were chased by Royal, the Buccaneer, in a schooner he then sailed, and which an English brig-of-war afterward sunk, it is said, ‘* But I ran away from him and reached Vera Cruzin safety, and the very night this very brig sailed: into the harbor, Royal and his crew cut the schooner out, and éscaped to sea in her.” ‘*T heard of the affair. It was a most gallant act, even if a pirate did do it.” ‘Indeed it was, I shall never forget the way the Mexicans raved and swore when they found out how they had been outwitted—-why Royal and his crew enlisted in their service, and not to be mean he left them a small carera in which he had come into the harbor,” bs Did you see Royal himself, Captain Mau- rice? ‘¢ Yes, Rossmore, though I did not know until long afterward that the handsome young fellow whom I talked with wasthe famous pirate. You see, though my father built the schooner, he bad never seen it, his ill health causing him to trav- el; with my sister he visited Vera Cruz in one of his merchant ships, hoping to find me there; but we had sailed before their arrivaland I missed them, On the way to Boston the Queen, my father’s vessel, was chased and overhauled by an English cruiser of sixteen puns, but ere they could board her, an armed schooner that had been following in the Englishman’s wake at- tacked him, and by Jove, whipped him, thus winning two prizes. ** But now comes the gallant part, for, struck with ‘my sister Pearl’s face, and touched by something she said to hiny, Royal released the Queen, and sent the English cruiser under parole to Boston, where they both arrived in safety. But Pearl described to me in hor letter, Royal, the Buccaneer, and it is the same handsome young fellow I saw at Vera Cruz—and, by the way, | think Pear) is half in love with him; but who can blame her?” Marsden Rossmore looked as though, under the circumstances, he blamed her; but thought if he were Royal, he would not, ** And your father did not ‘recognize the schooner?’ **Ob, yes, he knew that Royal had cut out his vessel, for be had just heard all in Vera Cruz; but then, he had nothing to say to the bucca- neer, and perhaps thought it best not to make his knowledge known.” ‘*He was doubtless right—it would do no good; and you are certain yonder vessel is Roy- al’s schooner?” ‘* Yes, Rossmore; I know her well, and would under ’most any circumstances, for I drew the mode! which my father adopted in building her; but they say Royal changes her into a brig, and alters her so that she is indeed what they call her, a witch of the wave.” ** You will run her duwn, then?” _ “By all means, if I can; but she is a swift sailer, and unless Long Tom can cripple ber, we can have little hope of catching her, swift as is the Dreadnaught.” ‘** How about his splendid service in behalf of the United States, captain?” ‘That must gain him clemency from Govern- ment; it is my duty to overbaul him if I can, tor pirates are making these waters too hot for honest craft of late. Give the brig more cloth- ing, Rossrfore, for we are creeping up to the schooner.” \ 1 The additional canvas was soon spread, and ** You are generous, b'iccaneer; what strange freak of virtue has come over you?” and the Englishman spoke sneeringly. Royal seemed as though about to reply, but ta checked himself, and turning to Captain Pink- ry ney, said quietly: if **Captain, you are at liberty to go on your voyage unmolested, and I ook to you, sir, to see that the English crew are released as soon as my terms of release are complied with.” ** ] will do it, sir; but I can find no words to | thank you, sir, for all—” ‘«Thanks to me are needless—this maiden has been the victor. Sir Englishman,if you will return to my boat, I will take you aboard your vessel.” The Englishman bowed haughtily, and with- out a word went over the side into the waiting _ boat, accompanied by the midshipman, Then the chief turned to Pearl, who stood Guietly. by, a look of glad joy on her beautiful ace, ‘*Lady, you have wona conquest—you have won me from a life of crime, and I bless you for it. ‘Tf you only knew the anguish ever hoverin about my heart, you would not wonder that drown my lite in piracy—nay, ge would pity me, lady. But of my imbittered life I will not speak; yet I would say, that in the future, when you hear Royal, the Buccaneer, condemned as an inhuman wretch, that you will tell them that he is not wholly bad—that he has a heart, deep though it may lie in his breast.” ‘¢T will, I will—no one shall slander you in my hearing.” ‘Thank you, lady—from my heart I thank you-—one day i hope we may meet again, for the Witch of the Wave isa wild wanderer about the waters, and some time again you may ven- ture upon the seas—now farewell,” and Royal bent low before the maiden, who stepped for- ward and held forth her hand, her heart too full to speak. ‘*No, lady, I would pollute your tiny hand with my touch.” Pear! hesitated au instant, and then took from her finger a ring containing but one stoné—a ruby of great value and beauty. ‘Here, will you wear this, from me, and when -.. temptyd to sin, let it remind you of me—and “@od_gzant, guard you from crime—here, your hand, please. | Royal held forth his hand in a half-timid manner, and Féar] slipped upon the left little finger, the ring, ‘Lady, against the United States you will never hear that my gunsare turned ; but against America’s foe they shall blaze forth until peace again settles upon land and sea, Having no country, I, therefore, have no country’s flac, and my own sable banner shall continue to fly above my decks; but beneath its black folds I will never again combat for gold—farewell,” Stooping "hare over and kissing the little hand he still held in his own, Royal turned quickly, sprung over the side into his boat, and was rowed rapidly away. Y With eager eyes, and happy hearts at their escape, all on board the Queen watched the boat until it touched the side of the cruiser. — A few moments it remained alongside, and then headed for the Witch of the Wave, and ten ~ minutes after Royal, the Buccaneer Chief, was | upon his own deck. ; A short while after the cruiser, having re- paired damages, signaled for the Queen to fol- ow in her wake, and squared away On a norther- ly course, while the schooner came swiftly down toward the American under a cloud of canvas, Passing within easy bail, her men at her guns, the Witch of the Wave looked grandly beauti- . ful. a , * Upon the quarter-deck stood Royal, his arms folded across bis broad breast.. _. Then, at a signal of the chief, there boomed forth from the schooner gun after gun, until thirteen bad been counted. : With the first gun the Stars and Stripes went - up to the fore, with the last gun, the Ameri¢an flag descended again to the deck. . Then away swept the vessel upon a southerly course, and from the inmost depths of Pearl’s heart came a sigh, when she could no longer see ” the handsome form and sad face of Royal, the _- young buccaneer chief. CHAPTER XV. eee _ CHASING A PIRATE. } | NEARLY a year bas passed away since the ' strange meeting and parting of the English, American and pirate vessels pon the waters, CHAPTER XVI. RUN INTO A TRAP. ‘** RossMorE, I fear I was foolhardy in run- ning in here—bad the wind held out it would have been all right—as it is, I fear for the safety of the brig,” and Captain Maurice glanced around him with an anxious expression upon his handsome face—an expression that was re- flected upon the face of his heutenant, Marsden Rossmore, . And indeed there was cause for anxiety, for in his eager pursuit of the schooner Captain Maurice had steered boldly into a self-locked harbor, risking the safety of his vessel to run the buceaneer to bis lair, ; The last seen of the schooner was when she glided into some inlet, or basin, in the high hills that broke off precipitately at the sea. Where she had goue none with certain knew; but they felt convinced that she was quietly anchored in some secure haven not far from them, Guarding the outlet to the sea as the brig was. it, would be impossible for the Witch of the ve to escape to open water again, and Cap- tain Maurice felt confident that he could cap- ture the buccaneer craft by boarding withihis | boats. But an unlooked-for evil presented itself, just as the brig gained the inner waters, and was slowly moving along under an overhanging cliff —a dead calm fell upon the sea, and the vessel-. of-war was forced to = tens drop anchor. Taking advantage of the calm, Rupert deter- mined to at once move off in the boats to the at- tack, feeling confident that he could easily find. the retreat of the schooner. But while the men were preparing for the ex- ition, there came to every ear a low, rum- ling sound—oninous of coming danger. Every ear beard it, and every eye glanced quickly seaward, The look brought pallor to every face, for sweeping down from the sea, though yet miles away,came a storm, the angry mutterings of which grew momentarily louder and louder, Upon a lee shore, a storm rushing upon them, and nota breath of air to fill the sails, while upon every side were rocky dangers, was cer- tainly an appalling evil. EN RAS tom Instantly the order to call away the boats was countermanded, and the young commander bent every energy to the safety of his own vessel, “That storm rushes on like a mill-race, Ross- more, and darknessand the gale will reach us together. f ‘If I only had a breath of air, I could work out of this—by Jove! I will try the boats—call them away and fill them with full crews—we will tow out!” aan i The boats were at once ordered out ahead, filled with sturdy oarsmen, and with tow-lines = attached to the brig’s bows, Mh the Dreadnaught went tearing through the | / Then the ancior was hauled fromthe bottom, - and in that time Royal, the Buccaneer, has won | water at a rapid rate,and momentarily gained and with a strong will the iron muscles of the > _ aname known upon every sea, and especially ' upon the schooner, which seemed to be using ' seamen bent to their work. fe ee me ny APO vine , ; i “ Wists : i v4 . ‘ ay = - TL alee 4 S 4 eS ~ -- Spa hse See + > - re ca es ~ 2 AS +4, oes eee a - < 7 nT AP " } : { ; 43. Por as: $e 4 ° \ M é ' Y ‘ 4 Ny ate to! oe er tad , , Lo” r 1 ah * : 7 : t “ J 1 ¥ . . : v7 Vas, i) ets cine lita i egies 53
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_ stroying powers. ' ee 7 ia teas ole _— et eee A a ee ’ The Sea Rover’s Protege. | For some time they pulled big Ac tremen- dous strokes, and then a look of disappointment crossed the young captain’s face. ‘*The tide is running in, and the pressure of the hurricane drives the sea before it too hard for the boats to be of service. It is too bad— ‘too bad! ‘*Call in the boats, Mr. Rossmore, and then let go both anchors. I will then strip the brig of everything that will give the wind a hold, for our only chance is to ride it out—if we fail in that we aré doomed.” Every man aboard ship felt the aie danger as thoroughly as did the captain, and they worked with a will, for their lives hung by a thread. ‘* How would it do to signal for a pilot, cap- tain? There are certainly settlers along this shore, for as we ran in, you know, we saw sev- eral cabins on the hillsides?” ‘* A good thought, Rossmore. If we can get a pilot we can either run in to some secure ha- ven or work out when the blowstrikes us. Clear away Long Tom, Mr, Rossmore, and fire signal guns,” A few moments more and the deep roar of the gun awakened a thousand echoes along the rocky shore, and startled from their nests and retreats bundreds of screaming sea-birds. Again and again the deep, piteous appeal for aid went forth, the hoarse voice of the cannon seeming hoarse from the energy of its cry, ‘foward the shore, after each brazen call for help, the eye of every officer and man was turned, searchingly watching for some sign of coming aid. ‘ Ba‘ gun after gun pealed forth, until its roar mingled with the thunder of the coming hurri- cane, the rumble of the wild waters—still rush- og nee. upon the devoted vessel, ntil darkness began to creep over the waters ‘the men eagerly looked and longed for help, while nearer and nearer came the storm. Then from the inky storm-clouds would break a vivid flish of silvery lightning, and the crash of thunder would follow—the next moment the . $eene would be ablaze with the red flash of the eannon, and its roar would die away as had the thunder of the clouds, ‘Still upon the sea around the brig rested the awful calm, and darkness settled gloomily down upon the face of the waters, as though to cover with a pall the scene of revel that death must soon hold upon that rocky coast, unless aid came from some quarter, : ** A boat! a boat!” The words were almost shrieked from the lips of the lookout, and every eye turned eagerly shoreward, every heart bounded with a throb of hope. Bs W hereaway ?” ‘** Just under the shadow of the cliff, sir.” ‘Throw over a blue light, Mr. Rossmore.’* *tAy, ay, sir,” and the leutenant sprung nimbly to obey the order. A moment after and e weird light lit up the scene, making the brig look like a spectrai bargue upon a phantom sea. ‘¢Sacure that gun, forward—ha! I see the boat now; it is a pilot. * Ahoy! ahoy! row with a will, lads, or all is’ lost,” and Rupert Maurice sent his voice in ring- ing tones across the waters, _ Jn the boat were two persons, both pulling with a determined energy that sent the frail _ craft flying over the waters. m the arms of those two men hung the lives of allin the brig—ay, their own lives, and all well knew it. . : Then from a hundred throats burst a wild cry of encouragement, ** Pall, lads, pull! pull for your lives.” The chorus of voices arose ab6ve the roar of the coming sicrm, and floated a¢ross the water, Then back came the answer—in deep, ringing tones—in @ voice that had no atom of fear in it: ‘““Ay, ay; up with your anchors all—set storm:sails.” A wild cheer btrst from the crew, and toa man they sprung to obey—he who spoke was their master—his hand must save them from death. , On, on, plunged the hurricane, and on, on, flew the boat; and then it became a race be- tween lifeand death, | , Death lay in the coming storm—life lay in the coming boat, . +& few more tremendous strokes of the oars, and the boat shot alongside. _ Awild burst of voices,a rushing of feet, a deafening roar of wind, wave, and thunder, a vivid blaze of lightning, and the storm had struck the devoted brig, with its legions of de- : / id REG oe 2 tN ee ee ee ok ee EEE eee ee eee ee Eee eee eee ‘an instant, — . a CHAPTER XVII. THE PILOT, As soon as the two men reacbed the brig’s side, they sprung on deck, casting adrift their little boat—it was no time then to think of sav- ing it. ees Maurice, trumpet in hand, was about to address him whom he believed the pilot; but two dark forms bounded by him and the next moment stood at the wheel. ‘* Are those anchors aboard?’ sung out the clear voice of the pilot, who stood upon the right of the wheel, while his companion held the left. ‘* Ay, ay, sir!” ‘Good! down all! the shock is coming!” As the last words left the pilot’s lips the hur- ricane was upon them, the brig was raised bod- ily in the air, and hurled forward with terrific force into the seething waters, while she bent far over as though she would never right again. On bo&rd ali seemed a chaos of death and the wildest confusion, for a dozen men were torn from their desperate clinging to bulwarks and rigging, and whisked away like mere straws, their despairing cries smothered by the merci- less waters. A moment of terrible doubt to all, and then the good brig righted, crouched down, like a | panther preparing for a spring, and then, as her storm-sails still held firm, in spite of the ter- rific strain upon them, bounded away into the inky darkness-—iliumined ever and anon with arrowy streaks of lightning, which only served to make the gloom more dense, But at the helm stood the pilot and bis com- | panion, and/clinging near them were Rupert | Maurice and Marsden Rossmore, : Taking advantage of a vivid sheet of fire that burst from the trailing storm-clouds, all in the brig turned their gaze upon the iaces of those two men. The one upon the right of the wheel was a man of splendid proportions, and dressed in a close-fitting oil suit, while a cap of the same material sheltered bis head. His face was youthful, stern, decided and | fearless—his hand clutched the wheel with a de- termined, confident grusp. His companion possessed a slender, wiryform, | also protected by a storm-suit, and his face was | pale, calm, and yet fearless, while his eyes were constantly upon his comrade, as though upon him hung ell. j Those who thus beheld the two men at the, wheel gave a sigh of relief—there wassomething | in their manner that bade them hope that ali would be well. , ) Whenever a vivid flash of lightning would come—bright enough to bliud every eye, the | eagle geze of the pilot would glance landward, and then quickly ahead. : \ To allon the brig it seemed as though they were rushing at mad speed/directly to destruc- ticn, ’ Upon one side of them was a wild sea breaking to atoms upon rugged reefs—upon the other side was a rocky coast, against which the waves harled themselves with relentless fury. But, on, still on sped the brig, the helmsman making no direct change in her course and keep- ing fier beaded, seemingly, betweon a line of reefs and the shore, with which he was running | parallel. A half-league was thus passed over, when suddenly a flash of lightning showed, almost above them, a dark, overhanging cliff rising far above the masts, ‘ Every heart ceased to beat with dread among officers and crew, and then all eyes were turned upon the pilot. He was calm, unmoved, and the gaze of his companion still rested upon him in perfect con- fidence. ; Again came erflash, and the threatening cliff was off their lee stern quarter, and a sigh of re- : lief roingled witb the mad winds, — | Then, in his distinct, ringing tones, that pierced fore and aft the vessel, came the order: ‘* Stand ready all to wear ship--hard! hard a- starboard! bard down!” Plunging, diving, bounding, the sharp bows of the brig swept round, drenched by torrents of water, struck hard by surging waves, yet still halite obedient to her helm until, for e hung’in the very teeth of the gale, and then went about—-cheered by a bun- dred throats that burst forth in wild hurrab. ‘‘ Haul in everything! strip her close!” came the next order. And unhesitatingly the crew obeyed, while gradually the force of the wind was less felt, the waves crew Jess wild, until a friendly flash of: lightning showed tie tall Bo ad upon the other | ters not when or where, | lowed by- his companion, went over, tie side - s ae at Za quarter—they had rounded the point and were liding into a baven of safety. : Slowly the brig glided ahead, until presently cher momentum was cbhecked—around her all was calm—outside, beyond the rocky wall, the sea and wind stiil raged in fury. ‘* You can let fall your anchor here, captain— unless the wind sweeps around to the northeast, you will be perfectly safe in this basin.” Ané@ the pilot spoke with perfect calmness, Ere Captain Maurice could reply, Marsden Rossmore cried: ‘¢ Three cheers for the pilot!” With a will they were given with a three times three, and, the battle-lanterns being brought aft, their light was turned full upon the man who had saved them. In response to the cheers he bowed low and said, quietly : ‘Tnenk you, lads; captain, will you now per- mit me to trouble you to set my comrade and myself ashore—you know we lost our boat.” *¢ And you shall bave one of the brig’s to re- place it; but, come into the cabin with me and partake of a glass of wine and some refresh- ments; besides, | owe you far more than thanks for your noble work, for you saved our lives, sir.” ‘You owe me nothing, captain; gold I do not need, sir, and in saving you [ have but done as my heart dictat«d,” “‘ Surely you will not refuse some reward for your services, sir?” said Rupert, with surprise. ‘« Assuredly I will, Captain Maurice,” ‘‘ What! you know me, then?” exclaimed the American, with increased surprise. ‘+ We have met before, captain; but it mat- Will you allow your boat to set me ashore?” ‘*Certainly—call away the gig, Mr. Ross- more; but tell me, sir, who are you?” ‘‘A seaman, captain—one whom you may some day meet upon the high seas, If this storm sweeps around, sir, as it mey do, I will see that you are piloted out. Fareweil, Cap- taint’ Maurice.” ' Rupert beld forth his hand in rather a burt manner; be felt sorrow that he could in no way gerve one who bad risked his life to save him. Tra pilot grasped his hand warmly, snluted the officers cnd men grouped around, ar, fol- into the waiting boat, For a few moments the young“ commander walked moodily to and fro, and then said quick- 1 ‘‘ By Heaven! I forgot all about asking him regarding the pirate schooner —recall that boat, Mr. Rossmore.” “ Ho! the buat aboy!” rung out over the wa- ters; but no answer came, and again the hail was repeated, but with like success, ~y ‘There is a mystery about this I cannot fathom. Ha! there comes the boat, Ross- more,” A few moments more, and the coxswain of the gig came aft. i ‘Where is the pilot, sir?” ‘+ Ashore, captain.” i “Did you not hear my hail, sir?” ‘ses, sir; but—” “But what? Why did you not return?” ‘t Because the pilot told us to go on, sir.” ‘¢ And who should you obey, sir—your com--~ —~ mander or the pilot?” ‘‘ You, captain; but it was out of my power, sir. for the pilot and his: messmate covered us with their pistols, and it was death to resist.” ‘Tn Satan’s name, who is that fellow?” angri- ly said Rupert Maurice. ‘(He sent you this, sir,”and the coxswain held forth a smaJl package. ~ Seizing it hestily, Captain Maurice beheld b the light of the battle-lantern a tiny flag. Is was black, bad a white skull and crossbones, and a pair of red crossed swords in the center. Jt told the whole sea and in a hoarse voice Rupert Maurice said: ; ‘Yes, I remember him now—we met at Vera Cruz. f ‘Rossmore, the daring pilot who has just saved us was Royal, the Buccaneer !” CHAPTER XVIII. : THE WITCH OF THE WAVE, : WHEN it was known who had beenthestrange | pilot that had guided tha, brig from shipwreck ; to safety, a silence fell upon all for some mo-" ments, while a superstitious terror’pervaded the crew. ‘ x Many an old seaman shook his bead in omin~— ous silence, while others were heard mutterinc that Royal, the Buccaneer, was none other than v the devilhimself. tee pa. - # x " ay NS too . i ‘B Pols ay s i a : Ns ae Tee Ae ee ae ee ees yy acai Seid mui aa eee ala
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_ jously around i _.« ‘* Yes, that man would do anything; thé brig once, and he would do it again, though As for Rupert’ Maurice, he knew not what to think—once he had saved his father’s life, his sister’s honor; now he saved the lifeof himself and crew. Though not partaking of the crew’s supersti- tion, he yet knew not how to solve the mystery of the strange affair. His well-known friendliness to the United States had been proven in many ways; still, he was Royal, the Buccaneer, and his orders were to hunt down all:pirates. ‘* Well, Rossmore, bere is food for thought,” said the young captain as he and his lieutenant sat together in the brig’s cabin, indulging in a light supper, washed down by delicious wine, ‘Indeed, it isa nut to crack; but what is to be done, Rupert?” answered Marsden Rossmore, who always called his commander by his Chris- tian name when not on duty, for the two had been middies together, ‘* Wait until day breaks and then point out the schooner; I will endeavor to make him sur- render without a tigbt—if not, we must take him, sadly as I dislike raising my arm against one who has so nobly served us, ay, and mine before me.” ‘* Jt seems hard, but must be done; the bucca- neer will not submit tamely, I am assured.” ‘¢No, Marsden; but 1 think I can safely prom- ise him pardon tor himself and crew if he does —he deserves it; then I will show bim that I have three guns to his cne, and two men to his one.” ‘* He cares little for odds against him—I have heard that he was bold enough to attack a frig- ate. “Yes, Royal, the Buccaneer, would do any desperate act of courage— What is that you say, quartermaster?” and Rupert turned toward a seaman who just then entered the cabin, “The officer of the deck would see you, sir.” ‘“*T will come up immediately. hat new ne €) is to transpire, 1 wonder? Come, Mars- en. So saying, Captain Maurice went on deck, ac- companied by his lieutenant. ‘* Well, Sydney, what is it?” he asked of an elderly pais Mei was gazing somewhat anx- um, ‘“¢T do not like the luoks of the sky, sir—the veering, as you may feel, for the waves are béic ate even in this secure haven.” *“*You are ‘right, Mr. Sydney—I notice that the brig is beginning to seem uneasy at her an- chors, ‘¢ We will hold on here for a while, andif the wind chops further round to the northeast, we will signal again for the—the—” ‘‘Do youthink he would come aboard, after having made known to you who he was, sir?” e saved doubtless he would do so only upon my pledged word not to take him—and I would give it, added the young officer, thoughtfully. Each moment the waters of the basin grew more and more violent, and the cliff no longer sheltered the brig from the wind, which began to whistle mournfully through the rigging. ‘The wind veers rapidly, and this is a nasty place in a blow—see! the lightning then gave us a view of a fearful prospect—a rocky coast up- on three sides of us.” xs ‘‘ Yes, captain; butit seems to open seaward, said Lieutenant Sydney. ; ‘** No; you have forgotten the reef—we are in a tight place—how swiftly the gale is sweeping around—fire the signal-gun, Mr. Sydney. ** Ay, ay, sir!” , And the officer walked forward, and five min- utes after the pleading notes of the gun were again heard. ‘Cease firing! in God’s name, what was that?” cried Rupert Maurice, as the red flash of the gun had given him a glance of some object inshore, All eyes turned landward and endeavored to pierce the gloom. Then, as their gaze became accustomed to the darkness after the blinding flash of the gun, they beheld what appeared to be the misty form of a woman floating upon the waters. = Nearer and nearer it came, a greenish light _ pervading it and a mantle of snowy white seem- ing to encompass the form, which looked as thoagh fasting in air a few feet above the dark ar zed upon the strange sight, some in a. n the 8 I superstitious terror, some in amazement, until it was plainly visible—a woman’s form clad in white, and over which hovered a weird light of greenish hue. "The bait hung in masses upon the bare sboul- ders, and the eyes stared glitteringly ahead. ee te ee a Pra \ - = fi y 4 The Sea Rover’s Protege. One arm was outstretched, white and bare, and the forefinger of the hand pointed ahead, as though marking her course; the other hand clasped the hilt of a dagger in her girdle. Not a word was heard upon the brig—not an officer or seaman moved—they all seemed spell- bound while the weird figure drew nearer and nearer, ** Ahoy, the brig!” Every heart on the brig gave a quick throb— the challenge rung out in such sharp, stern tones, and so unexpectedly, Then, their eyes momentarily turning from the mysterious form, they caught sight of the shadowy outline of a vessel hovering above. ** Ahoy, the brig!’ Again came tte hail, and Rupert Maurice, throwing off the spell that had held him en- thralled, answered: ** Ahoy!” ‘** You signaled for a pilot?” *S Ay, ay, sir.” ‘* You need one, for this is no longer a safe anchorage with the gale sweeping round. Up anchor, lively, and follow me out—it is your only chance,” lt was the voice of the strange pilot—all re- cognized it. nstantly the orders of Captain Maurice and his officers rung out, and in the shortest time the anchor was up and the brig under just can- vas enough to work her easily. In the mean time the strange vessel glided by slowly, and Rupert Maurice gave a sigh of re- lief as he beheld that the weird-lookiny spectur was the figure-head of the buccaneer schooner, the Witch of the Wave, lighted up by some con- trivance within—yet ey spectral and unearthly did it look floating along as it did in the gloom and above the dark waters, At the wheel of the schooner stood the tall form of Royal the Buccaneer, as calm and un- moved as he had been at the helm of the brig. Slowly the schooner glided ahead on the star- board tack, passing within half a length of the brig’s stern; then, as she came back upon the other tack, the brig began to move through the waters, and followed slowly in her wake. A few moments more and the force of the le struck them, and they forged ahead at a ively pace, the schooner bounding from wave to wave, tho brig plowing through them. Around them all was darkness, astern the land could no longer be seen, ahead all was ‘blackness tangible, Yet still the schooner held her course, guided by a master hand, and closely in her wake fol- lowed the brig, with Rupert Maurice and Mars- den Rossmore at the wheel—they would trust no other hand at such a time. ‘** Starboard! hard-a-starboard your helm!” It was the metallic voice of Royal, hurled back over the waters, and as he spoke the schooner swung gracefully around and darted off on another course, ‘* Starboard! hard-a-starboard itis!” sung out Rupert Maurice, and the brig executed the Imaneuver on the very spot where,a moment before, the schooner had set her the example, Then followed a series of short tacks for a few minutes, and arun with a free sheet, after which a few long stretches carried the two ves- sels into the open sea. | j | | the death At a glance a seaman would have said she was. not American, for her yards were too square, | and were painted black, a peculiarity of British vessels-of-war, f Certainly she was a finished model, with just proportion between spars and hull, while a heavy battery frowned upon her deck, Standing aft, and gazing idly over the waters: were two officers whose taces end forms are fa- miliar to the reader. N They aro Captain Delorme, Earl of Chadwick and Orlando Ellis, bis first officer, who, three years before had poured such a ruthless fire from the brigantine Enchantress upon the wrecked Bride of the Sea. ‘*'Then you think, my lord, that the war can- not Jast much longer?’ said Orlando Ellis, as if carrying out a train of thought, ’ ‘‘No; we were wrong, to begin with, as you know, and the Americans have shown them- selves too brave a people, both on sea and land, for us to attempt Jonger to subdue them, The. war will end soon—nay, oven now peace may be. declared,” replied Captain Delorme, who, by of his father a year before, bad be- come the Earl of Chadwick, ‘* But you will not give up the sea, my lord?” ‘No, Ellis—I will return to England and again take command of my brigantine, which I really disliked to give up, even for a sloop-of- war. ‘*With her I will continue my hunt after Royal, the Buccaneer—he whom we believed wo had ended three years ago; but the devil has given him as many lives as a cat,” ‘‘He certainly scems infallible; you have a deadly hatred for him, my lord?” . ‘* Ay, curse him! I have, ‘“Wilis, why I hate him as 1 told you—one day, perbaps, I **Sail ho!” ‘* Whereaway, maintop?” ‘* Dead ahead, sir.” ‘* Keep your eye on her, and report as soon as you make cut her rig and the course she steers,” “Ay, ay, sir!” A short while more and the lookout again hailed the deck: ‘* A large brig, sir—heading toward us now, for ske has changed her course.” ‘“‘ Ay, ay—helmsman, keep her steady as you are,” and Captain Delorme paced slowly to and fro, his eyes bent down, his lips compressed, as, though in deep and painful thought. , Nearer and nearer the vessels drew to each other, until it was evident to all that the strane ger was a brig-of-war and an American. ‘The fellow is bold, Does he intend to meas- ure broadsides with me?” said the earl, as the brig still came on. ‘*No, sir, he is putting about now—there, he is setting more sail! ' ‘‘ He has had a close look at us and means to run for it.” 7 “Yes, Ellis, and there flies his flag—run up the colors of old England, and crowd on sail—. we will give chase to the daring American.” A few moments more and the English vessel was plowing along, crowded from deck to truck. with snowy canvas, Ahead, a long leagueaway, the American bri was flying under a full pressure of canvas —as i fully conscious that she was unable to cope with. do, I have never wili—” The roar of the breakers, the white walls of | her more powerful adversary. Bie the rocky shore, was a league astern of em, As they approached open water, the schooner gradually began to draw away from the brig, and Captain Maurice at once ordered more can- vas spread, though the wind still blew a gale; but he was anxious to keep in sight of the bue- caneer-—had he been twice the crime-stained man he was, he would not now hunt him down; he wished to thank him for all he had done for himseif and crew, But when the extra canvas had been set, and the brig was plunging savagely ahead, all eyes again turned to look for the schooner, But only a storm-swept ocean met their gaze; far or wear, the schconer was nowhere visible, and Rupert Maurice said in a hushed voice; ‘*Tbat craft is rightly named—she is indeed a Witch of the Wave.” CHAPTER XIX, THE PURSUER AND PURSUED, TOWARD the close of a beautiful day, and at atime just prior to the ending of the last war between the United States and Great Britain, a large sloop-of-war was cruising slow- y along in southern latitudes, her lookouts carefully searching the waters for sight of a strange sail. | ‘¢ Vand ho!” suog out the man in the foretop. “ Whereaway pa man?” ‘Just forward of the brig’s bow, sir.” ‘‘{t istheisland of the buccaneers, Ellis, 1f we can corner the brig, between us and the land, we may yet take her—as it is, I think we. are gaining upon her.” ‘* We are decidedly, my lord—see for yourself, how we are pushing her; but I fear darkness. may aid her escape. ‘“T hope not—oh! my dear wife, you have | come on deck to watch the chase,” and the earl stepped forward and offered his arm to a lady of refined appearance, who had just come from the cabin. } ‘Yes, Delorme, Lizette told me you were in chase of an American vessel,” and the lady turned her beautiful, sad eyes toward the brig, ‘* A plucky American craft that we sighted two hours ago—if we continue to overhaul her, my dear, there will be a combat, for the Ameri- can will not submit tamely. “*T wish that I could have prevailed upon you to remain at home—for | like not your presence here in danger,” ‘You risk far more than I do, Delorme; no. I could not remain at home—I would have died of sorrow, and I wished to be near you when m meas youm ou took—took Royal, the oe sempad for welll - now, disguise it y, that to _— ae be - E : ” , we 1s ’ zs, 7 oy at 4
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capture that man, or kill him, is your devoted aim in life.” ““T admit it—and have J not cause to wish him dead? Has he not wrecked your happiness and mine? ‘* What is it, Ellis?” “We are in range, sir, with the bow-chaser, and night is coming on—had we not best try to cripple him?” ‘* By all means—clear the gun for action, and at have it—fire for his rigging, not his hull,” ‘* Ay, ay, sir,” and the lieutenant went for- ward, aud several minutes after the vessel shook ufder the recoil of the heavy gun. Standing upon the quartér-deck of the flying brig, were Captain Rapert Maurice, his father and sister, the latter conversing with Marsden Rossmore, who seemed deeply interested in the maiden, who, in the three years that had passed since the reader last saw her, had matured into beautiful womanhood. ‘* father, 1 wish you had accepted the ad- miral’s invitatién, and gone to Havana in his frigate,” said Rupert, glancing somewhat anx- iously at the pursuing sloop-of-war. ‘*No, my estates if Cuba demanded my in- stant care, and I could not await the sailing of the admiral, y ** Besides, his frigate was just as likely to meet with an English ship-of-the-line, and—” ** But the frigate was superior to any vessel in these waters, while my little brig has to rin froma larger foe—itisa pity that we mistook the Eaglishman for tie American sloop-of-war Vixen, and thus allowed her to get so near us; but I certainly believed her to be the English craft that the commodore captured some months ago—they are very like in hull and rig.” ‘**T fear the sloop outsails you, Rupert.” “She certainly does,and I am pressing the Dreadnaught hard—if it were not for Pearl, I would be half-tempted to fight the fellow.” ‘* That you will have to do, orsubmit tamely— see, they are clearing the bow guns for action,” and Colonel Maurice handed the glass to his gon. ‘* They are indeed. Father, please take Pearl at once to the cabin—and as you are a non-com- batant, will you kindly remain there yourself?” **No—my place is on deck with you—the odds against you are terrible as it is; come, Pearl, you must at once go to a place of safety.” The maiden turned slightly pale, but said nothing, while she stepped forward and affec- ‘tionately kissed her brother, ‘* Don’t be rash, Ru; I will pray for victory for you, though I fear it onaer be.” A moment after she was gone, and then came rushing through the air the iron messenger from the English sloop-of-war, ‘*That was a close shot—he has a splendid n; Mr, Ellis, beat to quarters, please, and ve the brig put in her best fighting-trim,” And Rupert Maurice again turned his gaze upon his pursuer. ‘* Rupert, darkness is going to be our friend,” And Colonel Maurice again stood by the side of his son. “* Yes, sir; it is my intention to run as far in- shore as possible, for there we can perhaps elude him with the land for a background, ‘¢ There comes another shot, and I have no gun that will yet reach him.” The firing of the bow-chaser on board the English vessel now became rapid and regular, and, improving with practice, the iron hail soon began to tell upon the rigging of the brig. sut darkness came to theaidof the American, and as soon asit b.2ame dense Captain Maurice changed his course, ran close inshore, and sud- denly stripped his vessel of all canvas, leaving ‘her floating upon the waters under bare poles. ‘“ Now we will see how keen his eyes are; if we are discovered we will have one advantage, for we will be near his fire.” And in breathless silence the crew of the Dreadnaught’ stood at their quarters grimly awaiting the result of their captain’s maneuver, CHAPTER XX. | _ HO! PIRATES TO THE RESCUE, _ For an hour or more the Dreadnaught lay upon the waters, the eyes of her crew eagerly watching for their large enemy, and hoping that they might escape in the darkness of the night ‘But their hopes were doomed to disappoint- ment, for suddenly through the darkness loomed up the shadowy’ outline of the sloop-of-war— heading aka: Bev the brig. as conven ttery, ho! aim low and well— Re _ SS ee - - . £. J) oi tae a tia, + 3 a ae ; ” ¥5 ee eee See ee eee Se eo The Sea Rover’s Protege. The ringing order of Rupert was followed by ther, both gazing in surprise and admiration a terrible discharge that shook the brig to her | very center. Away flew the hurricane of iron, raking the Englishman fore and aft, and with terrible ef- fect, for the crashing of timbers, groans of the wounded, and stern cries of the officers were heard distinctly on the decks of the brig. Againand again the American’s guns flashed forth; but each gun was soon answered three to one, for, though sad havoc had reigned for a while upon her decks, the Englishman’s well- trained crew soon stood unflinchingly at their posts, and their fire began to tell upon the rig- ging of the Dreadnaught. Finding that the guns of his enemy would wreck him if he continued to fight at long rahge, Rupert Maurice determined to attempt boarding, grimly remarking: ‘* If they conquer us, it will be upon theirown deck!” Nearer and nearer the two vessels ranged to- gether, the combat momentarily growing fiercer and fiercer, and death holding high revel upon the decks of each craft. ** Boarders ahoy! now we have him—lay him alongside, helmsman)” cried the young Ameri- can, who, with cutlass and pistol in band, stood ready to lead his men on board the Englishman, By his side stood bis father and Marsden Ross- more, both thoroughly armed, and behind them were a hundred ready seamen, A moment after the bows of the brig slid along the stern quarter of the sloop, the grap- pling-irons were hurled, and a hundred flying forms were in air in an instant. With wild cheers they descended upon the decks of the Englishman, and a terrible hand- to-hand struggle began. For some moments the fight raged fiercely, and neither side had given an inch of deck; but then the weight of overpowering numbers be- gan to slowly force the Americans back, and in almost despair Rupert Maurice rallied his re- maining men around him, \ ‘¢ Will you strike your flag? I dislike to cut down brave men!” and Captain Delorme sprung in front of the opposing lines. “No!” came the answer, and again the com- bat began with fury; but steadily the Americans were driven back, and in a vain attempt to rally them Marsden Rossmore fell dead, run through the heart by a sword inthe handsof Orlando Ellis, the English lieutenaut. With a cry of fury Rupert Maurice sprung forward, and his heavy cutlass fell upon the head of Orlando Ellis, who fell back into the arms of his seamen, a corpse. But desperate valor would not stem the tide of battle—it was steadily setting against the Americans, and again the young officer glanced around upon his thinning ranks—before him was a larger number of stalwert sons of Old England than he had had in all his crew. ** Will you strike your colors now? it is mad- ness to resist,” cried the humane ear], With anguish at his heart, Rupert glanced sadly around him in the pause that followed, and the words were hovering upon his lips: ‘¢ Yes, I strike my flag.” But suddenly a violent shock was felt by all, and over the bulwarks of the sloop-of-war came a fiying mass of mad humanity, while from the midst came a trumpet voice: ‘* Ho! Pirates to *he rescue!” Then, amid the red glare of battle was seen the tall form of Royal, the Buccaneer, rushing to the fray, and behind aim pressed four-score of desperate men, following their young chief to victory or death. x The rush of the buccaneers was irresistible, their mad charge drovethe English hefore them, and Royal’s arm struck down the brave Earl of Chadwick, With yells, like fiends infernal, the buccaneers pressed forward, and closely supported by the Ainericans, they swept the decks. “Down with your arms, and take quarter— we are not human wretches!” Loud rung the words of Royal, and upon every side arose the cry of quarter, while a young Officer hauled down the flag of Great ritair. The combat had ended, and the red deck was won, © ‘*Captain Maurice, we meet again—I saw ‘from my clifflookout ashore that you were go- ing to engage a powerful adversary, sol went aboard my schooner and sailed to your aid. Fortunately the darkness, and excitement of tality. allowed me to run you aboard unper- ceiv: It was Royal who spoke—his face calm, his manner unmoved. By his side stood Rupert Maurice and his fa- } and the hillside beyond. yy upon the remarkable man before them. At length Rupert said earnestly: “Yes, again we meet, and again you have saved me and mine; from my heart I thank you, and from this night we can never more be enemies. Father, this is he whom men call Royal the Buccaneer, and who has proven our good friend.” Colonel Maurice stepped forward and warmly grasped the hand of the buccaneer, while he said, with deep feeling: . ‘* Chief, three years ago you made my daugh- ter a promise. I heard that promise, and I have watched your career anxiously. Thank God, you have held your word inviolate.” ‘*‘T have kept my word, sir; but let us now look after the wounded. ‘‘Captain Maurice, this vessel is your prize, sir; but I would advise that you would follow me into my retreat, for both the sloop and brig are crippled, and there you can repair at your leisure. ; ‘¢T will send pilots aboard to run you in—the retreat is but two leagues distant,” An hour after, the Witch of the Wave was dashing shoreward over the dark waters, and in her wake followed the American brig and the English sloop-of-war, both under the charge of skilled buccaneer pilots. ; CHAPTER XXI, THE EARL AVENGED. WHueEn the sun arose, the morning after the fierce combat, its rays fell upon the three ves- sels lying quietly at their anchors in the small harbor of the buccaneer island. A busy scene was presented upon the decks of the American and English vessels, for the crews ; were removing the wounded to the cabins on ; shore, and burying the dead in a shaded spot : beyond the hill. inding that the commander of the English sloop-of-war was not killed—in fact, not very seriously wounded, Royal had ordered him borne to his own quarters—the cabin on tho hill—and there his loving wife had accompanied him. As the Dreadnaught would have to be roy generally overhauled, Royal requested, that > kk Colonel ahah ei and Pear] should take. “ Fl iy ? pik Re ry Boer ' Tmwid Ee is 5 4 ve SE LE NIY MEE AE ee
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‘¢ But I have come to urge that you and your . father take up your quarters ashore. Mycabin isat your service. You will meet there Lady Chadwick, the wife of the earl who commanded the slocp.” “JT will go, with pleasure.” j Thus it was arranged, and an hour after the } chief’s cabin was full of guests. , Having attended to the duties devolving upon him, in the evening Royal walked leisurely up to the cabin, with the expressed purpose of see- ing how the wounded ear! was getting along. Bat was that the reason? In his heart he knew that another motive moved his feet thither. As he entered the cabin he was glad to see that the ear!’s injuries were less serious than he had supposed, for the Englishman was lying upon a lounge, with his wife seated by his side. Near by were also seated Colonel Maurice, Rupert and Pearl. esitating upon the threshold, Colonel Mau- ph caught sight of him, and springing up, cried: ** Come in, chief; come in, My lord, I would present to you Captain Royal, whom you have already long known by reputation.” The earl turned deadly pale, his lips set firm-. jy as he turned his eyes upon the chief, ‘‘You? You are not Royal, the Buccaneer!” he exclaimed, excitedly, half-arising from his couch. . : ‘*f am Royal, the Buccaneer, sir,” haughtily responded the chief, ; ‘*You are scarcely more than a boy in years! It was nearly twenty years ago that—that—” “Years ago Royal, the Buccaneer, first won fame as a pirate, sir;—three years since an Eng- lish brigantine chased his schooner to tbis ren- dezvous, and, when dismasted in the gale, cruel- ly fired upon her. That fire killed him who first bore. the name of Royal, the Buccaneer, In dying be left me the heir to his name, his flag, and pis island retreat,” and the young chief spoke with a distinctness that sent every word home to the ears of those who heard him. \* Thank God ! 1 did slay him whom I sought for years, and years—him who wrecked the hap-. wees + ak 2 mys a +) > * i ia » overpowered : ink back upon the } D 9 e, ne , ia * A moment he lay quiet, his eyes riveted upon Royal, who leant against the doorway, his arms folded across his t, asad, dreamy light in his dark eyes. Ck. ay Suddenly a strange light flashed across the PS ype of the Englishman, and he said quickly: ‘Chief, who are you?! in God’s name! who are you?” : be A’pallor spread over Royal’s face; his lips quivered, and his eyes burned brightly as he re- ied, bitterly: . Pin lam cif acatiod of men—/ am Royal the 1? ope tedst, the Buccaneer ! wf per earl quickly he would buve left the room; ‘ but, barring his way, stood the woman Elsie— | m= she who had called herself his mother, “4, aie CHAPTER XXII. STARTLING DISCLOSURES, -“WomaN, why come you here?” demanded Royel, severely, and he would have forced her away; but she said, firmly: “*T come to co you justice, boy! Hold! hear t I have to say. Week by her manner, Royal hesitated.' El- sie entered the room and confronting the Eng- lishman and his wife, said in her peremptory tones: ‘ ' "My Lord Delorme, and you, my fair lady, I have a tale for your ears, which for long years have not drank in much of joy, Lknow. You asked who wasthisman? I answer: he is Royal, y ~ f r!? ba ics anna is mad, be you have her re- -ed, chief?” said the earl kindly. me Mad, ~ ‘No, T am not mad, though why I am a ows. I say, there sys SAR ¥ brain-crazed God only know a Srnds Hoval, the Buccaneer; but, that is not all ah! that he is, my lord!” ‘‘In Heaven’s name, speak, Tell what you ae have to say,” cried the earl, now trembling in 5 his intense excitement, "| “[ will; butit is in justice to him, not to you. : Do you know me, Earl of Chadwick? Do you ayy recognize in this wbite-haired old woman her 1, | ao whor you once said you loved—Eilsie Cava- a Les The Sea Rover’s Protege. ** Hisie Cavanaugh! Good God! can it be?’ and the earl sprung to his feet, while his wife seemed almost overcome, io Ay, it is true, my noble lord—true that you, the elder son of the great Delormes, won my love, ay, sent me a disgraced being into the world! But that was uot ajl your crime, my lord, for when your brother was away at sea, serving his country, you won from him the wo- man that was to bave been his bride; you made her your wife, though you knew that her heart was another’s! ** Ay, you did this wrong, and sent your only brother to wander broken-hearted through the world!” ** Hlsie, hear me!” And the Englishman spoke in tones that com- manded respect, ‘* Hear me, Elsie! Far be it from me tiospeak unkindly of the dead—yes, of my fatber, who is gone; yet I must speak. True, Elsie, I loved you, and secretly you became my wife—” ‘* Ha! would you lie to me, Karl? I became your—” ‘* Wife, Elsie, for we were legally, though secretly married; but my father would not hear that I, heir to his proud name and vast wealth, should marry a poor curate’s daughter. I con- fessed all to him, Elsie, and I was weak enough to yield to his demands that I should at once give you up, and that he would sever the mar- riage by law. ‘* Not until his death, when I overlooked bis papers, did I know that yow had been led by him to believe the marriage was a mock one, to be told that you were not my wife. When 1 re- turned from my cruise you were gone, none knew where, though it was said you had fled with another to Virginia. ‘¢ Then it was I fell into another plot laid for me by my father. I was married to my pres- ent wife here, she who was engaged to my bro- ther. It was in vain she pleaded and I resisted —the names of the two families must be united, and our parents were inexorable, Thus we were married, and from that day to this I have done allin my power to make my wife happy, and a truly noble woman she has proven her- self—an angel on earth. “T was weak, Elsie, but not intentionally criminal; no, not that, not that, I swear before high Heaven!” pee _** Lord Delorme, my old withered heart bounds with joy to hear your words, and, as you have poured gladness into my bosom, told me truly that l was your wife, I will now tell you that which will thrill every nerve in your body. You had a son?” ‘*T did, Elsie. His loss nearly broke the hearts of both of us—” ‘He was captured by Royal, the Bucca- neer?” t ’ “Yes; jag, aie or slain, I hawe always be- lieved the latter; but, curses on the lawless wretch! Lrun him to his death,” ‘ And the earl spoke fiercely, his eyes blazing with pent-up wrath. vp 2 ‘*Did you know who it was you run to the death—who it was that was slain by your mer- ciless guns?” ‘“ A curse to the sea—one outlawed among men—” ‘* Delorme, hear me!” and, dashing the tears from her streaming eyes, Lady Delorme turned to her husband, ‘You, Alma? What can you have to say, now?” ‘** Alas—alas,too much! I told you, Delorme, that the vessel in which I sailed from the States was overhauled by Royal the Buccaneer, and that he tore from me my child; but, my poor husband, I did not tell you that I récognized in the pene chief one who—who— Oh God! how can I say it?” ‘*Speak, Alma; tell me the worst|” ‘*T will! Royal the Buccaneer was—was— your own brother, Rudolph Royal Delorme |” **Oh God!” and the ear! buried bis face in his hands and shook like an aspen-leaf, while all present looked on in deepest pity. t As for the young sea-chief, he stood like a marble statue—his face as cold and stern as though carved in bronze, . **Lord Delorme, as you have deeply suffered let me now pour into your ears words that will give oy to your heart. ‘** You asked who was this man, he whom men now call Royal the Buccaneer—" ‘* Speak, pede ! for the love of God! of? and Lady Alma dropped on her knees ore Elsie Cavanaugh, who slowly said: “& ae is the Pirate’s Protégé—he is your oun son ee ee eee = 1a > Se De eee ee SS & CHAPTER XXII, CONCLUSION, WORD-PAINTING would never portray the scene that followed the disclosuie made by Elsie—that Royal the Buccaneer was none other than the Pirate’s Protégé, the little Oc- tave, who, long years before, had been the only prize taken from the good ship Gull, by the fa- mous rover, whose lost love had imbittered his life and driven him to the lawless career of a sea-rover, With gladness, though wearing as he did the brand of buccaneer, the earl and his wife wel- comed back their long-lost son—he who had been as though dead to them—and warm were the congratulations of Colonel Maurice, Rupert and Pearl, for they felt that the force of cir- cumstances, not inclination, had made Octave the Sea Rover’s beir, During the scene of joy that followed, Elsie glided unperceived from the room, Finding tbat the earl was in no hurry to leave the island, and the excitement he had undergone having made his wound more serious, Colonel Maurice determined to at once sail tor Havana, where his affairs imperatively demanded his at- tention. As the brig was still in a crippled state, Royal urged that Maurice should také a crew from the Dreadnaught and sail in the Witch of the Wave, a proposition which the young officer gladly accepted. The following ray! la peep, the fleet schooner, with Captain urice and seventy- five of the brig’s crew on board, and his father as a passenger, set sail for Havana, leaving Royal to superintend the repairs on the two ves- sels, and Pearl under the care of the earl and his wife. In the month that the schooner was gone many were the walks enjoyed by Royal an Pearl over the island, and often were vey ac- companied by the earl and his wife, for the no- bleman rapidly rallied agai, and soon pro- nounced himself a better man than ever before, In some of their strolls the young ple would visit Elsie in her cabin in the hills, and be warmly welcomed by her; but she had be- come strangely sad,and would say: ‘Soon you will go from here, out into the grand and happy world; but I will remain, for now that the war is ending, the people here can devote themselves to peaceful and honorable pursuits; and this will become an island settle- ment, with Eisie for its queen, eat ‘* But I will not last long—a few more years and I will lie in the valley yonder, yet I feel that I will he remembered.” At length the schooner returned to the island, and then was made known the joyful news: War bad folded his bloody pennons, and Peace had cast its mantle over land and sea, Shortly after the return of the schooner, the sloop-of-war, the brig and the Witch of the Wave set sail oston, As they left the island harbor the buccaneer settlement congregated upon the beach and waved them adieu, while upon the cliff stood the form of poor Elsie, gazing after the retreat- ing vessels with a heart thet was almost break- ing. Arriving at Boston, who immediately posted off to Washington and made known to the President the eventful story of the life of Royal, the Buccaneer. The result vas a full pardon for the haan chief and his crew, for their services were we] known to the Government. : A week after the Witch of the Wave sailed mand, and having as guests his parents, Colonel and Captain Maurice, and the lovely Pearl, be- tween whom and hiniself existed a love that death alone could sever. In due time the Witch of the Wave dropped anchor in the harbor of Liverpool], the American flag flying from her peak, and the party at once left ae the grand ola home of the Earl of Chad- wick. .. . Through the influence of his father, a royal pardon was granted to Octave, who at once en- tered upon the rights of an honored citizen of Great Britain, and his most strange and ro- mantic life becoming known, he was one of the most noted men in the realm. A month after the return of the par a grand wedding was celebrated in Chadwick M . or, for became the bride of Sir Octave Delorme, once known as Royal, the Buccaneer, a THE END, 1B Earl Delorme, hia Wife. and son became the guests of Colonel Maurice, from the island on their voyage to» for England, Captain Octave Delorme in com- | Pearl Maurice, the beautiful American belle, ©
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_ ee) Deadwood _e@8 Deadwood pf Ae Deadwood SSS a ee ee The. 1 — BEADLE'S* j } bei. : HALF-DIME* LIBRARY. — “=. of a Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents, by all Newsdealers.. BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novela ®t Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road, Dick’s Detinnce; or, Double Daggers. me immed or, Buffa), Ben. ek In « Castle. Dick’s Bonanza; o:, The Phantom Miner. Dick in Danger; or, Omana ON. Diek’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. Dick on Deck ¢ or, Calamity ¢ ne, the Heroine Dien t mane ret || or, Corduroy Charlie, e n eady es he ie pee ae gh The Double Cross Sign, ck as Detective. Dick’s« Double; or, The Gorgon’s Gulch Ghost. Dick’s Home Base; or, Blonde Bill. Dick’s Big Strike; or, A Game of Gold. Dick of Deadwood: or, The Picked Party. Dick’s Dreamy or, The Rivals of the Road, Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hill's Jezebel, Dick’s Doom? or, Calamity Jane’s Adventure, Dick’s Viead Deal. Dick’s Death-Plant, Dick. 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Jr.’s, Dark Daya. 770 Deadwood 776 Deadwoo 782 Deadwood Dick, TST Deadwood Dick, Jr., Defied. 792 Deadwo ck, Jr.'s, Double Device, 797 Dendwood Dick, Jr’.4, Desperate Venture. 802 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Diamond Dice, 807 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Royal Flush, 812 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Head-off. 816 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’«, Rival. S22 Dendwood Dick, Jr.’s, Boom. S28 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Scoop. M84 Dendwood Dick, Jr.'s, tae kG 840 Dendwood Dick, Jr's, Ste . 845 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, High Morse, 852 Deadwood Dick Jr., at Devils Guich, 858 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death-Hole Hustle.’ 868 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s Bombshell, : f BY WM. G. PATTEN, 629 Violet Vane, the Velvet Sport; or, The Jubilee ot Jacktown, 66% Violet Vane’s« Victory; or, The Jasper City Clean Out. 698 Violet and Daisy, the Posy Paris. 705 Violet Vane’s Vows. or, The Cratty Detective’s Craft, 724 Vioket Vane’s Vengeance; or, The Wipe-Out. 80 Violet Vane’s Verdict; or, The Game at Coffin City. TAL Violet Vane, the Ventriloquist Vidocg; or, Sport va. Sport. 750 Violet Vane, the Vanquished. or, The Life Strugg!e, 768 Violet Vane’s Vision; or, The Fiery Hand of Fate. tHamond Sport; or, The Double: Facé.of Bed Rock, ge aiystery ; or, Five in One, > tare the Sport from Denver. iz ombshell, the Ranger Detective. ern, the Man of Fire: or, Among the Vultures, y trame Detectives or, The Doubie Grip Witness ; al Dave’s Pandy Pard; or, The Clue to Capt. Claw a Boy Frank, the Young Amateur Detective | by | Wild Vuleany the Lone-Rarfke Rider, ce -OFd Misery the Man from Missouri. 4 4 Clear-Grit Gal, the Never-Say-Die Detective, “789 Sam Sheridan, the Secret Service Special, 806 Cowboy Ste#& the Ranch Mascot. 820 Nobby Nat, the Tenderfoot Detective, 886 Sharper Stoke’s Double Deal. _ 857 Spotter Bob in New York. 866 Spotter Bob’s Bowery Racket. 58 f @15 Fighting Warry . Other ‘Novels by E. L. Wheeler. 8@ Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight. 84 Rosebud Kob on Mand; or, Idyl, the Girl Miner. 88 Rosebud Rob's Reappearance;s ov, Photograph Phil. 121 Rosebud Rob’s Challenge; or, Cinnamon Chip. 277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen; or, The Yankee’s Surround 281 Denver Doll's Victory; or, Skull una Crossbones, 255 Denver Doll's Decoy ; or. Lite Bill’s Bonanza. 296 Denver Doll's Drift; or. The Road Queen. BéSs Yreka A fi, the GoldeGaiherers or, The Life Lottery, B72 Yreka dhim’s Prize; or, The Wolves of Wake-Up, 885 Yreka Jim's Jokers or, The Rivals of Red Nose, 889 Yreka dim’s New hole; or, Bicycle Ben, 804 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dum, 209 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective; or, Dot Leetle Game, 218 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventriloquist Hunter 244 Sierra Sam, the Frontier Ferret; or, A sister's Devotion, 248 Sicrra Sams Secret; or, The Bloody Footprints, 258 Sterra Saas Purdy or, Lhe Angel ot Big Vista. 255 Sicrra Sam’s Sevens or, The Stolen Bride. 884 Kangarov Kit; or, The Mysterious Miner. 889 Kangaroo Kit’« Racket; or, The Pride of Played-Out, BY Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. 60 The Boy Detective; or, Guid Rifle, the Sharpebooter, 96 Watch-Eye, the Detective; or, Ar-bs and Angels, 17 Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sport Detective . 45 Cuptuin Ferret, the New York Detective. G! New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. 26 The Arab Detective ¢ or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp. 91 Turk the Boy Ferret. 825 Kelley, Hickey & Co.,, the Detectives of Philadelphia, 848 Manhattan Mike, the Bowery Detective. 400 Wrinkles, the Night-Watch Detective. 416 High Hat Harry, the Base Ball Detective. 426 Sam Slabsides, the Beggar-Boy Detective. 484 Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives, 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buifalo Demon: or, The Border Vultures, 82 Bob Woolf's or, Tire Girl Dead-Shot, 45 Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand. 58 Jim Bludaoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buckhorn Bills or, The Red Rifle Team. 92 Canada Chet ¢ or, Old Anaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp. 118 Jack Hoyle the Young Speculator. 125 Bonanza Bill, Miner; or, Madam Mystery, the Forger. 188 Bossa Bob the King of Bootblacks. 141 Bolld Sam, the Boy Road-Agent; or, The Branded Brows, G7 Nery Nick of Nevada or, The Sierras Scampa. 181 Wild Frank the Buckskin Bravo; or, Lady Lily’s Love, 286 Apollo Bill, the Trail Tornado; or, Rowdy Kate. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator; or, The Locked Valley. 278 Jumbo Joe, the Boy Patrol; or. The Rival Heirs. 209 A No. 1, the Dashing To)l-Taker. 808 ’Liza Jane, the Girl Miner; or. the Tron-Nerved Sport. B80 Little Qu!ck-Shots or, The Dead Face of Daggersville, 858 Firast-Clas« Fred, the Gent from Gopher. 878 Nabob Ned 3 or, The Secret of Slab City. B82 Cool Kit, the Kirg ef Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance. 488 Santa Fe Sal, the Slasher; or, A Son’s Vengernce, 486 Seulakin Sam, tho Sparkier; or The Tribunal of Ten. BY LIEUT. A. K. SIMS. BS9 Tom-Cat and Pard; or, The Dead Set at Silver City. 622 Tom-Cat’a Triads or, The Affulr at Tombstone, 681 Tom Cat's Terrible Task; or, The Cowboy Detective, 688 Tom-Cat’s Triumph; or, Bleck Dan’s Great Combine. 546 Captain stu, the Chaparral Cock; or, Josh’s Ten Strike 568 The Dandy of Dodges or, Rustling for Millions. 576 The Silver Sports or, Josh Peppermint’s Jubilee. 588 Saffron Sol, the Man With a Shadow 601 Happy Hana, the Dutch Videcg; or, Hot Timesat Round-Up 611 Bild Barnacle, the Detective Hercules, 646 Cowboy Gid, the Caltle-Range Detective. 65? Warbling William, the Mountain Mountebank, 665 Jolly Jeremtnhy the Plains Detective, nal Sam, the Lookout Scout. ly, the Gypsy Spy: or, The Mystery of Two Lives, 699 Atraple Sim, the Broncho Buster; or, For Big Stukes. 712 The Mesmeria«t Sport; or, The Mystified Detective. %88 Toltec Tom, the Mad Prospector, sy Se I AD Kansas Jim, the Crosa-Cut Detective, Marmaduke, the Mustanger Detective, The Rustler of Rolling Stone, Lone Hand Joe, the Committee of One. Kent Kirby; the High-Kicker from Killbuck, The Doctor Detective In Texas. BY J. 0. COWDRIOK, Broadway Billy Novela. Bil 90 Broadway Eilly’s Brigade; or, The Dead Alive. 796 Broadway Billy’s Queer Bequest. 800 Broadway Billy Baflled. 805 Broadway Billy’s Signal Scoop. 810 Broadway Billy’s Wipe Out. 815 Broadway Billy’« Bank Racket. 821 Broadway Billy’s Bluff. 826 Broadway Billy Among Jersey Thugs. S88 Broadway Billy’« Ratd, 889 Broadway Billy's Big Boom, 844 Broadway Billy’s Big Bulge. 840 Brohdway Billy's #10060 000 Snap. 856 Broadway Hiny's Blind or, The Bootblack Stowaway. 862 Broadway Billy In Louden. B60 Ailver-Masek, the Man of Mystery; or, The Golden Keys. 869 Shasta, the Gey King} or, For Seven Years Dead. 420 The Detective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without, Name, 424 Cibuta Johny or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar, 9 Sandy Sam, the Street Scout. 467 Diaco Dan, the Daisy Dade. 506 ettignt Ralph. the Prince of the Road. 524 The Engineer Detectives or, Redlight Ralph’s Resolve B48 Mart, the Night Express Detective. B71 Atr-Line Luke the Young Engineer; or, The Double Case 592 The Boy Pinkerton; or, Running the Rascals Out. the Chief of Chained Cyclone. 640 Bareback Reth, the Centanr of the Circle. x 647 Typewriter Tiliy, the Merchant's Ward, 659 Moonlight Morgan the *‘ Pizenest’’ Man of Ante Bas. COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM, , York Nat’s Masked Mascot. ; York Nat, the Gamin Detective. ; Doou’s Kidnapper Knock-Out. 407 Isodor’s Double Chasez or, The Boy Insurgent. 412 Isxodor’s War-Cloud Cruise; or, The Wild Yuchtemaf, 216 ison BIN, the Prince of the Reins, : f 222 Bilson Bill's Clues or, Grit, the Brayo Sport, 7 804 Dei Shot Dandy’s Dilemma. § 0” 808 Dend Shot Pandy’« Bouble; cr, Ke Kit, - 814 Dead Shot Dandy’s Deftancer oy The Boy Bugler. 607 Dead Shot Dandy’« Chichy or, The River Detective, 245 Merle Monte’s Leap for Life. |). Monte’s Mutiny ¢ or, Brandt, the Buccaneer, Monte’s Treasure Island, ee Monte the Condemned. | ‘ 276 Meric Monte’« Crulacy or, “The Gold Ship” Chase. 280 Merle Monte’s Fate: or, The Pirate's Pride. f 284 Merle Monte’s Pledge: or. The Sea Marauder, _ 19% The Kid Glove Sport; or, Little Grit, the Wild Rider, 204 The Kid Glove Sport’s Doom; or, Pouy Exuress Rider, 4 867 Pend Shot Ralph’s Drop. 5 Marlo, the Cowboy Coaster, Bi Ruth Redmond, the Girl Shadowen 686 Orlando, the Ocean Free Flag, 617 Ralph, the Dead-Shot Scout. 602 The Vagabond ofthe Mines. / 5Yt The Texan Detective; or, The Black Brayos, ! f 4 | : Buffalo Bill, thy : ae ot 5Y1 Delmoute, the Young Sea-Rover; or, The Avenging Sailor, wif 680 The Outcast Caen or. ‘The False Detective. 495 Arizona Joe; or, The Boy Pard of Texas Jack. AST Nevada Ned, the Revolver Ranger 468 Neptune Ned, the Boy Conster; or, Pirate in Spite,’ 462 ‘The Sallor Boy Wanderer: or. The Born Guide. — 446 Waphazard Harry : or, The Sea Scapegrace. 898 The*Red Clasped ands; or, The Boy Lieutenant, BST Warpath WIL, the Traitor Guide. 888 The Indian Plot; or, The Search for Pirate Island, 877 Ronodel, the Buy Rover? or, The Flagless Schooner, 2X7 Billy Blue-Fyes, of the Rio Grande. . 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. 229 Crimson Kate, the Girl Trailer; or, The Cowboy’s Triumph, 116 The Hussar Captain: or, The Hermit of Hell Gate, 111 The Sea-Devil; or, The Midshipman’s Legacy. 102 Dick Dead-Eye, 0 25 The Roy Duellat; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Woll, 62 The Shadow Ship: or, The Rival Iientenants, 24 Dinmond Dirk; or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone, 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Bnecanver; or, The Fugitive Yacht, @ The Flying Yankee; or, The Ocean Outcast. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 870 Deadwood Dick, Jr., In Mexiecot or, The Gir! Prisoner of the Madhouse. By Edward L. Wheeler. S71 New York Nat and the Grave Ghouls; or, The » “Unknown Ferret’s Arizona Ally. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 872 Two Showmen Detectives in Colorado; or, Pete Parmetee, the Vrgnbond Tramp. By Lieut, A. K. Suns. - 878 Deck-Hawk Roy’s Big Scoop; or, The Sea Rover's Protege. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 874 Broadway Billy's French Game: or, The Miner Mil- lionaire Among the Sharpers of Paris. By J, C, Cowdrick 875 Detective Dave’a Close Call; or, Farre! Fox, the Man of Many Faces. By Dan Dunning, (0! the Secret Service ‘Corps.} 876 Deadwood Dick, Jr's, Becoy Duck; or, The Cowboy Chief's Tenderfoot-Tangle. By Fd ard L. Wheeler, ‘ 877 New York Nat’ Trump Card; or, The Dare Devi Tete’ tive’s Draw. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 878 The Street Arab’s Blind; or, Scooping Scamps. By Jo Pierce, ae ‘A New Issue Every Tuesday. . Library is for sale by all newadeasers, five gun taiee amtk by mallow renee ctx capt each, | (BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York, the Smuggier , or, The Cruise of the Vixens — the Swindler .