Beadle's Pocket Library (no. 326) (1890 04 09)
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Av) > | a a Wal Sere April 9, 1890, SDA Five Dente. Vol. XXVI, GLAMBERING INTO THE SHROUDS THE GIRL PEERED AHEAD, HER FEET CLINGING @O THE ROPES AS CLOSELY AS HER HANDS,
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Roy, the Boy Cruiser. Roy, the ay Cruiser: THE WATER WOLF WRECKERS, BY COL. PRENTISS INGRAHAM, AUTHOR OF ‘'SHA MARAUDERS,” “MERLE, THE MIDDY, ETO, ETO, CHAPTER I. THE FLAGLESS CRUISER. A VESSEL was gliding swiftly along over the blue waters\of the Gulf, at a time prior to the beginning of the present century. bea land was not far distant, and her course lay along the winding shores of Florida, then a most dangerous locality for an honest craft to be fcund in, 2 What nationality the vessel belonged to was not discernible, for she carried no colors; but her build and rig indicated that she was an Ameri- ean, while her armed decks gave the suggesticn of ber being a cruiser, and the very rakish look she wore was suggestive of piracy as her call- ing. , fia hull was very eet and narrow, lay low amidships, but rose quite high in bow andstern, and her masts were exceedingly tall, slender, and raked well aft, The amount of canvas the tall masts and long spars showed sho could carry, was indicative of a vessel which depended upon speed in her cruising, an idea that her trim, sharp hull car- ried out, Her armament consisted of but four pivot- ns, aJl of heavy caliber, and so mounted as to cro a broadside that was most formidable for a vessel of her size. Muskets, boarding-pikes, pistols, and cutlasses were in racks along the bulwarks, every rope was in its place, the decks as clean as a new England housewife’s kitchen, and her crew, of fifty men, néatly attired in white duck pants, blue jackets and red skull-caps, seemed to know their place, The wind, though light, sent her along ata merry pace, under mainsail, foresail and jib, and all on board seemed to be lazily enjoying the balmy afternoon and the forest-clad shores of Florida. Upon the quarter-deck stood three individuals who were evidently her officers, two of them being men of middle age, the thirda youth un- der twenty. The face of the youth was a study, for in it dwelt beauty of expression, perfection of fea- ture and stern manliness so blended as to win re- spect and love, and command admiration and awe at the same time. His form was above the medium height, slen- der, graceful, and withal full of latent power and activity. His hands and feet were very small, his move- ments quick and firm, and the eyes were so full of pathos and fire, so finely blended, that one outa hardly tell which was paramount, His two lieutenants were men with strong faces, evidently old sailors, and one of them seemed to look up to the young captain with respect, which his character, as well as his rank commanded; but the other was a man whose countenance was unreadable, yet looked treacherous. Suddenly the startling ery came from the lookout aloft: * Sail ho!” There was no need of the youthful captain asking: “ Whereaway ?” The sail was visible to all, for it shot sud- denly out from a wooded point of land into full / view, An armed vessel, not more than half the size of the schooner, and with a far smaller crew, | her men were seen at their guns, and all ready © for action, At her peak floated the American flag, and there was no doubting the fact that she had long before sighted the large schooner and was coming out to fight her. “Put the schooner under increased sail, Senor Sutro, and, helmsman, let her fall off sharp,” ordered the Boy Cruiser, ‘You will run from them, Captain Bonodel??” asked the second lieutenant, with a look of some impatience, * Certainly, Mr. Merton.” “She could not hold her own against us for five minutes, sir.” ‘*T am well aware of that, sir,” The lieutenant shook his head, and seeing it, the youthful captain remarked; ‘*Mr, Merton, I thought that you knéw that my intention was to fight no craft, and that I was neither cruising the sea as a pirate or smuggler, but for an avowed purpose,” “T do, sir; but yonder craft has dogged our steps so persistently that I hoped you would be willing to give her a lesson.” “No, I shall do no such thing, and I under- stand, that being an Englishman, you would like me to fire upon the American flag; but I shall not under any circumstances, do so,” “ Not if she fires upon us?” “No, sir— Ha! there comes a shot now, and it is for us to show our colors,” “Pll guarantee if yourun up the black flag she will quickly turn and run,” ‘This schooner has no flag, sir, as you know, Mr. Merton, so let me have no more of this in- terference upon your part,” and the young cap- tain turned away to watch the effect of the shot from the little vessel, which was evidently an American cruiser. The first shot failing in its intention, a second was fired, and it cut the head off the man at ~ the wheel, and then sped on its way. Springing to the place of the slain seaman, Captain Bonodel called ont: a “Forward there! send two men to this wheel!” The order was promptly obeyed just as a third shot came, cutting aver the maintop- mast, which came to the deck with a crash, But still the schooner held on her way her. men anxious to go to quarters, yet held in ~ Seeing that her fire was not returned * ne ee a" « " # x check by the eye of their youthful bietees _e d y
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of them ain with as his & man i looked om the saptain i sud- to full « 18 sizo crew, { ready © » and. > had 1 was JNA enor | irp,? © le] 7? ome for cruiser spread more sail, to ats on the schoon- er, and opened hotly from her bow gun, which was a thirty-two-pounder, mounted upon a ivot, pm With a vessel, armament and crew that ean sink yonder American cruiser in a few mo- ments, we are running like whipped curs,” growled Lieutenant Merton, ashe walked for- ward among the men, His words reached the earsof Captain Bono- del, but no impression seemed made upon him by them, for his face remained impassive, and he calmly watched the little cruiser, coming on under full sail in chase. * Weare gaining, Senor Sutro, and will soon run out of range— Ha! he sees it, and we are to get a broadside,” he added quickly, as he saw the cruiser fall rapidly off to present her broad- side. Down all to thedeck!” shouted the Boy Cruiser as the smoke burst from the muzzles of the guns, and in obedience every man threw him- self flat upon his face, though the daring cap- tain, a mere boy in years, never moved, or changed a muscle, A crashing of timbers, the flying of splinters, cries, curses and groans, and the iron hail had passed cn and left its red mark, “* Ho, lads! will you be murdered through the command of yonder boy? Up and follow me, and we will float the black flag over this deck, and hurl every maninto the sea who will not follow our cruise to fortune.” : The words came from the lips of the fault- finding lieutenant, Merton, and, drawing his cutlass he ran aft, followed by fully one-half the crew. “Ha! is this mutiny?” cried the young cap- tain, turning toward the men rushing aft, armed with pistols and cutlasses, and led by the treacherous lieutenant, “Ay, mutiny it is, boy, and into the sea you go, first of all,” fairly yelled the enraged mutineer leader. It was a critical moment, for the schooner had been crippled by the loss of her maintop- mast, and Lieutenant Sutro and several of the men were in the rigging, endeavoring to repair the damage, while a gun had been dismounted amidships, and three of four of the crew lay dead upon the decks, eut down by the cruiser’s broadside, Aft with him were only the two men at the wheel, and astern, not a mile distant, the cruiser was rushing on in chase, while mutiny reigned rampant on the flying craft at whose peak no flag floated. But Roy, boy though he was, stood undismay- ed in face of the fearful peril, while Merton and his mutineers advanced upon him, Then, as he saw that he must act and rompt- ly, he sprung tothe pivot gun moun aft of amidships, turned it upon the mutineers and ap- plied the lighted end of his cigarrito to the priming. “Perish by your own madness, you accursed mutineers!” cried the young captain as the ex- plosion came. The maddened traitors too late saw their danger, and shrunk back, their leader now al- ‘most up to the gun’s muzzle, vainly striving to _ Roy. the Boy Cruiser. a8 LS throw himself below its range, as the red smoke burst forth and hurled a load of grape upon the treacherous crew, while in its flight it also cut down’ several who had not joined in the mu- tiny. Bho scene that followed the discharge of the gun was fearful, for a dozen men lay dead and dying upon the decks, others had sprung over- board into the sea; and crouching in dismay along the bulwarks were those who had remain- ed true,and yet knew not what would be the next act of their young captain, now standing like a mad tiger at bay. : ‘Ho, lads! have you had enough of your treachery?” he called out, in a stern voice. , ay, sir,” came the cheerful response, while to the side of the Boy Captain sprung the Senor Sutro, and the men he had with him in the rigging, the lieutenant crying: “By the dogs of war, Captain Bonodel, but you quelled that mutiny before I could get to you, and have blown Merton and his band to their master, the devil. ‘* Ho, lads! throw the bodies of these traitors into the sea, and spring to your posts of duty, or yonder fleet cruiser will knock us out of the water,” and the faithful officer went forward among the men, who were glad enough to have the matter end as it had, while the Flagless Schooner swept on her way, leaving those among the mutineers who had sprung overboard to find a watery grave, or to be picked up by the pursuing cruiser. CHAPTER II. THE INDIAN PILOT. NOTWITHSTANDING the very great danger which the Boy Cruiser had found himself and his vessel in, his nerve and prompt action had quickly made him master of the situation, and once more forced those under him to acknowl- edge him as the ruling spirit, The discontented seamen on board, really about half the crew, had been urged on by Merton the lieutenant, who, upon seeing vessel after vessel go by, which he knew to be richly freighted, and not captured -by the schooner’s commander, who also fled from war vessels of all nationalities, had determined to himself take command af some convenient time and become what he had been before—a pirate. He had shipped, with the rest of the crew, for the performance of some mysterious duty, though what that duty was, he could not guess, Tbe schooner had proven herself the fastest craft he had ever seen, and yet her -speed had been of no avail in the eyes of the lieutenant. Merchant vessels, carrying any flag, had all been brought to, boarded by the schooner’s cap- tain, who, after a conversation with their cap- tains, had allowed them to goon their way un- molested. Above the schooner no flag had ever been hoist- ed, nor hud she ever fired a gun, except to bring a vessel to, or in practice, while, though a match for any craft of her size, she had shown her heels to even little coast-guard gunboats, and when fired upon had never returned the fire, The officers and crew had been liberally paid their wages upon, their stores were never allowed to grow scant, and they were :
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4 Roy, the Boy Cruiser. well treated: but this did not explain the mys- tery, and some of the crew grew neryous and were fit subjects for the treacherous lieutenant to work upon. Their commander had shown himself a thor- ough seaman, and he had enlisted them to aid him in seizing the schooner from the pirate known as Sea Monster, and they knew bim to be fearless and daring, but had not expected that he would face them in a general mutiny. His rapid quelling of their uprising had utter- ly cowed them, and insilence the traitors sub- mitted to the chaffing of their shipmates who had not joined them. With his crew in perfect subjection once more, Captain Bonodel devoted his attention to escaping from the cruiser, and it was not very long before he began to drop his pursuers astern. The cruiser, however hung on well and kept up a constant fire, which did more or less dam- age, for those on board had seen that something ‘was wrong on the flagless vessel, and the firing of the heavy gun and turmoil soon told them that there was a mutiny in progress, and they hoped for the speedy capture of the mysterions craft which they had often before chased, and knew to be creating almost asupernatural dread of her upon the high seas. Great disappointment therefore was felt upon the cruiser when they saw the mutiny quelled, more sail set, and the fleet schooner dropping them at a pace that by nightfall would leave them more than a league astern, But the cruiser’s fire was kept up until the shots fell short, and soon after night coming on the mysterious craft with no flag above her decks faded out of the sight of her pursuers. When the cruiser was no longer visible Cap- tain Bonodel ordered the schooner to be put under easy sail, and at once headed back for the coast. The dawn found him gliding slowly along within a mile of the shore and no other sail in sight. Coming on deck the young captain turned his eyes upon the white sandy shore and its dark background of forest. “Lower away a boat, lads! Lively all of you, and, helmsman, bring her to.” The cry aroused the drowsy watch, and the orders being obeyed with alacrity, the boat was pulled rapidly away toward the shore, the schooner lying to the while, In tho stern sat Captain Bonodel, and six men were at the oars. Straight for a wooded point the Boy Cruiser headed, and it was now evident what hed caused his sudden orders and pull shoreward, for a man was visible there standing at bay against a dozen wild looking fellows, who had driven him to the water’s edge and were still pressing him hard witn cutlass and boarding- pikes, The man at bay was naked to the waist, and his bronzed body and long black hair showed that he was an Indian. Leggings incased his nether limbs, moccasins were upon his feet, and a red band in which es stuck gayly-dyed feathers was upon his ead, His arms were simply a knife grasped in his right hand, and a tomahawk in his left, and with these he had halted to defend his life to the last. That his death must follow, against such odds he well knew; but he would die with his face to the foe. Who the Indian was, or what his quarrel with the men, Roy did not know or care, He was one against many, and h3 stood ready to make a good fight; hence the young sailor would aid him. The Indian had not seen the schooner, in his flight to the beach, nor had his pursuers, until the boat was almost upon them, “Rush on the red varmint an’ cut him ter pieces!” yelled the leader of the party, and the order was about to be obeyed when the Bo} Cruiser called out: ““Cease rowing! seize your cutlasses, men and follow me!” These words brought the boat into notice, an the Indian wheeled around ina startled way’ while his assailiants checked their intended rush upon him, Just at that moment the boat grounded, and Roy sprung ashore, followed by his men, and ashe did soashot from his pistol brought the leader of the Indian’s foes to the ground. ** At them, lads, for they are the Reef Bucca- neers!” shouted the Boy Cruiser, and with a cheer bis party rushed forward to the attack, the Indian joining them, and his war-cry send- ing many an echo back from the dense forest. But the Reef Wreckers, or Buccaneers, for they were both, did not wait the attack, for with the schooner now in full view, they turned in full flight, leaving their dead leader where he had fallen. “Heap good, young Sea Chief! Save Pasqua- goula life,” said the Indian, turning toward Roy, who gazed upon him with admiration, The Indian was almost a giant in form straight as an arrow, broad-shouldered, an with muscular arms which a blacksmith might have been proud of. His face was noble, intelligent and full of daring. ‘Tam glad to have saved Pasquagoula, and we will be friends,” answered Bonodel, grasp- ing the bronzed hand extended to him, ** Yes, heap friends, for Pasquagoula, go with young chief.” ‘* What! to sea?” “Yes, me sea Injun.” “Indeed?” ‘Yes, me heap good sea Injun; sail boat, know reef, know bayou. Pasquagoula have vil- lage one time, but bad pale-face come and kill Bs people, so take trail of Reef Pirates, and cill, ton. ‘*Pasquagoula have kill plenty, so go with young white chief now.” ‘Are you the Indian Pilot I have heard that American vessels-of-war have had to guide them against the haunts of the Reef Buccaneers?’ asked Roy. “‘Yes, me Injun Pilot, and heap good,” was the gui remark, oer hen, you are just the man I want, and we JAE A
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Roy, the Boy Cruiser, & will indeed be friends,” said Captain Bonodel, delightedly. “Yes, Pasquagoula be heap of good friends of oung chief, and make him plenty rich, for njun chief have secret,” and the latter part of the sentence he whispered in the young sailor’s ear, so that the men should not hear. “You know a secret?” asked the youth in the same low tone. “Yes, Pasquagoula heap good Injun Pilot, and know secret island where plenty gold and pretty beads—see, have some beads here,” and he took from his waist-belt a pouch of buckskin, and pouring out some of the contents, Roy fair- ly started, as he saw that they were not beads, all her beauty, lighting up the hull, deck and rigging of the vessel, it displayed the same rak- ish schooner which the reader has seen mysteri- ously fly from a foe for her inferior. Her men were at their posts, for those were dangerous waters by day, and her Boy Captain stood near the wheel, the latter held in the grasp of the Indian Pilot, Pasquagoula, Alone he held the wheel in his powerful grasp, and kept the schooner on her way. You certainly know these waters well, Pas- quagoula, to run the gantlet of the rock islands and reefs about us in such a sea, and in dark- ness,” said Roy, as the Indian Pilot let the ves- sel fall off to avoid a huge rock, and then skill- “©? but precious stones.” ; * He glanced quickly toward his men, but was f, a qlad to see that they were busy examining the ™) ody of the dead wrecker, and said: fully brought her up when a reef appeared upon the other bow. ‘*Me know sea heap well,” was the calm re- “Let Pasquagoula keep his secret from my jen, for it might cost him his life,” *Injun no fool for he know pale-face fight nd kill for gold; but Pasquagoula love young jhite chief and be his friend, so will go with im and make him heap rich, for he save chief’s fe.” Again he extended his hand, and grasping it, the Boy Cruiser led the way to his boat, deeply impressed with the knowledge that the Indian Pilot did indeed know the hiding-place of some treasure of gold and precious stones. Having heard of an Indian ’Pilot, who knew the reefs, bayous and islands of the Florida coasts as he did his mother’s face, and who had often guided American vessels-of-war against the wreckers and buccaneers that infested them, he was more than glad to know that the Pas- usqoule chief was the one he had saved from death, The Indian told how he cruised along the coast in his winged canoe, devoting his days to avenging his people, slain by the wreckers, and it was when asleep on shore he had been surprised by aparty, who, recognizing him, had given chase, and would have slain him but for the timely arrival of the Boy Cruiser and his men, This succor at once caused the Indian to form a friendship for the youth that death alone could sever, and, asthe schooner sailed on her way once more, he stood by the side of his res- cuer and repeated over and over again: “Young chief save Pasquagoula. = Tajan know secret, and make him heap rich.” CHAPTER Iil. THE TELL-TALE LOCKET. Ir was night, and the waters of the Bahama Islands were lashed by a gale that swept over them, hurling huge wavesupon the reefs with ominous roar, and tossing upon their crested top a stanch craft that, under reefed sails, was hold- ing on her course dead to windward. » Fleeting clouds across the skies now and then obscured the moon from view, and at such times the sea looked black and threatening; but when the reefs oe the dark masses the spray lighted up like diamonds, and the ocean appear- a like liquid silver, At such a time when the moon shone forth in yr EE EE ———————————————————————————— = ly. an Sail ho!” The cry startled all on board the schooner, for what other vessel could possibly be abroad in those waters they wondered. “Whereaway?’ called out Roy, raising his glass quickly. “Three points off the weather bow, sir.” “* Ah, yes, I see her— Ha! she has disap- peared,” : ‘Gone under lee island, lower sail, drop’ iron- hooks, so can’t see her,” said the Indian, “* Ah, say you so, chief?” **Yes, for island of rock yonder.” “Tt wasa sloop, and under reefed mainsail and jib; but it disappeared almost as soon as L eaught sight of it.” ‘‘Bad pale-face wrecker,” was the quiet re- sponse of the indian, *‘T do not doubt it, Pasquagoula, but is there water enough for us to runin under the lee of the island?” ‘Plenty of water.” **Can you pilot the schooner in?» “Heap good.” “Then do so, and we will see just what that aloe is, “Stand by all, to lower sail and let fall the anchor!” The men sprung to their posts and the Indian let the bows fall off sharp for several points and then held the schooner steady for awhile, “There looms up the island, and it appears only a huge rock,” said Lieutenant Sutro. “Officer speaks straight; it rock, shape like new moon, and there we anchor,” and the Pilot kept his eye ahead as though to seek an en- trance between the breakers that were now vis- ible on either side, A few moments more and the schooner shot into quiet water, while dead ahead was visible a large island of rock, rising some thirty feet out of the sea, “Let the sail come down with a run, lads! “Let fall the anchor,” ordered Roy, and the schooner’s headway was checked, just as Lieu- tenant Sutro cried out; * Sloop ho!” “Tsee her and she has done just what you said she would, Pasquagoula. “Lower away a boat, Mr, Sutro, and I will board her,” “You will carry a good crew with you, sir?” / 4
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Roy, the Boy Cruiser. a oe ten men, though I anticipate no trou- 8, ‘*Botter hail the skipper, sir, and have him board you, for the wreckers are very treacher- ous, and that may be one.” “*T will do as you suggest, Sutro,” and raising his voice, Roy hailed: “* Ho, the sloop!” “ Ahoy, the schooner!” came the response in a clear voice. ‘* What sloop is that?” * A trader in distress, having been ee in the storm some nights ago and bound for Pensa- cola out of Savannah,” came back the reply in the same voice. “ Ay, ay, Dll send a boat aboard and have you report in person, * Ay, ay, sir,” and soon after a boat left the schooner for the sloop, Sutro in charge, for he had urged the young captain to allow him to 0. A few minutes passed away and the boat was seen coming back, and to the surprise of Roy, a woman sprung from it fo the deck. “Ah! a lady passénger?” said the youth politely. “No, Sir Captain, if captain you are, Iam the skipper and owner of yonder sloop, and, as you commathided me, and have the power to enforce your orders, [I have come on board to report in person.” It was without doubt the owner of the clear voice that bad answered his hail, Hoy was cer- tain, and it was a woman, tall, slender, clothed in black and deeply vailed. Raising his hat politely the youth said: “Tiady, [ am sorry to have put you to trouble; but I did not expect to see one of your sex in ee waters, especially in command of a ves- se ‘Circumstances, sir, placed me in charge of the sloop, and @ sailor, though a woman, my crew obey me; but my craft was caught in the storm some nights since and dismasted, so I have been making my way, as best I could under a jury mast.” ‘“You seem to understand these waters?” ‘*T havea Bahama pilot among my crew,” was the somewhat evasive reply. “Ts there any aid, that I canrender you, lady?” ‘Yes, sir; I would ask a more suitable spar for a mast than the one I have.” *¢ You shall have it,” and the Boy Cruiser gave the orders to get the spar overboard to tow to the little sloop. “Thank you, sir; and lam free to go unmo- lested?” * Assuredly, madam.” The woman made no reply, but bowed and went over the side into her boat, refusing the offer of the young captain, to allow his men to aid her in rigging the spar, “Wind come round; better go; this heap bad place with wind north,” said the Indian pilot, walking up and joining Roy. “All right, Pasquagoula, we will get out as soon as the boat returns, for the wind is chang- ing,” answered Roy, and half an hour after, the schooner was again out in open water, though the little sloop had not heeded his warn- ing and followed him away from the unsafe an- chorage, So rough continued the sea, and as the wind did not abate, Roy would not leave the deck during the night; but at dawn was about to re- tire, when Sutro came to relieve him, when the lieutenant said: ““Captain Bonodel, I am sorry to tell you, sir, that one of the boat’s crew last night robbed e young girl who was on the sloop of this trin- cet. ‘* What! did one of my men dare do an act so vile?” angrily exclaimed the youth, ‘““Yes, sir, and he offered it for sale to the boatswain, who reported it to me and I took it from him. “Tt seems there was a young girl on the sloop, and about her neck she wore this chain and lock- et, which the man robbed her of when they were getting the spar on board,” and the officer placed the trinket in the hands of Roy. It was a heavy, double-miniature locket, stud- ded upon one side with precious stones, and upon the other were engraved some names anda date. The chain was massive and of solid gold, and fastened with a clasp, which was broken and tied with a thread, the latter having been cut by the» cunning thief. One glance at it and the Boy Cruiser uttered a ery, while his face flushed and paled by turns, At first he could not utter a word, and then he said, in a hoarse voice: *‘ Senor Sutro, I know this locket and chain, though I have not seen them for eight long years, and then this chain was about the neck of my little sister, the one I now am seeking the world over to find, - “See, here are the names of my father and mother: “‘MARK—LITA. «May ist, 17—.’ “That was the date of their sa and their miniatures are within. See!” x He touched a spring, and the locket flew open, revealing skillfully-painted likenesses of a hand- some young man and a beautiful maiden. “‘My God! I have found my little sister, Lita, at last; and, Senor Sutro, I forgive and bless the man who stole this locket. Sas “Ho, lads! to your posts, for back to the island we go, for there’ awaits me one whom I have sworn to find.” 2 : “Ready about!” sung out Senor Sutro, and — the schooner was at once put on her course back ~ to the island, where she had parted with the little sloop, Roy Bonodel the while pacing the deck in nervous, anxious expectation, the locket: and chain clasped tightly in his hand, Aa A few hours’ run, and the island was sighted but nowhere visible was the little sloop. Tt had disappeared, but whether it had sailed away or goae down none could tell; and ye” = as a corpse, Roy Bonoddl groaned: ai “Found and lost within a few short hon No, no, no! not lost, for Z will find her if I go- the world over!” ~ =a {
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y et eT oa ee y — em Roy, the Boy Cruiser. ” CHAPTER IV. THE WATER WOLVES, A SMALL sloop was gliding rapidly through the waters, a few days prior to the scenes re- lated in the foregoing chapters, and though her surroundings were dangerous in the extreme, the man at her helm picked his way through reef, rock, and island with a skill and nerve that showed constant exposure to peril. The sloop was some twenty tons’ burden, car- ried a large sail and jib, and her hull seemed to have been constructed for both speed and car- rying capacity. She stood well up under the pressure of the seven-knot breeze that was blowing, and though the numerous islands, currents, aud reefs about ‘her rendered the waters rough, she kept her decks dry. There were but three persons visible on board, and one of these held the helm. The latter was a man with a striking face, one that appeared, as it were, a wreck of what had once been noble, but which a life of crime had indelibly stamped. Dressed as a seaman, he wore a belf of arms, and seemed like one who would use them upon the slightest provocation. About him were the perils of sunken rocks, reefs and innumerable islands, for he was cruis- ing in one of the most dangerous localities of the Bahamas; but he seemed to know his way and unhesitatingly pursued it. Near him, in the door of the companionway leading to the little cabin, sat a woman. Her appearance was strange, for she was dressed in rich silks, velvet and laces and wore diamond jeweley in profusion, She was idly watching the wake of the sloop as it glided along, but the varied expressions flitting over her face showed that her thoughts were busy. . Lying forward, at the little cabin, at full length upon the deck, was the third person up- on the sJoop. It was a young man possessing fine physical proportions, and with a face that was very handsome, though darkly bronzed by exposure. He was dressed in a fanciful costume, such as a buccaneer might wear, and seemed to be some- thing of a dandy in his attire. “Wambold, I half-fear that we should not have turned back, when almost in sight of our port,” suddenly said the woman, addressing the man at the helm. “You know why I did so; it was on account of Leo's dream.” e “T know, and ypt I feel that we should have disregarded that, when we had our treasures here on board, and once they were disposed of we could have returned to the island, gotten all else there and set sail for some port where we Could land in safety.” _ ( “ We can do that as it is, for Leo and the girl can carry the rest of the booty upon the other craft.” “T hope so; but I tell you I don’t feel just right about the way things are going of late, and the warnings we have received cause me to be anxious to leave the island, give up our wild life, and settle down to enjoy the riches we have accumulated.” ““You have my desire exactly, wife; but, I did not wish to go until we had gotten a large fortune.” ** And that we have certainly.” “Yes, even if the booty goes at half-value; but had we gone on into Havana, after Leo had dreamed he saw me hanged, I am confident that some evil would have befallen us.” ‘““We were not once so superstitious, Wam- bold.” ‘“No, we were not then wicked, and it is the evil who are the most superstitious,” responded the man. ‘‘ Well, back to the island we go, load the other craft with booty, and taking the girl, sail for some American port where we can dispose of our treasure and live in peace; is that it?’ “ec Yes,” ‘You do not fear that the girl may betray what we have been?” ‘* No, for I shall have Leo marry her, and he will soon teach her what she can and cannot talk about.” ‘** Certainly, Wambold; but now tell me what you think of that little craft which the girl calls the Sea Ghost?” “) think there is some trick about it, as there is about the Phantom Pirate,” ‘** But how could she run into the basin in our island?” “That I cannot understand, unless she has some pilot on board who knows the channel.” “But, you, Leo, the girl, and the two pilots on the Phantom Pirate are the only ones who know the channel.” ‘‘ That is so,” said the man thoughtfully. **-You know of no one else?” ** Not one.” “And yet the Ghost Craft came into the basin in a storm!” “ That is true, wife.” ‘“‘ And if it was a human crew on board, how did they know your name and mine, to leave us the warning they did?” ‘By Heaven! but I do not know, wife,” ex- citedly said the man. “T tell you, Alfred, the vessel is a spirit craft, as the girl says, and we must not tarry on that island. We have been wicked, oh! so wicked in our lives. We wronged one whom you loved, because she loved another, and I hated her be- cause sh3 married the man I had hoped to marry. Then 1, deserted by the man, you by the woman, we loved each other through the very hatred we felt for them, and we became man and wife. From that moment our evil lives began, and Heaven have mercy on us for the sins we have since committed, my first being to poison the woman I hated as my rival, and yours to rob and kill your brother. “Now, after long years, we find ourselves outcasts, and known as the Water Wolf Wreckers of the Babamas, from our cruel deeds. We have amassed a fortune, but it is covered with blood, We have a haunt we have believed upregmaiess and yet it has’ been invaded at night by a spirit eraft, and a warning left that we must die within the year. Away from that island, the Death Rock, which has so long been our baven of refuge, I feel that we may live happy lives.” ‘“Happy?” groaned the man, evidently im-
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ee feet oes Roy, the Boy Cruiser. pressed by the woman’s rapid retrospection of their guilty past. _. ‘© Well, we can live lives of ease, of luxury, and no longer in fear of death at the yard-arm, or by bullet.” ‘7 hope so sincerely, and I promise you, wife, we will depart from Death Rock Island as soon as possible.” : “T shall hold you to your promise, Wambold, for I shudder at the thought of returning there even for a night, and, for all our treasure, I would not do what that girl has done.” “ Remain alone upon the island?” “ Yes.” ‘She knows no fear.” ‘I believe you, for she swings herself over the cliff, on the rope ladder, in the wildest storms, and lights the Death’s Head Beacon, when I dare not look over the edge.” “Yes, she has a cool head, and is a better pilot through the channel than either Leo or my- self, for there are times when the storm breaks from the northeast that I would not run the gantlet by day, and yet she did so by night, as you know,” “ And a fearful night it was, too; but she is a remarkable girl, and I only hope she will not betray us,” “No fear of her doing so intentionally, for she is true as steel; but having been reared in ig- norance of wrong-duing, even when she lights the false beacon, she might, if not watched, some time betray us without}understanding what she was doing.” “Yes, sha is as innocent as an infant, and Leo says that she does not know what love is, for, when he told her he loved her, she said she did not have the feeling for him, which she had read in books that those had who loved each other.” s ‘Bah! what does Leo care whether she loves him or not? She shall marry him and that set- tles it,” rudely said the man, “Sailho! You must be blind that you don’t see her,” suddenly called out the young man who was lying forward, springing to his feet. The man and woman started at his words, and turned their eyes in the direction in which he gazed, _ They had almost forgotten where they were, during their earnest conversation, the man me- ebanically guiding the sloop upon her way. “She. has white topmasts and is a small schooner,” cried the man, as he saw the top- hamper of a craft above an island. _“* Yes, and such is that spirit craft,” said Leo, and the young man spoke in a voice that showed dread of the vessel he referred to, _ The next moment the strange vessel shot out into full view, around the point of the island, and the woman buried her face in her hands as she groaned: ‘* Tt is the Sea Ghost |” “Ay, ay, it is, and she is in chase of us!” ae ee ater Wolf, in a voice full of mental CHAPTER V. OHASED BY THE SEA GHOST, For a moment or two after discovering the Strange craft, which the superstitious Water Wolves termed the Sea Ghost, the trio on board the little sloop seemed too unnerved for action, and the man at the helm almost allowed the craft to come to. But recovering himself quickly, he cried: “Be ghost or devil at the helm of yonder © craft, he has to catch me before I fall his victim. “Ho, boy, stir yourself, and get up the top- sail, and you, wife, quit moaning and lend a hand.” “Tt is no use, for I feel we are doomed,” moaned the woman. “Bah! don’t give up yet, but help us, for I believe we can give yonder craft the slip, and if it be a spirit vessel, you know they hold no power in daylight.” * Ah! that is so,” cried the woman, reassured by this argument against ghosts, and she quickly aided the young man to set the topsail and shake out the single reef from the mainsail and jib. Under her increased canvas, the sloop fairly flew along through the rough waters, and it now became evident that if the pursuer was gaining, it was very slowly. The stranger was certainly an odd-looking craft, for her hull and spars were as white as her snowy canvas. Very little larger than the sloop, she was yet a schooner, and lay deep in the water, or could never have carried the canvas she spread. Upon her decks were visible but half a dozen people, and five of these were clad in snow- white. The sixth was at the helm and clothed in deep black, ‘““By Heavens! it is a woman!” suddenly cried Leo, who was looking at the stranger with a glass. ‘What is a woman?” asked the man and woman in the same breath, “The one at the helm of yonder craft.” “ A woman my son?” gasped the woman, “ Yes.” “Are you sure, boy?’ hoarsely asked the man, “Tam!” “The one in black?” ‘Yes, she isclad in black, and wears a vail which floats back on the wind, but does not cover her face.” “ Can you see her face?” ‘“T hardly know; here, father, give me the helm, and see what you make of her facef” and the hand of the young man trembled as he held out the the glass. Grasping it, the Water Wolf placed it to his eye, and after a moment lowered it quickly while through his shut teeth came the words: “ Great God!” The woman tried to speak and question him. but her words found no utterance; but Leo said huskily: “You saw what I was afraid to say.” A skull 2” ‘« Yes, father.” “ Ewen so; the one at the helm is a wom Ths and her face is fleshless, her head but a skull, The woman seized the glass nervously, an raised it to her eye with an effort. ‘ tt
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. i Roy, the Boy Cruiser. : a tense alarm, and the spy-glass fell. with a crash upon the deck that shattered it, while she sunk down in the companionway and buried her faco in her hands, “Don’t give up, father, as mother has done, but run for it to the last, and then, if we can- not escape, face what' comes as bést we can,” said the young man, and his example gave his father new courage, and once more the sloop was held on her way firmly, in her race witha craft that was supposed to be a spirit vessel of the deep. On through the waters, dangerous unto death, should the helmsman make a single mistake, the little vessel sped, and hotin chase came the white stranger. The wind steadily increased, and the waters grew more turbulent; still the pursued and pur- suer held on. Fiercer and flercer grew the wind, and higher and higher rose the sea, until the prospect over their course was fearful to behold; but the sloop was not spared, and was kept bard at it, for the schooner was slowly, very slowly, but surely, very surely, gaining, “Death Rock ho!” The ery broke from the lips of the young man, who had been anxiously peering ahead for some minutes, “Thank God!” fervently said the woman, “ At last!” the man responded. “Yes, the Rock looms up rapidly, and in two hours more we will run into the basin. I hope the girl is on the lookout, to bring a boat out to us and get the rifles ready,” said the woman. “ Lita will not be asleep, that is certain, mo- ther.” “* But she does not expect us back so soon.” “That may be; but the cliff is her favorite place to sit, and I know she will be-there,” and procuring another spy-glass from the cabin the young man turned it upon the distant rock, which loomed up like a second Gibraltar from the sea, Here, there, everywhere were rock islands, with a few covered with undergrowth, dwarfed by. the fierce winds and salt sea-breezes, and reefs were visible in threatening numbers} but the Death Rock, ds the Water Wolves called their island home, loomed up grandly above all, _Yising with precipitous sides high in air. For a long time rumors had gone abroad that a weird beacon had been seen upon its face, eek mariners that beheld it, to run their brave vessels to destruction and death against its mer- ciless sides, _ . : Rumor had it thata beacon, its shape like a human skull of vast size, with lights streaming from the eye-sockets and between the huge teeth, was the Death Lantern that beckoned unfortunate ships to ruin; but'no one had ever been able to solve the mystery of the Death Rock Beacon, and each year another quota of brave vessels were added to its list of victims. And yet, for this‘Death Rock, the little sloop was heading, and swiftly in her wake was rush- ing the craft that pursued her so relentlessly. Rumor also had it among mariners, that a schooner, known as the Phantom Pirate, haunted these waters, or if seen cruising elsewhere, and Then she too uttered an exclamation of in- | chased by vessels-of-war, fled to that weird: lo- cality. Yet, of this Phantom Pirate, the Water Wolf Wreckers had conversed, as the reader knows, without dread, evidently allied with’ the secret of its pretended supernatural powers; but the Sea Ghost, a craft which they knew not of, but had seen in their waters, and which had boldly run into “their hidden haven and left them a strange and ominous warning, they stood in holy horror of, It was after this warning, when the Ghost Craft ran in one night, and cast overboard, to drift upon their beach, two coffins, with the names of Wambold and his wife engraved on them, that the Water Wolves had decided to get zig of their booty, so ill-gotten, and fly from their haunt, Thus it was that they had loaded the sloop with their most precious treasure, and sailed for Ha- vana to dispose of it, but through the dream of Leo, had been alarmed into putting about and returning to the island. ‘Well, Leo, we will have to jibe her, for I dare not take the time to go about, as the Sea Ghost is gaining more rapidly now,” said the Water Wolf. 2 . “Tt is dangerous, father.” Tt is more dangerous to lose time, so stand by, you and your mother, to trim in the sheet, and I will ease her round as best I can ” The course Jay around a large rock, and thence to run in to the island, with the wind where it was, if was necessary to turn at a sharp angle, and jibe the sails over from star- board to port. This, in the half-gale that was blowing, and especially with so much canvas spread, was a most hazardous undertaking. But, to have to run up to a spot of open water, go about and thus get her sails to port, would take up a vast deal of precious time, and, if the Ghost Craft jibed would bring her almost alongside for the run into the basin, and lience the Water Wolf made up his mind to his course of action, “Stand ready all!” he cried as the rock was at hand which the sloop was to round. “ All ready,” answered Leo. * Haul in hard!” Both mother and son hauled hard on the sheet-rope, and bringing his helm up, the Water Wolf brought the bows round, until, with a furious gust the sail was whirled to port, a * lurch and a loud report followed, and the mast was snapped in twain, leaving the hull a wreck upon the waters. CHAPTER VI. THE WOMAN IN BLACK. Tu crash of the falling mast seemed like the knell of death, to the Water Wolvés, and they crouched upon the deck beneath the ruins of sails, rigging and spars, almost wholly de- moralized, But the nerve of the old wrecker was quickly recovered, and, seizing an ax he began to clear the wreckage from the craft, while he called out to his son to let fall the anchors to prevent the bull driving upon the reefs. Leo quickly obeyed, and the sloop .wag
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; 4 | ee ey TE = eset 10 brought up with a sudden jerk, which swept the wreckage from the deck, Then the two men looked about them, for the woman seemed prostrated, and sat moaning in the companionway. ‘« There comes the schooner!” The cry came from Leo, ** Yes, and she has stripped herself of her top- sails, Ls bon oe and foresail,” gruffly responded the Water lf. “] did not see her men at work.” ‘No, for we were too busy looking after our- selves, and my idea is that we are done for.” ‘« Yes, all is lost and we are doomed,” groaned the woman. “ Ho, the life-boat!” suddenly, fairly shrieked Leo, and his mother sprung to her feet and gazed toward the Death Rock. “Tt is the girl!” cried the woman, wildly. * Ay, ay, and she is coming to take us off.” “But can she reach us before the Ghost Yacht, father?” “That is the question; but let us call to her and bid her pull for her life.” : * And ours,” chimed in the woman. Afar off upon the waters was now plainly vis- ible a small surf-skiff, and it held but one occu- nt. ert was in a direct range with the Death Rock, and had evidently come out from some hiding- place beneath its shelter. In spite of the fierce blow and rough waters, the skiff came steadily on, springing from wave to wave like a thing of life, and impelled by two oars, held in the hands of a young girl. Scarcely more than sixteen, the daring occu- pant of the skiff was one upon whom no eye could rest without admiration. Her form was the perfection of graceful out- lines, ber movements, even in exer ling her strength, willowy and easy, and her face lovely to the extreme of beauty. _ She wore a tight-fitting bodice of finest black velvet, and a petticoat or skirt of red silk, rich- ly embroidered by some skilled hand, About her waist was a blue silk sash, and neo her head sat jauntily acap of the same ue. All were now drenched with the salt spray, but this she did not seem to mind, as she did not shrink, but merely closed her eyes as the seas broke in showers over her, With a steady, skilled stroke she urged her skiff on its dangerous course, guided by some object on the Death Rock, it was evident, as she never looked behind her, which was of course ahead, As she neared the wreck she heard voices call- ing to her, and exerted herself the more; but glancing quickly over her shoulder sbe did not seem to catch sight of the Sea Ghost, now not Sed far from the dismasted craft. @ sloop had drifted under the lee of some rocks, before the anchor stopped its way, and now lay in comparatively smooth waters, a cir- cumstance which the coming schooner took ad- vantage of to run down and board, luffing up sharp alongside just as the skiff reached the wreck, and nearly running the latter down, The cry of the girl showed that she had not before seen the schooner, and, recognizing it as ’ Roy, the Boy Cruiser, the Sea Ghost, which she had observed from the — Death Rock more than once, she sprung on board the wreck and stood by the side of the Water Wolves, to whose aid she had come, But the crew of the schooner had not been idle, and, demoralized as they were, the Water Wolves were quickly made prisoners, In dismay they turned their eyes upon the Woman in Black, who appeared before them with a face that was that of a skull. Her crew, though gbostly-looking in their white clothing, seemed most nearly akin to flesh and blood; but from the woman they sbrunk in mortal terror, the young girl also imbued with the same dread as she gazed upon the tall form, clad in deep black, and the face of bone. Addressing Wambold and his wife by name, the Woman in Black told them that their doom would soon follow, and suddenly removing the face of bone, which was a mask, she stood re- vealed, with her forehead, cheeks, nose, chin and neck disfigured by tattooing. Then, as they still sbrunk in abject fear from her, she made herself known to them as oue they had believed dead, one who, the rival of the woman and loved by the man, upon marry- ing another, had been, as they believed, their victim by poison, But they had failed in their attempt, and marrying the man she loved; she had sailed for a far-away land, been wrecked among savages, and deserted by her husband, but at fast, mak- ing her escape, she was now-a deformed being, an avowed witch, living only to make others ‘wretched. Such a confession, from such a source, fell like a death-mantle upon the ears of the Water Wolves, and bowing their heads, they submitted to their fate, whatever that fate might be. Having already decided what her course should be, the Woman in Black ordered her crew to take the wreck in tow, and soon after the little schooner stood. away from the Death Rock, slowly drawing the dismantled sloop after er. Hardly had the two gotten well under way, when a young man, with a dark, handsome, but evil and cunning face, and who now held the helm, while the Woman in Black stood near, suddenly called out: “ Sail ho!” All started at the words, for certainly itlwas not expected to meet a third craft in these waters, The woman, generally so calm and unmoved, seemed almost dismayed, and her eyes quickly turned upon the strange sail, There was no reason for her to ask where it was, for it was not a league distant, and had suddenly come into view, as though bounding up from the sea or dropping from the clouds. ‘““That craft can come but from one place, my son,” she said, after an effort at self-control, and addressing the young man at the wheel, who seemed to stand in the place of a mate on bx the little schoouer, “Yes, mofher; and where has she come from?” “y “The Death Rock.” es % aay is not the Phantom Pirate?’ 0, "
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{ mi 3) Sse ES Te Berne a fF Se ' “Do you not think she has a familiar look?” | “Veg, Hal it is the yacht Sea Owl, com- manded by that accursed boy who was my captive once, and escaped me,” said the woman, savagely * ri Fou it is the Sea Owl, for I saw her often in New Orleans, and Midshipman Brandt was made her commander, and ordered to cruise in the Gulf as a coast-guard.” , . “Tf he isin command now, Perdido, we need expect no mercy from him, for he knows me as the Witch of the Chandeleur Isle.” 7 ‘Yes, mother; but I hope we are mistaken; but the girl will know.” E ‘* Ah, yes, [had forgotten that; let that girl wrecker come on deck,” she added, calling out to one of ber crew, In a few moments the young girl stood before her, calm and fearless, “Girl, you came from the Death Rock, to rescue the Water Wolf Wrecker, his wife and son?” Yes,” was the quiet reply. “What schooner is that?” and the woman " pointed suddenly to the strange sail. At sight of her the eyes of the young girl brightened up, and she said quickly: ‘Tt is the American cruiser Sea Owl.” “Prom whence has she come?” “ Out of the Death Rock Basin.” *‘ How came she in there?” **T do not know, unless her captain made one of the Phantom Pirates pilot him out.” ‘The Phantom Pirates?” eo Yes.” “Where are they?” *Tn the basin.” *« Prisoners?” “Yes, they ran their schooner in, and were captured by the cruiser.” ‘Indeed! then this solves the mystery of that “Yes, I told them.” a rte they did not hold you a prisoner?” 0. te And allowed you to come out to the rescue of your fellow Water Wolves?” Ves.” * That they might capture and bang them?” “No, the young captain promi me he would not harm my parents and Leo,” ‘¢ Those people are not your blood kin, as any ‘one could tell by looking at you.” sie but call them my parents and other.” “Girl, I will be your mother in future, and you will have to forget them, for their doom is Sealed, ay, and the doom of all of us shall be, ere I allow yonder cruiser to capture us; but me, do you know these waters?” x GA > om * os ae Roy, the Boy Cruiser. _ ot at Yes.” “This schooner draws five feet, and yonder craft fully nine; can you run us through that reef yonder, where I know there is a passage, and where the cruiser cannot follow?” **T could,” : ‘'Then do so, and I will make you rich, girl.’ ‘*T care not to be rich.” “Then you shall be my child, and I will do all I can to make you happy.” “T am happy now.” =. But you will pilot us through the reef?” ‘No. “ What! you refuse?” “Yes, for the captain of the cruiser wishes to capture you, or he would not have come in chase, and I will not prevent it.” “Then I will kill you,” hissed the woman, half drawing a jewel-hilted knife from her belt, ; “Very well,” was the cool reply, and the young girl did not flinch. “By Heaven! do you dare me? You do not know how little my hand hesitates to kill, and that it has stains on. it of lives as innocent as yours.” ‘an do not fear you, and I am not afraid to ie. - The Woman in Black gazed upon the young girl with a look that it was hard to fathom. Then she said softly: “Girl, I will not take your life, but barter with baser metal for our safety. ‘Perdido, bring Wambold the Water Wolf on deck,” ~ In obedience, the wrecker, heavily ironed, was brought face to face with the Woman in Black, and he cowed before her piercing eyes. * Alfred Wambold, I sent for you to ask you a question,” thé Woman in Black said, sternly. Well?” was the low reply. ~ ‘©-You have been long in these waters?” o Yes,” ‘¢-You know them well?” ** As I know your hated face, woman,” was the savage response. *‘1¢ is well; I could ask no more; but now tell me if you love life?” ** As you do.” “ And are willing to buy it?” 3 ‘* How?” he asked, eagerly. “T mean not with your gold, for [ am con- fident that your dism sloop holds your treasure.” “ How then?” “ By work.” ‘““What am I to do?” “To you see yonder schooner?” **Good God! it is a cruiser,” cried the wrecker as his eyes fell upon it. ‘Yes, and the chances are that her crew will. hang you for your crimes; but asI do not care to be taken, too, I offer you a chance of escape,” ** Again I ask what am I to do?” $ *T wish you to pilot this schooner, with the sloop in tow, threugh channels which even the daring commander of yonder cruiser fears to follow,” “On what terms?” ‘* Your life.” ** And my wife's?”
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o n ‘Then I refuse.” i “ Well, I will offer you your wife’s life along with yours.” ° i: “ And my son’s life?” “ 0.7? ‘*1 will not stir one hand to aid you unless you pledge yourself to let the three of us go free,” said the Water Wolf, firmly. * How about the girl” * Ah! I had forgotten her.” Is she your daughter?” S, “ T know better.” “Sho is my adopted daughter, for 1 found her on a wreck, and have raised her.” ‘¢T will tell you what I will do.” Well?” : ‘¢T will spare your life, and the lives of your wife and son, if you will pilot this craft to safety.” ~ ** You will set us free?” -Yos,” “When?” * As soon as I can-Jand you at a near port.” “And allow us to-go penniless- into the world?” a “You have gold and jewels about, I will swear.” . . ** And you have my sloop, with all my treas- ure on board.” ‘Well, I will see that you do not want for riches,” and the woman smiled grimly. “So be it; I will take the helm, so knock off ay irons.” 2 his was done, and Wambold the Water Wolf took the helm of the Sed Ghost. - The cruiser was coming on apace, and ata rate of speed which would overhaul the little vessel, held back by towing the dismasted sloop, unless the Water Wolf could take a course that the armed craft could not follow him through, But the wrecker took the helm with seeming confidence, and, after glancing back at the cruiser, and then at the clouds, quietly gave his orders in a way that showed he knew what he was about, « CHAPTER VII. THE WATER WOLF AND HIS CAPTOR. “T Hops you know what you are about, Alfred Wambold,” said the Woman in Black, with some anxiety, as she watched the plunging of the schooner, the terrible jerks upon the cables that held the sloop in tow, and the in- creasing fury of the elements. Without answering her directly, the Water Wolf said: “You seam to know the danger of these waters?” , ded its (aaa 4 : “May I ask how you learned them so well?” * Yes.. I found a chart of the main channels, and, as you now know me as I am, I may as fe well confess that with it was the secret of how -torun inand outof the Death Rock Basin, I took big chances and tried it, and was success- _ ful; but I do not know any of thesecret channels by which I poh escape yonder cruiser coming ‘on 80 rapidly,” san S 7 i Roy, the Boy Cruiser. . You have cause to fear yonder vessel, then?” : 2 ‘Yes, for her boy prisoner.” ‘Your prisoner?” “Yes, for, after my escape from an island of savages, whose cruelty left me as you see me, and made me what I am, I was wrecked on an Isle of the Gulf and turned the circumstance to my advantage, There was wrecked the young commander of yonder cruiser, and I did not treat him in a way that causes him to remember me pleasantly. He also believes me to be in league with pirates, a wrecker myself, and so will not hesitate to give me a berth for life in a dungeon.” : ke Paes “You are as bad as I am, if not worse,” said the man grimly. “Worse would not be possible, foi when I ran into your island basin I discovered just what you and your wife were, “‘T recognized her, as I crept up to your cabin » and looked through the window, and I saw her gloating over a skull she held in her hand, and on the bony forehead of which, my name was , painted. “She believed she had poisoned me long: ago, when it was another she had killed, and to revel in her joy at the death of her rival, she car- ried, as she thought, my skull about with her as a souvenir.” The brow. of thé woman darkened as, she spoke, and her eyes glittered, so, to change the subject, Wambold the Water Wolf said: eee ce And your husband deserted you among sav- ages?’ - ‘Yes, mo and my boy,” she said firmly. Then she added, as though thinking aloud: ‘* But he hated me, disfigured as I was by this tattooing, and sought his own way. But I tracked him, and after long years I found him,” “ Where?” <! “Tn New Orleans.” ‘Prospering, [’ll warrant?” ‘Oh, yes, as rich as Croesus, and as wicked as sin, But I was avenged upon him, for I visited him in disguise, saw him drink the poison I placed in his glass of wine, and fall at my feet, dead. Then I fled from the city, and, with my son, came to these waters.” “Why?” ~ “To become a wrecker and gain more gold.” “Could you not get your busband’s gold?” © “Not without proof, and, known as I am, as the Tattooed Witch, it would not be well for me to attempt to claim it.” ; : “But your son might?” “No, he has lived in New Orleans, and is so far guilty, that he would hang if he returned there.” “You were a precious trio,” sneered the man. “Yes, of the same precious kind as the Three Water Wolf Wreckers, now on board this schooner.” sia The man winced under the reply, and asked: A ee : oon x= “Do you still intend to remain a wrecker in rd these waters?” z hry “Yes, or rather it will depend upon one— thing.” 7 4 F3 Ber tno ~* And what is that? pe te ‘How much treasure your sloop holds,” _ . * Fe ng, SOM ¢ * - = x ie commander was once my . $ ie i a
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r vessel, once my - an island u_ see me, ed on an stance to he young - did not ‘emember to be in f, and so r life ina rse,” said hen I ran just what ur cabin [ saw her and, and ame was ong: ago, to revel she car- th her ag 1 as, she ange the — ong sav~ ly. loud: 3 by this But I id him.” wicked n, for I ink the d fall at ty, and, , old.” a? : [ am, as_ | for me ind is so eturned he man, e Three rd this asked: acker in jon one 1 . see,” cried the Woman in 13 Ab 1? “ Yes, if it is very valuable, I shall dispose of it, and adding its price to my riches, I will have sufficient to live upon in a foreign Jand,.and in luxury. If it does not turn out rich as I hope, I shall continue a wrecker until I have gained all Ineed.” . = “You will not rob me of my treasure, gained after long years of hardship and peril?’ “Oh yes I will, for I give you your life, and - that is more than you should ask of me.” The man seemed anxious to change the sub- . ject, so said: “We are in particularly dangerous waters now, so have your crew ready to obey my ‘slightest order, and more, ‘yonder storm-cloud willsoon burst upon us, and as night is almost here, we are in a bad way.” * And the cruiser?” “Do you see yonder large rock ahead of it?” o Yes,” “Tf it rounds that rock and stands toward us, the man at her helm is a fool, for when we crossed a reef. there, we had not two feet under our keel.” b : ~ * We shall soon see.” “ Yes.” , - The crew were ordered to be in readiness, and the Woman in Black. watched the clouds, the sea, her schooner, the towing sloop and the “cruiser. “* He has passed the rock you referred to,” she ene eoe * And has not put away in chase?” “No, for the man at her helm knows these waters, it seems; but stand ready all, for there breaks the storm.” The voice of the Water Wolf Wrecker rung ‘out loud and soiling and _ the crew sprung to ‘their work with a wi i, while Lita ran to tbe Helm to aid Wambold in the steering of. the -schooner. ; ‘A moment of suspense to all and then the storm broke in fury, and off before the gale the |_ little craft bounded, with just sail enough set to steady her, and dragging the sloop in her wake at a terrific pace. : “Go forward, girl, and direct me!” cried the Water Wolf. _ In obedience, the maiden made her way for- ward, and clambering into- the shrouds peered ah her bare feet clinging to the ropes as closely as her hands, and her skirt and hair sviolently whipped by the. fierce wind, as. féar- Jessly she directed the Water Wolf at the helm how to steer. - : ‘ CHAPTER VIII, HOW A. PLEDGE WAS KEPT, “Tar girl understands. thesé waters well, I Black, her mouth _ close to the ear of the Water Wolf as he stood é at the helm of the schooner. * Yes, better than I do,” was the reply “Yet she would not-take the helm told her todoso.”. ; “No, she cannot be driven.” : ate “T offered her the best of terms.” Spek: ‘She would accept no terms, unless itchimed when I Roy, the fisy Cruiser, and hailin ——— in with her humor to do so, and she knows not what fear is,” ‘Sol believe— Hark! she is speaking.” In clear tones, sweet as the tones of a bell, came from the gitl wrecker. in the rigging: “Hard down your helm to round the Tower Rock!” : : : “Ay, ay, girl!” hoarsely- called back the Water Wolf, obeying, while the men. sprung to. the halyards, ‘““We need have no fear now of the cruiser,” continued the women. : “ 0, we have lost her. What is it, girl?’ called out Wambold, raising his voice above the storm, . 7 “Ts not this schooner leaking*—for she seems _ to sail as though water-logged.” : “ Ay, ay! T’'ll*have the pumps tried, for she does sail heavy.” : : ‘Man the pumps!” cried the Woman in Black, and an exclamation from the men, who obeyed, showed that they had made some start- ling discovery. ° : ‘What is it? called out the woman. “There is a great deal of water in the hold, and itis running in fast!” sung out Perdido, the son of the Woman in Black, . “She has clipped ¢ff something from her keel, doubtless, from some of these accursed sunken,rocks,” growled the Water Wolf. ‘ What will you do?” asked the woman. “Bring her to and anchor her; then work the pumps until daylight, when perhaps we ean find - some place to beach her,” ‘“‘ At the pumps there! Keep them flying, for your lives depend upon it,” came in the woman’s stern tones, : “The water is gaining,” said the Water Wolf. “Yes,” calmly answered the woman. “We will have to leave the schooner within an Pine it keeps gaining at this rate.” e6, : ‘And take to the surf-skiff.” ‘*'Yes, and board your slodp.” ‘ Pet oosan for it is all we can do until day- ight, . A man pe been left on the sloop to steer, him, the woman asked: “Ts the sloop leaking?” 3 ue ““No, tight as a drum,” came back the reply, and a cheer broke from the crew. .— - “You will now take the irovs off of my wife and son, and allow them to come on deck?” asked — *Wambold, .‘* No, I will not; but, on the contrary, I will have-the irons put back on you, for with you and the girl free I am not sure of our safety.” s Bah! you have yourself, your son and four men. M9 ‘“Oné is on board the sloop, as you know, and you are four, and we but five; the chances are — too near even for’ me to risk anything, so you go back inirons.” ° -. ; “And the girl?” _ 3G : ‘Shall remain free:” - j . : ‘‘Curses!” came from between the shut lips of the Water Wolf; but he dared not resist, and the irons were again put upon him, Hard at the pumps worked the men, relieving each other as they grew tired, while the storm — blew itself out,” . ie : :
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Roy, the Boy Cruiser. Each moment she seemed to settle more, and it became a question whether she would hold up until dawn. The schooner could be beached, if held up, and her spars used for the sloop, so it was very necessary to keep her afloat, and harder and harder worked all hands at the pumps, the woman and girl aiding with a will. With the first glimmer of light the surf skiff had been launched, and the Water Wolf Wreck- ers were taken on board the sloop, along with ackages and bundles which the Woman in lack wished to save, > Next went some of the spars, sails and ham- er from the schooner, and last the woman and er crew, - Then the cables were cut and the* sloop drift- ed off, but was soon iene, ite up by letting go the anchors, while, deserted by all, and with the waters rushing into her hold, the pretty schoon- er gave a lurch, a plunge, and went bows first beneath the sea, not even her topmasts being visible. Late in the afternoon a very fair mast had been rigged, a bowsprit placed, and with her sails, which were canvas from the schooner, the sloop was once more in trim, though of course not what she had once been. Z Again placing the Water Wolf at the helm, the woman ordered him to beat back toward one of the main channels among the islands, at the same time asking him: a “Do you know apy island in these parts that ‘would be a good resting-place for a few days?” “ Yes.” ** You know the place well?” Yes, I first went there, intending to put a false beacon, but found it was too isolated, for I only saw one vessel pass within the six months we were there, and I sought another island.” **The Death Rock?” ** Yes.” ** How did you find that channel?” “We were dismasted off the rocks, my an- chors would not hold, and we were driven by the current into the basin, and thus made it our home,” ‘Well, you can now head for the island that was your first home in these waters.” ** Why do you wish to go there, woman?” sus- piciously asked the Water Wolf, “To overhaul the cargo of this sloop, see just what it is worth, fully rig her for a cruise to the American shores, and to rest.” ‘* Ah!” said the man, and he put the sloop on her way for the island in question. It was night when he dropped anchor in the little cove, and the woman, who was asleep in the cabin, was at once called on deck by her son, Perdido. : : “Ts this the island of which you spoke, Wam- bold?” she quietly asked. o Yea” ‘Then let some of us goon shore, for the sloop is crowded.” ‘Do you wish me to go?” “Yes, your wife and son also, and you, Per- dido will accompany us.” ‘ “There is only my old cabin there, and no bedding.” ; “We will see to that,” ‘*T should prefer to remain upon the sloop.” ‘* Ashore, r will free you of your irons, but here 1 will not.” “Then we will go ashore, for these irons eut deep,” hoarsely responded the man. The surf-skiff was at once lowered, several bundles, by the woman’s directions, thrown into it, and Perdido took the oars. ‘Now, Wambold, get in.” The man obeyed. ‘* And you, woman,” and she turned upon the wrecker’s wife, who, in her irons, found it dif- ficult to enter the boat, so was aided by two of the crew. “You next, sir,” and she turned toward Leo, who went over the side without reply. “No, girl, not you, for I wish your company on the sloop,” she said, as Lita, the girl wrecker, attempted to follow. The giri stepped back, and the woman sprung into the stern and said quickly: “* Cast off!” Away upon a wave went the surf-skiff, and directed by the Water Wolf, Perdido pulled for a safe landing. : “ Now get ashore!” The Water Wolf Wreckers obeyed as best they could, following the woman, who suddenly sprung back into the surf-skiff, the act sending. it its length away from the shore. “‘ Here, Wambold, are the keys of your irons, . and you can unlock them, and set free wife and son. In these bundles are beddings and pro- visions, and they are my offering. “The provisions will keep you alive long enough for you to review your past lives of guilt, and ponder over my revenge, and -when they are gone you must starve. I promised to set you free, and I keep my pledge, as you see, and now bid you a long fareweil.” The woman laughed revengefully as she uttered the last words, and then gave an order to her son, who pulled near shore, allowing her to purer. the keys and bundles out upon the rocks, Like statues the three deserted wreckers stood for an instant, and then, while the woman sunk down in a swoon, a_ bitter imprecation was hurled by the Water Wolf after the retreating boat, and upon reaching the sloop the voice still rung in her ears, There she was met by the girl wrecker, who ee hearing the order to set sailand leave the island, and those upon it to their fate, sprung upon her with the fury of a tigress, “Curse you, girl! I will have your life,” hissed the Woman in Black, turning upon her. ‘*No, mother, leave her to me to tame,” said Perdido quietly, and then in a low tone he added: “You know not these waters where we now are, and our safety depends upon the girl.” “True, boy, I will forget her act,” and the woman entered her cabin, but the lamp shone upon her face and showed a look of fiendishness in her eyes that was hardly human. | ' CHAPTER IX, IN SEARCH OF THE SLOOP. after the discovery of the flight of the 8 I Must now return to the Flagless Crajser, loop
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from the little cove in which she had been dis- covered. Searching diligently as he could by night, the Boy Cruiser bad continued the search with the dawn, and under the pilotage of the Indian, had cruised about the vicinity during the entire day. iad the little slcop gone down? ; It was a settled fact that she had either gone down or boldly put away. on a course that led her through a most perilcus channel among the islands, The islands in that direction would have kept her from being sighted from the schooner after daylight, and upon this surmise Roy determined to act. ** Pasquagoula, you know the channels among those islands to the southward, do you not?” “Me know,” “Do you think the sloop could have gone that way?” ‘*Schooner can go, so sloop go, too.” “Well, we will lay off here until morning, and then cruise among the islands.” . “Heap good sense,” answered the Indian, calmly lighting his pipe, a liberty which the young captain allowed him even upon the quar- ter-deck, To give his men a good rest, Roy had the Indian Pilot run the schooner into a safe an- chorage and then drop the anchor for the night; but with the first glimmer of dawn the young captain wag on deck, and the schooner got under way. The Indian took his stand at the wheel, and the vessel went on her way under pressure of a six-knot breeze, After several hours’ run a large island eame in sight, looming up like a giant among pigmies, in comparison with the isles upon all sides, ‘There bad. pale-face live,” said Pasquagoula, with a nod. “Ah! you mean wreckers?” iy Yes,’ “ Are you sure?” ‘Heap sure,” “How do you know, chief?” ‘* Pasquagoula sail there one time.” ‘You did?” The chief nodded. _“* How did you go there?” ie using canoe,” ae 2, Lew “What for, chief?” ‘* Kill bad pale-face,” “ Ah! one of your enemies lived there?” “Two.” ‘And you went there in search of them?” _ ‘Went to kill,” was the laconic response, * And did you kill them?” “© Yog,” ‘ “ Was there other men there?’ “Four more,” 2 ** What were they doing there?” : “ Light bad lantern.” “* The false beacon?” © Indian nodded. * How long ago were you there, Pasquagou Roy, the Boy Cruiser. ** Well, we will land there now and destroy the false beacon.” “Heap good; hang bad pale-face, give Pas- quagoula scalp.” ‘ “No. I will break up the gang, destroy their beacon, and deliver the men up to the American authorities.” ‘* Better kill,” suggested the Indian, who evi- dently desired the scalp of the wreckers, The island, as the schooner drew nearer, ap- peared to be fertile, though its sides were rug- ged. There were two passages, and one of them looked open, the other dangerous, though they were just the reverse, Pasquagoula explained. ** And you can run through the right one?” “Heap good.” ¥ ‘** And pilot the schooner into the cove?” Pasquagoula nodded, and then said quietly: ‘* Me know heap about rocks; went all roun in wing canoe find out all. “Bad light yonder; wait, when dark come young chief see him,” ‘*Tt was now late in the afternoon, and, deter- mined to see just what the wreckrs were about, Roy decided to shorten sail a little, so as to anive in the vicinity of the island after night- all, At last, night settled down, and the Indian said quietly: ‘* Now look heap good; bat light soon shine.” He had hardly uttered the words, when a bright light flashed out over the waters. It came from the cliff end of the island, and was so placed as to lure a vessel into taking the treacherous channel between the rocks instead of the right one. 5 : “* Pasquagoula talk straight,” said the Indian Pilot, in a tone cf triumpb. ““You did indeed, chief, and I see you are to be depended upon; but which way will you head now?” 7 ‘Fool bad pale-face, and no go on rocks; take good water trail and run into cove.” “That is right, chief, and the schooner is in sone. hands, so give your orders as you déém right. - “ Big wing canoe go all right,” was the reply, and then the Pilot asked that more sail might be set to the better work through the chante This was quickly done, and the schooner headed directly for the false beacon, which sent its evileye down upon the treacherous waters from a height of fifty feet. Nearer and nearer drew the vessel, until the crew grew anxious and gazed toward the In- dian Pilot, +t But he stood calmly at his post, until the ligbt shone almost down upon the decks; when he suddenly put his helm a-starboard and shot into the other channel. The schooner twenty minutes later rounded the point and dropped anchor in the little har- bor, over which darkness had now fallen, for the false beacon on the cliff bad been suddenly extinguished, when it was seen that it had failed | to lead the gallant vessel to destruction, CHAPTER X. , THE MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE. HavinG ordered two boats’ crews in readi-
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Roy, the =F Cruiser. captain to make ‘a landing, his men being well armed und equipped with lanterns for a thor- ough search of the island. What force he might: meet the Boy Cruiser did not know, The Indian chief had said four men had been left on the island, after he had avenged himself by killing the two who had been among the band. that had destroyed his Meanie and slain his people. But Roy knew that on some of the islands the wreckers had.been known to be in large num- bers, and to prepare against meeting a large force he had the crew, remaining on board the schooner, ready at the guns to either cover his retreat or: fire upon any given point where he might direct. t the head of. twenty good seamen, and with the Indian chief as his guide, Captain Roy ps By: to ascend the hill toward the'false bea- Hie had not proceeded far when a loud call came from the rocks above: “Ho; there!who are you?” - 4 Soa Cruiser,” answered the youth, * F * Under what flag do you sail?” asked the voice, ‘“Wehave no flag,” féeponded Roy, “ Are you pirates?” » 66 No.” * Your craft looked - Srieracieens Americans?” “We own no.nationality or flag.” “Do you come.as friends?” “** Are you wreckers?” 3 ‘Suppose I say yes, what then?” “Then we are your fo¢s.” “Hire |” * The last word was. shouted’ forth, and a line of fire hurst from the top of the hill, followed ‘by sharp reports and a whirring of bullets. One of the schooner’s crew dropped dead, and another uttered a ery, and a bullet cub into his arth; but, without waiting to give his men time to got demoralized, Captain jonodel called out: = “Follow me, lads, and we'll soon drive these ‘Water Wolves from their lair!” With a cheer the men dashed up the hill, and though scattering shots were now poured upon them from different rocky coverts, and several fell, the gallant tars gained the top and were -<éonfronted by half a dozen desperaté men who ' disputed their way..: are you ut the combat -did not last. but a few mo- |. ments, when a ery of quarter was héard, and Ms minal se was won by Roy Bonodel and his Well, lads, we have cut down half a ‘Gowen ‘and taken mapy more prisoners; but. they were - in much larger force than. the Tndian i seer Aht Where is the chief?” The men looked about for him, but ‘he was no- where to be seen. Then the lanterns were bréught into use and. a thorough search instituted, yet without dis- covering bis whereabouts. Most anxious regarding him, for he pee ee come deeply attached to the noble red Soeepatied to = all the.crew on eae aos ness, it. took but a short while for the youthful - -the yes of the crew when the sun rose and dS ‘fe Yes,” ee Sorat sa ing asmall guard,.and make a thorough search of the island. a This was done, but. without finding the miss- a ing Indian, and the young captain was com-' pelled to wait until daylight should aid him in | the search, : Tt was a wild-appearing scene that greeted showed them the island and its surroundings. | In a chasm or canyon several rude huts were | visible, built of the wreckage of vessels that had — there been lost, and this was the home of the © wreckers, who, fifteen ‘in number, had made the island the scene of their cruel deeds, a A. few -boats lay upon the beach of the cove, - but no larger craft was visible, and sending for ~. 3 the leader of the prisoners, who had been taken | ~ on board.the schooner and put inirons, Roy | — Bonodel asked: =e! ‘“How many men had you on the island?” **Seventeen—or I really do not know,” said | CT the man, adding the last words quickly, as at though he saw that he had made a mistake in ; telling. shi “Mr, Sutro, kindly see how many are ac- counted for,” said Roy. In a short while the lieutenant returned and ; “With this man, sir, there are six prisoners \eiwe and seven dead men;” ) th “Thirteen?” be ‘Yes, sir.” = [ ‘That leaves four to be accounted for.” ee ‘* No, cap’n, I was wrong in my reckonin’, for ) . there was but thirteen of us,” said the wrecker, ioe “*T do not believe you; come, Mr, Sutro, we | t will make a complete circuit of "the island, ‘and | e carry this man with us.” it This was done, and the search revealed one 1 important fact, and that was a second littl / 1 harbor on the other end of the island. \ Upon the shore wasa small boat, andabun- | +l dle or two of plunder left‘in it as though it had : been forgotten. Then there were tracks, evidently made the night before, and a buoy off from the shore ( held no craft attached. | ex it “Some of your men escaped last night, sir,” | said Roy, sternly addressing the wrecker, f The man made no reply. k “ Answer me, sir!” Fes “*T can talk for terms.” “4 » “What do you mean?” ae ies I want your promise to. let me go, if Is “Well, I will give it to you, for-you may | E have valuable information, and one more or 3 less to be hanged among you will not matter.” % The man shuddered, and replied: alts “Then. Pi talk, if you'll say you'll ‘set me. ‘ free at the first port,? vee srs eat al do so.” ; e sf hat do you wish to know, capin?® R Oy # ie How many nien were on this island?” ‘Seventeen, not counting ee crew.” Ss Where are the other four?! 3 ** Gone.” ore ‘* Where?” . “Tn the smack with the crew.” ‘You have a smack then?”
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** What is her tonnage?” * About thirty tons.” ** And her crew?” * Wive men.” ““What use do you make of her?” “She runs booty to the agents in the different ports,” ° ‘‘ When did she depart?” “Tast night.” ‘Ah! after our arrival?” “T puess so.” “Tell me the truth.” “She was getting ready about sunset to run out in chase of a craft that went by.” A craft?” =e ‘Yes, sir, a stranger in these waters.” “Describe her.” as 5 A fair-sized sloop, carrying a-jury-mast and newly rigged canvas,” ; “The sloop I am in search of, by Neptufte!” eried the Boy Cruiser excitedly, and then turn- ing to the man he continued: ; “You give me good news, my man, and I shall not forget you for it.” 4 CHAPTER XI. AGAIN IN THE SLOOP’S WAKE, : Tur young captain of the Flagless Schooner was gréatly excited at learning of the fact that the sloop, on which he believed his lost.sistér to be, was then not very far distant. tf she had passed the evening before, she could not be many leagues away then, and once in her wake, he could soon overhaul her, crippled as she was. He did not doubt then that the woman had told him a story, and he was the more anxious to overhaul the sloop and rescue his sister, for it could be none other than she who had been the possessor.of that locket and chain, which the seaman of the schooner had stolen from her. ‘* My man, tell me all that. you know about the little sloop,” he said, as soon as he could command his feelings. “Of our smack, sir, or the crippled sloop?” ‘Well, tell me first of your craft.” ‘Well, sir, you see we keep her stored with booty, so as to run off with it, if we have to, for now and then an armed cutter, or its boats, come into these waters, and they are not the kind of game we want. ‘We sighted the sloop when she was beyond the ini, for, it being daylight, the boys was all asleep.. “Then we decided to run the smack after her, to see if she was a rich haul, when we sighted your schooner, “ At first we thought it was a Government vessel, but then concluded it was a pirate, short of men, and looking for lads among the wreck- ers, so we concluded to pilot her on the roeks by our beacon, and shoot the men as they swam ashore, so as to get the booty on board for our- selves. i : ‘‘Then the captain and four men, besides the ‘smack’s crew, were to wait on board, to sail. round and board ‘the schooner when she struck, and. the rest of us got on the cliff to shoot ’em from there. “But you didn’t strike, as we expected, and that put us all aback, Roy, the Boy Cruiser. | 5 meme eg crepe 72 R IN IEe R S™ FSSL T 12 ‘““We knew there was’ but one man, and that one the Injun, that could run ‘a big craft through the channel, for he saved a merchant brig once, sailing out to her in his canoe from his hiding-place, and running ber away from us, and through that pass. . “None of the rest of us could have done it, so we knew the Injun. must have run your craft n. “T ran down to the cove-landing, and I saw the Injun land with you, and I scudded back and reported it to the captain and them to the boys on the cliff, “As ‘for the Injun, my idea is that he got separated from you, going up to. the cliff, and fell into the kands of the captain and ‘the smack’s crew, and you need not expect to see him any more, for he'll die sure.” ‘JT shall foliow the smack and punish his mur- derers, my man; but you think the smack at once sailed, after capturing the chief?” **T do, sir.” “ And whither has she gone?” *T do not know, sir.” “You can guess at it,” significantly said Roy Bonodel. The man understood him, and responded: **She might have gone on after the sloop.” “True; but tell me, which way do you think the sloop went?” : ‘¢The channels hereabout, cap’n, hain’t plenti- ful, and you couldn’t go far wrong in following in her wake.” “That I will do, and if you wish to make a few hundreds in gold, in addition to your free- dom, you can pilot the schooner in chase.” “Pi do the best I can, sir; but pilots in these waters is scarce as hens’ teeth, and what pilot- ing I do must be done. by daylight.” ‘All right; we will weigh anchor as soon ds possible: ; “Mr. Sutro, get the men together, bury the dead, and take aboard the schooner what booty you can find on the island, while I go up to the cliff and demolish the false beacon and cabins.” These separate orders were carried out, and in a couple of hours more the Flagless Schooner was following in the-wake of the sloop, on board which was the daring Wonian in Black. CHAPTER XII. A WOMAN’S CUNNING. Arter her cruel act of deserting Wambold, the Water Wolf, his son and wife, upon the~ island, the Woman in Black determined to re- turn to thé island which she had made her home during her stay in the Bahama region, She was at’a loss to reach the island; unless she got back into some channel that was upon her map, or with which she is acquainted. ; To'do this she must make friends With the girl wrecker, who seemed -ihoroughly acquainted with the cruising-ground between the islands, When the Woman in Black—after her flight from New Orleans when she believed she had ‘killed her husband—visited the Bahamas, she — selected an island as a good field for operations, and there established’ berself. _ Finding the Water Wolf and_his den by acci- dent, she had make up her mind to have the sth Rock as her haunt, after she had punished.
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it, which I think are likenesses of my real Wambold and his wife to her heart’s content; and to do this, she was content to remain where she had located for the present. The crew of the schooner that sho had char-’ tered to carry ber to the Bahamas she won over | to her by her liberality to them and her causing them to dread her as a witch with supernatural powers, so she knew she had nothing to fear trom them, The punishment of the Water Wolf Wreckers had come sooner than she had anticipated, for when they had passed near her island and been sighted by her, she had given chase to their sloop and the storm had done the rest, Feeling, her way about, after leaving the Water Wolves to perish, she had suddenly sight- ed the Flagless Cruiser, and at once ran into the little cove, where the reader has seen the [Indian Pilot guided the schooner after her. As soon as the Flagless Schooner Ceparted, the woman determined to fly from that locality, fearing to be seen by the Boy Cruiser, To do this she wished to gO among the islands, for he might follow her if she remained in open water, and her only stand-by was the girl wrecker, ~ Since the desertion of the Water Wolves and the attack upon her by the girl, the woman had been a little shy of the beautiful wrecker, who was so ready to*avenge a wrong done those she deemed her friends. Now she went to the cabin, and calling to the girl, said: er ‘* Lita, I fear you do not look upon me as your friend.” “You left my only friends to perish on that island, and I nate you!” was the frank admis- sion, : “My child, listen to me, for I wish to put the matter in its right light before you, and prove to you that [ am acting for your good. ‘These people, the Water Wolves, whom you believe to be your friends, are your worst foes. They are outlaws, and came to these islands to war against the vessels of all nations, that they might enrich themselves out of the ruin of others,” . “That I now know, for.the captain of the armed yacht told meso,” said Lita, “Well, you know that they killed to get gold, and made you, innocent of doing any wrong yourself, the instrument of much harm to others,” “Yes, I feel that,” and the young girl’s lips quivered, ‘Do you know when you first came to them?” * [t was long ago, when I was a little girl.” **'You remember it?” “T remember being on board a vessel, and a rough man had charge of me; thena storm came and we struck at night, “J do not recall much more, for since then I have been with the people on the island.” “You know your name?” ** Lita.” “What is your other name?” **T do not know.” ‘Do you remember your parents?” remember those I suppose were my pa- rents, for I have here a locket with pictures in Roy, the Boy Cruiser. father and mother, for -it seems to me, I saw | thém other than in these little paintings— Oh?! where is my locket?” The young girl turned pale, as her hands grasped excitedly about her neck. “Did you have it about your neck?” ‘* Yes, the locket hung by a gold chain around my neck, and I wore it almost all the time, “The clasp was broken off the chain, and I tied it with a thread, and I must have lost it, “Oh! if it is lost bad luck will come to me, won't it?” “No, for we must try and find it, When did you have it last?” “It seems I had it after we left the island; but then I can hardly remember, for so much has happened. “T had a place on the island I kept it, and it may be there, though I thought I had it around my neck,” “Well, Lita, as I said I would be your friend, I will prove it by returning to the Death Rock, to get your locket. “f am ina hurry to go elsewhere, but I will go there for you, and then J will try and find our parents for you and restore you to their eeping. *“Now, suppose he take the helm, as I would not like any accident to occur, and you know these waters better than E do,” ** And head for the Death Rock?” “ Yes,” . “T will, for I wish to find my locket,” and caught in the snare of the cunning woman, the girl wrecker went on deck and took the helm, taking a course, at the woman’s direction, that would prevent them from again meeting the Flagless Schooner. Thus it was that the little sloop passed the Wreckers’ Island, not knowing that it was in- habited, on her way back to the den of the Water Wolves of the Death Rock, CHAPTER XIII. THE WRECKER’S THREAT. I wi now explain the mysterious disappear- ance of the Indian Pilot, after the landing of the crew of the Flagless Schooner, to charge the wreckers on the cliff. ? He had, as they moved off up the hill, been struck by the first volley, a bullet grazing his temple. The shock had temporarily stunned him, though the wound was a very slight one, and he had fallen to the ground, unnoticed in the ex- citement of the charge. Soon recovering consciousness, he arosé to his feet and looked about him, He was still slightly dazed, and shaky upon his feet, and seeing a party of men coming toward him down the hill, thought they were the schoon- er’s crew, and walked into their midst. Too late he discovered his mistake, for he was knocked down, and having been Ee bound, was dragged rapidly away toward the other end of the island. Tt was here that the wrecker’s smack lay ati anchor, and the Indian was hustled into a boat, along with bundles of booty, and rowed out to — the little craft. — E ¥
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“The anchor was quickly raived, sail set, and the smack stood off with all haste, Thrown into the cabin, Pasquagoula was left there until daybreak, and then a man entered and stood gazing upon him, He was the captain of the smack and the lead- er of the Island Wreckers, His character can best be judged by the fact that when he saw that the island was attacked without aiding his men on the cliff, he had fle with his boat’s crew and made bis escape, A tall man, with a heavily bearded, wicked face, his eyes glittering viciously as he gazed down upon the bound Indian, “Ho, Injun, I know you,” he said with a hoarse laugh. ** Yes, Pasquagoula know bad white man too,” was the calm reply. ‘You were may prisoner once,” “Yes, but got away.” “T got a big prize in you, Injun, and 1 intend to make the most of it.” Pasquagoula simply nodded, and the wrecker captain went on: < “‘You know, so tho men say, where there is a treasure buried upon one of the Bahama Is- lands?” ; “ 7 “ Well, if you will guide me to that treasure, I will spare your life, and give you all the gold youcare for.” | “Have plenty gold now.” ““Well, if you don’t pilot me there, I shall scalp you alive, and then let you die chained down to the ground upon some island where the vultures can feed upon you.” Pasquagoula was as cunning as he was brave, Hea knew that the wrecker captain meant just what he said, and furthermore, he did not care to die if he could avoid it. *‘Injun no fool—don’t want die, don’t want sine scalp; but, if have to die, will not be coward of “Tnjun have plenty gold, so don’t want more; but he tell secret of. gold-island to bad pale-face for save his life.” “You are a level-headed red-skin, and I'll make you rich; now I'll unchain your feet, and let you come on deck, but I must keep your hands in irons, for if you jumped overboard when near the islands three boats could never catcb you.” The men looked a little surprised at seeing the chief come on deck with their skipper, but the latter told them that he had bri the red-skin to serve as a pilot, ret considered it best to keep him bound for a while, The Indian was consulted, as to which course the sloop, in her crippled condition, would be the most likely to take, and the smack was put away in chase, Pasquagoula being given the freedom of the little vessel. CHAPTER XIV. ‘THE INDIAN PILOT'S REVENGE. BEATING through the channels, “leading e among the Bahamas, was slow work, and it was not until dawn the next day that the sloop was sighted from the wrecker’s smack. is heading for the neighborhood of the ” said the wrecker captain, Roy, the Boy Cruiser, “Yes, cap’n, andit hain’t a neighborhood I likes,” remarked a seaman. “Nor me,” said another. “Tt is where the Phantom Pirate cruises most,” chimed in another, Then a fourth remarked: “The Death Rock is where the Skull Beacon is often seen.” “ Well, if the sloop can stand it, we can, and, as I am in chase of her, we will hold on until we capture her,” said the skipper, cs Suppose we sees the Phantom Pirate, cap'n? ,, Well, it will beas bad for the sloop as for us. ante ‘* We may catch a sight of the Skull Beacon, and they do say that those who sees it onst, is bound to be lost.” ‘* We cannot see the Beacon by daylight, and before night we will be far on our way from the Death Rock,” remarked the captain, reassur- ingly. on are right, there, cap’n, and I for one would like to know just what that craft ahead is, and what cargo she carries,” «We are paint upon her.” “So we are; is there no way, Injun, that we can cut across and catch her, for it looks like open water yonder?” and the wrecker cap- tain. pointed to where the sea seemed clear of reefs, ; * a want wreck boat, do he?” “No. “ “ Let Injun go right way.” “ All right, red-skin, you are the doctor; only I would like to eee a3 before = gets too near the Death which I confess wish to give a wide berth.” : ss ne Rock bad place,” said Pasquagoula, quietly. ‘Have you ever been there, Injun?” **Injun been there three time.” ‘* Ab! did you ever see the Skull Beacon?” “ Three spe » * And yet you live : ‘Yes, Injun still live,” and at his words the superstitious crew gathered around him, anx- ious to have him say more. To lead him on the wrecker captain asked: “ sae you ever see the Phantom Pirate?” ree time. *¢ How was it, Injun?’ ‘*See Phantom Pirate cruising in these waters,” * At night, of course?” “ es, n ‘* And the Death’s Head Beacon?” ‘See him at night, too,” “How did you get on the island?” “Go in wing canoe.” ‘Was anybody living there?” “Dead folks,” was the quiet response, and his hearers started at the thought that dead folks were living on the Death Rock, “Their spirits, you mean, were there, red- skin?” . ‘Yes, heap spirit, heap look bad; spirit of bad pale-face.” “Now, tell us, do we follow the sloop yonder, for it seems to be going right for the island?” * Yes, we go, too,”
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Roy, the Boy Cruiser. “ Do you think it will run into the island har- bor, if there is one?” eFads? ; *« And what will we do?” ‘© Go too,” “ But it is almost dark now, and—” ~ “ Tnjun know the way at night.” *¢ Well, we will go where the sloop’can, and if we find the spirits too much for us, I guess we can run out again, so go ahead as you please, Injun,” said the. wrecker captain. : t was now sunset, and the Death Reck was yet two leagues away. The crippled sloop was a. little overa league | distant, and heading directly for the Death Rock, as though intending to make a run into the little basin. : That they had sighted the smack in chase was evident, for the mee was making every effort it could, in its crippled condition, to gain on the pursuer,. and endeavor to be far enough ahead when darkness came on, to throw her off her wake, ‘ The wind was fresh, but not blowing very hard, though the sea was quite rough from some cause. : . Stillthé sloop with her jury-mast held on, and was well.managed, and they knew that few staricher crafts were afloat than was their little smack, - ‘ When darkness settled around them, their hearts beat warmly. Then the sloop was lost to sight, and they knew that it was almost under the shadow of the Death Rock. ; Had it intended to round the island, the Indian Pilot told them, it would have: had to lay its course from about where they then were, as, frou either side of the huge rock, a reef put out, form- ing a perfect V, with the small end as the en- trance to the basin, and the outer ends fully a. ‘league apart, he Indian Pilot stood calmly at his post, his “feet had been freed of the irons, but his wrists were encircled by handcuffs, and a chain, sev- - eral feet in length connected them, so.as to give him the use of his arms in managing the belm., His eves were kept upon the dark rock rising ahead of them out of the.sea, and he was now silent and stern looking. “You don’t think we had better put back, Injun, do you?” asked the wrecker captain in a whisper, : etek ‘No put back now; in current of Death Rock, and roust go.” ; ‘Good God! do you mean the smack could not - put back now?” cried the ski pers in alarm... — “*Pasquagoula speak straight,”was the calm response. ; . : . “Then we have to.go on?” “a Yes,” . 7“. ‘* And the sloop?’- **Tn the rock basin now.’”” ** And we can go in?” ; “We go.” . Z ‘For Heaven's sake be careful, for I see rocks rising here and. there about us, and theré are breakers roaring upon both bows. : ‘My god! I wish we had not.come,” ‘“*Pasquagoula glad we come,” ~ Why so?” : ‘| to find her locket. else from her mind, ‘Heap gold yonder in island.” : “Hal that then is-the island you know of, where the pirate treasure is buried?” eagerly cried the wrecker captain. ** You wait, see soon.” ‘** But you cannot see to run in, for it is dark, . -and seems to grow blacker each moment.” ‘“ Plenty light soon.” 3 eat do you mean the Skull Beacon will be seen? : ‘ ’ May be; see heap soon.” : A cry broke from the crew as he uttered the last words, for suddenly there streamed out over the dark waters a lurid glare, . 3 It came from far up upon the-Death Rock. and’as soon as the eyes of thée-wreckers caught the glare they beheld two rays of light, thena halo below them, and the Skull Beacon was in~ full view! : ‘““We are doomed, I fear,” said. the wrecker captain, turning toward the Indian, who an- swered iu hiscalmway:- ~ ” Saodie . “Skull Beacon give good light tosteer by; - but current swift, wind blow bad; must set all sail to run in.”« . : ta Quickly the order to set all sail was obeyed, . and ‘the smack went bowling along at a twelye- © knot pace, wind and current both driving ‘her on. : Before her loomed the threatening Death Ruck, upon either side breakers roared savagely, no opening was visible to the eyeS of the wreckefs, and the Skull Beacon sent down its ghastly light, which caused the men to cower with supersti- tious dread. beneath its baleful rays. 3 Suddenly, under the bows of the smack peared a breaker, and the wrecker captain shouted, as he rushed for the wheel; — . “ Hard! hard down your helm!” ~ = A wild war-whoop broke from the lips of the Indian Pilot in response, and-turning, he bound- — ed over the taffrail into the sea, while the horri- fied crew stood transfixed, ~- creer But only an instant of suspense, and then the smack was in the foaming éaldron, turned hither and thither, and then hurled upon the rocks with a forca that shattered her helmral-— most toatoms, brought her mast and sails to the deck, and .the sea following in ‘her wake swept her from stern to bow, carrying upon its bosom - the ill-fated crew, who- now well knew in that awful moment that they had been the victims of © the Indian . Pilot’s revenge, who had sacrificed _ his own life to destroy theirs, = ’ CHAPTER XV.- A STARTLING DISCOVERY, Arter the Woman in Black bad cunningly gotten Lita the girl wrecker to act as’ a pilot, the sloop:was héaded, as the reader will remem- ber, for the Death Rock, wherethe maiden hoped , © That: she would not do so, is already known, — for it had been cleverly stolen fram herby one _ of the cyew of the Flagless Cruiser, ont That she had not before missed it, was owin; to the fact that she Sb ve went without ie a and also, the excitement -of os through. which she had lately been passing had driven all 7 3 s We” 40 Fay Se
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Roy, the Boy Cruiser. 21 The Water Wolf, his wife and son she had never really loved. From the first there had been an invisible bar- rier between them, which the maiden could not account for, but which was the barrier between sin and innocence. They had treated her kindly, after a fashion, but she had never been petted, received a.kiss, or a loving word from either the man or his wife, and from Leo the love he had offered had been as matter-of-fact as though it was a business transaction, The girl had thus grown up to the threshold of womanhood, unloved and unloving. The.island, the sea, the skies, the storms, her boat and pets she did love, but not the people. When, one night of storm, she was alone on the island, and had seen the American cruiser Sea Owl lying off the island, and had gone out in her surf-skiff and piloted it into the secret basin, she first became aware of the crimes the Water Wolves were committing. The young commander of the Sea Owl had told her of the outer world, which she had known only through the books she had read, and which camie off of the wrecks, The woman she called by the sacred name of mother had taught her to read and write, and the books had.educated her mind to a certain standpoint; but she knew no harm, played her guitar skillfully, sung as freely and sweetly as a bird, lighted her baleful lamps, and this was her life, her world. But the Séa Owl’s coming had opened her eyes. OTe showed: her that the men on board were dearer to her, although she had just met them, than were the Water Wolf, his wife and son. She had aided the Sea Owl’s captain in decoy- ing the Phantom Pirate, an ovtlaw schooner that was believed to be a real spirit of the deep, into thesecret basin, where she had been taken, and she intended to help him still more in break- ing up the false beacons of the Bahamas, and capturing the wreckers, But she had begged that those whom she had called her parents and brother should not be harmed, but allowed to go free. Seeing their sloop returning, she had, when it ‘was dismantled in the storm, gone out to their rescue, to find herself captured by the Womanin Black, - Seeing the Sea Owl run out of the basin, she knew that she was coming to her aid, and could only have come out by forcing one of the men of the Phantom Pirate to act as pilot. But the sloop dodgéd the cruiser in the storm, the Woman in Black proved mistress of the situ- ation, and, having satiated her revenge apon tke Water Wolves, by putting them upon the de- serted island, had headed for the Death Rock. When she had left the Water Wolves to their fate, it had infuriated Lita to such an extent, that under the impulse of the moment she had sought to avenge them. As they sailed toward the Death Rock, the hurried words of the strange woman quite soon won over the young girl to liking her, while Per- dido, struck by her marvelous beauty had be- come deeply interested in her, especially when his mother told him that she believed the girl wrecker to be the child of rich parents, or an heiress, whose fortune could be gained by restor- ing her to her real kindred. Having eruised alone through the islands, and also often with the Water Wolves, the girl wrecker had become an expert pilot, and won the admiration ofall on board the sloop by the skillful manner in which she ran the little craft through all dangers. Constantly at the heim, for it was her wish to be there, Lita seemed buried’ in deep thought all the time, though not so much so as to cause her to forget her work, or the peril surrounding them, should she go wrong. She made up her mind that she would go back, : f alone, and resctie the Water Wolves from their ate, Shé would set them free and let them go their way, and then return to the woman who kad promised to find her parents for her. This was what Lita was brooding over in the run to the Death Rock, When, glancing astern, she. sighted the smack in pursuit, she sung out in her clear, bell-like voice: “ Sail ho!” For a moment there was considerable conster- nation aboard, and the Woman in Black seemed a}most unnerved, for failure seemed imminent upon the very heels of succor, The smack, on account of her tall mast, bad been seen by Lita before the sloop bad been dis- covered, and if was hoped that some way to dodge the pursuer could be found. But the girl wrecker asserted that the only chance was to run for the Death Rock Basin, and every effort was made to force the little craft along. $ At last darkness came.on and the channel be- tween the reefs was reached. But, with a steady hand and:cool mien the girl wrecker guided the sloop upon her way. Into the channel she was held unswervingly, and through the caldron of waters she passed that raged between the two ends of the reef. Then the passage between the rocky walls of the island were unerringly reached and the smack, a few minutes after, ran into the little basin, An exclamation of fear broke from the lips of the crew, asa large schooner was seen lying at anchor in the basin, and they believed that they had run into a trap. But the girl wrecker quickly explained that it was the schooner, knownas the Phantom Pirate, which the Sea Owl had captured some ten nights before when it ran into the secret basin. “ Schooner ahoy !” hailed the Woman in Black, in a loud, hoarse voice. No answer came, ** Ahoy the schooner!” she repeated, Still no response. *¢Phantom Pirate ahoy!” No reply. f “JT will board the schooner in my surf-skiff,” said Lita. “And I will accompany you, and you also, Perdido,” the woman remarked. The surf-skiff was at once put into the sea, and the three entered it, the girl wrecker taking the oars, _
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a8 Roy, the Boy Cruiser. Across the basin she rowed, and running alongside the schooner the three clambered on board, A sickening breeze fanned their faces as they reached the deck, and lighting a lamp she had brought with her, Lita moved toward the cabin, followed by the mother and son, Into the cabin they went, but it was deserted. Then they went forward, between decks, and the sight that met their gaze appalled them, There, in lines, upon either side, ironed hands and feet, and chained to the decks, were more than a score of men. They were dressed in deep black, and they were in all manner of positions, just as they had been when the breath had left their bodies, for they were all dead. The shock was a fearful one to the three who . beheld them, and they shrunk back in dismay. “The Sea Owl ran out and could not get back, so they were left to die, for no succor could reach them,” said Lita, after awhile, This was the solution of the vba iy 8 dis- covery, and accepting it, the Woman in Black at once thought of their danger from the pur- suing smack, so she cried: “Well, they were cruel pirates and they de- served their fate, ‘“* But let us look to our safety, my child, and frighten off the craft that was in our wake.” “ She cannot come in without a pilot.” “But has she not a pilot to come thus far in safety?” ‘Tt would seem s; but what can we do?” “You can light the Skull Beacon to frighten them.” “Yes, I can do that,” aud away hurried the young girl, followed by the others, Reaching the shore of the basin, she led the way to the cliff, and, ascending to the summit by a rope-ladder, she walked fearlessly along un- tilshe came to the outer sea-wall. The others had followed her, but not with the easy gait which seemed natural to her in spite of the danger. PRE the cliff overhanging the sea, she said; ‘“*Tf you have any fear, remain here, for this is a dangerous way to go.” They waited, watching her as she swung her- self over on a frail-looking rope-ladder. Rapidly she descended some thirty or forty feet to a rocky shelf, upon which stood the skill- - fully-constructed Skull Beacon, which served as a false light. Lighting it, she rolled open a canvas curtain that concealed it-from the sea, and immediately its baleful glare went out over the waters, Below, and not far distant, was visible the little smack, rushing on to destruction, A moment more and the wild war-cry of triumph of the Indian Pilot was beard, and the craft was dashed to destruction, its crew to death. Putting out the lantern the maiden ascended to the cliff’s top, and found the woman and her son rejoicing over the scene of death they had witnessed. “T would not have lighted it bad I not thought they would have put about, which in this wind they could have done, for I am sick of seeing people die,” she said, sadly. ““They were our foes, girl, and would have killed us, “But come, let us return to the sloop, or those coward fellows of ours will kill themselves through fear. ‘‘ To-morrow I will leave you here, while I go to the nearest port to refit the sloop, and upon my return we will start for America, to look up your kindred, my child,” and the woman led the way back to the sloop, rejoicing greatly at the death of her foes, CHAPTER XVI. FUGITIVES FROM HUMAN KIND. Tue girl wrecker could not exactly under- stand why she should be left alone upon the Death Rock, while the woman sailed for the | nearest port to have the sloop refitted, or pur- chase another and better craft, But the Woman in Black argued well, that she did not wish to have the girl go with her, when she could remain on the island and get all the booty ready to take with them upon her return, In the neighborhood of the Death Rock the woman knew her cruising-ground, and she therefore did not need the girl as a pilot, Her intention was to depart in the sloop for San Augustine, where she knew she could find a buyer for her booty. Then, in a better craft, she would return and remain on the Death Rock, lighting the Skull Beacon, and causing other vessels to run upon the reef, that she might add to her riches, As to the girl, she intended to set inquiries afoot when in San Augustine, to ascertain, if possible, who she was, and then to trade off the secret of her recovery, if she found her to be the child of rich parents, But, of course, Lita would have to remain on the island to await the movements of the wo- man, The locket and chain, when searched for, could not, of course, be found, so that was a source of great distress to the young girl, and the woman regretted it, as she might with them the more easily find out what she wished to know of her parentage, . Sailing away from the Death Rock, the Wo- man in Black left the girl wrecker once more alone upon the island. But the dead pirates had been thrown into the sea, and Lita was not in the least alarmed at having to stay alone, and coolly watched the de- parture of the sloop from the cliff. " The winds favored the little sloop, and a good run was made to San Augustine, and the anchor. was dropped without any accident or adventure to mar the voyage. Through Perdido, her son, who was one time the clerk of the money-lender in New Orleans, whom he afterward knew to be bis own father, an agent was found in San Augustine who was more than willing to take the rich booty off the — hands of the wreckers. Secretly, by night, the sloop was unloaded, the cargo being carried to the agent’s in the — town, and the woman, in a disguise, went up to
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receive her gold, after which she intended to ee asmall and trim schooner, then in the arbor, and return to the Death Rock. ‘As she walked along the strect she suddenly came face to face with a padre, who was stand- ing in the broad glare of a shop window, gazing upon the display of trinkets within. Back against a tree the woman staggered, and would have fallen, in spite of its support, had not the padre sprung forward and caught her. His touch seemed to quickly revive her, and she cried, as she drew herself from him; « Rudolph Ramon, you alive !” “Great God! you are—” “ Your wife!’ The man seemed as much moved as the wo- man, when she drew back her vail and revealed her tattooed face. “ Yes, 1am your wife, whom you deserted on that island among savages, “T thought that I had killed you and gained my revenge, and now I find you alive, and in the garb of a priest.” “Woman,” and the man’s voice was deep, his manner impressive as he spoke. “Woman, I have sinned most deeply—how deeply, Heaven only knows, ‘have sinned against you, against my son, my fellow-man, and my God. *‘ Your act, when you believed that you had poisoned me, brought me to a full realization of my crimes, and repenting, I gave my wealth to the church. I cast off the world, and in this garb, as an humble priest, I now seek to atone for the past, “Tf you hold ill-will toward me now, take your dagger and drive it to my heart.” She shrunk back before his look and manner. She was, with all her sins, imbued with an awe of religion, and she dared not.raise hand against him in the garb that he wore, although ‘her grasp was upon the hilt of a stiletto. ‘No! no! Iam avenged in seeing you thus— farewell!” she cried ina husky voice, and turn- ing, she fled from him in seeming terror, It was some time before she could summon up courage to go on to the agent who had sold her booty for her, and upon receiving the money from him she sought the shore, where her boat was in readiness awaiting her. Perdido, her son, was there and said: ‘*T have bought a little vessel lying down the harbor, and have left our craf{; at anchor where she was,” ‘* But we must sell her, for she is worth several hundreds at least,” said the woman, her greed of gold gaining ascendancy once more. 3 ‘* No, for we must hasten at once out of this harbor,” and the young wrecker seemed greatly” excited. “« What is it, boy, for you have something to tell?” said the woman, noticing his manner, “Tt is that which will cause us to get away z from this port as soon as possible.” Speak out, boy,” cried the woman, ner- vously. ‘“ Well, asI told you I would, I went rowin among the vessels in the harbor, to see if I coul ‘find one suited to us. : $ _ *T found a little schooner, and told her skip- Roy, the Boy Cruiser. NN per I would take her at a certain price; but he wanted more, and I left bim, 2 As I rowed away, I saw a schooner running in. ‘¢ A schooner?” ‘Yes; and it*was the same craft that spoke us that night, and which you went on board of.” ‘“‘The one commanded by that boy, Bonodel?” and the woman became greatly excited. * Well?” “T rowed up to where she dropped anchor— you can sea her lying yonder—and a boat put ashore from her. “Tn that boat, besides the oarsmen, were five persons.” “Who were they, Perdido?’.and the woman’s voice trembled. The young wrecker leaned forward and whis- pered something in her ear. The woman started back, uttered a cry, and then said, in quivering tones: * Come, boy, this is no place for you and me, “*Come! we must fly with all haste, for that boy knows us well; and those people, you tell me were with him, know us. ‘*We must away would we save our lives, would we keep our necks out of the hang- man’s grasp. We are henceforth fugitives ~ from humankind, and must bury ourselves far from here upon some island where no one can find us, “Come, let us get that schooner at any price.” ‘did go back and buy her, after making the discovery I did, and our traps are all on board and the sloop deserced.” They sprung into the boat and pulled for the schooner, It was a small craft of fifteen tons, and looked like a stanch sea-boat. But to their surprise, they were not hailed as they approached, and upon boarding they found no one there. ‘Great Heaven! where are the crew?” cried Perdido. ‘‘They have deserted us, boy, so we must go alone.” ‘* Ay, and robbed us, for our chest is gone!” said Perdido, darting into the cabin. “Curses upon them! But let them go with their stolen gold, for I have more. “Up with that anchor, boy, and we will sail alone to some spot where we can forever hide from human kind,” Soon the anchor was up, the sails set, and, with the Woman in Black. the little craft sailed away in the darkness of night, her crew of two persons flying from justice and only anxious to find a haven where they could hide themselves from the sight of man, « CHAPTER XVII. THE PADRE PLOTS MISCHIEF, * THE man, whom the Woman in Black had so unexpectedly met, and in the garb of a priest, was not the repentant beifg bis words had in- dicated to her: His heart had grown cold at sight of her, for no woman could have suffered greater wrong than had she at the hands of man, Deserted by him, and left with their little boy
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among the crue] savages, she had felt the anguish and misery of a hundred deaths, 3 ’ He had escaped, and when in his power to aid them, had said never a word to those on the ship, out to which he swam, of the wife and son pte upon that island to die, as he believed and oped, ut Fate, though bitterly cruel to the woman and her boy, had not wholly deserted them, and in time they too got away. It were better perhaps, had they remained there among the savages, innocent then of evil themselves, than come away to become what they had. Their sufferings had: made them reckless of all good, their desertion by father and husband bad made them revengeful, and thus had crime after crime been added to their lives until their hearts became blackened with infamy. The man, the husband and father, carrying the memory of his evil desertion ever in bis heart, certainly could not turn bis life to good, and to drown conscience, he had embarked in an existence that was most sinful. Fortune had favored him, however, and he had grown rich. ; But his vast riches wete really all gained by the wants and miseries of others. '* His gold had accumulated rapidly, and he bought with it such peace of mind as he could; but happiness could, never come to him he well knew. When he discovered that his wife.and son had not only escaped from the island, where he had deserted them, but were revengeful toward him, his cowardly fear of death had caused him to fly to another abiding-place, where he could settle down in luxury and enjoy life as best he might. Those were not the days of-fast mails, pleas- ure travel and telegraph, and he knew it would be an accident if he was found out. Thus it was.that te had purchased his elegant villa home near San Augustine, and became known as a Spanish Don of vast wealth, But his guilty fears were again aroused, and he turned his home into a monastery, put on the a garb of a padre, and sought thus to be hidden me from his enemies, at least until such enemies > could be gotten rid of. Thus the pretended padre was not sincere in his repentance. - {Intended for the priesthood in early life, he could dective those about him by his pretended knowledge, while his gift of his home, his charities and assumed goodness made him _ popular with all and he was considered a good man. Meeting the woman whom he had so wronged, and to save himself from her knife, he at once pleaded repentance and his calling. Her memory of the past respect she had had for religion saved the man, and the woman fled from hinr, evert believing him to be sincere, But alas! she was woefully mistaken, for thie pretended padre was determined to no lenges suffer through fear of her. furs _ , Almost the instant that she had ff # from him, he sprung into the deep shadow of a building near, drew from beneath his. robe_a small bundle, and in a minute’s time came out into the light of a shop window, no longer in padre’s at- Roy, the Boy Cruiser, ; yonder pair, as we believe they have to do with as tire, but with the long beard, hair and garb of a ° street beggar, such as in those days wandered ; through the land seeking alms. i ‘ ‘With a speed which his looks belied he wentin 7 ~ pursuit of the woman ahd saw her meet her son and run out to the vessel he had purchased, ; Instantly he sprung ina shore-boat and fol- t lowed. He saw the little schooner that they boarded, t and that there seemed to be no one else on her r decks, Drawing as near ashe dared, he noted the craft well, and saw her get under way and leave the harbor. vw “They are alive, that is certain, and now is \ t] the time for my revenge, F ‘“‘T heard the boy say something about the h crew baving deserted and stolen the treasure- al chest, and it must be so, to have those two sail alone in that craft. eI “But I will follow them, and haye their lives, and then peace will be mine, i a “* Hal ba! ha! at last will I be able to live,” and the man moved rapidly back to the shore. m As he reached it, he saw a group of four men, sa watching the departure of the little schooner, ke Their manner showed this, and approaching them he said: ~~, ‘‘ Any friends of yours in yonder little craft D gliding seaward, lads?” : : They saw his gray hair and beard, and re- ’ spected it, as a sailor will ever do, and an- pa swered: = pr “Friends they might be, senor; but we are of glad to see them go,” . Bi “You knew them, then?” . ie shipmates with them for a long time ; sig past. i ‘* A woman and her son?” Zs ‘“A woman and a young man, and they are . sic evil enough to be mother and son, though they ~ ' never said they were as much, and her face th we eo saw,” answered the spokesman of the” au party. , ‘Well, ladsy how would you like to make some gold for yourselves?” ‘That is what we are after, senor; but how is it to be done?” > r “Pursue and cap!ure yonder craft.” on ““There is no gold on her,” said the man, with wi a laugh, in which his comrades joined. cer “No, for you just robbed the craft of the a Bee gold chest,” was the cool rejoinder. eo The men started and gazed at the supposed chy old man, while their hands instinctively dropped ~ 1 upon their sword-hilts. Be eat “Be careful, lads, for Iam not alone; bub I Cr do not want your gold; on the contrary I. will les give you moreif you will help me to capture © the yonder craft.” 2 “No, we are satisfied with what we have, and besides, we don’t wish more to do with Satan.’ x Ae “Well, my men, I will give you geld in plenty to board a craft here and aid me to cap- ture yonder woman and her son, and I will prove to you how harmless they are.” ae ‘* We can’t go, senor.” a 5 “Oh, yes, you will, for Iam a Government officer, and am on their track and yours,
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Roy, the Boy Cruiser, “Tf you go with me, you get free; but if you refuse, you shall te arrested, your stolen gold shall be taken from you, and more, your necks _ will be stretched as wreckers, ‘* What do you say, lads?” The men were taken aback, They saw that the pretended old man seemed to know all about them, They could see no one else near, but believed that he had allies, and after glancing at hiscom- rades, the spokesman said: ~ * You've got us, senor; so we go with you. * What say you, lads?” The others nodded assent, and the bold man who had thus gained them for his purpose bade them enter his boat. This they did, and were rowed rapidly up the harbor to where a pretty pleasure-craft lay at anchor. It was a sloop, and but one man wason board, A gs Bo charge. “Ho, Diego, my son, it is I, the Padre Infelix, and [ want the yacht. “Tell the peu that important duty called me away, and! will explain upon my return,” said the pretended priest addressing the yacht’s keeper. “¢-Yes, Senor Padre, I will tell him.” M3 Say nothing to any one else of my going Diego.” ‘No, senor.” - The keeper now left the sloop in the boat the party had come off in, and ten minutes after the pretty little vessel was flying seaward in chase of the schooner on which was the Woman in Black and her son Perdido, When the dawn broke the schooner was sighted, but nearly two leagues in advance, and she was under fall sail, flying rapidly along. But the yacht was ce tainly gaining, though slowly, and the padre skipper muttered: “ We will overhaul them by night, lads, and then for your gold”—and he added in an in- audible tone: * And my revenge !” CHAPTER XVIII. THH CHASE AND THE RESULT. THE prediction of the padre was nota true one, for the schooner held her own pretty well with the little sloop yacht, though the latter certainly gained slowly. When the mother and son on the schooner dis- covered that there was a vessel evidently in chase they became white with fear. Who it was they could not guess, They felt that it was not Bonodel, the Boy Cruiser, or he would have pursued in his Flag- less Schooner, and thus have readily overtaken them. . Could it be the Water Wolf, his wife and son? It seemed more likely, and then their thoughts turned upon their old crew, and they came to the conclusion that they, having gotten the chest f gold, were coming in, pursuit to again rob em. _ They hoped that this was the case, and that it was not the Boy Cruiser or the Water Wolves. Then a thought flashed across the brain of the oman in Black. Jan it be that man?” she almost gasped. a After awhile she said in hoarse tones: ‘* Perdido, whoever they are in yonder boat, there is no surrender for us,” When night fell upon the sea the two vessels were not more than half a league apart, and the wind was growing lighter each moment. The lighter the breeze, the more the yacht gained; but only for awhile, as the wind died out utterly. It was in vain that the padre cast his eyes aloft and watched the sails. They hung listless, and nota movement was upon the waters, to indicate that there was a breath of air. ‘Get out the sweeps, men,” ordered the padre. ; put the men demurred at this, saying very justly: “Weve gained steadily, senor, and when there is wind we can catch ’em; but-the night is too hot for hard work when the game is about in our hands,” The padre begged, but it was of no use. He stormed, yet the men obeyed not, He offered to give more gold; but they wished rest, and refused it. So they had their rest for long hours, as the calm never broke until dawn. Then a ripple came upon the waters and the crew sprung to their work, The yacht got it first, and was within half a mile of the schooner when she felt the breeze. Then it, too, began to glide through the wa- Ts. Suddenly the schooner was seen to luff up. What could it mean? ° Then it started upon its course again, to once more run up into the wind. In the darkness of early dawn her decks could not be seen; but as she continued these strange maneuvers for some time, the padre cried: “*T have it! they are asleep below decks. “ We have them, lads!” In ten minutes more the yacht ran alongside the schooner, and the padre and his men sprung on board, their cutlasses. in hand, But no one met them, : “Great God! they have escaped me— Hal what is this?” It was a note, written in a woman’s hand, and addressed to: “Don RupoLPH RAMON.” It read: = ‘Death is preferable to a hunted life. ‘*Recognizing in the old man onthe yacht you our worst foe, and knowing that death awaits us at your hands, we seek a m: re merciful end by spring ing into the sea, and thusthwarting you. “The curses of a wife and son rest upon you.” The man glanced at the words, and thus stood for a long time. > At last he said ina low tone: “The schooners boat is here, and so they can- not have esceped and would not have dared trust themselves upon the sea. eo it is like her to die thus, and so let it bes? "ee Then turi.rz to his crew, he ordered three of them on boaru the schooner, and the other and © bimself took charge of the yacht, and the two vessels’ started upon their return to the harbor they had left. .
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Roy, the Boy Cruiser. ein Arriving there in safety, the pretended padro paid the men their promised gold; but the thought was still upon his n:ind that the Woman in Black and Perdido: yet lived, and he once more returned to the seclusion of his monastery, CHAPTER XIX. NOT DEAD. WHEN the calm came on the Woman in Black and Perdido watched their vessel even more anxiously than had the padre his, in the vain hope that it was still moving. Bat no, there was not the faintest breath of air. Eagerly the mother and son then glanced at the distant yacht, and the woman smiled grimly as sho said: -. * They will come in their boats now.” oN 6a,” “ But cannot take us,” * Cannot?” “ Yes.” ac Why ad ‘*T counted those on board.” “Well?” “ There are but five.” ** And we but two.” “They are in an open boat, and we can stand in the companionway and pick them off,” “ Hal that is a good idea.” ‘* So it is, and we will escape after all,” ** T hope so.” do Welt my son, prepare for them,” ** How?” *¢ Seo that our weapons are all right.” This was done and the two waited, But no boat put off from the sloop. At length the woman walked forward and her eyes fell upon an object on deck, concealed by a large piece of canvas. } : ‘Throwing this off she beheld a life-skiff, In it were oars, a small mast and sail, and the little boat was evidently one that could weather a severe blow, per A moment the woman stood in silence, - Then she called her son to her. “Do you see that?” A Yes, it is a life-skiff; the men told me it was intended for a light-house down the coast, and I promised to send if ashore in the morning,” “Thank Heaven you did not, for it will come in well now.” “How?” “¢ We will save our lives in it.” “T do not see how.” *<You are obtuse, boy.” * Pray explain.” if Well, it has, as you see, oars and a sail?” “ Yes,” - “We can put ba and bedding in it, and a compass, and what more do we need?” “Do you mean to trust yourself to that frail boat?” “Tt is better than to be captured by the man en yonder yacht, and in whom, I am certain, in spite of his white hair and beard, I recognize your father f” ‘For Heaven’s sake let us take to the boat, then,” eagerly said the young man. “So say I, so get her ready; but, mind you, pmeey Fe leave everything on board, to indicate that we have not left the schooner in a boat.” “T see, and with her two boats here it will puzzle him to know how we got away.” “J will leave him in no doubt, for I shall write him a letter.” ‘* Will you be a fool?” “Oh, no, for I shall tell him we sprung into the sea, rather than risk his vengeance,” “Oh, mother! but you were born fo be a schemer; but I will soon have the life-skiff ready.” In a few moments all that was necessary for their comfort was stowed in the little skiff, and getting in themselves, the young man took the oars, He mufiled them with an old shawl, knowing the deep stillness of the night, and kept the schooner between him and the yacht. For an hour he pulled his steady stroke, and then the woman took the oars, A full hour she pulled, too, and again Perdido grasped the blades, Thus through the long hours of the night they alternated, until when the morning broke they were many leagues away from their enemy. The wind having sprung up, the little sail was hoisted, and the light skiff fairly skipped over the waters. ‘“Do you know where you are going?” asked Perdido, “ Yes.” * am I not to know?” ee Oh, yes; I am going to the Wreckers’ Isl- nd. ; Fe fore the Water Wolf Wreckers have just 6) Yes? “A guard may have been left there by the Boy. Cruiser.” ** T think not; but if so, we can go elsewhere.” ** Where?” “That we will determine upon, if we find the island occupied.” ‘* And if not, will it not be visited again?” ‘It is very hard to find any one bold enough to pilot a craft in there. ‘ The girl wrecker will not do it again, and with this boat we can live ready to depart at a moment's notice, forI shall find some hiding- place in the wall of the cliff outside, where ibe can keep the life-boat, and reach it by a lad- er, “You know well how to plot, mother; but I fear to stay there.” “There is another course open to you, boy.” “What is that?” ; “Tf you have the pluck you can turn pirate.” “Well, Pll think of it.” “Remain on the island with me, until there is less excitement than now, and then I will give you gems you can turn into gold, and get a ves- - sel with. “You can go to Hayana for a craft, or to Vera Cruz, and try piracy, and my word for it, after you have been at it for awhile, you will be glad enough to return to the Death Rock and pass the rest of your days with the old Wrecker — Witch.” mother us Anas you thus expeet to pass your days, — ’
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Roy, the Boy Cruiser. ‘No, for when I get — enough, I shall seek a home elsewhere and live a life of luxury. “ But I must be forgotten first, boy.” Thus they talked, while the life-skiff sped on. Night found them making six knots an hour, upon their way, and in good time they came in sight of the Death Rock. No sign of life was visible on the barren-look- ing island; but the woman was too wary to go there by day, so awaited until nightfall, when she ran into the little basin, Landing, they found the place deserted, and at once settled themselves down in comparative safety for the night. With the dawn their first efforts were to ar- range a place for the life-skiff upon the south side, to which they could fly, should a vessel en- ter the basin, and then they were content to re- main there, carrying on the evil life of wreckers, and heaping up their booty as time went by from the destruction of vessels that trusted in their false beacon. Thus we must leave them, awaiting the pun- ishment that must some time come to them—for sooner or later crime meets its just punishment —while we return to the cruise of Bonodel, the Boy Cruiser, in search of his dearly-loved sister. CHAPTER XX, THE WATER WOLK’S CONFESSION. UnpbeEr the guidance of the wrecker, who had sold himself to the Boy Cruiser, to pilot the Flagless Schoouer in chaso of the crippled sloop, “the pursuit was kept up, though slowly. The man, as he had said, was not able torun by night, through the intricate channels, and thus the sloop, if it sailed during the darkness, was drawing ahead, But the schooner’s speed by day would, they hoped, make up for the gain of the sloop by night, and thus, in the long run, overhaul her; ‘As the Flagless Schooner was gliding along one afternoon, in sight of a large island, a four- kuot breeze blowing at the time, Roy Bonodel and his lieutenant were attentively watching the shores with their glasses. They did not know but that the sloop might be hidden somewhere inshore, and consequently kept up a careful search. *Sutro, turn your glass upon the shore, under that white cliff, and see if you do not ob- serve some one or something moving there in the bushes,” Sutro at once obeyed, and almost immediate- ly called out:- ‘Yes, sir, I see three persons there.” “ Ay, and they are waving to us, ‘ Ho, lads, we will ran toward yonder island, _ as close 28 we dare go, so put her head that way, helmsman.” — “Ay, ay, sir,” called ont the helmsman, and the bows of the schooner were at once headed 3 _ shoreward. As they drew nearer three persons were dis- »vered upon the island. “There are two men and a Sutro. _ “Yes, aad they move about as though they were suffering; order my boat ready, Mr. Sutro, | 5 we come to anchor,” woman,” said 728 Half an hour after Roy was met by a heavily-beard earnestly: “Ts not that a vessel-of-war, sir?” * Not exactly, my man; but who are you, and what are you doing here?’ asked the Boy Cruiser. ” ‘My name is Hart, sir, and with my wife and son we were wrecked on a vessel, by a false beacon. “We have managed to save ourselves in a boat, sir, but drifted here, were cast ashore, and nearly starved.” “Well, my poor fellow, you shall soon have food and cere, and then you will come out all rizht, I hope. ‘Now call your wife and son and return on board my schooner with me, for you do indeed look half-starved.” “We are, sir,” said the man, and his wife and son having approached, though slowly, for they looked haggard and as though they suffered, the three soon found themselves in comfortable quarters on board the schooner, which at once stood on her way again. The elderly man, the one who had met Roy Bonodel at the shore when he landed, having had some food and been given a sailor’s suit of clothing, came on deck looking greatly refreshed, and Roy Bonodel said to him: “Tam glad to see you better, Mr. Hart, and trust your wife and son are improving?” “We all are, sir, thanks to you.” ‘ May I ask if you saw asmall sloop pass your island the past week?’ “T did, sir,” and the man’s face darkened. “The one I refer to had been dismasted, and was sailing under a jury-mast,” “Tt was the same, sir.” “ How long since?” ** Six days, sir.” ** Are we on her track?” _ Yes, sir, you head as she pointed after leav- ing the island; but are you in chase of her?” “ Yes.” ‘, 7 “Do you know what she is?” *¢T have an idea that she is an outlaw craft.” * And as a Government cruiser you seek her capture.” ‘Mr. Hart, this is not a Government cruiser, sir; for, as you see, I sail without a flag.” “T so notice, sir. “T will cell you franxly just who and what I am, sir. “* Years ago, I had a happy home, loving par- ents, and a beautiful. baby sister. “We were rich and bappy; but a snake came into our home, one who pretended to be my father’s friend. “He loved my mother, and he sought my father’s ruin and death that he might marry her. : “Ruin my father he did, and then killed him, and we were turned out into the world because my mother refused to become the wife of tbat man, “T was a mere child then, and did not under- stand all as I do now. 2 “But that man caused my little sister to be kidnapped from our humble abode, and the rung ashore and man, who cried, - shock killed my mother,
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ig if ‘Fz (an Roy, the Boy Cruiser. “T went to sea for years, and in every port tried to find little Lita—” The man started, and asked quickly: ‘“ What was the name of your little sister?” ** Lita.” Ah, yes; a pretty name.” “At last L went back to New Orleans, and gained employment in the office of the very man who had done me and mine this base wrong. *T hoped to find out what he had done with my sister, but could not. “He did not know me, grown asI was to al- most manhood, and he made me his confidential clerk, so that in the end I had my revenge, but how it matters not. “ Then, I got this schooner, seizing her from her pirate captain, and am sailing about the world in search of my sister. **Some nights ago I came upon the dismasted sloop I now am in chase of, and from a girl on board one of my men stole this locket and chain. ‘*Tt was about her neck when she was kidnap- poi, and was the only trinket my mother had not sold to buy bread, for it contained the like- nesses of herself and my father. “The sloop was gone when I discovered the theft of the locket, but I am in chase of her, and Heaven grant I find her, and in the young girl, mv sister, Lita.” “The gentleman is strangely like you, sir, and the lady I almost feel as though I had seen, for I know one whois her very picture,” said the man, looking at the likeness. “*'You do, and where is she?” eagerly asked the Boy Cruiser, The man was silent a moment, and then he said, ** Would you be willing to give a round sum for the finding of your sister, sir?” “ Yes, gladly.” “ How much?” **Ten thousand dollars.” ** Are you able to make it more?” ‘Yes, I will double it,” “ And will promise to land myself, wife and son in San Augustine?” “Gladly.” “ Giving no clew to the Government that we are other, than I have represented?” ** Well, sir, I havo told you a lie, for my name is not Hart, nor were we wrecked, ‘On the contrary we have been wreckers our- selves, and were landed upon the island by a woman who was our foe, “ She sought revenge upon us, and found uson our sloop, which had been dismasted in a storm. ‘She left us on that island to starve to death, while she sailed back to an island, to take possession of it, and there become rich by lead- ing vessels to wreck upon it through a false beacon, ‘ END* “But my wife, self and son were not the only ones that were on the island of which I speak, for there was one other. “*That other was a person whom I found on board a wreck which drove ashore one night, “She was being taken somewhere as the adopt- ed child of one who was coming for her at the time, but who lost his life. “She was then about eight years old, and wore that locket and chain.” ‘* Great God! my sister!” cried Roy. ‘“* Assuredly, sir, for she is the image of your mother here in this locket.” ** Where is she now?” ‘« The woman kept her on board the sloop, when she put us ashore, “* But, under your promise of twenty thousand, sir, and our release, I will pilot youto the Death Rock, where you will find your sister.” Gladly did Roy listen to the confession of the Water Wolf, and agree to his terms, and the Fiagless Schooner was at once put under his charge and headed for the Death Rock, where Wambold felt certain that the Woman in Black had gone, to carry on the cruel work of wreck- ing the winged skimmers of the sea, That Wambold, the Water Wolf, kept his word and guided Roy, the Boy Cruiser, to the Death Rock, the reader has already surmised, when he remembers that Perdido saw the Flag- less Schooner run into the harbor of San Augus- tine and drop anchor, and four persons besides her Boy Captain row ashore, and whose names seemed to frighten the Woman in Black into seeking a haven of refuge where no one could find her. The Flagless Schooner had ran in by night in- to the secret basin with the Water Wolf at the helm, and upon rising in the morning the beauti- ful girl wrecker had been confronted by her own brother, who had landed and approached the eabin, whither Wambold had directed him, But of the meeting of the two, the brother’s story to the sister so long lost to him, and then of the dawning remembrance in her mind which brought him back to her as he had been in child- hood, I will not speak, but hasten on to tell how, after a few days’ stay at the Death Rock Island, the Flagless Schooner had sailed, with Lita on board, along with the Water Wolf and his fami- ily, and heaced for San Augustine, Arriving there the Water Wolf had been paid his price and set free, together with his wife and son, and they hastened to depart for other scenes, while Captain Bonodel, seeking the officer of the American Cruiser Sea Owl, then in port, took him to the ion where Lita was, and told him the story of his search, and turned over to him the Flagless Schooner as a prize. Then the two, the brother and sister, mysteri- ously disappeared,
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iii " BEADLES POCKET trprary. Published Every Wednesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents, 88 Ned Hazel, t - 41 Devdwood Dick's 1 Deadwood Dick, -ae Prince of the Koad. By E. L. Wheeler. 2 Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand. By Buffalo Bill. 8 The Flying Yankee; or, The Ocean Outcast. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 4 The Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s De- flance. By Edward L. Wheeler. 5 The Two Detectives; or, The Fortunes of a Bowery Girl. By Albert W. Aiken. 6 The Prairie Pilot; or, The Phantom Spy. By Buffalo Bill. ? The Buffalo Demon; or, The Border Vultures. By Edward L. Wheeler. 8 gentelepe Abe, the Boy Guide. By Oll Coomes. 9 Ned Wylde, the Boy Scout. By “Texas Jack.” 10 Buffalo Ben, Prince of the Pistol. By E. L. Wheeler. 11 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccaneer. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 12 Nick o’ the Night; or, The Boy Spy of "76. By T. C. Harbaugh. 18 Yellowstone Jack; or, The Trappers of the En- chanted Ground. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 14 Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval. By E. L. Wheeler. 15 Diamond Dirk; or, The Mystery of the Yellow- stone. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham. F on By Ol 16 Keen-Knife, Prince of the Prairies. Coomes. 17 Oregon Sol, Nick Whiffles’s Boy Spy. By J. F.C. Adams. 18 Death-Face, the Detective. By E. L. Wheeler. 19 Lasso Jack, the Young Mustanger. By Oll Coomes. = 20 Roaring Ralph Rockwood, the Reckless Ranger. By Harry St. George. 21 he Boy Clown; or, The Queen of the Arena, By Frank S. Finn. ¥2 The Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bo- nanza. By Edward L. Wheeler. 23 The Sea-Cat; or, The Witch of Darien. By Capt. Frederick Whittaker. 24 The Dumb Spy. By Oll Coomes, 25 Rattling Rube; or, The Night Hawks of Ken- . tucky. By Harry St. George. 26 Old Avalanche, the Great Annihilator; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand. By E. L. Wheeler. 27 Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West. By J. F. C, Adams. 28 The Boy Captain; or, The Pirate’s Daughter. By Roger Starbnek. 29 Dick Darling, the Pony Express Rider. By Capt. F. Whittaker. By Edward L. 80 Rob Woolf, the Border Ruffian. fheeler, 81 Nightingale Nat; or, The Forest Captains. By 2 Os ane. 82 Black John, the Road-Agent; or, The Outlaws’ Retreat. By Joseph E. er, JY. 83 Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger. By E. L. Wheeler. 34 Burt Bunker, the Trapper. By Geo. E. Lasalle. 85 The Boy Rifles; or, The Underground Camp. By A. C, Irons. 86 The White Buffalo. By George E. Lasalle. 87 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix; or, Through to Death. By Edward L. Wheeler. he Boy Trapper. By Captain J. F, _C. Adams. eae Hye, the Unknown. Scout. By Buffalo 40 Nick Whiffles’s Pet; or, In the Valley of Death. By Capt. J. F.C. Adams, ie sah Si les; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. By Edward lL. aoe, . * 42 The Border King; or, The Secret Foe. By Oll Cor St. George. 44 The White Indian; or, The Scouts of the Yellow- 45 Buckhorn Bill; or, the Red Rifle Team. By Ed- ward L. Wheeler, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 47 The Red Brotherhood; or, The Twelve Avengers, B 48 Dandy Jack; or, The Outlaw of the Oregon Trail. By T. C. Harbaugh, By rie be E. Badger, Jr. 50 Single Hand; or, A Life for a Life. By W. J. 51 Patent-leather Joe; or, Old Rattlesnake the Charmer. By Phili ood: or, The Prairie Rover. By Buffalo Bill. 53 Gold Rifle, the Sharpshooter. By Edward L. &4 Old Zip’s Cabin; or, A Greenhorn in the Woods, By Capt. J. F. C. Adams. Coomes. 56 Mad Tom Western, the Texan Ranger. By W. 57 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane. Edward L. Wheeler. Ry Oli Coomes. 59 The Boy Duelist; or, The Cruise of the Sea Wolf. e Colt, the Crow-Killer. By Albert W. Aiken. 61 Corduroy Charlie, the Boy Bravo. By Edward 62 Will Somers, the Boy Detective. By Charles Morris. Aiken. 64 Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the Gulch. By Edward L. Wheeler. Capt. J. F. C. Adams. 66 Kit Harefoot, the Wood-Hawk. By T. C. Har- 68 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. By Edward L, Wheeler. Motfris. 70 Sure Shot Seth, the Boy Rifleman. By Ol jomes. 71 Sharp Sam; or, The Adventures of a Friendless 72 The Lion of the Sea; or, The Vailed Lady of San Tropez. By Albert W. Aiken. ‘ ance. By Edwaru L, Wheeler. 74 Picayune Pete; or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detec- 75 Island Jim; or, The Pet of the Family. Bracebridge Hemynz (Jack Harkaway). 77 Dick Dead-Kye, the Boy Smuggler. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, Double Cross. By E. L. Wheeler. 79 The Black Mustanger: or, The Wild Horse Hun 4 Old Frosty, the Guide. By T. C. Harbaugh, 81 The Sea Viper; or, The Midshipman’s Legacy, Ingraham, omes, 43 Old Hickory; or, Pandy Ellis’s Scalp. By Harry stone. By Capt. J. F. C. Adams. 46 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rival Lieutenants. y W. J. Hamilton. 49 Hurricane Bill; or, Mustang Sam and His Pard. Hamilton. S. Warne. 52 The Border Robin Wheeler. 55 Delaware Dick, the Young Ranger Spy. By Oll J. Hamilton. By 58 Hawkeye Harry, the Young Trapper. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 60 Ab L. Wheeler. 63 Sol Ginger, the Giant Trapper. By Albert W. 65 Lightning Joe, the Terror of the Prairie. By baugh. 67 Rollo, the Boy Ranger. By Oll Coomes. 69 Detective Dick; or, The Heroin Rags. By Chas. Boy. By J. Alexander Patten. 73 Photograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappear- tive. By Charles Morris. i By 76 Watch-Bye, tne Shadow. By E. L. Wheeler. 78 Deadwood Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the ters. T'y Captain Mayne Reid. By Col, Prentiss
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ie 4 BEADLE’S POCKET LIBRARY. 82 Seth Jones; or, The Captives of the Frontier. By ES. Ellis. 883 Canada Chet, the Counterfeiter Chief. By E. L. Wheeler. 84 The Dumb Page: or, The Doge’s Daughter. By Captaid Frederick Whittaker. 85 The Boy Miners; or, The Enchanted Island. By Edward S. Ellis, 86 Jack Harkaway in New York. By Bracebridge Hemyng. ussar Captain; or, The Hermit of Hell Gate, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 88 Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for Liberty. By Edward L. Wheeler. 89 Lill Biddon, Tra: per, or, Life in the Northwest. By Edward 8. Ths. 90 Tippy, the Texan; or, The Young Champion. By George Gleason, 91 Mustang Sam, the King of the Plains. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. $2 The Ocean Bloodhound; or, the Red Pirates of the Caribbees. By Samuel W. Pearce. 93 Phil Hardy, the Boss Boy; or, The Mystery of the Stronghold. By Charles Morris. 94 Deadwood Dick as Detective. By E. L. Wheeler. 95 Buck Buckram; or, Bess the Female Trapper. By Captain J. F, C. Adams, 96 Gilt-Edged Dick. By Edward L. Wheeler. 9% The Black Steed of the Prairies. By James L. Bowen. 98 The Sea Serpent; or, The Boy Robinson Crusoe. By Juan Lewis. 99 Bonanza Bill, the Man Tracker; or, the Secret Twelve. By E. L. Wheeler. 100 Nat Todd; or, The Fate of the Sioux Captive. By E. 8. Ellis. 101 Daring Davy, the Young Bear Killer; or, The Trail of the Border Wolf. By Harry St. George. 102 The Yellow Chief; or, The Half-Blood’s Vén- geance, By Capt. Mayne Reid. 108 Chip, the Girl Sport. By Edward L. Wheeler. 104 The Black Schooner; or, Jib Junk, the Old Tar. By Roger Starbuck. 105 Handsome Harry, the Bootblack Detective. By Charles Morris. 106 Night-Hawk Kit; or, The Daughter of the Ranch. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 107 Jack Hoyle’s Lead; or, The Road to Fortune, By Edward L. Wheeler. 108 Rocky Mountain Kit, the White Mustanger. By T. C. Harbaugh. 109 The Branded Hand; or, The Man of Mystery. By Frank Dumont. 110 The Dread Rider; or, The Texan Duelist. By George W. Browne. 111 Boss Bob, the King of Bootblacks, By Edward L. Wheeler. 112 The Helpless Hand. By Capt. Mayne Reid. 118 Sear-Faced Saul, the Silent Hunter. «By Oll Coomes. 114 Piney Paul, the Mountain Boy. By T. C. Har- baugh. 115 Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of Gor- ‘on’s Gulch, By Edward L. Wheeler. 116 Jabez Coffin, Skipper; or, Lost in the Polar Regions. By Capt. Ff. Whittaker. 11? Fancy Frank of Colorado; or, The Trappers Trust. By “‘ Buffalo Bill.” 118 Will Wildfire, the Thoroughbred; or, The Win- ning Hand. By Chas. Morris, 119 Blonde Bill; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base. By Edwaril L. Wheeler. 120 io gs Gid, the Boy Trapper. By T. C. Har- augh, 121 Harry Armstrong, the Captain of the Club. By Bracebridge Hemyng, (Jack Harkaway). 122 The Hunted Hunter; or, The Strange Horseman of the Prairie. By Edward S, Ellis 123 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent. By Edward L. Wheeler 4% Judge Lynch, Jr.; or, The Boy V;: te. By T. mee sh, Ory y Vigilan xy | 1% The Land Pirates; or, The League of Devil’s Island. By Capt. Mayne Reid. 126 Blue Blazes; or, The Break 0’ Day Boys of Rocky Bar. By Frank Dumont. 127 Tony Fox, the Ferret; or, Boss Bob’s Boss Job, By Edward L. Wheeler. 128 Will Wildfire’s Racer; or, Winning Against Odds. By Charles Morris. 129 Eagle Kit, the Boy Demon. By Oll Coomes, 130 Gold Trigger, the Sport; or, The Girl Avengers. By T. C. Harbaugh, | 1381 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike. By Edward L. Wheeler. 132 ey. Tance, the Boy Sport. By Joseph E, 3adger, Jr. 133 Wild-fire, the Boss of the Road, By Frank Du. mont. 184 Mike Merry, the Harbor Police Boy. By Chas. Morris. 185 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party. By Edward L. Wheeler. 136 Old Rube, the Hunter. By Capt. Hamilton Holmes. 137 Dandy Rock, the Man from Texas. By G. Waldo Browne. 188 Bob Rockett, the Boy Dodger. By Chas. Morris. 139 The Black Giant; or, Dainty Lance in Jeopardy. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. 140 Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Agents. By Philip 8. Warne. 141 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. By E. L. Wheeler. 142 Little Texas, the Young Mustanger. By Ol Coomes, 143 Deadly Dash; or, Fighting Fire with Fire. By Jos. &. Badger, Jr. 144 Little Grit, the Wild Rider. By Col. Prentiss In- graham. 145 The Tiger of Taos; or, Wild Kate, Dandy Rock’s Angel. By Geo, Waldo Browne. 146 The Cattle King; or, Cortina’s Right Bower. By Frank Dumont. 147 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, the Scamps of the Sierras. By Edward L. Wheeler. 148 Thunderbolt Tom; or, the Wolf-Herder of the Rockies. By Harry St. George. 149 Bob Rockeft, the Bank Runner. By Charles Morris. 150 The Mad Miner; or, Dandy Rock’s Doom, By G. Waldo Browne. 151 The Sea Trailer; or, A Vow Well Kept. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, 152 Dandy Darke; or, The Tigers of High Pine. By W. H. Eyster. 158 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo. By E, L. Wheeler. 154 The By Trailers; or, pee Lance on the War- Path. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. 155 Gold Plume, the Boy Bandit. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 156 Will Wildfire in the Woods. By C. Morris. 157 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. By T. C. Har- baugh. 158 Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamity Jane's Last Adventure. By E. L. Wheeler. 159 Patent-Leather Joe’s Defeat; or, The Lady Road-Agent. By Philip 8. Warne. 160 Buffalo Billy, the Boy Bullwhacker; or, The Doomed Thirteen, By Col. P. Ingraham. 161 Bob Rockett, the Cracksman. By C. Morris. 162 Little Hurricane, the Boy Captain, By Oll Coomes. 163 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, the Rivals of the Road. By E. L. Wheeler. 164 Bornado Poms Gr, india Jack from Red Core. y 'T. C, Harbaugh. : 165 Buffalo Bill’s Bet; or, The Gambler Guide. By Col, P. Ingraham, 166 Will Wildfre Wins and Loses; or, “A Treany Card,” By Charles Morris. ; 167 Dandy Rock’s Pledge; or, Hunted to Death, By George W. Browne.
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BEADLE’S POCKET LIBRARY. Oo a a Ee ee a 168 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hills | 210 The Hunchback of the Mines; or, Reckless Jezebel. By Edward L. Wheeler. 169 The Boy Champion. By Edward Willett. 170 Bob Rockett’s Fight for Life; or, Shadowed in New York. By Charles Morris. 171 Frank Morton, the Boy Hercules. By Oll Coomes. 172 The Yankee Ranger; or, Dusky Darrell. By Edwin Emerson. z 173 Dick Dingle, Scout; or, The Frontier Angel. By Edward S#£llis. 174 Dandy Rock’s Scheme; or, The Golden Hand. By G. W. Browne. 175 The Arab Detective; or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp By Edward L. Wheeler. Z 76 Will Wildfire’s Pluck; or, The Hidden Hand. By Charles Morris. ; 177 The Boy Commander; or, The Maid of Perth. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 178 The Maniac Hunter; or, The Mysteries of Night Island. By Burton Saxe. 179 Dainty.Lance; or, The Mystic Marksman. By J E. Badger, Jr. 180 The Boy Gold-Hunter; or, Navajo Nick’s Scout. By T. C. Harbaugh. 181 The Scapegrace Son. By Charles Morris, 182 The Dark-Skinned Scout; or, The Freebooters of the Mississippi. By Lieut. Col. Hazeltine. 183 Jabez Dart, Detective; or, The Hermit Trapper. By Oll Coomes. . 184 Featherweight, the Boy Spy. By Edward Wil- lett, 185 Bison Bill, the Overland Prince. By Col. Pren- tiss Ingraham. 186 Dainty Lance and His Pard. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr. 187 The Trapped Tiger King; or, Dark Paul’s Plot. By Charles Morris, 188 The Ventriloquist Detective. A Romance of Rogues. By Edward L. Wheeler. 189 Old Rocky’s Boys; or, Bonito, the Young Mus- tang-Breaker. By Maj. Sam. S. Hall. 190 Sim Simpkins, Scout; or, The Faithful Mountain Mastiff. By James L, Bowen. 191 Dandy Rock’s Rival; or, The Mystérious Wolf ! Rider. By Geo. Waldo Browne. 192 Hickory Harry; or, Roaring Ralph, the Ventrilo- uist. By Harry St. George. 193 Detective Josh Grim; or, The Young Gladiator's Game. By Edward L. Wheeler. 194 Prospect Pete, the Boy Miner. By Oll Coomes. 195 The Tenderfoot Trailer; or, Plucky Phil, of the Mountain. By T. C. Harbaugh. 196 The Dandy Detective; or, The Abducted Boy Mystery. By Charles Morris. 197 Roy, the Young Cattle King; or, The Texan Sport Unmasked. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 198. Ebony Dan’s Mask; or, The Rival Leagues of the Mines. By Frank Dumont. 199 Dictionary Nat, Detective; or, Bill Bravo, the Bear Tamer. By T. C. Harbaugh. 200 The Twin Horsemen; or, The Brothers of the Plumed Lance. By Capt. Frederick Whittaker. 201 Dandy Darke’s Pards; or, The Hawks of High Pine. By Wm. R. Eyster. 22 Tom, the Texan Tiger; or, Old Luke's Luck. By Oll Coomes. 203 Sam, the Office Boy; or, The Tables Turned. By Charles Morris. 204 The Young Cowboy; or, The Girl Trailer’s Tri- umph, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 205 The Frontier Detective; or, Sierra Sam’s Scheme. By E. L. Wheeler. 206 White Lightning; or, the Boy Ally. By T. C. Harbaugh, 207 Kentuck Talbot’s Band; or, The Red Lasso, By Captain Mark Wilton. 208 Trapper Tom’s Castle Mystery; or, Dashin Dick’s Disguise. By Oll Coomes, Z 209 The Messenger-Boy Detective; or, The Tables Turned, By Charles Morris. Ralph, the Road-Agent. By Jos. EB, Badger, Jr. 211 Little Giant and His Band; or Despard, the * Duelist. By P.S. Warne. 212 The Jimtown Sport; or, Gypsy Jack in Colorado, By EL. Wheeler. 213 The Pirate’s Prize; or, The Mysterious Yankee Schooner. By C. Dunning Clark. 214 Dandy Dave, of Shasta; or, The ’Frisco Flash o’ Lightning. By T. C. Harbaugh. 215 Daring Dan, the Ranger; or, The Denver Detec- tive. By Oll Coomes, 216 The Cowboy Captain; or, Ranger Ralph’s Ruin. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham. 217 Bald Head of the Rockies; or, The Ang’l of the Range. By Major Sam §. Hall. 218 The Miner Sport; or, Sugar-Coated Sam’s Claim, By Edward .. Wheeler. 219 Buck, the Detective; or, Paul, the Boy Pard. By Albert W. Aiken. 220 Crack-Shot Frank; or, Bill Bounce, the Moun- tain Bravo. By Charles Morris. 221 Merle the Middy; or, A Waif of the Waves. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham. 222 Rosebud Ben’s Boys; or, The Young Prairie Rangers. By Oll Coomes. 223 Gold Conrad’s Watch-Dogs; or, The Two Pards of Vulture Bar. By T. C. Harbeuch. 224 ete f Fergus, the New York Boy. By G.L. iken. 225 Dick Drew, the Miner's Son; or, Apollo Bill, the Road-Agent: By Edward L. Wheeler. 226 Dakota Dick in Chicago; or, Jack, the Old Tar. By Charles Morris. 227 Merle, the Boy Cruiser; or, Brandt, the Buc- caneer. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham, 228 The Preacher Detective; or, The Boy Ventrilo- uist. By Oll Coomes. 229 Old Hickory’s Grit. By John J. Marshall. 230 The Three Boy Sports; or, The Sword Hunters, By Captain Frederick Whittaker. 231 Sierra Sam, the Detective. By Edward L. Wheeler. 232 Merle Monte’s Treasure; or, Buccaneer Brandt’s Threat. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 233 Rocky Rover Kit; or, Davy Crockett’s Crooked Trail. By Ensign C. D. Warren. 234 Baldy, the Miner Chief. By Capt. J. F. C. Adams, 235 Jack Stump’s Cruise; or, The Montpelier’s Muti- neers. By Roger Starbuck. 236 Sierra Sam’s Double; or, The Three Female De- tectives. By Ed. L. Wheeler. 237 Newsboy Ned, Detective; or, Two Philadelphia Gamins. By Charles Morris. 238 Merle Monte’s Sea-Scraper} or, Little Belt’s Droll Disguise. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 239 Ben’s Big Boom; or, The Boss Miner's League. 3y Capt. Mark Wilton. . 240 Sharp Shot Mike; or, Columbia Jim on the War- Path. By Oll Coomes. ‘Ai Sierra Sam’s Sentence; or, Little Luck at Rough Ranch. By Edward L. Wheeler. 242 The Denver Detective; or, Dainty Dot at Gold Gulch. By T. C. Harbaugh. 243 Dutch San’s Dilemma; or, The Mysterious Mountain Monster. By Maj. L. W. Carson. 244 Merle Monte’s Disguise; or. The Capture of Brandt, the Buccaneer. By Col. P. Ingraham. 45 Bildy’s Boy Partner; or, Young Brainer.l’s Steam Man. By Edward S. Ellis. 246 Detective Keon’s Apprentice: or, James Jumper the New York Gamin. By Charles Morris. -A7 The Girl Sport; or, Jumbo Joe's Disguise. By Edward L. Wheeler. 8 Giant George’s Pard; or, Arizona Jack, the Tenderfoot. By Buckskin Sam. 249 Ranch Rob’s Wild Ride; or, Old Winch The Rifle King. By T. C. Harbaugh. 250 Merle Monte’s Pardon; or, The Pirate Chief's Doom, By Col, Prentiss Ingraham, iy
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BEADLE’S POCKET LIBRARY. 251 The Deaf Detective; or, Weasel, the Boy Tramp. By Edward Willett. 252 Denver Doll’s Device: or, The Detective Queen. By Edward L, Wheeler. 253 The Boy Tenderfoot; or, Roaring Ben Bundy of Colorado. By Capt. Mark Wilton. 254 Black Hills Ben; or, Dutch Jan Path. By Maj. Lewis W. Carson. 255 Jolly Jim, Detective; or, The Young Protege’s Victory. By Charles Morris 256 Merle Monte’s Last Cruise; or, The Sea Robber at Bay. By Col. Pren.iss Ingraham. 257 The Boy Ghief of Rocky P: or, The Young California Pards, By Maj. E. L. St. Vrain, 258 Denver Doll as Detective. By E. a Whe ler. 259 Little Foxeye, the Colorado Spy. By Oll Coomes. 260 Skit, the Cabin Boy. By Edward Willett. 261 Blade, the Sport, or, the Giant of Clear Grit Camp. By T. C. Harbaugh. 262 Billy, the ie Rover; or, Terror Tom of Texas. By Col. P. Ingraham. 263 Bunter Bob’s Buoy; or, Lige, the Light-House Keeper. By Capt. ‘J. F. GC, Adams. 264 Denver Doll’s Partner; or, Big Buckskin the Sport, By E. L. Wheeler. 265 Billy, the Baggage Boy; or, The Young Railroad Detective. By Charles Morris. 266 Guy’s Boy Chum; or, The Forest, Waif’s Mask. By Capt. Comstoe alk, 267 Giant Reon ze’s Revenge; or, The Boys of *‘ Slip- up Mine.” “By Buckskin Sam, 268 The Dead Shot Dandy; or, The Rio Grande Marauders. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 269 The Quartzvillé Boss; or, Daring David Darke. By Edward Willett. 270 Denver Doll’s Mine; or, Little y E, L. Wheeler 271 Ebony Jim’s Terror; or, Ranger Rainbolt’s Ruse, By Oll Coomes 272 Kit, the Girl Detective; or, Dandy Dash in Cali- fornia. By 'T. C. Harbaugh. 273 The Girl Rider; or, Nimble Ned’s Surprise. Jos. B. Badger, Jr, 274 Dead Shot Dandy'’s Double; or, Benito, the Boy Pard. By Col. Prentiss ticket 275 Fred, the Ocean Waif; or, The Protege. By Charles Morris 276 Deadwood Dick Trapped; or, Roxey Ralph's Ruse. By Edward L. Wheeler. on the War- Bill’s Big Loss. By Old Sailor’s 27 278 279 A ken. Big Game. By Albert W. Little Arizona Alf, the Miner; or, Luck, By T. C. Harbangh, Jolorido Jack, the Trailer. By F rederick Dewe y. 280 Dead Shot Dandy’s Last Deal; or, New Role. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 281 Ned, the Boy Pilot; or, The Pirate Lieutenant’s Doom. By Jack FF: ar ragut. 282 Bucx Hawk, Detective; or, The Messenger Boy’s Fortune. By Edward L. Wheeler. 283. Roving Sport Kit; or, The Ghost of Chuckaluck Camp. by Edward Willett. 284 The Showman’s Best Card; Tamer. By Capt. Fred. Whittaker. 285 Old Rocky's Pard; or, Little Ben’s Chase. Buckskin Sam. pa Dick, the Dakota Sport By Charles Morris. 288 289 290 By Ned, the Boy Skipper; or, The Sea Sorceress’ Cruise. By Jack Farragut, Deadwood Dick’s Disguise: or, Wild Walt, the Sport. By Edward L. Wheeler. Colorado Nick, the Lassoist; or, Old Si’s Protege. By Major H B. Stoddard, Rube, the Tenderfoot; o-, The Roy’s of Torpedo Gulch, By Major E. L. St. Vrain. 291 Peacock Pete. the Leadville Svort: Boss Miner. By Albert W. Aiken. 292,Joe Morey, the Ni¢ht-Hawk;. or, Rider. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. 293 Dwarf Jake, the Detective; or, Kit Kenyon’s Man Hunt, By Edward W illett. or, Hawk, the The Black or, The Mad Animal, { 294 Dumb Dick’s Pard; or, Eliza Jane, the Gold | The Idiot Boy. Avenger; or, Captain Wild-Cat’s | : Snap Shot's | ». Tiger; or, The Ghost of the | Keno Kit’s | Miner. By Ed. L. Wheeler. 295 White Wing, the Ferret Flyer; or, Old Dirk, the Oyster Pirate. By Charles Morris. 296 Govinda, the Tiger-Tamer; or, The American ~ Horseman Abroad.. By Captain Fy Whittaker. 7 297 Arizoné 1 Giant George; or, The Boyees of Sardine- a Buckskin Sam. Jash; or, The Ten Colorado Pards. ; 6. Techangl 299 The Balloon Detectives; Young Pard. By Harr 300 Deadwood Dick’s Mission 301 Dandy Duke; the Cowboy. Vrain. 302 Big Benson’s Bet. 303 The Hotel Boy Detective; or, Robbery. By Charles Morris. 804 Bald Head’s Pard; or, Creeping Cat’s Cunning, By Buckskin Sam. 305 Dusky Dick's Duel; or, The Demon’s Trail. By Harry Hazard. 306 Spotter Fritz; or, The Store-Detective’s Decoy. By E. L. Wheeler. Bay Nie Ik, ns Boy Sport; or, Three Plucky Pards. By Maj. E. L. St. Vrain, 308 Davie: Fisted Mat; or, The Mystic California Giant. By Jos, E. Badger, Jr. 309 Old Graybeard’s Boy; or, The Girl's Ruse. C. Dunning Clark. 310 Kit, the Girl Captain; or, Legacy. By Col. br rentiss Ing 311 Frio Fred in Texas. By Bue s in Sam. 312 The Detective Road-Agen’; or, The Mi Sassafras City. By Edward L Wh ele : Honest Jack’s Protege; cr, The Dwarf’s Scheme, By Philip S. Warne. 4 Clip. the Boy Sheriff; er. The Two Crooks of » Montana, By Baward Willet. or, Ja¢ék Slasher’s Enton. By E. L. Wheeler. By Major E. L. St. By T. C. Harbaugh. The Grand Central By The Mad Sailor’s am. ‘By Major i. i St. ve rab Detective; or, Dick Dorgan’s Do ible Dealing. By Charles Morr's. Buckskin Ben of Texas; or, Single-Eye’s Plucky Purds. By Bueaskin Sam. 318 Gvorado Chartic’=. Detective Dash; Catt.e Kings. By Eiward L. Whe k 9 Frisky Frank in Ida’e; or, Old Skioflint ‘the Shadower. By Roger Starbuc:. . 20 Cool Sam’s Girl Pard; or, Capta) Texans. By T. C. Harbaugh. siliy, me Kid from ¥ isco; or, Silver Mask’s Glew. By J. C. Cowdrick. 2 Fred Flyer, Detective; or, Abe Blizzard on Deck. By Charles Morris. Dead Shot Ike in Montana; or Hex He’ Dem, the « Yankee Pard. By Roger Starbuck, Kit, the Denver Sport; or, The Bonanzy Miner Kisg. By Edvard L. Wheeler. 5 Dusky Darrell. the Camp Detective; -or,, The Dandy’s Daring Dash. By Edwin Emerson. ts 3 Roy, the Boy Cruiser; or, The Water Wolf > .~ Wreckers. By Cclonel Prentiss Ingraham, Ned. the Roving Miver: or, Avkansaw Jack’s Match. Py Harry Hazard. 7 : 328 Rocky Ben’s Band. “By W. J. Hamilton. Ready April 23. . eae BL. St. © fiat Luek. The Street- or, The in Dick and His «*>- 329 Dave, the Co'orado Wrestler. Vrain. R ady April 30. BEADLE’ s Pooxer Lisrary is” Tor ais by all News- ~ dealers, five cents per copy, or sent by. mail spy Tes B ceipt of six cents each. 5 Hy e BEADLE AND ADaus, Publishers, 4 98 William ene Yok,