i l 1 , Adm .T‘M 5i i i I t .N'.‘_vlfi,¢ uu-J; \ .,. m dl‘mflxv‘v u, an. ..-. v ‘a‘nnn SOON TO FOLLOW! N W Stories by ALBERT W. AIKEN and “BUFFALO BILL!” E.‘F, Beadle, William Adams, DaVld Adams. COPYRIGHT, 1883, at BEADLE AND ADAMS. NEW YORK, APRIL 7, 1883. One copy, four months, $1.00 TERMS IN ADVANCE. One copy, one year, . . 3.00 Two copies, one year, . 5.00 0 THE MAGIC SHIP; 03, THE PREEBOOTERS OF SANDY HOOK. A Tale of Fiction, Pounded upon Pact, in the History of the earlier days of New York and its adjacent waters. BY COL. PRENTISS INGRAHA M, AUTHOR or “ THE LEAGUE or THREE," “ BUFFALO BILL's GRIP, " “MERLE, THE MUTINEER,” ETC. 0 CHAPTER V. THE WEIRD PILOT. THE bold act of Midshipman Park Pelham, to quell the mutinous spirit engendered by the super- stitious fears of the crew, against the vessel which the asserted was towing the brig to destruction an them to death, was a thrilling surprise to one and all, from Lieutenant Lonsdale to the smallest cabin-b0 on board the wreck. The m dd y was a natural-born sailor, as fearless as a lion, and one whose presence of mind did not de- sert him in the direst dan rer. When washed overboan with the wreck, his pierc- ing cry, that had been heard and heeded by his cap- tain, had been more a warning to show what had happened to him than a call for aid, or an utterance of fear. Had he not been entangled in the riggin , he might have regained the bug without aid. an had he for an instant felt that Captain Sherwood would not reach the wreck with him, he would rather have died than see him carried off before his eyes. It was a fearful blow to him, and only in busiest action could he keep from before his vision the tall form of his commander and friend, borne away 11 n the wreckage, and drown the farewell words olxthe brave man, which kept continually ringing in his ears. When the men came aft, after the brig was in t0w , of the craft, which they asserted was the Magic 1 Ship, the young midshipman felt th‘llfi- there would be trouble, and remembering that the stern pivot- gun was double—loaded with grape. and seeing that its muzzle was )oiuted so as to fully command the length of the br g, he uickly secured a port fire and lantern and calmly waited, without even attracting the attention of the officer who stood nearest to t him. held the power, and he saw that Lieutenant Lons- dale must yield to the crew, as the only course open face, and all read there that Midshipman Park Pel~ ham would keep his word. The lantern, held above his head, revealed set de- termination to carry out his threat, and, as though intending to give no other warning, he thrust t 1e port-fire in dangerous fproximity to the priming- tube, as with one accor , every man of the three- score drop ed 11 on his face, flat upon the deck.'. As thong dis aiming to follow up the advantage which his courage an promptness had gained, t e middy turned to his superior ofllcer, and said polite- ly, and with an air of one who had just executed an order given him: “ The mutiny is quelled, sir. d ‘1‘ Shall I put the men in irons, Lieutenant Lons— a c? ‘ “No, thank you, Mr. Pelham; but they must go below decks, and have the hatches closet on them until we reach port," and Lucas Lonsdan spoke to the midshipman with a respect which he would have shown to a superior. “ A , ay, sir," and then in his clarion-like tones he calle out: “ Ho, there, lads, a dozen of you get below decks, and do not stop to let the barnacles grow upon your feet while oingi" Silently t 0 men furthest forward arose and hast- ened to the forecastlc. down which they disappearcd w ith commendable rapidity. “ 110. there! the next squad start on the same cruisel“ sung out the middy, cheerily, and in obedi— ence a dozen more made all basic to get below decks. Then followed another group, and another, until I Boatswain Rntlin and these immediately aft were ordered down below, and as promptly obeyed as had their messmales. “ All down, sir!" and the middy saluted, and then running forward with several other young ofiicers, ; quickly secured the hatches. Then, at the moment when the mutinous spirit 3 to him, his ringing words and fearful throat fell upon I - wild waters, plunging, rolling, riding a miuhty wave their ears. For one instant of horror the men gazed upon him, and the Omcel‘q. Slil‘in'zing aside from near the , threatening muzzle of the pivot-gun, also looked ‘ g ed. fire l“ Again his voice rung above the roar of wind and waters, and the port-fire was thrust nearer the prim- ingiube. Jvery eye. was now upon that pale, resolute young uoon him in amazement and admiration connnin- ' l 2 her upon her course. “Down upon your faves, every man of you, or I 5 And thus. in the darkness and storm, with her crew imprisoned below decks, her officers, and the two men at the wheel, grouped together on the quarter- dccl'. thc dismastcd brig was dragged through the one instant, to forge through another the next, and the vessel which led her. if not the same craft which twice before had crossed her path that night, was certainly a weird pilot, forging silent and som- Bclow decks the. crew waits] in silence, dreading the worst, and in total darkness, only knowing by the movement of the vemel that she was still being dragged onward. Upon the quarter-deck the group of officers stood, watching, waiting, and talking in low, earnest tones, until once more the middy‘s voice was heard, and in ' the cheerful cry: “ Li ht, ho!" “W ereaway, Pelham.’" asked Lieutenant Lons- dale, quickly. “ Just off our port bow, sir.“ “Ay, a , I see it! “ It is t e light on Sandy Hook Point, and we are saved." And on still the wreck was dragged, until the light loomed up brightly through the intense darkness which was so dense that the strange craft ahead could only be traced in the dimmest outline. At length the light shone off the port beam, then was seen on the stern quarter, and half an hour af- ter the dismantled brig ceased to plunge throu h the wild waters, but glided along under the lee of andy Hook, until suddenly her forward motion seemed to cease. “ Holy Ne tune! the crew have escaped!" sud~ denly cried ark Pelham, and he again sprung to the gun, and seizing the port-fire thrust the end into the lantern to ignite it. “ Back to your den you sea-dogs!" he shouted. But all was silent forward, and no moving form was seen. “Did you see any one forward, Pelham ?“ asked Lieutenant Lonsdale, peering into the gloom ahead. “ I certainly did, sir. “ I saw two forms distinctly, and they were mov- ing in a crouching attitude, one to starboard, the other to port. “ I will go forward and see if I eouldbemistaken,“ said the plucky middy. “And will accompany you," answered Lieuten- ant Lonsdale. and. the two went forward together. their swords drawn, and pistols held ready for use. But the hatches were found as the ' had left them, and certainly none of the crew 001111, have come on eck. “ You were mistaken, Pelham," said Lucas Lons- da e. “No, sir, I was not! “See here!" The mit‘dy, as he spoke, pointed at the. deck, " Well?“ “ The cables, by which the craft ahead was towing us have—” “Been cut, as I live!" exclaimed thelieutenant. “ No, sir, they were not cut, or the ends made fast to us would still be here. “ They have been let go.“ “ By Heaven! you are right. “ And who has done this?" “Those two f1 .rms I saw, and they came from the three-master. sir." “You are right, for We are now not moving, and the water here is as placid as a lake. “ hit where is the three-master?" The words had scarcely lett the lips of the lieuten- ant when a “'t‘ll‘tl light was visible off on the, star- board bow, and there. not two cablcs‘ length away. was visible thc tl-reemnsted schooner. It certainly looked like their strange pilot, and yet, her hull was now white, her masts and spars of the same hue, and her solitary helmsman was at the wheel, and clad in the same ghostly-looking apparel in which he had before been seen. “ The Magic Ship ."’ exclaimed Lucas Lonsdale through his shut teeth. “ Yes, sir, and old Ratlin, the boatswnin, was right, for she has towed us into port. “See, sir! she heads in toward us." The same. weird light, before seen, revealed the vessel as she came forward under a tremendous pressure of canvas, and her course lay directly for the dismantled brig. “Can she mean torun us down?" cried Lieutenant Lonsdale, and he added: “ We are powerless to prevent." “ No, sir, for that ghostly-looking helmsman is utting his wheel to starboard now,“ and as the ows of the schooner fell off from their course, for she had been sailing almost into the winds eye, a “bite-clad form once more a peered in the mizzen shrouds, and there followed tlle pitiful hail: “ Wrev-k 1L0! “ For God’x sake trllus how to teach pnrthfor we sold our craft to Satan, and (we 10st .’ 1031‘. .’ [mt “Starboard your helm hard-down and hold due north for the New York Narrows!“ shouted Lucas Lonsdale, springing upon a gun, and steadying him- self with his sword u on the bulwarks. “Ha! ha! ha!“ ant a chorusof demonincal laugh- ter broke forth from on board the Weird craft, as she sped on, laying her course east by north, which would carry her out to sea, to again face the fury of the winds and waves without the Hook. “Turn out the men, Mr. Pclham, and we'll let fall the anchors, and lie here until morning." said Lin-as Lonsdale. not knowing what to say or think of what he had Seen and heard. “ Av, ay, sir!" “ All hands on dock!" called out the middy, open- ing the batches, and the crew came up sullen and Si Ont. Instantly they cast their eyes about th in; but the weird pilot had already disappeared, and deter- mined not to give them time to plan mischief Lieu- tenant Lonsdale said: “Well, lads. we are safe inside, of Sandy Hook, so let fall the anchors and we'll ride here until morn- ing. ‘ , “Ay, ay, sir: and I begs ardon for myself and the men, sir, for whnt rsc id: but the craft tlr‘t towed us in did look oncommon like the Magic Ship,“ said Boa tsvvain Ratlin. “I grant that. she did, boatswain, but we are safe here now, and will go up to the city in the morning, so I'll say no more about it, lads.“ A chocr burst forth for the lieutenant , who walked lift with the middy, who remarked: “lam glad. sir, that Illl‘V did not know that our pilot was really the Magic Chip.“ " The secret, will s0ou leak out, Pelham, and when I make my report, I am goiizg to ask leave to go on a cruise forthat craft, wrird as she appeals." "And ask that I may be ordcretl to accompany you, sir.“ “I will. Pelham. for you are one among a thou- sand," was the complimentary reply, as thi- two rc- joined those they had left upon the. quarter-deck, and who had scen with horror that their pilot lile been indeed the Magic Ship. CHAPTER VI. 'rnr. us.an or Till-2 monuxns. A FEW of the " oldest inhabitant-.- " of what is now known as the Highlands of Nevvrsink" still remem- ber an old Hermit, who dwelt in a half-log, half— cavcrn abode upon the bold point of land which overlooks the beautiful lower bay of New York, and Commands a View to seaward of many leagues, and up and down the coast for miles. To those unacqnainted with the locality, I will S"y that the hill juts out into New York‘s lowcr lmv. is bold and rugged, and was then, at the time of which I write, C(wered with a dense growth of timber. Inland its view sweeps ovm' a vast expanse of land and water, including Staten Island, and it is *Also called Navesink: but doubtless named from the fact that the lofty hills were so long seen by outward bound vessels, as to be said to “Never sink—THE AUTHOR. scpara ted from the narrow. sandy neck of land which runs down from Long Branch, New Jersey. and terminates in Sandy Hook, by the Shrewsbury river, which is formed by the two streams, or inlets, known as the North and South Shrewsbury. For scenes of romance in the past, for deeds of piracy, smuggling, and as a haunt of free rovers, no spot on the American coast, a century ago was more noted than Sandy Hook and its surroundings, and many a. thrilling tale of the sea and shore has been written of that locality, with more truth than fiction for its foundation. The Hermit who made his abode upon the High- lands came from none knew where, and was an ob- ject of dread to the few farmers dwelling inland a league or so, and to the hamlet of fishermen situ- fitcd in a sheltered nook on the shores of the lower ay. With h’s fellow-mortals, ‘twas said, the Hermit had naught to do, unless I except the family of the light-house keeper on Sandy Hook. In that lonely abode dwelt a widow and her dau h- ter, who, since the death of her husband, years c- fore, had faithfully attended to the lantern through nights of storm and calm. Alone the mother and daughter dwelt there, and over the. n atcrs of the bay the young girl was daily seen gliding in her tiny sail-boat, or, armed with a small gun, scouring the woods of the Highlands for game. Fear she seemed not to know, and one day she had come upon the old Hermit, lying at the foot of a precipice with a broken leg. She had aided him to his humble home, and made him most comfortable, and then had gone miles am: y for a doctor. The surgeon had set the 1 , and had then been paid most libcrally in gold 13* the Hermit, who promptly told him his services were not again needed. But from that day the young girl became a fre- quent visitor at the Ilermit‘s homo, and cared for blilm as tenderly as though he had been her own fa- t or. The doctor told his stor ' of his visit to the Hermit, and that Lighthouse Lily, as the young girl was called, had saved his life, and the humble fishermen wondered, when they saw the maiden scudding across the bay on her daily visits to the strange man, that she did not fear him. for it was whisperrd around among the supclstilious dwellers of that lonely region that he, wasa w‘zard. and leagued with Satan, and they shook their heads when they thought that he might use his black art upon the poorgirl to darken her future life. The morning after the storm which made a wreck of the hrig—of-war Quickstep, the. old Hermit came. out of his cabin and planet-d around him over the waters of the lovwr buy. chas :1 man of majestic. appearance, over si't feet in liighi, with :1. form crcci and strong, “'Illlt h ’i hairand board were whitc as snow, the former tall» ing to his waist, and the lattcrreaching far below his belt. l{:- was tll‘(*s>(’,tl in a suit of black, wore boots, into the tops of which his pants were stuck. and his head was sheltered by n broad-brim med sombrero that had evidently come from Mexico. His eyes were black as ninht, full of fire. and floraL looking, and his cot’nplcxion was bronzed, as though l[\_\'ll(mg exposure to the elements, to the hue of an in mn. in his belt he wore. two large pistols and along knife, and in his hand he carried a crook, around the upper end of whit-h was coiled a large snake, alive and vicious-looking. .Aftera glance over the bay, the Hermit wendcd his steps up to the summit of the Highlands and I '7; ' \q4n ‘v\‘.‘” Q - w .11 ,w<«g-nn-ms 7‘. t; "l d :3 flex: '.~ . are "Imus-.1 4: ~ “we so a, .2 .3 ‘:J..u‘.:)5.“mmwéuirawfi -i"! am: