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. b ' B dle (1 Ad
v01. XIX. ms. Pu llshgggzgfgzuzyufgw an m»  No. 238.

 

 

 

 

 

8 Merle Monte’s Sea-Scraper.

 

Marla Mantis Set-Scraper,

Little Belt’s Droll Disguise.

A TALE OF LAND AND BLUE WATER, AND
COMPANION s'rOEY T0 “MERLE, TEE
MIDDY,” “ MERLE, THE BOY
cnnrsnn," “ MERLE MONTE’s
TEEAsURE," ETC.

 

BY COL. PRENTISS INGRAHAM.

CHAPTER I.
THE PIRATE’s s'romr.

A vassEL-os-WAR, sailing over the rough
waters of the Gulf. with storm-clouds threat-
enin to burst above and hurl a tempest of
win and rain u on the little craft, and at
her helm a negro  =

It was a strange sight to see, guidin the
vessel over the waves, that slender, b ack-
faced youth, while from the forecastle to the
quarter-deck a hundred pairs of eyes were
bent upon him with strange interest.

That the craft was a sea-warrior, I have
said, for her guns and all about her indicated
that much, and her men were in uniform
and armed; but neither at peak nor fore was
visible a flag to make known her nationality.

Near the helmsman, who held the wheel
with a nervy hand, and a. strength that was
surprising in one of his apparent youth and
slender, graceful build, stood a man—a vei'y
Hercules in size, and yet so well formed that
he looked little above the average hight of
men.

It was only by comparison with any one
of the crew who = K sed near him that his
great size was evi out.

He was dressed in dark-blue pants, a white
{Jacket with brass buttons, wore a sash around

is waist, which suppOrted a gem-hilted
sword and a pair of pistols, and upon his
head was the cocked hat of a naval officer of
tnat time—4 style in vogue in the early part.
of the resent century.  3

His ace was foardless. his features ood,
and he certainly Would have been consi ered
a very handsomelman by an one who did
not know him as Brandt, the fiuocaneer.

But, known as the Sea Terror—the last of
the Pirates of the Gulf—the fearful deeds of
hisltfevcould be seen in every lineament of
his face.

“ Black Diamond, yen are certain that
that is the Treasure Island of Merle Monte?"

The remark was addressed by the pirate
chief to the negro boy at the helm.

“ I don’t say dat, Massa Cap’n; but I does

 

 

say dat when I las’ seen dat llnm, dar libed
dere a han'some young gemman, an‘ amighty
ugly nigger, sah.” ’

.“ They are the same I now have on board
my vessel as prisoners. The boy, Merle
Monte, is the son of a man who was noted
some years ago as Montezuma, the Merciless,

and whose grandfather was Freelance, the ’

Buccaneer. Freelance married a Persian
princess, and their son, Montezuma, got his
father's iratical wealth and his wife’s tress.
are, and) his son—this Merle Monte—pos-
sesses now all of their combine riches, which
his father had on a vessel oming to this
country; ' -'

“A ersian cruiser pursued Montezuma,
and he fell on his deck, while his wife, a
New Orleans lady, gave birth during the
battle to the boy who is now my prisoner.
He inherited all the wealth, and, with his
Abyssinian slave, was wrecked upon an
island upon this Mexican Coast, and for

which I have been looking for long years.,

I was a sub—Oflicer on the vessel of Mon-
tezuma, and I know well the value of the
riches he left the boy, and which he and the
slave, Mezrak. have hidden on that island,
The ones you saw, Black Diamond. were
Merle Monte, now a condemned midshipman
of the United States Navy, and Mezrak, and
they are now in this vessel as my prisoners."
“ I know. dat Massa Cap‘n hab some wery
waluable priz’ner on board, but I list) not
know who dem war; but dey now does look
’zactly like de pretty boy an' ugly nigger I
seen on de ilum when I went dar in my mas-
sa's yacht,” said Black Diamond, giving the
wheel a few turns to starboard. to meet the
wind. which was coming in fitnt gusts.
“Well, Diamond, I have told you who
they were, and I have long tried to get them
into my power, to wring from them the
secret of where lay their Treasursvlsland.
The negro had the boy educated at a Padre's
college in Vera Cruz. pretending he was the
son of a rich ranchero along the coast.

Chance caused them to ca ture my craft, 4

and it got for Merle a mid y’s berth in tho
navy of the United States. As Satan looks
after his children, I escaped, and when [got-
another craft.‘Merle Monte again took, it, for
he led a boat attack which my reen crew
could not resist. But he had oes in the
navy, who hated his good fortune, and they
struck at him through his slave. Mezrak,
whom he loves as he would a father, and a
mother, too, and the result was the boy re-
sented it, and the two were proclaimed mu:
tineers. I saved them from the yardaarm,
and have in vain tried to force from them
their secret; but now, through you. my boy,
whom I picked up in the streets of New Or-

leans, a runaway slave from your master, I ,

. “W -- . ,7» “w v.

Merle ‘Monte’o Seat-Scraper. 8

 

have found this island, and you shall be a
sharer in in good luck.”

“ How assa Cap’n get away when the
’Mericans capture him?’ asked Black Dia-
mond, as though he cared more for the
story of adventure t‘ for the promised
riches. ' I , .

“ When I saw my vessel was to be taken,
I jumped overboard in the lagoon and swam
ashore". .

“No, massa; de time, I means, when dey
did cotchyer?"

"Ah, yes! ,‘I was taken to Washington
City to be executed; but a cabinboy on the
vessel, who Went by the name of Little Belt,
rescued me in the nick of time.”

“ Whar Little Belt now?” asked Black
Diamond.

" You are curious, Black Diamond, but as
it is through you that I get my enormous
treasure, I will tell you, and see that you act
 toward me, or you will go the way he

1 .’

“ Which way he go, Massa Cap’n?” was
th‘e next persistent question of the black boy
pi 0t. .

“ He turned oht to be a woman, and not a
boy. I had believed that she was dead: but
she owed me a grudge, and was not content
to 'see me hang at the yard—arm, when she
had brought me there; so she set me free to
bring me to 'ustice herself. She told' me
this much, an so I killed her on my way to
Baltimore, to catch a vessel I knew was to
sail with the morning tide.”

“You kilt‘her, ssh?”

“ Yes; and left her in the stage road."

“Golly! hain’t you brave, Massa Cap’nl”

“I don’t think it was a brave act, Black
Diamond, but it was a necessarv one, and if
the carrying out of my ends demand it, I
would kill an infant; but as you near the
island, do you feel certain it is the one you
visited on your master’s yacht, and where
you saw the boy and slave in Persian cos-

tume 1'” -

“ Yes, massa: it am de ilum.”

“ Well, as this storm is threatening to burst
upon us, perhaps we had better run ofi-shore,
ride out the ale, and then run in?"

" Oh, no, Iassa Cap’n, for dere am a safe
harbor in dere, an’ I knows how to run dar.”

” You are certain ‘3" ’

“ Yes, Massa Oap‘n."

“Remember a mistake, loses the vessel and
our lives.”

:‘Ikeows dat, sah; but dis nigger boy
hauli’t gwine ter lose ’em,” was the confident
re v.

j‘ Well. I will have Merle, the condemned
muddy. and. his slave, Mezrak, brought on
deck and tied. to the tafirail, that they may
Witness my triumph in at last finding the

 

Treasure Island without their aid. Here.
I’ll take the wheel, for we are a long way ofi
fact. and you go after them; and mind you.
iamond, bring me a basket of that rare old
Spanish wine on deck. and give to the crew
all the liquor they want, for I’ll drink deep
in honor of this. my greatest success."
“Yas, Mnssa Cap‘n," and Black Diamond
left the deck to obey the pirate's bidding.

CHAPTER II.
THE PIRATE'B PRISONEns.

WHEN Black Diamond left the deck of
the pirate cutter upon his mission from its
reckless and cruel commander, Brandt, the
Buccaneer, he found his way into a trap,
rather than a state-room, where the two pris-
oners were confined.

It had been made as a store-room for valu-
ables, had an iron door, and the light came
from a glass bull’seye in the deck, the ven-
tilation being through a slide in the upper
panels or the door.

The Black Pilot took the key given him by
the chief, and unlocking the iron door,
stepped within.

The space was limited, indeed. and the
furniture of the prison pen consisted of a
hammock, a bench, a rug, and a. stone pitcher
of water.

It was a loathsome place, but here had
been confined for long weeks Merle Monte,
whom misfortune and not crime had made a
mutineer,and who was under death sentence,
a condemned youth, and his slave, Mczrak,
the Faithful.

In vain had the pirate, with threats and
torture, tried to force from them the secret
they held of where lay the Treasure Island,
in which was buried the vast inheritance of
Merle Monte, consisting of his freebooter
grandfather’s boarded wealth and the dowry
of a Persian princess.

Neither Merle or Mezrak had been driven
to a confession, and' hoping yet to drag
from their lips the‘ secret, Brandt, the Buc-
caneer, kept them in their loathsome prison~

pen. .

The light from‘éthe bull‘seye in the deck
shone upon a youth of striking lace and
form.

His features were really beautiful, yet
manly withal, and his form had the ele nce
of a woman, with the strength and road
shoulders of a man.

He was in the uniform of an American
midshipman, which looked something the
worse for his long confinement, and ay at
rest in the hammock, while his slave sat
upon the bench in moody meditation.

The faces of both men were haggard. for
their confinement was telling upon them in
their close quarters.

 

 

4r - Merle Monte’n sea-Scraper.

The slave, Mezrak, was an Abyssinian,
and, excepting his eyes, which were really
beautiful when he was passive, and his heart,
which was true. and noble, he was a hideous
deformity.

His attire was that of the Persian, and it
too was seedy-looking.

As he sat there, his long arms and huge
hands hanging down upon each side of him,
he looked likea chained giant in strength,
for he was manacled about the ankles,
and the youth had an iron handcufi upon
one of his small wrists, as though the
two were to be feared even among a hundred
pirates. 6-

“ Wal, what do ou wish here?” asked
Merle Monte, stern y, as he saw the negro
boy step withinfthe cramped quarters.

“I hab come by order of Cap‘n Brandt,
massa.” was the low reply.

“some new torture, I suppose, we are to
undergo." said Merle, in a resiwned tone,

The Black Pilot made no reply. but simply
closed the door, and put his finger upon his
lips in token of silence.

Then he stepped clear up to Merle, and
whispered: ,

“Yes. a new torture, but not for you.”

“ For Mczrak, then?”

ll No.1!

" Who. then?"

“ Brandt, the Buccaneer."

Merle started, and even the stoical Mez-
rak waked up uickly, for suddenly the
black boy had ropped the negro accent
wholly.

' CHAPTER III.
THE BLACK PILOT.

" YOU are the negro boy known as Black
Diamondl” said Merle, who had seen the boy
upon the vessel. before he and Mezrak had
been sent below decks to their prison.

“ I am called Black Diamond, and I am
the chief‘s cabin-boy.” was the response.

“Why have you so suddenly dropped?

your negro accent, which I thought natural.
to you?’

“ Because I am not what I seem.”

“ Who are you, then?"

“A cabin-boy." . 

“ What else?" .

“ An avenger.”

“ Ah! who is your intended victim?"
“ Brandt, the Buccaneer, ” wag the savage
reply. "

" How has he wronged you?"

“It is a storyI cannot now tell: but do
you know where this vessel is heading now?”

“It is sear-chin for what Brandt calls my
Treasure Island,’ said Merle, with a smile.

 

“ No, the search has ended.”

“ Ha! what do you mean?”

“ It has been found."

“ My island?”

llYos’l’

" I do not believe you.”

“It is true.”

” Where is it?" .

_“ A league ahead of us as we are now run-
mug.”

" Describe the outline."

“A rocky coast, with three higher rocks
in the interior, the center one rising to a
greater hi ht than the other two."

Merle g anced at Mezrak as the Black Pilot
said this. but his slave showed no sign to be-
tray interest.

“ You will never reach my island,"snid
Merle.

"You are mistaken, for I shall pilot the
cutter to it within the hour."

Merle laughed, and the Black Pilot con-
tinued:

“ You know that I have described your
island, and you feel that no one can run a
vessel into it.”

Merle made no reply, and the negro boy
continued:

“But you are mistaken, for I told the--

chief it was the Treasure Island, and that I
had visited it some time ago, while cruising
with my master, whom I said was a planter.”

“ You did this?”

“I told the chief so."

“Why did you tell him such afalsehood?"

" For a purpose."

“ Ah! but go on."

” Well, I told him I saw there a white boy
and a black slave, dressed in Persian cos-
tume.”

“ Hai'

“ So I told him; and more, I laid-’1 could
run the craft in to the island.”

" Try it." was the laconic remark of Merle.

“Ah! [intend to, for I am now the pilot
for the run in, and the chief bade me come

below and lead you and your slave on deck"
" . ,“ For what purpose?” .

 “ To chain you to the taflrail."
“ That we may go down With the cutter?”
" No." .
“ For what reason, then?"
” To see me run in " ‘
" You do not intend to attempt it?"
“ I certainfi do,”
“ You will wreck‘i‘he craft. .
The negro boy smiled, but answered,

quietly:

“ Not if I follow this chart.”

He took a. paper from his pocket on he
spoke. ,

Merle gazed at him in surprise", and um
flinchingly he met the look of Mezrak also,

 _~_.I... M43...

.c.._,_c4...x.._ ,
» .I

we H... M. i» _,_,._&_~_:.Mu~_.h_e...._ V. .

~A,...M,........,:.;.»..,.. ,. . _ ; ,. . AM‘ "

a. -¢ _. u..-
:- mww.» V,- ,u...-..Mn,~ ,» first"), ,

Hex-1e Monte'l Sea-Scraper. 5

 

for the hu e slave had turned at the last
words of t e boy.

His form was slender but graceful, and,
dressed as he was, in a white duck jacket,
blue pants, and a red 88511, with a jaunty
tarpaulin upon his head, he was certainly a
most attractive-looking negro boy.

“ What chart have ou, there?" asked
Merle, after an instant o silence.

“I have an outline of the island, which
you drew, and the directions for running a
vesel into the harbor."

“Ha! it is my chart!” cried Merle, excit-
edlyi'thrusting is hand into his pocket.

ll es 7’

“ You stole it from mel" and with aspring
Merle was upon him, and had wrenched the
paper from his hand.

But the Black Pilot did not move a muscle,
while he quietly said:

” 1 know the contents by heart." ~

At that instant he felt the grip of Mezrak
upon him, and his death would certainly
have followed, had it not been for his utterly
fearless mien, which caused the slave to hesi—
tate.

" I did not steal that paper, Midshipman
Monte, for it dropped from your pocket upon
the deck, the ay Captain Brandt triced
you up to the yard-arm, pretending he was
going to blow you to atoms from the cannon’s
mouth.”

“ Did Brandt see it?”

“ He did not.

“ Had he done so, my services as pilot
would not be needed."

“ You are playing a part here, and Mez-
rak, aswell as myself, seems to have recog-
nized that, or you would now be dead.”

“ I am playing a part, and a bold one.

“ I am also your friend, and the friend of
your slave.”

” Do you mean this?” quickly asked
Merle.

“ I will soon prove it.

“,Come. I will unlock our irons from
the floor and lead you an yOur slave on
deck. See, I also unlock those about your

wrist and the slaves ankles, but they must .

be supposed to be locked. I will chain you
to the tafirail, but you will be free, as you
know. Now come on deck, and utter no
word to anger Brandt, the Buccaneer.”

“ Boy, who are you?"
T The Black Pilot made no reply, but led
the trim prisoners upon dec “

he storm was threaténing to burst at any

_~ moment, the cutter was plunging in the wild

waters, and the crew were at their posts, as
the Black Pilot led the two risoners aft and
chained them shaft the w eel, and within
two-feet of the pirate chief who was still

acting as helmsmsn.

 

CHAPTER IV.
THE BLACK NEM‘EBIB.

THE buccaneer vessel still held on her
course toward the island, which was visible
through the gathering shadows of night and
the storm about half a league dead“ ahead.

It was a rocky island, perhaps half a mile
in length, and half that distance in breadth,
with two hill-like points at either end, and
one in the center.

Around it and about it was all a mass of
foam, showing that there were reefs around
it, and treacherous rocks tobring destruction
upon an approaching vessel.

The whisper had gone forward among the
crew that it was Merle Monte's Treasure
Island, which the pirate chief had so long
searched for, and yet. though they felt that
fabulous wealth lay hiddengamong its rocks,
the men feared to have the” vessel run in. in
such a storm, and a tempest threatening to
break upon them at any moment.

The negro boy whom they had seen the
chief place at the helm seemed perfectly
cool, and had shown himself, young as he
was, a thorough sailor; but then, what could
he do in seeking a haven among those rag-
ged reefs, the thought- and they wondered
that Brandt, tze Buccarfeer, did not run cfl-
shore and wait until the storm subsided.

The pirate chief had also this thought, and
once more said to the Black Pilot, as the
boy came on deck with the prisoners:

“ Black Diamond, it locks like certain
death to run in there.”

“ It does look so, Massa Cap'n,” was the re—
ply of the youth, who had resumed his negro
dialect.

“ 'l‘hen suppose I put the craft about, and
run off a few leagues and lay to?

“We can easily do it with this wind."

“ Docs yer know yer la‘tood an’ long’tood
’zactl , Massa Cap'n?”

“ ot exactly. Diamond.”

“ Waal, sah, Idoes be skeert ef we runs
away from dis ilum oust, we‘ll never fotch it
ag’in.”

“ I don’t agree with you, Diamond."

" Does yer see dat a’ storm?”

1 I Yes."
> ” It am gwine ter bu’st from de westward,
sah!”

ll Yes."

" Was]. it bah plenty ob wind ter drive us
afore it far off in de Gulf, and we might not
find our Way back.

” ’Sides. sah, it am gwine terbe atomady,
an’ it might sink us, while in dat ilum am a
most safe ancheridge for dis boat."

“ But can you find it, Diamond?"

"I kin, cab.”

” In this darkness that is coming on, and
the storm, too?”

‘1"?3’

 

  
 
   
  
 
  
 
  
  
  
  
 
  
   
 
  
  
    
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
  
 
  
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
  
 
  
   
 
  
 
 
 
 

MN?"

8 Merle Monte'l Sea-Scraper.

“Yes, ssh, I kin.”

“ But the men look a little mutinous, and
I don’t want trouble with them at such a
time.”

“No, sah, dat won’t be pleasant; but dat
kin be made all right.” .

“ How, Diamond?”

“I’ll git dot licker yer tole me ’bout, an’
gat’ll set ’em up ter goin’ anywhar. Massa

“pin.”

“ Black Diamond, you are a gem of the
first water!

“Get up the liquor, and when the men
have that they’ll stand at their posts and see
me run the vessel to Hades.”

“ Yes, sah. dey‘ll do dat, sure; but I‘ll go
now an’ it de licker.”

Black, iamond again disappeared below
decks,‘ leaving the chief, as before, at the
wheel. ,

Turning to his two prisoners, Brandt, the
Buccaneer, eyed them for an instant, and
then said. in gloating tones: ,_

“ Well. Merle Monte. the Condemned,
without your aid 1 have found your Treas-
ure Island, and when I once set foot upon
it I’ll have my revenge upon, on and your
hideous slave, for solong keeping vour riches
out of my hands. Hal ha! hal Merle, the
Condemned, Brandt, the Buccaneer, tri-
umphs at last, as I have sworn to!"

At that moment Black Diamond came on
deck, a huge decanter filled with red Spanish
wine in one hand and a goblet of gold in
the other, and the seene was lighted up by a
vivid flash of lightning which showed the
face of the pirate chief in all its frenzy of
gloating triumph.

“I have given do men (lore licker, Mussa
Cap’n, an’ here am yourn.” said Black Dia-
mond.

As he spoke he poured out a glass of the
rum. and handed the goblet and the decanter
to the chief, while he took his place at the
wheel.

“ Well. boy, here's that you run this
Death's gantlet before us in safety. Do so,
and fy'ou shall he made as rich as a. prince,
though your skin is as black as yonder
clouds.”

The Black Pilot made no reply, but
brought the bows of the cutter up a couple
of points. and then eyed the storm-clouds,
the wild waves. the movements of the vessel,
and the island looming up so threatenineg
dead ahead. for he knew that a few more mo-
ments and the crisis must come.

And come it did, for with a steady hand
he ran the fated craft directly upon a huge
sunken reef. just as the hurricane burst upon
the sea, and as she struck, the drink-mad-
dened chief, his brain on fire, his limbs be-
numbed, heard it hissed in his ears that the

 

     

Black Pilot was an avenging Nemesis, re-
venging a cruel wrong done in the past.

Paralyzed with the poison which the black
Nemesis had put into the wine, knowing at
the last who was the avenger, with a cry of
horror Brandt the Buccaneer was borne from
the deck of his shattered vessel, and with his
men, also drink-maddened. hurled into the
raging waters, while the Pilot and the prison-
ers alone remained upon the vessel. which
rocked wildly upon its bed of sunken reefs,
under the savage blows of the sea, and the
fierce gusts of the gale.

CHAPTER V.
A s U B P n I s s: .

" YOU are free. so why do you still remain
in your chains?”

It was Black Diamond who uttered the
words, and he shouted them above the roar
of the winds and the wash of the waves. and
addressed them to Merle and Mezrak, who
still remained at the tafirail. gazing upon the
wild scene, and listening to the deathcries of
some drownin victim not as much under
the influence 0 the poisoned liquor as his
fellows.

It was an appalling scene, with the ebon
clouds above, the snow-white foam of the
waters below, the bowling winds, the roar-
ing waves. the rocking of the ship, the creak-
ing of its timbers, and the cries of those
washed off to die. _,_. 3 . I

Clinging to the wheel, which. there to save
the vessel. had hurled her to destruction, was
Black Diamond, and his face showed that he
was deeply moved, while, as a wave had
borne Brandt, the Buccaneer, off on its
crested bosom, he had broken forth in Wild,
almOst demoniacal laughter.

When at last there remained on the deck
but Merle. his slave. and Black Diamond.
the latter had spoken the words which open
this chapter. I as, ’

In response ’to them Merle and Mezrak
threw the unlwked irons from them, and
stood before the Black Pilot, while the for~
mer asked: ,

“ Are we all that are left?”

II No.”

“ Who else are on board?”

" A boy who is called Needies. and a
dozen men of the crew whom 1 locked in
the hold. They were gniltless. of wrong-
doing, though they had shipped in bad com‘
pany. and it remains for you to say whether
they shall go free, or you command you
slave to end their lives.” . -

“ If you vouch for them they can go,” said
Merls‘.

“I only know that they were men who
shipped on a desperate enterprise. driven to
it by their circumstances. and when they

_ .... .t. humans:

 

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3
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“an __-. ‘m._._.- Ma»,

 wron

 

.,.,. m m: flaunt—mt... m. Wgnfl’... fl..- ..

Merle Monte’s Seal-Scraper,

 

found out the truth wished themselves ashore
again. The ship will not go to pieces here,
unless the wind moves round. so they can
remain in the hold until morning, and then
we can decide what to do with them. Now
let us go into the cabin and await the dawn.”

Merle followed the strange black youth
to the cabin, and Mezrak brought up the
rear.

Within all was considerably shaken up by
the shock of the driving upon the reef, but
the three sat down, and for some moments
were silent, while the vessel trembled and
swayed, as some larger wave " . ' usual
would strike her.

At last Merle looked at the your. who had

behaved so strangely through all, and said:

“ Again I ask, who are you?"
“One who has had a poor revenge for the
done him.”

“ ow could Buccaneer Brandt wrong you
so cruelly, that you have wrought such a
fearful revenge?”

“ 1 will tell you, for I feel now that you
should know.

" Do you recall Little Belt ?"

“ A cabin-boy on the Sea Wolf ‘1”

" The same.”

“ He went on the captured pirate vessel to
Washington with you?"

“He id. And proved to be the friend of
Brandt” in disguise, or was bribed to release

1m.’

“ How did he prove his friend?”

“ He most cleverly set him free, when he
was in irons on the vessel."

“That was no proof. Though I am at a
loss to understand why.”

“ I will tell you," said Black Diamond,
with a smile. I

“ He hated Brandt, and wished to see
him hanged; but he did not wish him to die
unless he had himself been the means of
bringing him to that end. You, and not
Little Belt, having captured the Buccaneer.
he set him free, to in the end bring him to
justice. "

“He certainly failed in his good intention,
and had he allowed him to be hanged then,
I would not now be condemed to death as
I am for mutiny, of which I am at heart not
guilty."

“Brandt would have been hanged but for
the fact that I wished to save you.” was the
lowrepl _

.“ Save me?” asked Merle, in surprise.

” Yel. you and your slave.”

“ What had that to do with it?"

“ Had he not been lured u on this island

,by my saying I could pilot im here, he in-

bpndfld. in a. day or two, to cut your slave
limb from limb, or ourself. to wring from
one of you. who won (1 not see the other suj

5

 

fer, the secret of where was hidden your
treasure. To save, you, I lured him here to
die, instead of allowing him to continue his
piratical cruising a short while longer, until
I could betray him to some vessel-of-war.”-

“You are a strange being, and Ithank
you for myself and Mezrak; but what know
you of Little Belt?” said Merle;

“ I know that, after he had aided Brandt,
the Buccaneer, to escape. he was cruelly
shot down and left for dead in the highway
between Washington and Baltimore. But
the boy did not die.”

" i am glad to know that, for Iliked him.”

“And he liked you and your slave; but
you recall Mr. Belden, do you not?”

"Yes, for it was through that good little
man that we recaptured the cutter, though
Brandt escaped.

“Mr. Monte, that good little man, as on
call him, was none other than Little Bsu.’

CHAPTER VI.
LITTLE BELT'S coxmssrox,

THE surprising statement made by Black
Diamond, that one who was supfiosed to he
an old man was none other than ittle Belt,
the cabin-b0 of the Sea Wolf, who had
freed the pirate chief, caused even Mez-
rak to look up at the black youth with
amazement.

“ Wh , Little Belt set the chief free,
while r. Belden led us to the attack upon
him."

” True, for he was, in that way, bringing,
as he hoped, the pirate to the ga lows.”

“Ah, es. I remember; but if Mr. Belden
was Litt e Belt, then his disguise was most
complete. ’

“ Was it more complete than mine is now 7”
was the calm question.

. “ What! are you disguised?” asked Merle,
1n surprise.

(1 I am.” '

“You are not what you seem them”, ‘

“I am not." ‘

“ Who are you?”

“ I have not one drop of African blood in
my veins. ‘
:tflmpossiblel for your negro complexion
is perfect."

“ It is ut on. for I learned the art of dye-

.ing myse f black years a o.”

“It is hard to believe. said Merle, doubt-
inglv.
"Yes, when it is as real in a pearance 'as
is the skin of Mezrak. But convinced
11:; my showing you that this is not my own
ir.’
As he spoke he drew OK it most skillfully
made wig of wool, and beneath was s Wealt

of short curls.

 

    

8  . /

Merle was surprised, and Mezrak gave a
grunt of amazement.

“ Now see here.”

And Black Diamond threw aside his Racket,
rolled up his shirt~sleeve, and displaye above
the elbow an arm of dazzling whiteness, and

.molded perfectly.

s' Merle could not butbe convinced, and Mez-

; 'rak eyed the strange youth with more inter-
est than he ever before vouchsafed to any
one ,

“Now, Mr. Monte, as in Little Belt you

had Mr. Belden, so in both of them you find

Black Diamond."

“What! are on, then, Little Belt?" and
Merle sprung orward and grasped the
youth’s hand.

" I am.”

“Alum artwork! ” devoutly said Mezrak
in the Arab tongue, and which meant:

“ God be with you."

” No wonder you are inspired into one of
your prayers, Mezrak, for I am wholly dum-
founded," said'Merle.

Little“ Belt, as I will now call him, smiled,
and said:

“ Senor Monte, I confessed to Captain
Meredith, of the Sea Wolf, just who I was,
for I found it necessary to do so, to make
him believe that'Lieutenant Dunning Gra-
ham and Midshipman Paul Martin had
plotted your ruin. You remember I re-
mained on the cutter after her capture, and
I witnessed the pretended mutiny which
makes youacondemned outlaw today. I
told Captain Meredith the truth. and bitterly
I regretted I could not have been at your
trial. but it was ordained otherwise. I was
trying to track Brandt in New Orleans, when
too late I got upon his trail, and he had re-
taken his cutter. But when he returned to
.the city, with his vessel disguised, I recog-

nized him, and going to my quarters, I‘

dressed up as you now see me, and pretend-
in to be a negro boy run away from a plan-
tation droqher, I spoke to him, and he took
me with him, and the result you know.”

“You absolutely astound me, Little Belt,
by all you tell me.

“But now that your future is linked with
mine, we will remain together, for this is in-
deed my Treasure Island, where, when an
infant, my father’s vessel was wrecked.
Here I was bron ht up by good Mezrak.
and now, hunted y those I have faithfully
served, condemned to die n on the yard'arm
for mutiny, when I only efended my life,
I will be content to remain away from the
world in future, and live and die here, I
think.”

Merle s oke earnestly, and with deep feel.
ing, and ittle Belt resumed:

" To-morrow, when we view the bodies

Merle Monte‘s Sea-Scraper.

 

  

 

washed upon the shore, and I see among,
them that of Brandt. the Buccaneer, I will'
say, ‘ Yes, ladly will I remain here.’ "

“ But he is certainly dead.”

“ I have thought so, so often, and been de-
ceived.”

“But you poisoned him first, I believe,v
and then a wave bore him away to his.
death.”

“ It might have, and maybe not; but to-,
morrow will show, for the bodies all went:
over the reef, and they will be hurled upon;
the sands.” l

“Yes; but mayI ask why you so hatedi
Brandt, the Buccaneer?”

“Because he wron ed me most cruelly,”
almost shrieked Little lt. “A , he led me
to believe him a man of honor, eceived me 5
into a mock marriage with him, caused the
death of my poor mother, and twice attempt-
ed my own life. I tell you, Merle Monte, ,1 -
am not what I seem, for now I confess to you ,
that I am a woman! A woman, yes, and
one who at last wreaked ven ance upon
Brandt, the Buccaneer. thong would to 4
God her revenge could have been far worse
than it has, for gladly would I have seen
him die on the gallows, and smiled in hisl
face as he strangled to death.” l

Merle sprung to his feet at the words, and
Mezrak sat spell—bound, for now the secretl
of the Black Pilot was known in all its bit-l
terness. I

CHAPTER VII. (

OUT on THE DEPTIIS. . -,

THE surprise of Merle Monte at what hel
heard from the lips of the wronged woman, v,
and whose sex he had never for a moment 2
doubted, was’so great that fora While he was i
speechless. 
At last, however, he said: *
“Now I can understand why it was that 
Brandt, the Buccaneer, started so when you é
spoke a few words to him that I did not l

n 4

 

E

“ I told him my name,”
reply}
“ hat name,” continued Merle, dropping
the bold, reckless manner habitual to him,
and with the courtly grace he always wore in ,
the presence of the fair sex, “I do not care
to ask you; but knowing you as a woman,
no matter what your disfinise may be, I beg
you to feel that you she be protected here
as though you were of my own blood. This
cabin you can make yourself comfortable in, I
and Mezrak and myself will go into the sub-
oflicers’ mess-room until the morning.”

“ No, no, Mr. Monte, I am not one to
throw off a disguise I have worn so long, and ,
at once claim the frivileges of my sex in 9
necking comfort. will sleep there in the

was the low 

 

 

‘ chief ’s state-room,

 

wt».

-... ..... _..,.....a — ~ -~ , '7  , v, ‘ ,. v, 

Merle Monte’s Sea-Scraper. 9‘

 

for I am really 'very
weary Good night!”

Without another word she went into the
state-room and Merle and Mezrak ascended
to the deck.

The storm had blown itself out, and the
vessel was rocking less. and also the waves
hit it less savage blows; but, as the island
was not visible, and they knew it would be
madness to attempt to go there, they return-
ed to the cabin, and while Merle threw him-
self dowu to rest upon a divau, Mezrak
stretched out upon a rug, and the two were
soon sound asleep. for their long confinement
had told upon them, and at last wearied out
.Nature asserted its rights in a slumber of
utter prostration.

It was several hours after midnight that a
human form came from the state-room of the
chief, and gazed at the two sleepers.

Their regular breathing told that they
slumbered heavily, and with light tread the
person crossed the cabin, and in gliding be-
neath the [dim swinging lamp, the face and
form of Little Belt, as I will now call her,
were visible.

Quickl she passed up the companionway
and st upon the deck. ,

The storm had wholly ended and a moon,

“just on the wane, rode in a sky from which

every cloud had gone.

The wind was blowing only fitfully, and
in light puffs, and the night had become soft
and balmy once more.

The rocky island lay grim in the moon-
light, its iron shores hurling back the waves
that still dashed upon it, for the sea was not
yet calm.

The vessel lay upon a reef, which in calm

weather was a re ecting spur of the island,
P

and wholly Visib e, while sunken rocks,
which she had passed on her way in, lay
astern of her, and could be seen off-shore for
the distance of half a mile.

How the craft had come through to the
land in safety seemed little short of a mira-
cle, and Little Belt, evidently proud of his
piloting feat, muttered grimly:

" I ran her through every anger, to wreck
her here as skillfully as though I had sailed
the channel for ears.”

A large boat ung at the starboard davits,
and beneath it was evidently deep water, and
another was on deck, badly stove, and these
were all that had escaped.

Forward, the vessel was an utter wreck,
for. her bows were literall in atoms, and the
forecaStle was open, andy the timbers upon
either side torn away, while both masts had
gone dOWu with the shock, and with their
Wreck of rigging had been hurled on shore.
. As she stood contemplating the wreck and
the Wild scene, her quick eye detected sev-

 

eral dark objects upon the reef moving slow-
ly toward the vessel.

They were men, she soon saw, though they
came along slowly and with evident pain.

“ After all Satan has been good to some of
his servants, and spared them,” she muttered.
and then in a low tone she added, while she
drew a pistol from her belt:

“But they shall die, for none must live."

Nearer and nearer drew the forms, and
presently they stood beneath the shadow of
the vessel, little dreaming who was looking
down upon them.

There were three of them; and the course
they had come along the reef showed that
the had been washed back from the shore,
an managed to cling to the rocks upon
which lay the vessel.

They looked utterly worn out and seemed
to suffer, and one said, in deep tones, which
distinctl reached the ear of the woman:

“ Wel , we are all that are saved, that is
certain, and I am happy in being here and
knowing that that accursed woman, Merle
Monte, and his slave are at the bottom 0
the sea.” '

" You are mistaken, Brandt, the Buccnv
neer; the accursed woman still lives.”

“ Great God!"

The cry broke from his lips as he heard
and recognized her voice, and he sunk back
against a rock for shelter, while his two
comrades turned as though to fly.

But, bleeding, sufl’ering, and worn out as
he was, Brandt was no man to lose his nerve
wholly, and he rallied quickly and said:

“Woman, I had hoped that you were at
the sea's bottom."

“ No; I took good care of myself— Hold!
do not attempt to board this craft, or, so
help me High Heaven, you 'die!"

e drew back, and she continued;

” Brandt Brentford, I made oath to bring
you to the gallows, but to save our victims,

was forced to let you die, as believed, in
another way. Why the poison I ave you
did not kill you God knows, and ow you
and those two wretches escaped the sea and
now stand before me, I cannot understand;
but your havrng escaped death proves to me
that I will yet keep my oath, and I rejoice
now that you live, so that one day I may see
you die upon the gallows."

“ fy Heaven, you shall not live to see that
day, or 1 will board this craft and kill you
now! Come, lads, follow me!"

He sprung to the side of the vessel, though
the effort wrung a or of pain from him, and
the woman saw that his arm hung limp at his
side, being evidently broken.

But she thrust the pistol almost in his face
and cried:

“ Back! or you die.”

 

10

Merle Monte’s Sea-Scraper.

2

 

He knew that she would kill him, and he
desisted, and then said

" You are armed and I am not."

“ That 1 well know, but I could bring
those to my ald by a call who would be only
too lad to know that you lived.”

“ ho are they?"

“ Merle Monte and his slave ”

He shuddered, and asked

“ Did the escape death?"

“ Certain y, and they are within call.

" But, Brandt Brentford, once more I am
willing to spare your life.”

“ That you may see me hanged ?" he
sneered

“ Yes, for that purpose only; but will
vou obey me to save your crime-accursed
life?"

It Yes"

“And your men?"

" Will obey me."

“ Then hear me Upon the starboard
quarter hangs a boat that is not injured, and
in it. as you should know, as you always
keep your boats stored in readiness for an
emergency, are rovisions and a water-cask,
with a mast, sai s and oars. You are a good
seaman, and can readily reach some port in
it, so I will lower it into the sea, you can
swim round and get into it, and thus make
your escape. ”

" How can you do this without Monte and
his slave hearin you?"

“ They are as esp in the cabin."

“ I do not believe on."

“Then I shall cal them, and leave you in
their hands.” '

“Captain, let us take the boat, sir," said
one of the men, anxiously.

“ Yes. captain, for you can return here
with more men," whispered the other man,
but it reached the quick ears of the woman.

Brandt stood a moment in silence, and was
evidently pondering deeply.

At last he said.

“ Belle Denham, I would risk death gladly
to be able to kill on, for you havedog ed
my steps like a b oodhound, and your is-

ises are so perfect and remarkable that I
flier you, I frankly confess. But I have
escaped your snares and shall so continue to
do, and now I take your advice. I believe
that Merle Monte and the slave are dead, and
that we four are all that are left of those on
board the cutter when she struck, for the
craft, as I can see, is a perfect wreck. But
I‘ll not risk your pistol to find out. and shall
leave you here alone. .The island will not
sink, and with another craft and crew I can
find it. Now, woman, lower away that
host. and we will bid you farewell.”

“Swim round the craft until you come
under it,” she commanded.

 

 

“ -- r .»
w n' -

“ We are bruised and bleedin from being 1
dashed against the rocks, an my arm is ;
broken,” answered Brandt. a:

“ I am glad that it is not your neck: but I 
have the joy yet before me of seeing a rope 
break that when you dangle from the yard- 3
arm.’ f
“ Come youl hold your tongue, and let 3
us cross the deck to the boat.” ; ‘

“ I w1li not, so swim around." 

“ I tell you we are not able." ,

“ Then stay where you are until Merle
Monte awakes, and, finding you alive,
turns you over to the tender mercy of his
slave.”

A muttered curse came from the chief at
this, and the three men stepped to the edge
of the reef and, dropping into the sea, sum 4 1
around as the woman directed.

She sprung upon the bulwarks and follow-
ed, watching them closely, and coming to
the davits where hung the boat, unfastened ;
the tackle that held it and lowered it into
the sea. going from bow to stem and lower-
ingr away a foot at a time. _

tmade a creaking sound several times,
and she paused, and leaning over said:

“ If the sound awakens them swim to yon-
der point, and I will tell them I wish to go
ashore alone and will bring the boat to you
there.”

But as no sound came from the cabin she
kept on with her work, the two sleepers be- .
ing too tired'to stir, and if hearing were too '
accustomed to such sounds, without waking
to a full sense of where they were, to be dis-
turbed by them.

At last the boat touched the water, and
clambering over the gunwale the two men
out her loose and drew on board their sorely
wounded chief.

Then, without a word to the woman the
moved'slowly away out upon the moonl t
waters, until, feelin , the wind they. step ed
the little mast, sprea the sail, and away Row
the small craft holding the destinies of one
who had a second time been saved, that he
might die upon the gallows, brought there
by a woman’s hand.

CHAPTER VIII.
THE TREASURE ISLAND.

Um'm the boat had disappeared wholly
from sight, and even the glimmer of the white
sail could be no more seen flashing in the
moonlight, the woman stood watching its .
course. .

With the daring for whlch he had always
been noted, Brandt. the Buccaneer, had
guided the boat out through the foam-capped
rocks. and aining a safe oiling had set sail.

“ Yes, he 1s going to Vera Cruz.” muttered , ~
Little Belt, as she saw the course he steered. .

‘_

 

 

I...

A..>,a:~——t~

 

{

..m.~.

.Mzfiw...m...

 

a...“ a»;..

Merle Monte’a Boa-Scraper;

ll

 

 

f “ Oh, whats strange being I am," she mur-
3 mured

“ That man’s death I crave more than
all else in the world, and yet, when I could
have sent a bullet through his heart, I did
not do’it Ay, when I could have gWen him

‘ over to that savage slave. Mezrak, to torture,

I would not do so, but let him live on and
on to do more evil, to stain the bright blue
waters with rmore blood, that some day I
might revel in the sight of seeing him swung
up to the yard-arm and feel that I had
brought him there and gained my revenge in
its fullest depths. When I poisoned his
wine I felt that it was a tame way to let him
die. But what a creature have I become, to
send three-score beings before their Maker,
as I did a few hours ago, and yet not even
shudder at the act ‘ And now, with that
{nan alive, and oing hence to do more harm
Hit the world, Igcan calmly lay me down to
5 cap.”

She gave another searching glance over the
waters as she spoke, and then turning slowly
left the deck and descended into the cabin.

The lamp had burned out its oil, and only
the moonlight's rays came down the com-
paniouway, but still Merle and Mezrak slept
soundly. and noiselesst she crept through to
bler state-room and threw herself down to
s cc p

A moment after she, too, slumbered, and
it was hours when she awoke.

Then she sprung to her feet. for it was
daylight, and she saw without the rays of
sunshine.

Arising, she took from her pocket a small
cake of some hard substance, and moistening
it she rubbed it upon her face.

After awhile the white skin began to show

i through the black dye, and ere long the

soft, marble-like complexion of the woman
was visible in all its purity and beaut .

Going upon deck she discovere . Merle
standing by the port quarter idly gazmg out
upon the island, and she touched him upon
the arm.

Bo noiseless had been her approach that he
had not heard her, and starting, he turned
§u1cklymhis hand dropping upon one of

randt’s swords which he had buckled on.

At first he seemed surprised, when the
black face was no longer confronting him;
but recallin in a secon all that. had passed
tmd all she Iiad told him, he politely raised
his hat and said: »

“Good-morning. I hope you slept well,
madam/l

“Call the Little Belt, please, for I like
that best. and remember, should we meet
Others. to you and Mezrak alone am I to be
known as other than what I seem."

"Cert-aim , Little Belt, if you so wish it;
but as I _‘not hear you stirring I judge

 

ou rested well, and, as for myself, I awoke
alf an hour ago to find Mezrak gone "

" Where has he gone 7” she quickly asked

“Ashore, I suppose, for, as you see, We
are on a reel that one can easily walk to the
island upon "

“Yes, so I see, but is not the cutter a
wreck?"and she glanced over the shattered
craft by daylight.

" Yes, it could not be worse, unless "it had
gone to pieces, and with the first blow from
the westward the hull Will break 11 . but
we‘ll make use of her timbers to repair our
quarters on shore, and she will turnish us
some luxuries, for I believe you told in - you
were tired of the world and Wished to remain
here with Mezrak and myself,"

“ Yes, I did say so; but there comes your
slave now.”

She pointed as she spoke to where Mezrak
was visible coming slowly along the shore

Ever and anon he would pause by a dead
seaman lying upon the rocks and sandy
beach, and after turning him over with his
foot would continue on toward the vessel

Mezrak was now plainly Visible. making
his we back to the wreck. and Merle and
Little elt allowed their gaze to wander over
the island.

It was not a cheerful spot b any means,
for the shores were one mass of agged rocks,
reefs surrounded iton all sides. and in the
interior it looked black and forbidding, for
no tree anywhere met the eye, and only a few
stunted bushes were VlBlble.

" For all that this island looks so barren.
Little Belt, over in the center of yonder hill
of stone is a home I dearly love There are
a few trees there, hidden from view by the
rocks, a spring of crystal water, a arge
cavern, acabin built of the ship timber of
my father’s vessel, and riches enough to
make me rival a king,” and Merle gazed
with real admiration upon the bleak scene ;
but then it was his home, and he loved it as
dearly as others love their palaces and vine
clad cottages. '

The woman watched him clci-ely as he
gazed upon the island, and asked:

“ Then you would not wish to leave this
island home?"

" No; 1 frankly confess I would not, for
outside of here I have nothing to live for "

“ But do you not fear that some one will
find this island, and rob you of your treas-
ure?’ -

“Why, no; for no one from any passing
vessel would care to land upon this bleak-
looking island, and did they do so they could
not find the treasure, and of course would
not suspect any was here.”

“You are mistaken, Senor Monte. for
there is one who now already contemplates

 

 

I! Merle House’s Sen-Scraper.

 

coming here to despoil you of your treas-

“ Indeed! How know you this?"

“ From his own lips.”

“ Who is it, may I ask?"

“ Brandt, the Buccaneer." was the woman‘s
low reply, and it caused Merle to give a. vio-
lent start, in spite of his nerve.

CHAPTER I
LITTLE nenr‘s coan SIGN.

“ WHY, that [Iléln is certainly dead.” cried
Merle, when Little Belt had spoken the name
of the famous chief, whom the youth had
seen pinioned and washed off the deck in a
halfdaz'ed way the night before.

“ lie is not,” was the calm reply, but be-
fore more could be said Mezrak, with a.
mitrhty bound, threw himself upon the deck

.an saluted his master.

The deformed Abyssinian, in spite of his
surroundings, was dressed with his usual
care, and in the full Persian garb, which
showed that he had been searching his ward-
robe on the island.

But what seemed to more particularly
catch the eye of both Merle and Little Belt
was that the jewel-hilted cimeter he wore
was stained with blood.

“There is blood on your blade, Mczrak,"
said Merle, with an air of interest.

“ True, master; it is the blood of our foes,”
was the calm reply.

“ Hal there are then foes on the island?”

“ There were, master."

“ How many?" ‘

“There were half a score who yet lived;
but I put them to death with my sword,”
was the cool reply. - ' ~

“ Seamen of the pirate craft?"

“ Yes, muster."

“ And all are dead now?"

“ All, master.”

“Did you see many bodies?"

“ About all who came with us, master.”

“ And tell me what of the chief?”

" I found him not, muster."

“ Was he not mangled beyond recogni-
tion?“

“ HadI seen the body of the chief, master,
I should have known it "

“I told you that Brandt, the Buccaneer,
still lived," said Little Belt, impressively.

” True; but did you mean it?" asked
Merle.

“I am not one to joke upon such a sub-
ject. and I repeat that Brandt Brentford is
alive."

“ But how know you this?"

“I have seen him."

“ Since we struck here last night?

It  fl

“ In Heaven’s name, when?”

 

 

“ Shortly after midnight.”
“But you were in the cabin all night?”
urged Merle.

“ You are mistaken, for I came on deck, i ,

unable to sleep.”

“ Without awakening Mezrak or myself;1

“ You were sleeping most soundly, and I
did not disturb you.

“ While standing here, looking at the ruin
I had caused, lsaw three men swimming
for the reef. They reached it, and came to
the side of the vessel, and then I saw
Brandt, the Buccaneer, and two of his
men. ’

” Hal do you hear that, Mezrak?”

‘-‘ Yes. master."

"And he is here on the island, so your
prayer for revenge will be answered," and
Merle spoke with some excitement, while the
eyes of the slave glanced with hatred and an—
ticipated joy commingled.

“No, Brandt is not upon the island," re—
marked Littlc Belt.

“ But how could he escape?”

“In a boat that swung from yonder

davits."

“Little Belt, pray solve all this in May
quickly for me," said Merle, impatiently

“ I will solve it by saying that as much as
I rejoice that I saved you and your slave
from death b torture, so much do I now re-
joice that randt, the Buccaneer, has es-
caped death, for, finding him last night with
a broken arm. though alive and almost him
self, I cut the boat from the davits, and bade
him and his two comrades depart.”

“In God’s name why did you do this?”
cried Merle. while the eyes of Mezrak flashed
viciously upon the woman.

“ To yet hang him to the yard-arm of an
American manof-war, as L have sworn to
do," was the savage rejoinder of' the woman,
and with this Merle and his slave were com-
petllled to be satisfied, for she would give no
ot er.

 

CHAPTER X.
A woman's PLOT.

REMEMBERING that the strange woman, in
carrying out her revenge upon'the pirate
chief, hud certainly saved the lives of him-
self and Mezrak. Merle Monte uttered no
word of reproach against her for having set
his arch enemy free. although he seemed to
feel that he would be again upon his track.
- But Mezrak said. sadly:

“ Ah, master, this island is no longer our
home.”

" How mean you, Mezrak?” asked Merle.

“ This vessel was run in here, and another
can do the same." ‘

“But this craft is a wreck."

“ True, master, but she came in inn storm

~n

 

Merle Monte’s Seal-Scraper.

 expel“ w.»

18

 

while another vessel will come near, when
the sea is calm, send her boats in, and our
secret is known.”

“I believe you are right, Mczrak,” said

Merle Monte.
‘ “:1 know_ he is right,” remarked Little’s?

Belt, turning from the bulwark upon which
she had been leaning.
" But what is to be done?”
“Leave the island,” answered Little Belt.
" But how ?"

paired.”

“True, but that will do no good.”

(I Why?"

“ It would sink under onetenth of my
treasure."

,The woman started, and asked:

“ Is it so great as that?"

1‘ Yes."

“Then the host can carry us from the
island."

“And leave my treasure to fall into the
hands of the man who has hunted me down

'for it?’

“ Can it not be concealed, so that he can.
not find it?"

“ What say you, Mezrak?”

“No, master."

“ There is no way, Mezrak, that you can

‘ hide it upon this island?” asked Little Belt.

“Not from the foe of my master, for, did
we sink it in the sea nearthe island, he would
find it.”

“ I believe you, Mezrak, so we must try
some other plan. '

" 1 can think of none," said Merle.

All three were silent for a moment, and
each one was plotting some means of escape,
and of saving the treasure.

At last the woman’s eyes flashed, and
Merle and Mezrak knew that she had hit
upon some plan.

“What is it?" he asked, as she turned to-
ward him, her face flushed.

:‘ That boat will carry you and I from
this island,” she said, ea erly, pointing to
the yawl, which had been ashed to the deck
between the masts. and was slightly stove in.

‘ Yes. and Mezrak?” '

"No, only you and I."

" And leave Mezrak here?"

" Yes." a

"I will not do it.”

“You will, for he cannot be disguised as
you and I can.”

 But for what motive?"

‘ To‘guard the treasure until our return."
‘ Where will we go?"

“ 'l‘o Vera Cruz. ”

“For what purpose?"

“ To get a vessel."

"A vessel?"

 

“ There lies a boat that can be easily re»

 

" Yes, one that can carry the treasure, and
is swift enough to show a clean pair of heels
to any pursuer." ,

“ You idea is a good one, but such a craft
is not easy to find. ’
“ I know of one, but it is not in Vera
Cruz.”

“ Where, then?”

“ In Havana."

“ But it doubtless belongs to Spain.”

“ It was built for the Government to send
dispatches and treasure to and from Spain to
Cuba.”

“ Then how know you the craft is in the
harbor of Havana?” I

“ She was not to he completed until about
this time." —_

“I see; but how can I got possession of
her, even if she should be there?"

“Money will buy anything," was the la-
conic response.

“ But not from a Government?” -

“ Well, from those who serve a Govern-
ment."

“You are a strange woman, and I have
half a mind to follow your advice and go to
Havana; but I will not leave Mczrak here
alone.”

“ You trust him wholly?”

"AsI would myself; but if Brandt, the
Buccaneer, should return before I get back
to the island. then poor Mezrak’s fate would
be a sad one.”

“But you will not leave him alone.”

“ Little Belt, you speak in riddles,” some-
what impatiently said Merle.

“ Have ou forgotten that I told you I had
looked hat a score or more of thecrew in
the hold?”

“ Hal 1 had forgotten it.”

“They were men I felt. I could trust, and
I spared them, and now they can remain here
until your return with your vessel and an-
other crew.”

" I intend to be no pirate, so that the crew
here will be suflicient for my vessel, if I get
one,” said Merle.

“ As you please about that; but it will be
well to have men enough to defend your
craft, should accident place you in dangerous
situations where it was necessar .”

" True; but I’ll tell you what I’ll do, Little
Belt.”

“ I am listening.”

“I like your plot, and I’ll _give you the
gold, or gems to buy a craft at any price, and
you can take these men here with you to

ring her back, for I know you to be a
thorough sailor.”

“And you?”

“ I will not desert Mezrak,” was the firm

repl . I
“It will be better for you to go, as Mezrsk

.  “my, .

 

t.

E

 

14 Merle Monte’s Sea-Scraper.

 

can tear the wreck to pieces, so that no pass-
ing vessel may see it, and the men can help
him. They will not be treacherous, know-
ing you are to return, and having no way to
leave the island, should they prove so.”

‘.‘ But Brandt may return.”

“And will. but he goes ashore without
money, and hasa craft and a crew to get.
You have gold. and can readily buy all that
you wish, and long before Brandt can return
you can be away with your treasure.”

“ Your plan is a good one, Little Belt, and
I will do as you say. Now let us open the
hold and see the men you have saved from
death, and I will set them at once to repair-
ing the yawl."

The woman smiled, as though delighted at
gaining her point, and a few moments after,
out of the hold came a youth with a bright
saucy face, and behind him half a score of
men who had evidently believed that the
ands of their lives had about run out.

CHAPTER XI.
A PAIR OF TRAITORS.

WHEN Brandt, the Buccaneer, sailed from
the Treasure Island that moonlight night, he
had already sworn in his heart to return be-
fore very long and yet gain the riches he
knew it held.

The more he thought over the matter, the
more he was convinced that the woman.
Belle Denha’n, the name she had borne when
he won her love to cruelly trample it under
foot, had some sinister motive in getting him
away from the island.

“ She wants the treasure for herself," he
muttered, as the boat sailed along, while he
held the tiller with one hand, and seemed un-
mindl'ul that his arm was broken, so intense-
ly wrought up were his feelings.

“ I believe.” he continued. “that Merle
Monte and the negro are dead, for they were
chained when the vessel struck, and the taff—
rail and bulwarks mtern were all torn away,
I noticed, by the waves. But she has some
one in her confidence, and whoever it is. she
intends shall share the treasure with her.
Ah! what a flendishly clever woman she is,
to dog my steps and deceive me, as she has
done, with her numerous disguises. Why, I
would have sworn that she was in realitv a
negro boy, when she so deceived me under
the name of Black Diamond. Curse her.
I’ll yet give her a fearful ayment for the
revenge ebts I owe her. y Heaven! I’ll
put back now to the island and dare all. be it
what it may. Forward, therel haul in this
sheet. for I shall go about.”

The two men were evidently taken by SUF
prise at this order, but made no movement
to obey.

“ D d you hear me!”

 

 

 

“ Yes, captain."

“ Why in Satan‘s name do you not obey?”

“ Do you mean to return to the island?”
asked one.

“ Yes.”
“We Won’t go back.”
" What! do on dare disobey me?" yelled

Brandt, wild With rage.

“Yes, for our lives are worth something
to us, and we don’t owe it to you, captain,
that we are alive now,” said one.

“No; and you owe it to us, sir, for when
we came across you in the water with your
broken arm, you would have gone down to
Davy Jones’s locker but for us!” added the
other.

“ By Heaven! I care not for your wishes,
and I command you to obey."

“And we refuse.”

“ Then I’ll hurl you into the sea," and the
maddened pirate chief arose and daringly
stepped toward the men, as though to carry
out his threat.

“ Hold on, Captain Brandt!"

The man’s tone was such as to impress the ,
chief with its earnestness, and he aused.

“ I found in the boat a pair of p stols and
a cutlass. and you are not on your own deck
now, and are at our mercy, so don’t threaten
us.’

Brandt saw the moon glimmer upon the
firearms, and did pause, for he knew he was
wholl at the mercy of the two men.

Ila they not been armed, even hurt as he
was. he would have sprung upon them, hav-
ing full confidence in his giant stren th: but
as it was, he would not face certain eath, so
sunk back in the stern-sheets with the re-'
mark: ,

“ You are right, my men. and I was mad
to think of returning to certain death."

“ But you don’t think there is anybody

 

 

 

alive on the island excepting that nigger boy
whom you tried to say. was a woman " said
one of the men.

“That is all I believe to be there, and we
could easily make ourselves masters of the!
island.”

“ Iguess we’ll wait until we get more men
to back us. captain." t

“ It will be the best plan,” was the reply of
Brandt .and he‘ settled hack to his own
meditations once more. "-

And thus the night and the following day
passed away. Brandt still keeping at the i
ielm, and holding along the coast, against
the wishes of the men. who had several
times seen a settlement upon the distant
s lores.

 

When night came, utterly worn out with ‘
suffering and fatigue, he was forced to yield
the tiller to one o the men, while he sought,
rest.

 

wan—n.—

nut-a

 

 

 

Merle Monte's Seal-Scraper.

 ,.. » =. H  can 

pa.

15

 

Directing the man how to steer, he lay
down in the sternvsheets, and was soon fast
asleep.

Then in whispers the two men talked to-
gether, and what they said boded no good
for the chief.

“ There is a light. lad, and it’s ashore; and
though I’m no navagotcr, I am sailor enough
to run this craft there,” said he.

“But what will the captain say, for he
does not wish to land yet?” asked the other.

“ I’ll not ask him, and besides, if we get
into port, and he raises a crew and gets a
ship, which he will do, why back to the
Treasure Island he‘ll go, and we will get a
few hundred pesos as our share.”

“ Right you are there, shipmate."

“ I know I am. and I think we might get
the treasure and do the dividing.”

" How do on mean?"

“We coul get a ship and crew as well as
the captain, for he has no money now.”

" True, shipmate."

" Then let us do so.”

. " Can’t we bind the captain and run him
In and get the gold ofiered for him?”

“No, that won't do, for we are pirates,
too, and I Won't risk it.”

“ Well, what shall we do?” a

" Hoist him overboard,and with his broken
arm, he'll soon sink, and then we’ll make
the land, and glitzy shipwrecked sailors, until
we can at to, era Cruz, and I guess a little
good ta k Wlll soon fit us out with acraft,
and a ood crew to man her, and then, my
lad, he or the Treasure Island."

“Do you mean it?"

” See if I don’t.”

With these words, the treacherous pirate
seized the sleeping form of the chief in his
arms and hurled him into the sea.

CHAPTER XII.
NOT BORN TO BE DROWNED

So thoroughly exhausted was the pirate
chief, that he sunk into the cold water of
the sea before he awakened to a sense of his
dan er.

T en, with a vigorous stroke of his able
arm, he rose to the surface, and saw the
boat gliding serenely away from him, for it
was bright moonlight.

.His rst thought was that be had been
thrown out by a lurch of the boat from a
sudden squall; but a glance showed him
that only a four-knot breeze was blowing.
and that there had not been wind enough
Pass, over to dip the gunwales of the stench
Ittle craft.

Then it occurred to him that the two sea-
' men were asleep and the craft had suddenly
broached to.

 

 

But no, the boat was holding steadily on
her course away from him.

All these thoughts flashed like lightning
through his brain. and then came the idea
that he had been thrown into the sea.

Instantly his clear, ringing hail went
across the waters:

“ Ho! he! the boat ahoyi"

“ Ay, ay, sir!” floated back to him.

“ Return and pick me up!" he cried.

No answer came, and he called out:

"Are you traitors to me, that you leave
me thus to die?”

” We are looking out for ourselves, Cap-
tain Brandt, and you can do the same!” came
the sullen response. .

“Yes; they have left me here to drown,
curse them i” he said, in strangely calm tones
for a man in his horrible situation.

But he was too proud‘ to beg for mercy,
and remained silent while the little boat with
his two traitor sailors glided further and fur-
ther away.

His broken arm gave him intense pain,
but this he did not seem to feel, and quietly
he scanned the sea, keeping himself gently
moving, which he could do readily with one
hand, as he was an expert swimmer.

His eye soon detected the distant light,
and, as he rose upon the crest of a wave, he
tried to calculate the distance.

“ Fully three leagues away," he muttered,
and then added:

“ Too far for me to reach, crippled as I
am.”

Then he glanced shoreward, and dimly
lvisigle afar ofi was the dark outline of the
an .

“ The land is nearer ofi here, and yet I
fannot reach it, for I cannot hold up very

ong.
“ But I don’t despair yet,” he grimly and
pluckily said.

Thus an hour passed, and then, just as the
past, with all its grim, horrible phantoms

egan to troop up before him, and he knew
that he was looking death squarel in the
face. for he could hold out but a ew mo-
ments longer, he caught sight of a sail.

“ Ha! it is the boat. returning for mel” he
cried.

“ They have relented and will pick me u ;
but I shall not ask it of them,” was his ho d
decision.

Nearer came the sail, and then his keen
eyes detected that it was not the boat he had
left the island in. >

“ Why, it is a large craft, and my eyes
must be fearfully dimmed by sailt water to
make the mistake,” he said. I

And still nearer came the strange sail, and
then he saw that it was aim-fie vessel, glid-
ing gracefully along under to sail. -

"was: .., ,.

‘ ‘7'“

18

Merle Monte’s Seat-Scraper.

 

Her course lay near him, and yet she

mi ht pass him by.

is eyes were too dimmed to see just what
she was, and she might be a vesel-of—war,
and then his days would only end at the
yard-arm if he was recognized.

But death was certain there for he could
not hold up five minutes longer he well
knew, and so raising his voice he took the
chances and hailed loudly:

“ Ship ahoyl”

No answer came to his bail.

“ Ship ahoyl ahoyl"

Still no answer, and his hope and despair
so close together, caused great beads of sweat
to stand upon his forehead. .

h“A,hoyl ship ahoyl ahoyl Hol the shlp,
~a o I ’
' Like the ringing notes of atrumpet his
splendid voice rung out, and instantly he
heard a Commotion on board, and then came
the answer_:.

" Whereaway? Who hails?”

“ A shipwrecked sailor, adrift in the
water.

“ Here, ofl your port quarter,” was shout-
ed back in the toues that had often thrilled
his pirate crew in many a red combat.

“A , ayl Keep up heart, and I'll send
you a oat,” came from the ship.

A moment after. with remarkable celerity,
a boat was lowered. and came pulling rapid-
ly toward the drowning man.

Nearer‘and nearer it came, but the dimmed
eyes could not see it, for the pirate’s strength
was rapidly failing.

Nearer and nearer, until he heard it almost
upon him, and then from his lips broke the
words: .

“ By Heaven! but I was not born to be
drowned.”

A laugh at his pluck broke from those in
the boat, and the next instant he was drawn
on board.

But he was insensible, for even his human
nature could stand no more.

CHAPTER XIII;
A nrsrnmous PAIR. .

A mssar. of great beauty was scraping
over the sea, some weeks after the scenes re-
lated in the foregoing chapter. and her
course In for the Havana, the frowning
fortress 0 which was just discernible in the
far distance.

The craft was of schooner rig, and yet was
remarkably long fora vessel carrying but
two masts.

'Her hull was low, very narrow, and her
bows as sharp as a razor.

Her sails were of vast dimensions, her
masts extremely tall, and her spars long and
slender.

 

She was painted black, excepting a narrow »' ‘

ribbon of crimson that encircled her hull,
and her masts and spars were of the same
somber hue, but the ends were enlivened by
red paint, which gave the craft a peculiar
appearance.

An armed vessel she certainly was, though
no ports were pierced in her bulwarks, and
no guns were visible alon her broadsides;
but fore and aft were two ieavy forty—twos.
mounted upon pivots, and three cannon of
large caliber seemed ample either for chasing '
or escaping a foe.

Upon her decks a crew was visible, not ,
numbering over forty men, and they were
dressed in black, with red band around the
cap, and a red sash.

But upon the quarter-deck stood a ,roup
of uniformed gentlemen, who were evi ently
not the ofllcers of the vessel, and in fact they
were but invited guests, for the strange craft,
which was making nine knots out of a six-
knot breeze, was a Spanish dispatch-boat
just completed and on her trial trip before
the Government (purchased her from her
builders. _

All on board were delighted with her, and
the report that would be made to the captain- -
general, upon the return from the cruise of
a day would certainly result in a handsome
price being paid for the craft.

As the castle of El Moro came higher out
of the Waters, and the captain had 'ust an-
nounced that in three .hours the ed Belt
would drop anchor in the harbor, a black
cloud soared up above the horizon.

As all watched its rapid spreading over the
skies, and knew that it portended a storm,
and perhaps one of those fearful tornadoes so
frequent in the latitude of the Gulf, there
came from the foretop the cry in Spanish:

“ Sail hol”

“ Whereaway?" called out the captain, his
eyes not catching sight of a single bit of can-
vas upon the broad expanse of waters, other
than that above his decks.

“ Dead ahead. Senor Captain,” was the an-
swer of the lookout. ’

“ Ah! I see it. ’Tis a little boat and head-
ing toward Havana.

“ It must be a shipwrecked crew.

” Keep her so as to run within pistol-shot,
helmsmal}, for we must take them aboard to
esoape this storm,” said the captain.

The helmsrnan obeyed, and in a short time
it was seen that the craft was a small, but
trim yawl, carrying a tiny sail, and with but
two occupants in it.

One of them sat at the helm and was a
youth in the white duck suit worn by the
American coast planters at that time, and the
other was a negro boy. '

“ Ho the yawll" shouted the captain. ,

Hmmmm

n— ». nuns—4m

 

 

 

 

,Mnr

 

 

. Merle Monte’l Sear-Scraper.

1'9

 

' "‘Av, ay, sir,” came the answer.

" Where from and whither bound 1"

“I was blown off the Florida Coast in a
gale, and am bound for the nearest port of
safet ,” was the response in good Spanish.

“ ill on let us pick you up, for yonder
storm will burst soon ‘2"

“ es, thank you, I will only be too
glad.”

The schooner was lufied up into the wind
until her sails flapped, and the yaw] was laid

’ alongside most skillfully, and upon the ves—

sel's deck stepped Merle Monte and Little
Belt, the former in the attire of aplanter, and
the latter wearing once more her disguise of
a negro boy.

The captain of the Red Belt received Merle
at the gangway, just as he cast his yaw]
adrift, and welcomed him on board, at the
same time introducing himself to him, for he
felt that he was in the presence of a gentle-
man, though one in misfortune.

“My name is Monteith, sir. and with my
slave here, I was sailing otf the coast where
I live. when I was blown out to sea and had
to send before the gale, and you see where
it has brought me. Had I not had a few
stores oh board we would have suffered
greatly,” said Merle in a free and easy way.

The captain congratulated him upon his
escape, introducing him to his guests, and all
admired the elegant young American planter,
as he was supposed to be.

A short while after the arrival of Merle and
Diamond on board, the tornado struck the
sea, and the beautiful vessel, stripped to meet
it, rode outvthe terrific gale as securely as
thou h at anchor in a harbor.

“ on are certain, Diamond. that this is the
schooner you had reference to?" asked Merle,
addressing Little Belt, who stood near him
while the storm was raging, for the youth
had declined to go below with the guests
and escape the fury of the gale.

“It is, for I cannot be mistaken, and her
builder is the stout, English-looking man, if
he has not sold her to the Government,” was
the re 1y,

“ e l, if he has not, I will have her, cost
what she may,” was the determined reply.

“ She sails like the wind, as you saw,
Senor Merle, and rides out this storm as
thou she was in port.” I

" he does indeed," answered Merle, and,‘

as the danger was over, he began to talk
“instilleicapaa‘i’n about his vessel.d bu ? ,
e as v m nt cruiser, ou ess’
he asked. ' , am e
“ She was built by a private contractor as
3-m0del, and I suppose the Government will
purchase her. as she is now on her trial trip,
and the naval officials are on board; but her
price is high,” said the captain.

 

 

“What does her owner ask for her?” in—
quired Merle.

"Here he is, sir, and you can ask him,”
was the reply. ,

Merle put the query, and the answer was:

“ Thirty thousand pesos, Senor Ameri-
cano, and the naval commandante says it is
too much.”

“ Indeed! I think her cheap, and will give
you fifty thousand,” was Merle’s cool reply.

The owner of the beautiful vessel looked
at him in surprise, and then glanced at his
supposed-d'negro boy and back again at the
youth. _

“Do you mean it, senor?” he queried,
while his eves glittered with delight.

“I do, sir.”

The owner called the captain and whis-
pered to him the offer, and that personage
gazed at Merle and Diamond in surprise.

After a moment’s conversation together,
the captain said:

“ Pardon me, senor, but you appear a
mere boy in years.’L

“ 1 am nothing more in reality, sir,” was
the cold reply.

“ And we picked you up at sea, sir.”

(I Yes. 1’ ‘

“ In an open boat, senor!”

“ True.”

" With only your negro slave?"

“ Yes, sir.” ~

“Pardon me again, Senor Americano, but
while I know that all of the planters on your
coast are very rich, it surprises me that one
so young as you are can offer such an im-
mense sum for a vessel."

“ Yet I make the oflfer in good faith.”

“What would you wish with the vessel,
Senor Monteith?” -

“That, Senor Capitan, I do not consider
your afiair.” -

The Spaniard winced and looked at the
owner of the vessel, who suggested:

“Perhaps for a pleasure craft for the
senor?”

“ Yes, I want it for my own pleasure, and
I offer you more than your price.”

" Far more, senor."

“ Will you take my offer?"

" When is the payment to be made?"

“When I land in Havana.”

“Yes, Senor Americano, I will take your
offer." said the owner; and turning to the
captain, he continued:

“ I know the commandante intended tak-
ing the craft, hut wished me to fall in my
price, if he could make me do so. _

“ We must now make them all believe that
the schooner is unseaworthy, too long for her
breadth of beam, too deep for her low-lying
hull, and in fact no sea-boat at all.

" I’ll go below and frighten them all, cap-

 

m owl-qr: , '

13.’

_ .
p .
. .,

 

 

 

18 Merle Monte’s SearScx-aper.

 

tain, while you make her jump about like a
chip in a mill-raco, for the vessel’s sold to
this mysterious American and his equally
mysterious slave."

“Yes. they are a mysterious pair,” said
the captain, and then he set to work to make
the schooner behave so badly,that the Spanish
officials in the cabin crossed themselves,
counted their heads, and swore that the
beautiful craft was all right in a dead calm,
but in a blow was nothing more than a
floating coflln; and when at last she dropped
anchor, pale with fright, but thankful for
their safety. they ventured ashore in disgust
with the owner of the schooner and her
strange model.

But soon after his wounded feelings were
healed by a sum in Spanish bank~notes of
nearly double his price for her, and Merle
Monte was the owner and captain of the much-
:tbused schooner Red Belt, a veritable sea-
scraper.

CHAPTER "XIV.
THE TWO SPIES

“ WELL, Senor Americano, I suppose, you
will wish me for your captain, or, at least,
desire me to run your vessel over to your
shores for you?" said the Spanish captain
of the Red Belt when he had seen Merle,
after an hour‘s absence on shore, return on
board and pay the schooner's owner the
sum he had agreed to give.

“ No, thank you, senor, but I will be my
own captain,” replied Mvrle.

“But you are too ymIng, senor, to be a
navi ator, or thorough sailor.”

“ was old enough to run ayawl with
only Black Diamond here as an assistant,
many a long mile, senor, through rough
weather and calm, and I do not fear not be-
ing able to take my new purchase to her
destination.”

“But you will need an under officer, and
I will gladly serve in that capacity for good

i pay, and a. clipper‘ship passage back to

Havana," still urged the Spanish captain

“Thank you, no. I shall need no under
olficer, senor."

“ But a boatswain and crew, you certainly
will—" .

“I certainly will select my own crew,
senor.”

“Allow me to suggest, senor, that you en-
gage my friend here, the captain, and his
crew,” put in the former owner of the
schooner.

Merle’s face flushed with anger, but he
said, quietly:

“ Do you consider that you have sold this
craft?”

ll I do. )1

“ You have your money?"

 

“ I have.”

“ You engaged this captain and crew for
yourself 7”

“ I did, senor.”

“ Then he so good as to at once go ashore,
and order the captain and his crew to ac-
company you."

The two men looked at each other in sur-
prise.

The purchaser of the Red Belt was cer-
tainly a most mysterious personage.

Then they turned their gaze upon the
handsome young negro, Blac Diamond.

That personage was smiling, and showing
his even, milky-white teeth.

But still the two men sat in the schooner‘s
cabin.

They had received far more than the
worth of the vessel, but they were curious .
to know more of this waif they had picked
up at sea.

Seeing this determination in their faces,
Merle arose and said:

“Senor, this is my vessel, and if you do
not leave it. bag and baggage, crew and all,

I will at once report to the captain-general :

your trick to defraud the Government out of 
the Red Belt, because I needed the craft
enough to pa you nearly double the sum
you expecte to get for her. Iwill give
you five minutes to decide whether you will
go or stay.” >

 

 

“ But, my dear Senor Americano. we are
most friendly toward you, and only wish—~"
“ Will you go?"

to—

“Diamond. go at once to the palact'o of the ‘

captain-general and ask him to send an om-
cer and squad of marines on board of this
vessel, where he shall hear of something
that—”

“No, no, senor, I beg of you not to send
that polished piece of ebony oi! on any such
an errand, for we go at once. Come, cap—
tain, the vessel is sold, and we have no right
here.”

"Adios, Senor Americana.” and the late
proprietor of the Red Belt hastened from the
cabin, followed with ludicrous alacrity by
the captain, who at once mustered his crew
and had them all set on shore. -

But‘he turned to one of his men, the boat-
swain, and a dark-faced sinisterlooking fel-
low, and aid:

“ Pedro. get a man to board that craft and

see if he can ship on her. If so, let him get
more men berths aboard, and mind you. he
must learn all about that mysterious youth
who claims to be an American and yet speaks
Spanish like a grandee of Spain. I am curi-
ous to know mere of him."

“ Now, senor, don‘t be angry, but listen '
n

92H: *4 8'20'1'0. :3

n4t-nA

s

 

The boatswain at once departed upon his

 

 

 

V?

m

 

—--w (i

 

 

L.
I

errand, and visiting a pulperz'n* soon found
the man he wanted for the work.

“Go on board, Vincente,” he said, “and
find out what is up, and if the craft is going
on a cruise for doubloons let me know and
I’ll enlist too, If you think we can take her
for our own purpose, iiust say so, and I’ll
board with a precious _ot of cut-throats, as
you know I can.”

” Yes, Pedro; I know you can get a crew
for any flag, and I’ll find out the colors of
the stranger verysoon.”

The man addressed as Vincents was a
Cuban, and possessed a dark, handsome face,
full-bearded, and with an expresssion that
was cruel and cunning lurking about the
mouth.

He was well-dressed in sailor rig, and
moved ofi with a graceful swing toward the
shore.

Arriving there, he called to a shore boat
to row him ofl to the schooner.

Upon the deck stood Merle and Little Belt,
they alone being on board, and they were
discussing the best plan of getting a small
crew to run the schooner back to Treasure
Island, when Vincente came alongside, and
politely touching his cap, asked:

“ Senor Capltan, do you want a sailor for
a berth on board?”

“ Come on board, my man,” ordered Merle.

“Yes, I want a man like you, and 1 need
about ten more good lads. “ Do you think
you can ship them for me?"

“Yes, senor; but for what service?" asked
Vincents.

. “For a service that will pay them well."

“ I’ll go, senor, if I have to take hard
knocks to earn my ay, and I can get you a
crew to suit you. ow man did you say?”

“ Ten men besides yourself.”

“All right, senor.”

“Bring them off to-night at four bells, for
I Wish to sail with the midnight tide." _

“ Yes, senor," and the Cuban re-entered
his boat and rowed ashore, while he mut-
tered

"Thatis the very youth Captain Brandt
wished to capture, to make him tell the
secret of where he had buried some great
treasure. B the saints! but Carlos Vin-
cents, you s all wring the secret from him,
unless you discover it by his sailing. to his
“fluid. where his riches must become your
fiches. Ha! ha! I guess I’ll give old Boats-
wnln Pedro the slip on this, and take my
Own crew on board. '

 

CHAPTER XV.
, ' smears A CREW.
“ LITTLE Bum, I believe I have seen that

‘A Spanish wins and lodxtnxahouas.

Merle Monte’s Sou-Scraper.

 

19

man before," said Merle Monte, as Vincents
rowed away from the schooner’s side.

“ And I have seen him also.”

“ Where?"

“ He was one of the crew of Brandt, the
Buccaneer, in the fight in the lagoon where
you captured the cutter.”

“ By Neptune! but you are right.

“I recall the circumstance now, and how
well he fought.”

“ Then he is a villain.”

“ Of course."

“ And will you take him on board now?”

“ Certainly. ’ ,

“ And the crew he brings?"

“By all means.”

“ You run a great risk.

“ In what way?"

“ You may lose the Schooner and your
own life, too."

“ Not I.” .

“How can you Erevent it, if they rise in
mutiny and eize t e vessel?”

“1 will show you, Little Belt.

“You take command until my return.”

Springiug into the dinghy, Merle sculled
himself rapidly ashore, and walked up into a
quarter of Havana which was only occupied
by seatearing men and their families.

Stopping at one of the pulpem’as he entered
and asked for the landlord.

That worthy, or rather unworthy, for he
was a villainous-looking wretoh, soon made
his appearance.

“ What does the senor desire?" he asked,
politely. seeing by the appearance of his
visitor that there was a chance to make a

or two.

“ 1 need a crew of ten men for some work
that will pay."

“ Under what flag. senor?”

" That is no more your business than it is
of the men, if they consent to ship,” was she
haughty reply. '

fl “ Ah! the senor intends to select his own
ag‘?“

“ The senor will do as he deems best.

“ Can you furnish the men?”

“Yes, senor.”

“ When ?"

“Within the hour.”

“I want no cowards.”

“ With gold at stake, senor, all men are
brave.”

“Very well, bring them to me on board
the schooner Red Belt just after dark.

“ Let no man know where he isgoing. and
be careful that no one sees you come on
board.”

“ Yes, senor; but is not'that the craft built
for the Government?”

“ It is a craft which was built for the
Government, but which I bought. Here is

 

my“. .

fig," .

m.->..<r'.-,as‘_

f :
[Zywmfiwnac a. "rd v ,

20

Merle Monte’s Sear-Scraper.

 

gold for you, and I‘ll double it -if you serve
me faithfully.”

The man giggled outright at the generous
sum placed in his hand, and remindin him
of the time. and to be discreet, Merle onte
took his leave.

“ Well. Little Belt, has any one been on
board?” asked Merle, as he rowed back to
the schooner. and was met at the gangway
by the cleverlydisguised woman.

“Not any one," was the reply, and then
Merle told of his trip on shore, and the two
ke t watch far the coming of the crew. -

t was just after dark fell upon the harbor,
and the lights began to twinkle from a bun-
dred vessels, that a large boat was seen ap-
proachina the schooner.

“ Red ficlt ho!” came in seamen-like tones:

" Ahoy the boatl" -

“ What do you want?" asked Merle, in re-

1 .

{To see the Senor Capitan. for I have a
batch of lambs for him to take to sea."

Merle recognized the voice of the landlord
of the pulpert'a he had visited, and ordered
him alongside.

“ I have the lads for you, senor, and all of
them a precious lot, I can pledge you.”

Merle led the way into the cabin, and
when the cabin lamp fell upon the half-score
seamen, he felt, indeed, that the landlord
had spoken the truth, for they were, in fact,
as precious a lot. if their faces were any cri-
terion, as even Brandt the Buccaneer could
desire.

“Men, I need you for a special service,
and your quarters are in those two state-
rooms. Your arms will he given you when
I have work for you to .do. and then I shall
expect you to obey my orders. Mind you,
no talking, and not one-of you are to leave
those state-rooms without my orders. Your
pay shall be liberal, and it any man does not
care to serve with me, let him return with
the landlord.”

There was no dissenting voice; the crew
went silently into the state-rooms pointed
out by Merle, and the landlord took his leave
happy in the liberal fee he received for his
services.

CHAPTER XVI.
was: near son masrnrcv.

IT was not very long after the departure
of the jubilant landlord of the ulpert‘a, be-
fore another boat'came alongslde the Red
Belt, and Carlos Vincents appeared over the
gangwav.

“ Well. senor, I have your men.”

“Iam glad to see you so prompt.
you depend upon them?” said'Merle.

“ In anything, Senor Captain, you may be

Can

 

pleased to command them," was the obsequi-
ous response.

“Very well, 'sir, let them get to their
posts, for I get under way at once.”

The new crew sprung to work with a will.
the anchor soon left the bottom, the sails
were unfurled and set, and the Red Belt
darted out of the harbor, left the frowning
fortress of El Moro far astcrn. and rode the
bi [lows of the Gulf with a grace that charmed
both Merle and Little Belt, while she glided
through the water at a speed that won their
admiration. '

It was the second evening out of port, the
lookout had sighted a sail, and Merle was at-
tentively regarding the stranger through his
glass, when Carlos Vincente approached
11m.

Merle had made him second ofiicer, "an
honor which the Cuban seemed to greatly
enjoy, and coming aft he said:

“Senor Captain, do you know yonder
craft?"

“She looks like an American,” answered
Merle.

" You are right, senor, she is an Ameri-
can.”

“ Do you know her?”

"I do, senor.”

“ What is she?”

“ The swiftgst packet-brig in the Gulf, and
one which they say Brandt, the Buccaneer,
has chased a hundred times. but Which was
always too light of heel for even his cutter,
no matter what Wind she sailed with."

“ Is it not the Skylark?" asked Merle.

“ Yes, senor.”

“ She frequently carries large sums of gold,
I believe “

“ So she does, Senor Captain, and now has
on board a large amount I heard she was to
sail with on this voyage.”

“Well, her gold is nothing to me, Vin-
cente.”

“ But it is to us, Senor Captain," was the
bold reply of the man.

“ IIow mean you sirrah?" demanded
Merle sternly, and he glanced toward Little
Belt, who quietly left the deck, seemingly
understanding his look.

“I mean. senor, that I know you now as.
a fledgling of. the American Navy. and by
carrying you in I can get a price for you as
a condemned mutlneer, while yonder vessel
will pay us well. so 1 command this craft
now, and you go in irons.” .

Merle did not even look surprised at the
strange Words of the boatswain, who had so
quickly thrown ofi his mask, but asked,
with utmost calmness: -

“ Am I understand this as a mutiny?"

" Yes, if so you like it. my handsome
young captain," was the bold response.

 

 

 

 

 

Merle Monte’s Sea-Scraper.

21

 

“And do your men back you up in this
lawless stand against your captain?” came
the e ually calm question.

“ hey do.

“He, men! and teach this boy that we
hold this craft now. But harm him not, for
there is a price on his head.”

At the cry of their leader the mutineer
crew came aft at a run. ~

But Merle held his ground firmly, and said:

sternl :
“ leen. return to your, posts.”

“ N0!" came in a loud chorus.

“Take him, lads!" cried the boatswain,
and the men moved toward Merle Monte.
who sprung backward, and, drawing his cut-
lass and istol, shouted in ringing tones:

“ H0, ads! throw these mutincers into the
sea!”

There was a burst of mocking laughter
from Vincente and his men at this order. but
it chau red to a chorus of yells of dismay and
rage, w en up the companionway two abreast
and led by the supposed negro boy. dashed a
band of armed men. to aid their captain.

Then came the hot fight of rattling pistols
and crashing cutlassess, and Merle Monte
with his untried crew swept forward, and
Vincents and his men, unnerved by the turn
affairs had taken, were beaten back to the
forecastle and cut down without mercy.

“ Save that wretcli for the yard~arml”
shouted Merle, and Carlos Vincente was
dragged to the feet of the young leader, cry-
iniifor mercy.

, at a noose was quickly made in a hal-

‘ yard and thrown around his neck. and at a
command from Merle Monte, the pirate and
mutmeer was hauled up in mid-air, the last
one of his band of outlaws.

“ Now, lads, you have done well, so
spring to your posts and let the Red Belt
walk through the water,” cried Merle, and
takin the helm he held on for the Treasure
Island.

 

CHAPTER XVII.
A STRANGE SAIL IN THE osFINo.

I'r.was night and the sea was wild. the
Skies overcast and the winds went skurrying
along at at forty-knot rate,

The day had been a stormy one. and when
the shadows of night fell. the dwellers upon
Treasure Island grouped together and
anxiousl , looked 'out over the the waste of
"new. or there had been a sail sighted
afar off late in the afternoon by Needles.
5‘ Youth who was the life of the lonely
dwellers upon the barren rocks. '
'.‘ I guess you didn’t see no sail. boy." said
an old tar Who formed one of a group of a

Qzen men who stood under the shelter of a
Cliff and were gazing seaward.

 

The remark was addressed to Needles,
who stood near, and the answer came
quickly:

“Because you are’ so old as to be half-
blind, Ben Bolt, you shouldn’t doubt the eye-
sight of those that can see.”

All laughed at this excepting Ben Bolt
who replied: '

“There are good eyes among this party

{of lads, boy, and no one else could see a sail,
'not even Mezrak."

' “Nezrak was sleeping until night came,"
said the Abyssinian quietly.

“ Well, nobody else who was wide awake
saw the sail, and yet Needles swears it was
a schooner-rigged craft, heading for the
Island. _

“ But if you had seen it, Mezrak. I would
not have doubted.” responded Ben Bolt.

“ No, and if you had, your fear of the
knife Mezrak Wears would have made you
swear against your own conscience. which I
would not do if I died for it.

“ I’m bad, I know, for I‘m in your lot:
but accident got me a berth on a pirate craft.
and the gold I have made by it my good old
mother gets and thinks I came honestly by it.

“But let me once get the chance to get
back to her. and I‘d not go pirating again if
I could get the gold which Brandt, the Buc-
caneer, has made.

“ But, shipmatos. I did not deceive you, for
I saw a schooner coming this way. and if
your eyes missed it, it was your misfortune
and not my fault— Light ho!”

Needles ended his remark with a or that
sent every eye peering off into the dar ness,
and at once Mezrak cried: .

“Ay, ay, lad, it is a vessel‘s light!”

“ Then I was right," triumphantly said the
youth.

“You were, Needles, you were!" cried a
dozen voices in chorus, while old Ben Bolt
sa1 :

“ When 1 am wrong, lad, I owns up, and
so I hauls down my flag now.”

“ You better hoist it again, old man, to greet
the return of our captain.”

“How know you it is the young captain,
lad?" asked Ben Bolt.

” The same way you know there is a storm
coming, old man—my bones tell me," was
the pert reply.

“Well. if it is not, I'll break your bone.
for your impertinence, Needles." .

“ Better clip my tongue. Ben Bolt." laugh.
ed Needles, and then he again turned his gaze
upon the light, now plainly visible a mile
away, and dancing about upon the waves.

Suddenly it seemed to go out; and many
said it had been a hallucination, created by
a desire to see a coming vessel.

But Mezrak and Needles said no, and the

 

 

82 Merle Monte’s Sear-Scraper.

 

Abyssinian was always authority, as no one
dared contradict him.

“ Seel there is the vessel,” said Needles,
and this assertion the slave confirmed, though
no other eye than his and the lad’s seemed to
see the craft.

“ Yes, it is a schooner, and she is heading
inshore; but soon 1 will know if my master
commands her," said Mezrak.

All then waited in breathless suspense, and
it was not lon before they too saw the ves-
sel, even to 01 Ben Bolt.

“ She is coming in close," said one.

“ She has an ugly night for it.”

“ She is handled well.”

“ Now, Mezrak, what do you think of
her?"

And thus went on the remarks and ques-
tions, until at last the Abyssinian said in his
calm way:

“ In a minute more I will know if it is my
master’s vessel.”

“ How, Mezrak?"

“ If he is not at the helm she will go to
pieces on a reef for which she is heading
now.”

“And if he is at the helm?"

“Then she will luff up short, go on the
starboard tack and hold it right through the
reef until she drops anchor in the basin," was
the reply of the black.

All breathlessly awaited the result, for
were it a strange vessel and her crew to come
there, what would be their fate?

Were it a craft over whose destinies Brandt,
the Buccaneer, held sway, then they knew
they would not be forgiven for having been
spared by the one who drove his vessel to
wreck and death upon the rocks.

Another moment and a cry burst from
every throat, for the strange sail in the oiling
had luffed up short, just when her oows
seemed about to dash upon the sunken reef.

CHAPTER XVIII.
Tim MONSTER on THE DEEP.
EAGERLY every e e on the Treasure

 

‘ Island watched Merle onte’s Sea—Scraper as

it held on the port tack to the basin. and a
sigh of relief came from every lip when the
plunge of her anchor was heard that told the

‘ story of who was her commander.

That no boat dare come ashore that night
all knew, for the waves breaking upon the
beach would have broken it in pieces in a
second’s time; but still there was one who
would not wait until the morning to see his

‘ master, and that one was Mezrak, the faith-

ful.

Throwing aside his outer clothing, he
plunged into the wild waters and immedi-
ately disappeared from the sight of those
who were watching him.

 

A powerful swimmer, he urged his way
out into the darkness and tempest-lashed sea.
until at last the vessel loomed up before him.

Having dropped anchor and gotten all in
ship-shape for the night, the crew of the
vessel were congregated in the forcastle, dis-
cussing the courage and skill of their young
commander in running the vessel into the
basin in safety.

They were the same “ precious lot " of the
grulpen'a landlord, minus several who had
been killed in the fight for the mastery of the
vessel. and, convinced that Merle Monte was
the man to be their captain, they had proven
amost efficient and willing crew, and their
behavior would have certainly been a sur-
prise to the man who shipped them, for he
had taken every man who was in arrears to
him for lodging, food or 1i uors.

That Merle Monte was a avorite with his
men was evident from the manner in which
they discussed him; but, in the midst of their
praise of the young commander, they all
sprung to their feet with cries of horror.

“ Santa Maria!"

“ C’m-amba l”

“ Sam !"

“ El D-t'ablo I"

“ A black Satan!"

“ Holy saints! I am punished for my sins!”

“Spare me, good devil!” a '

“ Run lads, alll for Satan has boarded
us.”

Such were the wild expressions, prayers
and oaths that escaped the lips of the crew,
and the advice of the last speaker was taken
with a vengeance, at seeing suddenly sprin
into their midst a huge black form, wet an
dripping, and with the look of a monster of
the deep.

All started pell-mell for the after art of
the ship, wholly forgetful in their f ght of
quarter-deck discipline and etiquette.

But two unfortunates were unable to es-
cape, and the long arms reached for them,
the bony fingers grasped them, and, shaking
them as a mastifi would a poodle, he threw
them aside and went on his way aft with ex-
pressions of anger. . r

In alarm Merle Monte sprun to his feet
and started on deck, rapidly ollowed by
Little Belt, and at the head of the compan-
ionwny he met the frightened crew, and
brought them to a sudden halt by presenting
his cullass and barring their way.

“ What means this fright?” he demanded,
sternly,

“ T e monster of the deep 1" yelled one.

 

Merle glanced beyond the frightened crew,
and crie :

“Back to your den, you dogs! That man
is my friend, my ever aithful Mezrakl”

 

 

 

 «A ‘

 

 

Merle Monte's Seal-Scraper. 28

 

CHAPTER XIX.
THE GOLD SHIP.

THE crew of, the Red Belt shrunk back at
the stern command of Merle Monte and iv-
ing Mezrak plenty of sea room, returne to
the forecastle, with another important sub-
ject to discuss.

In the mean time Merle entered the cabin
with Mezrak and Little Belt, and the former
said:
"I told Little Belt you would come out,
my good Mezrak, for when I ran in, I felt
you would know it was my vessel; but I
dared not show alight, or ive any sign, for
fear Brandt might have arrived before me.

“ Has all gone well?"

“ Yes, master.”

"And the crew?”

“ Are in good spirits, and delighted at

V your return, master.”

“Well, Mezrak, we will soon get away
from the island, for you see I have afine
craft."

“Yes, master, and I am very glad to see
it, for as the days passed and you did not re-
turn, I feared you might have one down in
the ales that came after your eparture."

“ o. Mezrak, we weathered them all, and
the yawl behaved nobly, but we met this ves-
sel, and were picked up by her just in time
to save ourselves, for I never saw a worse
tornado than the one that broke upon us off
Havana, and our little boat could never have
lived throu h it. "

And unti late into the night Merle and
Mezrak talked, and then the slave threw him-
self down to rest upon a rug.

But, with the first glimmer of day, the
slave was on his feet, and went on deck. ‘

The crew looked askance at him at first,
excepting one or two, who sought to curry
favor by a bow and a smile. .

But the black cut them dead, and spring-
ing overboard, swam ashore. where he was
met by every denizen of the island, who
warml greeted his return, while one and all
were and in their praise of the beautiful
vessel which Merle had secured as his gold

shi .

'lPhe craft was soon after warped inshore.
the crew made to understand what they had
shipped for, and mingling with those on the
island, the work of loading the vessel was

n.

n surprise almost equal to that felt by the
interested seamen, Little Belt stood by and
saw the treasures revealed.

First out of the cavern came box after box
of solid gold, then silver in like quantities,
with costly trinkets of all kinds; gems in
cases, and then precious stones in bags, with
bales of silks and laces, heavy gold and sil-

 

ver sets, and altogether riches which no king
could equal.

Merle was stern and silent during the re-
moval of the treasures from the caverns and
their transfer on board the vessel, and he
eyed each article, boX and case of gems curi‘
ously, not with sordid looks, but because
they brought up to him the history of the

past.

He looked back through the vista of years
to his grandfather, Freelance, the Bucca-
neer, whose career had been one of sorrow
and crime. '

Then came the strange life of his father,
Montezuma, the Merciless. whose life in
prison for long years had been a living hor-
ror, and who had then dazzled mankind with
his fascinations and fabulous wealth.

Then he thought of the sad end of that
father and his mother, and his thoughts
drifted to himself.

As in the case of his grandfather and
father before him. life had held forth high
he es to him, to in the end crush them by no
wi lful act of his own to do wrong.

He had been, like them, the football of a
cruel destiny,_and he was then an outlaw, a
condemned mutineer, hunted by the very
flag he had so loved to serve.

t was no wonder then that the youth’s
thoughts grew fearfully bitter as he stood
there gazing at the treasure spread out before
him, and which he had never seen exhumed
from the darkened places where faithful
Mezrak had hidden it, for with the wealth
monarchs could not equal, he was yet an
outcast from honorable men; he was but
Merle, the condemned. to be even hunted by
those who had once honored him.

Crushing a si h between his teeth, he
turned away an strolled over the island,
little caring for the riches which were all his
own. r
.And there, in his solitude, Mezrak found
him when the sun marked the hour of noon.
and told him that the gold ship was ready to
rat .

Going on board, he ordered sail set; Mez~_
rak took the helm, and with no flag at the
Eek. no haven in which to drop anchor, the

d Belt began her aimless cruise.

 

CHAPTER XX.
AN UNLUCKY RECOGNITION.

THE vessel which picked up Brandt, the
Buccaneer, from the sea was a packet ship,
trading betcen New Orleans and Vera
Cruz. and every kindness that could beshown
the shipwrecked man Was freely ofie ed

A surgeon happened torbe on board. and
the broken arm was quickly and skillfully
set, and medicine given ,to restore the suf-
ferer to consciousness and health.

 

 

"a." a.“ a “a; _. ........I..s.

 

£4 Merle Monte’s SeacScraper.

 

In spite of all he had undergone, Brandt,
the Buccaneer, was a man of iron constitu-

' tion, and he quickly rallied, and ere two

days had gone by he was himself again, ap-
parently, though his crippled arm was a
source of pain and worriment to him.

Knowing that the vessel was bound to
New Orleans, he understood the danger of
his going there without some disguise.

He had said that he was captain of an
American schooner that had been dismastcd
in a gale, and himself and crew forced to
take to the boats, when another storm had
capsized the boats, and he alone of all had
been saved.

His story was believed, and the deepest
sympathy was shown for him among the
crew, who were mostly Mexicans.

But there was one who doubted his story,
after getting a good look at him the first day
he appeared upon deck, and that one was the
junior oiflcer of the brig.

Walking up to Captain Brandt as he stood
leaning over the taffrail alone one evening,
when the vessel was nearing the Balize, he
said softly:

“ How is it that Captain Brandt is without
a ship?"

The pirate started and turned quickly upon
the one who addressed him and beheld a wiry
little man of middle age and with a heavily
bearded face.

He failed to recall his face, but recognized
him as an officer of the brig, and knowing

' well his danger replied:

" You have doubtless mistaken me for
some one else, sir, for my name is Ford—
Bradley Ford.”

“ Your name is Brentford—Brandt Brent-
ford, better known as Brandt, the Buccan-
eer,” was the cool reply.

The pirate chief had been too often in
deadly danger to quail now, and he answer~
ed with a smile:

“It is strange, sir, that you offer insult to
a shipwrecked and crippled man upon your
own deck, when from all others I have had
only kindness."

“Itis because I know you as you are,
Brandt, not havin forgotten that I was once
your prisoner, an that you robbed me of all

possessed in the world, when you captured
and set fire to my schooner. Now I have a
chance to get even with you. for there is a
large price upon your head which I will get
as your captor.”

“ You are certain that I am Brandt, the
Buccaneer?" sharply said the pirate.

“ Eon are willing to take oath upon it?”

ll es"

" You expect to get a large sum by my
capture?"

,.

 

" Yes."

“How much?"

“ About ten thousand pesos I believe."

“ Would you not rather make a still larger
sum?"

" Of course.”

“If I confess that I am Brandt, the Buc-
caneer. and put you in a way to make a vast;
fortune, will you betray me?”

“Do you confess it?"

“Frankly, ,I do.”

“ Is not this a dodge to get off?"

“ By no means, for I am in deadly earnest,
and can make your fortune with your aid;
but without it I can do nothing.”

“How can you make my fortune?” asked
the officer eagerly.

“ You have heard of Merle Monte, the Mu-
tineer Midshipman?"

“ Now called Merle, the Condemned?”

“ Yes.”

“ Yes; I have heard of him.”

“ You have also heard, I suppose, that he
was the son of the famous Montezuma, the
Merciless?"

“ Yes, I have heard such a rumor.”

“You know then of the fabulous wealth
this Montezuma possessed r”

“ Yes.”

“Well, this boy has it all hidden on an
island, and he and his slave, Mezrak, alone
know where it is.’ The boy was sentenced
to be hanged at the yar-darm for mutiny, of
which I may honestly say he was not inten-
tionally guilty, and I saved him.”

“ I heard of that,“ said the officer.

“ Doubtless, for my movements are prett
generally heralded around. But, as I sai ,

sgved him—and it was to carry out my own
an s.’

“ Rumor had it that you were his father.”

“ That is nonsense.”

“ It was so asserted at his court-martin .”

“Oh! I know all that; but I say to you
that it is nonsense, for the boy’s father was
Montezuma, the Merciless, and he left him
this fabulous wealth. The vessel with the
treasure and the boy were wrecked on an
island, and the gold and gems are there
now. The boy I had in my power, and by

threatening to kill his slave, whom he dearly I

loves. if he did not reveal the secret of_where
lay the island, he yielded, and I was insight
o the island when my Vessel was caught in
a storm and wrecked, and I escaped in an
open boat with some of my men, who, call—
ing me a Jonah, threw me into the sea and
broke my arm, as you see. with oars when I
attempted to get into the boat again. You
picked me up. and now I ask you to go with
me to that island, and I will share with you
the treasure.”
“But how are we to go?”

W ta ‘40.;f »~.-.~

t5.

-‘ Merle Monte's SeapSmper. 86

“ 3w are an oflleer upon this vessel?”

u es.”

“ Well, let me take to my berth, ill, and
you take me to your state-room and keep me
there.”

“ For what reason?" ' _

“ I will not be recognized 1n the city, and
a friend of mine can come on board, for I
will give you the address to see him, and ask
you to take me back to Vera Cruz, and the
captain will be paid liberally. Then I will
have you cause our crew to desert—”

“But they wi 1 not.”

” They will if they are paid for it."

“ But who is to pay them?"

. “I will."

"Well, go on."

“ You will get your crew to desert and
then ship men whom my friend will select
for ou. Once at sea, the crew, under my
lea ership, will seize the vessel, and put a l
of your men and passengers not in the secret
on some in-bound craft.”

“And then?”

“ Why, we will sail for .the Treasure
Island, get the fabulous wealth there, and
after paying our men liberally, you and I
will et be as rich as kings."

“ his sounds all very well,” sneered the
Mexican officer.

“It is all true."

“What proof have you?"

“ word only.”

" W¥lich is given when you are in danger
of being hanged.”

“I can say nomore.”

“ But I can, for I am safe to make a cool
ten thousand by delivering you up, while 1
will at a name and promotion by it, for it is
no slight thing to be the captor of Brandt
the Buccaneer!" and the Mexican laughed
lightly, for he felt that he held the winning
hand. _______
CHAPTER XXI.

. A OOMPBOMISE.

“WHICH would you prefer, Senor Officer,
the ten thousand pesos, or the honor of bein
the captor of Brandt the Buccaneer '2" aske
the pirate chief, with a sneer.

“ I prefer money to fame.”

" I thought so.’

“Any man of sense does.”

“Certainly, any man of your caliber of
sense; but I have the fame—'

" Such as it is.”

"Yes. I have the fame, such as it is, and
now I want the money; but I have a com-
promise to offer."

“ Well?”

, f‘ Suppose I gave you the ten thousand
pesos, will you then eonsent to play my cards
to win the treasure?" '

 

“Yes, but upon one condition." ’

“Name it.”

"That I am supposed to be a victim of
your attack, am put in irons by you, with
the intention of having me shot as an old
and bitter foe.”

“ Certainly.”

“ But, after you have sent of! m captain
and passengers, I am to be release , and we
are to have the treasure together."

“Why, this is a lucky thought on your
part, for itl will save your honor, and you
should be careful ot that, you know."

The Mexican thought he detected a sneer
in the words of the chief, but the face did
not show it, and he said:

" When are you to pay me this ten thou-
sand pesos? "'

" When I get on the shore.”

“ I cannot trust you ashore.”

It  I”

“ No; and you remember you were to play
sick in my stateroom ‘1"

“ Yes, so I was, Senor Oflicer, but as you
do not wish to trust me until we reachthe
city, tell me if you are a good judge of
precious stones?”

u I am.”

” In your own judgment?”

" No, for my father deals in gems.”

“Then you should know a pure gem if
you see it? ’

“ I do know.”

“ Then kindly tell me the value of this
one.”

The pirate chief, as he spoke indifi'erently,
slipped into the hand of the Mexican officer
a em.
Taking it to the hinnacle light the Mexifian
stared w1th surprise, and said, admiringly:

“ It is a perfect gem.”

] '1‘ Any bright thing will glitter in the lamp-
i It.”

g“But I cannot be deceived in this dis.
mond.”

“Then name its value?“

“ Twenty thousand pews."

“ You are a judge, I see.”

“ I told you I was.” -

“Well, just keep that em in lieu of the
ten thousand pesos my hea is worth to you.
or my neck, or whatever is of that value
about me.”

“ Do you mean it?" asked the delighted
Mexican.

.“ I do.” _ _

" A thousand thanks, and let me tell you
that on are as safe with me now as you
woul be in the presence of our Wife.”

“ Then I am most unsafe, nor Officer, for
the lady who holds that relationship to me
would gladly kill me.”

“ I dld not know that.”

 

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28 Merle Monte’l Sol-Scraper.

 

” Of course not, only draw some other
simile of my safety.

" Say, for instance, as safe as I would be
in jail. ’

“You are severe, captain."

“Well, I do not wish to be; but, tell me,
do you agree to my terms?”

“ With more than delight,” cried the de-
lighted officer.

“ I thought 80‘.

"Now, I don’t feel well, so put me to
bed.”

The pirate chief leaned heavily upon the
bulwark, and calling to a coxswain, the Mexi-
can officer had him borne to his own pleasant
state-room, and until the packet sailed on her
outward trip from New Orleans. he was the
shipwrecked stranger's devoted nurse.

CHAPTER XXII.
THE SNARE on Tim PLO’I‘TERS.

THE good brig Montezuma. packet be-
tween Vera Cruz. Mexico, and New Orleans,
was a favorite with all- passengers that ever
embarked in her for the pleasant voyage
upon the Gulf.

She was trim built, comfortable, very fleet,
well oflicered, and manned and had cut—
sailed many a race in which a private craft
was in her wake. besides having more than
once, with her four small guns, beaten oflf
the freebooters that hung about to plunder
honest vessels.

But, somehow, luck seemed to turn against
the good craft from the time she picked up
the shipwrecked sailor at sea, and whom the
finder knows to have been none other than

rnndt, the Buccaneer.

Several of the passengers were taken sick
before reaching New Orleaus,the Montezuma
got aground in crossing the bar at the mouth
of the Mississippi, a squall took out her fore-
to mast, and in going to her dock she col-
li ed with another craft, which, though
without damage to her trim hull, killed a
sailor on her decks.

“There he a Jonah on board this trip,
lads," was the announcement of an old sailor
in the forecastle, and all began to believe it,
so that when some of the crew were told to
desert they readily did so, and others who
decided to stick by the ship, Jonah or no
Jonah, could not withstand a tempting offer
made them to ship in a new service with
good bounty, and thus the Montezuma had
to sail on her return voyage with a picked-
up lot on board.

But the new crew seemed to understand
their duties, and the brig made a good run
gown the river, but again grounded on the

ar.

Getting 01! she ran down a small fishing

 

smack in the darkness. and the few croakers
who had remained on board said:

“Boys, the Jonah wasn’t left behind."

” But who is he?” was asked,

” It must be the sick sailor we picked-up,
and who is in Senor Valero’s room.”

“ It might be.”

“ Yes, and the Senor is as kind to him as a
brother couid be, so don't let him hear a word
ag‘in' him.”

So much for the talk in the forecaslle
among the half—dozen seamen who had not
deserted their ship.

And in the cabin the passengers were aux-
ious, for, contrar to custom, though from
accidental delay y not getting her crew on
time, the Montezuma had sailed on Friday.
This was sure to bring bad luck all said,
and many wished they had not come.

But they wished it far more when one dark
night there appeared upon deck a tall man
wearing his arm in a sling—it was the sailor
who had been picked up at sea—and his
voice rung out in trumpet tones:

“ Hounds, to the rescue! seize the ship!"

There was a struggle upon the quarter-
deck, a fight amidshlps, a few shots, some
clashing of steel against steel, a death~cry. a
groan of agony, heavy falls, a change of men
at the wheel, and the Montezuma was the
prize of Brandt, the Buccaneer.

Then the secret came out that the man who
had been picked up and so kindl cared for,
who had been nursed by Senor alero as a
brother, had been the cruel pirate himself.

The dead were quickly thrown overboard,
a plantation (Zr-oglwr was hailed, and the pas-
sengers and good men of the crew were put
on board, the captain of the Montezuma also
accompanying them, while poor Senor Val-
era, the sub-officer of the packet. being recog-
nized as an old foe of the pirate chief. was to
be carried on in the captured vessel, to be
shot or hung up to the yard-arm.

 

CHAPTER XXIII.
A PrnArn’s Pacifism.

UNDER her new master, the good brig
Montezuma took on a difierent name and n
difierent aspect. ,

The former was the Huntress and the lat
ter wore a decidedly more warlike appearance.

Running into Galveston with signals of dis-
tress flyiug, she shipped an additional crew
of half a hundred men, Brandt remarking to
Senor Valera, who. with no reason now to
wear a mask, appeared as second officer:

“ We must be able to protect ourselves,
Senor Valero, if we are attacked.”

" Yes, we have now some seventy men,
but our guns are very light.” ‘

_“ I can soon remedy that, for there are

. 

 

 

 

 
 

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Merle Monte's Sea-Scraper. 2'!

 

guns at the island where the treasure lies,”
was the reply.

Then the good vessel and its evil crew set
sail for the Treasure Island, but adverse
winds came, a hurricane drove her far off
her course, and it was two months since his
leaving that night in an open boat, driven
away by a woman, before he again sighted
th'e ” promised land "—the Mecca of his
he s, his dreams for many long years.

ut at last the land hove in Sight, and it
was on a pleasant. balmy day, just such a
one-as the chief desired for his purpose, for
he well knew it was no easy matter to run in
without a pilot.

Under his guidance in a boat far ahead,
the brig was towed into the basin, :1 most
daring eat even for a daringr man to do.

There had been no storm from a direction
to break the wreck of the Sea Serpent in
pieces since he left, and there lay the highly-
prized uns ol' the once beautiful craft.

But it was gold and silver. not iron and
steel. that Brandt, the Buccaneer, craved,
and landing quickly, he sought for the treas-
ure upon the island.

He had not gone far before he came upon
a post set in the hard earth, and upon it a
box of iron. .

‘Eagerly he sprung toward it, for at last
the treasure was in his grasp.

Upon the top of the box was painted in
red letters:

“The contents of this iron box are left for

Bum, ran Buccaneer,
‘ av
Mam, m Connnnrnn.“

He threw open the heavy lid, and started
back with a cry that caused his men to shrink
from him with fright.

What he found written was a letter ad-
dressed:

“ “Bran it Brmtfordy has BM. wit. the Buccaneer. "

Hostin he broke the seal and read, while
his face grew livid:

“ Sm Puknz—I have this do
vessel, o'flagless, havenless crat‘ , with all my trea-
sures on board. By the request of my Firsn Luff.
Belle Denham, altos ‘Little Belt.‘ ‘Mr. Belden,’
‘ Black Diamond,‘ and the ‘ Black Pilot,’ 1 leave yon

something to treasure. viz.
‘: Manuela Ioflt your wish and ankles.

. ‘ A mp: to he art/h.
“A tie for yrriii mic under.
9‘ Bl: you desire to rent

you have” to and upon the

sailed in my own

revenge upon me,
h seas
, ' I GOLD Snip."
All saw that Brandt the Buccaneer was
wild with passion. and they shrunk frOm be-
fore him, as seizing the manacles, rope and
black flag left him by Merle, he walked back
to the beach. .
" On to that wreck, you hounds and trans-
fer those guns to this brig!" he yelled in tones

v

 

that made the crew spring as nimbly to work
as monkeys.

Twice did Senor Valero speak to the chief
without an answer, and the third time it
proved fatal to the Mexican officer, for
Brandt the Buccaneer turned upon him like
an enraged hyena.

“Aha! you are here, are you?

“ You who wished me to keep you in irons
that our honor might. be saved?

“ ell, your honor is.safe, but your part
of the treasure and your life you shall lose."

The Mexican shrunk from him, but seizing
him. Brandt yelled:

“ Ho, here, men, trice this man up to the
yard-arm.

“He would have hanged me once, but
that I bought him ofl, and now I shall return
the compliment.

“I need a victim to cool my blood, so up
with him!"

The frightened crew dropped their work
upon the guns, and seizing the shrinking
wretch. threw a noose about his neck, and
the writhing, groanin 1* mass of wicked hu-
manity was dragge into mid air, while
Brandt, the Buccaneer. stood on deck giving
vent to penis oi demoniacal laughter.

Without rest the men, awed by the terrible
chief, toiled on through the night, and then
the bri put to sea thoroughly armed and
gimme , while Brandt the Buccaneer shouted

orth:

“ Now, Merle the Condemned, you have a
bloodhound upon your wake that will never
leave it until I am avenged to my inmost
heart’s core.”

CHAPTER XXIV.

OTHER SEA HOUNDS TAKE ur THE CRY.

I WILL now return to the two seamen who
got rid of the presence of Brandt, the Buc-
caneer, in the boat by coolly throwing him
into the sea.

Unheedin the thought that they left him
to die, the eld on for the li ht discerned
ahead, an found that it came from ahamlet
of Mexican fishermen.

To them they told the story of a treasure
they could gain if they only had a ship and
a daring crew, and while the old men laughed
at them, the wilder spirits entered into their
plot, and took them to Vera Cruz in their
largest fishing-smack.

There they readin found an adventurous
sen captain upon whom "the suspicion of
wrong-doing on the ocean had fallen, to
enter into their enterprise, and, with half a
hundred brave men at his back, it did not
take him long to get a vessel, for not havtng
one, or the money to purchase one, the next
thing to do was to cut a craft out of the
harbor.

 

 

 

 

28 Merle Monte’s Sea-Scraper.

The bold captain going upon the princi-
ple that he “might as well be hanged for a
sheep as a lamb,” daringly boarded at mid-
night a small Mexican cruiser off the Castle
Sim Juan d' Ulaa, and almost under its guns,
and. that no one of the crew should appear
against him, cruelly threw all who had not
been killed overboard.

Thus bein supplied with a craft, he named
it the Gold unter, and with the two pirates
of Brandt’s old crew as his officers, Captain
Eduardo set sail for Treasure Island.

The two seamen knew well how to reef
and furl, swab decks and load cannon, but
as navigators they were pronounced failures,
and it was quite a long time before they at
last found the island.

And the day that they landed there was
the one following that 011 which Brandt, the
Buccaneer, had departed, and of course
there was nothing for them to find, other
than the iron box and the letter to the pirate
chief, which told the two traitor frecbooters
that their chief was not dead as they be-
lieved.

Had there hegemony doubt of this, the next
day. when alsoiin search of the Gold Ship,
they captured a craft which had already
fallen under the ban of Brandt, the Bucca-
neer, and were told that the dreaded chief
was in reality afloat once more.

But they loved gold enough to risk their
lives for it, and the Gold Hunter, like the
huntress, went forth in search of the ship
that bore Merle Monte's treasure.

 

CHAPTER XXV.
coucmrsron.

KIND reador,to follow the Gold Ship in all
her wanderings, with no flag and no haven
in any land, drifting from sea to sea under
the guidanca of Merle, the condemned mid-
shipman, would take another volume; so I
can but tell you, that though pursued by
pirates, adventurers. and vessels of war,

romlnent among the latter being the Sea
gVolf, on which the wandering youth had
once been an officer, she went from sea to

, sea, def ing pursuit, defying tempests, and

at last ound‘a haven where rest could be
found, and that was only when the stain of
outlaw was rubbed off the name of my gal-
lant though unfortunate hero, who, in the
end won rank and honored fame by bring-
ing to a just end at the yard-arm Brandt, the
Buccaneer, and other free rovers.

As for Little Belt, she, too, figured in the
wild scenes that were interwoven in the
cruise of the Gold Ship, and Mezrak, the
Faithful, was as true to the end as he had
been through the past to Montezuma’s heir.

THE END.

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3’ White Beaver, the ludinu Medicine Chief. By Col.
Prenliu ingrnlnm.
fill The oy Crux-tier. By (‘rn rt. Fred. Whittaker.
84 The lune of the Grentw lite 81mg, lud,0lmp
Illlll Canoe. iiy C. llnnnlng Clnrk.
85 Old ’I‘ur Knuckle and iii: liny Chums. By R. Star-buck.
88 The lluahin llrnzoeu: nr. The Story of Gen. Georg.
. Cull-r. y Curt. l-‘rrd. Whittaker.
8‘? Nightnllawk George. {v Cni.l’rentiu Inmhnm.
The Boy Exiles of Fiherla. By T. C. flarbnuzh.
89 The Young Bear lluntern. By Mani: Redwing.
40  Sim,the Led with n Level Head. By Edward
' ott.
41 The Srttler’e Sou. By Edward & Filln.
48 Walt Fer son’s Cruise. By C. bunnlrm Clark.
fievolver. By Cg". Fred. Whittaker.
The Lost. Boy Whalers. v T. C. Herbnuzh.
45 Bronco Billy, the Seddle Prince. lily Col. ingnhnm.
46 Dick, the stow-way. B Chlrlel lflrrh.
4’? The Color-indie Ben; or/ ifeou n Indigo Plait-glen.
h . er. r.
45 Th}; $35.,“ lwntere; or, New York Boy. in
Burner Lyra. 31 . C. Herme .
4!, The Aay...tiu‘lnlmg Pfe of Nebrukn Charlie.
eel. Prev: :- n tum.
m ".1 o the Three Chem ion Brothers.
'0 Jay“ 3.55M. wrsmi'k. P
61 The arm Lend-Luhber. Bye. Dunning Clark.
01 lfeteetivea. 5&1‘. C. H-rhaug .
3 “onset llnrr ; or, The uutry Boy Adrift in the
Cit . B Cher u Mrrrin.
54 0- film Joe. the Mysteriou- Plein-men. By Col.
Prentiu Inrmhm. .
55 T1. Tm]. the Flatter. By Edward Willett.

 

 

58 The Snow Hunters; or, Wlnmin the Wooda. By
Berry de Form».
6'! Harry Semen, the Seilor Boy Megieim. By s. W.

Puree.

68 The Adventurous Life of 0- tain Jack, the
Border Boy. By Col. Prentiu lngrn mm.

59 Lame Tim, the Mule Boy of the Minor. By (erlu

til'l' .

60 The Young Trsil Hunter-e; or, New York Boy! in

Grilglly Lnn‘d. By T. C. Hnrhugh.

61 The i or lluutere or, The Color-do Boys in Ele-
phnnt mi. By Jose? E. Budgerflr.

03 Doctor Carver, the ‘ Evil Spirit ” oithe Plain. By
Col. Prantln infin am.

68 Illnelk lklorle ill, the Bandit Wrecker. By Roger
. tnr )uc .

64 Young Dick Talbotg'or A Bayn Rough and Tumbi.
Fight from New York to énlliornie. By A. W. Aiken.

65 The Boy Pilot; or, The Illmd Wrecker. By Col.
l’rentina lnzrhlmm.

66 The Desert Rove or, Slouw-y Dick Among the
Arnbl. By Charles ll orrie.

62 Texan Charlie, the Boy Burger. By Col. Prentiu

lnrnhnm.
68 Little lllle; or, The Young Fur Hunterl. By Captain
“ Bruin ” Ad me

ll .
89 The Young Nihilist. or A Ylnkee Boy Amnng the
Ruulnm. By Chnrlel orril.
70 Pony the Cowboy or, The Young ernhell’l Reid.
By iruer H. B. Slo uni, Ex-Scout.
71 BK: Rohurtaud llie Bear. By Capt-in " Bruin "
I

run .
7!! The Ice Elephant. Bv Capt. Frederick Whituker.
3’8 Tare li'nunn: Moose-flunterl. By Willlun H.
llllll "Er
74 The Boy Coral—Fishers By R~ er Starbuck.
75 Revolver Billy, the Bay Ranger 0 Tex». By Col.
l‘nutlls lngrnlmm.
76 The (‘muinr Killers. By T. C. Hnrhnugh.
7? LISId lIJtlt‘nhecltl, the Young Tiger Fighter. By Roger
lilr )uc . ‘
7K Fluihout- Fred. By Edward Wiliett
’39 Boone. the Hunter. By Captain F. Whittlhn.
80 Kentucky Ben, the Long Rifle oi the Cucndu. By
Roger Starhuch.
81 The Kit Carl-on Club. By T. C. Herb-nigh.
82 Little lluvk. the Boy Guide. By Barry Rln gold.
l’ony Bob, the Beckie-I Rider. By Col. 1'. nmhnm.
84 Cuptnln Fly-by-Nl§htn Bv Joneph E. Bed er, Jr.
55 Captain llu h, the man Explorvf- By C. .Clerk.
88 Little Dan oeks. By Morri- Redwing.
7 The Menwerie Hunters. By Mai; H. Grenville.
88 The Boy ramps; or, Life Among t e elm... By
J.  l oii'nmu.
89 ’Lonm-hore Lila. By C. D. Clark.
90 Roving llHie,L.uetar'e Little Scout. By T.C. Herbugh.
91 "reg-nil Josh) the Wlflfll Rifle. By Mar Sterhuek.
92 llurrlonne kit. By A. F. Holt.
98 Jl’l‘mplllldl Jake, the Colorado Cimu Day. By Bryn-It
mmm gr.
94 Ram Spence, llp- Brondlmm Boy. By Ed. Willa“.
95 oar-ow tn SII-crln; or, A Yankee Boyle the Rescue.
ny (11ml... Morris.
96 Fightiu Fred. By 'I'. C. Herb-u h.
9‘! Grub-e o the Flyawny. By . unninp Clerk.
9“ The Roy Vi lumen. Be iv A). H. B. Stoddard.
99 The WM“ ‘ke Br n t. Cherlee Howard.
100 The snow-shoe rail. yet. George Rnlhbone.
101 Marin-u, the Ottawa Girl. By Edward . Ellil.
I” The Flyuway Afloat. By C. Dunning Clark.
108 l’ Muiloney‘n Adventures; or, Silver Tongue
c in Dmteh Queen. By C. LEdwnrdI.
104 The lloy Prue actor. By Roger Starbuek.
105 Minonee. the and Witch. By Edwin Emu-nu.
108 The Boy Cruisers. By Edward Willett.
10‘! The Border Rover-n. By .1. Milton leflmln.
108 Alaska. the Wolf-Queen. By Capt. How.” Lincoln,

Beudlo’l Boy’s Library in for uie by ell New-Merl.
live cent- per copy. er rent by mull on noel! itde cent each.
BEADLE AN 1) ADAMS, Publl-hon.
98 William Street, New York.

 

 

 

 

 

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109 ghi'iuatinn Jim, the White Man’l Friend. By Edward
I I

w ue y 00, l e o venger. . . 0 man.
3 IoPlkJ hByA nJMHa

. Y 111 The Border Gunmnker. By flmea L. Bowan.

‘ y , 12 Len-“Inded Pete. By Joseph E. Bridger. Jr.

; v 13 The River Riflea. By Capt. J. F. (3, Adams,

, 1 [4 Alone on the Plains. B Edward wmm.

a 15 Silver Horn, and Hi: Bi 0 Fircdualh. By Roger
- Starbuck.

110 lax lolta ofilezekinh Smith, iho Backwoodnman.

The s unttor’u Surpriw. B; Mn. H. J. Thom... 7
Four ellow . eouta. By J. .ianlay Henri-non. ,- ‘
01d Kit und ii to Comradea. By Jon. E. Badm,Jr' r‘
Uncle Grill’a Maniac. By Harry Hand.

The Marked Minor. By Lieul. Col. Hauliino.
The “'ild iiuntreaa. By Clpi. Bruin Adam;
The liwnri'iieoov. B Marc 0. Rolfe.

Job Denn’a Tun-lien. By in‘nldlhy North.
Yankee Eg‘h’! llllemmn. By J. R. Wnrcuur.
The “'in 'itch’a \Vnrd. By Edwin E. Ewing.

 

:I NIIIIINNN'Q
eemflamwmwewzug

i memn Badman. Frank, the Furricr. By J. Stanley Henderson.
-'~' 1 The Young Mnnnngern. By C. Dunan Clark. Dinnn, Hie l-‘alr Mountaineer. Be: Capt. F. Whittaker.
1 01d Trn hr, the Boy Rivals. By Barry RiuuL'I-id. Juck’n Snnre. By Mn. Ana Parlor.~ -
'v 1 Center hot. lho While Crow. Br '1‘. C. llurhauzh. Elm. tha Swan-p Sunni. By W. J. Hamilton. -
y 2 i A Hot Trail. or, Clark Cleverly Among the aninn. The Handling Truoper. B Frederick 1-1. new”,
B Churiu anrln. 91 The Bo Brave. By Jnmel . Baum.
‘   Jrlilllntir i’lnrd Bowé By Rozf‘r Sélll'al'icrd. B 19% Sandy ill, of Tax“. By Edward Wills“.
“ r 0 II Influx ueen. ' . n o rowne. y
l 31 Tim, "1:1 Boy Acman By Cllfll‘le’l Mnrril. ‘98  WInkle . Lon: (“I‘m 3’ wm. R-
v t. '. 2 aueeu Beagle, illnilunlarGirl. By Henry .l.'i'homal. 3 '
2 om Tuber, the Bay Fuzillva. B Barry Ringgolxi. 194 QPBC 0" 0M0, lb” Sl’fl‘k‘" sump T"""- 3y
f. a Mink Uont m. lmuh-Shm. liy nu. E. Badger, Jr. Freda- ck way-
3 The lieu- 1iunu-ra. By John J. Mnrllmll. 195 The Rune, “death-e, 3, Harry guard,

. 25 Wolf-Ca ; or, '11:: Night-Hawk- or the Fire-Landn. 196 Gypl’. Mag, um “cum” Wild]. B). C’Dunmnz

 

 

. B Capt. 1. an. Howard.
r V 129 $Kerpun or, The Mountain Heroine. By Edward Clark.
L I a .
I 8 I Keenan, quen or Mu Plllfll. By Percy B. St. John. 197 The Branded cnvu'n' By w' ‘L Hm'mon'
8 Wiatah. the Child Spy. Bv George Glen-on. 198 Old Crouiire’a Crisis By Capt. Charla Howard.
3:  Ila-landt grunge-n gr gin-He; imam- 199 Zebra Zack, m. 7...... By w. J. Hamllion.
‘ . . . v . v . .
. 3 Wild  lllnnl'l'rlmxenll.  “Honk Eymr. 200 The .‘Ililltiell Ilnntcr. By George W. Robinlon.
L 8 Etc iillvlerl Binnie. By LEI-€601?- lbluellétfin-k 201 The \‘unkce Captives. By Edwmd Willa“.
I' 0 "I l' L' r! er. . nun Ilfl ar . ,
B The Antelope ":1: n), (fro. L_ Ann". 202 chidy‘a Long Trnil. By Edward S. EiIII.
:9 going S'him nrfi'l‘r'e {Vital-Guggle. ByBCa Llfjoi‘nawrlclk. 203 Old Hunk, -hc licrmit. By Edward W. Archer.
; 0 line ‘roe 9 he oar ng. ,. .. an e. 9 . ,a
' 40 (Did I’e a, line )lurll’riluinecr. By Lowi’u' W. Canon. 20“ Goo-chem] I no!" shon By Jo. E' BMW’ Jr'
7 41 The G uni. iluncer. By Harry Hazard. 206 The Dutchman’s Dread. By CIW Ch! HOW“-
’  glaek Pgnlthfi'r. "I; Flail‘JJlr-J‘ndl:I gy  lE-hBadgur. 206 Kn Burt" Mlnk. By W. J. “mum.
. ram n h: . ~ .in t. . . o
*1 44 Kim ': a Rum: 3; mi... 5. will. P 207 mule-Eyed Tlm. By c. Dunning Cl-rh
3 45 Bill hobbit", Hunter. By Edward Willa“. 203 The Village Sport. By Jamel L. Rowan.

. ‘ 46 The iI-lf-iireed Rh Ill. B" Jul. E. Badger, Jr. 209 Buck nu"). Pluck B Edward Wm ‘
"' 14'! Th M keli Avon -r. B- .i. Pr nil lll rnla . ' y e '

148 .gnt, Llr'i'rnppur «ng‘lndlnh gluing; I‘Bymi’nulig. 210 The TCH'TMD BlinCt- BYJ- Stanley Hendanon.

MW“- 211 The Boy Surveyor. By W. J. Hamilton.

149 The Elk Demon; or, ’i‘ho Giant Brnlhora. By '1‘. an Yunkec "rover swipe“. BY sun] Romm'

C. ar ug .
l 160 'lli‘the "lilo: Mani-lsnfitilduntfwhar. kBuulnlio, the 218 Eilver City Torn. By .lllnel L. Bowm.
' M" “ mum" 3' n "c u 'r' 214 7\'il:|r( ihc Delecllve By Edwin Emcrwn.
1 Frank Yntea, th Youn TM! or or Mountain ‘ ’ ‘
' i 15 Kn Warning. Byuioavph Ba fur,’.lr. ’ 215 Mnntnng Killer Roy. By Albert W. Allan
I?  Elna guvem ‘Fhsuf'i‘fm‘ "3,7 El’fmm'msl“ B 216 The Dllkntn Dutchman. By Maj. Max Maniac.
pylx'...""” ' “We” m u‘ e x' y 21? Yankee Josh. the Rover. 3:- l’-. H. Bellump. M. D.

an bl.
154 The Char-Plov- Tex-I Rider: m. Rad Bun-Io. 213 New York Ned In California. By w. J.
‘55 3;": ill?!  Hn‘n’k-r. By Iliiar-‘ry SE 61:02:01. 1 limn‘xiwn. '

up a com. on. . mur r. . .
158 Franz Bell, lhe Bo Spy. y Oil Coomel. ' 2“, Kenn“ k, “n.0,” 5M." By Edward wm'n"
167 Uiek Doyle the old Hnaur. B P. H. Mycn. 220 'Frlaeo Frnnk‘l Riv-i. By Paul J. Prawn.
158 Kidnapped hick: or, The Fate on e rm Fly. By 221 no“... Ba" Damn”. By Lem. J... swim

J. r d. . ‘
sun‘llofi:l'i‘::’il| or, The Twin now... By W. J. 292 Fly Sam’s Snare. By Loui- ugrand, M. D.

 

      

 

 

 

 

1” Elma. 221: ’ w d B u
'0 - . c. . ,
loo ylzhfifimlfv. v.1. Raysgrrnygr.ma. flfdfmflf "' y e“ W "ml‘l'" ‘
. . r c .

 Till: Trn pm? 'illg. ’By Mnj. {\‘lnx M-‘rilne. 22“ griffi‘gg' fl“ "‘505- By 5”“ nv- 35ml)“.
188 Simon rnwn Hunter. Bv Emerson Rndrnan. . y “ 3' ' -
184 fé‘he Boy Chlefi or. Frank Bell’n Compact. By Oil 225 léliaM-lllnvyls I’llillxug. 'l'lu  Sporirnon'l

‘ oomu. ‘ aw. y . . am n. y u‘un .
105 Th Trader Traitor. By J. Stanlzy Hendumn. ,

I ma 014° anc’a Glow. By Mn. Orrln I"... no §:§)'n13;hfalm.nrm n, m... 0. Mr.

16? The Young Trailer. Bv W. J. Hamilton. ' J
“is The 3 «nor Spy. By Maj. Lewi- W. Canon. 821' Barney’a Bold Brush. 15me L. Bonn.
189 Lug]: Iink-q “1' Old Coloradu Hunter. By E. W. Ready Angu-z l8. - ~

A r - M . u I. s. . ‘ »,
170 Til-e'rwnue Wolf. 1? Edward wmm. 2” mkmm mm“ B’ n a lawn"
171 The Swamp Guide. y W. N. cNeli.
179 m Yanke: Eeddier. By C. Dunnan Clark. Beadie’a Boy’a Library in for ule by all Newark-.31.,
178 S “scout ll "'3 You“: Chllllh By WITH“ 5" unit per copy, or soul. by mail on receipt oilix can: nah.

" "' 1man AND ADAMS pun-h.

I 4 a kmitll To ’a Musk. By Geo. D. Gllberc.‘ . ' Pl,
1:5 G‘Bneknkln Rider. By Guy Greenwood. 98 William Street, N“, Y.yk_

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

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I:
5

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IO

11
1.
1'
14
15
16
17
18
19

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88

I.
51’
‘8

60
60
61

 

SOB.

Edward L. Wheeler.
Kenna: King; or, 11“ Rad nght Hand. By
Buflllo Bl“

The Flyin Yul-Lee. 3 Col. Prentlu Inmhnm.
The Daub e Damn-u. y Edvard L. Whaler.
The Two Detectives or, The Fortuuu at a
Bowery Girl. Bv Albert . Aiken.
The P lrle Pilot. Bf; Bill-Io BllL
The Bu nlo Demon. 3' Edward L. Whaler.
Angelo Abe, [he Boy Guidz. By 01] Coon)“
Ned Wide. tho Boy Scout. By “Tam Inch."
Bumble Ben, Princn of the Pinu-l. ,
Rel h Boy. the Boy I ucumer. By C l. inn-bun.
Niego'the NI ht.- By T. V. Hll'bauxh.
Yellowatone nek. By Jamal: E. Badger, Jr.
Wild Ivan the Buy Claude Duv-l. By E. L.Wheelgy,
Dhmond lurk "an. uymry of the ml...-
atone. By Culnne Prentiu qurnlmm.
Keen-Knife, Prince “rule rum... ByOllCoomeI.
Or on Sol: or, Nlck Whirl-1’- Boy Spy. By c"...
Le! C. Ada

. "II.
h-Fleo. the Detective. By E. L. Wheeler.
12:; Jack the Ywunu Multnngnr. By Oll Conmag‘
on kniph Roekwood, a kluu
Ron er. By llarry St. (Emma,
he 0 Clown. By Frank S.Flnn.
he P ontom Mlncw or, Deadwood Dich’l
mnanzn. By Edward L. heeler.
he Sen-(int; --r, The Witch of Dari-n. By Cnpt.
mlerick Whittaker.
The Dumb S y. By Oll Cot-mu.
Rntflln Ill: By Hurry St. (36011..
Old Av. auntie, the Annlhllnw. “v E, L. Wham,
Ginsu-E o, the arm Shot or II" n m. Hy cm. J.
Ticki‘ih" t i n R Stab r
a In. r oger rm.
“:1: “Ir” p. the Pony Exprou Rld-r. By Cnpuln
Frederick Wh ltnker.

,_‘-] Jid

 

0 Bob Woolf, the Border Rnfllan. By L L. Whoelrr.

By T. C. Harbauuh.
B J. E. Bod er, Jr.
L. Vt eel".

Nightingale Nut-
Block John. the Road Agent.

Omaha 0“, the Mankd Terror.
Burt Bunker, the Tra¥rn By on o E. ang,
The Boy Blilee; or, 0 Underground Camp. By

. 0. Iron.
The White Bufnlo. gy Gum E. Luella.
Jin- Bludaoe, J r. By L uler.
Ned “uoLthe Boy Trnppcr. By Cnpt. J. EC. Adam

8
Ndl‘ Eye, the Unknown Scout. ilv Bumln- Bill.

lek flu‘e Pet. B Capt. J. F. C. Adnml.
endwood Dick’s E en; or, The Ford. of

1513?”. ” 'l’"""'“rl“ one;

or or I.- y a.

Old Hickory; or, Pnndy Ellin’n Scalp. By Hurry
St. George.

The White lldlnn; or, The Scout- oi the Yellow-
Itone. By C:- l. J. F. C. damn.

Buckhorn 1;)“; or, The Red mn- Tenn. 3,
Edwnrrl L. Wheeler.

The Shadow Ship. By Col. Prevntlu Inpehnm.

The Red motherland. By “ . 1. "mu...

Dandy Juek; or The Outlaw a! the Oregon 1 mil.
By '1‘. O. Hnrbeuxh. “ "

Hun-lune Blll; or, Mutton; Sun nnd H'lo Purl.
By Jule h E. Badger, Jr.

Slngl‘? file-d; or. A Hit {or n Llio. By W. J.
Hum ton.

Pntenhlesther Joe. By Philip 3. Warm.

Téleglgdgukohm Hood] 0131'!» Pnurla Emu.

n o .
d Rifle, the Sherplhooter. B E. L. Wheeler.

Old Zip’e ()nhin or, A Green 9:: In a. woo“,
B Capt. J. F. C. A nu.

D were Dick, the Young Rangel'lpy. By 0|]
Coo

mu.
Bled Ton Water-n. By W. J. Hemllton.
Deadwood Dick on Deck; or. Cal-unity June.
the Heroin- of Whoop-Hg. By E. L. Wheel".
Ignite?" “9",. x0:- ounc Tr-rr-r Bang-r. n,

Then.» nun-Ln CohPrunti-Iln 1......

By Albert . Allen.

Abe 00 “I. Crow-KI .
t. “rue. the Boy Brno. By awn”.

Corduroy c
Who-he.

 

 

ca Will Sinners. the Boy Detective. By Chas. Morrll.
Sol Gin er the Giant Tmpm-v. Iir A. “'. Aiken.
Roeebu lint). By Edwllnl L. Wheelar.
Llfhtnlng Joe. By Cnptnln J. F. C. Adaml.
80 Kb! Forefoot, the Wood-Hawk. By T. C. Har-
III I.
6? K01 o, the Boy Ranger. By Oll Coomu.
68 Id i, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. By
ward L. “'heeler.
09 Dfitectlve Dial” or,Tha Hero in Rap. By Ch-rlu
UI’Y I.
?0 Euro: Shot Seth. the Boy Rlflzman. By Oll Cool-ma.
71 blur Sum; or, The Adventuru oi: Frlondlau Boy.
liy . Alexander Patten.
73 The Lion ofthe Sen. By Albert W. Aiken.
78 Photograph Phil: ur, Hunchull Ruh'l Kenppelr-
mm. 15; E. L. Wlm-l- r.
74 l’lcnvunc Pete; or, Nicudwnun, the Dog Damn".
Br Charle- lilnrr a.
75 In and Jim: or. The P1". oflhe Family. By Bruce.
hrldge Hemyng (Jnvk llurknuni).
76 “'nte I-Eye, ll..- Sllndu-w. l;_\ Edward L. Wheeler.
Dick cud Eye. the Boy Snmngur. By Col. P.
lnmnlmm.
78 Deadwood Dick’s Device. By Ed. l,, wheeler.
79 The Blur-k )lllstnugcr. lly 'ng l. Mm m Reid.
R0 om Frosty, um cum... m T. (7. ‘nl’lu-ugll.
81 'l he Sea \ lpcr. liy Cnl. l‘reullnl [mun]. III.
82 Seth Jone” or, The Cupthel of the I‘rmllinr. By
Edward S. l-.llil.
88 Cnnndln (llhet. the Counterfeit." Chief. By Eduard
o 1“ er
84 The Dumb Pore: or. Th: Dog-’1 Daughter. By
Capt. Fredwlok Vl’lultukei.
36 The Bo Miner-e. By Edwrrd S. Ellln.
88 Jock ] urhuwny in New ’ork.
brid e Hem-n
8? The f

ac:
9h?“

q
a

By Brae--

lull-or an min. By Cal. Prentiu [mgr-ham.

88 Deadwood Die in Leodvlllcé or. A Strung.
5: aka Mr Librrty. liy Edward L. \‘heelvr.

89 BI“ Blddon, 'l‘rnpver; or, Lil» in the northwest.
By Edward S. Ellie.

B0 Tlppy, the Texan. By Gram Glrnron.

91 Min-tan Sam, the King ol the I’lnina. By Jon. E.

arlgar, r.

9. The Ocean Bloodhound. By Snmurl W. Fame.

93 Phil I'm-dB the Bun Buy. By Charla: Morrin.

1M Deadwood [ch as Detective. By E. Lthaler.

:05 Buck Buokrlm. Ba Cn lnin J. F. 0. Adams.

96 (Hit-Edged Blck.  ward L. Wheeler.

9? The Black Steed o the Prairie; By Jlmu

Weill.
98 The Ben Sel- out. By Juan Levin. ‘
99 Bonlnz- Bil , the Men Tracker. By E. L. Wheeler.
100 Nut Todd or, The Fate of the Sioux Captive. By
Edward S. E "l.
101 During Davy: the Yung Beer Killer. By Entry

109 fig'imfi on r

‘ e ‘e ow re . Bnd Ll.“ neRel

108 O‘hlp, the Girl Sport. By Fnlxnrd L.yWheelt.

[04 ’l he Black Schooner. By Roger Surhuck.

105 ll-ndaolne Harry, the Buotblnck Dot-cu". By
Charla Monk.

108 Night-Hawk Kit; or, the Dnughter of the Bench.
liy .1... E. may... Jr.

107 Jack lloy 10’: Lend. 3! Ed'urd LWhnlfl.

108 Igor-k Mountain Kit. B T. C. Herb-ugh.

109 ’l he I rnuded hand. B mui Dumont.

110 The I’M-tut Rider. By cor e W. Browne.

11 to“ "ob. 1h. King ofBu-wthlu‘ I. Bv E. i:.“'llooler,

119 The llelpleu 'llllld. By Capt. lllnyne Reid.

1115 cur-Fireh‘uul thesllsntflnnter. By OllCuomn.

14 Hwy I'aul. all. Mummy. 94?? or. The mm.

115

11$

11?

.-
.-

Armw or the Ailirundimka. lly 'l‘. llnrbm) h.
Deadwood lllek’n Double. By E. L. W eel-r.
lube: Conflusklppel’. By Capt. F. Whittaker.
Funny Frank, or Cnlumdo. By " Bulfnlo Bill."

lulled Every Wednudny.

Bedle'l Pocket Library In for nle by ANN!"
dualen, five cent- per copy, or lent by well on raulpt oi all
cent. each.

BEADLE 4k ADAMS. Pnblinhera,
98 “'illlnm Street, New York.

 

[1 uvo nan. /9EADLE,SM
POCKET LIBRARY.

ounauaiaa'hwu’
1 Deedwood chk, the Prlnce oi th- Bold. By

1

I
I

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32 ocnvormns. GEAD'LE’ .\, rmcn,  (fax-rs.

POCKET LIBRARY.

 

 

 

118 W ill Wildfire. the 'l‘horouglulurad. By Chu. Morrll.
119 Blnmle Billvl~ vvr, Deadwood Dtck’n Home Base.
By Edward L. ‘hueler.
190 Gopher (film, the lluy’l‘mp my. By T. C. Hubuu h.
121 Harry Armutrong, the .‘npuln of the Club. y
Brncobrlrlzu llmu ' v (.luck Hnrkuwuy.)
189 The liuntctl il Itcr. lly Edward S. Elllu.
138 Solid Sam, the Boy Roam/«gent. lly E. 1.. Wheeler.
124 Jul! 6 Lynch. Jr. By ‘1‘. C. llnrluulgh. ‘r
125 The and Pirntel. lly (‘upL Mnym Reld.
126 Blue Blazer; or,’l‘lue Break 0' Day Boy» of Rocky
Bar. B ll‘rnuk Dunn-mt.
137 Tony ‘ox. the Ft-rrat. By Ethan! L. Wheel".
128 Blneklieu, Will Wiltlflru'l Racer. By C. Mon-ll.
199 Enfle Kit, the Ivy Dmnotl. fly 0]] (loan-ml.
130 Go 11 Trigger, the Sport. lly ‘l‘. C. Hnrbnugh.
131 A Game of Gold; or, Drndwond chk’l Bl:
Strike. 71 ' Edward 1.. “’haeler.
182 D-incy fiance, the Boy 8 mrt. B 'J. E. Badger, Jr.
138 Wildfire. tlm llnu of the mul. l v Frank Dumont.
134 Mike Men-i the Hurlmr Puliwlloy. By C. Mx-rrll.
185 Dentllwnod ilck of Deadwood. By Edward

. we or.
188 01c] Rube, the Hunt". By Cr 2. Hmnllton Hnlman.
187 Dandy Rot-,1: the Mn from ' am. By G. W! do

Browne. ‘
188 Bob Beckett, the Boy Dodzar. By Clmr. Morris.
150 The Illnck Glam. or, Dnlmy Lance In Jeopardy.
.. By Joocrh E. lludur, r. '
140 Captn ll Arizona. By Phll! s. ane.
141 New York . ell, the Boy- ‘lrl Detectlve.
Edward l.. \Vheuler. > .V
143 Little Texan“). Ymmz Mustangor. By 0" Coomu.
148 Deadly bush; or, Flgnting Flre wlth Fire. By
.lm.E. indner J

, r.
144 Little Grit, tho Wlld Rldar; or. “rule, theStock
Tonder‘s Daughter. By Col. Prantlu [ugmhflm-
The Tiger 01’ Tum. fir Gm Waldo Brown.
The Cattle King. liv Frank Dumnm.
bby‘ N Ick of Nevada. By Edward L. Wheeler.
Thnn erbolt Tom. B ' llnrry St. (hm-p.
Barb Rockets. the Bank Imnnr. By C. blmrlr.
The Mad iner. By G. w-ldn Bmwno.
The Na rnllor. 3y Col. Prontiu Inn-lam.
Dandy Dnrluu or, The Tlgerc of ngh Pine. 'By
Willlnm R. F star. ,
Wlld Fran , the Buck-Mn Brawn. E. L. Whaler.
The Bo Trailers. Ev Joe. E. Badger Jr.
Gold 1’ tune, the Ploy Bandit; or, Tho klrlfllon
Wm ltv Cal. Pran tln Inmlum. ’
l’il Wildfire in the Woodl. Bv C. Monk.
Ned Telltale, the Bank! Boy. Bv T. .Hnrbnugh.
Bondwoo lllek'l Doom. By E. L. Whaler.
Pntent-Leuther Joe's’lrefeut. By Phlllp. 5.

Warm. _
0 'i’iulglo Billy, the Boy Ilullwhncker. By Col. P.
K It I

gr an. _
l Iioh Roekott. the Cracklmnn. By C. Monti.
3 Little Hurricane, the Boy Capt-1n. fly on
Cnomu.
Deadwood Dick’s:
"I‘m-undo Tom. D nugh.
Buflnlo “111’: “ct. By Col. Prontlu lnznham.
wnt “’ildllre \Vlni null n. 0.11mi;
iiuudy llnck’n Find a. By Guam. . Browns.
“Deadwood Illok’n arch or. The Blank HIII.
 “)6?‘v"dllnwh§m11t ‘ HMII tt
‘ e 0 run on. y I‘Vllh e.

r Bob Ingram film for Life. .8 v 0. Morris.
' Martini. tllolloy_ngcItE|3:' 1" 1| Cnaum.
co 0 er. y n mummy

isle. Soon?“ By Edward S. Ellla. .
ock'g Scheme. \
' rub t'teetive. By
ck: R Charle- Moi-m. >
under. By I.l’mn|twlngnhun.
. um , Burtbn Smut.
Balm: lam-en or, Tho guts Mnrlmmn. 3y
Jne.E.Bn arr.‘ L ‘ ,'
180 Thalia: acid-“unborn fly 1'. C. ngm
131 Thc‘mwn-Me un. 33: CharleIMo ..

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188 Jlbel Dart, Damn". By Oll 000nm.

By .

Dies . B E.L-Wheel .'
T. Gilliam y ‘ or

_ d
isanhe Dirk-Burma] Scout. 8, Li. a,  4m
Haultlnl. “1' 93‘”

1M Feather-wet M. the Boy-Spy. By Edw-rd wmen.
185 1111:“)? Bill, he Ovcrllud Prlnce. By Go]. Pram!»
"gm mm.

186 lgflggJLnnce and 111: Paid. By Joseph E.
I f.

18‘? The ’l‘rupped Tiger Kin . B Charle- Monti.

188 ’J‘EI’e lVex-trlloqulat Deteguvo’: By Edward L.
we CI.

1%“ 01d Rocky’s Ban. B M . Sam. 5. Hall.

190 film SI kins, Scout. Ev Jaime: L. Bowen.

191 Dnndy ocla’n Rival. lly Geo. \ando Browne.

19B lllckory llnrr . Bx Hurry St. User

1103 lletcctlve Jos Gr Ill. Bv Edwnn‘f

194 'lfron eat, Pete, thu llo Mlnqr. By 011 Coomel.

195 1‘1“: ‘eflderl'ont Trni er. By 1‘. C. Hll'blmgil.

196 '1 he Dandy Detective. By (,hnrlen Monk.

1 97 Roy, thy: Young Cattle King. By Col.‘ P. Inga-sham.

198 Elmny Dan - Mnuk. B ' Frank Dumont. v .

199 Dictionary Nat, Drwcl me. By T. (I. Hnrbuurh.

200 The Twin Norman-en. By Capt. F. Whlttuker.

201 llnudy Burke’s I’nrdu. By Wm- 11- Kill".

202 Tom, tlw'l'exun Tlger. lly-Ol Cwuura.

208 Mun, the Office Boy. By ( hur‘vn Mnrril.

20-1 The Ymm Cowboy. liy Cul- P» Inmhnm-

205 The Front er Detective. “‘7‘ E. L. Whaler.

206 “kite nght lug; nr,‘l'he llny Ally. By T. C.

I >111: null.
207 Kcntuck Tullyot’n Bum]; or, The Red Lu».
lh‘ CA, L flmrk \\ than. I
208 ’(lj'rupper Tom's (‘nntle Myrtery. By 01
mum-s. ,
209 The M enlarger-Boy ileteotlx'e. By C. Mon 1.
210 The ilum‘hlmt'k ut'the M hues. lly .l. l6. Bldzer.
By P. S. Wanna.
lly E .. What-hr.
By C. Du! ning ('lnrk.
By T. C. llntbnugh.

e.
L. Wheeler.

2 The Jillltlm n Sporty.
It The i’lruto‘n l’riie.
4 Dandy Blue. "1‘ Plant“.
5 The Donner Ilctm'tivc. le Oll Comma. 
(‘owbny (‘nptullm By-Col. P. lugmhm
ileud ul‘ thn Rot-ides By Sum. 5. Hall.
The Mlner qurt. By Edward], hen tr.
the ilrtcctlv . _By A. W. Allen.
‘ , F k. B Chnrla Marts.
321 Merle the Mldd '. By 0). Premier lngmlllm.
922 Rat-chm! Bull-r oyn. '3}; OH (mm...
223 Gold Oonrn’d‘n Wntoh-DIo M By T.C. Hnrbnugh.
kg l‘el'glllflhllNew Yar Boy. lly 8.1., “km.
2225 Dick 1 rew, the Mlnur’n Son, 3y Edwnrd L.Whee|er.
228 Dakota Dick anhlL-ngo.‘ B Chnrlu Morris.
22? Merle, the Boy Cruller. y gal. nuu Inmhm.
228 The Preacher Detectlves’ I; on Gnome;
229 old illeknry'n Grlt. By John . Mush-ll.
230 Three Boy Sparta. By Capt. F. Whlttaker.
281 Slerrn Sun, the Detectin- By E. L. Whulor.

233 Rocky Boyer 1m. ‘7-nymmgn c. 15.1%er .,
234 Bully, the Minor Chltfi' BerIpt} JJ’. C. Adina.
2355 Jack Stalin's Cruise. By Roger strrlruck.

$88 Men-n Finn's Doubles muwml L. What".
Randy July 19.

’18? 1;:mgxg‘afisyed, Deu‘nflze- 33! Chalet Monk.
m  {www-
flgal mgafilgtlgoom By Capt.  thon.

My August 16.

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quud Every Waring-din,

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In Nun
an, five cent- per cannot, mlpt of |
Month. ta" L

BEA!)th «I: Alum“. Publish“
IS Wlllhmfitreet, New York.

 

gm» shoot lithe. lay on em. V, .

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282 Merle Monte’l Trcuure. By Col. Pram“;
tart-hum. . w ..