, 1’ blished W In b Beadle and Adams
N0.  I‘%ffl"r. “ N0_ 93 evau‘zlAMysvn NEW yORK' ’ Flvzrclafiu.  

 

Black Horse Bill, the Bandit Wrecker.

BY ROGER STARBUCK.

“ WE SAVED YOU SO AS TO FIND OUT ABOUT YER CARGO,” BRUTALLY REMARKED BLACK
HORSE BILL. “WE HAVE NO MORE USE FOR YOU. DO FOR HIM, BOYS)"

 

 

 

8 Black Horse Bill.

  

 

Black Horse Bill,

THE BANDIT WREGKER;

on,
Two Brave Boys to the Rescue.

BY ROGER STARBUCK,

AUTHOR or “one was KNUCKLES,” “ran nor
ooau. mamas,” are, no.

CHAPTER I.
BLACK HORSE BILb.

0' all those fierce, bloodthirsty brigands, who
some years a o infested the American Atlantic
coast, under t 0 name of “ wreckers,” there was
not one more daring and save e in combat, more
relentless in plundering and s ayiug his victims,
or more adroit in evading the law officers than
Black Horse Bill.

This person might havo been seen, one stormy
September afternoon, riding along a path that
led through the depths of a gloom pine forest.
about fifteen miles from the sou east coast of
Vir inia. ‘

3 horse, “ as black as death,” was large and
stronq‘with grfiat wild eyes, full of spirit and.
fire. he a 0 his rider was not more than
eighteen. oung as he was, his cheeks were
covered witha known beard and his form was
well developed. He had been a blacksmith, and
even now, at times, he would amuse himself at
his trade in an underground dungeon or den
near the coast, where he had a forge, anvil, etc.,
for repairing such plundered articles of hardware
aswere out of order. This calling had given
him a wonderful breadth of shoulders and had
enlarged the muscles of his chest and arms, so
that he possessed unusual strength for his age.
He was about five feet ten inches in hight, With
regular but strongl marked features, short,
curly hair, and wit a blended exgression of
daring and cruelty in his glittering lack eyes.
He wore heav sea—boots. U on his head was a
sou’wester wit a long lappet ailing behind, and
an ollskin cape droopin over his shoulders and
breast, was loose enoug at present to reveal a
broad belt containing a knife and a pistol.
Over his right shoulder was thrown a coil of
rope havi an iron hook attached to the end.

‘Hillol im Lomanl Open yer door there!”
he shouted, as he suddenly reined in his horse
before a small building near his path.

The door not being opened soon enough to
please him, he urge
against it, dashing it inward with a loud crash.

A short, surly-looking man, with a face like
that of an ape, came bounding from a back
room as Bill sprung from his horse. The look
of an or vanished when he saw who had done
the mischief. He, howevor, said, reproachfully:

“ Is that ’ere a good wag, beatin’ open a
nei hbor’s door, Bill? Why idn’t yer knock?"

“ iving thunder! don’t yer say a word to me
’bnut it, yer yeller-skinned monkey, or I’ll set
fire to yer ’fernal rat-hole! Jump, now, lively,
and give me a dram of yer best, and tell me the
news from the coast. Any morefriends comin'

d his horse, feet foremost, o

 

down into our jaws! They oughter, sfoh

weather as this, seein’ as the gale is toward the

coast.

“ Not a wreck that I’ve heard on.” replied the
other, “but yer know news don’t travel here-
away like a whirlwind.”
m’lgmn he leaned over and whispered something
‘.‘ Are you sure!” said the wrecker, in a low
voxce. -

“ Come and see for yerself. He’s been aslee
for a good two hours. Would o’ plied him wit
the sticker (knife), but thought best to wait till
I see’d you, knowin’ yer’d stop here comin’ back."

Bill followed the s aker into the next room,
and there, on a ru 9 bench, fast asleep, lay a
fine-looking youth of sixteen, dressed in the
rough garb of a common sailor. Jim, however,

inted to an o ening in the course coat, where

t had become oosened in front, and there the

' wrecker beheld the blue jacket, with its glitter-
ing buttons, of a young officer in the revenue

service.

“Death and furiesl" muttered Bill. “You
have been just a little too hold, my blade,
icomin’ to spy out what yer’ll never have a

chance to learn l"

l “He told me he’d been to Norfolk, and that

1 his craft—a merchant brig—was anchored off

the coast. He’d traveled far he said, and ’ud

pay for a few hours’ rest and freshments.”

“ He lied. He came to spy upon us. Good-
by to you, my young prigi

As he spoke, Bill drew his long, formidable
,knife, and, as coolly as if the slumberer had
‘been a pig, he was about to draw the keen
‘blade across his throat, when all at once the
you sailor, who evidently had merely been
feigning sleep, sprung like slash to his feet and
pointed a pistol at the head of the outlaw.

“ Hello! ’ cried Bill, startin back, somewhat
astounded. “ So you were on y shamming?”

“I heard all you said,” coolly replied the
other. “You are my risoner.”

Bill uttered a loud, disdainful laugh.

“ Surrender i" cried the youth sternly, “ or—"

go did not finish the sentenca.

im Loman struck the 1pistol from his grasp,
and pressed with his hee a sort of spike, pro-
truding from the floor, when a concea ed trap-
door gave way beneath the young oflicer, pre-
ci itating him into a smallcellalj or dungeon.
TEe trap closed again and. the prisoner was in
total darkness.

“Come, Jim, yer better settle him at once,”
said Bill. “ I must see yer do it ’fore I leave
this lace.”

“ ere oes, then,” and Jim pressed the spike
as before. nt the trap did not open.

“Fool!” cried his companion. “That is a
clumsy contrivance of yours.”

1 “It never served me so afore,” was the an-
swer. “ The wire of the spring must have got
out of order.”

“ Well, then, it a crowbar and pry open the

trap. Yer can othat?"

‘ Yes; I’ll look for the crowhar.”

“Never mind; can’t wait. Yer've got an ax

or a hatchet?”

“ Yes; but I don’t keer to have my house all
, split to pieces. for-J

 

 

  

   

 

   

.J. LA-“

4;, -.

Black Horse Bill. 3

 

Bill, however, ran into the next apartment,
obtained the ax, and commenced to hammer
away at the trap. The tremendous blows be
dealt indicated uncommon strength. But the
trap was made of hard wood and for some time
it resisted his efforts. At last the planks were
shattered.

The wrecker leaned. over the opening and
shouted:

“Hello, down there!”

There was no reply.

“ Shamming again,” said .Bill to his compan-
ion. “ Come, brin the ladder."

“ It’s in the woo -shed," was the answer.

“ Well, go and get it, you lazy skunk l”

The man 3 eyes gleamed with anger; he looked
sullenly at his battered flooring.

“ Come, why don’t yer go?” roared Bill.

Jim no lon er hesitated. He went to the
wood-shed an soon returned with the ladder,
which was quickly placed.

The collar was about seven feet deep.

The proprietor took a loaded gun from the
wall of the room, and advanced to the edge of
the trap opening.

“ Go onl take the leadl” ordered Bill. “ What
yer stoppin’ for? Why don't yer go on!"

“ He may have another pistol.”

“ Well, haven’t you a n?”

“Yes, but—butr—he might flreflrst.”

“ I didn’t know yer was quite sech a coward,”
said Bill, with the utmost contem t.

Without hesitation, he then escended the
ladder, holding his pistol in one hand.

A cry of blended wrath and astonishment
fest-1 ped him when he reached the bottom of the

a er.

By the dim light stealing down into the dun-
geon from above he discovered that the prisoner
was gonel .

“ VVhat’s the meanin‘ of this?” cried Bill,
glurin st Loman, who was now by his side.

“ 15 Nick must have had a hand in it! Thor’s
no way he could have got out.”

The wrecker pointed to a pair of shutters in
the stone foundation.

“ Fastened on the outside as well as inside,”
declared Jim. “Yer can go and see for yer-
self. Besides, he couldn’t have reached ’em bad
he tried.”

The wrecker, followed by Jim, went outside
and looked at the shutters, which he found se-
curely bolted.

“It's plain some one has helped the lubber
escape l” cried Bill.

“ Who? Ther’s no one here but me!”

“ Where’s Moll l"

“ She’s away these two weeks. Besides, my
wife isn’t the one to go back on yer, and yer
have no bizness to say so, for—” .

“Furies. man. Give me none of yer impu-
dence, or I’ll kill you!” roared Bill.

Then, entering the house, he went behind a
sort of bar there and helped himself to a glass
of whisky. after which, remounting his horse,
he rode oil.

Scarcely was be out of sight when a large,
raw-boned woman of middle age emerged from
behind a cask in the wood-house, where she had
been concealed.

It is hardly necessary to say that It was she

 

who had freed the boy ofllcer from his dungeon.
Returning unexpectedly from her visit to a
friend, miles away, she had overheard what
pamed within the house. Although not averse
to aiding the wreckers, whom her husband, by
a fearful oath, was pledged to serve, yet she
was not bad enou h to see even an enemy mur-
dered if she coul help it.

She had stolen to the wood-house, procured
the ladder, brought it to the cellar foundation
and then, unfastening theshutters, had thrust it
through the o ning. The prisoner had thus
climbed u an made his esca e, after which
havin re lted the shutters. oil had carried
the la der back to the wood-house.

CHAPTER II.
THE BOY WATCHER.

THE gale blew with redoubled violence fall
into the face of Black Horse Bill as he rode on.

Spurrin his steed forward, he came at last in
sight of a ong tongue of land or sandy strip of
beach projecting far into the sea.

There, looking from a distance, like the black
wings of some evil bird, dark objects projected
from this strip of sand.

These were the tents of the wreckers, the can-
vas being well tarred to protect their occupants
from the rain.

Out at sea the storm raged violently, while
the hu e, foam~crested waves came rolling in
with tie din of thunder upon the beach and
the numerous sand-banks, near the coast.

As Bill looked that way, his dark eyes gleam-
ed with savage pleasure.

Upon one of the sand-banks half a mile ofl, a
bark had lately been driven, and lay there, a
complete wreck, with her topmasts gone, and
the seas making a clean breach over herl

A group of wreckers, wearing sou’westers and
oil-skin suits, stood near the beach, watching a
man who was making frantic endeavors to
reach the shore. At times, as he struggled in
the foaming, boiling waters, his head would be
visible; but the next moment it would disap-
pear.

He was however, a stout swimmer, and just
as Bill rode up to the grou of Wreckers, he was
only a few fathoms from t e shore.

“ Heer, one of Iyou, go in there a little way
and throw him t e end of this re ,” ordere
Bil], flinging the coil he had with im from his
shoulders.

A man did so: the swimmer caught the end
of the line, and utterly exhausted, he was
hauled to the beach.

“ Thank you," he gasped, reviving as a little
brandy was given him.

“Your cargo, and the name of your hark?"
gemanded Bill, as the sailor was helped to his

eet.
“The Caroline, Captain Reeves, from New
Orleans. Cargo, cotton, coffee and general
merchandise. I am her captain. Every soul
including my son Jack has been drowned. I
am the on] survivor.”

“Wh , the fiend’s name, didn’t yer stay
aboard he wreck!” cried Bill.

“ I was swept overboard. As to the cargo, it
you will help me save it, you shall have sal-
vmo—"

 

  

4

Black Horse Bill.

 

"No; instead of salvage we go in for savage I” :
Interrupted Bill, laughing. i

The captain stn red, but, noticing covert smiles j
on the grim visages about him, he seemed to
guess the true character of these people.

“We sawd yw so as to find out about ver
cargo,” brutally remarked Black Horse Bill.
“ We have no more use for you. Do for him,
boys!"

“I have a wife and children,” pleaded the
ca tain: “ for their sakes—~”

efore he could finish, a man struck him with
a. club, stretching him lifeless at his feet.

“ Let him have ‘funeral lionors,’ soon as yer
can," ordered Bill, as he rode off to his tent—
: larger one than the others.

Around the rostrate snilor gathered some of
the wreckcrs like wild beasts of pre , and pro
ceeded to rifle his pockets. One 0 tained his
watch, another his pocketbook, and a third

erked evaluable rinF from his index finger.

hen they dug a be e in the sand, and one
ruilian had raised an ax above the captain to
make sure work, when a companion interposed.

“ Wait till Bill comes back. I have somethin’
to snv to him ‘bout this man,” he cried.

“ What’s the use? if he ain’t dead, now, he’ll
soon be so, after that crack with the club!”

Up to this point the movements of the wreck-
ors had been witnessed by a person who still
remained aboard the wreck. This was none
other than the captain’s son, Jack Reeves,
whom the former had thought was drowned. 1
He was a boy about sixtem years old—a bright-
looking outh, with light, curling hair, clear
complexxon, blue eyes, and a broad-shouldered, ‘
vigorous form.

It was his strength and activity which had
saved him from death.

A huge sea, when the vessel struck the sand-
bank, had torn him from his father's side, and
carried him over the how. He had contrived
to clutch the bobstay, and to this he had clung
until the son had passed him. At the same mo-
ment the foretop—must, with all its rigging,
came crashing down over the box, and there it
lay—the network of rope; and canvas hanging
over him, completely screeningr him from sight,
and preventing his ranching the (lock. It was
at this moment that his father was also swept
ovar by a s 'a.

The boy held firmly to the bobstay, around
which he had contrived to twist his legs, until
it chanced that the fallen mast slipped to one
side, when he was enabled to climb to the deck,
where he lashed himself to the Windlass to pre-
vent his being swept overboard. He had not
been seen by the wreckers, owing to the droop-
ing canvas of the topsuil and broken jibboom.
which had hung down in front of him; nor had .
they noticed him after he reached the deck
as they were then gathered about the captain.

From his position the boy had seen the
wretches knock down his parent and afterward
rifle his pockets. The painful sight sent a
thrill of horror through his heart, and then and
there. clinching his fists, he made a solemn vow
if he were saved, not to rest until he had brought
the villains to justice, and thus avenged his I
father. .
A mist now screened the wrecker: from his ,

 

 

 

 

guze,ibut he still kept himself in acrouchlng
osit on.

Fortunately, the bows of the craft being lifted
high on the sand-bank, the seas coming over
this part of her were not so violent as those
that swept her afterdeck.

And at last, as darkness closed around him,
the wind abated, and the seas began to subside.
Jack loosened himself from the Windlass, and
crept along the inclined deck toward the cabin.
He looked throu h the companionway, to hear
the dull wash 0 the water inside. which had
flooded the rooms and was half-way up the steps.

He felt faint and hungry, but be perceived at
once that nothin to eat could here he obtained.
He went forwar again, and, getting into the
torecastle, which was only partly flooded, he
felt for the “bread barge "—a box which was
usually hung up between the bitts. and which
was kept filled with sea-biscuits. Fortunately
he found some of these which enabled him to
make a meal. He then put some of the biscuits
in his pockets.

Hours pas~ed before he saw the lanterns of
the wreckers’ boats as they approached. Then
be lowered himself from the how upon the
sand-bank, and crouched behind a hillock.

Soon after, the bears some alongside the vas-
Se], and their occupants swarmed upon the deck.
By means of ropes, tackles, and other impie.
meats. many of the valuable boxes and bales
were hoisted out of the watery hold. They
were transferred as fast as possible to one of the
boats, which was then hauled ashore by inea- s
of a rope attached to the how—the other end of
which had been left in possession of the men on
the beach, who were to pull upon it. The end
oflhnother rope fast to the stern was retained by
the persons aboard the wreck, and thus the boat
was alternately pulled to and from the bark

\th its load until all. that could be obtained
from the vessel had been deposited on shore.

Black Horse Bill snperintended the work
aboard the wreck.

"There, boys!” he shouted, when the last load
was taken to the beach. “We can‘t git any
more out of the cussed craft. She'll go to pieces
in an hour, the way she’s bumpin’ up and
down.”

Still keeping close behind the hillock, Jack
heurd the wreckers pulling off.

When they were gone he clambered back upon
the. wreck.

Exhausted by his late hardships, he reclined
onI the deck, and, ere he was aware of it, he fell
as pep.

lie was awakened by a crashing noise, and,
springing up, he perceived that the bark was
going to pieces.

She broke asunder amidships, and Jack found
himself in the water. There was still a heavy
sea. running. The boy lwam ton fragment of
the wreck near him, and, lying upon it, allowed
the waves to carry him on.

CHAPTER III.
A FIGHT FOR LIFE.

Tm: direction of the waves was now toward a
part of the coast, about half a mile below the
point ocenpied b the wreckers’ tents.

Through the (leap gloom Jack could lo. the

 

     

 

 

     

 

Black Horse Bill. 6

 

lights of these habitations.
fragment struck the beach.

‘ Ahoy] who is that?” came a clear voice.

The boy started.

From his belt he drew his knife.

“It is one of the wreckersl” he thought. “I
will strike one good blow, at least, to avenge my
father!”

“ Who is that?" came the hail again, and he
saw the outline of a form approaching.

“ It is no matter!” answered Jack, who now
was on the beach. “If you oifcr to harm me,
I will put my knife in youl You killed my
father. The time will arrive when every one of
you wreckers shall swing!"

“Good! I like that!” came the other voice.
“ I think you and I are of one mind I”

“Who then are you?” inquired Jack.

The moon which had been hidden by heavy,
black clouds, now emerged into an open space,
lighting up the two forms on the beach.

At last the drifting

Jack saw before him a dark, flue looking.

youth about his own age, enveloped in a shaggy
sailor’s coat.

“ I am one who, like you, is bent on sweeping
those infernal pests of wreckers from this
coast!"

“ So then you are not a wrecker?”

“ Far from it," and part1 throwing open the
front of his coat, the yout revealed his naval
revenue uniform.

Then he frankly held out his hand, which was ‘

cordially grasped by the other boy.

Mutual explanations followed. Jack then
learned that his companion’s name was Frank
Watson, and that he was the son of the captain
of a revenue cutter, which had been sent to
cruise alon
haunts. aving carried away her foremast in
a ale, she had gone into Norfolk for repairs.

7 W lle there, Frank, wandering into the interior,

had lost himself in a lonely pine forest, and.
during his endeavors to find his way out, had
met with his perilous adventure at Jim Loman’s
house, as already recorded. After his escape he
had hurried 01!, and had finally, a. few hours
befort'e the pressnt time, struck the beach at this
in

p0“ And here we are,” he added. “ Neither of
us with a good weapon, only half a mile from

the wreckersl” ‘

“ It’s all up with us if they pounce upon us.”

“ Yes, and we have nothing to eat or drink.”

“ What shall we do?" '

"We must try to reach my father’s vessel. I
was about to start to make the attempt, when
I saw you coming. It will be a perilous under-
taking. We will have to pass the wreckers’
tents first!"

“ We can’t do that without being seen."

“We must tr . It is our only course. That
wretch whom t ey call Black Horse Bill has
sent men 01! into the woods, probably to look
for me, so that we cannot go in that direction.
The surest way is to keep along the coast. ”

H  I”

The sound of voices and footsteps was heard.
A lantern was carried by one of the persons
approaching. .

‘,‘ There are only two,” said Frank, signifl<
«nth. l

the coast in search of the wreckers’ ,

i " And they have seen us!” cried Jack.
i “ There are but two!” repeated the other, as
‘. he drew a dagger from his belt.
i “ They have pistols.”

“ We must make the best of it. This way."

Followed by Jack, he placed himself behind a
ridge of sand—the only one which, for some
distance, broke the level surface of the coast.
Grasping their knives, the boys saw, above the
hillock, the two Wreckers, pistol in hand, run-
ning toward them.

They were you men of about twenty.

“ Hallo there! I he are you? Give yerselvos
up, or you are dead dogs!” cried one, as the two
paused within a few yards of the hillock, and
placing their lantern on the ground, pointed
their pistols at the heads of the boys.

1 “Come and take us, if you want us!” cried
‘ Frank.

The man laughed hoarsely.

“ That's easy done. Come on, Tom."

The two rushed toward the hillock, and got

round it.
i “We can handle these ‘bahes' without pis-
tols,” cried the fellow who had previously
spoken. “Come, follow us, young-ones. We
want to show you to Black Horse Bill.”

“Get out, you cowardly lubbci'si" rotorted
Jack. “ You murdered my father, and for that
I’ll pay you 011', if 1 die for it.”

As he spoke he dashed a handful of sand he
had scooped up full into the vycs of the wrecker,
and then sprung at him with the bound of a

ti er.

fiialf blinded, the man fired his pistol, but his
disturbed vision caused him to miss his aim,
and Jack’s knife sunk to the halt in his heart.

“Welldonel” cried Watson.

He dodged and knocked up the arm of the
other man, who was about to fire upon him,
causing the bullet to pass high over his head.

The wrecker, however, avoided the stroke of
the oung cflii-cr’s dagger, and clinching him,
hur ed him down. Frank drew him to the
ground with him, and the two rolled over and
over in a desperate struggle.

Frank had inflicted sivcral severe wounds
upon his opponent with his dagger, when the
man, disengaging himself on seeing Jack com-
ing toward him, bounded oii'.

‘ He must not escape,” cried Frank. “That
will spoil a plan I have.”

The wounded man could not run very fast.
The boys headed him 011' when he was seen to
make straight for the water, into which he
rushed.

His pursuers dashed in after him. On reach-
ing deep water, he struck out, but all at once a.
black object like the upper part of a fan, was
seen cutting the surface in his direction. A
moment later it vanished, and then one long,
horrible cry, like the scream of a demon, es-
caped the swimmer. The whole half of his
body shot up for an instant above the surface,
with the arms uprnised; then it suddenly van-
ished under the water, which was there stained
with acrimson stream.

“ He’s gone!” cried Frank.

“Ay, a shark, scenting his blood, has ‘ dono’
for him.” assented Jack.

 

   

 

   
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
   
 
 
   
   
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   

Black Horse Bill.

 

“A horrid fate, but we can afford to do with
out him I"

“ Right there! He deserved a worse fate."

The boys waded ashore.

“ My plan," explained Frank, “ was to put on
the wrecker’s suit. In that way we might have
passed their tents without exciting suspicion.
As it is, we’ll have to divide between us the
clothes of the dead one ashore—one of us taking
the oilskin coat and hat, and the other putting
on the pea-jacket beneath and also the son-
wester of the fellow who was sharked; for he
left his hat behind him,” added Frank, pointing
it out lying on the sand. ‘

" The wreckers’ clothes seem like poison to
me,” demurred Jack”. “but of course we can’t

. , afford to be queamish now."

“You can believe that. And now for our
mas uerade hall.”

"‘ y, ayl but we must keep a sharp lookout,
or we’ll get ‘ ball’ of another kind,” Jack
warned.

“ True, shipmate; we must try to steer clear
of that.”

They went to the side of the dead man, and
were soon disguised as Frank had indicated.
They then took the lantern, blew out the light,
and moved boldly along in the direction of the
wreckers’ tents, keeping the capes of the son’-
westers well about the sides of their faces and
the rims well down.

 

CHAPTER IV.
rim STRATAGEH.

THE first danger of discovsry was met with
when they were about a quarter of a mile from
the tents.

Coming straight toward them, they beheld no
less a. ersonage than the chief of the wrecker:
himse f—Black Horse Bill.

“ Hello! where yer come from?” he cried.
“Yer couldn’t have made much of a ‘patroi,’
comin’ back so soon. Anything up?"

“ Footsteps in the sand. made lately, yer can
be sure,” said Watson, trying to imitate the
gruif tones of one of the wreckers the boys had
encountered.

“ Footsteps—eh? Thunderl What can it
mean?”

“ A boy’s tracks, I should say, by the size,"
answered Frank.

“Hello! I b’lieve it’s them of that cursed
youn revenue chap that gave me the sli l”

“t or may make up yer mind to tha ,” said

a son.

“Hillol What’s the matter with yer voice! ,
Ther’sl an uncommon squeak to it, difl‘rent from
when _you and I parted last.”

“I ggt a confounded cold goin’ oil to that

 

Bill started and stared.

“Yer’ve lost yer senses, Thompson!
didn’t go to the wreck, at all!"

“ I don’t mean the last one.” ‘.

“Ohl Well, see that yer speak plain in fu-
ture," cried Bill, angrily. “ Ther’s nothin’
makes my blood bile so as stupidness. I must
giht out men and my dog to track that revenue

a .

e walked away toward the tents. while the {

Yer

 

boys also approached them, but kept as far from
him as they could without arousmg his sus-
picions.

They had nearly passed the further extremity
of the group of tents, when they heard the
wrecker calling to them.

“ Hello! Where yer goin’i”

At the same moment a number of the occu-
pants of the tents came out near the two lads.

They stopped, for to proceed would be to
arouse suspicion.

Black Horse Bill approached.

He was about to speak to the boys, when one
of the Wreckers poi n red seaward. The moon
was again obscured, and the wind was com-
mencing to blow another gale. About a league
distant a light was seen emerging from the racx
of black vapor dri. ting over the sea.

The light moved slowly, and seemed to grad-
ually near the coast.

“ Another wreck l” cried Bill. “But we must
make’sure of it. The craft will want a pilot.
Take the small boat, two of yer, and go out to
her” See that she’s iioted the right course,”
he added, with a lou laugh. “ Bring her into
our jaws, so that we can ‘ chaw her up’ ’fore she
strikes a sand-bank.”

“ We’ll go, captain,” said Frank.

“ Are yer sure she s a wreck, Captain Bill?”
inquired one of the men.

‘ Surel Of course I aml Don’t yer see how
slow she’s crawlin’ along?” '

Followed by Jack, Frank hurried down to the
lea-shore.

A number of boats, large and small, were
there fastened to stout stakes. The two lads se-
lected a small one and launched it.

“That’s the sort,”-said Bill, who with the
others, had come to see them 01!. “New away
yer go, and pull a lively stroke.”

The boys seized cars and pulled with might
and main. -

“ Well donel” exclaimed Jack when they
were out of hearin of the wreckers. “ Here we
are in pomession o a. good boat."

“Yes; the darkness favored us. Had we
stayed with those fellows until morning, they
would have been sure to discover the trick we
have played them. Now the wind is in our flir-
vor, but we must go out to that craft before we
try to reach Norfolk. The crew must be
warned.

“Yes,” assented Jack. “I could never for-
give myself should I leave them to fall into the
power of those brutes ashore.”

It was hard work pulling up against the wind;
but the boys were practiced oarsmen, and in
the course of an hour they found themselves
close to the craft.

They hailed her, a rope was thrown, and they
were soon alongside.

They then perceived that she was a large
merchant ship, which had carried away her
three topmasts in the late gale, and was now
under jury masts.

The captain of the vessel, a stout, blufl per-
soblgagg, confronted them as they sprung
a. a .

“.Whnt ship is this" inquired Frank, con-
triving to show his nmform. -

“The Neptune. Captain Burton. and bound

 

 

 

 

 

 

I”: ,

 

  

   
   
 

  
 

  

lrom Cellao for NewYork," was the re ly. “I
hope you are pilots, come to help us c ear the
sand-banks to leeward of us, form cargo is
valuable, consisting of $500,000 wort of silver
bars, besides miscellaneous articles. We have
contrived to give the Carolina coast a wide
berth for there are wreckers there who are
little better than pirates.”

“You are not aware, then, that many of
them have lately moved further North, and
have handed themselves on the shore to lee-
ward of you under a rascal who is called
Black Horse him”

“I did not know it!” cried the captain, start-

in .
Trunk, in a few words, went on to tell his

story.

“ God help usl” ejaculated the captain. “ Had
we not lost our masts. we could give this coast
a wider berth. As it is, we may be carried
ashore.”

“ The wind may change,” said Frank.

“In my opinion,” sai Jack, “the wrecker!
will come out and board the ship whether she
goes ashore or not. ”

“What’s the trouble, papa?” came a soft,
silvery voice at that moment.

“Go into the cabin Mary,” re lied the cap-
tain. “I may as well tell you, owever, that
we are in danger from wreckers.”

The girl, whose lovely face and form, lighted
by the ship’s lantern, showed her to be nearly
fifteen, turned pale at such gloomy tidings.

“ Have on no arms?” asked Jack.

“Yes, ortunately we have a few cutlasses,
and a twelve-pound gun forward My crew
all told, number thirty. I will make a bar
fightl of it before they capture me,” he added,

in y.

“And we will help you,” Jack declared.

“Yes,” added Watson, “and if you let me
have charge of the twelve-pounder, I promise
to do good work with it.”

The captain consented, and the boys took OR
their heavy coats to prepare for combat.

The sight of the captain’s lovely daughter
had inspired them with a determination not to
leave the vessel as they had first intended to do,
but to remain and help drive away the
wreckers.

“ Boats coming this way i” roared the man on
the lookout.

The captain and his mates peering through
the gloom, saw the outlines of seVeral large
boats approaching from the shore. They were
evident y full of men, well armed.

The on tain called his crew aft. They were
stout fel ows and, when he told them what
when expected of them, they gave a rousing
c eer.

The arms were distributed.

Frank, with Jack’s assistance, and that of
one of the hands, soon had the twelve-pound
carronade in the gangway, pointed toward the
comiu boats.

“ {y don’t you fire!” inquired the captain.

“ Wa t until they come a little nearer;" and,
carefully sighting the piece, the young sailor .
gave the word to fire. I

A broad flash lighted the sea for an instant,
showing the three boats. With their armed

 

 

 

Black Horse BIL 7

 

crows, not twenty fathoms off, with Black
Horse Bill standing in the stern-sheets of the
head one.

The roar of the gun was followed by the
whizzin of the shot and a crashin noise.

“Wei aimed i" cried the ca ain, as loud
cries and curses, with the splas ing made by
men struggling in the water, was heard.

“We’ll ve them some more. Nothing like
artillery !’ cried Frank, as be reloaded.

Bang! soon went the gun again, and wild
cries of rage denoted that some of the wrockers
were either killed or wounded.

The voice of Bill was heard booming over the
waters.

“If yer don’t ‘bag ’ yer cussed gun, it’ll be
the worse for you!”

The boats were now so close under the lee
how that the gun could not be depressed enough
to hit them.

By the light of the ship’s lantern, the head
boa was seen crotvded with the wreckers, who
had been picked up from the one which had
been destroyed. In the bow stood Black Horse
Bill, his whole face dark with re e, his eyes
flashin fire under his bent brows. n one hand
he he] a pistol, in bi belt were along knife
and a cutless.

“I’ll strip yer cussed craft of everything
aboard of her!" he howled. “I’ll then tie ev-
ery man of yer crew up, and make a burnln'
eoflin for him out of or ship I"

“ We'll see about at!” and Jack sprung to
the wheel. “Hard up—hardl” he cried to the
helmsman.

“Ay, up with the wheel!" ordered the cap-
tain comprehending the boy’s intention.

T e wheel was raised, and, hurled forward
by a sea, the heavy bows of the shi crashed
:gaixnst the loaded boat, actually out ing it in

we

Black Horse Bill was seen to reel and fell
over but“ water, which also closed over his
companions!

Then, as the ship daslnd on over the strug-
gling, drowning wreckers, the remaining boat
was dimly seen pulling to their rescue.

CHAPTER V.
THE sonooxna.

TH] ca tain of the ship warmly thanked
Jack and atson for their assistance.

The violence of the gale by this time prevent-
ed the flring of any more shots, and every ef-
fort was now necessary to prevent the vessel’s
drifting on some one of the perilous sand-banks
in the vicinity.

Meanwhile, Mary, the captain’s daughter,
procured refreshments for the two boys, who
were by this time half-famished. They also ob-
tained a few hours' sleep.

The wind had chan ed a little, so that the
shig‘ could be kept ong parallel with the
003 u.

But at dawn, when Jack and Watson awoke,
they discovered that it had again chnged, so
that it was blowing dead ahead. The boat in
which the boys had come had been shattered to

ieces by a heavy sea, and only the ship’s long-

at now remained aboard.

To prevent e craft from going ashore. the

 

5 sz.

F

 

 

    

Black Horse Bill.

  

 

captain was final] obliged to anchor in a be  "Yer’va gone far enough, then. Leave the

im Itjhe coast, part y sheltered by sandy hea -
an 5.
“How far do you think we are from the
wrockers’ tents!” inquired the captain of Frank.
“ About five miles. l’d advise you to get out

of this as soon as you can, or the rascals will be 3

upon on again with reinforcements. Mean-
while
try and bring assistance to
more than th rty miles from Norfolk."

Soon after the two boys started. They had
walked along the shore about ten miles when
they came to a sort of but made out of the
wreck.

Zahara was an old fisherman there mending
ne .

J “fan you give us a drink of water?” inquired

ac .

“Yes: come in, come in," said the old man,
cordially.

They entered, and their host went into an-
other room. He appeared soon after with two
cups of water.

“The water has a queer taste; it must be a.
little brackish," whispered Jack to his compan-
ion after they had drank.

Immediate y after they were seized with a fit
of drowsiness which made them stagger.

“ Sit down if on are tired,” said the old man,
pointin to a di apidated lounge.

The ys eat, or rather reclined, on the
ltlmnge, where they at once fell into a deep
5 eep.

The fisherman took an ax from the Wall and
advanced toward them.

“ Black Horse Bill will reward me for killing
the young wretches,” he muttered.

In fact. the wreckers had their friends all
along the coast nearly as far as Norfolk. Soon
after his baflied attempt to board the merchant-
ship, Bill, who, with most of the ocau )ants of
the stoven boat, had been rescued byi 0 crew
of the other one, had dashed nlon the beach as
swift as a whirlwind on his black orse, and no-
tified these friends of what had taken place,
bidding them keep a sharp lookout for the ship,
as welles for the two boys, who, he had learned
before this, had played him the ruse which has
been described.

The fisherman in whose but the boys lay
asleep was a cruel, blood-thirsty rasca , who
had once been a irate, and he therefore had no
more hesitation killing the lads than if they
had been two pigs.

Already his ax was raised above Frank’s head
and it would the next moment have crashe
throu h his skull had not some one suddenly
pushe it aside.

“Father, what is thisi” came a voice, and
turnin he saw his daughter Bella, a tall, mas.
culiuo- ookin young woman, who could handle
an car and fls as well as her parent.

“Fool! Why stop me! Twenty dollars are
not to be thrown away! Besides, ain’t er the
promised wife of Black Horse Bill, an is this
the we yer’d spile his plans!”

h: I i on’t ‘liaeh [goodihedé’l’ gswered Bella,
n . a ma es 0 sshqpsoi”
“‘l'ge finned ’em.” y

ack and I will keep on our way, so as to ;
you. We cannot be .

 

rest to Bill.

“ But what’s to be done with the boys, then?"

“ When they wake let ‘em go. Some one else
will captur’ ’em. It don’t matter so long as it
ain’t my own father.”

“ No, thank you. I ain’t goin’ to lose my
twenty dollars that way. I’ll look ’em in here,
and send word to Bill by Tom Willing.”

He got Bella outside of the but. which he
then looked securely. Tom Willing, a outh
who sometimes helped him pull his boa , was
sent to inform the wreckers of the capture.

In about two hours the boys awoke, one after
the other. _

They were at first Mdeered, but they soon
recalled past events.

They went to the door and triedtoopen it.
It was a. heavy one and resisted all their eiforts.

“We are caught!" cried Frank.

“ Stop yer racket there, or I’ll brain oul"
cried the old fisherman, outside. “ Black orse
Bill and his men will soon be here to settle yer
hash.”

Watson’s gaze fell on a small cooking—stove,
in which there was a tire.

“Jack,” said he, “ we must get out of .this
before the wreckers come. Our only way is to
set fire to the hut.”

” We’ll be burned to death.”

“ We may not. There’s a chance for us."

He took a shovelful of hot coals from the
stove and threw them down by one side of the
hut.

Smoke and flame soon burst forth.

The fisherman, alarmed for his house, rushed
to open the door.

Frank had procured another shovelful of hot
coals. As the man, with u raised ax, rushed
toward the boys, the youth ung the hot coals
into his face and dealt him a stunning blow on
the side of the head with the shovel.

Snutching the ax trom his hand as he reeled
ovcr,Watscn, followed by Jack. sprung through
the doorwa . No one but Bella was outsi e,
and she ma e no opposition to their progress.

They hurried toward the pine woods, in the
distance.

Not until they reached a thickl wooded val-
ley did they pause for rest. hey then sat
down in the small hollow of a rock, which was
thickly screened with shrubbery.

“ Hark i” said Jack. .

The haying of a bound, blended With the
trampling of a horse’s hoofs, was heard.

“ The wreckers and their dog, headed by Black
Horse Bill, are after us i” said Frank.

As he spoke, is rushing noise was heard. The
head of a huge bloodhound, with laring eyes
and sharp fangs, was thrust throng the leafy
screen, in front of the boys.

Up went Watson’s ax, and down it came, cleav-
in the dog’s skull in twain.

The boys drew the dead body of the animal
into the hollow that it might not 'be seen.

They heard a horse go past their retreat.

“ This way, men!” came the voice of Black
Horse Bill. “They can’t be far on.
sharp!» ,-

Several voices were heard in the valley.

   

 

 

 

~ "wmuku v, ,

 

Black Horse Bill. ‘ . a

Two of the wreckers came near the hollow. 1
They had long pikes, with which they probed
the shrubbery. The he s saw the points of
these pikes enter the be low, and they had to
dodge to prevent them from piercing their
3:le One of the pikes penetrated the body of

e o .

“H510! here’s somethingl”cried the man

I who had this weapon.

The boys crouched closely in the shadow of
a dark a cove, as the dog’s bodyiwas drawn
forth.

There was an exclamation from both men.

” The young rascals must be here!" said one.

The two pfered into the hollow, but they did
not see Jac and his companion crouching in
the shadow.

“ They’ve been here—that’s sartin,” cried the
first speaker.

To the great relief of the boys, the two then ‘

moved oil.
When the men’s voices had died away in the
distance, the young sailors left their hiding-

place. ‘

The hurried along, making ood rogress.’
They ad proceeded about ten mi es, w 18!] they
saw through an opening in the shrubbery, a
small village on the sea-shore.

01! this village was a schooner, which was
preparing to get under waly.

“We will go to that v' lage and try to get
something to eat,” said Frank.

“ Ma not the geople there be the wreckers’ i
friends said Jac . ’

“The can’t all he,” said Frank. “We’d
getter d out where that schooner is bound

merely a collection of small huts, mostly habit-
ed by fisherman.

‘ awe

They noticed, or thought they did, that some .

of these men directed a scowling glance at
Frank’s uniform.

“Where’s this schooner bound to?” inquired
the youth of a stout. broadshouldered man,
who had just come ofl'. in a small boat, from
the vessel. 4

The man looked closely at his interrogator
before he replied:

“ For Norfolk.”

‘ we’d be if we went to that village.

. ; ropes.
They soon reached the village, which was

l

This set the boys’ minds at ease.

“Lucky the wreckers don’t know you have
it, or they might try to get it away from you,"
said Jack.

“Wreckers? wreckers?” said the captain, in
a puzzled, absent way. “Yes, I b’lieve there’s
some away down the coast, but the mkils
never interfere with the villa e as its too near
Norfolk-only ’bout thirty mi a.”

This reassured the boys still more. The boat
was soon alongside, and they boarded the
schooner.

In the cabin the ca tain gave them some hot
cofl’ee, some freshly ked biscuits. and a few
slices of meat. The attention of the two was
attracted by a rack, on one side, in which was
aigoold array of cutlasses, bonding-plus and
p sto s.

“ We have to go armed heresbonts on ac-
count of them wreckers yer spoke of," remarked
the, skipper.
ten-fiound carronade. forward."

“ 0w big a crew have you!” queried Watson.

“ A dozen or so,” was t e reply.
d Tlheir meal being finished, t 0 boys went on

or. .
The schooner under full sail was heading
from instead of toward Norfolk}

“ don’t ike this,” said Jack.

“What’s that yer don’t like!” inquired the
captain, at his elbow.

‘ Why are you heading away from Norfolk?”

“None 0‘ yer bizness,” was the stern reply.
“You’ll l’arn soon enough.”

Rough hands suddenly hurled the boys
down, and their arms and egs were bound with
No response was made to the angry
(priestions of the two. They were dropped into
t e hold, upon some coils of rope, after which
the hatch was fastened over them.

“Caught again i” said Jack. “ I thought

This cap-

tain must be in league with the wreckers.”

“ Right there!” came the graft voice at the
captain, as he appeared before them, lantean
hand. “ We help Black Horse Bill, and he help:
us. Still we are‘not under oath to 'em II

of t’others. There’s been a reward of—

man
' fared for yer, dead or aiiv . Let’s see how

much you have. ”

“ Goodl” Bald Watson- " Wham YO“ “*5 to He rifled the boys pockets and obtained about

ve us a sa e there?”
Ki“ Five mug.” was the gruff response.

" All right,” said the boy. “ Come on, Jack 1” ‘ Bun» said Frank,

The two entered the boat, which, as soon as

ten dollars.

“You mean to give us up to\ Black Horse

“ That’s about it. Twenty dollars ain’t to be,

the captain had taken in a box, brought by one thawed awayy

of the fishermen. was pulled for the schooner.
Jack eyed the box sharply. He recognized

it as one which had

lost vowel—the Caroline.

CHAPTER VI.
mount

Jack’s suspicions were aroused at sight of the
box. and he whispered about it to his friend.

“ Where did {on get that box?” Watson bold-
iy‘inqnired of t e captain.

“ I don't know as it’s any 0’ yer bizness,”
grufliy answered the skipper, “ but i don’t mind
{311i

0

 

ted from some wreck.

 

 

been aboard his father’s ‘

“ If you land us where we can reach Norfolk
£1 will: send you double that amount," said

ran .

“t ammoni Still I may talk it over with my
ma e.

The result evidently was not favorable.
Hours passed after the captain went away, and
he did not reappear.

Meanwhile the prisoners were not idle. Frank
contrived to get the cords about h wrists
against the broken blade of a saw, and thus be
freed his arms. The rest was easy—both boys
were soon on their feet.

agar it was PM!“ “P 88,310“: "10“ Pl‘ 01’" “ Fortunately we have clothes to spare," “HM V
r Frank. A

 

“Besides these things, we’ve a g 4

 

 

    

10

He took a couple of rolls of canvas, and soon
rigged them, by putting on the wrecker’s coats
he and Jack had worn. In a dim light, these
two forms stretched out might have been taken
for the boys, lying extended on the rigging.

The lads concealed themselves behind a cask,
near the door in the bulkhead, through which
the captain had entered, and which was now
locked on the other side.

Soon after the captain opened the door and
reappeared, lantern in hand.

“ No use. My mate and I think we’d better ‘

hold on to you,” he said.

“ Now,” whispered Frank.

The boys glidod through the open doorway,
and entered the cabin.

Through the cabin window they could see the
coast, not two miles off.

Frank went to the rack, and took therefrom
twoloaded pistols, one of which he passed to his
companion.

“ These come in good,” said Jack.

“ Yes, you can believe that. We’ll have to
make a rush on deck. The window is too small
to crawl through.”

Watson glided up the steps, peered through
the companionway, and then madea sign to
his companion.

“ All the men, except the one at the wheel, are
forward,” he whispered. “ Now for a rush and
a 5 ring overboard 1"

here was no time to lose.

Adyell from the captain indicated that he
had iscovered the boys’ ruse.

The two put their pistols in their sou‘«westers
to keep them dry, and then bounded on deck.
Before the helmsman could give the alarm, they
lowered themselves into the sea.

The schooner was standing alongr under full
sail, but she was not forty fathoms from the
swimmers, when a boat was down, mu of men,
in pursuit of them.

Unfortunately wind and sea were against
them. They struggled maufully, but the boat
gained. They were still ten fathoms from the
shore when a pistol was pointed toward them
by the officer in the boat’s bow.

“No use!” he shouted. “May as well give
yerselves upl Stop at once, or I’ll put a bullet
in each of yer headsl"

The boys stopped swimming. They saw they
must be captured are they couid reach the
s lore.

They were soon dragged into the boat.

On being taken aboard the schooner they
Were bound with stout cords to the Windlass.

“See if yer’gl git away from us ag’in, yer
young lubbers ’ said the captain.

The schooner was headed on her oourse.
About a mile distant, the boys beheld the dis—
abled merchant-ship, Neptune.

J “k1 seel they are going to heed her off,” said

ac .

“ Yes; and I’m afraid they’ll get her in their
clutches, this time.”

The schooner’s men, numbering about forty,
were already arming themselves.

'Suddenl the captain was seen pointing his
glalss to «ward, where there was another
as: .

Then he conversed in a low voice with him

Black Horse Bill.

   

 

‘, m to, after which the men were all ordered to
l g into the cabin and disarm themselves.
. “ Do you know what that means?” whispered
Watson to his friend. “ It means that the

‘ stranger they’ve sighied to leeward is a man-o’-
i war, and so they’re afraid to attack the mer-
l chantinan. They’ll put it 01! till the war craft
1 is out of sight and hearing. Now that they’re
‘ all below, I have a plan.’

This plan he hastily revealed to Jack, who

approved it.

The he s” arms had been left free, but the
, cords ho ding them to the Windlass were has
i tuned with a seeman’s skill, so that the knots
{could net be reached by the prisoners to be
i untied.

Frank pulled ofl' his sou’wester, and quickly
\ taking therefrom the loaded pistol he had put
there, he pointed it at the head of a boy, who
stood a few feet from him on the lookout. The
men at the wheel, being screened by the cabin-
house, could not see this movement.

“Now, youngster,” said Watson, in a low,
stern voice, “unfasten these r0 as from us at
once, or we’ll shoot you dead! f you make the
least noise, or give an alarm, I’ll fire!”

The person he addressed was about fourteen—
a thin, overworked lad.

“ Yer won’t tell ’em I did it?” he gasped.

(l  7’

Without another word the boy unfestened
their lashings.

The two friends then bounded aft and while
Jack pointed his pistol at the head 0 the man at
the w eel, threatening to blow out his brains it
he made the least resistanCe Watson quickly
fastened with its bar and padlock the slide of
the companion way.

He also securely fastened the main-hatch and
the forcastle scuttle, thus shutting in the men
and oillcers below.

The helmsman and the boy who had freed the
two were still on deck. '

The lads ordered the former to keep the
schooner air—a command which he sullenly
obeyed at the point of the pistoL Then they
forced the boy to help them trim the sails, so
lint they now headed for the merchant-ship.

Meanwhile, the people below were vainly en-
gealvoring to beat down the slide to get on

ec r.

“They’ll contrive to get out at us, before
long?" said Jack.

“ es; but before the do, I hope to have
some of those stout fe ows from the mer-
chant craft aboard of us, after which we’ll head
up for the man-ofiwar.”

“Yer infernal youn rats! let us out, or it’ll
be the worse for yer i” s outed the captain, be-
hind the door.

“l’ll‘ake your time—no hurry,”repl.ied Watson
coo y.

With J ack’a assistance, he then drew the ten-
pound carronade in front of the door, and
pointed it toward it.

“ Stop your racket l" he shouted. “ You may

 

‘ succeed in beating down the door, but it will be

at the cost of your lives! I have your carronade
pointed toward you, and I’ll fire and blow you
to pieces the moment you open that door!”

  

 

 

 

. i
r
\

 

 

’ ness was all around her until, suddenly, the

  

 

'Black Horse Bill. 11

 

CHAPTERVII.
run novs’ FATE.

THE determined voice of the youth was not
without its effect.

The pounding at the door was stopped—at
least for the present.

The schooner drew nearer to the merchant
craft every moment.

Suddenly, Frank uttered a cry of dismay.
An active figure had sprung upon the poop,
speakingirumpet in hand, and the boy had
rectignized Black Horse Billi

Yes, there he stood, grim and stern, waiting
to speak the schooner.

There could no longer be a. doubt as to what f
had taken place. Bill and his gang had attacked ‘
the ship in the bay, and succeeded in capturin '
her. If so, what had become of her crew an
of the captain‘s daughtcrl That they had all
been slaughtered was the opinion of both boys.

“Schooner ahoyl” shouted Bill.

Frank had put on a rough pea—'ncket he had
seen hanging on the rail, to concealhis uniform.
Night was approaching, and in the dim light,
the deck of neither craft could be plainly seen.

“ Halloa!” responded the youth, disguising
his voice.

“ Is that you, Captain Bunker?”

u Ay‘ ayy

“ I sent word for yer to come out and head
ofl’ this craft, but it ain’t necessary, now, seeiu’
as l've got possession."

“ How did yer do it?”

“ Saw her in a bay below, and went out
and attacked her as she was steering oi! with
her cable cut"

“ What did yer do with her crew?” inquired
Frank, now scarcely able to steady his voice.

“Killed half a doz-m. Got t’others below
under hatches. There’s a gal there too. Goin;
to burn the ship and her cussed people when I
git off her cargo, but ther’s a man-ol-war creep-
in’ about here, and I'm playin’ ’possum, jest
now, till she gits out 0' sight, when I mean to
bench the old craft.”

Before Frank could say another word, the
wind, which had freshencd to a gale, drove the
two vessels far apart.

The schooner’s fore and malntopmnsts came
down with a crash, under their heavy press of
canvas.

Jack and Watson sprung aside in time to es-
cape the falling s are, which fell slantingly
across the atter-dec , but the man at the wheel
was struck on the head by one of the heavy
yards, and his skull was crushed.

“Take the wheel i" said Watson to the boy.

The latter obeyed, and with aan, Jack and
his companion soon cleared away the wreck.

With uiverin timbers and the white water
hissing a ut bot rails, the schooner was now
spinning along almost on her beam—ends. Dark-

Frank saw an ofllcer standing,trnmpet in hand
on the horse-block. '

Seizing the schooner’s speaking-trumpet, he
shouted with all his might:

“Please send help aboard as soon as you coal
The wreckers—"

But the vessels were now too far asunder for
his words to he made out. The ofllcer on the
horse-block held his head in a listening attitude.
It was evident he had not heard a word.

Meanwhile the people behind the cabin door
were hanging at it ouder than ever, for they
knew that the carronade had slid to leeward.
broken the rail and gone overboard.

The boy at the wheel had screamed out that
such was the case, on plu‘pose that they might
hear him.

Fifteen minutes after Frank had tried to spook
the manrohwur. the officers and men of the
schooner came thronfiing out of the cabin, hav-
ing broken down the cor with axes.

“Where are theyl—the cussed young rats,”

ellod the captain, flourishing his ax, and fol-

owed by his mates, arme with muskets.
“ The’vo settled the’r fatel Down With ‘eml
Shoot ’em down! I’ll not be bothered with ’em
anv longerl”

Toward the boys, who stood with their backs
to the rail rushed the enraged gang, and the two
friends had made up their minds that their time
was come, when there was a crash as if a hun-
dred thunderbolts had stricken the schooner!

For a. moment she seemed to stand still: then
all her timbers fell apart, as it riven asunder by
a wedge, and the lads found themselves strug-
gling in the water.

Both, as shown, were good swimmers, and
they now struck out for the point of sandy shore
off which the vessel had run aground and gone
to ieces.

hey could see the faint outline of the land,
about ten fathoms ahead of them. The l‘onminF,
tumbling waters, with the flyiu spray, near y
suffocated them, but they gain the each, at
set.

As they sunk exhausted on the sand. about a.
dozen of the schoonor‘s crew, who had also saved
themselves, came ashore.

“ We must ive those fellows a wide b'rth,”
assumed Fran to his companion. “They have
not seen us yet, in the darkness, because we are
lygng in a sort of hollow. We must try to creep
o I

They moved cautiously along until they were
some distance from their toes.
J “Save you any idea where we are?” inquired

ac .
“ No, but I should think, by the course of the
schooner before she struck, that we must be
somewhere near Currituck Inlet, a little south of
where the wreckers are.”

“ I see a light, far ahead. It probably comes
from some flsher’s but."

 

boys saw bright lights gleaming ahead through
the rack and discerned the outline of a huge,
black ob ect, towering in the gloom

“ The man-o’-wari" shouted Jack: “ Hard up! ,

or we’ll be afoul of her i”

The boy at the wheel prom tly put up the
helm, and the schooner shot pas? the war vessel,
Just grazing her Item-

  

“I think we’ve had enough of fishers’ huts,”
decided Frank. “ However, I believe the peo«
i le are honest, oi! this part of the North Caro-
ina coast.”

They moved toward the light, and were only
i a few yards from it, when they discovered that
' it came from one of the wreckers’ black ionisl
l Before they could retreat. a mi! veice called

 

Black Horse Bill.

 

out. " Who is there?” followed by the appear- 
ance of several men from the tent—one having

‘I lantern.

The light fell full upon Watson’s uniform,
and, in a moment, the two boys were surround-
ed by halfa dozen flerce fellows, flourishing
knives.

, I “ Down with ’em! cut ’em to pieces,” cried

., one, “they are the two young lubbers that

‘ fooled usl"
‘ “No; we must wait till Black Horse Bill
comes. He may have some questions to put to
.‘em l” cried another.

.; The boys were dragged into the tent, and

y, ' their hands and feet were tied with ropes.

1 . Ten minutes later the people of the schooner
who had saved themselves also appeared, and
were at once recognized as friends by the l

. : wreckers. ‘
, On seeing the boys, they at once gave an ac-

” 5 count of how they had been duped by the two,
and shut up in the cabin.

7 ' Before dawn, Black Horse Bill, who had been

7' cent for, came into the tent. 1

Z. , ,“Hol ho! my bold younkers—so yer’Ve been

«1 caught, at last!” he cried to the boys. “Yer’ve

:7 been right smart you have, but you‘ve put yer :

,, " necks in the halter now!”

“ , “If on harm us, the halter will be your
‘I; ,tatel” eclered Watson.

“ Who’s to know about it?” cried the outlaw.
“Not asoull I’ll tie you up, and shoot ver‘
3‘ both down like two pigs. and ther’s an end of it.
‘ We must work sharp, boys,”ho added to his ,
4 men. “I’ve got the merchant-craft anchored l
in the bay, ready for plunderin’, and ard ‘
» work I had to git her there in the gale. Fetch
, out the oung lubbers, tie ’em to the stakes and
three ofV er can have a shot at ’em. The one
. that hits rst will git ten dollars from me.”

' The wreckers cheered. This barbarous sport

9 of making targets of his huumu victims was

.[often rscticed by Black Horse Bill. l
As t e boys were led forth, the old fisherman,

‘  from whose but they had escaped, was seen up-

proaching, with his daughter. Bella.

They had come to see the vessel, which they l

had heard the wrecker chiet had succeeded in i

capturing. Bill told them all about it, and also ‘

:about the boys. \

“ You should have good shots to fire at ’em,”

I saifl”Bella.. “Better kill quick it you mustl

“1’11 see to that. Tom Crank, Will Saund- -

m, and Ben Broke. are the ones I’ll choose.

soon as they wake. You shall see the sport.” t

“ Thank you,” said Bella. “But I’ll go in
this tent, and rest awhile, first.”

She and her father entered the tent which
Wat occupied by the three men who were to_
fire at the boys. These men now lay so sound I
asleep that the entrance of the intruders did not
awaken them.

A darkened lantern here shed a dim light, re-
vealing the three loaded pistols belonging to the
lying on a small bench.

«4 “Oh, father, won’t you go and ask Bill when 1
the shooting is to commence," said Bella, “as I
Wont to be there.” ’

,The fisherman hastened out of the tent. He
returned ten minutes later.

  
 

    
   
   
  
  
  
  
   
   
 
   
  
  
  
   
 
   
  

 

 
      
  
  
  
  
  
   
   
 
   

:

 

  
  

 

‘ right.

i m

" In a quarter of an hour from now," was his
report.

“ ll right, I’ll be there,” said Bella.

Soon after, Black Horse Bill entered. Ho
awoke the three men, and told them what he
wanted them to do.

The rufllnns seemed well pleased. They
Kicked up their pistols, and the party, Bells and

er falther included, soon reached the selected
grounr .

Side bv side stood the boys—each tied by a.

rope a fathom long to a stake. in the sand. A

‘ lantern near them lighted their forms and facesi

and the many wreckers who were present coul
not repress a gruff cry of admiration at the
firmness with which the two awaited their
fate.

As Bill measured OR the distance—forty
paces—Bella went up close to the prisoners, and
said something to them, in a. low voice.

She posted herself about ten feet on their
At the same moment the voice of Black
Horse Bill was heard.

“ Fire!”

Tom Crank, the first to shoot, took aim. As
the sharp report of his weafimn rung out, Frank’s
head drooped, and he fell at upon the sand!

The wreckers, and some of the schooner‘s
men, who were also present, gave a all of joy;

Ben Broke was the next to fire. 8 his pis l

! rung, Jack fell heavily by the side of his com-

amonl
“Well done—only you wash little too uickl
The sport wasn’t long enough!” shouted lack
Horse Bill.

 

CHAPTER VIII.
A srm'rmua VISION.

Tun wreckers came and looked down upon
the two boys, who in motionless.

“Dig a hole, and t row ’em in! Lively, men,
we have work to do i” cried Bill. I

The men were preparing to dig the hole, who
Bella. inter osing between some of the gang,
who were u out to lift the bodies, said:

“No! no! I‘m against your half-we work
of doin’ things! When a body’s buried.i should
be where the waves can’t wash it out. Esther
and I’ll bury these poor fellows 1”

“You’re a little too soft, Bells,” laughineg
cried Black Horse Bill “but that’s mostlyso
with wimmen-folksl Bet her have her way,
en,”he added, and he was rewarded by a
grateful smile from the girl who was to be his
wife. “Come, boys, every one of you' we
must lose no time in strippin’ the merchant-
man. You’ll find us there, when on git
through,” he added to Bella and her fat or.

“All right,” said Bella, “and now I’ll dig
the grave myself.”

As the gen walked away, she picked up the
spud: one 0 them had dropped and went to
wor .

“ Your chicken-heartean will be the ruin
of you; yet,” said her father. “ What put this
into yer head?”

“You know what I’ve always said,” she to-
plied, “ that them that’s carelessly buried is apt
to ‘pear before us, afterl”

The old man shrugged his shoulders, and shud-

 

 

, w»

 

     
 
         
        

 

‘_

Black Horse Bill. 13

_ _,

tiered, for he, like all his rude friends, the
wreckers, was superstitious." l
“I’ll have nothin’ to do with it,” he said.
BWhen you git through, yer’ll find me with
ill.”
The moment he and the Wreckers were out
of sight in the darkness, Bella blew out the lan-
tern

“You can rise, now!" she said, to the boys,
who sprung up, unharmed! ‘

“ How did you manage things so well?” in-
quired Frank. _

“Easy. I took the bullets out of the pistols
of them that l knoch was goin’ to fire at you.
I told you to drop when they fired, for I knowed
that would make ’em think they’d shot you
dead!"

“ The plan has worked well. We have to
thank you for saving our lives,” said J nck.

“ I don’t want to see human life took. Now
ther’s plenty boats lyin’ round near here._ Uit
into one, and make of! quick as you can, 15 my
advice. The storm's over, and you have Wind
and sea in your favor!”

The boys were soon launching one of the
boats lying on the beach. Thcy sprung in as
it floated, and using the ears, they made good ‘
progress. _ .

An hour later, as they passed a prOJeeting
point, a wild scene broke upon their view.

Along the shores of a bay numerous lanterns
were flashing, lighting up the dark‘hnll and the
jury masts of the merchant ship, Neptune.

Many of the Wreckers were aboard with ropes
and tackles, hoisting bales and boxes.

Some of the latter, with a rope attached, had
been launched overboard, and Were being towed
ashore by Bill’s huge black horso, upon which
he was seated, urging the animal forward. I

The muscular form of the wrecker chief, with
his sou’-wester pushed back from his forehead,
his drooping cape, and his huge sea boots, was
thrown Into bold relief by the lurid gleam.

The two boys sheered oil, so as to avoid the
bright stream of light thrown out upon the wa~
ter from the gangway.

ere were about twenty men at work there,
but the number was soon reduced to four by
sixteen of them getting into a large boat. along-
side, to arrange in it some boxes, which were
about to be hauled ashore.

“Jacki” whispered Frank, “I have a plan.”

He communicated it, but Jack shook his head.

“ It may succeed, but I’m afraid not. How-
ever, I’m with you, if you are for trying it.”

The boat was directed under the darkened
side of the ship’s counter.

The boys, while struggling to gain the bench,
after the schooner grounded, bud scratched their
faces which thus presented a grin), and rather
bloody appearance.

Having tied a dangling rope to the boat's how,
they clambered to the rail, upon which they
sudden] appeared, standing motionless. their
0 es bu ging from their heads with an assumed
g ostly expression of horror!

The shi s lantern aft shed a. lurid gleam upon
their not hair, and gave a livid hue to their
faces.

The moment the four wreckers aboard beheld
than two terms. which they had previously seen ‘

 

drop dead (as they supposed) upon the sea—shore,
a simultaneous cry of superstitious terror cs-
('n ed them.

Vilh one accord they run to the gnngwny and
sprung into the boat ulongido, loosening the
warp us they Went.

()verjoyed at their success, the boys sprung to
the deck. The ship's head, as she now lay,
pointed seaward, her sails were loosvncd, and
there was a good off-shore breeze. The lads,
letting go the end of the cable, easily slipped it,
for thocraft at once gathered way.

Jack took the wheel, while Frank, lantern in
hand, descended into the stein-age.

There they found the captain and his (laugh-
ter, together with sun-h of the crew as had not

, been killed b the wreckers.

The joy 0 the prisoners may be imagined
when they first saw the hatch unholted and
opened, and the well-known form of the young
revenue officer.

The latter made a brief explanation.

“ l‘hen there‘s still work for us to do to escape
the rascnls," said the captain. “ Thank for
tune, they have not yet got at the silver bars."

All went on deck.

The sight of the ship receding at once showed
the wreckers that they had been duped. Black
Horse Bill was heard ashore ordering a pursuit
and angrily cursing the men who had been
frightened by the supposed ghostly vision.

Loaded as the boats were with bales and
boxes, it was some minutes before they could
be mnnned with their armed crews and started
in chase.

By this time the ship was amile off, and it
was soon evident that in such a breeze she could
not he overtaken.

“You have again saved us,” said the captain,
shaking hands with the boys. “ \Ve have now
only to head up for Norfolk."

Before the morning of the next day they
safely arrived there, and the Neptune was towed
to one of the whnrves.

Not far 01! lay a neat cutter, carrying seven
guns. Her canvas was snugly furled, and her
tall, tapering mast, well scraped and slushed,
shone like silver. ,

The shrill pipe of a beatswain’s whistle was
presently heard, and a long boat, manned with
thieft nimble fellows, pulled to the merchant
cra .

In the stem-sheets was seated a good—looking
elderly man, whom Frank at once recognized as
his father.

Great was the latter’s so rise and joy on
boarding the ship to find there is son, whom he
had vainly searched for since he was lost.

Frank explained, and Captain Watson seemed
well pleased with the conduct of the two boys.

He stated that, having finished repairing the
cutter, he had intended to sail on the following
day for the wreckers’ haunts.

“ This brave friend of mine would like to go
with us,” said Frank, alluding to Jack.

“ He is welcome,” was the answer. “ I shall
be glad to have so gallant a recruit with me."

Accordingly, having hidden adieu to the mer-
chnut captain, who invited them to call and see
him in New York, Jack departed with Frank
for the cutter.

 

V r

  

Black Horse Bill.

 

On arriving aboard, young Watson took his
friend to mess with him in his own quarters—a
little room adjoining the cabin.

Next morning away went the cutter, bowling
out to sea before a spanking breeze.

In a few days she arrived of! the shore where
the wreckers’ tents had been erected.

But not a. single tent, nor any sign of a
wrecker was now to be seen.

. “They’ve been warned of our coming, and ‘
have skulked oflf,” said Frank.

 

CHAPTER IX.
A SURPRISE.

“Boar coming this way I” cried the lookout
posted aloft, in the top.

In fact a sail-boat was noticed heading up for
the cutter.

On its arriving alongside, its only occupant
was seen to be an old, white-haired negro having
fish to sell. '

The captain bought some, and invxted the
man aboard.

He climbed up with difliculty, complaining of
rheumatism.

“What part of this coast are you from?”
queried the captain.

, “Dis coast? Nary a part, massa," was the
answer. “ Dis nig am from Oar’lina.”

H “There are no wreckers down your way, I
sup ose?"

-‘ ot now but dis chile hab seen ’em dar,
once on a t me. All go ’way, now, tudder
norf.” .

“Yes, there were some here, of! this very
coast, a. few days ago. You could not tell us

~ where they have gone to?”

 

; The negro rolled up the whites of his eyes, in

a ver uliar manner. '

“lifelgnowsd it, wouldn’t dare tell nufin,”
he re lied.
' “ 9 would reward you. Do you see that:”

’ .iAnd the captain displayed a bright, gold
nea.
.- The negro looked at the coin with longing
e as. _
y“ Well, massa. I reckon if I can’t take yer to
i do place where dem fellows hide, dat I can take
yer widin a. mile ob it, if you send boats’ crews
» wid me.”
The captain took Frank aside, and conde
with him in a low voice.
Then he said to the negro:
“These two boys will go with you, in your

' boat."

The man scratched his head.
“All ri ht. sartin sahl” he said, after a halo-

" ment’s hes tuition.

The flsher’s boat, with Jack and Frank

“ aboard, and the negro steering, was soon head-

" of the ion

 

 

, log along the coast.

About five miles from the cutter was the end

Currituck nlot;

.- In the distance was seen smother point. The
negro headed for i and the boat was now con-
cealed by the land om the cutter.

over and whispered to Watson

’1',,

s

point of land that projects into‘

-Asit edth 'thksuddenl leaned ont.
"m epom a z ' y  Toward midnightthewatchcndeckwou,

“The negro’s blouse blew up a little just now
and I saw the stock of a isto . He is not what
he seems. There is trcac ieryl”

Frank appeared to take no notice of what
Jack said, but the black watched the two
closely.

Suddenly, drawing a pistol, Frank sprung to
ward him, but ere he could reach him some
thing struck him on the head, laying him sense»
less in the bottom of the boat The negro had
hurled at him a slung-shot, which he had been
hOiding, concealed under his sleeve.

“ Ho, he! '01: rascal! So you show your true
colors I” crie Jack.

As he spoke he drew his pistol and took aim
at the man’s head. The latter had also drawn
a. istol, and both fired at the same time.

either bullet took effect. The tilting of the.
boat, caused by the sudden movements of the
two, had disturbed their aim.

Up rose the negro and threw himself upon the
youth. The two clinched, and a struggle took
place. The woolly wig dropped from the man’s
, need, his false beard came off, and some of the
i black was rubbed from his cheeks.

Jack then saw enough to know that Black
Horse Bill was his 0 ponent. The great strength

l of the latter gave 11 m a decided advantage.
After a brief contest he succeeded in getting
‘ Jack under him and in planting his knees upon
his arms while with one hand he ressed his
l threat. in his right he now held his ong knife,
g and raising it, he was about *to deal a sure,
; deadly blow, when Jack contrived to give him
1 in the stomach a tremendous kick, which tem-
; porarily doubled him up against the boat—mast.

His weight against the light spar broke it in
twain, and the wind blew it over upon him, the
slatting mainsail partly wrapping him in its

v folds.
l In an instant Jack had fastened a rope he had
, picked up about the legs of the outlaw, and se-
€ cured the end to a. thwart.
] But Black Horse Bl", now etting his head
gclear of the canvas again ma e a blow at his
opponent with his knife. The boy dodged it,
, and usin the boat-hook dealt the outlaw on the
head wit its. stroke which stunned him. He
then securely tied the wrecker’s arms and
ankles, after which he turned his attention to
Frank, who still lay senseless in the boat. The
slung-shot had struck his head slantin ly and
. had only slightly broken the skin. By athing
his face and tom ice with water Jack soon
brought him to. c then sculled the boat to-
ward the cutter, which he reached just as the
outlaw opened his eyes.
Great was the captain’s surprise on learning
shat the supposed negro was Black Horse Bill in
, is ise.
hillie risoner was shut up in the lower hold,
w e
doctor attended to his injury, which he said was
not a very serious one.
. The cutter with Jack acting as pilot, was
then headed toward the inlet.
It was night, and the captain resolved to an~
{ ohor 03 the point of the peninsula for the pros-

 

rank went into the cabin, where the.

n.1,

 

 

 

  

 

  

 
 

  
  

 

l
l

 _.

startled by a gurgling sort of noise, seeming to
proceed from below.

The carpenter was sent into the hold which,
to his surprise, he found deserted and filling
with water.

Black Horse Bill was gouel

He had scuttled the cutter before he wentl

But how bad he escaped? Where did he get
the auger he had used or boring a hole in the
vessel’s bottom! How bad be taken oi! his irons!

These and other (Siestions were heard, but
could not be answers .

Soon after the carpenter had given informa-
tion of his discovery, the boatswain piped sharp-
ly. and all hands were summoned on eck ‘

To save the cutter from going down Captain
llllVatson headed her for the shore and beached

er.

In this Position she lay with her bow high and
dry, part buried in the sand, and her stern
just raise above the water.

“ The rascals ma venture to attack as now,
sir," said the first lieutenant.

“ We will ivo them something but to remem-
ber us by if t ey do,” replied the captain.

Some of the carrouades were brought up and
placed in position so as to command all the ap
proacdhes to the craft, and good lookouts were

Ste
p.Cutlasses and pistols were also distributed
among the men.

Morning came, but as yet no sign of the
wreckers was seen.

Frank, who by this time had fully recovered
from the eflect of the slungvshot, was on deck
with Jack.

The latter mounting to the masthead, fancied
he saw the dark forms of men skulkiug behind a
ridge of sand in the far distance, near the hue of
the pine forest. .

He reported to the captain, who then selected
from his crew about twenty hardy_young fel-
lows, well armed, to go and reconnoiter.

Frank Watson and Jack were put in charge at
the detail, which soon started. On reaching the
ridge of sand the saw no sign of the wreckers.

They entered t e woods and kept on along a
narrow path. Jack meanwhile pistol in hand,
ran along on the right flank of the party, to act
as a sort of scout. Suddenly, on rounding a
small hillock, he found himself near the rume of
a stone house. The foundation and part of the
walls of the building were still there. Evident-
ly it had once been used as a store-house.

As he stood lookin at it somethiu struck
him on the head from bind and he to to the
ground unconscious.

CHAPTER X.
a TRYING SITUATION.
WHEN Jack regained his senses, he found him-
self lying on some straw in a sort of dungeon.
A candle in a bottle threw a faint gleam
around him.
Looking down upon him, stood Black Horse

 

ill.

A scornful smile curled the youn outlaw’e
lip as Jack halt rose and stared roun him.

“ You was outwitted at last. Few gitthe
better of me. A nice trick you and your friend
played me—ysetendin’you was shot—that night!

 

 

    

 

Black Horse Bill. 18

New I s’pose you wonder why I haven't killed
yer, seein’ as have sech a good chancel"

And the outlaw pulled a pistol from his belt.

“It all seems l he a dream,” said Jack, still
bewildered.

“The reason I’ve spared u is that I may
have my revenge on er for he games you‘ve
Elayed moi Mere hi ’, ’thout anything else,

too good for you.”

“ What do you mean?"

“I mean that your tathr must die and—'

“My father?” interrupted Jack. “Was he
not then killed!”

u no."

“But I saw your meu strike him down, and
afterward rob himl I felt certain you had
murdered him."

“No; I spared him because he promised to
jine our hand, and took a solemn oath to that
effect. One of my men had sailed with him

oars ago, and it was through him that yer
ether wasn’t choked off. He came to after he
was knocked down. But yer father, while re-
tendiu' to jine us, was detected in tryin’ to s
of! to the cutter. The cussed traitor must die
for it, and you, his son, must be the one to send
him to his doom l”

“ Never 2" retorted Jack, firmly.

“Yer won’t—eh! We’ll see!"

He motioned to a couple of men near him. one
of whom then lighted a lantern, which.threwa
lurid glare about the cell. showin the, form of
a man suspended by a rope r0 his breast to
a cross-piece above. The man hung directly
over the opening of a deeé), dark pit.

“ That [3135 thirty teakl eep and there’s water
in the bottom. Them at falls into it never
gita out again. It was once used fora well."

Jack uttered an exclamation on recognizing
his father in the person hanging over the pit.

“ Jacki” cried the captain, holding out his
hand as his son advanced. “Glad enough I
in: t3 see you, but I’d rather it had not been

ere.

“ P’r’aps not.” interposed Black Horse Bill.
grimly, “seeiu’ as he’s to be yer executioner."

“ Fool l" returned Jack, indignantly, “ do you
then still think you can force me to kill my
own father?”

“ Cass you, I insist on it 1” v

“ Yne- oau keep on insisting, it will do you no

Bill made a motion to his men. Jack was
then lashed to one of the lesto which the
owes-piece had been attac ed, and a sharp
knife was laced in his hand.

“Now, t en, out the rope yer father hangs
to,” commanded Bill, “so as to let him drop
down into the pitl”

Jack’s only response was to direct a scoruful
glance at the brute.

From a forge at one side of the cell. which in
fact was his “ blacksmith shop,” Bill took a
round bar of iron, heated red-hot on the e d.

The heated end he thrust against ack’s
“if? wan cl ti an the

e was excra a ng—ospec yas
wrecker held the iron against the boy long
enough for the scorched flesh to hiss and smoke;
but, although Jack tightly compressed his lips,

_notacryescapedhlln -

“ma;

  

    

pm withdrew the iron. i
‘ What say? Will you cut the ro e now?”
" 3, not if you burn a thousand 101es in my
l

bod
lwent to the forge, and again heated the
and of the bar.

He was advancing toward the pit, when a
man hurriedly entered the cellar, and spoke to
him in a low voice.

The next moment all heard the noise of
pistol-shots, with other sounds of conflict

ve.

“Come, men, I s’pose we’ll have to streak
it!" cried Bill.

Followed by his companions, he ran to the
other side of the room, and opening a heavy
door the wreckers disappeared from the gaze
of J’ack and his father, who could hear them
bolt the door on the other side. '

Meanwhile the noise above continued. |

“This way! to the rescue!” shouted Jack, E
with all his might.

Then with the knife he severed the cords that
held him to the t, after which he swung his
father to his si e, and loosened him from the
rope b which he had hung. '

Aga n and again the two shouted, but it was
plain they were not heard. The sounds of the
combat receded, and they judged that the
Wreckers had beaten a retreat.

“ Is there no we we can get out of this hole?”
laid Jack to his fa her.

“Not unless we can break down that door,”

-was the answer. “It opens upon an under-
ground passage, leading inioa gu ly, nearly filled
with fragments of granite, which hide the
outlet.”

“Could we not burn it down? Here is a.
for e with hot coals in it.” ;

“ o. the smoke would smother us before we ‘
could make an opening.” |

Jack picked up the iron bar, and with this ‘
Vaingatried to pry open the door.

“ wreckers will come Lack and carry

“We must

out their purpose," said his father.
make up our minds for the worst."

Meanwhile. ignorant of the situation of his
friend, Frank, with his party, was in pursuit
of the wreckers, whom he had attacked.

Jack's long absence had alarmed him, and it
was while searching for him that he had come i
, ugxm some of the outlaws, crouching among
' t e ruins of the old store—house.

These men, numberin about ten, fought with
great courage. but, as s own, they were finally

rlvenofl. Frank pursued them for some dis-
tance, when he lost sight of them.

For hours he vainly continued the search for

ack.

At last he returned to the cutter, and report
cdtohis father what had hapgened. He was I
very despondent at the loss of is friend, who
he doubted not, had been captured and hills I
by the wreckers. 1

“Did you search among the ruins l” inquired 1
his‘fathgr.

Black Horse Bill.

“I think not, but I’m not sure, although we
looked carefully.”

“ I will take some of the men, and go there,”
said his father.

In the afternoon he started with his lieuten-
ant and more than half of the crew, well armed,
leavmg the rest, about forty men, under charge
of his son—who, if anfything should happen re-
quiring the return 0 the others. was to hoist
a red signal at the masthead, and also fire a
gun.

The captain and his men had been gone about
three hours. when the weather became so fog—
gy that objects were not visible twenty feet
from the cutter, on either side.

“No chance of showing the signal, even if
we should have to, sir,” remarked the purser to
Frank.

“ I trust we will not have need of it,” said

Fran .

“Something coming this way, sir,” sun out
one of the men on the lookout, about ha f an
hour later.

“ It sounds like a vessel of some kind,” said
Frank, as he sprung upon the bow.

Ten minutes after, the watchers saw a large,
clumsy-looking canal-boat not twent feet dis-
tant, drifting down toward the stran ed cutter.

“There is no one aboard of her. She must
have drifted loose from her fastenings,” said
the youth. “Stand b , some of you, to shove
her of! before she stri es our stern.”

Men, with long cars and boat-hooks, stood
ready as the scow approached.

As they were about to shove it off, the dark
form of Black Horse Bill, sword in hand,
bounded up through the open hatchway, and in
a moment the deck of the boat was alive with
strong, flerce-lookin fellows, armed with pis-
tols cutlasses, and aggersl

“ ow, men !” roared the wrecker chief in a
voice of thunder. “Now, then, let ’em have
i131; lizcn’t leave one of the cussed ‘Revennes’
e vs

 

CHAPTER XI.
m comm.

THE sudden, unexpected appearance of the
wreckers, rushing to the attack, headed by
Black Horse Bill, gave the other party no time
at iresent to use their carronade.

he sailors who had been about to shove oi!
the canal-boat, were mowed down by the cut-
lessee of their opponents ere they could use
their arms.

“A few more ood blows and the craft is
ours!” shouted Bil , as the outlaws continued to
pour in upon the cutter’s deck.

Frank, although taken by surprise, behaved
with his usual coolness and decision.

‘A few uick, brief words, brought to him all
his men a oard, well armed, ready for the fra .

“Aim stead —aim for their eyeballs!”
shouted, as Bi] and his gang advanced.

The roar of a volley was heard, and half a

“De nd a it, there is some secret mm d uh k t d
Mogmursnd there we must look for the  028“ o e wrec erg wen own!

m

 

A close. desperate combat followed.
lack Horse Bill fought with the turrets

' 

 

 

Black Horse Bill

17

 

flend, and, encouraged by his example. his
men exerted themselves like tigers. Their
number was double that of their opponents,
but Frank exhorted his men with such spirit.
and fought so bravely in the thickest of the
fray, that the young tars under his command
not only kept t e others at buy, but, handling
their cutlasses with the practiced skill of man-
o‘-war’s men, they laid many of the wreckers
low. For some time the result of the combat
seemed doubtful.

Black Horse Bill, enraged at the slow advan-
tage gained by his arty, made a dash for
Frank Watson, with t e intention of destroying
this leading s lrit of his adversaries.

The traine youth parried a sweeping blow
from his cutlass, but he now found that he had
to deal with one not unskilled in the use of this
weapon for an old man-o’-war’s man, who had
{Joined the wreckers, had taught him how to

andle the blade with effect.

His great strength was useful to him. Sev—
eral times Frank expected to see his sword out
in two by such anvil-like strokes. Watching
his chance, he was about to deal his opponent
an effective blow, when he was tripped up by n.
wounded wrecker, lying near him, in the gang-
way. He fell over the edge of the gangu-ay
into the water, and, as he went, one of the out-
laws discharged a pistol at him.

The bullet just grazed his neck. As he rose to
the surface, the man who had fired at him also
fell over, mortally wounded by a thrust from a
outlass.

The d ing wrecker clutched Frank and pulled
him un er the water with him.

- Then, for some moments, a struggle took place
there beneath the surface!

Frank still held on to his cutlass, and he made
many efforts to reach his opponent with it, but
the man h’ad thrown his arms about him and
got upon his back, as if determined to hold
him down until he was suffocated!

At last the near] exhausted youth contrived

 

to partly dislodge t eoutlaw and hurl him from 1

him.
As he rose, gasping, to the surface, be heard
a cheer, saw some of his men in full retreat

“So we have lost the cutter,” were the cap-
tain’s first words to his son.

“Yes, sir."

“I have heard all about it, for I have with
me some of the men who escaped. I do not
blame you; you did the best you could. It was
my fault for leaving the vessel, and taking at!
with me so many of the crew. But we must try
to regain ssession of our craft.” "

“It wi l be difficult,” remarked the first
lieutenant.
good guns, and we have none.
even a. boat.”

We have not

“ There is the canal-boat,” said Frank, and he\ 

went on to explain.
“That boat may

gm‘ ,
said his father. “ rove or m to us ’

e must try to get it afloatz”

All were soon aboard the boat, and the cap-‘ \

tain then informed his son that he had been un-
able to find the wreckers’ rendezvous.

311301 you have seen nothing of Jack?”

0.

“ He is dead; he must have been killed before
this,” said Frank, sadly.

At the turn of the tide, the captain and his
party succeeded in pushing the canal-boat into '

eep water.

“ Now, if the tide would only take us toward
the cutter, we might have her back, before
morning,” said the captain. “ But, as the cur-
rent sets a little seaward, I’m afraid we will not
he carried in the ri ht direction.” «

Such proved to the case. At dawn they
were almost out of sight of the cutter, but they!
now beheld a cheering s tacle. .

To leeward of them, wling along within a
mile of the stranded craft, they saw a. large
slobp-of-wari ‘

They endeavored to signal her by waving a
kerchief on the end of a cutlass. . l

“They see us!” cried Frank, joyfully.

The vessel had backed her main-Kurd. the pipe, “

of the boatswain’s whistle was eard, and a

boat was lowered. At the same time the sloop’s ’

colors went u at her gaff.

“The rasca s!” cried Ca tain Watson, as the
wreckers now hoisted the merican flag at the '
cut‘er’s gafl. “ They mean to pretend that they .

along the shore, and knew that the wrecker: are the lawful owners of the craft."

were victorious!
He had come u
canal boat, where
aboard the cutter and it now occurred to him
to conceal himself aboard the former vessal.
He clambered clay a dangling rope, to her deck.
She had drift past the cutter, and would
probably go ashore somewhere down th

under the counter of the
e was not noticed by those

In the cabin he found an old ir/n carronade.
with plenty of ammunition, and he also saw a

0d stock of provisions on a shelf. At dark,

0 boat struck shallow water, when Frank at
once waded to land, and started in search of
his father’s party.

The thick mist blending with the gloom, ro-
vented his seeing objects ahead of h m, so t at,

l

Through his telescope, which he had with
him, he could make out the sloop’s colors, which
were Russian. ‘

lThe boat which had been lowered was headed
for the stranded vessel, instead of toward the
canal-barge.

“They probably intend to come here. too, for =
this; must have seen our signal,” said Frank.

9 was right. The Russians had seen the
signal, and meant to go to the canal-boat, after
visiting the cutter. ‘

And this they would have done had not Black,
Horse Bill prevented it.

In the ca
form coats and naval caps.

As these fitted him he donned them, and thus '

attired he stood in the gsngway ready to receive
the Russian officer. ' "
The latter, using broken English himself

. was
Moon r000 mm MB M1101”. '0‘“: “‘1 hm“ not capable of detecting any grammatical  '

when at length 9 board footsteps approaching,
he used and listened.
rind to not hfin.
I
I. . I, A g  ,

inerfection in the w

“They now have 'the use of seven . l

in he found one of the captain’s uni- ‘

 

 

18 Black Horse Bill.

Bill returned the ofilcer’s salutation, and then
sho hands with him.

B “ ou can see, sir, how we’re situated,” said
ill.

“ Yez, zir. Bezzel go ’shore on veach—very
bad. Ve vill help get 0v.”

“No, thank on. The cutter has bilged so
that ver couldn t do us no good.”

“ Ve’ll run in some pord and zend you help
vor repair. ”

“ No—no, ou needn’t trouble yerseif. There’s
help comin’ 0 IS to-dav from Norfolk.”

‘ Oh, very gookl Vod’s that?” he added,
pointing oil! toward the canal—boat. “ They
zignai us!”

” You’re mistook.” said Bill; “ it’s us—me and
my crew—they signal to, and we’re going, pretty
soon, to send a boat. They’re some of our men,
whom we sent yesterday up the coast for a load
of fresh provisions and other things, and they’ve
been unable to make head against the tide,
which has carried them out to sea.”

“ Oh, very veil. Good—day, zir.”

Soon after, the Russian returned to his sloopI
which 5 uared away.

Black orse Bill aughed long and loud at his
success.

 

CHAPTER XII.‘
A DABING DEED.

WHEN they saw the sloop square away, the
people aboard the canal-boat knew that the
wrecker had deceived the Russian.

“Much better it would have been for us not to
show ourselves at all,” said the captain. “ The
villains now know we are here.”

At about noon, Black Horse Bill, looking
round at the guns, said to one of his men:

“ These are nice guns—too nice to be idle. As
I don’t want to keep all of them revenue chaps’
things, I reckon we‘d better send back to ’em
some of ther powder and shot.”

The man laughed.

“ Do yer think, Tom, you can hit the canal-
bont at this distance?”

The boat now was about half a mile ofl—fast
on a sand-bank.

The man addressed had been in the navy, and
knew how to handle a gun. He was the same

rson who had interceded in behalf of Jack’s

ather.

“ I can try,” he said; “ but the ridge of sand
is like a fort, partly hidin’ the boat.”

He sighted one of the carronadcs and fired.
Some of the sand) was seen tofl . Again he
fired, but with no etter result. t length the
top of the sand-ridge being knocked away, the
carronade began to take eflect.

Crash! came a shot, scattering the splinters
all about the persons on the deck of the barge
as art of her side was shattered.

cheer from the wreckers was borne to the
ears of the party.

“The devils! ’ his3ed the chagrined captain
through his teeth. “ We must try to mount the
old we have here.”

ith along strip of wood chipped from the
edge of the canal-boat, Frank was busy putting
up a signal-stafl—a kerchief being attached to
the end of the rude pole.

With thehelpoi one or the men named Ben.

 

Fraser, he was thrusting it into a crevice made

i in the deck, when bang! went the n again.

The man gromed and fell on his ack. The

shot had made njaggred hole through his groin.

“ Poor Ben i” said rank, stooping and raising
his head.

The doctor who was with the party, poured a

little brandy down the suflerer’s throat.

“ I s’pose I’m dyin’, doctor,” said Fraser.
“ You can’t live long, my man," was the re-
ply—“ not more than ten minutes.”

; “Then I’ll make a clean breast of it. It was
me that he! d Black Horse Bill to escape that
night aboar the cutter!”

i ‘ You?” cried Frank.

‘ “Yes, air. It was me helped him git ofl.’ his
irons, gave him an auger to scuttle the craft,
and showed him the way to the port-hole. You
didn’t think when you shi ped me at Norfolk,
that I was in league wi the wreckers!” he
added, speaking to the ca tain.

j “I never dreamed of t,” was the answer.

i

l

|

l

“Perhaps you can tell me where the wreckers
secret rendezvous is?"

" I could, but I won’t!”

“ At least,” said Frank, “ tell me if you know

‘ what has become of my friend, Jack Reeves!
Where is he, and is be living or dead i?”

“Idon’t mind tellin’ you all I know. Bill

, took him to his “ Blacksmith’s shop,” under the
ruins of the store—house. Whether he’s still
therg, or whether he’s livin’ or dead, I can’t
say.

‘ “You call it the "Blacksmith’s shop," said

, Frank, looking puzzled.

| “ Yes, Bill is a good blacksmith. He has his

shop under the ruins, where, when necessary,

he re airs things like cutlasses. pikes, and sech
pluu er as wants repairin’. You can reach the
place by an underground ssage, leadin’ from

i a gully, some yards beyon , full of the granite

blocks which have been thrown there from the

ruin. I’d be lad ii.’ er saved Jack, for he
wasn’ta bad 0 ap, an he did me some good
me, an —” '
Death finished his further utterance.
Téie remains were soon after buried in the

san .

1 Meanwhile Black Horse Bill kept banging
away, and the splinters from the canal-boat
flew in every direction.

Ni ht soon put an end to the firing.

“ t we stay here,” said Captain Watson,
“ we will be knocked to pieces to-morrow. As
we have but one old gun, there appears to be no
way that we can recapture the cutter. It would

, be a good thing it We could blow her up, so as

I to haqu those rascals!”

- “ I will try it,” said Frank.

“No me; it could not be done," said his
tath r.
i At that moment the moon arose, and as Black
i Horse Bill could now dimly see the canal—boat,
in the distance, he again commenced to fire
upon her. In the faint light many of the shots
‘ Were directed wide of the mark, but some at
them struck the boat, and sevoral of the men

were killed.

Meanwhile, on the beach opposite to the boat,

a lar e throng of armed fishermen and others,

all endly to. andin league with the wreck-rs.

 

In flue-

‘..

l
?

  

    

Black Horse Bill. 19

 

had gathered, so that the retreat of the seamen
was cut 011' in that direction.

At every shot that did mischief these people
cheered their friends, and booted at the impor-
iled man—o’-war’s men.

Finally a drifting patch of mist hid both
the canal-boat and the cutter from the gaze of
these spectators.

Frank withdrew from his companions, and
walked ofl to the edge of the bank, where he was
concealed by the mist from their aze.

Something dark floating past, iad attracted
his attention. He could not see it plainly, and
thinking it was an empty boat, he resolved to
secure it. Putting his pistol in his cup to keep
it dry, he swam out toward the object, which,
however, was carried so fast by the current that
he was ten fatlioms from the bunk ere he reached
it. He then discovered that it was a fragment
of the canal-boat, about eight feet square, with
a part of the rail on one side of it and a heavy
beam on the other, which kept it evenly bal-
anced.

As Frank could not swim back to the bank
against the strong tide, he got upon the raft and
knowing he could not work this clumsy object
back to the place he had left, he crouched be~
hind the rail, and there remained, to be borne
swiftly on. All at once he saw the stern of the
cutter looming before him in the mist, and the
thought now flashed upon him, that he might
find a chance to blow up the vessel! The cur-
rent would carry him past the stern, and, for
an instant, Frank feared that he would be un-
able to at aboard. But, reaching over, he
contrive to sei2e a dangling rope.

He drew the fragment under the cabin Win-
dows, and, rising, peered into the cabin.

This was lighted by a sin 1e lamp, which
showed him that no one was t ere. As all the
men were forward and in the gangway, there
was no danger of his being seen from above.

Cautioust opening the window, the boy crept
into the cabin.

He knew the cutter so well that he had no
trouble in finding the powder magazine.

The door leading to it from the cabin was
open, and Frank heard voices which indicated
that some of the outlaws were there after a
supply of ammunition. He got behind the
door and waited for them to come out..

At length three men emerged, carrying pow-
der and shot.

“Shut the door!” said one, and Frank held
his istol ready, expecting to be discovered.

e was greatly relieved, when one of the
wreckers said: ‘ Never mind the door. We’ll
want to come down here again soon.”

The three moved on. As soon as the boy
heard them go on deck, he glided into the pow-
der-room.

Taking a paper from his pocket, he prepared
a wisp, cut an incision through the hang of one
of the powder-kegs with his knife, inserted an
end of the wisp, and lighted with a match the
other extremity. The hissing wisp burned rap-
idly; at the same moment Frank heard some
one enter the cabin behind him.

He turned, to confront Black Horse Bill!

For an instant, so great was the surprise of
the latter. that he stood as if dumfounded.

 on!

The sight of the burning wisp showed him the
’ cuttor’s danger.

“ 0n deck, there !” he roared. “Jump for yer
lives! Cutter's goin’ to blow upl"

The wisp had already burned so low that with
Frank barring the way, he could not have
i pulled it out in time to pievont the expected
l catastrophe—this he couh perceive at a glance.

Frank pointed his pistol ut the head of the
wrecker, and pulled trigger, but the weapon did
not go off.

“I could shoot yer down, if I wanted to, yer
young rat, but, as yer’ve got into this hole, I
prefer to have yer stay herol" cried Bill.

With a low laugh, he closed the door of the

owder-room, and turned the key in the lock.

hen he sprung through the cabin window, and
swam to the beach. where he saw all the rest of
his gang, who had heeded his warning and
were hurrying up the beach to get ll ar as
possible from the vessel.

He had not taken ten steps. when a broad,
bright flash lighted sea. and sky, and, with a.
deafening crash, the (loomed cutter blew up,
sending her fragments flying in all directions.

“ Hol ho l” roared Black Horse Bill, as masses
of wood and iron dropped around him. “Good-
by. Mr. Frank Watson! I reckin yer revenue
uniform is scorched a little by this timel”

 

CHAPTER XIII.
'rnn RESCUE.

WHEN Bill lockcd the door of the powder-
room, Frank believed that his doom was sealed.

He knew the vessel must blow up in less than
aminute. To withdraw the burning wisp was
impossible, as the keg had slipped down beyond
his‘rcuch.

Then he remembered that the bulkhead sepa-
rating the small powder-room from the hold,
was thin, and the planks loose.

He threw himself against it with all his
might, a board gave way, and be “rushed into
the hold.

Thence he quickly ran on deck, and, unper-
porceivod by the fleeing wreckers. whose backs
wig-re now toward the craft, he dropped along-
s e.

As he went under water the vessel blew a :
when he rose to the surface, he found himse
close to a. large fragment of the cutter’s top-
mast, with the top attached.

He hung to it, screened by the top, and al-
lowed the current to carry him on. At this
time, as shown, the current was away from the
sand-bank upon which the canal-boat was
stranded.

Frank drifted on for about a mile, when he
swam ashore.

He then made for tho pine woods, and, creep-
ing among some bushes, e sat down. much ex-
hausted, to rest and reflect. He fell asleep
while he was thinking, and did not awaken un-
til some hours later.

The moon was shining from a clear sky. The
boy climbed one of the pines, and looked if he
could see the canal—boat.

Yes, there she was, and he could dimly dis-
cern the forms of the sailors near her.

The wrecker: and their friends now 1111th

 

 
 

   

Black Horse Bill.

 

ing about a hundred, were strung along the!
beach, opposite.

The boy wondered what his father thought
of the blowing up of the cutter. Having prob-
ably ere this missed his son, he must suspect
that it was Frank who had done the deed.

The youth regretted the smile 1y his parent
would feel on is account, but e hoped he
might be able to relieve his mind in some way,
be ore long.

Then he thought of his friend, Jack Reeves,
and as there was no way he could at present
return to the canal-boat, be resolved to seek the
“blacksmith’s sho ,” as Fraser had called it,
and try to free t e risoner, if he was there
alive. Having prekusly noticed the gully
full of stones, Frank was not long in finding it.

He searched, but he could not find the outlet
of which Fraser had spoken. He was away
down under the masses of granite, which were
IO piled as to leave large hollow spaces among
them, when he heard, above him, the sound of
voices, one of which he recognized as that of
Black Horse Bill.

“Yer better stay here—both of you,” he said.
“There may be no danger. but it’s best to keep
a lopkout. I‘ll be back in the morning, and
then father and son’s got to die in the way I
want 'em to, if I have to burn a hundred holes ,
in that cussed boy’s body with the red-hot
iron
This remark puzzled Frank, but he knew that "
some fearful torture was to be inflicted on his :
friend. He continued the search for the en-i
tranceto the passage, and at last he found it.
Moving along in the gloom, he came to the
heavy door, which he found barred and bolted.
He opened the door, and enterin the “ black-
:giith’s shop,”he confronted Jac and his fa-’

er. =«
“Frank,” cried the former, 50 fully. “The

two shook hands cordially, an explanations
were made on both sides ‘

“ There are three of us, now,” said Jack’s fa-
ther. “ We ought to be able to overpower the
two men on guard, even though the are ,
armed, if we work right. My son and will
each take an iron bar, and Mr. Watson has his
(is ger. If we can only reach N orfolk, we can
brfiig assistance to the cutter’s people. ” i

The three left the apartment. and were soon
among the fragments in the gully. They heard

the voices of the two lookouts, and thus ob?
tamed an idea of their position. Through an ‘
opening they saw the two men, who now stood
with their backs toward them.

Jack and his father emerged, and deal each of
the men on the head a h ow which laid him
senseless.

Thetwo had pistols and ammunition pouches
of which Captain Reeves and his son took pos- v,
session. Frank was then enabled to reload his
own pistol, the previous contents of which had
been dama ed by water.

“Now, t en,” said Reeves, “we must get 8-
session of the fishing. smack. The wreckers ad
one, and I know where to look for lt. I don’t
believe there is a soul aboard.”

He led the way to a small cove between the
sandy hesdlands where lay the smack in quee-
dot. anchored with tin-led sails.

 

As the captaln had predicted, there was no
one aboard. The three got upon the deck, pulled
up the anchor, and were soon under way.

The wreckers on the beach saw the craft as it
stood out to sea before a s nking breeze, and
their suspicions were evi ently aroused, for
shouts were heard, and some of them were seen
making for their boats.

“ We will run down toward the sand-bank I0
as to let our father know that you are safe,”
said Mr. ves. “ We can take him and some
of his men aboard.”

The draught of the smack was so light that it
could have been laid close alongside the bank.
As it tacked and headed that way, several boats,
full of armed Wreckers, were sent' toward it
from the beach. To avoid being captured, Wat-
son was obliged to head seaward, and was pre-
vented from reaching his father. ;'

One of the boats sent had already got round
be end the craft. so as to intercept it.

atson kept of, in this way hoping to pass it.
But, by using their sail and oars, the wreckers
got directly in the way of the smack. There
were about twenty men, well armed.

As the vessel drew nearer they stood up, with
Black Horse Bill in the stern sheets.

“ Yer may as well heave tol” he shouted.
“ Ther’s no use; we've got yer nowl Stand

“ e’re lost!” said Captain Reeves to Watson.
“ T’hat rascal, however, shall not live to boast of
it!

As he spoke he pointed his pistol at Black
Horse Bill, whose form was plainly revealed in
the moonlight, and fired.

The wreckers’ leader stood unharmed. The
unsteady motion of the smack had caused the
captain to miss him.

‘Keep her steady as she goes, Jack 1” cried
Watson to his friend, who was at the wheel.

He headed straight for the boat.

“ Stand by for boardln l” roared Bill.

The smack, before a resh breeze, was ap-
proaching with great Velocity.

“Have ou any plan?" in uired Ca tain
Reeves. “ e are gonng right to their awe;
in fact, there is no other we .”

“ l have thought of somet ing,” said Frank.

He then went aft and spoke to Jack in a low
voice. Then be seized a rope and made a noose
at the end. This done, he crouched in the bow,
holding the coil of rope ready.

. readv men, to board ’eml”

The smack, runnm on, was within a fathom '

of the boat, when ack suddenly lufled, thus
heading a little away from it. _

“ No yer don’t 1” roared Black Horse Bill.
“ Pull ahead, men 1”

The crew obeyed, and in a minute the heat
would have shot alongside. Now. however,
Jack again ke tel, and at the same moment
the line flew w izzing from Frank’s hand.

The boy hurled it with great dexterity, so
that the noose caught about the top Part 0 the
wreckers’ mast. With a sudden, qu ck power-
ful jerk upon it Frank brought it so over
that the gunwale went under. and as the smack
dashed on, the boat bein pulled down still fur-
ther was turned almost ttom up.

“ Well done l” cried Captain Reeves in admir-
ation. “ I would never have thmht of that.”

 

— .  w

/

 

A .s..-.._.l._

 

 

' sudden] , and Captain Reeves losing his balance,

Black Horse Bill. 21

 

l

The 31118.01! daslwd 0n, and their“ aboard , to tack now and then to hold their course. They
09“1d_ 589 the Wreckers, “11‘ “Stern, 1“ the water, found a barrel of sea-biscuits aboard the smack,
fighting their boat. ” i and they made a light breakfast.

“NOW;’ 110! for Norfolk; “lad the captain l Toward night the fog cleared. Suddenly just

Y9!» laid Watson, I hope W9 Will have at dusk, Jack, who was now on the lookout,
no more hindrances.” gave a shout:
“Li hts off the lee bowl”
CHAPTER XIV. J, “ It§s Norfolk!" shouted Frank.
A STARTLING DISCOVERY. have_n

Uimn her broad mainsail and jib, the smack He was interrupted by a loud maxing hum.
made good progress: but indications of a. gale ming noise_ ’ '

I00“ compelled the three to take “1 CBDVQS- Before he and Jack could touch the mainsail,

Fm?“ 00"“ no longer see the forms 0‘ the the little craft was struck by a squall.
cutffiricm" 101‘ “my 011 the mnd'bauk- Away went the mast, sail and all, with is

His heart sunk a little. The wreckers num- crash, falling over the side.
tiered 30 many that he feared they might attack The wind was from the westward, and the
and 111389330” the W110“? Party before he 00"“ hulk was driven out to sea. The boys contrived
bring assistance. _ l to clear away the wreck of the mast.

A f9: was beginning to spread- In about an 4‘ Meanwhile, the lights of the city continued to
hour It was very thwk- l recede, and at lengt they were out of sight in

Captain Reeves was on the lookout. He had the rack
resolved to be vigilant as it was now blowing a “Too bad‘” cried Jack-“to think that; just
V1018!“ 8319i and was very dfn‘ki bu“ man as we got in sight of our port, we should he
hours loss of sleep had made him drowsy, an , driven away from it!"
ere he was BWBI‘G 01 it, his eyes “105% in Slum” “ That’s so, and we cannot help ourselves, for
we now have neither mast nor sail.”

The two were nearly worn out with their hard-
ships and the loss of sleep. At last, as the squall
, passed away to leeward, Frank la down and
obtained a few hours rest. Then ack took his
turn while his friend watched.

By this time the hulk had drifted some dis»
tance to the southward.

When morning came the coast line was barely
visible.

“We are going with the gulf-stream,” said
Jack. “Unless we contrive to get ashore or
light some craft, we may at last fetch up among
the Bahama Islands.”

On the next day they found themselves of!
IIliloanoke Island, near the coast of North Caro-

na. -

Finally they were enabled to wade to the is-
land through shallow water. There were some
fishing vessels there, but no craft to take them
to Norfolk. The boys hired a fisher to row them
to the North Carolina coast. _

They made their way to a small Village on the
coast, and inquired at a tavern how they could
reach Norfolk.

There was an old farmer by the door with a
team of fine horses, hitched to a large, covered

 

“ At last we

r.
All at once he was awakened by a loud, hoarse

cry.

A lurid gleam of light from a red lantern
flashed athwart his vision. Not six fathoms a.-
head, were the lofty bows of a huge steamer,
with a real; red and yellow pipe, coming
strai ht or the smack!

“ ard down! hard!” yelled the captain,
springing to his feet.

But, ere Jack could obey, the heavy bow of
the steamer struck the jib boom of the smack,
crushing it like a pipe-stem. The next moment
the little vessel would have been ridden down
y the enormous steamer had not Jack, with

rank’s assistance worked the helm so quickly.

As the smack’s head swung up, the steamer’s
sheeting oil! the huge craft just grazed the lee
bow of the ormer.

The shock was sufilcient to heel the vessel

fell hes long over the bow.

Both Frank and Jack had seen the latter’s
father fall. The huge steamer apgarently

assed over him, and the boys looke in vain

or his reappearance.

The steamer, like an enormous specter re-
joicing in the mischief it had done, swept on,
out of sight, in the to , but for some time after,
the he 5 could hear 8 outs and confused voices

aboar .

Jack stood like one dazed. To unex ectedly
find his father alive, and then, after al , to lose
him, was a severe trial—all the more so as he
had thought he was safe, at last! He bowed his
head, an was unable to stifle a few sohs.

“ Such is life,” said Watson, striving to con-
sole him. “ Bear up, J ackl bear up 1”

He wrung his friend's hand as he spoke, and
Jack tried to cheer up as he again took the
wheel when the mainsail was filled.

The little vessel dashed on, but now and then
tears came to Jack‘s eyes as he :hought of his
pa rent’s fate.

At dawn the Weather was still foggy. The
wind hauled ahead. and the bots were obliged 1

wagon.

“ It’s luck I heered you,” he said. “ I’m go-
in’ to Norfol . It’s a. long route, and I’ll be glad
of yer company." . I

‘ Will you pass near the Virginia coast?” in-
quired Jack.

“ Not very, get kin bet! Ther’s a. had set
there, I’ve hear ,and I’ve no notion of falliii’
into ther clutches. 'This is my first trip this
way, and I don't want it to be my last, as it‘s
profitable.” I

The boys then gave him a full account of their
late adventures with the wreckers, etc.

“I’m afeared it’ll be all up with yer father
and his men afore yer can git assistance. it’ll
take three days, at least, for us to strike Nor-
folk, but it’s yer only way. Thor’s none of the
pee 1e ’round here would help yer."

“ know it.” said Frank. “ I doubt not that

 

 

  

22

Black Horse Bill.

  

 

many of them would rather be friend, then at-
tack the wreckers.”
“ I reckon you’re ’bout right. Jump up, and
we’ll make a start.” 1
The boys were soon in the wagon, and away
it went. ,
During the first day many miles of a lonely 1 aladder.

 

The two cautiously moved this aside, to find
, a key in the lock of the door. They turned it
. and entered a sort of lumber—room.

It contained a window, which was found to
‘face the side of the house. There was ahigh
‘ board fence below—too high to scale without

forest road were traversed. At night the “Hark!” said Jack, “I think I hear foot-
farmer pulled up in front of a tavern, back of steps coming up the stairs!"
which were astuble, a barn and other outhousee. “ We must lose no time,” said Frank. His
“Heer’s where we are to put up,” said the gaze fellnpon a piece of rope, which was wound
driver. about some beams to keep them together.
“We will sleep somewhere outside,” said With Jack’s assistance, he soon had the rope
Jack. “We have no money.” in hand. Then he raised the window, and while
“No, by Jerusalem! You shall have a sup- his friend locked the door, be fastened one
per and a good bed,” said the other. “ I insist , end of the line to a heavy pile of lumber, and
on it. If yer feel squeamish about it, yer can threw out the other.
pay me some other time, though 1 don’t want The end of the rope dangled within a few feet
any pay.” of the ground, which the boys speedily reached
The boys entered the tavern, took supper and by sliding down.
went to bed. Above them they heard the noise made by
At about midnight, Frank was awakened by the wreckers, banging against the door of the
no . lumber-room.
“Hist! make no noise,” he said. “It’s as The fugitives moved all ng in the shadow of
much as your life is worth!” the fence, vainly searching for a gate. Sud—
“What is the matter?” inquired Frank, in denly they heard the ueighing of the farmer’s
surprise. horses, and looked to see the wagon guarded
“ That farmer is a villain! He is in the em- only by two men. Bill‘s black horse stood near
ploy of the wreckers, for Whom he smuggles it; it's rider had evidently gone up-stairs vuth
goods to Norfolk!” the other outlaws.
“Ho! ho!” ejaculated the youngrevenue 0111- “Now,” said Frank, “suppose we make a
cers. “But how do you know this?” dash for that farmer‘s wagon, and drive (if.
“ Come here,” said Jack. There is the open gate, directly in front of the
He drew Frank to the window, which over— horses!”
looked the back yard of the tavern, where lay “I’m with you!” said Jack promptly. Leap-
tho farmer’s wagon, with its team attached. ing out of the shadow of the fence and the
To Frank’s surprise, the first person he there shrubber which grew near it, the boys rushed
beheld, distinctly revealed by the moonlight, toward t e wagon.
was Black Horse Bill, mounted on his great The wreckers saw them, and raised their
coal-black steed, and directing the movements pistols, but, ere they could fire, the shar re-
of half a. dozen Wreckers, who were transfer- port of the boys’ Weapons rung out, an the
ring from another vehicle, some cases of stolen two men fell wounded.
goods! Before they could stagger to their feet, the
Near him stood the farmer, conversing with lads were in the wagon.
him, now and then in a low voice. Frank seized the reins, and Jack giving both
horses a smart blow with the whip, started

'. them.
CHAPFER XV‘ Away they went at a swift pace, while the
THE PURSUIT.

shouts of the wreckers were heard, far behind.
“W110 would havo believed it?” said Frank. “They’ll be after us, and as we are more
“ I could almost have sworn that farmer was , heavily freighted than they, they may overtake
an honest man. Have you heard what they us,” said Frank. “ Better reload the pistols,
said?” Jack.”

“I caught a few words, and I know your As previously stated, the friends had with
father and his men are still safe, for Bill spoke ‘ them an ammunition pouch. Jack loaded the
of them cussed revenues as having a pesition, ‘ pistols and placed himself near the back of the
from which with their gun, they could hold out wagon whence he could obtain a View of the
for several days against more men than he dimly lighted road, in the rear.
could bring to attack them. It is likely the ‘ He could hear the cluttering of horses’ hoofs,
farmer has told them we are here. Our only and the rollin of wheels indicating that the
course is to steal out, and try to glide off, un‘ wreckers were In ursuit.
seen by the wreckers.” He let down t e back-board, and dumped

The boys examined their pistols to make sure into the road some bales of goods to lighten the
they were in good order. Then they went to wagon.
the door. Frank urged the team on as fast as possible,

On trying to open it, they perceived that it but it was not lon ere Black Horse Bill burst
had been locked on the outside! into view, mounts on his coal black steed, not

“ Trap ed 1” said Jack. fifty ards behind!

Frank ooked around him. He pointed to a. “ allo, there! stop yer cussed young rats!
large bureau, which, it was evident, stood Yer better stop, or it ll e the worse for you."
against another door. l “ It would be that in any case." shouted Jack.

 

 

     

     

 

  

Ae._

Black Horse Bill.

 

Ashe‘s‘pok‘e E11 extended his arm and then
came the flash and report of his pistol.

The bullet would have struck the boy to the
heart but for a bale of goods in front of him,
which received the missile. He raised his own
weapon and fired.

The black horse staggered and went down on
its knees. Bill sprung 03 and tried to set it up,
but the cor beast had received a death-shot,
and it re lod over on its side, 6 iring.

Jack felt very sorry he had hit the horse in—
stead of its rider.

The animal, lying in the road, dela ed the
Pursuit, and the fugitives gained cousi erably.

At last Frank perceived another road ahead,
branching oil? from the one he was pursuing.

Which should he take?

He did not know, but he finally decided to let
the horses go their own way, hoping they would
take the right direction.

They dashed on as they had been going, keep-
ing the same road. This seemed to become a
little narrower as they proceedhd. All at once,
on turning a bend in the road, Frank saw, not
ten paces ahead of him, a group of trees, which
seemed to obstruct the way.

He endeavored to stop the horses, but in vain.
The report of his pistol had probably fright-
ened them, and they fairly seemed to fly in their
headlong career.

There was a rush, a splash, a sudden sinking
of the wagon, as it slid onward a few yards,
and then i sto pod.

To their dismay the boys perceived that their
vehicle was landed in a swam .

“ Confound our luckl”crie Jack. “It’ll be
all up with us now i"

“ I think you are about right,” said Frank.
“ We couldn’t have got into worse uarters.”

The horses floundered in the mire, making
vain efforts to extricate themseIVes.

Down they sunk, until at length their head:
wen; under, and alter a few struggles they ex-

1re .

p “ I was never made for a driver, that’s plain I”

said Frank.

hf‘ lie; you’ve spoiled our farmer’s team for
1m

“ That isn’t the worst of it. The outlaws will
be sure to catch us now; but we’ll make a fight
for it iirst.’

The wagon sunk to the tops of the wheels,
but it went down no further.

“We have a fort here ready to hand,” said
Jack, pointin to the bales of goods.

“Yes; an the wreckers will have some
trouble to get to us through the mire."

The boys arranged a con la of bales, so that
the would partly cover t eir bodies, in the
bee of the wagon.

Behind these they awaited the approach of
their pursuers.

The latter, all seated in their we on, drawn
by a pair of good horses, a proadie .

Among them, his form p inly revealed b e.
lantern in the vehicle, was the pretended ar-
mer.

The wagon stopped within a few yards of the
swamp.

The boys remained motionless, hidden by the

 

"Hello!" cried Black Horse Bill. “We‘ve
got ’em now.”

The farmer sworean ugly oath.

“The young devils have killed in
he cried, furiously. “ But where are
I don’t see ’em 1"

“Come, show ersolvesl” cried Bill. “ No
use of your hidin . We know you are terel”

Still the boys made no answer. They ho d
that the Wreckers would conclude they ad
been thrown out and had sunk in the swamp.
In that case the party might be reduced in num-
ber by some of them going oil to obtain ropes
and other materials for getting the wagon out of
the marsh.

But Bill was too cunning to have this done
until he had made sure the fugitives ware not
there. He ordered one of the men to climb a
pine that grew near the edge of the swamp, with
one of its upper branches projecting over the
vehicle.

The man in this way had a good view of the
boys, and so re orted to Bill.

‘ Down wit the tree!” cried the latter.
“ It’ll make a bridge for us to git to the young-
sters.”

An ax was taken from the wreckers’ wagon,
and one of them went to work at the tree.

“ Now we must commence work,” said Frank.

He took aim and fired, shooting the man
down.
hiAt the same time Jack fired at Bill, but missed

m.

The outlaw gritted his teeth in his rage.
“They have the best of us behind them
cussed bales!” he cried. “Let each man taketo
a tree.”

The wreckers numbering eight in all,
screened themselves behind the trees on each
side of the road, and commenced to tire into
the wagon.

Now and then, when any part of their foes
was exposed to their view, the boys would re-
turn their shots, but in the faint light their aim
was not good, and they finally stopped firing,
not wishing to waste their small stock or am-
munition.

horses I”
e vipers!

 

CHAPTER XVI.
'rnn BOYB’ PERIL.

Tim outlaws also stop d firing, and their
voices were heard as it hey were holding a
consultation.

It was now a little past midnight. The moon
being down, and the wreckers’ lantern extin-
guished, the boys could not see their enemies.
Finally they heard the wagon in which the
gang had come moving rapidly away. A deep
silence followed.

“Can it be they have gone!" said Frank.

“I don't think so. Its a triastomske us
show ourselves.”

About half an hour later, the two heard the
we on coming back.

T e lantern was relighted soon after and the
b0 s then beheld one of the bales of goods, to
ob ain which it was now lain the wagon had
been sent oil, close to he tree, wh ch the
wreckers had endeavored to cut down.

The sound of an ax indicated that one of the

 

84 Black Horse Bill.

 

:Etlaws, sheltered by the bale, was working at
e tree.

“ Hello, therel” cried Black Horse Bill to the
boys. “I give yer our choice. Yer can
either jump into the mire and sink there, or yer
can wait for the tree to come down and crush

“The villain!” muttered Frank. “He is
oing to have the tree cut, so it will fall upon
he wagon.”

“ Never mind,” said Jack, “ I don’t think that .

game will work. If we look sharp, we can get
out of the way of the tree. It will give the
rascals a bridge to reach us, but only one at a.
time can come, and we have our pistols.

A few minutes later the crackling of the tree
was heard as it slowly toppled over.

“ Look out!” cried Jack.

The two friends watched the dark mass as it
came down, and sprung aside just in time to
avoid it.

It struck the wagon with a deafening crash,
and crushed it.

On the back part, however, the boys found
standing room, with one of the bales still upon
it for a “ breastwork.”

“ Now, then,” roared Black Horse Bill, “ make
a rush, men, and capture the young lubbersl”

One of the men sprung upon the tree and
others followed.

The boys waited until the foremost man was
close to the Wrecked wagon, when Jack fired,
shooting him through the head.

He tumbled into the mire and sunk. Then
Frank fired at the next man and wounded him
in the leg, so that was obliged to creep back-
ward, thus hinderi the others from advancing
—causing them, in fact, to retreat, so as to
make room for their wounded comrade.

Bill was enraged at the failure of his plan,
but he had seen that the boys still had the ad«
vantage of the situation. The lantern was again
extinguished, and again the voices of the out-
laws were heard in the consultation.

At this time the lads had not another charge
left for their pistols, and they expected
every moment that the wreckers would again
advance in which case they would be easily
capture .

So deep was the gloom, especially there,
among the trees, where the boys stood, that they
could hardly see each other as they conversed
in whispers.

“ What shall we do?” said Jack. " Can you
think of anything? It seems to me that we are
about done for now."

“ I can think of nothing, ” said Frank.

All at once Jack whispered:

“I have thought of a plan. This tree which
is cut down, partly rests against another. What
is to prevent our crawling out on it and getting
up in that other tree?”

“ Capital i” said Frank. “ In the darkness
the wreckers will not See us.”

The boys hastened to carr out their inten-
tion. They climbed the adJoining tree, and
ensconced themselves among the thick branches.
u A minute later there was a bright flash of

ht.
gBlack Horse Bill had set fire to a Dine knot.

 

and he now hurled the blazing mass at the
wa on, which was soon in flames.

e he 9 could not help laughing to them-
selves. afely stationed in the tree, they saw
the shooting1 flames, the rollin clouds of
smoke, and eard the exulting s outs of the
outlaws.

“Where are the cussed youngsters?” cried
Bill. “ I haven’t seen ’em.”

“It’s likely they’ve preferred dropping into
the swamp and bein’ smothered to bem’ burned
to Cinders,” said the owner of the vehicle.

“ Av, but who saw ’em drop?” said Bill.

“ We wouldn’t be likely to see ’em," said the
other. “Probably they drop ed on t‘other side
of the wagon, where the smo e is the thickest,
and that hid ’em from our sight.”

This explanation was satisfactory. The out-
laws conc uded that the boys had sunk in the
swamp. They knew their character well
enoug , by this time, to be aware that they
would sooner perish in this way than surrender
themselves to those who would inflict torture
upon them.

The waglon soon was a mere heap of smokin
cinders. hat part of the cut tree which he
lain over it, was also burned through.

From their position the boys finally saw the
gang take their departure.

“ They are gone,” said Frank.

“ Thank fortune—yes,” replied Jack. “ And
we are safe.”

“ Not exactly; how are we now to reach the
road, since the cut tree which would have
served us for a bridge, is burned through ?"

“Sure enough. Well, we will wait until day-
light, and then we may see some way out of
our difficulty.”

When morning. came the boys could perceive
their exact situation, which was even worse
than they had thought, as they were further
from the road than they had supposed was the

case.

That art of the cut tree which was not
burned, ay at least ten feet away from the foot
of the pine they had climbed. '

“Had we a rope we could manage,” said
Jack, “by lowering ourselves from near the
end of one of the projecting branches.”

Frank looked around him, but he saw nothing
which would serve their purpose in place of a

o e.

RLet us have our breakfast, at any rate,”
said Jack.

Both boys had filled their coat-pockets with
sea biscuits, ere leaving the smack, and they
now made a meal. Hours passed. It was not
until near nightfall that they resolved to make
a truly hazardous attempt to reach the unin-
jured part of the cut tree.

About twelve feet above the swamp, a branch
projected from the tree on which they stood.

heir plan now was to crawl to the end, and,
hanging down 1), it, endeavor to swing them-
selves to the trun of the fallen pine.

It would be a perilous trial, as the branch was
slender and might break, landing them into the
mire ere they could swing out far enough to
drop upon the tree.

“ I’ll take the lead.” cried Jack. and in spite

    

  
  

  

      

 

   

  

Black Horse Bill. 85

of Frank's remonstranees, he got out on thai "What's an this," whispered Jack to m,
branch, and seized the end. riend.
Down he went, the branch cracking omin- , “There they ares-I can see them," was the
ously as it bent. ‘ answer—and as he spoke Frank pointed through
He now hung directly over the swam , and the opening, on one side of the lugs.
endeavored wswing himself outward. his he There, sure enough, Jack beheld four men,
succeeded in doing, and, at the same time, the ‘ seated near a fire, not twenty yards nil.
branch broke! i “ Some of the wreckersl" he whispered.
He fell a distance of about five feet, plump “Yes,” said Frank. “ It seems as if, no mat-
into the mire. ter where we go, we cannot shake those fellows
His head went under, and Frank saw the off.”
hissingy bubbles close overi . ‘ “If I don’t mistake, they are of the same

 

 

t

Unable to “lift a finger ” to hel his friend, party who were lately with Black Horse Bill."
be gazed down at the fatal spot in espair. : Such in fact was the case. From what the

Suddenly he gave a cry of go . Jack had ' boys heard the men say as they conversed, it
thrown out his arms, and con rived to clutch l was evident that their wagon had broken down,
the end of the fallen tree. and that Bill had ridden on with the horse, leav-

The next moment he had drawn himself upon ing them to ‘ foot ’ it.

i i ‘ So we must have been oing the wrong

As soon as he could regain his breath he burst way," Whispered Frank. “ nstoud of oing
out laughing. ‘ toward Norfolk, we have been going from ti"

“ Frank,” he cried, “I don’t believe on The fire the outlaws had made needed more
know me. I wish you could toss me a look ng- fuel.

as.” ‘ “ There’s a pile of logs,” said one of the men,

“It’s no joking matter,” said Frank. “i indicating those among which the boys were
thought you were gone for good when you went hidden.
under. ow how am I to join you?” To their dismay, the two friends then saw one

“1’” fix t at,” said Jack. “Just wait a of the par advance, ax in hand!
few minutes until I get back the whole of my l “The fel ow is going to cut at the logs. He’ll
breath." besure to discover us! We cannot crawl out

Soon after, he crept along the tree to dry without being seen,” said Jack.
land, and entering the thicket on one side of the ‘ “ No, we win have to stay here.”
wood, he cut down with his knife, a long, Both boys drew their knives.
straight sapling. Ifaving trimmed it 03, be The remained silent while the man pro-
took it to the tree bridge, and eased the end of i ceed to cut at the to (1%
it to Frank. It was a good, ard pole, about The splinters flew. the log was nearly
fifteen feet long, booked at the end. cut in twain, and the discovery of the friends

“There on are,” said Jack. “All on have seemed inevitable.
to do is to angthat pole on one of the ranches I Now the man paused to rest. He stood loan-
and swing the other end to me. Then I wili ing on his ax, with his back toward the end 01'
hold on to it while on descend.” the hollow. In this osition he was between

The plan works well. Jack held the pole \ the boys and his frien s.
steady, while Frank descended, hand over hand, “This is our chancel” whispered Jack.
to his side. “ Come l”

“Now fa' Norfolk, if we can find the way,” He crept out of the other end of the hollow,
said Jack. followed by Frank. The two moved on, and
soon reached a line of shrubhery, into which
CHAPTER XVII. they crawled-

They were just in time to escape the notice

m METING‘ of the wood-chopper, who turned and con-

Tlm boys finally reached the road which, “Wed his Work . I. _
branched oi! from the one leading to the swamp. 1 TW° blows 0‘ 1’“ “x sent the 5 it 108 mum“!
Near this lace was aclear stream of water nsunde’i Had the boys been 11 the 110110“
into which ack at once lunged, and proceeded théa mu“ ha“ been se‘m' .
to wash the mud from hi; face and clothes_ i 9 left the shrubbery, which now screened
They tum kept on 510“; the road. The won. , them rom the gaze of the wreckers, and hurried
Eli’s]: was a little misty, and a tine rain was
a n .
In tie afternoon the boys halted in the woods, “ . .
and made a frugal meal of their biscuits. They kept 9“: now 3”!“le a Path, and
Tired and drows , they then looked for a now towing the“ way With d 0111‘! through
sleeping-place whic they soon found in a hol- ‘ thf, mabbBTY- , ”
low made b half a dozen large chopped logs, I think wed better Stop. said Jack 8F
1,130,419,181; m, last, as the woods became thinner and the sail
"The", must a houses not far from here,» a more sandy. “I believe we are goin where

and F u th 1 k _ we do not want to—toward the see-cons 1”
int: begngeshlfgu?"lm ha" ° °° °t h" x “ You are right,” said Frank, as they halted.

 

 

n.
“Heaven on] knows where we are going to,
here in the dar ,” said Frank.

 

Th w h “Hark!”
33199;, 0 crud“ in“ the ouow’ “d “"1 The dull roaring of the ocean was audible in

the distance. but the moon was obscured. and

Their were awakened by voices near them.

   

 

 

    

the boys could see no water thr0ugh the dark-
ness.

“After all,” said Jack, “we mi ht as well
keep on. and we may have the luc to find a
boat. This confounded land cruising, with its
woods,’briars, and swamps, isn’t at all to my

likin . ’

“Ego say I,” responded Frank. “Give me a
boat and plenty of sea room 1”

Walking steadily forward, kee in a sharp
lookout as they went, the boys na 1y gained
the beach, but they could not determine their
locality.

Far out at see they saw the light of some
vessel, gleaming through the darkness.

They moved on, but paused suddenly as they
olllnserved a dark object approaching along
s ore.

“It is a boat with men in it!” said Frank.
“ We’ll hide ourselves in this hollow in the sand
until it goes by.”

They crouched in the hollow which they had
been about to pass. The boat was seen near
enou h for the boys to know that it contained
wrec ers.

Bh'llihey recognized the voice of Black Horse

1

The craft was pulled to the beach, a few
yards below the spot where they had crouched.

“It’s very stran e they’re not come yet,"
said Bill. “ It’s ti e they were heer.”

“He means the men we saw in the woods,‘
whispered Jack. “Probably the boat was to
take them aboard at this point.”

Bill stood looking round him.

“I’m certain I see’d two ‘flggers’ here ” he
said, ” as we were comin’ with the boat. What
can have become of ’emi”

“Are you sure?" inquired one of the men.

“ Yes. Come and he] me look for ’ They
must be hiding somew are, and, hinge
can’t be right!”

“ Confound his eyesh” muttered Jack.

The three men in t e boat got out, and with
Bill the moved along, assing within a few

feet of t e bois’ hiding— ace.

b “ lgow,” w ispered rank. “ Now,_for the
oat

b Utp jumped the lads, making a dash for the
ca .
One of the men chancing to turn at that mo-

ment, saw themfignd gave the alarm. As they

shoved of! the at and sprung into it Black
Horse Bill and one of his companions fired at

em.

The bullet whistled tpast their ears as they 1
sewed oars and pulls rapidly away in the
darkness. ‘

They were not six fathoms from the shore,
when a huge stone, hurled by one of the wreck-
ers. came crashing down upon the bottom of
the boat, inside, cracking the planks so that the

 

water entered. By the time the light craft was
a hundred fathoms from land, she was half full .
of water.

“ You'll have to scull the boat,” said Jack,

" while I bail.”
Frank took his lace astern and worked the

boat along; but, a though Jack exerted himself
manfully, the water kept cominx in. _,

20 Black Horse Bill.

he”:

There was no way to stop the leak, as more
than one plank was cracke .

“If we can keep afloat untilIwork the boat
so as to intercept that vessel," said Frank,
pointin "to the d stant light, “ we will be safe
enou

“ ut I don't think we can keep afloat so
long,” said Jack.

The wind was increasing, and the seas were
becoming rougher every moment.

In order that Jack might rest a. little, Frank
exchanged places with him.

9 water now mme in so fast that it gained
upon the bailer.

Meanwhile, the boat kept drawing nearer to
the light.

All at once this disappeared!

“ What does that mean?” inquired Jack.

“ It means the ‘rack’ is become so thick in
that direction that it hides the light!” cried
Frank.

Takin turns, the boys continued to work the
boat, an 1 the latter could no longer be handled.
It had filled, and the occu nts were now
obliged to jump out and turn it bottom up.

They then got astraddle of it. Peering through
the mist and the darkness they suddenly heard
the creaking of ards, the flappin of canvas,
and the plplEF o a boatswain’s wh stle.

“Good! ere she is, close aboard of us!”
cried Frank. “There’s her light! I can see it
now!”

The lurid gleam of a lantern right ahead
burst to view through the dark, drifting mist.

“Ahoy, there! ship ahoy! Don’t run us
down i" shouted both boys at ones.

But the craft came steadily on. The two
could see her bows looming through the mist.

Again they shouted, an this time they knew
they were heard.

The hows swung 01!, the canvas flopped, and
they could distinctly hear the voice of the quar-
termaster:

“Port, there—port!”

Then the boatswain again piped, and the
lfioarae command 0 , “Third cutter away!” was

ear .

A minute later the two saw a boat shooting
toward them.

They were picked up and taken aboard the
vessel, which proved to be the U. S. sloop-of-
war Canton, Captain Barker.

When the boys had made explanations. the
commander conducted them below to a berth,
in which, to their surprise, they saw Jack's
father, Captain Watson!

But he was delirious, and did not know his
[OIL

 

CHAPTER VIII.
CONCLUSION.

“WHAT does this mean?” cried Jack. “ We
were sure he was lost l”

“ The captain of the steamer from which he
was transferred to this ship told me all he knew

‘ about the affair,” said the commander._

The explanation was as follows:
It seemed that, instead of filing overboard
tithe sea, as the boys had ought was the

  

 “my- _. 

Black Horse Bill. 27

case, when he fell from the fishing-smack on the
night of the collision, the ca tain had dropped
upon the huge sheetanchor, an ‘ng down irom
the steamer’s bow. In the dar ness, and also
owing to the vessel’s swinging off, he was not
seen by the lads.

On his being helped up to the deck he fainted,
and it was found that he had injured his head.
The vessels were then too far apart for the
crew to make known to Jack and Frank what
had happened. In that ale the steamer could
not be veered round, an she kept on her course.
Two days later, the warrvessel bound for New
York, was fallen in with, and to this craft-
Captain Reeves—in a. delirious state, was trans-
ferred and put under the care of a good doc-
tor. who mid he would recover in a week.

Jack was glad enough to hear this. As his
father had from the first been unable to make
any statement about the wreckers, the boys
now gave a full account of their doings, and of
the perilous situation of the lost cutter’s crew,
on which the captain promised to go to the lat-
ter’s relief, and to capture the outlaws, if pw
sihle.

This vessel had not originally been built for
a man-of—war. In fact, her general appearance
but for her open ports, was that of a merchant-
ship. She had been altered from a tradin -ves-
sel, and it only required the closing 0 her
ports and a streak of white or red paint along
eknch side to make her seem like a craft of that

inli.

“ We intend to lay OE and on this coast until
morning," said the captain to the boys, "and
then we will make an attack on the wrecker!
and rescue your cutter’s eople.”

“ All the wreckers w ll escape you,” said
Frank. “ At sight of a wand-war ike yours,
carrying twent guns, they will vanish like
smoke, and you’ i not be able to find them."

“How, then, are they to be caught?"

“ By strategy,” said Frank.

The captain took the outh into his cabin, and
they talked over the a air. The result was that
the captain gave immediate orders for the
closing of the ports, and for a streak of red
paint to be laid along each side.

The weather was so thick and the vessel sofar
from land that neither the lights nor the men
at work would be seen.

The numerous detail of fifty men set at this
task were not long in finishing it.

Next morning the weather had cleared and
the sun shone brightly upon the waters. Cap-
tain Barker was standing within two miles of
the coast, and Frank, with a spy-glass, was by
his side, scanning the shore.

“ There they are!" he said, at last, intin
out the sand-bank, upon which lay t e hal -
shattered canal-boat, with its occupants watch-
in g the approaching Vessel. Others also watched
her. Black Horse Bill and his followers, all
hungry for this new prize, which they took .for
a merchant craft stood upon the beach nearly
{end to launch their boats and go out tocap-

ure er.

Frank and Jack could not help laughing to see
the frantic signals the cutter’s people were
making to the sup d merchantmen for them
to come no nearer

They shouted, waved kerchlefs, and pointed
E toward the wreckers, shaking their heads to in-
timate the true character of the gang]

As if influenced by these signs, Captain Bar-
ker, when within a half a mile of the canal-
boat lsuddenly veered and headed his craft sea-
war

This, however, brought his course toward a
sand—bank, and he tacked to avoid it. '

The wreckers, who had foreseen this move-
ment, had all come out in their boats to inter-
cept the vessel, and were now directlv ahead!

“ Heave to therel” roared Black Horse Bill,
who stood in the stern of the head boat, “ heave
to! We want to come aboard!”

“ What for?” inquired Captain Barker
through his trumpet.

“Yer’ll find out, if yer don’t lay yer main
yfidl aback!” answered the ruiflan, leveling a
p s ,o .

The captain, as if alarmed, immediately hove

 

The wreckers gave a yell of mingled exulta—
tion and derision.

They ulled vigorously, and the boats rapidly
approac ed the merchantman.

i‘l‘lHellol I say, what’s yer cargo!” shouted

“ Is that any of your business?" returned Cap-
tain Barker, soarcely able to suppress a smile.

“ I jest reckon it is!” cried Bill, with a hoarse
laugh. “You’ll find that out ‘fore lon . Better
answer, or it’ll be the worse for yeri’

“Well, then, my principal cargo is too com~
hustible to mention. ’

“What in thunder do yer mean by that!”
cried Bill.

“You’ll see when you come aboard i”

The boats now were within about twenty
fathoms of the ship, and to windward of her.

“ Come, tell me yer cargo or l’ll put a bullet
through you!” continued Bi , savagely.

“ Do you want to know?"

“ Why, cuss you, yes—in quick time tool”

The captain made a preconcerted signal, the
boutswain piped, and every port-hole flying
open, the grim muzzles of ten carronades were
projected, to frown u on the wreckers’ heatsl

“This craft is the . S. sloop-of-war Canton!”
roared Captain Barker through his trumpet.
“ We have you under our guns, so that we can
blow you to pieces in a moment, and we’ll do it
unless an and all your men come aboard and
surren or!”

Black Horse Bill was astounded. He saw the
trap in which he was caught and from which
there was now no (possible means of escape.

But he regaine his self-possession in a mo-
ment, and a dark, desperate look flashed from

his e es.

“(good—by, men—good-by, alll I’ve led you
out of many a tight corner, boys, but this one is
too much for Black Horse Bill!"

80 saying, and preferring the bullet to the
hangman’s rope, the rufiian pointed his pistol at
his temple, and, firing, fell headlong into the sea,
whence he was never seen to rise again—a shark
having probably dragged the dead body down
for its prey.

i A few minutes later Captain Barker had all
lthe wreckers aboard as prisoners in the hold.

 

i

 

 

    

Black Horse Bill.

 

    

after which boats were sent to the canal barge
to take oi! the cutter’s crew.
' Great was Captain Watson’s joy on finding
his son Frank safe and Well aboard the war
. vessel.

He stated that the latter had come just in
time to save him and his crew, for the old gnu
aboard the barge with which they had hithertc
defended themselves had exploded on the do“.
before, and the wreckers had been preparing tr
come out to attack them! As the outlaws num
bered almost a hundred, and Watson’s forcr
only thirty, it was reasonable to suppose that
the former would have been successful.

   
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
   
 

boys, Frank Watson and Jack Reeves, the mosL

, savage band of wreckers that ever infested thc
American coast was broken up and its mem ber‘
eventuall brought to the punishment they (is
served. be death of their leader and the fate
of his followers discouraged his numerour

V friends along the coast from taking up the samt
leader’s occupation.

' After the capture of the gang, the Cantor

galled for New York, where she arrived in due
Ime.
; About a'week later, Jark’s father was so fur
. recovered from his injuries as to be able to ac-

. com any the boys on a visit to Captain Burton,
of t e ship Neptune, which the lads had so
bravely rescued from the wreckers.

The captain received them cordially, and his
daughter Mary blushed deeply when Frank
took her proffered hand. The youth often vis-
ited her. afterward, and the result was that
she finally became his wife.

The two boys remained steadfast friends, and
never forgot their erilous adventures on the
Virginia coast with LACK HORSE BILL and his

Wreckers.

 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  

THE END.

"DIME DIAlflGUES AND SPEAKERS

FOB SOHO 0L EXHIBITIONS
AND HOME ENTER TAINMENTS.

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- 100 pages l2mo. containing from 50 to 75 pieces.

 
 

 

 
  
   
  
   

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Thus. through the agency of the two gallant -

 

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1 WnoA. EMMA! and 59 other Songs.

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Bnmnn's POCKET LIBRARY.

 

 

l

 

 

82 Seth Jones: or, The Captives of the Frontier.
By E. 8. Ellis. . ‘

88 Canada Chet, lhe Counterfeiter Chief. By E. L.
Wheeler.

84 The Dumb Page; or. The Doge’s Daughter. By
Captain Frederick Whittaker.

85 The Boy Miners: 01'. Tue Enchanted Island. By
Edward S. Ellis.

86 Jack Harkaway in New York. By Bracebridge
Hem ng.

87 The ussar Ca train; or. The Hermit of Hell
Gate. By Col. entiss Ingmham.

88 Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange
Stroke for Liberty. By Edward L. Wheeler.

89 Bill Biddon. 'l‘ra p r; or, Life in the Northwest.
By Edward S. 115. I
00 Tippv. the Texan; or. The Young Champion.

George Gleason. -_
91 ustang Sam, the King of the Plains. By Joe.
E. Badger. Jr. ‘
92 The Ocean Bloodhound: or1 the Red Pirates of
the Carlbhees. Bé Samuel W. Pearce.
98 Phil Hardy. the oss Boy; or. The Mystery of
the Strogfi old. B Char es Morris.
94 Deadwo Dickas etective. By E. L. Wheelur.
95 Buck Buckram; or, Bess the Female Trapper.
By Ca tain J. F. 0. Adams.
ge Dick. By Edward L. Wheeler.
97 The Black Steed of the Prairies. By James L.
Bowen. '
98 The Sea Serpent; or, The Boy Robinson Crusoe.
By Juan Lewis.
99 Bonanza Bill the Man Tracker; or, the Secret
Twelve. By  L. Wheeler.
100 NatE Todd l;hor, The Fate of the Sioux Captive.
By . . 's.
101 Daring Davy, the Young Bear Killer; or, The
Trail of the Border Wolf. By Hang St. George.
102 The Yellow Chief; or, The Half- lood's Ven-
‘ geance. By Ca’t. Ma ne Reid.
109 Chip. the Girl Sport y Edward L. Wheeler.
104 The Blank Salmoner: or, Jib Junk, the Old Tar.
By Roger Starbuck.
105 Handsome Harry,the Bootblack Detective. By
Charles Morris. 9
106 Night~Hawk Kit; or. The Daughter of the Ranch.
By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.
1% Jack Hoyle’s Lead- or, The Road to Fortune.
By Edward L. Whee er. .
108 Rocky Mountain Kit, the White Mustanger. By
T. C. Harbaugh.
109 The Brandrd Hand; or, The Man of Mystery.
B Frank Dumont.
110 T e Dread Rider; or. The Texan Duelist. By
Geor e W. Browne.
111 Boss oh, the King of Bootblacks. By Edward
L. W lei-ler.
112 The eipless Hand. By Capt. Mayne Reid.
113 Scar-Faced Saul, the Silent Hunter. ,By 011

Gnomes.
114 Pine Piul, the. mountain Boy. By T. C. Har-

u .
115 Deafiwood Dick‘s Double: or. The Ghost of Gor-
n’s Gulch. By Edward L. Wheeler.
116 fibers Comn. Ski her or, Lost in the Pa‘ur Re-
‘ons. By Capt. .Whitta er.

117 anoy Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’s
Trust. B “Buffalo Bill."

118 Will Wild’ivlre. . the Thoroughbred; or, The‘Win-
ning Hand. By Chas. Morris.

119 Blonde Bid: or. Deadwood Dick’s Home Base. ,

Edwar'l L. \the‘er.
120 Gopher Gid, the Boy Trapper. By T. C. Har-

ba 11.

121 Hsfigy Armstrong, the Captain of the Club. By
Bracehridge Hemyng (Jack Harkawag.

122 The Haunted Hunter' or. The Strange orseman
of the Prairie. By Edward s. Ellis. .

23 gvollid Bani, the Boy Road-Agent. By Edward L.

.39 or.

124 ud Lynch. Jr.; or, The Boy Vigilante. By '1‘.

g. flunk. _

 

   
  
  
  
    
   
   
  
  
   
   
  
  
  
  
  
   
         
     
         
      
         
       
   
    

125 The Land Pirates; or. The League of Devil’s
Island. By Capt. Mayne Reid. .

126 Blue Blazes; or The Break 0’ Day Boys of
Rocky Bar. B, Frank Dumont.

127 Tony Fox, the x'rret; or, Boss Bob‘s Boss Job.
By Edward L. Wheeler.

128 Will Wildfire’s Racer; or, Winning Against Odds.
By Charles Mom is. .

129 E 1e Kit, the Boy Demon. By 011 Coomes. '

130 Go d Trigger. the Sport: or, The Girl Avengers.
By ’1‘. C. Harbaugh.

131 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick‘s Big '
Strike. By Edward L. \Vheelel‘.

132 Dainty Lance, the Boy Sport. By Joseph E. .
Bad or, Jr.

133 Wil -flre, the Boss of the Road. By Frank DUE

mont.
134 filliqmt‘rry, the Harbor Police Boy. By Chas.
orris. .
135 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked .
Party. By Edward L. Wheeler. ' '
136 Old Rube, the Hunter. By Capt. Hamilton

Holmes.

137 Dandy Rock, the Man from Texas. By G. ‘
Waldo Browne.

138 Bob Rockett. the Boy Dodger. By Chas. Morris.

139 The Black Giant; or. DaintyLance in Jeopardy.
By Jos. E. Badger. Jr.

140 Captain Arizona, the King Pin of Road-Agents.
B Phihp S. \Vnrnc. ‘

141 ew York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. ByE.
L. \Vheeler. ’

142 Little Texas, the Young Mustanger. By 011
Coomes. ' =

143 Dead] ' Dash; or. Fighting Fire with Fire. By
Jos. . Badger, Jr. v

144 Little C. it, the Wild Rider. By 001. Prentiss In- -

ra am.

145 he Tiger of Tans: or. Wild Kate. Dandy Rock’s,
Angel. By Goo. Waldo Browne. —

146 The Cattle King; or, Cortina’s‘Right Bower. By
Frank Dumont.

147 Nobby Nick of Nevada: or. the Scamps of the‘
Sierras. B Edward L. Wheeler. r

148 Thunderbo t Tom; or, the Wolf-Herder 01! th

00 'i 3. By Barry St. George. .

149 1310b Beckett, the Bank Runner. By Charles
1 orris.

150 The Mad Miner; or, Dandy Rock's Doom. By
G. Waldo Browne. . r '

151 The Sea Trailer; or, A Vow Well Kept. B1001:
Prentiss ingi'ahcm. - ‘ ~ ~,

152 Dandy Darke; or, The Tigers of High Pine. By ‘

W. H. Eyster. . -
153 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo. By E. L.

Wheeler. ‘ ~
154 The Boy Trailers: or. Dainty Lance on the

War-Pa h. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr. 1 -
155 Gold Plume, the Boy Bandit. By Col. Prentiss

Ingra am. .

156 Will Wildfire in the Woods. By 0. Morris.

15’? $1 id I'li‘emple, the Border Boy. By T. C. H»
mu .

158 Dee wood Dick‘s Doom; or. Calamity Jane‘s
Last Adventure. By E. L. Wheeler. ’

159 Patent-Leather Joe‘s Defeat; or, The Lady _
Road-Agent. BylPhilip S. Warne. - _

160 Buffalo Billy, t 9 Boy Bullwhacks‘r; or The.
Doomed Thirteen. By 001. P. lngraham. '

161 Bob Rockett the Cracksman. By 0. Morris. ‘

162 (Iiittie Hurricane, the Boy Captain. By 011

comes. '

1m Deadwood Dick‘s Dream: or, the Rivals 0! the
Road. By E. L. Wheeler. -

164 Tornado Tom; or, Injun Jack from Red Core.
By T. C. Harbnugh. / -

165 Buffalo Bill‘s Bet; or, The Gambler Guide. By
Co . P. rgrraham.

166 Will Wil flro Wine and Losses: or, “A Trump
Card." By Charles Mo .

167 Dnnd y Rock‘s Pledge; or, Hunted to Death. By

' George W. Browne. _

,,

 
       
         
     
       
     
   
    
         
      

  

        
       
       
         
       
       
   
       
           
         
    
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

r

 

BEADLE’S POCKET LIBRARY.

 

168 Deadwood Dick‘s Ward; or, The Black Hills
Jezebel. By Edward L. Wheeler.

169 The Boy Champivm. By Edward Willett.

170 Bob Rockett’s Fight for Life; or, Shadowed in
New York. By Charles Morris.

171 Frank MortonY the Boy Hercules. By 011

Coomes.
172 The Yankee Ranger; or, Dusky Darrell. By
Edwin Emerson.
173 Dick Dingle Scout. or, The Frontier Angel. By
Edward S. llis.
174 Dandy Rock’s Scheme; or, The Golden Hand.
By G. W. Browne.
175 The Arab Detective; or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp.
By Edward L. Wheeler.
176 Will Wildflre‘s Pluck; or, The Hidden Hand. By
Charles Morris.
177 The Bo Commander; or. The Maid of Perth.
B Col. ren‘iss Ingraham.
178 T e Maniac Hunter; or. The Mysteries of Night
Island. By Burton Saxe.
179 Daint Lance' or, The Mystic Marksman. By
. J. E. anger. r.
180 The Boy old Hunter; or, Navajo Nick’s Scout.
,3 T. 0‘. Harbaugh.
181 T e Scapegrace Son. By Charles Morris.
182 The Dark-Skinned Scout; or, The Freebooters
of the Mississippi. By Lieut. Col. Hazeitine.
183 Jabez Dart, Detective; or, The Hermit Trapper.
By 011 Coom es.
184 Featherweight. the Boy S y. By Ed. Willett.
185 Bison Bill, the Overland rince. By Col. Pren-
tiss Ingraham.
186 Dainty Lance and His Pard. By Joseph E.
Badger. Jr. V
187 The Trapped Tiger King; or, Dart. Paul‘s Plot.
r B Charles Morris.
188 T e Ventrilo his: Detective. A Romance of
Rogues. By dward L. Wheeler.
189 Old Rocky‘s Boys; or. Bonito, the Young Mus-
tang-Breaker. By Maj. Sam S. Hall.
190 Sim Simpkins Scout' or, The Faithful Mountain
Mastifl. By James L. Bowen. /
191 Dandy Rock‘s Rival; or. The Mysterious Wolf
Rider. Bv Geo. Waldo Browne.
192 Hickory Harry; or, Roaring Ralph, the Ventrilo-
$uist. By Harry St. George.
193 etective Josh Grim' or. The Young Gladiator’s
Game. B Edward  Wheeler.
194 Pros ect etc, the Boy Miner. By Oil Coomes.
195 The enderfoot Trailer: or, Plucky Phil, of the
1 Mountain. By T. C. Harbaugh. ’
196 The Dandy Detective' or. The Abducted Boy
Myster . By Charles inrris.
19? Roy t 6 Young Cattle King; or, The Texan
, S or‘t Unmasked. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.
19S Ofiy Dan’s Mask; or. The Rival Leagues of
the ines. By Frank Dumonr.
199 Dictionary Nat, Detective; or, Bill Bravo, the
Bear Tamer. By T C. Harhaugh.
200 The Twin Horsemen; or, The Brothers of the
Plumed Lance. By Capt. Frederick Whittaker.

' .' 201 Dandy Darke‘s Farris; or. The Hawks of High

Pine. By Wm. R. Eysier.
202 Tom. the Texan Tige ; or, Old Luke’s Luck. By
Oil Coomes.
203 Sam. the Office Boy; or, The Tables 'l‘umed. By
Charles Morris.
204 The Young Cowboy; or, The Girl Trailer’s Tri-
umph. By Col. Prentiss Ingrahaln.
205 The Frontier Detcctive; or, Sierra Sagn’s Scheme.
‘  L Wheeler.
206 ite Lightning; or, the Boy Ally. By T. C.
Harbaugh.
2U? Kentuck Talbot‘s Band; or, The Red Lasso. By
Captain Mark Wilton.
ans Trapper Tom’s Castle Mystery; or. Dashing
Dick’s Disguise. By Oil Coomes.
209 The Messenger-Boy Detective; or, The Tables
Turned. By Charles Morris.
210 The Hunchback of the Mines; or. Reckless Ralph,
‘ up Road-Agent. By Jos. E. Badger, Jr.

  

 

211 Little Giant and His Band: or Despard, the
Duelist. By P. S. Warne.

212 The J imtowu Sport; or, Gypsy Jack in Colorado.
By E. L. Wheeler.

213 The Pirate’s Prize; or. The My terlons Yankee
Schooner. By C. Dunning Clark.

214 Dandy Dave. of Shasta; or, The ‘Frisco Flash 0'
Lightning. By T. C. Harbaugh.

215 During Dan the Ranger; or, the Denver Detec~
rive. By Oll Coomes.

216 The Cowboy Captain; or, Ranger Ralph’s Ruin.
By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham.

217 Bald Head of the Rockies; or. The Ang‘l of the
Range. By Major Sam 8. Hall.

218 The Minor S ort: or. Sugar-Coated Sam’s Claim.
By Edward . Wheeler.

119 Buck, the Detective; or. Paul, the Boy Pard. By
Albert W. Aiken.

220 Grok-Shot Frank; or, Bill Bounce, the Moun-
tain Bravo. By Charles Morris.

221 Merle the Middy; or. A Waif of the Waves. By
Colonel Prentiss Ingraham.

222 Rosebud Ben's Boys; or, The Young Prairie
Rangers. By 011 Coomes.

223 Gold Conrad’s Watch-Dogs; or. The Two Pards
of Vulture Bar. By T. C. Harhaugh.

224 Frisky Fergus, the New York Boy. By G. L.

1 en.

225 Dick Drew, the Miner s Son; or. Apollo Bill, the
Road-Agent. By Edward L. Whee er.

226 Dakota Dick in Chicago; or, Jack, the Old Tar.
B Charles Morris.

227 erle, the Boy Cruiser; or. Brandt the Buc-
caneer. B Colonel Prentiss Ingraham.

228 The Preac er Detective; or The Boy Ventril0<

uist. By Oll Coomes.

229 1d Hickorv‘s Grit" By John J. Marshall.

W The Three Boy Sports; or. The Sword Hunters.
By Captain Frederick Whittaker.

231 Sierra Sam, the Detective. By Edward L.
Wheeler. .

232 Merle Monte’s Treasure; or. Buccaneer Brandt’s

. Threat By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

283 Rocky Rover Kit; or, Davy Crockett’s Crooked
Trail. Bi Ensign C. D..Warren.

234 Kgldy, t e Miner Chief. By Capt. J. F. C.

ams.

235 Jack Stump’s Cruise; or, The Montpelier‘s Muti-
neers. By Roger Starbuck.

236 Sierra Sam’s Double- or. The Three Female De-
tectives. By Ed. L. Wheeler. ‘

287 Newsboy Ned. D tective; or Two Philadelphia
Gamins. By Charles Morris. I

238 Merle Monte’s Sea Scraper; or Little Belt's
Droll Disguise. By Col. Prentiss ingraham.

239 Ben’s Big Beom: or, The Boss Miner‘s League.
I} Capt. Mark Wilton.

240 S arp Shot Mike; or, Colsmbia Jim on the War-
Path. By Oll Coomes.

241 Sierra Sam‘s Sentence; or. Little Luck at Rough
Ranch. By Edward L. Wheeler.

242 The Denver Detective; or, Dainty Dot at Gold
Gulch. By T. C. Harbaugb.

243 Dutch Jan’s Dilemma; or. The Mysterious
Mountain Monster. By Maj. L. W. Carson.

244 Merle Monte’s Disguise; or. The Capture of
Brandt, the Buccaneer. By 001. P. In raham.

245 Baldy's Boy Partner: or, Young rainerd's
Steam Man. By E'lwar I S. Ellis.

246 Detective Keen’s Apprentice- or, James Jumper
the New York Gamin. By Cir. rles Morris.

247 The Girl Sport; )r, Jumbo Joe's Disguise. By
Edward L. Wheelvr.

248 Giant George’s Pard; or. Arizona Jack, the
Tenderfoot. By Buckskin‘Sam.

249 Ranch Rob's Wild Ride; or Old Winch The
Rifle King. By T. C. Harbaug .

250 Merle Month's Pardon; or. The Pirate Chief's
Doom. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. . .

251 The Deaf lielecliVe; or, Weasel, the Boy Tramp.
B; Edward‘Willctt. '

 
  

 

 

    
 
   
    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

'27?) Fred, the Ocean Wait; or. The Old Sallor‘s

. 294 Dumb Dick’s Pard- or. Eliza Jane, the Gold

 

BEADLE'S POCKET mum.

 

 

252 Denver Doll's Device; or. The Detective Queen,

By Edward L. Wheeler.

25? T e Bo Tender-toot: or, Roaring Ben Bundy of
lolora o. B Capt. Mark Wilton.

254 Black Hills en; or, Duvch Jan on the War-
Path. By Maj. Lewis W. Carson.

255 Jolly Jim Detective; or, The Young Protege’s
Victory. y Charles Morris.

256 Merle Monte's Last Cruise; or, The Sea Robber
at Bay. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

957 The Boy Chief of Rocky Pass; or, The Young
California Pards. By Maj. E. L. St. Vrain.

2.38 Deuver Doll as Detective. By E. L. Wheeler.

259 Little Foxeye, the Colorado Spy. B Oll Coomes.

260 Skit. the Cabin Boy. By Edward ’illett.

261 Blade, the Slport' or, the Giant of Clear Grit
Camp. Big . C. arbaugh.

262 Billy, the oy Rover. By Col. P. In raham.

268 Buster Bob‘s Buoy' or. Lige. the ght—House
Keeper. Bv Ca t.  F. 0. Adams.

264 Denver Doll's ar'ner; or, Big Buckskin the ‘

Sport. By E. L. Wheeler.

265 Billy, the Baggage Boy: or, The Young Railromi
Detective. H Charles Morris.

266 Guy's Boy 0 um- or, The Forest Wziif's Mask.
By Ca t. Comstoc .

267 Giant eo:ge’s Revenge; or, The Boys of “ Slip-
u Mine.” By Buckskin Sam.

268 Tgie Deadshot Dand : or. The Rio Grande
Marauders. By Col. entiss Ingraham.

269 The (guartzville Boss; or, Daring David Darke.
By E ward Willett. I

270 Denver Doll’s Mine; or. Little Bill’s Big Loss.
B E, L. Wheeler.

271 Elton y Jim’s Terror; or, Ranger Rainbolt's Ruse.
By 011 Coomes.

272 Kit, the Girl Detective. By T. C. Harbaugh.

273 The Girl Rider; or, Nimble Ned‘s Surprise. By
Jos. E. Bad er. Jr.

274 Dead Shot andy’s Double; or. Benito, the Boy

Pard. y Col. Prentiss lngraham.

Protege. B Charles Morris.

276 Deadwood ick Trapped. By Ed L. Wheeler.

2377 The I iot Boy Avenger: or, Captain Wild-Cat’s
Big Game. By Albert W. Aiken.

278 Arizona Alf, the Miner; or, Little Snap Shot's
Luck. By T. C. Harbaugh.

279 Colorado Jack. the Tiger; or, The Ghost of the
Trailer. By Frederick Dewey.

280 Dead Shot Dandy’s Last Deal, or. Keno Kit’s
N ew Role. Bv Col. Prentiss Inerahsm.

281 Ned, the Boy Pilot; or, The Pirate Lieutenant’s
Doom. By Jack Farragut.

282 Buck Hawk.Deiective; or. the Messenger Boy’s
Fortune. By Edward L. Wheeler.

5283 Roving Sport Kll; or, The Ghost of Chuckaluck
Camp. By Edward Willett.

2.84 The Showman’s Best Card' or, The Mad Animal
Tamer. By Capt. Fred. Whittaker.

285 Old Rocky‘s Ferd; or, Little Ben‘s Chase. By
Buckskin Sam. _

285 Dick, the Dakota Sport. By Charles Morris.

287' Ned, the Buy Ski per: or. The Sea Sorceress’
Cruise. By Jack arragut.

2'38 Deadwood Dick’s Disguise; or, Wild Walt, the
Sport. Bv Edward L. Wheeler.

9.89 Col trade Nick. the Laser-ist; or. Old Si's Protege.
By Major [-1. ii. Stoddard.

290 Rube. the Tonderl’not: or. the Boys of Torpedo
Gulch. By Major E. L. St. Vrain.

291 Peacock Pete. IheLeadvilie Short; or, Hawk, the
Boss Miner. , By Albert W. A ken.

292 Joe Morey, the Night~Hawk: or, the Black Rider,
By Joe. E. Badger, Jr. ' r

293 Dwarf Jake. the Detective; or, Kit Kenyon’s
Man—Hunt. By Edward Willett.

Miner. By Ed. L. Wheeler.
295 White Wing, the Ferret Flyer. By Chas. Morris.
296 Govinda. the Tiger-Tamer; or, The American ,
Horseman Abroad. By Captain F. Whittaker. .

 

29? Arizona Giant George; or The Boyees of Sardine.
Box City. Bf; Buckskin m. .

29B Dais Doll's ash; or, The Ten Colorado Pards.
BK . C. Harbaugh. ,’ V

299 T e Balloon Detectives; or. Jack Slasher’s Young
Pard. By Barry Eiiton.

800 Deadwood Dick s Mission. B E. L. Wheeler.

301 ganidy Duke. the Cowboy. y Major E. L. St.

rn n.

302 Big Benson’s Bet. By T. C. Harbaugh.

303 The Hotel Boy Detective; or. The Grand Central
Robbery. By Charles Morris,

304 Bald Head's Pard; or, Creeping Cat’s Cunning.
By Buckskin Sam.

305 Dusky Dick’s Duel; or, The Demon’s Trail. By
Harry Hazard. ,

306 Spotter Friz; or, The Store-Detective’s Decoy.
By E. L. Wheeler.

30? Nick the lie Sport; or, Three Plucky Pards.
By Major E. . St. Vrain.

308 Double-Fisied Mat: or, The Mystic California
Giant. By Joe. E. Badger, Jr. .

ill) 0 d Gm. beardts Boy; or. The Girl’s Ruse. By
C. Dunn néClark.

l

310 Kit, the rl Ca tain; or, The Mad Sailor’s
Le. ac . By 001. rentiss ln aham. v
311 Eric rec in Texas. By Buc skin Sam.

312 The Detective Road—Agent- or The Miners 0: ,
Sassafras (‘ity. By Edward L. Wheeler. » - .

31:: Honest J ack‘s Protege; or, The Dwart’s Scheme.
By Philip S. Warne. ‘ l

314 0 ip the Boy Sheriff: 0*, The Two Crooks of
Montana. By Edward Willett. '

315 Tom the Arizona Sport; or.Howling Hank from ‘
Hard Luck. By Major E. L. St. Vmin.

316 The Street Arab Detective; or, Dick Dorgan's
Double Dealing. By Charles Morris.

317 Buckskin Ben of Texas; or, Sillng Eye’s Plucky
Purds. By Buckskin Sam. .

318 Colorado Char ie’s Detective Dash; or, The
Cattle K‘ngs. By Edward L. Wheeler.

819 Frisky Fran‘: in Idaho; or. Old Skinfllnt the
Shadower. By Roger Starbuck.

390 Cool Sam's Girl Pard; or. Captain Dick and His
'1‘ xans. By THC. Harbaugh.

321 Billy, the Kid from Frisco; or, Silver Mosk’s
Clew. By J. C. Cowdrick.

822 Fred Flyer. Detective; or, Abe Blizzard on Deck.

V C -nrlrs Morris.

323 Dead Shot Ike in Montana; or, Hez Helper, the ' . W

Yankee Para. By Roger Storhuck.

324 Kit, the Denver Sport: or. The Bonanza Miner
King. By Edward L. Wheeler. .. ‘

326 Dusky Darrell the Camp Detective; or, The
Dandy’s Daring Dash. By EdWin Emerson.

3236 Roy. ‘ the Boy Cruiser: or, The Water Wolf
Wreckers. Dy Colonel Prentiss lngraham.

327 Ned. the Roving Miner; or, Arkansaw Jack‘s
Match. By Harry Hazard. ..

328 Rorky Ben’s Band; or, Big Pete’s Big Haul. By
W. J. Hamilton.

329 Bevin. the Colorado. Wrestler. By Maj. E. L. St.

ra n. . .

880 The Denver Sport’s Racket; or, Kit’s Big Boom.‘

331  ngardDL.‘ Wthecler. Th S

‘ e .onst e ec ive; or. e mu ler Shadow-
er. By Roger Starbuck. gg

.382 Dakota Dan in Canyon City: or. Colorado Kate‘s

\ Check. By Philip S. Warne. ‘

338 Bootblack Ben. the Detective- or, Pooler Jim
and His Pard. liy Anthony P. Morris. ,

831 Frisco Tom on Deck; or. The Golden Gate Bmug- *
zlers- By George Henry Morse.

315 Ben Bandy. the Boss Para; Or, The Phiclcy
Parson. BvJ. Stanley Henderson. »

336 Fred. the S art, in Brimstone Bar Cam : or.
$51; Bloston restler’s Confederate. By L,

ee er.

387 Daisy Dave the Colorado Galoot; or, The Boss
of Dead Line Cit . By T. C. Harbaugh. r

338 The Gold Bar De ctlve; or, iron Ike, the Solid *
Mau. By Major E. L. St. Vrain. ' -

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BEADLES 

T LIBRARY: 7
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333 Rardo, the Boy Gypsy; or, Reckless Rolt‘s Ro-
volt. By Wm. G. Patten.

EHO Billy Bllbblt-‘S Big Score; or, Tim, the Tramp.
By Charles Morris.

341 Colorado Steve's Dash; or, 01d Buncomb‘s Sure
Shot. By Philip S. Warne.

842 Snap‘Shot Sam; or, Ned Norris’s Nettle. By
Bucksin Sam.

343 Mike. the Bowery Detective; or, Peleg Prancer
of Vermont. By Edward L. Wheeler.

344 The Drummer Sport; or. ('aptain Dasher’s Droll
Dilemma. By Edward Willetr.

845 Ja'ques, the Hardpan Detective; or. Captain
Frisco the Road-Agent. By J. C. Cowdrick.

346 Joe. the Chicago Arab; or, A Boy of the Times.
B Charles Morris.

347 iddy Herbert’s Prize; or The Girl Captain‘s
Revenge. By C01. Prentiss iiisraham.

348 Sharp-Shower Frank; or, The Young Texan
Pards. By Buckskin Sam.

.349 Buck the Miner; 01', Alf, the Colorado Guide.
By Maj. E. L. St. Vrain.

350 bed the Slab City Sport; or, The Dctective‘s
Big Scoop. By E. L. \Vheeler.

351 Rocky Mountain Joe; or. Deacon Simplicity on
the War- ath. By Col. T. H. Monstory. ~

352 New Yor Tim; or, Tue Boss of the Boulevard.
By Charles Morris.

353 The Girl Pilot; or, Ben, the Reef-Runner. By
Roger Starbuck.

354 Joe. the Boy Stage—Driver; or. Nick Hicken‘s
Cunning By Maj E. L. St. Vrain.

355 Texas Frank’s Crony; or, The Girl Mustang
Rider. By Bucks in Sam.

356 Idaho Ned, Detective; or, The Miners of Tarpot
City. By Edward L. Wheeler.

857 Guy. the Boy Minor; or Rocky Mountain Bill.
By Colonel Prentiss Ingra am.

358 Jersey Joe, the Old Tar; or, the Wrecker’s

‘ Protege. B Mrs. Orin James.

359 Dandy Dick s Dash; or. The Boy Cattle-King.
By Oll Comes.

360 Jim’s Big Bonanza: or,,Jake Dodd and His

' Gang. J y W. J. Hamilton. ~
361 Oregon Phil, the Sport; or, The Marshal of Two
Bits. By Philip S. Warne.
302 Kit, the Bootblack Detective; or. From Phila-
delphia to the Rockies. By Edward L. Wheeler.
363 The Ocean Racer; or, Trusty Tom, the Tar. By
T. C. Harbaugh.
864 Fritz’s Old Score; or, Sib Cone’s Right Bower.
’ By Ned Buntline. ~
865 Crack Shot Harry; or, The Masked Rider. By
Colonel Prentiss Ingraham.
366 Gold Dust Rock. the Whirlwind of the Mines.
By G. Waldo Browne.
367 Fred’s Bold Game; or, The Cave Treasure. By
‘ Paul Blbbs.
368 Jim. the Sport in Wake-up: or. Foghorn Fan to
the Front. By Edward L. Whm'lpr.
369 Captain Blake’s Jonah: or, Harry. the Cabin
Boy. By Roger Starbuck.
370 Denver Kit’s Double; or, The Giant Miner of the
Gulch. By Major H. B. Stoddard.
871 Blue Blazes Dick; or, Danger Doll of Dynamite.
By T. C. Harbangh.
872 The Sea Cat’s Prize' or. The Flag of the Red
Hands. By Colonel Prentiss Ingrahnm.

I73 Larry O’Iiynn’s Dash; or. Kyle, the Renegade.
By Joseph F‘, Henderson.

Log:§:6:ef:o:s9:93:35 o o 0.0 o o o o o o 0 o o 665cc.
\» I

\l/

.882 Wide-Awake George, the Boy Pioneer.

 

‘ 874 Jim, the Sport‘s Bigr Boom; or. The Bonanza
King’s Rival. By Edward L. Wheeler.

 

- \

375 Bowery Bob, Detective; or. Bianca, the Tam-
bourine—Girl. By Jo Pierce.

376 Buckskin Dick’s Clean Swee : or, Jonathan
Jenks' Still Hunt. By Col. Art iur F. Holt.

377 The Deadwood Sports. By Lieut. S. G. Lansing.

373 Bronco Billy. the Saddle Prince. By Colonel
Prentiss Ingraham,

379 Dick. the Stowaway; or, A Yankee Boy‘s Strange
Cruise. By Charles Morris.

350 Young Dick Talbot' or. A Boy’s Rough and
Tumble Fight from ew York to California. By
Albert W. Aiken.

381 Dandy Bill’s Doom; or, Deerhunter, the Boy
Scout. By 011 Cooms.

/

\ .

By Ed.
W'illot.

383 Wild Bill, the Pistol Prince. By Colonel Prentiss
Ingraham.

384 Brimstone Bill’s Booty: ur. Mariposa Marsh at
Dead Man‘s Gulch, By Joseph E. Badger. Jr.

385 The Boy Tram s: or. The Roughs of Demon
Hollow. By J. I. Hoffman.

386 The Montana Kid; or, Little Dan Rock’s Mis-
sion. By Morris Redwmg.

387’ The Boy Detectives; or. Broker Blondin’s Big
Reward. By T. C. Harbauzh.

388 The Pony Express Rider; or, Buffalo Bill’s
Frontier Feats. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.

389 New York Bill, the Dodger; or, Two Boys Who
Were “ Bounced." By Edward Willett.

390 The Ticket-of-Leave’s Trick; or, Spring Steel,
King of the Bush. ByJoseph E. Badger, Jr.

391 Charley Sk lark, the Sport. By Major Henry
B. Stoddar .

392 Texas Jack. the Mustang King. By Colonel
Prentiss Ingraham.

393 Peter, the Dandy Greenhorn. By Noah Nun.

3% Tom Temple’s Big Strike. By Barry Ringgold.

395 Bar , the Country Boy, in New York. By
Char es Morris.

396 Detective Paul‘s Right Bower. By C. D. Clark.

397 Tip Tressell, the Flatboat Boy. By Ed. Willett.

398 Captain Jack in Rocky Roost. By Col. Prentiss
lngraham.

399 Harry Somers, the Magician. By S. W. Pierce.

400 Black Horse Bill, the Bandit Wrecker. By'
Roger Starbuck.

401 Tim, the Mule Boy of the Mines. By Chas. Morris;

402 Flatboat Fred on the Mississippi. By E. Willett.

Ready September 23.

403 Jake, the Colorado Circus .Boy.

Buinbridge.
Ready Se temher 80.
A New Issue Every Wednesday.

Bunts’s Pooxs'r LIBRARY is for sale by all News-
dealers, five cents per copy. or sent by mail on re-
ceipt of six cents each.

BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers.
98 William Street, New York.

By Bryant