The Pilot's Revenge.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 1523, 19 March 1886, Page 3

The Pilot's Revenge.

It waa towards night, on the 21st of September, 1834. A war-brig, which had been fitted out for the suppression of smuggling, was lazily creeping along over the heavy, motionless swells, just off the coast of Galway; and on her deck waa being enacted a scene of ■ore than com iron interest

The day before she had captured a •mall boat laden with contraband articles, together with an old man and a boy who had charge of them ; and the captain of the brig, whose name was Dracutt, had ordered that the old smuggler should be put in irons. To this indignity the old man made a stout resistance, and in the heat of the moment he had so far forgotten himself as to strike the captain a blow which laid him upon the deck. Such an insult to an English officer waa past endurance, and in punishment for this offence the smuggler bad been condemned to die.

A single whip was rove at the starboard yard arm, and all hands were called to witness the execution. The Tope was noosed and slipped over the Culprit's head, and the running end waa rove through a small snatch-block on the deck.

Until this moment not a word had escaped the lips of the boy. He trembled as he beheld the preparations ; and, as the fatal noose wss pa—ed and drawn tight the colour forsook his cheeks, and he sprang for ward and dropped upon his knees before the captain.

" Mercy, fir—mercy!" " For whom ?" asked the officer, while a contemptuous sneer rested upon his lips. • For that old man whom yon about to kill."

H He dies, boy!" " But he is my father, sir." "No matter if he were my own father; that man who atrikecan English officer, while in the performance of his duty must die." " But he was manacled—he was insulted, sir," urged the boy. ' Insulted!" repeated the captain. '' Who insulted him F "

"You did, sir," replied the boy, while hia face was flushed with indignation.

" Get up, sir, and be careful that you do not get the sane treatment," •aid the captain in a savage tone. The old man heard this appeal of his son, and as the last words dropped from the lips of his castor, he raised his head, and while apjjafc of utmost defiance passed overffipggret he exclaimed: * Ask no favours, Robert. Old John Kintock can die as well now as any time; let them do their worst!" Then turning to Captain Dracutt, he changed his tone to oue of deep supplication, and said:

••Do what you pl-ase wiih me, sir, but do Dot barm my ion, he has done no wrong. I am readj for your sentence, and the sooner you finish it the better."

" Lay bold of the whip," shouted the captain. " Lay hold, every man of you and atand by to run the villain up. In obedience to this order, the men ranged themselves along the deck, and each one laid bold of the rope. Hobcrt Kintock looked first at his father, and then he ran bis eyes along the line of men who were to be his executioners. But not or pitying look could he trace. Their faces were all hard and cold, and they all appeared anxious to consummate tbeir murderous work.

M Wbat I" f xclaimed the boy, while ft U*r stftrted from bis trembling lid, - is theii not one, even, who c in pity F" "Up with him!" shouted the

captain. Robert buried bis face in bit hand* ard the next moment bis father wai •winging at the yard-arm. He beard the pawing rope and the creaking block, And be knew that he wit father• lU9.

Half an hour afterwards the boy knelt by the side of a ghastly corpse, and a simple prayer escaped his lips. Tton another low, murmuring sound came from hia bosom j but uone of those who stood around him knew its import it waa a pledge of deep revenge. Just a* the old man's body slid from the gang-board into the water, a vivid fl iih of lightning streamed through the heavens, and in another instant the dread artillery of natu-e seat forth a roar so long and lou 1 that the men actually placed their hands to their ears to shut out its deafening power. Hubert Kintock started at the sound, and what had caused dread in others' bosoms sent a thrill of satisfaction to bis own.

•• Ob, revenge! revenge I" he mutered to himself, u he cast his eyea over the foam-crested waves, which had already risen beneath the power of the »udrieo storm.

The darkness bad come as quickly aa did the storm ; and all that couid be distinguished from the deck of the brii?, save the breaking sea, was the fearful, crsgey shore, as flash after flash of lightning illumined the heavens

"Light, ho T shouted a man forward ; and the next moment ad eyes wt-re directed to a bright light which had suddenly flashed up among the distant recks.

The wind had now reached its height; and with its giant power it aet the illfated brig directly upon the surf-bound ihon of rook* and reefs j and trerjr

face, tare one, wm blanched with fear. In Tain did they try to lay the brig to the wind; bnt not a sail wonld hold for an instant, until, at length, the men managed to get up a fore and main ntorm-stay-sail; and then the brig stood for a short time bravely up against the heaving sea. fiut it was evident that, eren should she succeed in keeping to the wind, she must eventually be driven on shore, for the power of the in-setting wave* was greater than that of the wind.

" Boy, do you know what that light is?" asked the captain as he stood holding on to the main rigging to keep his seat

"Tea, sir," replied Robert; it is Bully more's Crag. " What is it therefor ?"

" It marks the entrance to a little harbour, sir, which lies at the back of it"

" And can it be entered by a vessel of this size ? " asked the captain, while a gleam ot hope shot across his face.

"Oh, ye*, sir. A large ship can enter there."

"And do you know the passage? " " Yes, sir; I have spent my whole life on this coast, and 1 know every turn in it"

" Can you take the brig in there in this storm ? "

" Yes, sir," answered the boy while a strange light shot before his eyes. "And will you do it?" eagerly asked the captain. " On two conditions."

" Name them, quickly " " The first is that you let me go in peace; and the next, that you trouble none of the smugglers, should they happen to be there." " I promise," said the captain. 14 And now set about yon work' But mark me, if you deceive me, by St. George, I'll shoot you that very moment."

The brig was soon brought before the wind, and Robert Kintock stationed himself upon the starboard foreyard arm, from whence his orders were passed along to the helmsman. The bounding vessel soon came within sight of the rugged crags, and the heart of every man leaped with fearful thrills as they were swept past a frowning rock, which almost grazed them as they passed. On flew the brig, and thicker and more fearful became the rocks, which raised their beads on every side. " Port!" shouted the boy. " Port, it is." " Steady—so." " S eady, it is." " Starboard—quick !" " Aye, aye, starboard, it is." " Steady—so."

" Steady, it is." At this moment the vessel swept past an over-hanging cliff, and just as a vivid flash of lightning shot through the heavens and revealed all the horrors around, a loud sh'»ut was heard from the young pilot, and in a moment all eyes were turned towards him. He stood upon the extreme end of the yard, and held himself by the lift In a moment more he crouched down like a tiger after its prey, and, then, with one leap, he reached the pro. jecting rock. 'Bt venge 1 revenge!" was all that the doomed men heard, and they were nwept away into tho boiling surge beyond. " Breakers ! a reef!" screamed the man forward. " Starboard—quick !' But 'twas too late ! Ere the helm was half up, a low, tremendous grating of the brig's keel was distinctly felt, and the next instant came a crash which sounded high above the roar of the elements, and the heavy masts went sweeping away to lee-ward, followed in a moment by large masses of the ill-fated vessels wreck aud cargo.

Shii k after shriek went up from the doomed men, but they were in the grasp of a power that knows do mercy. The Storm King took them all for his owr (

The neit morning, a small party of wreckers came down from the rocks and moved along the shore. It was strewed with fragments of the wreck and here and there were scattered along the bruised and mutilated forms of the brig's crew. Amorg the party was Robert Kir S tock, and eager y did he search among the corpses, as though there was one he would have found. At length he stopped, and stopped over one, upon the shoulJers of which were two golden epaulettes. 'Twas the captain of the brig—the murderer of hi« futber !

The boy placed his foot upon the prostrate body, and, while a strange light beamed from his eyes, and a shudder passed over his countenance, he muttered i

•' Father, you are fearfully revenged ?"

The boy spoke truly. Fearful in its conception, and fearful in its consummation, had been that " Pilot's Revenge!"