The Last of the Pirates; OR, DOOM DRIVEN.

Lake Wakatip Mail, Issue 2280, 29 September 1899, Page 4

The Last of the Pirates; OR, DOOM DRIVEN.

A Romance of the End of Ocean Outlawry.* — +

By Cm

CHAPTER IX. THE THREAT. When Captain Basil discovered the schooner of-war Nemesis, it was with the deepest chagrin that he had lett his secure hiding-place in the inlet. Since he had found the drifting boat, which contained his dead wife and living son, he had d-jtermined not at>ain to raise the bi:ck flag. He had been a man of indomitable pluck, as well as possessing meiciless impulses, and iis nature was such that he preferred to fight a cruiser rather than run from her. He gloried in the excitement of deadiy combat, and never had been more in his element than when in desperate peril.

When, however, the fire of the schooner in their wake began to make them (eel her sh ts, in ringing and spars, and several men had been severely wounded by splinters, the Senor Marco Madrid sought the cabin to report to his commander. ' Well, sir V cried Basil the Buccaneer, turning from the bedside of his little boy. 'The cruiser is gaining rapidly, sir, and we are suffering in men from the splinters, though the schooner's fire seems all directed at our rigging.' Basil stepped to the stern-posts and glanced out over the waters. ' Yes, she is gaining,' he said, quietly. 'She will overhaul us within an hour, sir.' 1 Yes, about in that time.' ' What am I to do, sir ?' ' Darkness is coming on, but it will not help us.' ' No, sir, for she is too near.' 'Take my advice, then, Senor Madnd, and buckle on your belt of jewels and gold.' ' 1 have done so, sir.' 'Then tell the men to do likewise.' ' Do you intend to give up the ship, sir ?' asked the Spaniard, almost driven to madness. ' I intend to do as I please, sir, so go on deck and obey my orders,' was the significant reply. The Spaniard obeyed, hastily leaving the cabin; but, going forward among the men, he called them about him, and said, quickly : ' Men, the finding of the boat, with the dead woman in it, and that boy, has turned the captain's brain. He is mad, utterly mad, as his actions prove, for he refused to fire upon the brig, killed poor Senor Miguel for simply raising the flag, as has been our custom when seeing another vessel, and now he threatens to surrender the craft, and this means that he will go free and the rest of us suffer. Shall this be, men V

But for some reason he had changed his mind, and had fled from the brig without firing a shot, while the unfortunate Lieutenant Miguel, who had raised the biack fl.it: at the orders of his superior, Marco Madrid, had been mercilessly shot down, as the reader lias seen. With his child growing more desperately ill, the buccaneer had determined to seek the aid of his brother, whom he had so deeply wronged, and who he knew had become a famous physician. Tnat brother, who had revenge in his hands, had proven his skill, and had saved the puate's child. But now, with his vessel crippled, and but two-thirds of a crew, the buccaneer found himself pursued by a fleet foe, and one whom he had cause to dread.

The black looks that rested upon every face proved that the subtle words of the lieutenant bad their effect, and half a hundred voices said, in chorus det p and ihrtatenirg : 'No, we hill not be sold f CHAPTER X. A MUTINOUS CKEW. Marco Madrid, the pirate officer, saw a chance before him to realize his long-cherished dieam. He was anxious to become the ruling spirit of an outlaw crew. He had long been jealous of the power of Captain Basil, and yet he had not dared show it. He wanted a vessel and crew of his own. and more, he wished the brig Spiteful. He knew that, when in trim, she was very fast ; in fact, he had never met her equal in speed. She was a perfect sea-boat, her armament was of the finest, and Captain Basil was known to have a vast wealth or. board in precious stones. How much the pirate officer could only guess. If he could secure the vessel, and the riches of the buccaneer chief were as much r. thc designing Spaniard hoped, then he would be content to leave the sea and enjoy a life of luxury for the remainder of his days. If not, with the schooner and her crew he had the means of obtaining more. Then, too, Marco Madrid had another reason for getting possession of the schooner. That reason was to avenge himself upon Basil the Buccaneer for a certain act ia the past which will be made known in good time. He hated his chief, and he wished to get revenge, wealth, and power all at one fell swoop.

Was it to be his doom to hang at the very moment when a new life was opening to him in the love of his child ?

No, he would not be hanged, and yet he would not fight. He did not doubt but that, with his heavy battery and well trained crew, he could beat off the schooner. Yet he who killed for the love of it —he who had robbed defenceless ships upon the high seas, had made a vow above the dead body of his wife to haul down his pirate flag, to turn his guns no more upon an American vessel, and he meant to keep it, be the cost what it might A strange contradiction was the nature of this man, for, after he had stolen poor Celeste from his noble brother, and had broken her heart by his piracies, he had taken her body to a grave among her people, and placed over her ashes a marble tomb. Now, red-handed pirate though lie had been, he meant to keep his vow made over the body of another woman whose life he had destroyed. ' Crowd on all sail, Mr. Madrid, and do all you can to outfoot that nimble schooner,' commanded the buccaneer chief, leaving the side of his child and going on deck when he heard that the Nemesis was rapidlygaining upon him. ' We could check the speed of the schooner, sir. did we open fire with our stern guns,' replied Lieutenant Madrid. ' No, sir, I will not fire upon the vessel.' 'Then he will take us, sir.' 'No. I will never surrender my vessel, Senor Madrid.' ' Ah ! if you fight him, sir, there will be no need to suriender, for we can whip him off easily.' ' I shall not fight him, sir.' The pirate officer looked mystified 'Not fight and not surrender! What on earth does he intend to do?' he muttered. There was one thing Certain, and that was, Irom Senor Madrid down to the cabin-boy all on bard had perfect confidence m their chief. He had extricated liimself from so many perilous si tiui t!• ns, he had beaten ott toes double ins si/;', ana lie always brought riches to his crew, that he was tairly idolized aiul yet greatly feared. The lesson upon the officer Miguel had been a wholesome one to Marco Madrid. He knew that Miguel had died foi what he had ordered him to do Had Captain Hasil known him to be the ru prit, he u.d have shot hun instead of Miguel. He i.ever allowed di> tation in in officers at.d crew, ar.d was cruel as death if lotted to puni-h his men. So it was, that remembering m -t vividly the tragic eud ut the young second officer, Ma:<o Madrid was most cautious in taikmg to the chiei about what he mean' to do.

He knew that Miguel had been true to his chief, and, anxious to get rid '»f hiin. lie had ordered him to hoist the lias. contrary to Basil's orders, feeling assurul that it would turn out just as he hopui. And <ll it had, m the death of the y<tiui jj officer at the hands of the chief. Now. writ Basil in s:ieat uu-f i.vt-i the sh k chi d. which Maim Madrid a'"ne of a.l "ii board ki. w to be i.i> S"ii, and tlr crui<tr coming on in hoi chase, while tie ci.iel set-imd ir. ditTerei t. the tre i heious lieutenant felt that the t:iue had come lor him to | strike. i 11 u orders to the crew to get their

on, which contained their riches, gave him the opportunity, and he at once felt that, by declaring the chief n ad, he was master of the situation.

He had just gotten the pledge of the crew to act at his command, when one of the men at the wheel called to him that Captain Basil wished him to come at once to the cabin for a minute.

• Await my return, men, and then we will act,' he said hastily ; and he went to see what it was that Basil the Buccaneer wanted with him

He walked hastily, for the crusier still gained upon them, and her fire was kept up as hot as ever. As he stepped down into the cabin he was suddenly confronted with a pistol thrust full in his face—[S« Picture 11] —and stern came the command :

1 Hold up your hands, Sir Traitor!' Marco was caught wholly off his guard. He had not yet armed himself for the combat.

In liis face frowned the pistol, and he saw deadly determination in the face of the pirate chief. Who had betrayed him ?

Certainly the chief knew of his treachery, for lie had called him a traitor.

In one instant his bright dreams turned into a hideous nightmare, and he could only wonder why Basil <Ji(l not kill him then and there.

' Hold up your hands, sir !' The order was repeated more sternly than before, and in an agony of fear he obeyed, while he stammered forth : ' What do you mean, Captain Basil ?' ' I will tell you in another second, sir,' was the reply ; and first upon one wrist, then upon the other, the iron handcuffs were securely clasped. ' Sit there, sir 1' The man dropped into the chair with a groan of despair. Then a chain was quickly passed through a ring-bolt in the cabin floor, and was twined over the ironed wrists, completely fastening the man to his seat. 'Traitor, I suspected you, as I suspect every man, and so I slipped forward, and through the open hatch heard your plot with the crew to mutiny, so sent for you. I could kill you, but I will leave you to a worse death. Your doom is sealed, for I shall run this schooner ashore and you perish in the wreck,' said the buccaneer, jn a voice that quivered with rage. So saying, Captain Basil quickly left the cabin and appeared upon deck. The men shrunk away under his blazing eyes, and glanced about for their ringleader.

• Men, Marco Madrid, the traitor, will not be able to lead you to mutiny, as lie promised, for he is in my power, so you had better obey me. [S# Future 12.] If you do not obey, I shall blow this craft and all on board to atoms by firing the magazine. Will you obey ?' And the voice of the buccaneer rung like a trumpet. The men were dumbfounded. Their captain had perhaps killed the lieutenant, and now boldly faced them. Their mutiny was too incipient thus far for them to cling to it, and under the eye of their chief they wilted. 'Speak! Will you obey me?' thundered the buccaneer chief. ' Ay, ay, sir !' a perfect roar of voices replied. 'lt is well for you. Now get your treasure belts on, for 1 shall run this schooner ashore, and take to the woods. It is our only chance. Stand ready all for orders !' The men obeyed with alacrity. There was not a dissenting voice, not a laggard in obeying. ' At the helm, there !' ' Ay, ay, sir.' ' Let her fall off dead before the wind. Stand ready at the braces, all!' ' Ay, ay, sir.' Then the schooner swept away before the wind and headed for the shore. Into the cabin dashed the chief, and a moment after he came on deck holding in his arms a child enveloped in a cloak. [see Picture I.l] Tie crui-er had also changed her course, and came on in cha-e ; but the pirate craft was flying al-mg under lull canvas, and heading directly for the shore. 'Steady as you are, helmsman! Hold haul, all " Then with a crash the schooner lurched upon the shore, and every man was thrown down by the shuck, wine the following se.is boarded her and swept her dot us, tiie i\.ar of w.iteis diowiiing the -i:iiek ot the mutineer officer con- | tilled in the cabin. l o i'l I ■• n 11nrFi>.