The Black Buccaneer by Stephen W. Meader ~ Full Audiobook
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on the morning of the fifteenth of july seventeen eighteen anyone who had been standing on the low rocks of the penobscot bay shore might have seen a large clumsy boat of hewn planking making its way out against the tide that set strongly up into the river mouth she was loaded deep with a shifting noisy cargo that lifted white noses and huddled broad woolly backs in fact nothing less extraordinary than fifteen fat south-down sheep and a sober-faced collie dog

the crew of this remarkable craft consisted of a sinewy bearded man of forty-five who minded sheet and tiller in the stern and a boy of fourteen tall and broad for his age who was constantly employed in soothing and restraining the bleating flock

no one was present to witness the spectacle because in those remote days there were scarcely a thousand white men on the whole coast of maine from kittery to louisburg while at this season of the year the indians were following the migrating game along the northern rivers the nearest settlement was a tiny log hamlet ten miles up the bay which the two voyagers had left that morning

the boy's keen face under its shock of sandy hair was turned toward the sea and the dim outline of land that smudged the southern horizon father he suddenly asked how big is the island you'll see soon enough jeremy stop your questioning answered the man we'll be there before night and i'll leave you with the sheep you'll be lonesome too if i mistake not huh snorted jeremy to himself

Indeed, it was not very likely that this lad, raised on the wildest of frontiers, would mind the prospect of a night alone on an island ten miles out at sea.

He had seen Indian raids before he was old enough to know what frightened him, had tried his best with his fists to save his mother in the Amesbury Massacre six years before, and in a little settlement on the Saco River, when he was twelve, he had done a man's work at the blockhouse loophole, loading nearly as fast and firing as true as any woodsman in the company. Danger and strife had given the lad an alert self-confidence far beyond his years.

amos swan his father was one of those iron spirits that fought out the struggle with the new england wilderness in the early days he had followed the advancing line of colonization into the northeast hewing his way with the other pioneers what he sought was a place to raise sheep instead of increasing however his flock had dwindled wolves here lynxes there dogs in the larger settlements

after the last onslaught he had determined to move with his possessions and his two boys tom nineteen years old and the smaller jeremy to an island too remote for the attacks of any wild animal

so he had set out in a canoe chosen his place of habitation and built a temporary shelter on it for family and flock while at home the boys with the help of a few settlers had laid the keel and fashioned the hull of a rude but seaworthy boat such as the coast fishermen used preparations had been completed the evening before and now while tom cared for half the flock on the mainland the father and younger son were convoying the first load to their new home

in the day when these events took place the hundreds of rocky bits of land that lined the main coast stood out against the gray sea as bleak and desolate as at the world's beginning some were merely huge upended rocks that rose sheer out of the atlantic a hundred feet high and on whose tops the sea-birds nested by the million

the larger ones however had through countless ages accumulated a layer of earth that covered their gaunt sides except where an occasional naked rib of gray granite was thrust out sparse grass struggled with the junipers for a foothold along the slopes and low black firs whose seed had been wind-blown or bird carried from the mainland climbed the rugged crest of each island

few men visited them and almost none inhabited them since the first long norse galleys swung by to the tune of the singing rowers the number of passing ships had increased and their character had changed but the isles were rarely touched at except by mishap a shipwreck or a crew in need of water the indians too left the outer ones alone for there was no game to be killed there and the fishing was no better than in the sheltered inlets

it was to one of the larger of these islands twenty miles south of the penobscot settlement and a little to the southwest of mount desert that a still favoring wind brought the cumbersome craft near mid-afternoon

in a long bay that cut deep into the landward shore amos swan had found a pebbly beach of a score of yards in length where a boat could be run in at any tide as it was just past the flood the man and boy had little difficulty in beaching their vessel far up toward high water mark next one by one the frightened sheep were hoisted over the gunwale into the shallow water

the old ram chosen for the first to disembark quickly waded out upon dry land and the others followed as fast as they were freed while the collie barked at their heels the lightened boat was run higher up the beach and the man and boy carried load after load of tools equipment and provisions up the slope to the small log shack some two hundred yards away

jeremy's father helped him drive the sheep into a rude fenced pen beside the hut then hurried back to launch his boat and make the return trip as he started to climb in he patted the boy's shoulder good-bye lad said he gently take care of the sheep eat your supper and go to bed i'll be back before this time to-morrow aye father answered jeremy

he tried to look cheerful and unconcerned but as the sail filled and the boat drew out of the cove he had to swallow hard to keep up appearances for some reason he could not explain he felt homesick only old jock the collie who shouldered up to him and gave his hand a companionable lick kept the boy from shedding a few unmanly tears

End of chapter one. You want the best for your child. K-12 can help them gain the skills they need to reach their full potential while giving you the support you need to get them there. K-12 powered schools are tuition free, accredited online public schools for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Their state certified teachers make online learning interactive and engaging, allowing your child to learn at their pace from the safety of home. Join the more than 3 million families who have chosen K-12. Go to K-12.org.

Go to k12.com slash podcast today to learn more. That's k12.com slash podcast. Chapter 2 of The Black Buccaneer by Stephen W. Meter. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 2. The shelter that Amos Swan had built stood on a small bare knoll at an elevation of 50 or 60 feet above the sea.

behind it and sheltering it from easterly and southerly winds rose the island in sharp and rugged ridges to a high hill-top perhaps a mile away between lay ascending stretches of dark fir woods rough outcroppings of stone and patches of hardy grass and bushes the crown of the hill was a bare granite ledge as round and nearly as smooth as an inverted bowl

jeremy scrambling through the last bit of clinging undergrowth in the late afternoon came up against the steep side of this rocky summit and paused for breath he had left jock with the sheep which comfortably chewed the cud in their pen and slipping a short pistol heavy and brass-mounted into his belt had started to explore a bit

he must have worked half-way round the granite hillock before he found a place that offered foothold for a climb a crevice in the side of the rock in which small stones had become wedged gave him the chance he wanted and it took him only a minute to reach the rounded surface near the top the ledge on which he found himself was reasonably flat nearly circular and perhaps twenty yards across

Its height above the sea must have been several hundred feet, for in the clear light Jeremy could see not only the whole outline of the island but most of the bay as well, and far to the west the blue masses of the Camden Mountains. He was surprised at the size of the new domain spread out at his feet. The island seemed to be about seven miles in length by five at its widest part. Two deep bays cut into its otherwise rounded outline,

It was near the shore of the northern one that the hut and the sheep pen were built. Southwesterly from the hill and farther away, Jeremy could see the head of the second and larger inlet. Between the bays the distance could hardly have been more than two miles, but a high ridge, the backbone of the island, which ran westward from the hilltop, divided them by its rugged barrier.

jeremy looked away up the bay where he could still see the speck of white sail that showed his father hurrying landward on a long tack with the west wind abeam the boy's loneliness was gone he felt himself the lord of a great maritime province which from his high watch-tower he seemed to hold in undisputed sovereignty

Beneath him and off to the southward lay a little island or two, and then the cold blue of the Atlantic stretching away and away to the world's rim. Even as he glowed with this feeling of dominion, he suddenly became aware of a gray spot to the southwest, a tiny spot that nevertheless interrupted his musing. It was a ship, apparently of good size, bound up the coast, and bowling smartly nearer before the breeze.

The boy's dream of empire was shattered. He was no longer alone in his universe. The sun was setting and he turned with a yawn to descend. Ships were interesting, but just now he was hungry.

at the edge of the crevice he looked back once more and was surprised to see a second sail behind the first a smaller vessel it seemed but shortening the distance between them rapidly he was surprised and somewhat disgusted that so much traffic should pass the doors of this kingdom which he had thought to be at the world's end so he clambered down the cliff and made his way homeward this time following the summit of the ridge till he came opposite the northern inlet

CHAPTER III. It was growing dark already in the dense fir growth that covered the hillside, and when Jeremy suddenly stepped upon the moss at the brink of a deep spring, he had to catch a branch to keep from falling in.

there was an opening in the trees above and enough light came through for him to see the white sand bubbling at the bottom at one edge the water lapped softly over the moss and trickled down the northern slope of the hill in a little rivulet which had in the course of time shaped itself a deep well-defined bed a yard or two across following this the boy soon came out upon the grassy slope beside the sheep pen

He looked in at the placid flock, brought a bucket of water from the little stream, and not caring to light a lantern, ate his supper of bread and cheese outside the hut on the slope facing the bay. The night settled chill but without fog. The boy wrapped his heavy homespun cloak around him, snuggled close to Jock's hairy side, and in his lonesomeness fell back on counting the stars as they came out.

first the great yellow planet in the west then high overhead the sparkling white of what had he known it was vega and in a moment a dozen others were in view before he could number them regulus altair spica and low in the south the angry fire of antares for him they were unnamed save for the peculiarities he discovered in each

in common with most boys he could trace the dipper and find the north star but he re grouped most of the constellations to suit himself and was able to see the outline of a wolf or the head of an indian that covered half the sky whenever he chose he wondered what had become of orion whose brilliant galaxy of stars appeals to every boy's fancy

it had vanished since the spring in it he had always recognized the form of a brig he had seen hove to in portsmouth harbor high poop skyward sticking bowsprit and an ominous even row of gun-ports where she carried her carronades three on a side how those black cannon mouths had gaped at the small boy on the dock he wondered boom came a hollow sound that seemed to hang like mist in a long echo over the island

before jeremy could jump to his feet he heard the rumbling report a second time he was all alert now and thought rapidly those sounds there came another even as he stood there must be cannon shots nothing less the ships he had seen from the hilltop were men-of-war then could the french have sent a fleet he did not know of any recent fighting what could it mean

deep night had settled over the island and the fir woods looked very black and uninviting to jeremy when he started up the hill once more as their shadow engulfed him he was tempted to turn back how he was to wish he had done so in the days that followed but the hardy strain of adventure in his spirit kept his jaw set and his legs working steadily forward into the pitch-black undergrowth

Once or twice he stumbled over fallen logs or tripped in the rocks, but he held on upward till the trees thinned and he felt that the looming shape of the ledge was just in front. His heart seemed to beat almost as loudly as the cannonade while he felt his way up the broken stones. Panting with excitement, he struggled to the top and threw himself forward to the southern edge.

A dull gray, quiet sea met the dim line of the sky in the south. Halfway between land and horizon, perhaps a league distant, Jeremy saw two vague splashes of darkness. Then a sudden flame shot out from the smaller one on the right. Seconds elapsed before his waiting ear heard the booming roar of the report. He looked for the bigger ship to answer in kind, but the next flash came from the right, as before.

this time he saw a bright sheet of fire go up from the vessel on the left illuminating her spars and topsails the sound of the cannon was drowned in an instant by a terrific explosion jeremy trembled on his rock

the ships were in darkness for a moment after that first great flare and then before another shot could be fired little tongues of flame began to spread along the hull and rigging of the larger craft little by little the fire gained headway till the whole upper works were a single great torch by its light the victorious vessel was plainly visible

She was a schooner-rigged sloop-of-war, of eighty or ninety tons burden, tall-masted and with a great sweep of mainsail. Below her deck the muzzles of brass guns gleamed in the black ports. As the blazing ship drifted helplessly off to the east, the sloop came about, and to Jeremy's amazement made straight for the southern bay of the island.

he lay as if glued to his rock watching the stranger hold her course up the inlet and come head to wind within a dozen boat lengths of the shore chapter three chapter four of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter

One of the first things a backwoods boy learns is that it pays to mind your own business after you know what the other fellow is going to do. Jeremy had been threshing his brain for a solution to the scene he had just witnessed. Whether the crew of the strange sloop just then affecting a landing in small boats were friends or enemies, it was impossible to guess. Jeremy feared for the sheep.

Fresh meat would be welcome to any average ship's crew, and the lad had no doubt that they would use no scruple in dealing with a youngster of his age. He must know who they were and whether they intended crossing the island. There was no feeling of mere adventure in his heart now. It was purely sense of duty that drove his trembling legs down the hillside.

he shivered miserably in the night air and felt for his pistol butt which gave him scant comfort the ridge which has already been described bore in a southerly direction from the base of the ledge and sloped steeply to the head of the southern inlet high above the arm of the bay where the sloop was now moored and scarcely a quarter of a mile from the shore the ridge projected in a rough granite crag like a bent knee

Jeremy had a very fair plan of all this in his mind, for his trained woodsman's eye had, that afternoon, noted every landmark and photographed it. He followed this mental map as he stumbled through the trees. It seemed a long time, perhaps twenty or thirty minutes, before he came out, stifling the sound of his gasping breath, and crouched for a minute on the bare stone to get his wind.

then he crawled forward along the rough cliff-top feeling his way with his hands soon he heard a distant shout a faint glow of light shone over the edge of the crag as he drew near he saw on the beach below a great fire of driftwood and some score or more of men gathered in the circle of light

the distance was too great for him to tell much about their faces but jeremy was sure that no english or colonial sloop of war would be manned by such a motley company their clothes varied from the sea-boots and sailor's jerkin of the average mariner to slashed leather breeches of antique cut and red cloth skirts reaching from the girdle to the knees

Some of the group wore three-cornered hats, others Siemens caps of rough wool, and here and there a face grimaced from beneath a twisted rag, rakishly askew. Everywhere about them the fire gleamed on small arms of one kind or another. Nearly every man carried a wicked-looking hanger at his side, and most had one or two pistols tucked into waistband or holster. This desperate gang was in a constant commotion.

even as jeremy watched a half-dozen men were rolling a barrel up the beach wild howls greeted its appearance and as it was hustled into the circle of bright light those who had been dancing quarreling and throwing dice on the other side of the fire fell over each other to join the mob that surrounded it the leaping flames threw a weird uncertain brilliance upon the scene that made jeremy blink his eyes to be sure that it was real

with every moment he had become more certain what manner of men these were his lips moved to shape a single terrible word pirates the buccaneers were much talked of in those days and though the new england ports were less troubled because better guarded than those farther south there had been many sea-rovers hanged in boston within jeremy's memory

as if to clinch the argument a dozen of the ruffians swung their canikins of rum in the air and began to shout a song at the top of their lungs all the words that reached jeremy were oaths except one phrase at the end of the refrain repeated so often that he began to make out the sense of it walk the bloody beggars all below it seemed to be or overboard he could not tell which

either seemed bad enough to the boy just then and he turned to crawl homeward with a sick feeling at the pit of his stomach his way led straight back across the ridge to the spring and thence down to the shelter on the north shore

he made the best speed he was able through the woods until he reached the height of land near the middle of the island he had crashed along caring only to reach the sheep pen and home but as he stood for a moment to get his breath and his bearings the westerly breeze brought him a sound of voices on the ridge close by he prayed fervently that the wind which had warned him had served also to carry away the sound of his progress

cowering against a tree he stood perfectly still while the voices there seemed to be two came nearer and nearer one was a very deep rough bass that laughed hoarsely between speeches the other voice was of a totally different sort with a cool even tone and a rather precise way of clipping the words

see here david jeremy understood the latter to say it's for you to remember those bearings not me you're the sailor here give them again now ha grunted big voice two hunner and ten north to a sharp rock three score and five northeast by east to an oak tree in a gully two and thirty north to a fir tree blazed on the south

five north and there you are he ended in a chuckle as if pleased by the accuracy of his figures aye well enough the other responded but it must be wrong for here's the blazed tree and no spring by it

close below jeremy saw their lantern flash and a moment later the two men were in full view striding among the trees as he had almost expected from their voices one was a tremendous bearded fellow in sea-boots and jerkin with a villainous turban over one eye while his companion was a lean smooth-shaven man dressed in a fine buff coat well-fitting breeches and hose and shoes with gleaming buckles

they must have passed within ten feet of the terrified jeremy while the tossing lantern swung from the hairy fist of the man called david shone all too distinctly upon the boy's huddled shape when they were gone by he allowed himself a sigh of relief and shifted his weight from one foot to the other a twig broke loudly and both men stopped and listened

"'Twas not,' growled David. The other man paid no attention to him other than to say, "'Hold you the lantern here!' and advanced straight toward Jeremy's tree. The boy froze against it, immovable, but it was of no avail. "'Ah!' said the lean man quietly, and gripped the lad's arm with his hand. As he dragged him into the light, his companion came up, staring with astonishment."

A moment he was speechless, then began ripping out oath after oath under his breath. "'How?' he asked at length. "'Did the blarsted whelp come here?' The smaller man, who had been looking keenly into Jeremy's face, suddenly addressed him. "'Here you speak up! Do you live here?' he cried. "'I,' said the boy, beginning to get a grip on his thoughts."

how long has there been a settlement here there was none last autumn continued the well-dressed man jeremy had recovered his wits and reasonably quickly he had little chance of escape for the present while he must at all costs keep the sheep safe so he lied manfully praying the while to be forgiven

"'Tis a new colony,' he mumbled. "'A great new colony from Boston Town. There will be three ships of forty guns each in the North Harbor, and they be watching for pirates in these parts,' he finished. "'Boy!' growled the bearded man, seizing Jeremy's wrist and twisting it horribly. "'Boy, are you telling the truth!'

With face white and set, and knees trembling from the pain, the lad nodded and kept his voice steady as he groaned and, "'Aye!' The two men looked at each other, scowling. The giant broke silence. "'We'd best haul out now, Cap'n,' he said. "'And so I believe,' the other replied. "'But the water-casks are empty. Here!' As he turned to Jeremy, "'Show us the spring!'

it was not far away and the boy found it without trouble now dave harriet said the captain stay you here with the light that we may return hither the easier boy come with me make no fuss either or twill be the worse for you and so saying he walked quickly back toward the southern shore holding the stumbling jeremy's wrist in a grip of iron

Crashing down the hill through the brush, the lad had scant time or will for observing things about him, but as they crossed a gully he saw, or fancied he saw, on the knee-shaped crag above, the slouched figure of a buccaneer silhouetted against the sky. It was not the bearded giant called Harriet, but another, Jeremy was sure. He had no time for conjectures.

for they plunged into the thicket and birch limbs whipped him across the face.

End of chapter four. You want the best for your child. K-12 can help them gain the skills they need to reach their full potential while giving you the support you need to get them there. K-12 powered schools are tuition free, accredited online public schools for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Their state certified teachers make online learning interactive and engaging, allowing your child to learn at their pace from the safety of home. Join the more than 3 million families who have chosen K-12. Go to

Go to k12.com slash podcast today to learn more. That's k12.com slash podcast. Chapter 5 of The Black Buccaneer by Stephen W. Meador. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Chapter 5. The events of that night made a terribly clear impression on the mind of the young New Englander. Years afterward, he would wake with a shiver, imagining that the relentless hand of the pirate captain was again dragging him toward an unknown fate.

it must have been the darkness and the sudden unexpectedness of it all that frightened him for as soon as they came down the rocks into the flaring firelight he was able to control himself once more the wild carouse was still in progress among the crew fierce faces with unkempt beards and cruel lips leered redly from above hairy naked chests

Eyes, lit from within by liquor and from without by the dancing flames, gleamed below black brows. Many of the men wore earrings and metal bands about the knots of their pigtails, while silver pistol butts flashed everywhere. As the captain strode into the center of this group, the swinging chorus fell away to a single drunken voice, which kept on uncertainly from behind the rum barrel.

"'Silence!' said the captain sharply. The voice dwindled and ceased. All was quiet about the fire. "'Men!' went on Jeremy's captor. "'Clear heads all, for this is no time for drinking. We have found this boy upon the hill who tells of a fleet of armed ships not above a league from here.'

We must set sail within an hour and be out of reach before dawn. Every man now take a water keg and follow me. You, Job Howland, keep the boy and the watch here on the beach. Fresh commotion broke out as he finished. Aye, aye, Captain Bonnet, came in a broken chorus as the crew, partially sobered by the words, hurried to the longboat where a line of small kegs lay in the sand.

A moment later they were gone, plowing up the hillside. Jeremy stood where he had been left. A tall, slack-jointed pirate in the most picturesque attire strolled over to the boy's side and looked him up and down with a roguish grin. Under his cloak Jeremy had on fringed leather breeches and tunic, such as most of the northern colonists wore. The pirate, seeing the rough moccasins and deerskin trousers, burst into a roar.

"'Ho, ho, young Woodcock! And how do you like the company of Major Steed Bonnet's rovers?' The lad said nothing, shut his jaw hard, and looked the big buccaneer squarely in the face. There was no fear in his expression. The man nodded and chuckled approvingly. "'That's pluck, boy, that's pluck,' said he. "'We'll clip the young cock's shank feathers and maybe make a pirate of him yet.'

He stooped over to feel the buckskin fringe on Jeremy's leg. The boy's hand went into his shirt like a flash. He had pulled out the pistol and cocked it when he felt both legs snatched from under him. His head hit the ground hard and he lay dazed for a second or two. When he regained his senses, Job Howland stood astride of him, coolly tucking the pistol into his own waistband.

"'Aye,' said Job, "'you'll be a fine buccaneer, only you should have struck with the butt. I heard the click.' The pirate seemed to hold no grudge for what had occurred and sat down beside Jeremy in a friendly fashion. "'Free trading ain't what it was,' he confided. "'When Billy Kidd cleared for the Southern Seas twenty years agone, they say he had papers from the king himself, and no man of war dared come and eye him.'

He swore gently and reminiscently as he went on to detail the recent severities of the Massachusetts government and the insecurity of buccaneers about the Virginia capes. They do say, though, as Captain Edward Teach, that they call Blackbeard, is plumbed thick with all the magistrates and planters in Carolina, and sails the seas as safe as if he had a fleet of twenty ships, said Job.

We sailed along with him for a spell last year, but him and the old man couldn't make shift to agree. You see, this Blackbeard is so used to having his own way, he wanted to run Steed Bonnet, too. That made Steed boilin'. But we was under man just then, and had to bide our time to cut loose. Cap'n Bonnet, you see, is short on seamanship but long in his sword arm. Don't you never anger him. He's terrible to watch when he's raised.

Dave Herriot sails the ship, mostly, but when we sight a big merchantman with maybe a long nine or two aboard, that's when Steed Bonnet comes on deck. That Frenchman we sunk tonight blast her bloody spars. Here the lank pirate interrupted himself to curse his luck, and continued. Probably loaded with sugar and Jamaica rum from Martinique, and headed up for the French provinces. Well, we'll never know, that's sure.

he paused bit off the end of a rope of black tobacco and meditatively surveyed the boy i'm from new england myself said he after a time sailed honest out of providence port when i was a bit bigger nor you then when i was growed and an able seaman on a virginia bark in the african trade along comes captain ben hornygold the great rover of those days and picks us up

twelve of the likeliest he takes on his ship the rest he maroons somewhere south of the cubas and sends our bark into charlestown under a prize crew so i took to buccaneering and i must own i've always found it a fine occupation not to say that it's made me rich maybe it might if i'd kept all my sharons

this life history delivered almost in one breath had caused howland an immense amount of trouble with his quit of tobacco which nearly choked him as he finished except for the sound of his vast expectorations the pair on the beach were quiet for what seemed to jeremy a long while then on the rocks above was heard the clatter of shoes and the bumping of kegs job rose grasping the hand of his charge and they went to meet the returning sailors

to the young woodsman utterly unused to the ways of the sea the next half-hour was a bewildering melee of hurrying sweating toil with low-spoken orders and half-caught oaths and the glimmer of a dying fire over all the scene he was rowed to the sloop with the first boat load and there job howland set him to work passing water-kegs into the hold

he had had no rest in over twenty hours and his whole body ached as the last barrel bumped through the hatch all the crew were aboard and a knot of swaying bodies turned the windlass to the rhythm of a muttered shanty the chain creaked and rattled over the bits till the dripping anchor came out of water and was swung inboard the mainsail and foresail went up with a bang as a dozen stalwart pirates manned the halyards

dave harriet stood at the helm abaft the cabin companion and his bold voice roared the orders as he swung her head over and the breeze steadied in the tall sails look alive there mates he bellowed stand by now to set the main jib

like most of the pirate sloops of war steed bonnet's revenge was schooner rigged she carried four and main topsails of the old square style and her long main boom and immense spread of jib gave her a tremendous sail area for her tonnage the breeze had held steadily since sundown and was if anything rising a little short seas slapped and gurgled at the forefoot with a pleasant sound

Jeremy, desperately tired, had dropped by the mast, scarcely caring what happened to him. The sloop slid out past the dark headlands and heeled to leeward with a satisfied grunt of recordage that came gently to the boy's ears. His head sank to the deck and he slept dreamlessly.

chapter six a rough hand shook him awake he was lying in a dingy bunk somewhere in the gloom of the cramped foxhole come young un growled a voice strange to jeremy you've slept the clock around catten wants you aft the lad ached in all his bones as he rolled over toward the light

as he came to a sitting position on the edge of the bunk he gave a start for the face scowling down at him looked utterly fiendish to his sleepy eyes its ugliness fairly shocked him awake the man had a grim bristly jaw and a twisted mouth

his eyes were small and cruel so light in color that they looked unspeakably cold the livid gray line of a sword-cut ran from his left eyebrow to his right cheek and his nose was crushed inward where the scar crossed its bridge giving him more the look of an animal than of a man a greasy red cloth bound his head and produced a final touch of barbarity

to the half-dazed jeremy there seemed something strangely familiar about his pose but as he still stared he was jerked to his feet by the collar don't stand there you lubber shouted the man with the broken nose get off then lively a hard shove sent the boy spinning to the foot of the ladder he climbed dizzily and stumbled on deck looking about him uncertain where to go it must have been past noon for the sun was on the starboard bow

the revenge was close-hauled and running southwest on a fresh west wind dave harriet leaned against the weather rail a short clay pipe in one fist and his bushy brown beard in the other at the wheel was a swarthy man with earrings who looked like a portuguese or a spaniard glancing over his shoulder jeremy saw most of the crew lolled about forward of the forecastle hatch

harriet looked up and called him gruffly but not unkindly the boy thought he advanced close to the sailing-master staggering a little on the uneven footing

now look sharp lad said the pirate in a stern voice and mind what i tell ye there's nought to fear aboard this sloop for them as does what they're told we run square and fair and while major steed bonnet and david harriet gives the orders no man'll harm ye but and a hard look came into the tanned face

if there's any runnin for shore twixt now and come time to set ye there or if ever ye takes it in your head to disobey orders we'll keel haw ye straight and think no more about it you're big and strong and may make a foremost hand for the first on't until ye get your sea-legs ye can be sort of a cabin boy cap'n wants you below now jeremy scrambled down the companionway indicated by a gesture of harriet's pipe

there was a door on each side and one at the end of the small passage he advanced and knocked at this last one and was told in the captain's clear voice to open major bonnet sat at a good mahogany table in the middle of the cabin behind him were a bunk two chairs and a rack of small arms containing half a dozen guns four brace of pistols and several swords

he had been reading a book evidently one of the score or more which stood in a case on the right jeremy gasped for he had never seen so many books in all his life as the captain looked up a stern frown came over his face never a particularly merry one the boy ignorant as he was of pirates could not help feeling that this man's quietly gentle appearance fitted but ill with the bloodthirsty reputation he bore

his clothes were of good quality and cut his grayish hair neatly tied behind with a black bow and worn unpowdered his clean-shaven face was long and austere like a boston preacher's thought jeremy and although the forehead above the intelligent eyes was high and broad there was a strange lack of humor in its vertical wrinkles

"'Well, my lad,' said the cool voice at last, "'you're aboard the Revenge and a long way from your settlement, so you might as well make the best of it. How long you stay aboard depends on your behavior. We might put into the Chesapeake, and if there are no cutters about, I'd consider setting you ashore. But if you like the sea and take to it, there's room for a hand in the foxhole.'

then again if you try any tricks you'll leave us feet first over the rail he leaned forward and hissed slightly as he pronounced the last words something in the eyes under his knotted gray brows struck deeper terror into the boy's heart than either harriet's threat or the cruel face of the man with the broken nose for that instant bonnet seemed deadly as a snake jeremy was much relieved when he was bidden to go

the sailing-master stood by the companionway as he ascended you'll bunk forrard he remarked curtly go up with the crew now the boy slipped into the crowd that lay about the windlass as unobtrusively as he could a thick-set bearded man with a great hairy chest bare to the yellow sash at his waist was speaking

oi he said a hundred indians was dead in the town before ever we landed they didn't know where to run except into the huts and those around shot plowed through em like so much grass which was what they was mostly then old johnny buck piped the long-boat overside and on shore we went firin all the time

captain vane himself with a dirk in his teeth and sword and pistol out goes swearing up the roadway and we behind him our feet sticking in blood a few come out shooting their little arrows at us but we herded em and drove em yelling all the time at close quarters their knives was no match for cutlasses so we went slashing through the town burning em out and sticking em when they ran

our sword arms was red to shoulder that day but we was like men far gone and rum and never stayed while an indian held up head then we dropped and slept where we fell across a corp like as not clean tuckered every man of us come mornin the sight and smell of the place made us sober enough and not a man in the crew wanted to go further into the island there was no gold in the town neither all we got was a few hogs and sheep

we left the same day for it come on hot and we had no way to clean up the mess that island must have been a nuisance to the whole caribbean for weeks job howland nodded and spat as the story ended you're right george duncan he said that was a day's work vane's a hard man i'm told and that crew and the chance was one of the worst

he was interrupted by a villainous old sea-dog with a sparse fringe of white beard who sprawled by the hatchway he cleared his throat hoarsely and spoke with a deep wheeze between sentences all that was not to our fight off panama in the spring of eighty he growled we weren't slaughtering indians but spaniards that could fight and did

what's more there were three good barks and nigh three hundred men to our sixty-eight men paddling in canoes and that was a day's work if you will i saw peter harris as brave a commander as ever flew the black whiff shot through both legs but he was a swinging his cutlass and trying to climb the spaniard side with the rest when our canoe boarded

through most of the battle we was standing in bottoms leaking full of bullet holes a firing into the piscaners gun ports and cheering the bloody lungs out of us when we got aboard their hold was full of dead men and their scuppers washing red they asked no quarter and on we went up and down decks give and take

at last six men of them surrendered the rest eighty from the one ship we fed to the sharks before we could swab dicks next day eh but that was a voyage and it cost the seas more good buccaneers than ever was hanged

harris and sawkins and alf other best men we left on the isthmus but out of one galleon we took fifty thousand pieces of eight besides silver bars and cord piles think of that lads a fair stocky young deserter from a british man-of-war his forearm bore the tattooed service anchor broke in his eyes gleaming greedily at the thought of the treasure that was in new panama he cried

Do you mind old Ben Gasket? We took off silver tea last summer. Eight years old he was, and marooned there for all his life. He was with Morgan in the great sack of old Panama before most of us was born. And old Ben, he said there was nigh two hundred arseloads of gold and pearls, rubies, arrows, and diamonds took out of that there town, and it a burning still after they been there a month. Talk of wealth!

the man with the broken nose raised himself from his place by the capstan and stretched his hairy arm with an evil leering yawn every eye turned to him and there was silence on the deck as he began to speak dollars louis d'or doubloons said he

there was one man got him solomon brig got him all the rest was babes to him babes and beggars billy kidd was thought a great devil in his day but when he met brig's six-gun sloop off mollabar he turned tail him and his two great galleons and ran in under the forts even then we'd a had him out and fought him only that the old man had an indian princess aboard he was taken into calicut for ransom

that was where sawbring got his broad gold kidnapin twenty times we worked it a dash in and a fight out quick and bloody then to see in the old red sloop all her sails fair pullin the sticks out of her and maybe a man o war blazin away at our carter

weeks after we'd slip into some port bold as brass and there sure enough brig would set the prisoner ashore and there'd maybe a hundred-rate of little canvas bags or a stack of pig-silver half a man's height the very name of him made him safe i take oath he could have stole the lard mayor of london and then put in for his ransom at execution dock

we got good lays us before the mast but there never was a fair sharin aboard that ship one night i crawled aft and looked in the stern port twas just after we got our lays for kidnaping the governor of santiago a rich town as you know

In the cabin sat old Brig, a bare cutlass across his lap cutting piles of moidors that filled the whole table. When the rope creaked, the old fox saw me and let drive with his hanger. Where I was, I couldn't dodge quick, and the blade took me here across the face. Why he never knifed me after, I don't know.

the scarred man stopped with the same abruptness that had marked his beginning his fierce light eyes like those of a sea-hawk swept slowly around the audience and lit on jeremy he reached forward clutched the boy's shirt and with an ugly laugh jerked him to his feet twas havin boys aboard as killed sol brigg he rasped they hear too much

look at this young lubber giving him a shake pale as a mouldy biscuit no use aboard here and poverty poor in the bargain why steed don't walk him over the side i don't see here get out you swab and he emphasized the name with a stiff cuff on the ear job howland interposed his long yankee body his lean face bent with a scowl to the level of the other's eyes

fair row dags he drawled evenly next time you touch that lad there'll be steel between your short ribs remember he turned to jeremy who poor boy was utterly and forlornly seasick here young un he said kindly the lee rail chapter six

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CHAPTER VII. BRIGHT SUMMER WEATHER HOVERED OVER THE ATLANTIC AS THE REVENGE PLOWED SMARTLY SOUTHWARD.

jeremy grew more accustomed to his new manner of life from day to day and as he found his sea-legs he began to take a great pleasure in the free salt wind that sang in the rigging the blue sparkle of the swells and the circling whiteness of the off-shore gulls he was left much to himself for the captain demanded his services only at meal-times and to set his cabin in order in the morning

in the long intervals the boy sat inconspicuous in a corner of the fore-deck watching the gaily dressed ruffians of the crew as they threw dice or quarreled noisily over their winnings he was assigned to no watch but usually went below at the same time as job howland thus keeping out of the way of dags the man with the broken nose

as howland was in the port watch on deck from sunset to midnight jeremy often took comfort in the sight of his loved stars wheeling westward through the taut shrouds he would stand there with a lump in his throat as he thought of his father's anguish on returning to the island to find the sheep uncared for and the young shepherd vanished

in a region desolate as that he knew that there was but one conclusion for them to reach still they might find the ashes of the pirate fire and keep up a hope that he yet lived but the boy could not be unhappy for long he would find his way home soon and he fairly shivered with delight as he planned the grand reunion that would take place when he should return

perhaps he even imagined himself marching up to the door in sailor's blue cloth with a seaman's cloak and cocked hat pistol and cutlass in his belt and a hundred gold guineas in his poke not for worlds would he have turned pirate but the romance of the sea had touched him and he could not help a flight of fancy now and then sometimes in the long hours of the watch job would give him lessons in seamanship teach him the names of ropes and spars and show how each was used

The boy's greatest delight was to steer the ship when Job took his trick at the helm. This is no small task for a boy even as strong as Jeremy.

the sloop like all of her day had no wheel but was fitted with a massive hand tiller a great curved beam of wood that kicked amazingly when it was free of its lashings of course no grown man could have held it in a seaway but during the calm summer nights jeremy learned to humor the craft along her mainsail just drawing in the gentle land breeze and her head held steadily south a point west

one night it was perhaps a week after jeremy's capture and they had been sighting low bits of land on both bows all day dave harriet came on deck about the middle of the watch and told curlie the jamaican second mate he might go below he set job to take soundings and himself taking the tiller swung her over to port with the wind abeam

Jeremy went to the bows where he could see the white line of shore ahead. They drew in, steering by Job's soundings, and by the time the watch changed were ready to cast anchor in a small sandy bay. Harriet came forward, scowling darkly under his bushy eyebrows, and rumbling an occasional oath to himself. The sloop, her anchor down and sails furled, swung idly on the tide.

The men were clearly mystified as the sailing master started to give orders. "'George Duncan,' he said, "'take ten men of the starboard watch and go ashore to forage. There be farms near here, and any pigs or fowls you may come across will be welcome. You, Bill Livers,' addressing the ship's painter, "'take a lantern and your paint-pot and come aft with me. All the rest stay on deck and keep a double lookout, alow and aloft.'

The forage party slipped quietly off toward the beach in one of the boats. The remainder of the crew looked blankly after the retreating bill livers. "'Hmm,' murmured Job. "'Has Steed Bonnet gone clean crazy?' And as Harriet let the painter down over the bulwark at the stern, "'Ah, he's going to change her name by the great bull whale.' An hour before dawn, the crew of the longboat returned, grumbling and empty-handed."

harriet appeared preoccupied with some weightier matter and scarcely deigned to notice their failure by swearing there was no singing as the anchor was raised a sort of gloom hung over the whole ship as she stole out to sea again the men one by one went aft and leaned outboard peering down at the broad squat stern jeremy did likewise and beheld in new white letters on the black of the hull the words royal james

next day in the foxhole council he learned why the renaming of the revenge had cast a pall of apprehension over the crew there were low muttered tales of disaster of storm shipwreck and fire and that dread of all sailors the unknown fate of ships that never come back to port apparently the rule was unfailing sooner or later the ship that had been given a new name would come to grief and her crew with her

pharaoh daggs cast an eye of hatred at jeremy and growled that one jonah was enough to have aboard without clean drowning all the luck this way while the crew looked black and shifted uneasily in their places the bay where they had anchored overnight must have been somewhere on the eastern end of long island a favorite landing place for pirates at that time all day they cruised along the hilly southern shore

the men seemed unable to cast off the gloom that had settled upon them steed bonnet sat in his cabin never once coming on deck and drinking hard a thing unusual for him jeremy who saw more of him than any of the foremast hands realized from his gray set face that the man was under a terrible strain of some sort he told job what he had seen and the tall new englander looked very thoughtful he took the boy aside

There'll be mutiny in this crew before another night, he whispered. They'll never stand for what he's done. If it comes to hand spikes, you and I best watch our chance to clear out. Pharaoh Dags don't love us a mite. But the mutiny was destined not to occur. An hour before noon next day, the lookout, constantly stationed in the bows, gave a loud, Sail ho!

and as dave harriet re-echoed the shout all hands tumbled on deck with a rush chapter seven chapter eight of the black buccaneer by stephen w metre this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter eight as the pirate's loop raced southward under full sail the form of the other ship became steadily plainer she was a brig high pooped and tall-masted and apparently deeply laden

major bonnet who had come up at the first warning seemed his old cool self as he conned the enemy through a spy-glass jeremy had been detailed as a sort of errand boy and as he stood at the captain's side he heard him speaking to harriet

"'She's British, right enough,' he was saying. "'I can make out her flag. But how many guns, it is harder to tell. She sees us now, I think, for they seem to be shaking out a topsail. Ah, now I can see the sunshine on her broadside. Two, three, five in the lower port tier, and three more above, sixteen in all. To be a fight, it seems.'

Aboard the Royal James, the men were slaving like ants, preparing for the battle. Every man knew his duties. The gunners and swabbers were putting their cannon and fettle below decks. Others were rolling out round shot from the hold and storing powder and iron-cased lockers behind the guns.

great tubs of sea-water were placed conveniently in the tween decks and blankets were put to soak for use in case of fire buckets of vinegar water for swabbing the guns were laid handy in the galley the cook made hot grog cutlasses were looked after pistols cleaned and loaded and muskets set out for close firing jeremy was sent hither and thither on every imaginable mission a tremendous excitement running in his veins

the sloop gained rapidly on her prey hauling over to windward as she sailed and when the two ships were almost within cannon range steed bonnet with his own hand bent the jolly roger to the lanyard and sent the great black flag with its skull and cross-bones to fly from the mast-head the grog was served out

No man would have believed that the roaring, rollicking gang of cutthroats who tossed off their liquor in cheers and ribald laughter was identical with a grumbling, sour-faced crew of twenty hours before. As they finished, something came skipping over the water astern and the first echoing report followed close. The cannonade was on. A loud yell of defiance swept the length of the Royal James as the men went to their posts.

the gun decks ran along both sides of the sloop a few feet above the water line they were like alleyways beneath the main deck barely wide enough to admit the passage of a man or a keg of powder behind the gun carriages

these latter were not fixed to the planking as afterward became the fashion but ran on trucks and were kept in their places by rope tackles in action the recoil had to be taken up by men who held the ends of these ropes rove through pulleys in the vessel's side despite their efforts the gun would sometimes leap back against the bulkhead hard enough to shatter it

as the charge for each reloading had to be carried sometimes half the length of the ship by hand it is easy to see that the men who served the guns needed some strength and agility in getting past the jumping carriages jeremy was sent below to help the gunners as the shot from the merchantmen continued to scream by job howland was a gunner on the port side and the boy naturally lent his services to the one man aboard that he could call his friend

there was much bustle in the alley behind the closed ports but surprisingly little confusion was apparent the discipline seemed better than at any time since the boy had been brought aboard the black sloop job was ramming the wad home on the charge of powder and his bow gun the other four guns in the port deck were being loaded at the same time three men tending each one

here lad sang out job as he put the single iron shot in at the muzzle take one of the wet blankets out of yon tub and stand by to fight sparks jeremy did as he was bid then got out of the way as the ports were flung open and the guns run forward with their evil bronze noses thrust out into the sunlight

The sloop, running swiftly with the wind abeam, had now drawn abreast of her unwieldy adversary. The merchant captain, apparently finding himself outspeeded and being unable to spare his gun crews to trim sails, had put the head of his ship into the wind, where she stood, with canvas flapping, her bows offering a steady mark to the pirate. "'Ready a port broadside!' came Bonnet's ringing order, and then—'

Fire! Job Howland's blazing match went to the touch hole at the word, and his six-pounder, roaring merrily, jumped back two good feet against the straining ropes of the tackle. Instantly the next gun spoke, and the next, and so on, all five in a space of a bare ten seconds. Had they been fired simultaneously, they might have shaken the ship to pieces. Jeremy was half-deafened, and his whole body was jarred.

Thick black smoke hung in the alleyway, for the ports had been closed in order to reload in greater safety. The boy felt the deck heel to starboard under him and thought at first that a shot had caught them under the waterline, but when he was sent above to find out whether the broadside had taken effect, he found that the sloop had come about and was already driving north, still to windward of the enemy.

bonnet was giving his gunners more time to load by running back and forth and using his batteries alternately harriet had the tiller and in response to jeremy's question he pointed to the fluttering rags of the brig's foresail and the smoke that issued from a splintered hole under her bow chains below in the gun-deck the buccaneers sweating by their pieces heard the news with cheers

the sloop shook to the jarring report of the starboard battery a moment later and hardly had it ceased when she came about on the other tack hurrah cried job's mates we'll show em this time wind and water wind and water the open traps showed the green seas swirling past close below and off across the swells the tall side of the merchantman swinging in the trough of the waves

Ready, came the order, and every gunner jumped to the breach, match in hand. Before the command came to fire, there was a crash of splintering wood, and a long intermittent roar came over the water. The brig had taken advantage of her falling off the wind to deliver a broadside in her own turn. Steed Bonnet's voice, cool as ever, gave the order, and four guns answered the brig's discharge.

The crew of the middle cannon lay on the deck in a pitiable state, two killed outright, and the gunner bleeding from a great splinter wound in the head. A shot had entered to one side of the port, tearing the planking to bits, and after striking down the two gun servers, had passed into the foxhole. Jeremy jumped forward with his blanket in time to stamp out a blaze where the firing match had been dropped, and with the help of one of the pirates dragged the wounded man to his berth.

Almost every shot of the last volley had done damage aboard the brig. Her freeboard, twice as high as that of the sloop, had offered a target which for expert gunners was hard to miss. Jagged openings showed all along her side, and as she rose on a swell, Job shouted, "'See there! She's leaking now! "'Twas my last shot did that! Right on her waterline!'

all hands on deck to board her came a shout almost at the same instant jeremy hurrying up with the rest found the sloop bearing down straight before the wind and only a dozen boats lengths from the enemy a wild whoop went up among the pirates every man had seized on a musket and was crouching behind the rail bonnet alone stood on the open deck his buff coat blowing open and his hand resting lightly on his sword

an occasional cannon shot screamed overhead or splashed away astern apparently the brig's batteries were too greatly damaged and her crew too badly shot up to offer an effective bombardment she was drifting helplessly under tattered ribbons of canvas and the royal james whose sails had suffered far less bore down upon her opponent with the swoop of a hawk

as she drew close aboard a scattering fusillade of small arms broke out from the brig's poop wounding one man a portuguese but for the most part striking harmlessly against the bulwark the buccaneers held their fire till they were scarce a boat's length distant then at the order they swept the ship with a withering musket-volley

The brig was down by the head and lay almost bow-on so that her deck was exposed to Bonnet's marksmen. Harriet brought his sloop about like a flash, and almost before Jeremy realized what was toward, the ships had bumped together side by side, and the howling mob of pirates was swarming over the enemy's rail. Job Howland and another man took great boat-hooks, with which they grappled the brig's ports, and kept the two vessels from drifting apart.

jeremy was alone upon the sloop's deck he put the thickness of the mast between him and the hail of bullets and peered fearfully out at the terrible scene above the crew of the brig had been too much disorganized to repel the boarders as well as they might and the entire horde of wild barbarians had scrambled to her deck where a perfect inferno now held sway

The air seemed full of flying cutlasses that produced an incessant hiss and clangor. Pistols banged deafeningly at close quarters, and there was the constant undertone of groans, cries, and bellowed oaths. Above the din came the terrible clear voice of Steed Bonnet urging on his sea-dogs. He had become a different man from the moment his foot touched the merchantman's deck.

from the cool commander he had changed to a devil incarnate with face distorted eyes aflame and a sword that hacked and stabbed with the swift ferocity of lightning jeremy saw him fighting single-handed with three men his long sword played in and out to the right and to the left with a turn and a flash then whirling swiftly pinned a man who had run up behind

bonnet's feet moved quickly shifting ground as stealthily as a cat's and in a second he had leaped to a safer position with his back to the after-house two of his opponents were down and the third fighting wearily and without confidence when a huge flaxen-haired man burst from the hatch to the deck and swung his broad cutlass to such effect that the battling groups in his path gave way to either side

the burly form of dave harriet opposed the new enemy and as the two giants squared off sword ringing on sword more than one wounded sailor raised himself to a better position grinning with the anglo-saxon's unquenchable love of a fair fight harriet was no mean swordsman of the rough-and-ready seaman's type and had a great physique as well

but his previous labors he had been the first man on board and had already accounted for a fair share of the defenders had rendered him slow and arm-weary the ready parrying blade to blade ceased suddenly as his foot slipped backward in a pool of blood

the blond seaman seized his advantage and swung a slicing blow that glanced off harriet's forehead and felled the huge buccaneer to the deck where he lay stunned the quick red staining his headcloth

as the blond-haired man stepped forward to finish the business a long keen straight blade interposed caught his cutlass in an upward parry and at the same time pinked him painfully in the arm jumping back the seaman found himself faced by the pitiless eyes of steed bonnet who had killed his last opponent and run in to save his mate's life

that quick darting sword baffled the sailor swing and hack as he might his blows were caught in mid-air and fell away harmless while always the relentless point drove him back and back forced to the rail he stood his ground desperately pale and glistening with the sweat of a man in the fear of death then his sword flew up

the pirate captain stabbed him through the throat and with a dying gasp the limp body fell backward into the sea meanwhile the pirates had steadily gained ground in the hand-to-hand struggle and now a bare half-dozen brave fellows held on fighting singly or in pairs back to back the brig's captain wounded in several places and seeing his crew in a fair way to be annihilated flung up a tired arm and cried for quarter

almost at once the fighting ceased and half the combatants utterly exhausted sank down among their dead and wounded fellows the deck was a long shambles red from the bits to the poop while the hands of the prisoners were being bound bonnet and all of his men not otherwise employed hurried below to search for loot the man who had held the boat-hook astern left his task and greedily clambered up the brig's side lest he should miss his chance at the booty

job alone stuck to his post and motioned jeremy to stay where he was tears and yells of joy rang from the after-hold of the merchantman where the pirates had evidently discovered the ship's store of wine

After a few moments, Pharaoh Dags thrust his scarred face out of the companion and with a fierce roar of laughter waved a black bottle above his head. The others followed, drinking and babbling curses. And last of all, Steed Bonnet, pale, disheveled, mad with blood and liquor, stood bareheaded by the hatch. He raised his hand in a gesture of silence and all the hubbub ceased.

"'We have beaten them!' he cried between twitching lips. "'I, Captain Thomas, the chiefest of all the pirates, "'and my bully boys of the Royal James. "'We'll show them all! We'll show them all! "'Blackbeard and all the rest! Ha! Ha! Ha!' "'And his voice trailed off in crazy laughter. "'The men of the crew stood about him on the brig's deck, "'dumbfounded by his words.'

Jeremy could hardly breathe in his surprise. Suddenly he gave a start and would have cried out, but that Job Howland's hand closed his mouth. A swiftly widening lane of water separated the sloop from her late enemy. End of chapter 8

That sound? It's Lucky cutting prices on over 4,000 items across our stores. We cut prices, not corners. Same quality, much lower prices on what matters most to your family. This week, a two and a half pound bag of frozen chicken wings are an unbelievable 12 cents. Additional qualifying purchase required, limit one. And 80% lean, fresh ground beef is $4.99 a pound in the MaxPak. Join the celebration at Lucky, your neighborhood store that's fighting inflation for you every day.

CHAPTER IX. As she cleared the side of the water-logged merchantman, the Royal James began to move. Her sails, which had been left flapping during the close fighting, now filled with a bang and she went away smartly on the starboard tack.

job had dragged jeremy aft and the two were huddled at the tiller partially screened by the mainsail when a howl of consternation broke out aboard the brig few if any of the firearms were still loaded or they might have been shot to death out of hand as it was the sloop had drawn away to a distance of nearly a quarter of a mile before any effort was made to stop her

Then a single cannon roared and a round shot whizzed by along the tops of the waves. When the next report came, Jeremy could see the splash fall far astern. They were out of range. The two runaways now felt comparatively safe. It was certain that the brig was too badly damaged to give chase, even if she could keep afloat.

jeremy felt a momentary pang at the thought of leaving even that graceless crowd in such jeopardy but he remembered that they had the brig's boats in which to leave the hulk and his own present danger soon gave him enough to occupy him job lashed the tiller and going to the lanyard at the mainmast hauled down the black flag then they both set to work cleaning up the deck

the three dead men were given sea burial slipped overboard without other ceremony than the short prayer for each which jeremy repeated the gunner who lay in agony in his berth had his wound bound up and was given a sip of brandy then the lank new englander went below to get a meal while jeremy sluiced the gun decks with sea water night was falling when job reappeared on deck with biscuit and beans and some preserves out of the captain's locker

there was little appetite in jeremy after what he had witnessed that day but his tall friend ate his supper with a relish and seemed quite elated at the prospect of the voyage to shore he filled a clay pipe after the meal and smoked meditatively awhile then addressed the boy with a queer hesitancy sonny he began since we picked you up i've been thinking every day more and more what i'd get to be back at your age with another chance

Piraten seemed a fine upstandard trade to me when I begun. Independent and adventurous too, it seemed. But it's not so fine. Not so fine. He paused. One or two or maybe five years of rough living and rougher fighting. A powerful waste of money and drink and such. And in the end, a dog's death by shooting or starvation. Or the chains on execution dock.

Another pause followed, and then, turning suddenly to Jeremy, "'Lad, I can get a governor's pardon ashore, but twould mean naught to me if my old days came back to trouble me. You're young and you're honest, and what's more, you believe in God. Do you figure a man can square himself after living like I've lived?' The boy looked into the pirate's homely, anxious face. He felt that he would always trust Job Howland."

aye he answered straightforwardly and put out his hand the man gripped it with a sort of fierce eagerness that was good to see and smiled the smile of a man at peace with himself then he solemnly drew out his clasp-knife and pricked a small cross in the skin of his forearm that said he is for a sign that once i get out of this here pickle i'll never pirate nor free trade no more

the wind sank to a mere breath as the darkness gathered and jeremy stood the first watch while his tired friend settled into a deep sleep that lasted till he was wakened a little after midnight then the boy took his turn at sleeping when the morning light shone into his eyes he woke to find job pacing the deck and casting troubled looks at the sky the wind was dead and only an occasional whiff of light air moved the idly swinging canvas

a tiny swell rocked the sloop as gently as a cradle well my boy we won't get far towards shore at this gait said job cheerfully as jeremy came up except for maybe three hours sailing last night we've made no progress at all i've got some porridge cooked below you bring it on deck and we'll have a snack the meal finished they turned to the rather trying task of waiting for a breeze

About noon, Job climbed to the masthead for a reconnaissance, and on coming down reported a sail to the east, but no sign of any wind. The sky was dull and overcast, so that Job made no effort to determine their bearings. They figured that they had drifted a dozen or more sea miles to the west since the battle, and were lying somewhere off the little port of New York.

the day passed job amusing jeremy with tales of his adventures and old sea yarns and soon night had overtaken them again this time the boy had the first nap he was roused to take his watch when job saw by the stars that it was eight bells and still yawning with sleep the lad went to stand by the rail everything was quiet on the sea and even the swell had died out leaving a perfect calm there was no moon

The boy's head sank on his breast and softly he slid to the deck. Drowsiness had overcome him so gently that he slept before he knew he was sleepy.

Jeremy's first waking sensation was the sound of a hoarse, confused shout and the rattle of oars being shipped. He struggled to his feet, staring into the dark astern. Almost at the same instant, there came a series of bumps along the sloop's side, and as the boy rushed to the hatch to call his ally, he heard feet pounding the deck. "'Job!' he cried. "'Job!'

and then a heavy hand smote him on the mouth and he lost consciousness for a time the period during which he stood awake and terrified had been so brief and so fraught with terror that it never seemed real to the lad in memory there was something of the awful hopelessness of nightmare about it

always afterward he had difficulty in convincing himself that he had not slept steadily from the time he drowsed on watch to the minute when he opened his eyes to the light of morning and felt his aching head throb against the hard deck as he lay staring at the sky a footstep approached and someone stood over him he turned his eyes painfully to look and beheld the dark-bearded visage of george duncan the boatswain who scowled angrily and kicked him in the ribs with a heavy toe

get up you young lubber roared the man and swore fiercely as the boy unable to move still lay upon his back a moment later the boatswain went away to jeremy's numb consciousness came the realization that the pirates had caught them again the words of the captain on his first day aboard came back to the lad and made him shudder

there had been stories current among the men that gave a glimpse of how steedbonnet dealt with those who were treacherous which of a dozen awful deaths was in store for him ah if only they would spare the torture he thought that he could die bravely a worthy sign of dauntless stock he thought of job who must have been seized in his bunk below the poor fellow was to have short happiness in his changed way of life it seemed

Jeremy tried to steel his nerves against the test he was sure must follow soon. Instead of going to pieces in terror, he succeeded in forcing himself to the attitude of a young stoic. He had done nothing of which he was ashamed, and he felt that if he was called to face a just God in the next 24 hours, he would be able to hold his head up like a man. Time passed, and he heard a heavy tramp coming along the deck.

he was hoisted roughly by hands under his armpits and placed upon his feet though he was still too weak to stand without support a dozen faces surrounded him glaring angrily out of a sort of mist that partly obscured his vision came the terrible leer of the man with the broken nose the twisted mouth opened and the man spoke with a deliberate ugliness the very absence of oaths seemed to make his slow speech more deadly

"'Ah, ye misbegotten young fool,' he said. "'So there ye stand, scared like the cowardly spawn you are. "'We took ye, and kept ye, and fed ye. "'What's more, we was friends to ye, a-mates. "'And how do you treat your friends? "'Leave them to starve or drown on a sinking ship. "'Sneak off like a dog in a son of a cowardly dog.' "'Jeremy went white with anger. "'And now—'

Dagg's voice broke in a sudden snarl. "'And now we'll show ye how we treat such curs aboard a ten-gun buccaneer. Stand by, mates, to kill Hallam.'" At this moment a second party of pirates poured swearing out of the foxhole hatch, dragging Job Howland in their midst. He was stripped to his shirt and under breeches, and had apparently received a few bruises in the tussle below.

jeremy's spirits were momentarily revived by seeing that some of the buccaneers had suffered like inconveniences while the young ex-man o wars man was gingerly feeling of a shapeless blob that had been his nose dave harriet his head tied up in a bandage was superintending the preparations for punishment let's have the boy first he shouted

aboard a square rigger keel-hauling was practiced from the main yard-arm the victim was dragged completely under the ship's bottom scraping over the jagged barnacles and drawn up on the other side more often dead than living as the sloop had only fore and aft sails they had merely run a rope under the bottom bringing both ends together amidships

they now dragged the boy forward still in a half-fainting condition and made fast his feet in a loop in one end of the rope then stretching his arms along the deck in the other direction bound his wrists in a similar way he was practically made a part of the ring of hemp that circled the ship's middle without further ceremony other than a parting kick or two the crew took their places at the rope ready to pull the lad to destruction

he set his teeth and a wordless prayer went up from his heart the wrench of the rope at his ankles never came as he lay with his eyes closed a high-pitched voice broke the quiet if a man starts to haul on that line i'll shoot him dead jeremy turned his head and looked there stood steed bonnet his face ashen grey and trembling but with a venomous fire in his sunken eyes

He held a pistol in each hand, and two more were thrust into his waistband. Not a man stirred in the crew. That boy, went on the clear voice, had no hand in the business, and well you know it. It is for me to give out punishments while I am captain of this sloop, and by God I shall be captain during my life. Pharaoh Dagg stepped forward and unloosed the rope.

the man with the broken nose fixed his light eyes on the captain's for a full five seconds bonnet's pistol muzzle was as steady as a rock then the sailor's eyes shifted and he obeyed with a sullen reluctance jeremy liberated climbed to his knees and stood up swaying just then there was a rush of feet behind

he turned in time to see job howland vanish head foremost over the rail in a long clean dive the astonished crew ran cursing to the side and stared after him but no faintest trace of the man appeared at dawn a breeze had sprung up and now the little waves chopped along below the ports with a sound like a mocking chuckle they had robbed the buccaneers of their cruel sport

mutiny might have broken out then and there but steed bonnet cool as ever stood amidships with his arms crossed and a calm-looking pistol in each fist harriet he remarked evenly better set the men to cleaning decks and repairing damage we'll start down the jersey coast at once jeremy got to his bunk as best he might and slept for the greater part of twenty-four hours

when he awoke the crew had just finished breakfast and were sitting every man by himself counting out gold pieces bonnet had divided the booty found on the brig and in their greedy satisfaction the pirates were for the time at least utterly oblivious to former discontent

When he got up and went to the galley for breakfast, Jeremy was ignored by his fellows, or treated as if nothing had occurred. Indeed, there had been little real grounds for wishing to punish the boy aside from the ugly temper occasioned by having to row a night and a day in open boats. Only Pharaoh Daggs bore real malice toward Jeremy, and his feelings were for the most part concealed under a mask of contemptuous indifference.

as the day progressed the lad found that matters had resumed their accustomed course and that he was in no immediate danger he missed his brave friend and copartner as bitterly as if he had been a brother but partially consoled himself with the thought that job's act in jumping overboard had probably spared him the awful torture of the keel or some worse death the captain would never have defended the runaway sailor as he had done jeremy the boy was certain

all day the sloot made her way south at a brisk rate occasionally sighting low white beaches to starboard sometime in the first dog-watch her boom went over and she ran her slim nose in past cape may heading up the delaware with the hurrying tide while the briggs long-boat towing behind swung into her wake astern chapter ten chapter eleven of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter

CHAPTER XI. When the gang of buccaneers had tumbled down the hatch after Jeremy's cry of warning, Job Howland, barely awake, had leaped to the narrow angle that made the forward end of the foxhole, seizing a pistol as he went, entrenching himself behind a chest, with the bulkhead behind him and on both sides. He had kept the maddened crew at bay for several moments.

the pistol covering the only path of attack made them wary of approaching too close when finally a half-dozen jumped forward at once he pulled the trigger only to find that the weapon had not been loaded in desperation he grasped the muzzle in his hand and struck out fiercely with the heavy butt beating off his assailants time after time

this was well enough at first but the buccaneers who cared much less for a broken crown than for a bullet wound pressed in closer and closer striking with fists and marlin spikes it was soon over they jammed him so far into the corner that his tireless arm no longer had free play and then bore him down under the sheer weight of numbers when he ceased to struggle they seized him fast and carried him to the deck

Job was out of breath and much bruised, but had suffered no lasting hurt. He saw Jeremy led forward, heard the men's cries, and realized that the torture was in store for them both. Unbound but helpless to interfere, he saw the boys stretched on the deck and the rope attached to his arms and legs. He suffered greater agony than did Jeremy as the crew made ready to begin their awful work, for he had seen keelhauling before.

and then suddenly steed bonnet was standing by the companion and the ringing shout that saved the boy's life struck on job's ears he could hardly keep from cheering the captain then and there but relief at jeremy's delivery brought with it a return of his quick wits he himself was in as great danger as ever

he was facing aft and his eye roving the deck for a means of escape lit on the brig's boat which the pirates had tied astern after reboarding the sloop she was trailing at the end of a painter her bows rising and falling on the choppy waves he waited only long enough to see that the captain succeeded in freeing jeremy then drew a great breath and plunged over the side

swimming under water he watched for the towed long-boat to come by overhead and as her dark bulk passed he caught her keel with a strong grip of his fingers worked his way back and came up gasping his hands holding to the rudder ring in her stern the hot still days had warmed the surface of the sea to a temperature far above the normal or he must certainly have become exhausted in a short time

as it was he clung to his ring till near noon when cautiously peering above the gunwale he saw the sloop's deck empty save for a steersman half asleep in the hot sun by the tiller with a great wrench of his arms the ex buccaneer lifted himself over the stern and slipped as quietly as he was able into the boat's bottom there he lay breathless listening for sounds of alarm aboard the sloop

None came, and after a few moments he wriggled forward and made himself snug under the bowthwart. The boat carried a water beaker and a can of biscuit for emergency use. After refreshing himself with these and drying out his thin clothing in the sun, he retreated under the shade of the thwart and slept the sleep of utter fatigue. Late the next day he took a brief observation of the horizon.

there was sandy shore to the east and from what he knew of the coast and the ship's course he judged they must be nearing the entrance to delaware bay his long rest had restored to him most of his vigor and although he was sore in many places he felt perfectly ready to try and escape as soon as the sloop should approach the land and offer him an opportunity as the night went on the royal james made good speed up the bay aided by a strong tide

a little while before light she came close enough to the west shore for job to see the outlines of trees on a bluff he figured the distance to be not above a mile at most there was some question in his mind whether he should cut the painter and use the boat in getting away or swim for it he decided that it would be better for him in most ways if the pirates still supposed him dead

so quietly as an otter he slipped over the gunwale paddled away from the boat's side and set out for the land plowing through the water with a long over-arm stroke job had a hard fight with the turning tide before the trees loomed above his head and his feet scraped gravel under the bank when at last he crept gasping out upon dry ground it was miles to the southward of his first destination

dawn had come and the early light silvered the rippling cross-wells and glinted on the white wings of the gulls the big mariner shook the water from his sides like a spaniel stretched both long arms to the warm sky laughed as he thought of his escape and turning his gaunt face to the northward set out swiftly along the tree-clad bluffs chapter twelve of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter

the world's famous orations chapter twelve meanwhile the royal james was far up inside the capes sailing demurely along the ports of her gun-deck closed and the british colours fluttering from her top

jeremy watched the shores they passed with deep interest he wondered if there would be a chance for him to get away when they came to anchor there was nothing but hardship in his lot aboard the sloop now that job was gone he was unnoticed for the most part by the men of the crew and when any of them spoke to him it was with a cuff or a curse

as for captain bonnet he had relapsed into one of his black moods nothing brought him on deck or made him speak except to give harriet monosyllabic commands late the following day after a slow progress along the delaware shore the sloop hove-to in a wide roadstead and the anchor was run out the steeples and shipping of a little town were visible by the waterside but no one put off to meet them

to the surprise of all bonnet himself came on deck wearing a good coat and fresh ruffles and with his hair powdered he ordered the gig lowered then looked about the assembled crew and addressed them good-humoredly enough now my lads he said i'm going ashore with a picked boat's crew to get what news there is about

you that go with me remember that you are of the royal james honest merchant coaster and that i am captain thomas likewise honest navigator we'll separate into every tavern and ship chandler's place along the wharves pick up the names of all ships that are soon to sail and their cargoes and meet at the gig at eight bells harriet and you men aboard here keep a strict watch

"'Dags, I leave the boy and you are charged. Don't let him out of your sight.' At the last words, Jeremy's heart sank to his boots. He knew how futile would be any attempt to escape under the cold hawk-eyes of the man with the broken nose. As the gig put off from the sloop's side, the boy leaned dejectedly against the rail. Pharaoh Dag slouched up to him.

ah there young un said he with cynical jocularity just thinkin o leavin us were ye when the old man took the gimp out o ye the bantering note vanished from the man's voice i'd like to break your neck you young whelp but i won't not just yet he seemed to be licking his ugly chops at the thought of a future occasion when he might allow himself this luxury then he went on half to himself it seemed

bonnets a queerin never can tell what he'll do them eight men aboard that brig now never was a rougher piece o piracy since morgan's day than his makin those beggars walk the plank stood there and roared and laughed he did and pricked em behind till they tipped the board and then to stop us from drownin a blasted little rat that'd try to kill us all oh he's bad is steed bad

jeremy gave a start as this soliloquy progressed he had wondered once or twice what had become of the prisoners taken aboard the brig that attempted escape of job's had cost dear and human life it seemed and his own deliverance had been the mere whim of a madman he shuddered and thanked god fervently for the fortune that had so far attended him there was a pause while the buccaneer seemed to regard him with a sort of crafty hesitancy at length he spoke

"'See here, boy,' he said, his voice sinking to a hoarse whisper. "'How long had you been living on that there island?' Jeremy looked up wonderingly. "'Not long,' he answered. "'Only a day or two, really.' "'And you, nor none of your folks, never went nosing around there to find nothing, did you? Tell me the truth now!' Dags leaned closer, a murderous intensity in his face.

no said jeremy squirming as the man's fingers gripped his shoulder the pirate gave him another long piercing look from his terrible eyes then released him and went forward where he stood staring off toward the shore in his wretched loneliness the boy sank down by the rail his heart heavier than it had ever been in his whole life

it might have been a relief to him to cry a great lump was in his throat indeed and his eyes smarted but he had considered himself too old for tears almost since he could walk and now with a realization that he was near shedding them he forced his shoulders back shut his square jaw and resolved that he would be a man come what might darkness settled over the river mouth

the form of pharaoh dags and black silhouette against the gray of the sky sent a shudder through jeremy he recalled with startling distinctness the solitary man he had seen on the island the night of his capture the two figures were identical pondering the boy fell asleep it was some four hours later that he woke to the sound of hummering oars close aboard a subdued shout came across the water the voice was steed bonnet's

stand by to take us on he cried a moment later the gig shot into sight her crew rowing like mad they pulled in their oars swept up alongside the black sloop and were caught and pulled aboard by ready hands cut the cable cried the captain as soon as he reached the deck

the gig was swung up the cable chopped in two and the mainsail spread and in an incredibly short time the royal james was bowling along down the roadstead hardly had she gotten under way when two long-boats appeared astern and amid shouts and orders to surrender from the crews a scattered fusillade of bullets came aboard

no one on the sloop was hit and as the sails began to draw properly the pirate craft soon left the pursuers far to the rear jeremy never one to watch others work had lent a hand wherever he was best able during the rush of the escape when the sloop was well out of range and the excitement had subsided he turned for the first time to look at a small group that had been talking amidships two of the figures were very well known to him bonnet and harriet

the light of a lantern which the latter held fell upon the face of a boy no older than jeremy dressed in the finest clothes the young new englander had ever seen the lad's face was dark and resolute his hair black smoothly brushed back and tied behind with a small ribbon his blue coat was of velvet neatly cut below his long flowered waistcoat were displayed buff velvet breeches and silk stockings of the same color

his shoes were of fine leather and buckled with silver in response to the oaths and rough questions of the two pirates the lad seemed to have little to say when he spoke it was with a scornful ring in his voice the first words jeremy heard him say were you understand it soon i fancy we're well enough known along the bay and my father as i have said is a friend of the governor's there'll be ten ships after you before morning

harriet put back his head and roared with laughter hear the young braggart he shouted ten chips for such a milk-fed baby as he is well my lad said the captain you'll be treated well enough while we wait for the money to be paid here jeremy as the young backwoodsman came up bonnet continued

two boys aboard is bad business for you're sure to be scheming to get away however it can't be helped just yet and mind what i say there'll be a bullet ready for the first one that tries it now get below the pair of you

Glad as he was to have a companion of his own age aboard, Jeremy, boy-like, was too shy to say anything to the new arrival that night, and indeed the other boy seemed to class him with the rest of the pirates and to feel some repugnance at his company. So the two unfortunate youngsters slept fitfully, side by side, until broad daylight next morning. End of chapter 12

You're listening to Classic Audiobook Collection. Give us five stars and share with a friend who likes free audiobooks as much as we do. Now back to the show. Chapter 13 of The Black Buccaneer by Stephen W. Meador. This LibriVox recording is in the public domain. Read by Warren Bergman. Chapter 13. The salt horse which was served out for breakfast aboard the Royal James made scant appeal to the Delaware boy's appetite.

he hardly touched the portion which jeremy offered him and kept up his pose of proud aloofness all the morning it is scarcely a matter for wonder that he did not at once make friends with jeremy

the latter's buckskin breeches and moccasins had been taken from him when he came aboard and he was now clad in his old leather tunic a pair of seaman's trousers which bagged nearly to his ankles wrinkled garterless wool socks and an old pair of buckled shoes stuffed with rags to make them fit his hair never very manageable had received little attention during the voyage and was now as wild and rough as that of a savage

it would have required a long second glance for one to see the fine qualities of grit and self-reliance in the boy's keen face the sloop was making great speed down the middle channel of the bay her canvas straining in a fine west breeze and her deck canted far to leeward no boy could long withstand the pleasure of sailing on such a day and before noon the young stranger had given into a consuming desire to know the names of things

jeremy now had the whole ship by heart and was filled with joy at the opportunity of talking about her to one more ignorant than himself of course he was as proud of the royal james as if he owned her how he glowed over his account of the battle with the brig nothing on the coast could outsail the sloop he was sure

indeed it was with some regret that he admitted a hope of her being overtaken by the delaware boy's friends and he was divided between pride and despair as the day went on and no sail appeared to the north by noon his new acquaintance was ravenously hungry as was to be expected and over their pannikins of soup the last reserve between them went by the board are you his son asked the dark-haired lad nodding toward harriet

Jeremy laughed and described his adventure from the beginning, while the other marveled open-mouthed. "'Are they holding you for ransom, too?' asked he, as the story ended. "'No,' replied Jeremy. "'I reckon they knew as soon as they saw me that there wasn't much money to be gotten in my case. "'As I figure it, they didn't dare leave me on the island for fear I'll have those three ships of war after them.'

Both boys laughed as they thought of the headlong flight of Steed Bonnet's company from a garrison of fifteen sheep. "'Well,' said the Delaware boy, still chuckling, "'you know most of my story already. My father is Clark Curtis of Newcastle. My own name is Bob. Father owns some ships in the East India trade and has a plantation up on the Brandywine Creek. Last night I was at our warehouse by the wharves.'

father was inside talking to one of his captains who had just come to port i wanted to see the ship she's a full rigger three or four times as big as this and fast too for her burden well i went down on the dock where she was moored there was nobody around and no lights and she stood up above the wharfside all dark and big

her mainmast is as high as our church steeple you know and i was just looking up at her and wondering where the watchman was when four men came along down the wharf i thought perhaps twas father and some of his men when they were quite close that biggest one harriet stepped up to me and before i could shout he put his hand over my mouth and held me they gagged me fast and then one of them gave a whistle long and low

Pretty soon a boat came up to the dock and they grabbed me and put me in, spite of all I could do. They paddled along to another wharf and took aboard some more men and then started to row out as fast as they could. I guess those boats that came after us were from Father's ship. He must have missed me right away. So now old Bonnet or Thomas or whatever his name is thinks he's going to get a fat sum out of me.

that's all o my story so far but there'll be another chapter yet jeremy for both their sakes sincerely hoped that there might at sunset of that day the royal james cleared cape henlopen and held her course for the open sea while behind her in the gathering dusk the coast grew hazy faded out was gone

the two boys sitting late into the first watch shivered with that fine ecstasy of adventure that can come only in the shadowy mystery of starlit decks and the long whispering ripple of a following sea jeremy who twenty-four hours before had thought of the ship as a place of utter desolation would not now have changed places with any boy alive he knew perhaps for the first time the fullness of joy that comes into life with human companionship

that night two lads at least had golden dreams of a youthful kind ducats and doubloons princesses and plum-cake swords a-wave and cannon blazing great galleons with crimson sails no wonder that they were smiling in their sleep when george duncan held a lantern over the bunk at the change of the watch chapter thirteen chapter fourteen of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter

CHAPTER XIV. The day came in dark with fog, which changed a little after noon to driving scud.

the wind had gone around to the northeast and freshened steadily driving the waves in from the sea in steep gray hills quite different from anything jeremy had before experienced the sloop under three reefs and a storm jib began to make rough weather of it staggering up and down the long slopes in an aimless dizzy fashion that made jeremy and bob very unhappy

the poor young new englander had to perform his regular tasks no matter how he felt within but once the work was done he stumbled forward miserably and lay upon his bunk bob was too wretched to talk all day

and for the time at least cared very little whether he was rescued or keel-hauled near nightfall jeremy went aft to serve the captain's supper and as he returned along the reeling wet deck in the gathering dark he stopped a moment to look off to windward

the racing white tops of the waves gleamed momentarily and vanished he was appalled at their height while the little vessel surged along in the trough great slopes of foam and black water arose on either beam up and up like tossing hillsides then would come the staggering climb to the summit and for a dizzy second the terrified lad clinging to a shroud could look for miles across the shifting valleys

before he could catch his breath the slough pitched down the next declivity in a long sickening sag and rocked for a brief instant at the foot her masts swaying in a great arc half across the sky then she began to ascend shivering and wide-eyed the boy crept to his bunk where he fell asleep at last to the sound of screaming wind and lashing water at dawn and all next day the gale swept down from the northeast unabated

the forecastle was thick with tobacco smoke and the wet reek of the crew for only the steersman and the lookout would stay on deck bob somewhat recovered from his seasickness lay wide-eyed in his bunk and heard such tales of plunder and savagery in the high seas as made his blood run cold when jeremy came dripping down the ladder early that afternoon he found the delaware lad staring at pharaoh daggs with a look of positive terror

the buccaneer's evil face was lit up by the rays of the smoky lantern hung from a hook in one of the deck beams he sat on the edge of the forecastle table his heavy shoulders hunched and a long clay pipe in his teeth at night he was saying four of us went and cut salbrigg down from where they'd hanged him we got away down to the sloop and out to sea with him

i didn't have no cause to love the old devil but i'd a hated to have a ghost like his after me so i lent a hand we wrapped him up decent and gave him sea burial from his own deck as he'd paced for thirty year and then he said with a snarl and half turning to face jeremy

we got them two boys on deck both of em said twas the other as told so we treated em fair and alike we stripped em and laid em deep with the cat till there wasn't no white skin left above the waist then we sluiced em with sea-water

when they could feel pain again we stretched him with rope and windlass till one died t'other was a red-headed tough young devil and took such a deal of it that we had to brain him with a hand-spike at the last even the crew were silenced for a little by this recital jeremy and bob shivered in their places hardly daring to breathe then a portuguese spoke from the corner his greedy little black eyes glittering in his swarthy face

where was de captain's money de go to add and not divide eh daggs gave a little start and leaned forward scowling who said he had any he asked savagely sal brig kept himself to himself he never told secrets to any man aboard then he turned and with a black frown at the two boys climbed through the hatch into the howling smother outside

Jeremy, always alert, saw one or two glances exchanged among the pirates, before the interminable foul stream of foxhole talk resumed its course, but apparently the incident of the scarred man's abrupt departure was soon forgotten. As the storm continued, Bonnet and Harriet gave up their attempts to sail the Royal James and contented themselves with keeping her afloat.

the gale was driving them southward at a good rate and they were not ungrateful as they reflected that it must have effectually put a stop to all pursuit toward night the wind went down a trifle though the seas still ran in veritable mountain ranges the dawn of the following day showed a clear sky to the north and every prospect of fair weather

before breakfast all hands were set to shaking out reefs and trimming sails a task which the tossing of the sloop made unusually difficult new halyards had to be fitted in some places otherwise the vessel herself had suffered but little the brig's boat towed astern all through the flight down the bay had been swamped and cut loose on the first day of storm

However, as the Royal James had two boats of her own lashed on deck, this was not considered a real loss. When the sun was high enough, Harriet took his bearings and gave the helmsman orders to keep her headed west, a point north. The sloop made a long beat of it to starboard, thrashing up all night and most of the following day, before she sighted the Virginia Capes.

slipping through under cover of darkness bonnet resumed his role of sober merchantman and sailed the james up the chesapeake under the british flag with a fine air of honesty jeremy and bob regained their spirits as the low shores unrolled ahead and passed astern with an occasional glimpse of a plantation house or a village at the water's edge

As every fresh estuary and arm of the bay opened on the bow, the lads hoped and expected that the sloop would enter. Bob thought the chances for escape or rescue would be much increased if they came to anchor in some harbor. Jeremy remembered the captain's half-promise to free him when they reached the Chesapeake, and although he would have been loath to part from his new friend, he felt that he might render him better service ashore than in his company aboard the pirate.

It was two full days before the order was finally given to anchor. They had put into the mouth of a wide inlet far up on the eastern shore, and Bonnet had her brought into the wind at a good distance from either side. The banks were high and wooded, and as far as the boys could see there was no sign of habitation anywhere about.

their minds were both busy planning some way of getting to land when dave harriet came up behind them and put a huge hand into the collar of each come along below lads he said gruffly they went completely mystified until the big sailing-master thrust them before him into the port gun-deck

Then Jeremy understood. The old-fashioned arrangement of iron bars called the bilboes was fastened to the bulkhead at the bow end of the alleyway. It had two or three sets of iron shackles chained to it, and into the smallest pair of these, meant for the wrists of a grown victim, he locked an ankle of each of the boys. "'You'll stay there a while till we sail again,' Harriet remarked as he departed."

The lads stared at each other, too glum to speak. Bob was pale with rage at what he considered a dishonor, while the Yankee boy's heart was heavy as he thought of the opportunities for flight he had let slip on the voyage up the bay. Within half an hour after the anchor was dropped, the young prisoners heard the creak of the David blocks, and a moment later the splash of a boat taking water close to the nearest gunport.

jeremy stretched as far as his chain would allow and through a crevice saw four men start to row toward shore there was some coarse jesting and laughter on deck then one of the crew sent a fare-you-well bill after the departing gig the hail was answered by the voice of the jamaican curley half an hour later the boat returned carrying only three

Jeremy, straining at his tether, made out that Curly was not one of them. He sat down, thoughtful. "'Well, Bob,' he said at last, "'whether it's about your ransom I can't say, but Bill Curly's been sent ashore on some errand or other, and to be gone a while, too, I figure. They could do little but wait for developments.'"

it was something of a surprise to both when bonnet's voice was heard on the deck above soon after ordering the capstan manned the anchor creaked up and to the rattle of blocks the sail was hoisted they felt the sloop get under way once more

when one of the foremost hands brought them some biscuit and pork for supper he told them it was harriet's orders that they be left in irons for the present at least and added in response to jeremy's query that they were headed south under full canvas the boys thoughts were very bitter as they tried to make themselves comfortable on the bare planking fortunately at their age it requires more than a hard bed to banish rest

and before the ship had made three sea miles care and bodily misery alike were forgotten in the heavy slumber of fatigue chapter fifteen of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter fifteen

job howland's long legs clad as they were in nothing more cumbersome than a pair of under breeches made light work of hills and ravines as he held his way steadily up the delaware shore like most of the sailors of that day he had gone barefoot aboard ship since the beginning of the warm weather and his soles were so calloused that he hardly felt the need of shoes

at a shack on a little cove just before midday he found several fishermen to whom he applied for clothing they had pity on his plight fitted him out with a shirt serviceable breeches and rough boots and gave him as well as much biscuit and dried fish as he wished to carry thus reinforced he continued to put the leagues behind him till night when he slept under a convenient jack-pine

early next morning he pushed on and came without further adventure to the little port of newcastle just as the sun was setting job had been in the town before and now went straight to the red hawk tavern a small place on the water front that catered chiefly to seafaring men the tavern keeper a brawny swede to whose blue eyes half the seamen that plied along the coast were familiar held out a big hand to him as he entered

he had known the tall mariner when he had been on the virginia bark before hornygold had captured it and had had no news of him since job told him his whole story over a hot meal in the back room and it is merely indicative of the public mind of that day that the big swede had not the slightest compunction in sympathizing with him indeed in most dockside resorts it was a common thing for pirates and honest seamen to fraternize with perfect good will

the innkeeper offered him a bed for the night and next morning directed him to the governor's house delaware a far smaller and less developed colony than her neighbors pennsylvania and maryland had nevertheless her own government located at newcastle the brick house of the king's appointee was on the high street the most imposing building in the town excepting the two churches

job knocked at the door and was admitted by a colored servant in livery who gave him a chair in the wide hall and asked him to wait there as the long yankee fidgeted uncomfortably on the edge of his seat he heard voices raised in a room opposite the door of which was closed someone apparently growing angry was saying good god man are we to sit idle and let those ruffianly thieves make off with our money children wives

"'One good man o' war could teach the scamp such a lesson as would scare half of him off the seas. Why, if I'd had even a good culverin aboard the Indian queen last night, I'd have chased the beggars clear to Africa, and need were. Governor, you must see this as we see it.' There was a reply in a lower tone, and a moment later the door opened for two gentlemen to come out.

one was thin and pale and seemed a suave cool fellow job thought he was elegantly dressed in gray his companion larger and more strongly built seemed to have become very red in the face from suppressed emotion his linen ruffles were awry and his fists clenched as he emerged without looking at job he jammed his cocked hat upon his head and strode out

the man in gray turned to the waiting seaman and beckoned him into the room just vacated job as cool and self-possessed as if he were loading his six-pounder under fire told the story of his experiences aboard the pirate sloop finishing with an account of the attempted flight with jeremy the recapture and his escape the governor listened gravely starting once when the mariner named captain bonnet at the end he nodded

you shall have the pardon as ruled by the crown he said but there is another side to this affair you say you slept at the red hawk was there no talk there of a boy stolen from the wharves late in the evening job replied that he had gone to bed early and had breakfasted and left without hearing any gossip

from what you say went on the governor i should be ready to swear that the captain thomas who proclaimed himself by that name in a tavern last night and later made off with the son of clark curtis was the same man as your steed bonnet job hastened to relate the incident of the buccaneer's crazed speech from the brig's deck he asked how the kidnapper had been described

the features tallied almost exactly with those of steed bonnet in addition the schooner as half a dozen men would swear had been painted black

thus satisfied that bob curtis was aboard the royal james the governor wrote a formal pardon stating that job howland late a pirate having duly sworn his allegiance to his majesty the king and repented of all unlawful acts committed by him aforetime was henceforward granted full release from the penalty of his crimes and was to be held an honest man during his good behavior

then he took the seaman with him and passed quickly down to one of the larger warehouses by the dockside standing in the doorway were the red-faced gentlemen whom job had seen that morning and a large man in sea-boots easily recognized as a ship's officer to the rather cool greeting of the former the governor returned a cheerful nod as they came up look here now curtis he said

i can't spare those cannon and that's flat but to show that i mean well by you i've brought a man whom you may find of some use tell him your story howland the tale was repeated to the intense interest of its two new hearers by gad cried mr curtis slapping his thigh as the seaman finished that's a clue worth having

we know who the scoundrel is at least and of course he'll be sure to head for carolina bonnet couldn't keep away from that coast for more than six months of his life depended upon it howland if you care to ship again i'll make you gun-pointer aboard the indian queen here you say you want nothing better than to get a crack at the pirate

we'll make what preparations we can and get off at once this young friend of yours about bob's age he must be well i'm glad my boy's got company let's get to work aboard here now job fell to with a good will helping the indian queen's crew get her ready for an encounter with the pirates

she carried only two light serpentine cannon of an ancient make far below the standard necessary to combat a well-armed schooner like the royal james there were no other ships in the harbor carrying guns however and it was over the matter of procuring an armament that curtis had had words with the governor there were six good culverins mounted in the fort below the town

the planter had wished to borrow them to fit out his vessel urging that it was a matter of concern to the whole colony to this the governor replied that with the ports stripped of defences it would be possible for a pirate fleet to enter and plunder without difficulty while curtis ship was careering over the seven seas on a wild-goose chase naturally the personal element of the affair blinded curtis to the truth in this argument

however with the advent of job howland and the news he bore all differences were forgotten the planter and shipowner now needed thorough rather than hurried preparation he sent his overseer on horseback to philadelphia to arrange for the purchase of guns and put all the available carpenters and shipwrights to work on the queen strengthening the improvised gun decks and cutting the rows of ports

the north-east gale that sprang up next day put a temporary stop to these activities and gave job an opportunity to get himself some decent clothes and hobnob awhile with his friend the swede the whole water front was agog with the news of the kidnapping and everywhere the tall new englander went he was surrounded by a knot of questioning seamen

several coasting skippers whose vessels lay ready loaded at the wharves decided to put off sailing until some news should indicate that the bay was clear when the storm had blown itself out the artisans again set to work on the big east indiamen job who had learned the science of gunnery under good masters supervised the placing of every port-hole with reference to ease and safety in firing as well as to the effectiveness of a broadside

he had a section of the deck forward of the capstan reinforced stoutly to bear the weight of a bow-chaser on which to place some dependents in case of a running fight it was about six days later in the first week of august when two men came into newcastle from different directions one on horseback the other on foot

the first of these was curtis's overseer returned from the larger colony up the bay and bringing the good news that a score of cannon were lying on the dock at the foot of market street in philadelphia ready to be shipped aboard the queen as soon as she was put in shape the other was a sour-looking man of middle height lean and darkly sallow dressed in good sea-clothes somewhat worn he slipped through the trees into a lane that led toward the wharves

coming unobtrusively into the red hawk tavern at a little after seven o'clock in the evening he asked for a pint of rum paid for it and began to talk politely to the swede job was eating his supper in one corner he started when the man entered but made no exclamation and shading his face from the light continued to watch him narrowly it was his old shipmate bill curly the jamaican

the pirate finished his rum and giving the barkeep a civil good night passed out into the ill-lighted street when he was gone job rose and stepped to the bar quick nels he whispered what did he ask you he's one of bonnet's crew the swede replied that he had inquired the way to clark curtis's house job was armed with a good pistol he made sure it was primed and then set out up the street keeping a careful lookout

soon he detected the figure of the jamaican in the gloom ahead and followed it keeping out of earshot the man went straight up high street to the town residence of the planter there were tall shrubs in the yard and he waited behind one of these apparently reconnoitering then he stooped took off his shoes and carrying them in one hand advanced and pinned a piece of paper to the door

turning he made his way back to the gate and once on the soft earth of the road started to run in the direction from which he had come this brought him in fifty yards face to face with a pistol muzzle the butt of which was held by his old friend job howland he stopped in his tracks and at the big yankee's command held both arms above his head job jammed the nose of his weapon against curly's breast-bone and searched him without a word

having removed a long dirk and a pistol from the jamaican's waistband he ordered him to face about and walk back to the planter's house when they arrived there job took down the paper from the door and knocked loudly a negro boy scared almost into fits at sight of the drawn pistol led the way into his master's room curtis rose with an ejaculation of surprise and heard job's brief account of the events leading to curly's capture

then he took the paper and read it alternately frowning and exclaiming as he finished he passed it to the new englander it was a letter neatly drawn up and written in steed bonnet's even refined hand aboard sloop royal james now in an inlet near the head of the chesapeake bay to mr clark curtis esq of newcastle in the delaware colony sir

having now aboard us and in safe custody your son robert curtis we offer you the following terms for his release and safe return to you namely to wit first that you shall make no attempt to attack us in an armed vessel or otherwise to employ force upon us second that you shall send a single man carrying or otherwise bringing provided he is alone a sum in gold amounting to five thousand pounds sterling

third that this man shall be on the sandbars at the entrance to the cape fear river in carolina at noon on the tenth day of september in this year of grace seventeen eighteen ready to deliver the sum before mentioned and to take in charge the boy also before mentioned failing the accomplishment of any or all of these terms the boy will be immediately put to death without stay or pity

expecting you to act with discretion and for the welfare of your son ever your humble servant captain thomas ship royal james well remarked job as he finished we know where they'll be on september tenth at all events as for our friend here we can safely turn him over to the constable i reckon here curly march and he ushered the jamaican out as they had entered

the jail was only a few doors down across street and job had soon delivered his prisoner into capable hands then he returned to curtis's house the shipowner was pacing up and down his library where the paper lay half crumpled on the floor he looked up as job entered and his brow was wrinkled deep with lines of worry

gad he exclaimed this is awful must we actually give up trying to punish the dog why he has us at his mercy it seems the money i can raise i believe and it's not the thought of losing it that cuts me it's letting that gallows hound go unscathed and if anything should slip in the plans good god it's too terrible to think of he dropped into an arm-chair his head resting in his hands

job understood something of the father's anguish and refrained from any comment standing by the broad oak mantelpiece he mused over the chances of the boy's escape alive knowing bonnet's eccentricities he would have been the last to urge an armed attack in defiance of the terms in the letter he had not the slightest doubt that the captain half insane as he was would be capable of even more dastardly crimes than the one he now threatened

gradually an idea took form in the ex pirates brain it was a bold one and needed to be executed boldly if at all when the grief-stricken gentleman raised his head job turned and faced him mr curtis he said there's one thing to be done as far as i can see and i believe it's for me to do it i've told you about jeremy swan the boy we took aboard up north along

i think most as much o getting him out o the scrape as you do o savin your lad now here's my scheme i know that coaster on cape fear like i know the black schooner's deck i'll get down there about the first of september and i reckon they'll be there near the same time i'll sneak up as close as i can in a small boat then crawl across the bars till i'm near their morin and swim out after dark so i can look over the lay o things aboard

it's just possible that i can get a word to one of the boys and maybe take him off without being caught you can be lyin too somewhere out of sight and if we get clean away we'll take the queen around and blow bonnet out of water that's the best i can offer but if it works it'll do the job up brown curtis had listened earnestly amazed at the daring of the man's suggestion

he reached out a broad hand and took job's hairy fist in a grip that expressed the depth of his feelings his eyes were blinking and he could not trust his voice but the long yankee knew that the risk he had offered to undertake was appreciated they talked far into the night planning the details of the attempt and discussing measures to be employed should it fail they still had the best part of a month in which to work

it was job's suggestion that they should interest the governments of north and south carolina to help in destroying bonnet's craft the pirates port of departure had been charlestown and he was to be fought in waters adjacent to both the colonies it seemed not unreasonable to hope that there was aid to be obtained there

next day they asked the governor's sanction to this proposal and were so far rewarded that in less than another twenty-four hours a messenger had been despatched to wilmington and charlestown bearing letters under the colony seal chapter fifteen chapter sixteen of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter sixteen

the royal james hurried down the chesapeake for a day and a night before captain bonnet gave orders to free the young prisoners below in the bilboes

jeremy and bob came on deck stiff and weary from their cramped quarters and very far from happy in their minds beskew seemed farther away than ever and though they had laid many plans for an escape by swimming the sight of the great stretch of water off either beam the shore was frequently a dozen miles away quenched their hopes in this direction

the crew seemed quite elated over something and talked and joked incessantly about the prospect of action in the near future bonnet was merrier than jeremy had ever seen him came often on deck and even mixed a little in the conversation of the foremast hands on the night that they cleared the capes he served out double noggins of rum to all the men aboard

there was a good deal of prodigality in the way it was poured out and a fine scene of carousal ensued lasting until after the watch changed at midnight it was the first time either of the boys had heard the smashing chorus of fifteen men sung by the whole forecastle of course the words had often been hummed by one or two of the pirates but it took the hot cheer of the grog to open most of their throats

at the final yo ho ho every canningan crashed on the deal table and the lantern heaved to and fro overhead as if a gale were blowing outside there followed the howling refrain that jeremy had heard on the beach of the island a month before and we'll walk the bloody beggars all below all below and we'll walk the bloody beggars all below

the sentiment seemed too true to be picturesque after what had happened aboard the brig the fierce-faced buccaneers with their red drunken eyes strained forward every man and yelled like demons under the swinging lantern close behind and above were the smoky beams and planking black with dancing shadows yet wild and exciting as it all was jeremy felt sickened there was no illusion no play-acting about it for him

he had seen the awful reality the murder and the madness and he had no admiration left for the jolly buccaneer of story on the following morning and for the two days thereafter the schooner cruised slowly along a level sea under shortened sail a double lookout was kept constantly on duty and as they bore up to the northward jeremy saw that they must be watching for southbound shipping out of the delaware

bonnet was evidently gambling on the chance that bob's friends had given up the idea of pursuit then one hot mid-afternoon the two boys were startled from their places in the shade of the after companion by a quick shout from the man at the masthead they followed the direction of his pointing arm with their eyes and as the schooner heaved slowly on a gentle swell they caught a glimpse of a low broad sail on the port bow

the men were all on deck ready to trim the sails for greater speed but harriet after consulting with the captain ordered the gunners and gun-servers below to prepare ordnance bob and jeremy were under a tremendous strain of excitement the stranger ship might be one of the newcastle fleet which bob firmly believed to be searching the seas to recapture him from bonnet

should it prove to be so their lives were in worse danger than ever for neither of the boys doubted that the erratic captain would kill them at once if the fight went against him however their minds were soon set at rest on this score as the pirate drew up closer and closer the details of the other ship became visible to those on deck she was also schooner-rigged a trifle larger than the royal james but without the latter's height of mast

her low freeboard indicated that she was heavily cargoed no gun ports could be seen along her sides bonnet now ordered an extra jib to be broken out and had the sloop brought around on the port tack so that her course instead of running opposite to the stranger's would obliquely cross it the wind what little there was came from the west

as soon as the other ship perceived this change in direction she veered off her course closer to the wind and almost immediately the boys could see the white flutter of some extra canvas being spread at her bows as this new piece filled out it proved to be a great balloon jib which increased her sail area by nearly half her sail came off the wind again and she went bowing along over the swells to the southward faster than one would have imagined possible

bonnet had figured on crossing her at close range but as she swept onward he realized that he would go by too far astern to hail her if he kept his present direction harriet himself took the tiller as quickly as he could without loss of headway he eased the royal james over till she was running nearly parallel with the fleeing ship his orders came quick and fast while the men trimmed the main at four sheets to the last hair's breadth of perfection

it was to be a race and a hard one for nearly half an hour the sloops ran along almost neck and neck and perhaps half a mile apart the pirates dared not risk pointing closer to the wind in order to get into cannon range they would have lost so much speed that it would have developed into a stern chase useless since they possessed only broadside batteries the best they could do was to hold their position hoping for luck in the wind

bonnet scowled awhile at the british jack that still flew from the james's top then went below and brought up the black pirate flag the buccaneers now all assembled on deck gave it a cheerful howl of greeting as it fluttered up to the main truck now we'll catch em lads roared harriet and they answered him with a second cheer for once however the jolly riders seemed to bring bad fortune instead of good

the wind had hardly swept it easily to leeward once when it fell back against the shrouds hardly stirring the pirate sloop's deck righted slowly and her limp sails drooped from the gaffs a sudden flaw in the breeze had settled about her without interrupting her rival's progress in the least a glum despair came over the crew they lolled for the most part silent or grumbling curses against the rails with here and there one trying to whistle up a wind

the other sloop rapidly drew away to the south bonnet had been talking to harriet with quick gestures and pointings now he walked forward swiftly and the men got to their feet with a jump we'll board the prize yet said the captain short and sharp now look alive every one of you

he ordered one squad of men to the hold for spars another for rope a third for a spare main jib meanwhile he set two men to making a sort of stirrup out of blocks of wood this was fastened to the deck far up in the bows when the spars came up he had one of them rigged with a tackle running to the foremast and set its foot in the wooden contrivance just finished it swung out forward like a great jib-boom

the crew saw what was in the captain's mind and gave a ringing yell of joy a score of willing hands made fast the stays to windward and others spread the spare sail from the upper end of the spar as the last rope was bent a strong draught of air came over the water the canvas shook then filled and as the fresh breeze steadied in her sails the sloop heeled far to port

she moved faster and faster while the white water surged away under her lee this was sailing worth while the returning wind had come in much stronger than before the flaw and was now almost worthy of at least one reef under ordinary conditions

with her extra canvas the james was canted over perilously her lee scuppers were off in a wash and a good deal of water was coming into the port gun-deck but to the delight of all on board including the boys who could hardly be blamed for relishing the excitement bonnet refused to take in an inch of sail instead he ordered every available man to the weather rail

the dead weight of thirty seamen all leaning half-way over the side served to keep the light craft ballasted for the time being bob and jeremy clung to the rail amidships and vied with each other in stretching out over the boiling seas that raced below the fleeing ship which had gained four or five miles during the lull was now in plain view again nearly straight ahead

the handicap of sail area being overcome the black pirate's shallow draft and long lines gave her the advantage every buccaneer in the crew was howling with excitement as the race went on the long main boom of the royal james skipped through the spray and her mainsail was wet to the second line of reef points but harriet held her square in the course and bonnet smiled grimly ahead with a look that meant he would run her under before he would shorten sail

hand over hand they overhauled their rival until once more the tiny figures of men were visible over her rail a little knot of them were gathered aft busy at something bonnet seized his glass and scrutinized them intently then he yelled to harriet to ease the sloop off to port they've got a gun astern there he shouted they'll try our range in a minute

hardly had he spoken when a spout of foam went up from the sea far to starboard followed almost instantly by the dull sound of an explosion by the time the gunners on the ship had loaded their piece again the james had come over to their port quarter and they had to shift the cannon's position the shot went close overhead cutting a corner from the black flag of the pirate bonnet swore beneath his breath then ordered the cannoneers below to their batteries

they went on the run jeremy and bob stayed above watching the operations on the enemy's deck the two sloops were less than three hundred yards apart and the james had drawn nearly a beam when a third shot came from her rival's deck gun this time it crashed into the pirate's hull far up by the bits bonnet was by the fore-hatch sword in hand as was his custom during an action

looking coolly at the splintered bulwark forward then back at the enemy he gave the sharp ready a starboard broadside to the waiting gunners he allowed them time to heave their matches alight then fire rang his clear voice the deck leaped under the boy's feet the long thunderous bellow of the battery jarred out over the sea

even as they looked the enemy's main gaff shot away at the jaws dangled loose from the peak halyards and her broad sail crumpled puffing out awkwardly in the breeze at the same time a wide rent in her side above the water-line gaped black as she topped a wave the gunners cheer as they saw their handiwork rose to a deafening yell taken up by all hands when a moment later the british colours came fluttering down aboard the other ship

harriet ordered the improvised spinnaker and the flying jib taken in then brought the buccaneer sloop around and came up beside the newly captured prize all the pirates were behind the bulwarks with muskets loaded prepared for any treachery that might be intended however as they ranged alongside the hostile crew lined up on their deck sullen but unarmed and the captain a big gray-bearded man held up a piece of white cloth and token of surrender

bonnet hailed him asking his name captain peter mainwaring of the sloop francis philadelphia for charlestown answered the coasting skipper and i am captain thomas in command of the sloop royal james bonnet gave him in return you will set your men to carrying over into my ship all the powder you have aboard as soon as we are fast alongside i shall be pleased to entertain you in the cabin

the sails were run down on both sloops and their hulls were quickly lashed together with ropes harriet superintended the operation of transferring a half-dozen kegs of powder some casks of wine and the best food in the coasters larder to the hold of the black schooner the cargo of the francis was a varied one but not by any means a poor prize

she carried some grain and bags forward a great number of bolts of cloth chiefly woollens and other things of divers sorts including some fine mahogany chairs and tables newly brought from england the wine was merely incidental but proved very acceptable to the ever thirsty buccaneers

that night with the nine men of francis's crew lying in irons on the ballast they drank deep in their victory and once more jeremy and bob fell asleep to the rough half harmony of their bellowings chapter seventeen chapter seventeen of the black buccaneer by stephen w mither this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter seventeen

a stiff easterly breeze whitened the gray seas next morning it was cloudy and seemed to be getting ready for a blow the pirate and her prize had drifted all night bound together and as day broke a tipsy lookout spied land to the westward harriet came on deck hastily at the call and himself went to the rail to heave the lead the soundings showed a bare four fathoms of water

bonnet was summoned and the crew hardly recovered from their orgy staggered about the deck preparing to get under way again seven men under duncan were told off to man the francis a dozen others were needed to plug her shot-holes before she was really seaworthy this task being finally accomplished the ropes were taken off the sails run up and the two sloops close-hauled to starboard set about beating off shore

it was a terrible day for jeremy and bob in the crew there was the regular fighting swearing and vomiting that always followed a night of carousal the fact that they were short-handed made the work harder and the grumbling louder than ever the bow of the royal james was partly shot away above the bits and there was a full day's work for every hand that could be spared rigging canvas over the gap to prevent its taking in water in case of a storm

meanwhile the foxhole was in as filthy a state as could well be imagined harriet thrust his head down the hatch once during the morning and as he caught the sickening stench of the place he called the two boys who had been up forward helping the patching here young uns get below and clean up he ordered sharply and handed each lad a bucket and a deck brush they filled the buckets and went below reluctantly

at first it was impossible for them to stay under hatches for more than five minutes at a time so they took turns in running up for air and a fresh supply of water gradually the flooding they gave the place told in its atmosphere and by noon they had put it into decent shape again hardly had jeremy come on deck weary and sickened with this task when captain bonnet called to him from the companion he made his way aft and entered the cabin

bonnet had just resumed his place at the broad table opposite him and facing jeremy was the big slouched figure of captain mainwaring bring the wine jeremy said the buccaneer quietly and without turning he was looking with steady eyes at his guest jeremy went back along the passage to the wine locker under the companion's stairs and took from it two bottles of madeira

as he was closing the cupboard door bonnet's voice cut the air like a knife the two words he spoke were not loud but pronounced with a terrible distinctness you lie was what he said jeremy shivered and waited listening there was no reply loud enough for him to hear through the closed door of the cabin after a moment he tiptoed back and before turning the knob listened again nothing but silence

he opened the door with a pounding heart and stepped into the room the two men sat motionless in their places bonnet held a cocked pistol in his right hand its point covering the other man's head on the table before mainwaring was a second pistol his face was drawn and grey and a fine sweat stood upon his forehead jeremy shrank against the wall hardly breathing his two bottles clutched idiotically one in each hand

the tenth seconds ticked on by the cabin clock come quick said the pirate with a gesture toward the other pistol mainwaring's hand appeared over the edge of the table and gave a trembling jerk toward the pistol butt then it fell back into his lap he gasped

a drop of sweat ran down his temple into his gray beard again the only sounds were the tick of the cabin clock the wash of the seas outside and the hoarse breathing of the cornered man at length he moved with a sort of shudder whispered the name of his maker and seized the butt of the pistol desperately bonnet had raised his weapon pointing it to the ceiling i shall count three then fire

said he in the same even voice one but before he spoke again his opponent had jerked his muzzle down and fired bonnet must have seen the flash of the intention in his eyes for he threw himself to the left at that instant and the shot went crashing through a panel of the door with a deliberate sureness of fate the pirate took aim at his adversary who whimpered and grovelled behind the table then he shot him

jeremy's knees went limp but he saved himself from falling and managed to set the bottles on the table behind him as he staggered out steed bonnet poured himself a glass of wine and drank it with a steady hand the boy met a crowd of men at the head of the companion but was too shaken to tell them what had happened harriet going below heard the details of the duel from the captain's own lips

under the sailing masters orders the body of the dead man was carried out on deck sewed into a piece of sailcloth and heaved over the rail without more ado jeremy made his way to his bunk and told bob the story between chattering teeth

there was silence on the ship that afternoon bonnet's action had sobered his rough company to the point where they ceased quarrelling and talked in undertones gathering little knots about the slanted deck when not at work the two boys were glad enough to be out of the way jeremy tired and discouraged sat on the bunk's edge his shoulders hunched and his eyes on the floor his young companion who had more cause for hope watched him with sympathetic eyes

he could see that the new england boy was too dejected even to try to plan their escape the usual occupation of their hours together finally he reached over a bit shyly and gave him a friendly pat on the back brace up jeremy he said you're clean tuckered out but a rest and an apple help here cover yourself up and i'll do your work to-night maybe i'll have a scheme thought up to tell you in the morning

jeremy cared little whether he slept or woke for the events of the past days coupled with the disappointment of not being set ashore as he had hoped had brought even his determined courage to a low ebb he was on the verge of a fever and bob's prescription of rest and sleep was what he most needed made snug at the back side of the berth where little or no light came he fell into a fitful slumber

bob took a last look to see that his friend was comfortable and went on deck pharaoh daggs had taken a great deal of liquor the night before as was his wont when grog was being passed the rum he consumed seemed to affect him very little no one ever heard him sing though his cruel face with its awful livid scar would lean forward and sway to and fro with the rhythm of the choruses

he could walk a reeling deck or climb a slack shroud as well to all appearances when he had taken a gallon as most men when they were sober from newfoundland to trinidad he was known among the pirates as a man whose head would stand drink like a sheet-iron bucket this reputation was made possible by the fact that he was no talker at any time and when in liquor clamped his jaws like a sprung trap

whatever effect the alcohol may have had upon his mind was not apparent because no thoughts passed his lips the rum did go to his head however the instinctive effort of will that kept his legs steady and his mouth shut had no root in thought behind the veil of those light eyes the brain of pharaoh dags drunk was like a seething pit one black fuddle of ugliness

to compensate for the apparent lack of effective liquor upon him the inward disturbance usually lasted long after the more tipsy seamen had slept around to clear heads today he lolled with his sneering face toward the weather-beam a figure upon whose privacy no one would care to trespass the sound of the shots and the tail of the duel had neither one awakened in him any apparent interest

through the long afternoon till nearly five o'clock he slouched by the forecastle then with a leisurely stretch he walked to the hatch and peered down it wheeling about he scanned the deck craftily looking at all the men in turn before he descended the ladder in the half light below he paused again and seemed to send his piercing glance into every bunk from the forward to the after bulkhead

finally satisfied that no one else was in the forecastle he went to his own sleeping-place on the port side and kneeling beside the berth hauled a heavy sea-chest from beneath it jeremy's late sleep was broken by a scraping sound close by he opened his eyes without moving and from where he lay could see a man busy at something opposite him as the figure turned and straightened he knew it for the man with the broken nose

the boy was instantly on the alert for he had every reason to distrust dags without making a sound he worked nearer to the edge of the bunk and pulled the cover up to hide all but his eyes the pirate hauled his chest out farther into the middle of the floor where more light fell then he knelt before it and unlocked it with the key which he took from about his neck jeremy almost expected to see a heap of gold coin as the lid was raised

he was disappointed a garment of dark cloth probably a cloak and some dirty linen were all that came to view the buccaneer lifted out a number of articles of seamen's gear and laid them beside him after them came a leather pouch quite heavy jeremy thought

the man raised it carefully and weighed it in his hand it must have been his portion of the spoils taken on the voyage however this was not what he was after it seemed for a moment later it was laid on the floor beside the other things next he removed two pistols and a second pouch of the sort used for powder and shot there was a long interval as he rummaged in the bottom of the box under other contents which jeremy could not see

at last the pirate stood up holding a rolled paper tied with string another long moment he peered about him and listened when he had reassured himself he untied the string and opened the paper a square document perhaps a foot each way it was discolored and worn at the edges apparently quite old what was inscribed on it jeremy could not see stare as he might

daggs examined it a moment then knelt preoccupied and spread it upon the floor with one finger he traced a line along it zigzagging from one side diagonally to the foot his lips moving silently meanwhile then his other hand hovered above the document for a time before he planted his thumb squarely upon a spot near the top jeremy's thoughts kept time with his racing heart

he watched every motion of the buccaneer with a fierce intentness that missed no detail daggs had been quiet for a full two minutes a crafty gloating smile playing over his thin lips now once more he touched a place upon the sheet before him right there shall be he muttered then after slowly rolling up the paper he replaced it and locked the box

the eyes of the boy in the bunk gleamed excitedly for he was sure now of the nature of the document beyond any reasonable doubt it was a chart solomon briggs treasure he whispered to himself as the tall figure of the man with the broken nose clambered upward through the hatch chapter seventeen chapter eighteen of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter

chapter eighteen jeremy realized that his life would be in danger if dag saw him coming on deck after what had just happened he lay still therefore in spite of his desire to tell bob what he had seen the rest of the afternoon his imagination painted pictures of iron-bound chests half buried in the yellow beach sand of some lonely island far down in the tropics

gloomy caves beneath mysteriously waving palm-trees caves whose black depths shot forth a ruddy gleam of gold coin when a chance ray of light came through the shade

of shattered hulks that lay ten fathoms down in the clear green water of some still lagoon where pure white coral beds gave back the sleeping sunshine and fishes of all bright colors he had ever seen or dreamed about swam through the ancient ports to stare goggle-eyed at heaps of glistening gems at last he must have slept for bob's voice in his ear brought him back to the dingy forecastle of the royal james with a start

the lantern was lit and most of the port watch were snoring heavily in their bunks after a hard day's work bob took off his shoes and trousers and climbed into the narrow berth beside his friend who was now wide awake listen bob whispered the new england boy as soon as they were settled do you remember the things daggs has said off and on about old sal brig how there was always a lot of gold that the men before the mass never saw

and how he must have saved it till he was the richest of all the pirates well who would know what became of that money if anybody did daggs of course the only man that's left of briggs's crew i think daggs knows and what's more i believe i saw the very chart that shows where it is he went on to tell all he had seen that afternoon bob was as excited as he when he had finished we must try to get hold of that map or else get a sight of it he exclaimed

jeremy was doubtful of the possibility of this you see he said the key is on a string round his neck the only way would be to break the chest open it's big and heavy and we should raise the whole ship with the racket then besides i don't like to steal the thing even though he is a pirate bob also felt that it would hardly be honest to break into a man's box no matter what his character might be if we should just happen to see the chart though

he finally explained why we have just as much right to hunt for the treasure as he has or anyone else jeremy agreed to this solution of a knotty problem of honour and both boys decided that for the present they had no course in the matter but to wait for some accident to put the paper in their way

however not to let any opportunities slip they resolved to watch pharaoh daggs constantly while he was awake in the hope of getting a second glimpse of the treasured document jeremy had regained both strength and spirits when he tumbled out next morning the pall of uneasiness which had hung over the ship all the day before had lifted and the men sobered once more went about their business as usual

the boys set themselves to the task of watching with much zeal it was not so difficult as might be expected they had always been aware of the presence of the man with the broken nose whenever he was on deck his sinister eye was too unpleasant to meet without a shiver likewise they felt an instinctive relief when he went out of sight for this reason it was no great matter for either lad that happened to be present to note the fact of the pirates going below

whenever he left the deck for anything he was shadowed by bob or jeremy as the case might be for nearly three days the mysterious chest remained untouched of that the boys were sure the threatened storm that had roughened the sea on the day when captain mainwaring met his sudden end seemed to have spent itself in racing clouds and gusts of wind

fair weather followed and for forty-eight hours the james and her prize stood off the coast heading up to the north-eastward with the wind on the port quarter bonnet had remained below haggard and brooding suffering from one of the spells of reaction that commonly followed his misdeeds by night of the second day he cast off his gloom and came on deck the old reckless light in his eye here harriet he called as he appeared

we've got a rich prize in our fist and a richer one coming let's be gay dogs all night give the hans extra grog and i'll see you in the cabin over a square bottle when the watch is changed before the mast the news was hailed with delighted cheering a keg of rum was rolled out of a hold and set on the forecastle table

hardly had darkness settled before half the men aboard were drunk and the kinnikins came back to the spigot in an unending procession there was too much liquor available for the usual choruses to be sung most of the pirates swilled it like pigs and stopped for nothing till they could move no longer but lay helpless where they happened to fall only a bare three men stayed sober enough to sail the ship

jeremy thanked his stars for fair weather when he thought of the case they might have been in had the orgy occurred in a night of storm next day a few of the crew woke at breakfast-time the rest snored out their drunken sleep below daggs came on deck as usual to the outward eye quite his careless ugly self his two young enemies watched him closely for they suspected that the drink he had taken had helped to jeremy's previous discovery

as the hours went by one after another of the buccaneers woke and dragged himself on deck to growl the discomfort out of him by mid-afternoon jeremy going below found all the bunks empty he slipped behind a chest far up in the dark bow angle and waited for a signal from bob the boys had seen the man with the broken nose watching the decks uneasily for hours and suspected that he meant to go below as soon as the forecastle was empty

jeremy must have been in his hiding-place close to half an hour before he heard bob's sharply whistled tune close outside in the gun-deck he ducked lower behind his box and presently heard steps descending the ladder a guarded observation taken from a dark corner close to the floor disclosed the slouching form of dags standing by the table the buccaneer took a long time for his cautious survey of the forecastle

standing perfectly still he turned his body from the hips and gave the place a silent scrutiny before he set to work he proceeded just as he had done before and quickly had the chest open and its contents spread upon the planking he had just unrolled the chart when a shout from the hatch made him leap to his feet sel ho was being passed from mouth to mouth above and already there were men on the ladder

in a fever of haste daggs half pushed half threw the chest under his bunk and shoved the loose clothes and small arms after it the paper he still held in his hand after a second of indecision while he looked over his shoulder at the descending crowd of seamen he thrust it on top of the box and stood erect flushed and swaying the hands were preoccupied and none seemed to notice his act

there was a general scurrying of sailors to get out their cutlasses and pistols and in the confusion jeremy found an easy opportunity to crawl out of a hiding-place and busy himself like the rest going on deck a minute later he found bob and whispered a brief account of what he had seen for the present there was much to be done on deck they ran hither and thither on harriet's commands giving a hand at a rope or fetching something mislaid in the cabin

the james was under all her canvas and in hot pursuit of a large sloop visible some three miles to leeward the fleeing ship was driving straight to sea before the strong west breeze her sails spread on both sides like the broad stubby wings of a white owl bonnet had his jury spar swung to starboard from the foremast foot and bent the big jib to balance his main and foresail

bowing her head deep into every trough as the waves swept by the black sloop ran after her prey at dizzy speed the crew gathered along the wet bows silent intent on the game in hand they were drawing up perceptibly from moment to moment aboard the enemy they could see a small knot of men huddled aft working desperately at the breech of a swivel cannon

bonnet ordered harriet to stand off to starboard for a broadside but as the james swerved outward a flare of fire and a loud report went up from her opponent's after-part for a moment it seemed that her cannon had been discharged at the pirate but as they waited for the splash of the shot a thick smoke grew in a cloud over the enemy's deck the gun or a keg of powder had exploded

as soon as the buccaneers perceived it they bellowed hoarse hurrahs and prepared to board the gunners swarmed up from the port gun-deck at the order and all lined up along the rail howling defiance at the merchantmen jeremy saw that all were on deck and touched bob's arm they made their way quietly below and the new englander went to daggs's berth from beneath it protruded the corner of the piece of paper

both boys knelt eagerly over it as jeremy pulled it into the light it was as they had expected a chart the drawing was crudely done in ink applied it seemed with a stick or possibly with a very badly fashioned quill pen there was very little writing upon it and this of the raggedest sort to their intense disappointment it bore no name to tell where in the seven seas it might be

that the chart was of some coast was certain a deep irregular bay occupied the central part of the sheet two long promontories jutting from east and west nearly closed the seaward or southern end the single word water w a t t e r was written beside a dot high up on the paper and a little northeast of the bay

an anchor roughly drawn near the northern shore and a small cross between two parallel lines a short distance inland completed the information given except for a crossed arrow and letters indicating the cardinal points of the compass it required no great time for the two lads to examine every line and mark they looked up and faced each other disappointed jeremy voiced the thought which both had

how are we going to know where the thing is he asked bob shook his head and looked glum then he seized the paper feverishly and turned it over a soiled yellow back gave no clue not even the latitude and longitude were printed well said jeremy finally one thing we can do and that's remember exactly how it looks he measured the length of the bay with the middle joint of his forefinger

three four and a bit over he counted anchorage in that round cove to the northwest then measuring again and the cross is two finger joints northwest of the anchorage what those lines each side of it are i don't know but i'll remember them and that dot marked water is one and a half northeast of the mitten shaped cove there i guess we've got it all by heart now

he had just finished speaking and both of them were still looking intently at the map when a fresh outburst of cheers and the beginning of a sharp musketry fire were heard above jeremy replaced the paper where he had found it and they hurried up to look out of the hatchway the two ships were now only half a cable's length apart running side by side few shots were being returned by the merchantman and all her crew were keeping out of sight behind the solid rail

all hands to board her bonnet sang out and answering her tiller the royal james swung over till the two sloop sides met with a jar they were fast in an instant and a score of whooping buccaneers swept over the rail from a place of vantage the boys watched the short bloody conflict that followed it seemed that several of the enemy's crew few as they were at the beginning had been killed by the explosion of the gun

only a half-dozen rose to meet the pirate onslaught not one asked for mercy even after harriet had shot down the captain and the tide of sea-rovers rushed at and over the little handful of defenders in an overwhelming flood there was no need of the plank this time every man fell fighting and died sword in hand

to the two young prisoners already sickened with a sight of blood this wholesale murder of a band of gallant seamen came as a revolting climax they stared at each other white-faced as they thought of the fate that threatened them and all honest men who fell into such ruthless hands it was bob's first sight of a hand-to-hand sea battle and as the last merchant sailor went down under the hollowing pack he fainted and tumbled into jeremy's arms

when he came to his senses again the yankee boy had propped him up behind the companion and was rubbing him vigorously i know how you feel he said in answer to bob's stammered apology it's all right and you've no call to be ashamed i came near it myself the delaware lad who had been almost as distressed at being guilty of swooning as at the pillage of the merchant sloop

felt a vast relief when he heard jeremy's words and quickly got upon his feet once more the pirates had cleared the enemy's deck of bodies and blood and now were taking an inventory of the sloop's cargo if the shouts that came from her hold meant anything she was a little larger than the james in length and beam but had carried no armament other than the now damaged stern chaser the white letters at her stern declared her the fortune of newcastle

from what captain bonnet said to his sailing-master as they returned over the rail jeremy gathered that she had been in light cargo and was not as rich a prize as the francis the latter ship had now come up and was standing off and on waiting for orders bonnet had lost two men killed and several hurt in the fight so that the crew of the royal james without the prize crew on board the francis now numbered scarce a dozen able-bodied men

the question of manning the newly captured sloop was finally settled by transferring to her george duncan and his seven seamen bonnet freed the men of the francis who had been in chains and set them to work their own ship under command of harriet and another pirate he undertook to sail the james himself for by this time he was really an able skipper despite the fact that he had taken to the sea so late in life

as the crew of the francis lined up before going aboard the notorious buccaneer faced them with a cold glitter in his eyes for a while he kept them wriggling under his piercing scrutiny then he spoke his voice even and dangerous

you will be under mr harriet's orders i think you are wise enough not to try to mutiny with him but if you should undertake it remember that no sooner does your sloop draw away to over one mile's distance than i will come after you and blow you out of the water without parley there are just enough sails left aboard your ship to keep headway in a light breeze over with you now

as darkness deepened the three sloops set out westward under shortened canvas keeping so close that the steersmen held each other frequently through the night bob and jeremy went to their bunks gloomy and subdued but jeremy's sorrows were lightened by the feeling that some time somewhere he would find a use for the chart the outline of which he had firmly fixed in his memory that afternoon and wondering how he fell asleep

and of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter chapter nineteen the fair weather held and for several days the little fleet cruised west by south then southerly when they had picked up the virginia capes

the pirate crew in spite of their impatience to divide the cumbersome booty they had helped to win kept in a fairly good temper hopes were high and quarrels were quickly put aside with a take it easy boys wait till the sharin's over bob and jeremy got off with a minimum of hard words and might have considered their lot almost agreeable but for one incident

the whippings which were a regular part of boys lives aboard ship in those days had always been administered by george duncan as boatswain it was not only his right but his duty to lay in with a rope's end occasionally he was one of the fairest men in bonnet's company and jeremy had never felt any great injustice in the treatment duncan had accorded him

since his lieutenancy aboard the prize sloop however the boatswain had necessarily ceased to be the executive of punishment and when monday recognized on all the seas as whipping day came around there was a very secret hope in jeremy's heart that the office would be forgotten as for bob he had so far escaped the lash it being understood that he was not an ordinary ship's boy

as the day wore on the yankee lad remained as inconspicuous as possible and began to think that he was safe about mid-afternoon however a gang of buccaneers working at the rent in the bows which still gave trouble shouted for a bucket of drinking water bob had been snoozing in the shade of the sail and when he was roused at last took his own time in carrying out the order

when he appeared finally there was a good deal of swearing in the air daggs reached out and jerked the boy into the center of the group his light eyes agleam under scowling brows see here you little runt he hissed don't think because the captain's saving you to kill later that you're the blooming mate of this ship come here to the capstan now

before bob was aware of what they meant to do the angry sailors had slung him over a capstan bar and tied his hands and feet to a ring in the deck after the clothes had been pulled off his back there was an interval while the pirates quarreled over who should do the whipping daggs demanded the right and finally prevailed by threatening the instant disemboweling of his rivals

bob was trembling and white not from fear but because of the indignity of the punishment the scarred executioner spat on his hands took the heavy rope and squared his feet shiver away you cowardly pup said he grinning at one side of his twisted mouth then with a vicious whirl of his arm he brought the hard hemp down on the boy's naked shoulders once twice three times

the lad lost count at last he nearly lost consciousness under the torturing fire of the blows when the buccaneer ceased for lack of breath his victim hung limp and twitching over the wooden bar long welts that were beginning to drip red crossed and recrossed his back now where's that other whelp panted daggs somebody went below and dragged jeremy to light the boy was brought up to the crowd at the capstan

He took one look at Bob's pitiful set stare and the red drops on the deck, then turned blazing to face the man with the broken nose. "'You great coward!' he cried. The man was staggered for an instant. Then his rage boiled up and the tan skin of his neck turned the color of old mahogany. "'I'll kill the boy!' he whispered hoarsely and drew back his heavy rope for a swing at Jeremy's head.

"Dags!" a voice cut the air from close by his side. "Dags, who made you bosun of this sloop?" The man whirled and nearly fell over, for a steed bonnet was at his elbow. "One more thing of this kind aboard and I'll maroon you," said the captain sharply, and added: "Gray, put this man in irons and see that he gets only bread and water for five days." Then he turned on his heel and went back to the cabin.

so once more jeremy's life was saved by the captain's whim he half carried half supported his chum to their bunk and after rubbing his back with grease begged from the galley nursed him the rest of the day by the following afternoon the delaware lad had recovered his spirits and although he was still too sore and stiff to go on deck had no trouble in eating the food jeremy brought him

the absence of dags made life assume a happier outlook and it was not long before the boy was as right as ever august was nearly past to the boys who knew little of the geography of the coast and nothing of bonnet's plans it was something of a surprise when the man at the tiller of the james which was in the lead swung her head over to landward one morning

low shores with a white line of sand beneath a vivid dark green of trees ran along the western horizon as the sloop ran in the boys expected to see the broad opening of some bay but there was still no visible variation of the coast-line no town was to be seen nor even a single hut when they were close in the trees were live oaks bob said though jeremy had never seen one to know it before

the royal james and her consorts held a slow course along the shore for several hours the strip of sand was gradually widening and in places stretched inland for a mile in dunes and hillocks traversed by little tide-water creeks at last there showed a narrow inlet between two dunes and bonnet who had now taken the helm headed the sloop cautiously for this opening

one of the men constantly heaved the lead and cried the soundings as the ship progressed the pirate chief kept to the left of the channel and finally passed through into a wide lagoon with a scant fathom to spare at the shallowest place the fortune entered without difficulty but the deeply-laden francis grounded midway in and had to wait several hours for the tide to floater

listening to the talk of the crew bob heard them say they had come into the mouth of the cape fear river in carolina from what he knew of the nearby coast he believed that it was a very wild region almost unsettled and that there would be slight chance of getting to safety even if they were able to effect an escape this fear seemed justified later in the day when bonnet said to one of his men that there was no need of shackling the boys as had been done in the chesapeake

turning so that they could hear he added too many indians in these woods for the lads to try to leave the ship jeremy who had seen enough of both pirates and indians to last him a lifetime remarked to his friend that personally he would risk his neck with one as soon as the other but bob had heard terrible stories of the red men's cruelty and did not agree with him we'd best stay aboard and wait for a better chance he argued

all three of the sloops were leaky and needed a thorough overhauling in various ways as soon as the francis was off the bar therefore they proceeded up the estuary for a distance of nearly two miles and secured their vessels in shallow water where they could be careened at low tide

next morning and for many hot days thereafter the pirates and their prisoners toiled hard at the refitting of the ships lumber was not easy to come by in that desolate region and when they had used up all their spare planking bonnet took the royal james out over the bar to hunt for the wherewithal to do his patching after a cruise of a day and a night to the southward they sighted a small fishing shallop which they quickly overtook and captured without a fight

the two men in the shallop jumped overboard and swam ashore when they saw the black flag and bonnet was too much occupied in getting the prize back to the river mouth to give chase it was an unfortunate thing for him that he did not do so but of that presently

the shallop was run into the river mouth and broken up the next day with the fresh supply of lumber thus secured the work of repair went forward undelayed and within a few weeks the sloops were almost ready for sea again chapter twenty of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter twenty

it had been about the beginning of september when the pirate fleet had sighted the live oaks on the bars of the cape fear river to bob and jeremy those first days were uneventful but hardly pleasant through the long still afternoons a pitiless sun blazed into every corner of the deck wide flats and hot-looking white dunes stretched away on either hand only the line of woods half a mile distant offered a suggestion of green coolness

when the sun had set the forecastle held the heat like a baker's oven one long tossing night of it sufficed for the two boys and after that they sought a corner of the deck away from the snoring seamen and lying down on the bare planks contrived to sleep in reasonable comfort the days were spent in hard work for the most part

a good deal of washing and cleaning had to be done aboard all three vessels and as labor requiring no special skill it fell frequently to the lot of jeremy and bob it was small matter to them whether they toiled or were idle for the blistering sun allowed no respite and it seemed preferable to sweat over something useful than over nothing at all

on the third day after the return of the james from her foraging trip jeremy who had been scraping and tarring ropes for hours on end straightened his back with a discontented grunt and looked away to the edge of the woods his eyebrows puckered in a frown he said in a voice too low for any of their shipmates to hear bob i'm going to run away if something doesn't happen soon you'll be shot like as not answered the delaware boy

"'Well, shot let it be,' he replied doggedly. "'If I'm to stay aboard here all my life, I'd rather be shot. It looks like the best chance we've had, right now. Will you come tonight?' Bob thought for a moment. "'I'm not afraid of their catching us,' he finally said. "'It's the Indians after we're into the woods. You say you know the Indians and trust them as long as they are treated right?'

"'That may be true of the ones you've known, but these Tuscaroras are different. They don't talk the same language, and those words you learned would mayhap go for curses down here. I don't think we ought to try it.' Jeremy admitted that his previous acquaintance stood for nothing, but argued from the fact that Barnet had been trying to frighten them that he had probably exaggerated the danger. Finally, not wishing to leave his friend if he could help it, he agreed to abandon the plan for the present."

they worked at the rope tarring till supper-time then rose wearily stretching and went for their salt horse and biscuit when the coarse rations were eaten it was nearly sunset jeremy watched the sluggish water glide by below the canted rail till at last small quivering blurs of light the reflections of stars began to gleam in the ripples a faint breeze sprung up with the coming of night blew across the sweltering lagoon

Bob, tired out, fell asleep. His head pillowed on the deck. The pirates, some below in the bunks, some stretched on the planking, lay like dead men. After the hard labor of the day, even the regular watch slumbered undisturbed. Jeremy's thoughts went drifting off into half-dreams as the soft black water lulled him with its unending whisper. His head nodded. He raised it, striving, he knew not why, to keep awake.

The gentle water sounds crept in again, soothing his drowsy ears.

he was close to sleep so close that another moment would have taken him across the border but in that little time the sharp double cry of a heron flying high over the lagoon cut the night air and startled the boy broad awake as he stared off over the dim whiteness of the bars his senses a stretch for a repetition of that weird call there was a faint splashing in the water close to the sloop

One of the star pools was blotted out in blackness at the instant he turned to look over the rail. The boy's heart seemed to be beating against the roof of his mouth. Thoughts of alligators crossed his mind, for he had heard of them from the pirates who had plied in southern waters. As quietly as he could, he moved the rail and stood staring over, his eyes bulging into the dark and his breath coming short and fast.

for perhaps a minute there was no sight nor sound but the lapping water of the lagoon then he became aware of a whiteness drifting close and heard a familiar voice whispering his name jeremy jeremy it's job said the white blotch it bumped softly along the side and at last the boy could see the homely features of his old friend pale through the gloom

there was a loose rope end dragging over the side and job's hand feeling along the woodwork came in contact with it better not try to come aboard whispered jeremy they're all on deck here can you take us off there was silence for an instant as job felt for a hold in one of the gun ports then he raised himself till his head was level with the deck is the other lad there he asked

"Aye," replied Jeremy, "he's here, but he will have to be wakened. Go to him and take his hand. Begin squeezing, soft like, and press harder till he opens his eyes. Don't startle him," was Job's admonition. The boy did as he was bid. A gentle grip on the Delaware lad's palm brought him to his senses. Jeremy was whispering in a cool, steady undertone. "Bob, that's the lad. Wake up, Bob. Don't say a word.

Shh, easy there. Are you awake? When he was rewarded by a nod of comprehension, he told his comrade of Job's presence and the chance they had to escape. Bob understood in a moment. They returned to the rail and first one, then the other let himself quietly down, holding to the rope. Jeremy slipped into the water last. Luckily, they could both swim, though the sloop was so near the beach that swimming was hardly necessary.

the tall ex-pirate crawled out upon the sand in the lead and they followed him quickly over a dune and across another creek they were now far enough away for their flight to be unheard and joe began to run the boys close behind him they made a good mile to the south before he allowed his panting runaways to stop for breath there in the reeds beside a narrow estuary they came upon a small dinghy pulled up

the seaman ran the boat into the water bundled the boys into the bottom astern and was quickly pulling down-stream along the sharp windings of the creek when they had put three miles of sand and water behind them job rested on his oars to catch his breath his voice came through the hot dark pantingly

lucky you stood up and came to the rail the way you did lad he said i didn't know just how i was to reach you when you came to the side i could see it was a boy and knew things was all right well we'd best be gettin on no tellin how soon they might find you're gone once more the big yankee bowed his back to the task in hand and a silence fell broken only by the faint sound of the muffled oars and the swirl of water along the sides

not even the thrill of the escape could keep the two tired boys awake and it was nearly an hour later that they were roused by voices calling at no great distance a tall black mass on which showed a single moving light rose out of the gloom ahead the hail was repeated oh there job howland boat ahoy what luck all's well replied job and ran in under the ship's counter

A line was let down, and as soon as the skiff was made fast, Bob and Jeremy and their deliverer scrambled up to the open port.

there was shouting and a moving to and fro of lanterns as they were ushered into the cabin and suddenly a tall man half-clad burst through the door at the farther end he had the tattered form of bob curtis in his arms in an instant and great boy though he was the delaware lad hugged his father ecstatically and wept

job and jeremy pleased as they were to see this reunion were hardly comfortable in its presence and made a vain attempt to withdraw gracefully the merchant was after them before they could reach the door here howland he cried holding to bob with one hand and seizing the ex pirates arm with the other don't you try to leave yet gad man this is the happiest hour i've had in years i owe you so much that it can't be put in figures

and this tall lad is jeremy that you've told me of look at the sunburn on the pair of em pretty desperate characters to have aboard i'm afraid his roar of laughter was joined by the other three as he showed the way to a couple of roomy berths built in at the end of the cabin the two boys were left after a final boisterous good-night and proceeded to make themselves snug between the linen sheets

jeremy had never slept in such luxury in his whole life and moved gingerly for fear of hurting something at last their exhilaration subsided enough for the rescued lads to go to sleep once more jeremy's last thought was a half-mournful one as he wondered how long it must be before he too could throw himself against the broad homespun wall of his father's breast chapter twenty

CHAPTER XXI When they woke it was to the regular heave and lurch of a sailing vessel in motion, and Jeremy, looking out to port, beheld the crisp sparkling blue of open sea. There were two suits of everyday clothes upon the cabin bench, and into these the boys climbed, impatient to get out on deck.

the ship was the big merchantman indian queen though bob used as he was to her appearance would hardly have known her in her new guise long lines of black cannon grimly faced the open ports along either side the rail had been built up solidly to a height of about six feet so that the main deck was now a typical gun-deck open overhead

her regular crew of seasoned mariners was augmented by as many more longshoremen all good men picked for their courage and hand-to-hand fighting ability job who acted as second mate and was in full charge of the gun crews took the boys proudly from one big carronade to another explaining each improvement which his experience or ingenuity had devised

his chief pride was the long nine-pounder in the bows she was a swivel gun set on bearings so finely adjusted and well greased that one man could aim her joe patted her shiny brass rump lovingly as he looked across the blue swells ahead he could hardly wait for the hour when he should set a match to her breech clark curtis joined the group a few minutes later and they went together to the main cabin

bob's father mr ghent the captain and job howland settled themselves comfortably over long pipes and glasses of port and prepared to hear the boy's story jeremy bashful in such fine company was persuaded to recount his adventures from the time job had gone over the side till the kidnapped delaware boy had come aboard

then bob took up the tale and told with much spirit of the storm the trip up the chesapeake and the subsequent pursuit of the francis off the capes from this point on the two lads told the story together eagerly interrupting each other to put in some incident forgotten for the moment when they came to the discovery of pharaoh dag's chart job sat up with a jerk

i always thought he knew he exclaimed jeremy lad could you draw me a picture of what twas like the boy readily consented and given a piece of paper proceeded to set down from his memory of the outline and from the general measurements he had taken a very fair copy of the original the ex-balconeer leaned over him as he drew and shook his head doubtfully as the work went on no he said when the boy had finished

i can't recall such a bay just this minute and as there is nothing on it to tell where it might be i don't know as there's anything for us to do like as not it's on some little island as isn't set down so it would be scant use to look over the ship's charts still i'll try it a half-day of poring over the maps produced no result there were bays large and small that resembled the one jeremy had drawn but none closely enough to warrant the belief that it was the same

well remarked job as he put away the charts daggs'll never live to reach his bay he'll swing on charlestown dock and i mistake not but in that saying at least the ex-pirate proved himself no prophet the light wind held and the indian queen made reasonable speed down the coast for nearly two days

then after drifting under short sail all night she made in with the dawn passed the small island which nearly a century and a half later was to be the scene of a great war's beginning crept up against the tide till noon and anchored off the thriving port of charlestown mr curtis and job went ashore in the cutter as soon as all was snug aboard on landing they went directly to the governor's house

governor johnson was at home and gladly welcomed the delaware merchant who was an old acquaintance of his when they had been shown into a large room where the official business of the colony was transacted mr curtis proceeded at once to the point of his visit he learned that the messenger from delaware had arrived and his plea for aid had been duly considered

johnson was troubled at having no better answer for his friend but said that the treasury of the southern colony had not yet recovered from the strain put upon it four years before at the time of the indian massacres he believed that he had no right at this time to spend the public funds in fitting out a fleet unless it was to avenge an injury done some member of the colony

his honest distress at being unable to assist was so obvious that neither the merchant nor his chief gunner felt like urging their claim for help mr curtis told of the rescue of the two boys much to the discomfort of the blushing job and they rose to take their departure feeling no ill-will toward the governor for his inability to help them as they started to go out of the room a loud insistent knock was heard

come in said johnson and immediately the door was opened to admit a short well-built gentleman very much flushed as to the face and whose eyes fairly shot forth sparks he was followed by two other men dressed in rough clothes that seemed to have seen recent hard usage the leader advanced with rapid steps

looky here governor he said those confounded pirates are at us again here's two of my men gently colonel rhett interrupted the governor his eyes twinkling allow me to introduce mr clark curtis of delaware and his friend mr howland i believe your business and theirs will fall very easily into one track pray be seated gentlemen

the colonel shot a keen glance at these new acquaintances and when the four had taken chairs round the table began again more calmly to tell his story a fishing smack one of a half-dozen open boats belonging to him had been cruising along the coast to the eastward the week before and when about forty miles west of cape fear had sighted a large black sloop under great spread of sail bearing down upon her

the two men in the shallop put about and made for shore as fast as they could using oars and canvas alike but when they were still half a mile out they saw that the pursuing ship flew a black pirate flag when a few minutes after a round shot came dangerously close to their stern they leaped over the side without more ado and succeeded in swimming ashore glad to come out of the adventure with whole skins

after a perilous journey of many leagues overland they had just arrived in charlestown and reported the affair to ret their employer so you see said the colonel in conclusion we're in for another siege of the kind we had with blackbeard unless we take some quick action on this johnson sat thoughtful for a moment let me put the matter up to you exactly as it now stands he finally said

there's a little money in the treasury but to buy it and fit out properly three ships would drain us almost as dry as we were in seventeen fifteen would you have me do that the colonel shook his head no he replied you must not then after looking at the floor for a moment he stood up with quick decision see here he said we could get enough volunteers to do this whole business or my name's not william

Mr. Curtis thrust out a big hand. "'My ship, Indian Queen, twenty-one guns, is in the harbor ready for sea. She's at your service.' He smiled. The colonel gripped his hand delightedly. "'Done,' he cried. "'And now let's see what other commanders we can recruit. Will you give me a commission, Governor?' And receiving an affirmative reply, he led the way down to the docks."

colonel rhett was a well-known figure in charlestown he owned a large plantation a few miles inland and conducted a fish warehouse as well among tobacco growers townsmen and sea captains alike he was widely acquainted and respected as much as any man in the colony his courage and skill as a soldier were proverbial for he had been a leader in the suppression of the indian uprising certainly no man in the carolinas was better fitted for the task which he had in hand

for two days he and his friends from the queen fairly lived on the wharves and before sunset of the second he had secured the services of two sloops the henry captain john masters and the sea nymph captain farrer hall neither ship was equipped for fighting but by using cannon from the town defences and borrowing some half-dozen pieces from the heavily armed indian queen a complement of eight guns for each sloop was made up

on september fifteenth the three ships in war trim and carrying in their combined crews nearly two hundred men crossed the charlestown bar just before they sailed news had come in that the notorious pirate charles vane had passed to the south with a prize and ret's first course was laid along the coast in that direction

two or three days of search in the creeks and inlets failed to reveal any sign of the buccaneer however and much to the relief of the impatient mr curtis they put about for cape fear on the eighteenth the progress of the fleet up the coast was slow constant rumors of pirates were received and every hiding-place from the shore was examined as they went along

bob and jeremy wild with suppressed excitement could hardly brook this delay for as they warned the officers of the expedition repeatedly there was every reason to expect that bonnet would leave the river soon if he had not gone already for this reason the indian queen went on in advance of the others and patrolled the waters off the headland for four days until wretch had come up on the evening of the twenty sixth he made his appearance and as there was still light they decided to enter the river mouth

the tide was just past flood brett's flagship the henry nosed in first over the bar and was followed by the sea-nymph the great deep-drafted queen advanced to within a few lengths of the entrance but the sounding showed that even there she had only a fathom or two to spare and would certainly come to grief if she had ventured further as it was even the lighter sloops ran aground fifteen minutes later and were not launched again till nearly dawn

captain ghent had anchored the big ship as close in as he dared and she sat bow on to the channel mouth her two consorts were in plain sight a few hundred yards inside ret came back during the night in a small boat and held a council of war with curtis ghent and job howland he reported that a party of pirates in long-boats had come down river during the evening to reconnoiter but had beat a retreat as soon as they had seen the henry's guns

it was decided about half the crew of the queen should be added to the force of men on the two sloops while the big vessel herself was forced to be content with standing guard off the entrance this was a bitter blow not only to mr curtis but to job and the boys who had looked forward to the battle with zest

bob and jeremy had been ordered to bed about midnight but they rose before light in their excitement and sunrise found them in the bows with job watching the long point of sand behind which they knew the pirates lay preparations had been made aboard the henry and sea nymph for an immediate advance up the river hardly had the first slant beams of sunlight struck upon ret's deck before the crew were lustily pulling at the main halyards and winding in the anchor chain

but even before the two carolina sloops were under way there was an excited chorus of here he comes and above the dune at the bend of the river appeared the head sails of the royal james bonnet had weighed his chances and decided for a running fight the pirate ship cleared the point nearly a mile away and came flying down every inch of canvas drawing in the stiff off-shore breeze

it seemed for a moment as if she might get safely past the carolinians and out to sea with the queen as her only antagonist probably bonnet had counted on the unexpectedness of his manoeuvre to accomplish this result but if so he had left out of his reckoning the character of william that gentleman hesitated not an instant but headed up stream directly toward the enemy

fortunately he had two good skippers in masters and hall for the good colonel himself knew little of sailing thanks to these lieutenants the two attacking sloops were let off the wind at exactly the right time and filled away down the river close together off the pirate's starboard bow bonnet raced up a beam firing broadsides as fast as his men could load and his cannonade was answered in kind from the henry

she and the sea-nymph began to veer over to port forcing the black sloop closer and closer to shore but the buccaneer captain refused to take in an inch of sail his course was all but justified the speedy craft which he commanded gained on her foes hand over hand till when only a few hundred yards from the narrow mouth of the estuary she led them both by her own length

from the deck of the queen jeremy and bob could pick out the big form of harriet at the tiller just as the royal james passed into the lead they saw him swing mightily on the long steering beam while at the same instant the main sheet was hauled in it was prettily done

the pirate went hard over to starboard kicking up a wave of spray as she slewed she sprang away from under the bows of the henry with only inches to spare for the bowsprit of ret sloop tore the edge of her mainsail in passing the fierce cheer that rose from the deck of the black buccaneer was drowned in a jarring crash she had eluded her foe only to run ten seconds later upon a submerged sandbar

it was now the carolinians turn to cheer though it soon appeared that they might better have saved their breath for other purposes the henry unable to check her speed ran straight ahead and hardly a minute after her enemy's mishap was hard aground twenty yards away

both sloops lay careened to starboard so that the whole deck of the henry offered a fair target for bonnet's musketry while the royal james port side was thrown up a stout defence against the small-armed fire of rett's men owing to the slant of their decks it was impossible to train the cannon of either ship

the sea-nymph meanwhile in an effort to cut off the course of the pirate had put over straight for the channel mouth and before she could come about her bows also were fast in the sand and she lay stern toward the other two but out of musket shot unable to take a hand in the hot fight that followed had either the henry's crew or the buccaneers been able to send a proper broadside from their position it seems that they must surely have blown their foe out of the water

though we need of course to make allowance for the comparative feebleness of their ordnance in contrast to that of the present day the stranding of the three vessels had occupied so short a time that the little group of witnesses high up in the bow of the indian queen had not yet exchanged a word

clinging to the rail open-mouthed they had seen the pirate make her bold dash across the bows of her pursuers only to strike the bar in her instant of triumph then following with the quickness of events in a dream the grounding first of the henry afterwards of the nymph

nor was there an appreciable pause in the spectacle for the pirates who had been shooting steadily during their race down river wasted no time in trying to get off the bar but raked their nearby adversary's deck with a withering fire ret's crew tumbled into the scuppers where they were under the partial cover of the bulwark but many were killed even before they could reach this shelter and living and dead rolled down together as in a ghastly comedy

CHAPTER XXII The Boys, intent upon this awful scene, turned as a shout from Job Howland swelled above the uproar. The big gunner was at the breach of his swivel-gun, ramrod in hand.

the little group scattered to one side or the other leaving an open space at the bow-rail at the same moment joe put in his powder a heavy charge ramming it home quickly but with all care on top of the wadding went the round shot which was in its turn hammered down under the powerful strokes of the ramrod maneuvering the well-balanced breech with both hands the tall yankee trained his cannon upon the pirate's sloop

allowed for distance raising the muzzle an inch or more nosed the wind and glanced at the foremast pennons then swung his piece a fraction of an inch to the windward at last with a shout of where fire he sprang back and laid his match to the touch-hole there was a spurt of flame as the long nine roared above the staccato bark of the musketry

then they saw a section of the pirate's upper rail leap clear of her deck and fall overside too high said job shortly though ghent and curtis had cheered at the shot for the distance was a good half mile job worked feverishly at his reloading helped by others of the queen's gun crews again the charge was a stout one but this time the gunner laid his muzzle point-blank at the top of the rail allowing only for wind once more he fired

just short of the royal james went up a little tower of spray job said not a word but set his great angular jaws and went about his work with all the speed he had look said jeremy to bob in a sudden burst of understanding the tide's rising

see how it runs in past our bows in another five minutes one of those boats will be afloat watch how the james rocks up and down already if she gets off first it'll go hard with ret for bonnet'll let off a broadside as soon as his guns are level that's why job's trying so hard to put a hole in her almost as he spoke the report of the third shot rolled out the buccaneer sloop jumped sharply like a spurred horse

in her side just at the water line a black streak had suddenly appeared the waves of the incoming tide no longer swayed her buoyantly for she wallowed on the bar like a log the effect of the shot though it could be seen from the sea-nymph where it was greeted with cheers was still unknown aboard the henry in the wash of water as the tide rolled in ret's sloop stood almost on an even keel

the remnant of his crew appeared to have taken part for a brisk fire now answered that of the buccaneers suddenly a triumphant shouting began aboard the stranded flagship soon answered in increased volume from her two consorts the henry was moving slowly off the bar on the black sloop there was a silence as of death

steed bonnet late gentleman of the island of barbadoes honorably discharged as major from the army of his majesty since turned sea rover for no apparent cause and now one of the most notorious plunderers of the coast faced his last fight outnumbered nearly ten to one his ship a stranded hulk his cannon useless surely he read his doom

his men read it and turned sullenly to haul down the tattered rag of black that still hung from the masthead but a last blaze of the old mad courage flared up in the captain as he faced them dishevelled and bloody from behind cocked pistols above the tumult of the fusillade his voice usually so clear rose hoarse with anger

"'I'll scatter the deck with the brains of any man who will not fight to the end!' he cried. For a second the issue was in doubt. In another instant the iron spell he held over his men must have won them back. Harriet was already running to his side. But before he reached his chief a louder cheer from the attacking sloops made him turn. The black roger fluttered downward to the deck."

one of the captive sailors from the francis fearing to be taken for a pirate if it came to deck-fighting had crept up behind the mast and cut the flag-halyards the men's hearts fell with the falling ensign and they stood irresolute while the henry went up alongside there was now water enough for her to come close aboard and when she stood at a boat's length distant colonel rhett appeared at the rail

he pointed to the muzzles of four loaded cannon aboard his sloop and told bonnet that he would proceed to blow him into the air if he did not surrender in one minute's time there was little parley the pirate captain's flare of resistance had burned out and pale and strangely shaken he handed over his sword and submitted to the disarming of his men

it was now well along in the morning the prisoners whom rhett had taken were rowed out in small boats across the bar and put aboard the indian queen one by one they were hauled over the side and placed below in chains job jeremy and bob stood at a little distance and counted those who had been captured now and then they were greeted by an ugly look and a curse as some old shipmate recognized them

last of all major bonnet passed haggard and unkempt his head bowed in shame thirty-five in all finished job guess our old and handsome friend pharaoh dags must have got his gruel in that fight well if ever man deserved to die a violent death it's him i'd like to make sure though want to go over to the james with me

both boys welcomed the opportunity and as the long boat was just then starting back they were soon aboard the battered pirate so recently their home three or four dead men lay on the canted deck for no effort had been made as yet to clean the ship bob and jeremy had no stomach for looking at the corpses of their erstwhile companions and turned rather to explore the cabin and forecastle leaving job to hunt for the body of their old enemy

in the long bunk room some water had entered with the rising tide and they found the lower side a miniature lake in the semi-darkness seamen's chests floated past like houses in a flood one of the big boxes was open half its contents trailing after it something familiar about the brass-bound cover and the blue cloth that hung over the side made jeremy start

"Dags's chest!" he exclaimed, and reached forward, pulling it up on the dry planking. The two boys delved into the damp rubbish it held. There were a few clothes, a rusty pistol, an Able Seaman's certificate crumpled and torn almost beyond recognition. The sack of money and the chart were gone. After searching in dark corners of the foxhole and fishing in the pool of leakage without discovering what they sought, the boys returned to the box.

odd said jeremy at length every other chest is locked fast why should he have opened his this seemed unanswerable they returned to the deck to find job peering into the green water overside the body's not here said the big seaman unless he fell over the rail or was thrown over i'm looking to see if it's down there

the sand shone clean and white through the shallow water on every side no trace of the buccaneer was to be seen jeremy told of finding the open chest h'm mused job looks like he'd got away though he may be dead i'd like to know for sure still he added his face clearing chances are we'll never see nor hear of him again

and putting the man with a broken nose out of their thoughts they rejoined their friends on the big merchantman just before nightfall the carolina sloops which had made an expedition up the river returned with bonnet's two prizes in tow they had been abandoned in the effort to escape and ret had launched them without difficulty a great sound of hammering filled the air above the desert lagoon for two days

the old revenge now so re christened since she had fallen into honest hands had to be floated for there was still service in her shattered black hull a hundred men toiled on and around her and in a remarkably short time a jury patch was made in her gaping side and her hold pumped dry then crews were picked to man the three captured sloops and the flotilla was ready to return triumphant

on the morning when they stood out to sea the twelve men of rett's party who had been killed in action were buried with military honors saluted by the cannon of the fleet a voyage of three days unmarred by any accident brought the victoria squadron into charlestown harbor joy knew no bounds among the merchants and seamen along the docks indeed the rejoicings spread through the town to the tune of church bells and the whole colony was soon made aware of rett's victory

when the buccaneers had been taken ashore under a heavy guard and locked up in the public watch-house mr curtis and bob with job and jeremy went ashore to stretch their legs it was a fine fall day warm as midsummer to jeremy's way of thinking the docks were fascinatingly full of merchandise

great hogsheads of molasses and rum from jamaica set ashore from newly arrived ships shouldered for room with baled cotton and boxes of tobacco ready to be loaded there is a smell of spices and hot tar where the sun beat down on the white decks and tall spars of the shipping negroes hitherto almost unknown to the yankee boy handled bales and barrels on the wharves their gleaming black bodies naked to the waist

planters from the fertile country behind the town rode in with their attendant black boys and gathered at the coffee-houses on king charles street it was to one of these the scarlet fish that the bluff delaware man took his proteges for dinner the place was resplendent with polished deal and shining pewter curtains of brightly colored stuff hung at the high square windows and on the side where the sun entered pots of flowers stood in the broad window-shelves

there were gay groups of men at the tables and talk of the pirates was going everywhere over the madeira and chocolate it seemed the news of job's gunnery had been spread by ret's men for some of the diners recognized and pointed to him a pretty barmaid with dimples in her elbows curtsied low as she set down his cup oh yes captain howland she answered as he gave his order blushed a deep pink and ran to the kitchen

whereupon job quite overcome vowed that the ladies of carolina were the fairest in the world and mr curtis roared heartily saying that captain howland it should be and that before many months if he knew a good sea-dog as they sat and sipped their coffee after a meal that reflected glory upon the cook of the scarlet fish colonel rhett came in and made his way to their table through a hurly-burly of back slappings and bravos

as soon as he was able to sit down in peace he drew mr curtis a little aside to talk in private the two boys were content to watch the changing scene and listen to the hearty bonnage of the fashionable young blades about the tables it was you must remember jeremy's first experience of luxury unless the good clean quarters and wholesome meals aboard the queen could be so called

he had never read any book except the bible had never seen more than a half-dozen pictures in his life from these and from the conversation of backwoodsmen and more recently of pirates he had been forced to form all his conceptions of the world outside of his own experience

It is a tribute to his clean traditions and sturdy self-reliance that he sat unabashed, pleased with the color, the gaiety, the richness, but able still to distinguish the fine things from the sham, the honest things from those which only appeared honest, to feel a thrill of pride in his father's hard, rough-hewn life and his own.

colonel rhett's conference with mr curtis being over the score was paid and the party took their triumphal way to the door job turning his sunburned face once or twice to glance regretfully after the dimpled barmaid that afternoon they were taken to the governor's house where job and each of the boys told the story of their experiences in bonnet's company these stories were sworn to as affidavits and kept for use in the coming trial of the pirate crew

it was a special dispensation of the governor's which allowed them to give their evidence in this form instead of waiting in charlestown for the court to sit and needless to say they were heartily glad of it the formalities over governor johnson led the party into the adjoining room he motioned them to sit down and faced them with a smile

now my lads he said the spoil taken on the royal james has been divided and though as you may guess it had to go a long way there's a share left for each of you jeremy and bob stared at each other and at their friends the benign smiles of mr curtis colonel rhett and joe showed that they had known beforehand of this surprise the governor was holding out a small leather sack in each hand

here catch he laughed and the two astonished lads automatically did as they were bid in each purse there was something over twenty guineas in gold before they had found words to thank the governor he laughed again merrily never mind a speech of acceptance said he connor red here has something else for you

yes replied the colonel you see there is a deal of junk in the captain's cabin that comes to me as admiral of the expedition i'd be much pleased if you two lads would each pick out anything that pleases you as a personal gift from myself and steve bought it as he spoke he took the cloth cover from a table which stood at one side

on it the boy saw a shining array of small arms some glass and silver decanters and a pile of books the colonel motioned bob forward hurry all lad take your choice he said bob stepped to the table and glanced over the weapons eagerly he finally selected a silver-mounted pistol with the great pirate's name engraved on the butt and went with pride to show it to his father

it was jeremy's turn he had no hesitation from the moment he had heard the offer his shining eyes had been fastened upon one object and now he went straight to the table and picked up the biggest and thickest of the heap of books a great leather-bound volume bunyan's pilgrim's progress

it is not the least inexplicable fact in the career of the terrible steed bonnet that he was a constant reader of such books as this and the paradise lust of milton bunyan's great allegory had come at last into a place where it could do more good than in the cabin bookshelf of a ten-gun buccaneer jeremy poor lad uneducated save for the rude lessons of his father and the training of the open had longed for books ever since he could remember

he had affected a gruff scorn when bob had spoken from his well-schooled knowledge but inwardly it had been his sole ground for jealousy of the delaware boy that ponderous leather book was read many times and thoroughly in after years and it became the foundation of such a library as was not often met with in the colonies job gave the lad an understanding smile and a pat on the back for jeremy had told him of his passion for an education

the four grown men drank each other's health and separated with many hearty hand-clasps an hour later the queen's anchor was up and she was moving out to sea upon the tide cheered vigorously from the docks and saluted by every vessel she passed the warm september dusk settled over the ocean a soft land breeze rustled in the shrouds and the great sails filled with a gentle flapping

Slowly the tall ship bowed herself to the northeast and settled away on her course contentedly, while the water ran with a smooth murmur beneath her forefoot. Jeremy, lying wide-eyed in his bunk, where a single star shone through the open port, thought it the sweetest sound he had ever heard. He was homeward bound at last. End of chapter 22 Chapter 23 of The Black Buccaneer by Stephen W. Meador

XXIII. There were brave days aboard the Queen as she voyaged up the coast.

days of sun and light winds when the boys sat lazily in the blue shadow of the sails looking off through half-closed eyes toward the faint line of shore that appeared and disappeared to leeward or listened to job's long tales of adventure up and down the high seas or fished with hand-lines over the taffrail happy if they pulled up even a goggle-eyed flounder

twice they ran into fog and on those days when the wet dripped dismally off the shrouds and the watch on deck sang mournful airs in the gray gloom the two lads settled into big chairs in the cabin beneath a mighty brass oil lamp and while bob sat bemused over captain dampier's voyages jeremy fought apollyon with that good-night christian in pilgrim's progress

but best of all were the days of howling fair weather when sky and sea were deep blue and the wind boomed over out of the west and the scattered flecks of white cloud raced with the flying spray below

then all hands would stand by to slack a sheet here or reef a sail there and ghent who was a bold sailor would take the kicking tiller with job's help and keep the big ship on her course the last possible foot of canvas straining at the yard-arms

high along the weather rail with the wind screaming in their ears or down in the lee scuppers where the white-shot green passed close below with a roar and a rush the boys would cling yelling aloud their exultation it was more than the risk more than the dizzy movement that made them happy with every hour of that strong wind they were ten knots farther north

so they sailed and one morning when the mist cleared mr curtis led both boys to the port rail to show them where the green head of cape henlopen stood a beam there was moisture in the corners of his eyes as he pointed to it thank god bob my lad you're here to see the delaware again he said huskily

up the blue bay they cruised in the fine october weather and came in due time a very long time it seemed to some aboard to the roadstead opposite newcastle port there was a boat over almost before the anchor was dropped and a picked crew rowed the curtises job and jeremy ashore as fast as they dared without breaking oars

they drew up across the swirling tide-water to the foot of a long pier it was black with people who cheered continually and somewhere above the town a cannon was fired in salute but all bob saw was a slender figure in white at the pier edge and all he heard was a woman's happy crying a message to his mother telling of his safety had been sent from charlestown three weeks before and there she was to welcome him

there was a ladder further in along the pier but before they reached it someone had thrown a rope and bob swarmed up hand over hand jeremy stricken with a sudden shyness watched the happy tearful scene that followed from the boat below women had had small part in his own life

since his mother's death he had known a few in the frontier settlements and they had been good to him in a friendly way but this ecstatic mother-love was new and it made him feel awkward and lonely

it seemed that all delaware colony must be at the water front every soul in the little town and men from miles around had turned out to welcome the returning vessel for the news of bondett's defeat had been brought in days before by a carolina coaster there was bunting over doorways and cheering in the streets as the governor's coach with the party of honor drove up the main thoroughfare to the curtis house

when they were within and the laughing crowds had dispersed bob's mother came to jeremy put her hands on his shoulders and looked long into his face she was a frail slip of a woman dark like her son with a sensitive mouth and big black eyes full of courage jeremy flushed a slow scarlet under her gaze but his eyes never flinched as he returned it

a fine boy she said at length and my own boy's good friend then she smiled tenderly and kissed him on the forehead jeremy was then and there won over all women were angels of light to him from that moment that night alone in the white wilderness of his first four-poster the poor new england boy missed his mother very hard more perhaps than he had ever missed her before

he fell asleep on a pillow that was wet in spots and he was not ashamed in the days that followed nothing in delaware colony was too good for the young heroes jeremy could never understand just why they were heroes but was forced to give up trying to explain the matter to an admiring populace as for bob he gleefully accepted all the glory that was offered and at last persuaded jeremy to take the affair as philosophically as himself

they were in a fair way to be spoiled but fortunately there was enough sense of humor between them to bring them off safe from the head-patting gentlemen and tearfully rapturous ladies who gathered at the brick house of afternoons perhaps the thing that really saved them from the effects of too much petting was the trip up the brandywine to the curtis plantation it was a fine ride of thirty miles and the trail led through woods just turning red and yellow with the autumn frosts

jeremy though he had been on a horse only half a dozen times in his life was a natural athlete and without fear he was quick to learn and imitated bob's erect carriage and easy seat so well that long before they had reached their journey's end he backed his tall roan like an old-timer with job it was a different matter

he was all sailor and though the times demanded that every man who traveled cross-country must do it in the saddle the lank new englander would have ridden a gale any day in preference to a steed even jeremy could afford to laugh at the sorry figure his big friend made the trail they followed was no more than a rough cutting eight or ten feet wide running through the forest here and there paths branched off to right or left

and up one of these bob turned at noon it led them over a wooded hill then down a long slope into the valley of his stream john cantwell's plantation we'll stop here for a bite to eat explained the boy by the waterside in a wide clearing was a group of log huts and farther along a square house built of rough gray stone they rode up to the wide door which looked down upon the river

in answer to bob's hail a colored boy in a red jacket ran out to take the horses heads and four black and white fox terriers tore around the corner barking a chorus of welcome bob jumped down with a laughing ha there rufus to the horse-boy and proceeded to roll the excited little dogs on their backs as jeremy and job dismounted a big man in sober gray came to the doorway

his strong kindly face broke into a smile as he caught sight of his visitors well bob i'm mightily glad to see thee back lad we got news from the town only yesterday he strode down the steps and took the boy's hand in a hearty grip then greeted the others as bob introduced them jeremy marvelled much at the cut of the man's coat which was without a collar and at his continual use of the plain thee and thy

but there was a direct simplicity about all his ways and a gentleness in his eyes that won the boy to him instantly one moment only he wondered at john cantwell in the next he had forgotten everything about him and stood open-mouthed gazing at the square doorway in the sunlit frame of it had appeared a little girl of twelve she was dressed demurely in grey set off with a bit of white kerchief

her long skirt hid her toes and her hands were folded most properly but above the sober stalk bloomed the fairest face that jeremy had ever seen she had merry hazel eyes a straight little nose and a firm little chin her plain bonnet had fallen back from her head and the brown curls that strayed recklessly about her cheeks seemed to catch all the sunbeams in delaware

for a very little time she stood and then the pursed red mouth could be controlled no longer she opened it in a whoop of joy and catching up her skirts ran to smother bob in a great hug next moment jeremy still in a daze was bowing over her hand as he had learned to do at newcastle she dropped him a little curtsey and turned to meet job

betty cantwell and her father were quakers from the penn colony to the north bob had time to tell jeremy as they entered that accounted for the staid simplicity of their dress and their quaint form of speech the plain language as it was called jeremy had heard of the quakers though in new england they were much persecuted for their beliefs by the puritans here apparently people not only allowed them to live but liked and honored them as well

he prayed fervently that betty might never chance to visit boston town yet already he half hoped that she would of course he would have grown bigger by then and would carry a sword and how he would prick the thin legs of the first grim deacon who dared so much as to speak to her these imaginings were put to rout at the dining-room door by the delicious savour of roast turkey

one of the black farm-hands had shot the great bird the day before and the three travellers had arrived just at the fortunate moment when it was to be carved it was a dinner never to be forgotten the twenty miles they had ridden through the crisp air would have given them an appetite even had they not been normally good trenchermen and there were fine white potatoes and yams that accompanied the turkey not to mention some jelly which betty admitted having made herself with cook's help

bob joyfully attacked his heaped-up plate and ate with relish every minute that he was not talking jeremy could say not a word for opposite him was betty and in her presence he felt very large and awkward his hands troubled him indeed had it been a possibility he would have eaten his turkey without raising them above the table edge as it was he felt himself blush every time a vast red fist came in evidence

yet he succeeded in making a good meal and would not have been elsewhere for all solomon briggs gold perhaps job who was neither talkative nor under the spell of a lady's eyes wielded the best knife and fork of the three dinner over and bob's story finished they were taken to see the stable in the broad tilled fields by the river bank where corinth stood shocked among the stubble

afternoon came and soon it was time for them to start they were laughing farewells and a promise that they would stop on the return trip and before jeremy could come back to earth the gloom of the forest shut in above their heads once more they put the horses to a canter as soon as the ridge was cleared for there were still ten miles to go and the light was waning

jeremy was very much at home in the woods but the chill sombre depths that appeared and reappeared on either hand seemed to warn him to be prepared he reached to the saddle-bow undid the flap of the pistol holster and made sure that his weapon was loaded then put it back reassured the footing was bad and they had to go more slowly for a while

then bob in the lead came to a more open space where light and ground alike favored better speed he spurred his horse to a gallop and had turned to call to the others when suddenly the animal he rode gave a snort of fear and stopped with braced forefeet bob caught off his guard went over the horse's head with a lurch and fell sprawling on the ground in front

then he gave a scream for not two feet away he saw the short cruel head of a coiled rattlesnake jeremy riding close behind pulled up beside the other horse and drew himself off even as he touched the ground a sharp whirr met his ear and he saw the fat still body and vibrating tail of the snake he wrenched the pistol from the holster took the quickest aim of his life and pulled the trigger

after the shot apparently nothing had changed the whir of the rattle went on for a second or two then gradually subsided bob lay white-faced and still as death jeremy drew a step closer and then gave a choked cry of relief the snake's smooth diamond-marked body remained coiled for the spring its lithe fore part was thrust forward from the top coil in a venomous blunt head but the head was no more

jeremy's ball had taken it short off bob was unhurt but badly shaken and frightened and they followed the trail slowly through the dusk then just as the shadows that obscured their way were turning to the deep dark of night a small light became visible straight ahead

they pushed on and soon were luxuriously stretched before a log fire in the curtis plantation house while mrs robbins the overseer's wife poured them a cup of hot tea when bedtime came bob came over to jeremy and gave him a long grip of the hand but said never a word there is no need of words for the new england boy knew that his chum would never be quite happy till he could repay his act in kind

yet he could not tell bob that the shooting of a snake was but a small return for the gift of a vision of one of heaven's angels each felt himself the other's debtor as they got into the great feather bed side by side chapter twenty three chapter twenty four of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter twenty four

two boys turned loose on a present-day farm can find enough interesting things to do to fill a book much larger than this for me to go into the details of that week's visit to avondale would preclude any possible chance of your hearing the end of this story and there are still many things that need telling but though no great or grave adventure befell the two boys while they stayed at the plantation you may imagine the days they spent together

back of the farm buildings lay the fields all up and down the river bank for miles and back of the fields crowding close to the edge of the plowed ground the big trees of an age-old forest rose the great wild woods ran straight back from the plantation for five hundred miles broken only by rivers and the steep slopes of the alleghanies as yet hardly heard of by white men

giant oaks ashes and tulip trees mingled with the pine and hemlock growth the hillsides where the sun shone through were thick with rhododendron and laurel and all through this sylvan paradise the upper branches and the underbrush teemed with wild life squirrels partridges and occasional turkeys offered frequent marks for the long muzzle-loading rifles while the thousand little song-birds flitted constantly through the leaves

jeremy had never seen such hunting in his colder northern country the game was bigger and more dangerous in new england but never had he found it so plentiful as the boys were both good marksmen a great rivalry sprang up between them they scorned any but the hardest shots the bright eye of a squirrel above a hickory limb fifty yards off or the downy form of a wood-pigeon preening in a tree-top

though a good deal of powder and lead was spent in the process they were shooting like old leather-stocking hunters by the end of the week the last two days had to be spent indoors for a heavy autumn rain that came one night held over persistently and drenched the valley with a sullen steady pour little muddy rivulets swept down across the fields and joined the already swollen current of the brandywine

on the morning when they started back the river was running high and fast and yellow along the low banks but a bright sun shone and a fresh breeze out of the west promised fair weather the horses were left at the plantation they took their guns and a day's provisions and carried a long narrow-beamed canoe down to the shore

it was a dug-out quite unlike the graceful birch affairs that jeremy had seen among the penobscots but serviceable and seaworthy enough job happy to be on the water once more took the stern paddle bob knelt in the bow and jeremy squatted amidships with the blankets and guns with a cry of farewell to the kindly folk on the bank they shoved out and shot away down the swift river

it was exciting work the stream had overflowed its banks for many yards and the brown water swirled in eddies among the trees to keep the canoe in the main channel required judgment and good steering job proved equal to the occasion and though with her paddling the swiftness of the current gave the craft a speed of over ten miles an hour he brought her down without mishap into a wide-spreading cove

they rested drifting slowly across the slack water this can't be far from cantwell's bob was saying when jeremy gave a startled exclamation and pointed toward the shore some fifty yards away a little girl in a gray frock stood on the bank her arms full of goldenrod and asters she had not seen the canoe for she was looking behind her up the bank

At that instant there was a crashing in the brush and a big buck deer stepped out upon the shore, tossing his gleaming antlers to which a few shreds of summer velvet still clung. He was not twenty feet from the girl, who faced him, perfectly still, the flowers dropping one by one from her apron. It was the rutting season and the buck was in a fighting mood, but he was puzzled by this small motionless antagonist.

he hesitated a bare second before launching his wicked charge then as he bellowed his defiance there came a loud report the buck's haunches wavered then straightened with a jerk as he made a great leap up the bank and fell dead from jeremy's long-barrelled gun a wisp of smoke floated away

betty cantwell sat down very suddenly and seemed about to cry but as the canoe shot up to the shore she was smiling once more they took her aboard and started down stream again a few hundred yards brought them to the edge of the cantwell clearing where bob held the negroes working in the field and gave them orders for bringing down the dead buck at the landing john cantwell was waiting in some anxiety for the sound of jeremy's shot had reached him at the house

bob told the story somewhat to jeremy's embarrassment for nothing was spared in the telling the quaker thanked him with great earnestness and reproved his daughter gently for straying beyond the plantation after another of those famous dinners job and the boys returned to their craft for there were many miles to make before night as jeremy took up the bow paddle he waved to betty on the bank and thrilled with happiness at the shy smile she gave him

once again they were in the current shooting down stream toward tidewater it was mid-afternoon when they crossed the brandywine bar and paddled past the docks of wilmington outside in the delaware there was a choppy sea that made their progress slower and the sun had set when the slim little craft ran in for the beach above newcastle the voyagers shouldered their packs and made their way up the high street to the brick house

when the greetings were over and the boys were changing their clothes before coming down for supper clark curtis entered their room lads he said i'd advise you to go early to bed to-night you'll need a long rest for in the morning you start overland for new york

at bob's exclamation of surprise he went on to explain that the indian queen had weighed anchor two days before for that port and as there was no other ship leaving the delawares soon he wished the boys to board her at new york for the voyage to new england both youngsters were overjoyed at the prospect of an early start

bob who had been promised that he could accompany his chum was hilarious over the news while jeremy was too happy to speak later as they were packing their belongings for the trip job howland came in he too looked excited jeremy boy he said i'd have liked to go north with you but something else has come my way mr curtis bought a new schooner the tiger last week and she's being fitted out now for a coast trader

He offered me the chance to command her. Three cheers, shouted Bob. Then Newcastle will be your home port, and I'll see you after every voyage. The three comrades chatted of the prospects a while, and shortly went to bed.

chapter twenty five the boys and their luggage were on their way to wilmington in the family shaves before dawn and it was scarce seven o'clock when they bade farewell to the old colored serving-man and clambered aboard the four-horse coach that connected in philadelphia with the mail coach for new york the coaches of that day were cumbersome affairs huge of wheel and with ridiculously small bodies slung on wide strips of bull's hide which served for springs

the driver's box was high above the forward running gear there were as yet no seats on top such as were developed in the later days of fast stage-coach service in one of these rumbling swaying conveyances the boys rode the thirty miles to philadelphia crossing the schuylkill at gray's ferry about noon they had barely time for a bite of lunch in the white horse tavern before the horn was blown outside and they hurried to take their places in the northbound coach

along the cobbled streets of the bustling red-brick town they rumbled for a few moments then out upon the smooth dirt surface of the york road where the four good horses were put to a gallop the delaware opposite trenton was reached by six o'clock and there the half-dozen passengers left the coach and were carried across on a little ferry-boat rowed by an old man and his two sons

they spent the night at an inn and next morning early boarded another coach bound northeast over the sparsely settled hills of new jersey the road was narrow and bad in places slackening their speed twice the horses were changed in little hamlets along the way in the late afternoon they crossed the marshy flats beyond newark and just after dusk emerged on the jersey side of the hudson a few lights glimmered from the low manhattan shore

the quaint dutch-english village which was destined to grow in two hundred years to be the greatest city in the world lay quiet in the gathering dark the ferry was just pulling out from shore but at the sound of the coach horn it swung back into its slip and waited for the passengers to board a gruff hollander by the name of peter howter was the ferryman

he stood at the clumsy steering beam while four stout rowers manned the oars of his wide flat-bottomed craft approaching the steersman bob asked where in the town he would be likely to find the captain of a merchantman then taking cargo in the port the dutchman named two taverns at which visiting seafaring men could commonly be found one was the three whales and the other the bull and fish

landing on the manhattan shore the boys shouldered their luggage and trudged by ill-lighted lanes across the island to the east river as they advanced along the dockside jeremy distinguished among the low-roofed houses a small inn before which a great sign swung in the wind by the light which flickered through the windows they could make out three dark monsters painted upon the board a white tree apparently growing from the head of each

the three whales laughed jeremy and every one a-blowing let's go in it was an ill-smelling and dingy room that they entered a score of men in rough sailor clothes lounged at the tables or lolled at the bar two pierced tin lanterns shed a faint smoky light over the scene

bob waited by their baggage at the door while jeremy made his way from one group to another inquiring for captain ghent of the indian queen several of the mariners nodded at mention of the ship but none could give him word of the skipper's whereabouts as he was turning to go out he noticed a man drinking alone at a table in the darkest corner his eyes were fixed moodily on his glass and he did not look up

jeremy shivered took a step nearer and almost cried out for he had caught a glimpse of a livid diagonal scar cutting across the nose from eyebrow to chin it was such a scar as could belong to only one man on earth jeremy retreated to a darker part of the room and watched till the man lifted his head it was pharaoh daggs and none other a moment later the boy had hurried to bob outside and told him his news

if we can find ghent said bob he will be able to summon soldiers and have him placed under arrest they hastened along the river front for a hundred yards or more and came to the bull and fish a man in a blue cloth coat was standing by the door looking up and down the street he gave a hail of greeting as they came up it was captain ghent i was just going down to the three whales thinking you might have stopped there he said

Bob told him their news, and the skipper's face grew grave. "'Better leave the bags here for the present,' he suggested, and then, after a moment's quiet talk with the landlord, he led the way toward the other tavern. On the way he stopped a red-jacketed soldier who was patrolling the dock. After a word or two had been exchanged, the soldier fell in beside him, and just as they reached the inn door, two more hurried up.

come in with me jeremy and point out the man said captain ghent the lad's heart beat like a trip-hammer as he entered the tavern once more a silence fell on the room where the three soldiers were observed jeremy crossed toward the dark corner the table was empty he looked quickly about at the faces of the drinkers but daggs was not there he's gone he said in a disappointed voice

the innkeeper came forward wiping his hands on his apron that fellow with the scar he said he went out of here some five minutes ago which way asked ghent but no one in the room could say they passed out again and ghent smiled reassuringly at the boys well he said like as not he'll never cross our path again so it's only one rogue the more unhung

jeremy failed to find much comfort in this philosophy but said no more and soon found himself snugly on board the big merchantman where his bunk and bob's were already made up and awaiting them it was good to hear the creak of timbers and feel the rocking of the tide once more jeremy lay long awake that night thinking of many things at last he was on the final lap of his journey

the indian queen's cargo would be stowed within a day or two and she would start with him toward home he thought with a quiver of happiness of the reunion with his father had he quite given up hope for his boy jeremy had heard of such a shock of joy being fatal he must be careful he thought of the evil face of the broken-nosed buccaneer what was daggs doing in new york

just then there was a faint sound as of creaking cordage from beyond the side jeremy's bunk was near the open port and by leaning over a little he could see the river barely a boat's length away in the dark a tall-masted schoonerigged craft was slipping past on the outgoing tide with not so much as a harbour light showing chapter twenty five chapter twenty six of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter

chapter twenty six it was on the second morning after the boys had reached new york that the indian queen went down the harbor her canvas drawing merrily in the spanking breeze of dawn the intervening day had been spent at the dockside where wide-breached dutch longshoremen were stoutly hustling bales and boxes of merchandise into the hold

jeremy had watched the passers along the river front narrowly though he could not help having a feeling that pharaoh daggs was gone the fancy would not leave his mind that there was some connection between the vanished pirate and the dark vessel he had seen stealing out on the night tide

a strong southwest wind followed them all day as the queen ran past the low long island shore and that night though captain ghent gave orders to shorten sail the ship still plunged ahead with unchecked speed they cleared the nantucket shoals next day and saw all through the afternoon the sun glint on the lonely white dunes of cape cod

two more bright days of breeze succeeded and they were working up outside the fringe of islands large and small that dot the coast of maine jeremy was too excited even to eat he stayed constantly by the man at the helm and was often joined there by bob and the captain as they drew nearer to the penobscot bay coast in the morning they dropped anchor in fifteen fathoms to leeward of a good-sized fur-clad island

jeremy had a dim recollection of having seen it from the round-topped peak above his father's shack his heart beat high at the thought that to-morrow might bring them to the place they sought and it was many hours before he went to sleep at last the morning came cloudless and bright with a little south breeze stirring

before the sun was fairly clear of the sea the anchor had been catted and the queen was moving gracefully northeastward under snowy topsails they cleared a wide channel between two islands and jeremy forward with the lookout gave a mighty shout that brought his chum to his side on the run there to the east across a dozen miles of silver shimmering sea loomed a gray peak round and smooth as an inverted ball

it's the island cried jeremy and captain ghent turning to the mate gave a joyful order to get more sail on the ship about the middle of the forenoon the queen came into the wind and her anchor went down with a roar and a splash not three cables lengths from the spot in the northern bay where jeremy and his father had first landed their flock of sheep

on the gray slope above the shore the boys could see the low black cabin silent and apparently tenantless behind it was the stout stockade of the sheep pen also deserted and above the thin grass and gray grim ledges climbed toward the wooded crest of the hill jeremy's face fell they must have gone he said

but bob standing by the rail as they waited for the jolly-boat to be lowered pointed excitedly toward the rocky westward shoulder of the island look there he cried three or four white dots were moving slowly along the face of the hill sheep said jeremy taking heart they'd not have left the sheep unless but the boat was ready below the side and the captain and the two boys tumbled quickly in

five minutes later the four stout rowers sent the bow far up the sand with a final heave on the oars they jumped out and hastened up the hill there was still no sign of life about the cabin but as they drew near a sudden sharp racket startled them and around the corner of the sheep-pen tore a big collie dog barking excitedly

he hesitated a bare instant then jumped straight at jeremy with a whine of frantic welcome jock lad cried the boy joyfully burying his face in the sable ruff of the dog's neck in response to his voice the door of the cabin was thrown open and a tall youth of nineteen stepped out hesitating as he saw the group below jeremy shook off the collie and ran forward

don't you know me tom he laughed i'm your brother back from the pirates the amazed look on the other's face slowly gave place to one of half-incredulous joy as he gripped the youngster's shoulders and looked long into his eyes know ye he said at length with a break in his voice certain i know ye that you've grown half a foot it seems but wait we must tell father he's in bed hurt

tom turned to the door again here father he called breathlessly here's jeremy home safe and sound he seized his brother's hand and led him into the cabin in the half-darkness at the back of the room the lad saw a rough bed and above the homespun blankets amos swan's bearded face he sprang toward him and flung himself down by the bunk his head against his father's breast

he felt strong well-remembered fingers that trembled a little as they gripped his arm there was no word said chapter twenty seven of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter twenty seven it was a savory smell of cooking hominy in the sizzle of broiling fish that woke jeremy next morning

he drew a breath of pure ecstasy rolled over and began pummelling the inert form of bob who had shared his blanket on an improvised bed in the cabin the delaware boy opened an eye closed it again with carefully assumed drowsiness and the next instant leaped like a joyful wild-cat on his tormentor there was a beautiful tussle that was only broken off by tom's announcement of breakfast

opposite the stone fireplace was a table of hewn planks at which bob with jeremy tom and their father were soon seated the latter had bruised his knee several days before but was now sufficiently recovered to walk about with the aid of a stick

father said jeremy between mouthfuls i want to see that cove again where the pirates landed if we may take the fowling-piece bob and i'll go across the island after we've bade good-bye to captain i lad amos swann replied you'll find the cove just as they left it and i mistake not the place where their fire was is still black upon the beach and the rum barrels are lying up among the driftwood

twas there we found them on the second day ah jeremy lad little we thought then we'd see you back safe and strong and that so soon the white frost of the november morning was still gleaming on the grass when the two boys went out against the cloudless sky the spires of the dark fir-trees were cut in clean silhouette

from the indian queen lying off shore came the creak of blocks and sheaves as the yards were trimmed and soon her anchor cadded home she filled gracefully away to the northward while the captain waved a cheery farewell from the poop he was bound up the coast for halifax and was to pick bob up on his return voyage a month later

when they had watched the ship's white sails disappear behind the eastern headland the boys started up the hill behind the cabin they carried a lunch of bread and dried fish in a leather pouch and across jeremy's shoulder was one of his father's guns bob was armed with a silver-mounted pistol from steed bonnet's arsenal

it was a glorious morning for a trip of exploration and the hearts of both lads were high as they clambered out on the warm bare rock that crowned the island isn't it just as fine as i told you jeremy cried look those blue mountains yonder must be twenty leagues away and you can hardly count the islands in this great bay off there to the south is where i saw the revenge for the first time just a speck on the sea she was

bob who had never seen the view from a really high hill before stood open-mouthed as he looked about him suddenly he grasped jeremy's arm see he exclaimed down there isn't that smoke he was pointing toward the low swampy region in the southwestern part of the island jeremy watched intently but there was nothing to disturb the morning calm of sky and shore

that's queer bob said at last with a puzzled look i could take an oath i saw just the faintest wisp of smoke over there but i must have been mistaken well laughed jeremy we'll soon make shore for that's not far from where we're going they scrambled down and following the ridge turned south toward the lower bay at about the point where jeremy had been discovered by dave harriet and the pirate captain

dodging through the tangle of undergrowth and driftwood they soon emerged on the loose sand above the beach as amos swan had said the rains had not yet washed away the black embers of the great bonfire and near by lay a barrel with staves caved in looking at the scene jeremy almost fancied he could hear again the wild chorus of that drunken crew most of whom had now gone to their last accounting

what say we walk down the shore a way suggested bob there might be a duck or two in that reedy cove below here and jeremy glad to quit the place led off briskly westward along the sand soon they came to the entrance of a narrow winding tide creek that ran back till it was hidden from sight in the tall reeds

just as they reached the place a large flock of sand-peeps flew over with soft whistling and lighting on the beach scurried along in a dense company offering an easy target bob who was carrying the gun brought it quickly to his shoulder and was about to fire when jeremy stopped him with a low

bob turned following the direction of jeremy's outstretched arm and for a second both boys stood as if petrified gazing up the tide creek toward the interior of the island about a quarter of a mile away above the reeds which grew in rank profusion to a man's height or higher they saw a pair of slender masts canted far over a ship whispered bob deserted though most likely

no jeremy answered i don't think so her cordage would have slacked off more and she wouldn't look so trim bob wasn't it near here you saw that smoke gemini said bob so it was right over in the marsh close to those spars it's some vessel that's put in here to careen wonder where her crew can be that's what looks so queer to me the other boy replied

they're keeping out of sight mighty careful men from any honest ship would have been all over the island the first day ashore i don't like the look of it let's get back and tell father maybe we can find out who it is afterwards

Bob argued at first for an immediate reconnaissance, but when Jeremy pointed out the fact that if the strangers were undesirable they would surely have a guard hidden in the reeds up the creek, he accepted the more discreet plan. They made their way quietly, but with as much haste as possible, back along the shore, past the remnant of the fire, and up the hill into the thick woods.

just as they crossed the ridge and began to see the glint of the northern inlet through the trees jeremy paused with a sudden exclamation here's the spring he said and look at the sign above it i never saw that before for it was dark when i was up here i almost fell in

the spring itself was nearly invisible to one coming from this direction but stuck in the fork of a tree beside it was a weathered old piece of ship's planking on which had been rudely cut the single word water w a t t e r some captain who used to fill his cat's gear must have put it up so that the spring would be easier to find bob suggested

but jeremy striding ahead was thinking hard and did not answer amos swan heard their news with a grave face no ship but the queen had touched at the island for several months to his knowledge he said he agreed with the boys that the secrecy of the thing looked suspicious when tom came in for the noon meal his father told him of the discovery and they both decided to bring the sheep in at once and make preparations for possible trouble

tom armed and accompanied by the boys set out soon after dinner for the western end of the island two miles from the shack it was there that the flock was accustomed to graze shepherded by the wise dog jock their way led along the rocky northern slope where the sheep had already worn well-defined paths among the scrubby grass and juniper patches then up across a steep knoll and through a belt of fir and hemlock

when at length they came out from among the trees the pasture lay before them there in a hollow a hundred yards away the flock was huddled jock became aware of their approach at that instant and lifted his head in a short choking bark he started toward them but before he had taken a dozen steps they could see that he was limping painfully

running forward jeremy knelt beside the big collie then turned with a movement of sudden dismay and called to his comrades he had seen the broad splotch of vivid red staining the dog's white breast examination showed a deep clean cut in the fur of the neck from which the blood still flowed sluggishly

but in spite of his weakness and the pain he evidently suffered jock could hardly wait to lead his masters back to the flock hurrying on with him they crossed a little rise of ground and came upon the sheep which were crowded close to one another panting in abject terror twenty-six twenty-eight yes twenty-eight and that's all tom said there are two of them missing

jock had limped on some twenty yards further and now stood beside a juniper bush shivering with eagerness following him thither the boys found him sniffing at a blood-soaked patch of grass the ground for several feet around was cut up as if in some sort of struggle the few shreds of bloody wool caught in the junipers told their own story

a man probably several men had been on the spot not two hours before and had killed two of the sheep they had not succeeded in this without a fight in which the gallant old dog had been stabbed with a seaman's dirk or some other sharp weapon bob scouting onward a short distance found the deep boot tracks of two men in a wet place between some rocks

they were headed southeastward straight toward the reedy swamp where the boys had seen the topmasts of the strange vessel the crew whoever they might be had decided to leave no further doubt of their intentions they had opened hostilities and to them had fallen first blood with serious faces and guns held ready for an attack the three lads turned toward home driving the scared flock before them

old jock stiff and limping from his wound brought up the rear they reached the inlet at last but it was sunset when the last sheep was inside the stockade and the cabin door was barred that night the wind changed and the cold gray blanket of a penobscot bay fog shut down over the island chapter twenty seven chapter twenty eight of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter

the fog held for two days on the third morning jeremy on his knees by the hearth-fire was squinting down the bright barrel of a flintlock he had been quiet for a long time

Bob felt the tenseness of the situation himself, but he could not understand the other's absolute silence. He scowled as he sat on the floor and savagely drove a long-bladed hunting knife into the cracks between the hewn planks. At length, a low whistle from Jeremy caused him to pause and look up quickly. "'What is it?' he asked. A look of excitement was growing in Jeremy's face."

"'Say, Bob,' he exclaimed after a second or two, "'I've just remembered something that I've been trying to bring to mind ever since we crossed the island. You know the sign we saw up by the spring? Well, somewhere, once before, I knew I'd seen the word water spelled that way. So have you. Do you remember?' Bob shook his head slowly. Then a look of comprehending wonder came into his eyes. "'Yes!' he cried.'

it was on that old chart in pharaoh dag's chest right said jeremy and now that i think about it i believe this is the very island let's see the bay was shaped this way he had seized a charred stick from the hearth and was drawing on the floor

two narrow points with quite a stretch of water inside a rounded cove up here and a mitten-shaped cove over there and the anchor was drawn wait a minute right here why bob look here that's the same rounded cove with the beach where the sloop anchored that night they got me bob could hardly contain himself i remember he said

and the dot with the word water was one and a half finger joints northeast of the bay let's see the bay itself was about four joints long wasn't it or a little over anyhow that would put the spring about here allowing for our not being able to remember exactly the shape of the bay jeremy put in that's just where the spring should be

Bob, this is the island. And now that cross mark between the two straight lines, two finger joints northwest of the Anchorage Cove it was. That's just about here. He marked the spot on the floor with his stick. Now we've got it all down. And if that cross mark shows where the treasure is... Jeremy paused and looked at Bob, his eyes shining.

where would that be up on the hill somewhere asked bob breathlessly about three-quarters of a mile south of the spring right on the ridge jeremy answered when shall we start bob asked his voice husky with excitement wait a bit counselled jeremy we daren't tell father or tom for they'd think it just a wild-goose chase and we'd have to promise not to leave the cabin

you know it is an improbable sort of yarn besides we'd better go careful do you know who i think is at the head of that crew over in the creek who whispered bob jeremy's face was pale as he leaned close pharaoh daggs he said the name beneath his breath almost as if he feared that the man with the broken nose might hear him

and now for the first time he told bob of the schooner that had slipped past in the dark that night in the east river you're right jeremy bob agreed he'd lose no time getting up here if he could find a craft to carry him you don't suppose they've found briggs's treasure yet do you he added in dismay

they can't have reached here more than a day before us jeremy replied and if they haven't it already aboard they won't be able to do anything while this fog holds if it should lift to-morrow we'll have a chance to scout around up there but don't say a word to father that night the boys slept little for both were in a fever of expectation

they were disappointed in the morning to see the solid wall of fog still surrounding the cabin but jeremy sniffing the air like the true woodsman that he was announced that there would be a change of weather before night and set about rubbing the barrel of the flintlock till it gleamed the day dragged slowly by

at last about three in the afternoon a slight wind from the northeast sprang up and the wreaths of vapor began to drift away seaward luckily for the boy's plans both tom and his father were inside the sheep stockade when bob took the pistols powder and shot down from the wall and with jeremy went quietly forth

before the mist had wholly cleared they were well into the woods climbing toward the summit of the ridge each kept a careful watch about for they feared the possibility that a guard might have been set to observe movements at the cabin they reached the top without incident however and turned westward along the watershed

they were increasingly careful now for if the pirates were dependent on the spring for their water some of them might pass close by at any moment bob who was almost as expert a hunter as jeremy followed noiselessly in the track of the new england boy moving like a shadow from tree to tree so they progressed for fifteen minutes or more

then jeremy paused and beckoned to bob whispering that they should separate a short distance so as to cover a wider territory in their search they went on bob on the north slope jeremy on the south moving cautiously and examining every rock and tree for some blaze that might indicate the whereabouts of the treasure more minutes passed the sun was already low and jeremy began to think about turning toward home

just then he came to the brink of a narrow chasm in the ledge hardly more than a cleft it was three or four feet wide at its widest part and extending deep down between the walls of rock he was about to jump over and proceed when his eye caught a momentary gleam in the obscurity at the bottom of the crevice he peered downward for a second then stood erect waving to bob with both arms

The other boy caught his signal and came rapidly through the trees to the spot, hurrying faster as he saw the excitement in Jeremy's face. "'What? What have you found?' he gasped under his breath. Jeremy was already wriggling his way down between the smooth rock walls, bracing himself with back and knees. Within a few seconds he had reached the bottom, some ten feet below."

it was a sloping uneven floor of earth lighted dimly from above and from the south where the lead shelved off down the hillside the dirt was black and damp undisturbed for years save by the feeble pushing of some pale seedling plant jeremy groped aimlessly at first then as his eyes became accustomed to the half-light peered closely into the crevices along either side bob leaned over the edge pointing

back and to the left he whispered jeremy turned as directed felt along the earth and finally clutched at something that seemed to glitter with a yellow light he turned his face upward and bob read utter disappointment in his eyes the gleaming something which he held aloft was nothing but a bit of discoloured mica that had reflected the faint light bob almost groaned aloud as he looked at it

then he took off his belt and passed an end of it down for jeremy to climb up by the latter took hold half-heartedly and was commencing the ascent when his moccasined foot slipped on a low arching hump in the damp earth he went down on one knee and as it struck the ground there was a faint hollow thud astonished the boy remained in a kneeling posture and felt about beneath him with his hands what is it whispered bob

Jeremy stood erect again. "'Some kind of old slippery wet wood,' he answered. "'It feels like—like a barrel. I'm coming down,' said the Delaware boy, and casting a cautious look around, he descended into the depths of the crevice. With their hands and hunting-knives both boys went to work feverishly to unearth the wooden object."

a few moments of breathless labor laid bare the side and part of one end of a heavily built oaken keg now maybe we can lift it out said jeremy and taking a strong grip of the edge they heaved mightily together it stirred a bare fraction of an inch in its bed again panted jeremy and they made another desperate try it was of no avail the keg seemed to weigh hundreds of pounds

mopping his forehead with his sleeve bob stood up and looked his companion in the face well he grinned the heavier the better right jeremy agreed but how'll we get it home we don't dare chop it open too much noise or set fire to it for they'd see the smoke besides it's too damp to burn here i'll see what's in it yet

He crouched at the end of the barrel, whetted his hunting knife on his palm a few times, and began to cut swiftly at a crack between two staves. Gradually the blade worked into the wood, opening a long narrow slot as Jeremy whittled away first at one side then at the other. From time to time either he or Bob would stoop, trembling with excitement to peer through the crack, but it was pitch dark inside the barrel.

jeremy kept at his task without rest and as his knife had more play the shavings he cut from the sides of the opening grew thicker and thicker first he then bob would try every few seconds to thrust a fist through the widening hole at length bob's hand which was a trifle smaller than jeremy's squeezed through

there was a breathless instant while he groped within the keg and then with a struggle he pulled his hand forth in his fingers he clutched a broad yellow disk they gasped the word together bob's face was awestruck it's full of em full of pieces like this he whispered right up to within four inches of the top they bent over the huge gold coin

the queer characters of the inscription cut in deep relief were strange to both boys jeremy had seen spanish doubloons and the great double moidores of portugal but never such a piece as this it was nearly two inches across and thick and heavy in proportion one after another bob drew out dozens of the shining coins and they filled their pockets with them till they felt weighted down

At length Jeremy, looking up, was startled to see that the sun had set and darkness was rapidly setting over the island. They threw dirt over the barrel, then with all possible speed clambered forth, and taking up their guns, made their way home as quietly as they had come.

read by warren bergman chapter twenty nine no lad the risk is too great ye'd be in worse plight than before if they caught ye and with a score of the ruffians searching the island over ye'd run too long a chance better be satisfied with what's here and stay where we can at least defend ourselves

amos swan was speaking on the deal table before him a heap of great gold pieces gleamed in the firelight while seated around the board were his two sons and bob it was tom who answered true enough father he said and yet this gold is ours we own the island by the governor's grant if we sit idle the pirates will surely find the treasure and make off with it but if we go up there at night as jeremy suggests

the risk we run will be smaller and every time we make the trip we'll add a thousand guineas to that pile there think of it father the elder man frowned thoughtfully well he said at length if you go with him tom and you go carefully at night we'll chance it once at least not to-night though it's late now and you all need sleep i'll take the first watch

at about ten o'clock of the evening following jeremy bob and tom stole out and up the hill in the darkness they were well armed but carried no lantern the boys being confident of their ability to find the cleft in the ledge without a light a half-hour's walking brought them near the spot and jeremy who had almost an indian's memory for the lay of the ground soon led the way to the edge of the chasm dim starlight shone through the gap in the trees above the ledge

but there was only darkness below in the pit one by one they felt their way down and at last all three stood on the damp earth at the bottom here's the barrel just as we left it they haven't been here yet jeremy whispered working as quickly and as quietly as he could bob reached into the opening in the keg and pulled out the gold piece by piece

while the others taking the coins from his fingers filled their pockets and the leather pouches they had brought it was breathlessly exciting work for all three were aware of the danger that they ran when finally they crawled forth laden like sumpter mules the perspiration was thick on jeremy's forehead

knowing the character of pharaoh dag so well he realized better probably than either of his companions what fate they might expect if they were discovered so far apparently the pirates had not thought of setting a night guard on the ridge if they continued to neglect this precaution and failed to find the treasure themselves three more trips would his calculations were interrupted by the sudden snapping of a twig he stopped instantly on the alert

behind him tom and bob had also paused neither of them had caused the sound it had seemed to come from the thick bush downhill to the right for an endlessly long half-minute the three held their breath listening then once more something crackled farther away this time and in a more southwesterly direction man or animal whatever it was that made the sounds was moving rapidly away from them

jeremy hunched the straps of his heavy pouch higher up on his shoulder and led on again faster than before and hurrying forward in indian file they reached the cabin without further adventure all through the next day they stood watch at the shack ready for the attack which they expected to develop sooner or later but still it appeared that the pirates preferred to keep out of sight

the boys had told amos swan of the noises they had heard the previous night and he had listened with a grave countenance it could hardly have been other than one of the pirates he thought for he was quite certain that except for a few rabbits there were no wild animals upon the island still he said if you are moving quietly there's small reason to believe the man knew you were near

if he did know and made such a noise as that he must have been a mighty poor woodsman the boys anxious that nothing should prevent another trip to the treasure keg accepted this logic without demur the following night amos swan decided to go with the boys himself leaving tom on guard of the cabin as before they armed themselves with guns pistols and hunting knives and ascended the hillside in the inky dark

there were no stars in sight and a faint breeze that came and went among the trees foreboded rain this prospect of impending bad weather made itself felt in the spirits of the three treasure-hunters jeremy accustomed as he was to the woods drew a breath of apprehension and looked scowlingly aloft as he heard the dismal wind in the hemlock tops ugh he shook himself nervously and plunged forward along the hill crest

a few moments later they were gathered about the barrel at the bottom of the cleft it was even darker than they had found it on their previous visit jeremy and his father had to grope in the pitchy blackness for the coins that bob held out to them their pockets were about half full when there came a whispered exclamation from the delaware boy there's some sort of box in here buried in the gold he said it's too big to pull out through the hole where's your dirk jeremy

the latter knelt astride the keg and working in the dark began to enlarge the opening with the blade of his hunting-knife after a few minutes he thrust his hand in and felt the box it was apparently of wood covered with leather and studded over with scores of nails its top was only seven or eight inches wide by less than a foot long however and in thickness it seemed scarcely a hand's breadth

big cold drops of rain were beginning to fall as jeremy resumed his cutting he made the opening longer as well as wider and at last was able by hard tugging to get the box through he thrust it into his pouch and they recommenced the filling of their pockets with gold pieces before a dozen coins had been removed a sudden red glare on the walls of the chasm caused the three to leap to their feet

at the same instant the rain increased to a downpour and they looked up to see a pine-knot torch in the opening above them splutter and go out the wet darkness came down blacker than before but in that second of illumination they had seen framed in the torch-lit cleft a pair of gleaming light eyes and a cruelly snarling mouth set in a face made horrible by the livid scar that ran from chin to eyebrow across its broken nose

jeremy clutched at bob and his father this way he gasped through the hissing rain and plunged along the black chasm toward the southern end where it debouched upon the hillside they clambered over some boulders and emerged in the undergrowth a score of yards from the point where the barrel had been found come on whispered jeremy hoarsely and started eastward along the slope

Burdened as they were, they ran through the woods at desperate speed. The noise of their going drowned by the descending flood. In the haste of flight, it was impossible to keep together. When Jeremy had put close to half a mile between himself and the chasm, he paused, panting, and listened for the others. But apparently they were not near. He decided to cut across the ridge and started up the hill when he heard a crash in the brush just above him.

father he called under his breath to his dismay he was answered by a startled oath and the next moment he saw a tall figure coming at him swinging a cutlass the pirate was a bear ten feet away jeremy aimed his pistol and pulled the trigger but only a dull click responded the priming was wet

at that instant the cutlass passed his head with an ugly sound and jeremy desperate flung his pistol straight at the pirate's face as it left his hand he heard it strike then as the man went down with a groan he doubled in his tracks like a hare and ran back heading up across the hill it was not till he was over the ridge and well down the slope toward home that he dropped to a walk

his breath was coming in gasps that hurt him like a knife between his ribs and his legs were so weak he could hardly depend on them he had run nearly two miles uphill and down in heavy clothes drenched with rain and carrying a dozen pounds of gold besides the flintlock fowling-piece which he still clutched in his left hand somewhere behind him he had dropped the box found amid the treasure but he was far too tired to look for it

more dead than alive he crawled at last up to the door of the cabin and staggered in when tom opened to his knock while he gasped out his story the older brother looked more closely to the barring of the window shutters and put fresh powder in the priming pans of the guns ten minutes after jeremy his father appeared wet to the skin and with a grim look around his bearded jaws

he too was spent with running but he would have gone out again at once when he heard that bob was still missing if the boys had not dissuaded him jeremy was sure that if bob had escaped he would soon reach the cabin for he had the lay of the island well in mind now and so while tom kept watch they lay down with their clothes on before the fire chapter twenty nine

chapter thirty of the black buccaneer chapter thirty the gray november morning dawned damp and cold in the sheer exhaustion that followed on their adventure of the night before jeremy and his father slept heavily till close to nine o'clock when tom awakened them

His face was haggard with watching, and he looked so worried that they had no need to ask him if Bob had come in. It was a gloomy party that sat down to the morning meal. The youngest could eat nothing for thinking of his chum's fate. While his father still spoke hopefully of the possibility that the boy might have found a hiding place which he dared not leave, Jeremy could only remember the frightful, scarred visage of Pharaoh Daggs looming in the torchlight.

He knew that Bob would find little mercy behind that cruel face, and he could not throw off the conviction that the lad had fallen into the clutches of the pirates. All day, standing at the loopholes, they waited for some sign either of Bob's return or, what seemed more probable, an attack by the buccaneer crew. But as the hours passed, no moving form broke the dark line of trees above them on the slope.

at length the dusk fell and they gave up hope of seeing the boy again though on the other score their vigilance was redoubled the night went by however as quietly as though the island were deserted it was about two hours after sunrise that jeremy stole out to give fodder to the sheep penned in the stockade ever since the first alarm he had been gone a bare two minutes when he rushed back into the cabin

look father he cried in the bay there's a sloop coming into anchor amos swan went to the northern loophole and peered forth what is she can you make her out seems to fly the british jack all right he said following the two boys he hurried outside jeremy had run down the hill to the beach where he stood gazing intently at the craft and shading his eyes with his hand after a moment he turned excitedly

father he shouted it's the tiger i saw her only once but i'd not forget those fine lines of her look there's job himself getting into the cutter a big man in a blue cloak had just stepped into the stern sheets of the boat and seeing the figures on the shore he now waved a hand in their direction

sure enough in three minutes captain job howland jumped out upon the sand and with a roar of greeting caught jeremy's hand in his big fist well lad he laughed you look glad to see us didn't know we was headed up this way did you but here we be soon as the sloop was ready mr curtis had a late cargo for boston town and he told me to coast up here on the same trip he wants bob home again

why what ails ye boy they were climbing the path toward the shack when job noticed the downcast look on jeremy's face and interrupted himself in a few words the boy told what had happened during the brief week they had been on the island by the great bull whale muttered the ex buccaneer in astonishment sol briggs treasure sure enough and that devil daggs see here if bob's alive we've got to get him out of that

he swung about and hailed the boat's crew all six of whom had remained on the beach adams and you mason pull back to the sloop and bring off all the men in the port watch with their cutlasses and small arms the rest of you come up here as soon as job had shaken hands with jeremy's father and brother they entered the cabin now jeremy said the skipper

you say this craft is careened on the other side of the island close to the place where steed bonnet landed us that time how many men have they we don't know the boy replied but i don't think daggs had time to gather a big crew and what's more he'd figure the fewer the better when it came to splitting up the gold i doubt if there's above fifteen men maybe only fourteen now he grinned as he thought of the big pirate who had attacked him in the woods

good said job we'll have sixteen besides you mr swann and your two boys and even twenty counting myself if we can't put that crowd under hatches i'm no sailorman the crew of the tiger bristling with arms and eager for action now came up without wasting time job told them what was afoot and they moved forward up the hill

once among the trees the attacking party spread out in irregular fan formation with tom and jeremy scouting a little in advance the stillness of the woods was almost oppressive as they went forward all the men seemed to feel it and proceeded with more and more caution used to the hurly-burly of sea-fighting they did not relish this silent approach against an unseen enemy

clearing the ridge they came down at length to the edge of the beach close to the old pirate anchorage and jeremy led the way along through the bushes toward the mouth of the reedy inlet working carefully down the shore to the place whence bob and he had sighted the spars of the buccaneer he climbed above the reeds and peered up the creek to his surprise the masts had disappeared she's gone he gasped

job and tom looked in turn certain it was that no vessel lay in the creek perhaps they sighted the tiger suggested jeremy if so they can't have gotten far they've likely taken the rest of the gold and bob must be aboard too if he's still alive as they turned to go back one of the sailors who had walked down to the reeds at the edge of the creek hurried up with the dark object in his fist

he held it out as he drew near and they saw that it was a pistol covered with a mass of black mud jeremy saw a gleam of metal through the sticky lump and quickly scraping away the mud from the mounting he disclosed a silver plate which bore the still terrible name steed bonnet the boy gave a cry of pleasure as he saw it and thrust the weapon quickly into job's hands

"'Look!' he exclaimed. "'It's Bob's pistol. And there's only one way it could have gotten where it was. He must have thrown it from the sloop's deck as they went past, thinking we'd find it. See here. They can't be gone more than a few hours, for there's not a bit of rust on the iron parts. Maybe we could catch them, Job, if we hurry.' Job turned to his men and called, "'What say you lads? Shall we give them a chase?'

a chorus of vociferous aye-ayes was the answer here we go then he shouted and led the way back up the hill at a trot as they reached the ridge jeremy cut over to the left a little through the trees so that his course lay past the treasure cleft

when he reached it he found just what he had expected the shattered staves of the barrel lying open on the ledge and several rough excavations in the dirt at the bottom of the chasm where the buccaneers had searched greedily for more gold the charred remnants of a bonfire a few yards further down the cleft showed that they had worked partly at night

Leaving the ledge, the boy was hurrying back to join the main party when he came out upon an elevated space, clear of trees, from which one could command a view of the sea to the west and south. Involuntarily he paused, and shading his eyes with his hand, swept the horizon slowly. Then he gave a start, for straight away to the westward, in a gap between two islands, was a white speck of sail.

"Jobe!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. "Jobe!" The big skipper was only a short distance away, and he came through the trees at a run followed by most of his men in answer to Jeremy's hail. No words were necessary. The boy's pointing finger led their eyes instantly to the far-off ship. Jobe took a quick look at the sun and the distant islands to fix his bearings, then set out for the northern inlet again even faster than before.

as they came running down the slope toward the cabin amos swann emerged gun in hand evidently believing that they were in full route before the enemy they've left the island panted jeremy as he reached the door we saw their sail we're going to chase them we're sure now that bob's aboard his father looked relieved go you and tom he said i'll stay and mind the island

job with a dozen of his men was starting in the cutter and had already hailed a tiger to order the other boat sent ashore tom and jeremy hurried into the cabin and stuffing some clothes into jeremy's sea-chest along with a brace of good pistols and a cutlass apiece were soon ready to embark chapter thirty one of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter the slipper box recording is in the public domain

read by warren bergman chapter thirty one there was a bustle of action aboard the sloop when the buoy swarmed up her side one shanty was being sung up forward where half a dozen sturdy seamen were heaving at the capstan bars and another was going amidships as the throat of the long main gaff went to the top captain job stood on the after deck constantly shouting new orders

his big voice made itself heard above the singing the groan of tackle blocks and the crash of the canvas flapping in the northwest wind it was a clear sunny day with a bite of approaching winter in the air and the boys were glad to button their jackets tight and move into the lee of the after-house here lads job cried there's work for you too take a run below jeremy and bring up an armload of cutlasses

see if any of those muskets need cleaning tom jeremy scurried down the companion ladder and forward along the starboard gun-deck to the rack of small arms near the forecastle hatch jeremy was pleased to see that the sloop carried a full complement of ten broadside guns beside a long brass cannon in the bows in fact she was armed like a regular man-o'-war the tubs were filled and neat little piles of round shot and canister stood beside each gun

the tiger he thought was likely to give a good account of herself if she could come to grips with the buccaneers stepping on deck once more his arms piled with hangers jeremy found that the sloop had already cleared the bay on her starboard tack and was just coming about to make a long reach of it to port the pirate sail was no longer in sight in the west

but as several islands filled the horizon in that direction it seemed likely that she had passed beyond them jeremy approached the captain how far ahead do you think they are he asked when we sighted em they were about four sea miles to the westward answered job if they're making ordinary sailing they've gained close to three more since then but if they're carrying much canvas it may be more we shan't come near them before dark at any rate

he cast an eye aloft as he spoke and jeremy's gaze followed the tiger was carrying topsails and both jibs with a single reef in her fore and mainsails she was scudding along at a great rate with the whitecaps racing by close below the lee gun ports jeremy whistled with delight he had seen steed bonnet crowd canvas once or twice but never in so good a cause

the wind held from the northwest gaining in strength rather than decreasing and the sloop heeled far to port sped along close-hauled on a west-southwest course after three-quarters of an hour of this kind of sailing they were close to the group of islands and sighting a passage to the northward swung over on the other tack a rough beat to starboard brought them into the gap though they crossed a grim black shoal at the narrowest part

job did not shorten sail but steered straight on as fast as the wind would take him and at length they came clear of the headland and saw a great stretch of open sea to the southwestward with a faint white dot of sail at its farthest edge at the sight a hearty cheer went up from the seamen clustered along the port rail a lean wind-browned man with keen black eyes came aft to the tiller where jeremy and tom stood with the captain

it was isaiah hawkes job's first mate himself a maine coast man it's all clear sailin ahead sir he said no more reefs or islands twixt this and cape cod if they follow the course they're on the tiger hung with fluttering canvas in the wind's eye for a second or two then settled away on the port tack with a bang of her main boom here isaiah take the tiller said job at length

hold her as she is two points to the windward of the other sloop you want to get an extra lookout to-night he continued we shan't be able to keep em in sight at this distance if they've sighted us which most likely they have i'm going up to have a look at long paul now accompanied by the two boys he made his way along the steeply canted deck of the plunging schooner to the breach of the swivel gun at the bow

ever seen this gal afore jeremy asked job shouting to make himself heard above the hiss and thunder of the water under the forefoot she's the old gun we had aboard the queen steedbonnet never had a piece like this cast in bristol she was in ninety four there's the letters that tells it

and he patted the bright breech lovingly sighting along the brazen barrel and swinging the nose from right to left till he brought the gun to bear squarely on the white speck that was the pirate's loop still hull-down in the sea ahead come morning polly my gal he chuckled we'll let you talk to em as he spoke the fiery disk of the sun was slipping into the ocean across the starboard bow

with sunset the breeze lightened perceptibly and job ordered the reefs shaken out of the fore and mainsails and an extra jib set then he and the boys who although they had quarters aft had been assigned to the port watch went below and turned in chapter thirty one chapter thirty two of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter this librivox recording is in the public domain

chapter thirty two jeremy stumbling on deck at eight bells pulled his seaman's greatcoat up about his ears for the breeze came cold he worked his way forward along the high weather rail and took up his lookout station on the starboard bow overhead the midnight sky burned bright with stars that seemed to flicker like candle flames in the wind a half-grown moon rode down the west and threw a faint radiance across the heaving seas

it was blowing harder now the wind boomed loud in the taut stays and the rising waves broke smashingly over the bow at times forcing the foremast hands to cling like monkeys to the rail and rigging captain job with tom to help him stood grimly at the thrashing tiller and drove the sloop southwestward at a terrific gait

the sails had been single reefed again along the mate's watch but with the wind still freshening the stanch little craft was carrying an enormous amount of canvas job howland was a sailor of the breed that was to reach its climax a hundred years later in the captains of the great yankee clippers

men who broke sailing records and captured the world's trade because they dared to walk their tall ships full canvassed past the heavy foreign merchantmen that rolled under triple reefs in a half a gale of wind one by one the hours of the watch went by jeremy drenched and shivering but thrilling to the excitement of the chase stuck to his post at the rail beside the long bow gun

his eyes were fixed constantly on the sea ahead in a beam while his thoughts racing on followed the pirate schooner close how was bob to be gotten off alive he wondered for he had come to believe that his chum was aboard the fleeing craft if it came to a running fight their cannonade might sink her in which case the boy would be drowned along with his captors and there were other things that could happen

jeremy groaned aloud as he thought of the fate that pharaoh daggs had once so nearly meted out to him he felt again the bite of the hemp at his wrists and saw that pitiless gleam in the strange light eyes of the pirate would daggs try to settle his long score against the boys by some unheard-of brutality a sudden hail cut in above his thoughts sel ho the lookout on the other side had cried

where away came job's deep shout three points on the port bow answered the seaman and not above a league off jeremy straining his eyes into the night made out the dim patch of sail ahead how's she headed called the captain again is she still in her port tack or running before the wind still beating up to the west the sailor replied good cried job

they think they can out sail us keep her in sight and sing out if you see her fall off the wind half an hour later the watch was changed and jeremy scrambled into his warm bunk for a few hours more sleep it was broad daylight when he and tom reached the deck once more and went eagerly forward to join the little knot of seamen in the bows all eyes were turned toward the horizon ahead where the sails of the fleeing schooner loomed gray in the morning haze

the wind which had shifted a little to the north was still blowing stiffly heeling both sloops over at a sharp angle the tiger had gained somewhat during the morning watch but the pirates had now evidently become desperate and put on all the sail their craft would carry so that the two vessels sped on league after league without apparent change of position job who had now taken the tiller again called to jeremy after a while

here lad he said when the boy reached the poop lend me a hand with this kicker jeremy laid hold with a will and found that it took almost all his strength along with that of the powerful captain to hold the schooner on her course at times when a big beam sea caught her she would yaw fearfully falling off several points and could only be brought back to windward by jamming the thrashing rudder hard over

we lose headway when she does that don't we job panted the boy after one such effort and i reckon we couldn't lash the beam fast to keep her this way could we no i see it has to be free so as to move all the time still as he staggered to and fro at the end of the tiller the boy thought rapidly finally he recommenced job

this may sound foolish to you but why couldn't we lash her on both sides and yet give her play look this way rig a little pulley here and one here he indicated places on the deck close to the rail on either quarter then reeve a line from the tiller end through each one and bring it back with three or four turns around a windlass drum a little way forward there

then you could keep hold of the arms of the windlass and only let the tiller move as much as you needed to either way by the great bull whale job laughed as he grasped the boy's plan i wonder if that wouldn't work jeremy boy we'll find out anyhow bristed he called to the ship's carpenter up with some lumber and a good stout line and a pair of spare blocks if you've got em lively now

in a jiffy the carpenter had tumbled the tackle out on the deck and under the direction of job began to rig it according to jeremy's scheme it was a matter of a few moments only once he caught the idea when at length the final stout knot had been tied job still keeping his mighty clutch on the tiller beam motioned to jeremy to take hold of the windlass

the boy jumped forward eagerly and seized two of the rude spokes that radiated horizontally from the hub the position was an awkward one but with a slight pull he found that he could swing the windlass rapidly in either direction avast there avast came job's bass bellow and looking over his shoulder jeremy saw the big skipper flung from side to side in spite of himself as the windlass was turned

the seamen who had gathered to watch were roaring with laughter and job himself was chuckling as he let go the tiller and hurried to jeremy's side taking a grip on the spokes he spun them back and forth once or twice to feel how the vessel answered her helm under this new contraption and in a moment had it working handsomely he was using the first ship's steering-wheel

the sloop which had yawed and lost some headway during this interlude now struck her stride again and drove along with her nose held steady a full half-point closer to the wind than had been possible before joe perceived this and loosed one hand long enough to strike jeremy a mighty blow on the back she works boy he cried and at this gate we'll catch them before noon

indeed the crew had already noticed the difference in their sailing and were lining the bows waving their caps in the air and yelling with excitement as they watched the distance between the two craft slowly shorten an hour passed and the gunners were sent below to make ready their pieces for the lead of the pirate's loop had been cut to a bare mile

job had turned the wheel over to hawks and now with three picked men to help him was ramming home a heavy charge of powder in the long nine on top of it he drove down the round shot then bent above the swivel breech swinging it back and forth as he brought the cannon's muzzle to bear on the topsails of the pirate schooner whose black hull was now plainly visible he sniffed the wind and measured the distance with his eye

when his calculations were complete he turned and held up his hand in signal to the helmsman as the swivel allowed movement only from side to side he must depend on the cant of the deck for his elevation holding the long gunner's match lighted in his hand he waited for the exact second when the schooner's bow was lifted on a wave and swinging in the right direction then touched the powder train

there was a hiss and flare and at the end of a second or two a terrific roar as the charge was fired the smoke was blown clear almost instantly and every one leaned forward watching the sea ahead with tense eagerness at length a column of white spray lifted a scant hundred yards astern of the other sloop the crew cheered for it was a splendid shot at that distance and in a seaway

the sky was thickening to windward and it grew harder momentarily to see objects at a distance job was already at work superintending the swabbing out of the gun and reloading with his own hands there was a long moment while he waited for a favorable chance then long paul shook the deck once more with a crash of her discharge this time the shot fell just ahead and to windward of the enemy so close that the spray blew back into the rigging

job had bracketed his target but the mist clouds that were sweeping past rendered his task a difficult one grimly but with swift certainty of movement he went about his preparations for a third attempt suddenly there was a shout from jeremy who had climbed into the forest aides for a better view look there he cried they're lowering a boat there's something white in it like a flag of truce

in the lee of the pirate vessel a small boat could be seen tossing crazily in the heavy seas job who had called for his spy-glass looked long and earnestly at the tiny craft there's but one man in it he announced at length and he's showing a bit of something white as jeremy says here lad you've the best eyes on the sloop see if you can make out more

the boy focused the glass on the little boat which was now drifting rapidly to the southeast already nearly opposite their bows the figure in it stood up waving frantic arms to one side and the other it's bob jeremy almost screamed that's a signal we used to have when we were hunting it means come here

he had hardly finished speaking when port your helm roared job all hands stand by to slack the fore and main sheets the tiger fell off the wind with a lurch and spun away to leeward bowing into the running seas five minutes later they hauled bob drenched and dripping to the deck chapter thirty three of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter

this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter thirty three the boy was pale and haggard and so weak he could hardly stand alone but he looked about him with an eager grin as tom and jeremy helped him toward the companion why he gasped here's old job what's he doing up here as the latter strode aft to seize his hand

aye lad laughed the big mariner a mighty relief showing in his face we're all your friends aboard here but how came those devils to let you off so easy we figured we'd have to fight to get you and mighty lucky to do it at that the schooner had come into the wind again and was heading westward in pursuit of the pirate now hidden in the murk ahead bob was helped to the cabin and propped up in a bunk while his friends hastened to get some dry clothes on him

a pull of brandy stopped his shivering i thought none of you would ever see me alive he said soberly but job before i tell you all about it are you sure you've lost sight of dag sloop they were worried about your shooting and figured the only chance they had was to set me adrift and then get away in the dirty weather while you were fishing me out they'd never have given me up if that second shot hadn't mighty near gone through and through the old revenge

the revenge said job i thought i knew the cut of that big mainsail and she was painted black too well the trick succeeded just this minute we'd have no more chance of finding him than a needle in a haystack but it may clear again before night and then we'll see go ahead now and spin your yarn my lad and bob swigging hot tea and munching a biscuit began once more to tell his story

after we separated and started to run up on the hill that night he said i seemed to lose all my sense of direction for a while i was scared for one thing i'll freely admit when i saw dag's face in the torchlight leaning over us there by the treasure barrel it frightened me pretty nearly out of my senses so i started to run without an idea of where i was going

and by the time i got my wits back i couldn't tell just where i was in the rain and the dark i seemed to be right on top of the ridge but i had zigzagged several times i remembered and when i tried to figure which side of the hill i should go down i couldn't for the life of me decide finally i said to myself here don't be a fool which way was the wind blowing when we set out from the shack ha ha it was north says i

very well then this must be the way to the cabin straight into the wind and down the hill i started bearing over to my right so as to come out just above the sheet-pan but interrupted jeremy when that storm came up the wind backed clear around into the south

i know it now bob answered but i didn't then i kept right on tickled that i was out of it so well and wondering where the rest of you had gotten to pretty soon i came to some lowland that i didn't remember but i saw a light off ahead and to my right and decided that was the cabin i blundered along through the trees till i was quite close and then i discovered that the light came from a bonfire

i stopped for a second puzzled for i was sure i must be near the cabin i wondered if the pirates had captured it i stole up still closer and watched the light and presently a buccaneer walked in front of it that was enough for me i turned and started to run and at about the third step i fell plump into the arms of a pirate you see i had walked straight toward their part of the island by making that silly mistake

this fellow got a grip on my collar and i couldn't break loose though i'll warrant his shins are tender yet where i kicked him he hauled me down to the fire and he and three others who were there looked me over the one that had caught me was a big mulatto as ugly-looking a customer as i ever saw and the others are no lambs i tell you my hearties

"Dags has gathered up a pretty lot of rascals in this crew. Not one of them but looks as if he'd knife you for a copper farthing. These four by the fire wasted no time but went through my pockets in a hurry. They took my pistol and were quarreling about dividing the gold pieces I had when the rest of the crowd began to appear. They were all wet and in a bad temper for a dozen other reasons.

plenty of curses came my way but no one laid a hand on me for they had a mighty fear of pharaoh dags when he finally came he swore at them till they slunk around like whipped curs he was in an ugly mood that night seemingly he was disappointed in the amount of treasure they had found besides that they had come on one of their best men with his head beaten in and you and your father had gotten clean away things looked black enough for me i can tell you

dags and the mulatto who is his mate started in to question me after they had grumbled awhile they knew already how many of you there were at the cabin but they asked about your guns and supplies of course i didn't make the stronghold any weaker in the telling when they had all the information they thought they could get out of me they held a sort of council some wanted to go right over before light and attack the cabin

others were for broaching a barrel of rum first and making thorough preparations finally daggs decided to put it off until they could get some pitch and dry grass ready so as to set fire to the roof it was nearly daylight by this time and they started back through the reeds toward their sloop leading me along with them

We traveled half a mile or so, down a crooked black trail only wide enough for one man at a time, and ankle-deep in the mud of the swamp. When we reached the schooner they stuck a pair of handcuffs on me and put me down on the ballast. In spite of the filth and the cold I was so dog-tired that I tumbled on the nearest pile of old chains and went to sleep.

i woke up late in the afternoon and i don't think i was ever so stiff and uncomfortable and hungry in my life i made my way over to the hatch and found i could reach the coaming with my hands so i pulled myself up after a mighty hard tussle try it some time with your hands tied most of the pirates were forward in their bunks but one who was keeping watch on deck took pity on me and gave me a couple of biscuits and a swig of water

he was more or less talkative besides and from him i learned that daggs planned to start about midnight for your side of the island carrying buckets of pitch and tinder so as to roast you out as you may imagine this kind of talk nearly turned me sick with fear and right in the midst of it pharaoh daggs came on deck he had that empty sort of glare in his eyes that we used to see sometimes when he was drunk

of course he walked straight and even but as he came over toward us with his teeth showing and his eyes fixed on a point just above the pirate's shoulder i almost yelled look out if i had it might have cost me my life right there he walked along light on his toes like a cat till he stood two feet from us then so fast i hardly knew what happened he hit the other man on the chin with his fist that was all

the man dropped with his head back against the rail and daggs went off chuckling to himself but not making any noise i don't think he saw me at all for his attack was more like the work of a mad dog than of a man i crept away and got below decks as fast as might be and there i stayed hidden till after dark when some of the buccaneers rousted me out a keg of rum had been opened in the waist and the liquor was going freely

most of the crew were already drunk but they had the sense to chain me by one leg to the foremast and then made me run back and forth between them and the barrel i was only too glad no cannikin was skimped while i was at the spigot i looked around and remembered some of the wild nights we had seen on the old revenge and then for the first time i realized that the deck i stood on was the same

they'd gotten hold of the old black sloop when she was auctioned at charlestown patched up her bottom and here she was buccaneering once more where the gang of cut-throats aboard her were gathered i don't know but they put steve bonnet's famous crew to shame fair dags was somewhere ashore with two of the crew till nearly midnight when he returned the rest were lying like pigs about the deck

he had sobered slightly enough to remember the night's undertaking but it was useless to think of rousing those sots to any sort of endeavor he kicked one or two of them savagely with his heavy boot too but it got hardly more than a grunt from them he stood there cursing for a minute then came over and looked at the shackle that held me to the foremast foot and shook it to make sure it was solid before he went below

he had something done up in a cloth that he held mighty tenderly and he seemed in a better humor i curled up on the deck and by wrapping myself in a great-coat which i found beside one of the drunken pirates succeeded in keeping reasonably warm when morning came daggs and his mulatto mate managed to wake most of the men and force them to get out and forage for wood and water while they themselves crossed the ridge to reconnoiter

i think it was about two hours after sunrise when those of us who stayed aboard the sloop saw figures running down the hill the buccaneers got out boarding spikes and picked up cutlasses but in a moment daggs reached the side out of breath with his haste there's a ten-gun schooner on the northern cove he cried they're landing a boat now we haven't any time to lose the tide's passed full already cut those moorings

the hemp lines were slashed through with cutlasses and the men with one accord jumped to the push-holes the sloop was on an even keel and just off the bottom a few strong shoves started her down the creek my hopes of escaping began to go down for there i was still chained to the fore-stick like a cow put out to grass i looked around me in desperation for i wanted to leave you some sign at least of my whereabouts

then my eye fell on a little heap of small arms that had been thrown down near the fore-hatch the pistols were useless to me as i had no powder but among them i saw the bright silver mountings of my own the one that used to be steed bonnets we were drawing near the creek mouth and those of the crew who were not at the poles were busy unfurling the sails i picked the pistol up unobserved and waited till we were just tall and clear of the creek

then i threw it overside and saw it strike in the mud did you find it yes said jeremy that's how we knew for certain that you'd been captured well the delaware boy went on there's not much more to tell the pirates made all sail to the southwest but after we cleared the islands there you were roaring along in our wake

daggs thought that the revenge was a faster sailor than your craft but he found he couldn't keep her as close to the wind on this tack i don't think he wants to fight if he can help it but he was getting desperate this afternoon before the weather began to thicken up i heard him tell the mate he'd rather come to broadside grips than risk having you drop a shot through the black sloop's bottom with that bow chaser then the mist started to come over and i guess daggs saw his chance right away

he called the crew aft and told them what he was going to do and a moment later i found myself being lowered in a boat into that wicked sea i thought they were trying to drown me out of hand till they gave me a piece of white cloth to wave then i got an inkling of their idea sure enough no sooner was i fairly adrift than i saw you put over in my direction and thinking jeremy might be aboard i gave him our old signal

it worked and here i am safe enough but meanwhile those devils have got off into the mist and it'll be hard to follow them job sat thoughtful pulling at his pipe he seemed to be cogitating some of the points in bob's narrative and the others kept silent unwilling to interrupt him at length he blew a great cloud of blue smoke toward the deck beams above and turning to the boy asked

did daggs or any of the rest ever speak of the place where they were going they never talked about it openly bob replied but from words dropped now and then by the mulatto mate i figured they were heading down for the spanish islands i don't think they intend putting in anywhere first unless they land for water in one of those out-of-the-way inlets along the jersey coast job nodded that's about as i thought he answered

so we'll hold on this tack till nightfall we're just off the kennebec now and then we'll run sow-sow east before the wind to clear cape cod dags if he figures as i would in his place won't start to leeward right away for he'd rather have us in front of him than behind and unless i'm much mistaken he's in too much of a hurry to waste time in doubling back up the coast

all right bob lad you'll be wanting sleep now so we'll leave you on deck with you boys and tucking the blankets about the drowsy youngster in the bunk job led the way to the companion chapter thirty three chapter thirty four of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter thirty four the mist was sweeping past in swirls and streaks

and though the wind had abated somewhat the tiger still plowed along into the obscurity at a fair rate of speed jeremy stayed forward with the lookout peering constantly into the gloom ahead and half expecting to see the ghost-like sails of the revenge whenever for a moment a gray isle opened in the mist but there were only the grim uneasy seas in the shifting fog

before darkness fell job shortened sail for he did not wish to get too far ahead of the enemy and about the end of the second dog-watch he gave the order to slack sheets and fall away for the southward run the wind turned bitterly cold in the night and when the watch was changed tom and jeremy staggered below glad to escape from the stinging snow that filled the air but with that snow flurry the weather cleared

the sun rose to a day of bright blue water and sharp wind and hardly had its first level rays shot across the ocean floor when the watch below was tumbled out by a chorus of shouts from the deck jeremy as he burst upward through the hatchway cast an eager eye to either beam then uttered a whoop of joy as he caught the gleam of white canvas over the bows there straight ahead and barely a league distant raced the revenge and her pirate crew

captain job reached the deck only a couple of jumps behind the boys and an instant later his deep voice boomed the order to shake out all reefs and set the topsails bob who had slept the clock around and eaten a hearty breakfast soon appeared at jeremy's side looking fit for any adventure with tom they went up into the bows and were shortly joined there by others of the crew all intent on the chase

the swells as they surged by from stern to bow seemed to move more and more sluggishly beneath a press of sail that would have made most skippers fearful of running her under job was driving the tiger along at a terrific pace now once more jeremy's steering-wheel was proving its worth job at the helm could hold the plunging schooner on her course with far less danger of being swung over into the trough than would have been the case with the old hand tiller

but in spite of the schooner's headlong speed the distance between her and her quarry seemed to lessen scarcely at all the old revenge with her tall sticks and great spread of canvas was flying down before the wind with all the speed that had made her name a byword and the man with the broken nose was evidently willing to take as many chances as his pursuers all morning the chase went on

at noon when the winter sun flashed on the high white dunes of cape cod to starboard the tiger seemed to have gained a little job leaving the wheel for a bit came forward and measured the distance with his eye he shook his head two miles he said at this rate we can't get within range before dark and he went back to his steering

but for once he was mistaken for an hour or more the buccaneers had been hauling over little by little toward the coast possibly with the idea of running in and escaping overland as soon as night should fall now the lookout in the foretop of the tiger gave a cheer they've caught a flaw in the wind he shouted watch us come up

sure enough the revenge had sailed into an area of light air to leeward of the cape and the boys could see that their own sloop which still had the wind was hauling up hand over hand on her adversary by the great bull whale roared job leaping forward along the deck now's our chance hold her as she is hawks while i load the long gun

the big gunner captain worked rapidly as always but before he had done ramming down the round shot the pirate schooner was within range for a long-distance try she lay off the tiger's starboard bow almost broadside on but still too far away to use her own guns job aimed with his usual care but when at length he put a match to the powder the shot flew harmlessly through the pirate's rigging striking the sea beyond

almost at the same moment the wind drew strongly in the sails of the revenge once more and she began plunging southward at a breakneck pace joe brang aft for a word with a mate who had the wheel then returned and again loaded the bow chaser this time with chain shot and an extra heavy charge of powder to carry it when he had finished he stood by the breach in grim silence watching the chase

it soon became apparent that though the tiger could gain little on her rival in actual headway she was gradually pulling over closer to the quarter of the revenge hawks who was an excellent seaman humored the craft to starboard bit by bit without sacrificing her forward speed at the end of twenty minutes job gave a satisfied grunt maneuvered the cannon back and forth on its swivel base once or twice and fired

above the roar of the discharge the boys heard the screech of the whirling chain-shot and then in the revengeous mainsail appeared a great gaping rent through the tattered edges of which the wind passed unhindered there was a howl of joy from the crew and without waiting for an order they tumbled pell-mell down the hatches to man the broadside cannon in the waist job stayed on deck watching the enemy through his spy-glass

handicapped by her torn mainsail the revenge was already falling abeam when they had hauled up to within five or six hundred yards of her job called the men of the port watch on deck to shorten sail this done and the two sloops holding on southward at about an even gait the captain took a turn below where he looked at each of the guns gave a few sharp orders and ran back to his station on the after-deck

all ready hawks he called bring us up to within a hundred and fifty fathoms of her the mate spun the wheel to starboard and the schooner answering drew nearer to the enemy close enough port your helm cried job but even as the tiger swung into position for a broadside there came the roar of the pirate's guns and a shot crashed through the forestays while others falling short threw spray along the deck

all right below shouted captain job steady as a church ready a starboard broadside and at his sharp fire the five cannons spoke in quick succession the deck rocked beneath jeremy's feet where he stood by the companion ready to carry job's orders below

as the dense smoke was swept away forward on the wind they could see the revenge her rigging still further damaged by the volley going about on the starboard tack and making straight for the shore put your helm hard down and bring her to the wind roared job at the same time jumping toward the mainsheet the schooner swung to starboard heeling sharply as she caught the wind abeam and was in hot pursuit of her enemy before a full minute had passed

end of the project gutenberg ebook of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter little by little the tiger pulled up to windward of the buccaneer and the men below in the gun-deck could be heard cheering as their advance brought the black sloop more and more nearly opposite the yawning mouths of the tiger's port carronades

the shore was now less than half a mile distant though making all possible speed the pirate schooner seemed to rise on the waves with a more sluggish heave than before job watching her through the spy glass turned to isaiah hawkes don't she look sort of soggy to you he asked i can't quite make out whether that's a hole in her planking or by the great hook block

see there now when she lifts one of our shots landed smack on her water line no wonder they're trying to beach her a moment later the tiger had hauled fairly abreast and the two schooners plunged along a bare hundred yards apart not a head showed above the high-weather bulwark of the revenge only the muzzles of her guns peered grimly from their ports in her black side

there was something sinister about this apparently deserted ship lurching drunkenly shoreward with her torn sails and broken rigging flapping in the breeze and the pirate flag flying at her peak job made a megaphone of his hands and raised his voice in a hail ahoy revenge he boomed will you surrender peacefully and haul down that flag there was silence for a full ten seconds

then a musket cracked and a bullet embedded itself in the mainmast by job's head all right boys he said without moving let em have it ready port battery fire

jeremy and bob clinging side by side to the hatchcombing felt the planking quiver under them at the series of mighty discharges and saw the pirate schooner check and stagger like an animal that has received its death wound only one of her guns was able to reply the round shot screaming high and wide but on she went and the steep beach below the dunes was very close now captain job stood by the hatchway

all hands up ready to board her he ordered and the crew swarming on deck ran to their places by the long-boat amidships the tiger was now in very shallow water but job waited till he saw the other craft strike then bring your head to the wind hawks he cried and over with the boat lads lively now or they'll get ashore hardly was the order given when the boat shot into the water

during the scramble of the seamen for places on her thwarts jeremy and bob jumped down and crouched in the bows unseen by any but those nearest them ten seconds after she hit the waves the boat was filled from gunwale to gunwale with sailors armed to the teeth with pistols cutlasses and boarding spikes job last to leave the deck spoke a word to hawkes who remained in command and jumped into the stern-sheets now give way he roared

the eight stout oars lashed through the water and the boat sped shoreward like an arrow up in the bows the two boys clutched their weapons and waited neither one would have admitted that he was scared though they were both shivering with something more than the cold besides his precious pistol bob was gripping the hilt of a murderous-looking hanger which he had picked up from the pile on deck in passing

jeremy had been able to secure no weapon but a short pike with a heavy ashen staff and a knife-like blade at the upper end they peered over the bows in silence the long-boat was close to the revenge's quarter now but there was no sign of the pirates along the rail suppose they've got ashore asked bob i don't see down heads all it was job's voice and the boys together with many of the seamen ducked instinctively at the words

as they did so there came a crash of musketry followed by intermittent shots and splinters flew from the gunwale of the boat jeremy heard a gasping cry behind him and a young sailor toppled backward from the thwart he fell between the boys and as they raised him in their arms he died another seaman had been killed and three more wounded by the pirate volley which had been fired from a distance of barely a dozen yards

seeing the effect of the fusillade the buccaneers rose cheering and yelling from behind the bulwarks of the sloop in the evident belief that they had succeeded in demoralizing the attacking force but the speed of the boat had hardly been checked in another instant the rowers shipped their oars and the gunwale scraped along the freeboard of the schooner a guinea to the first man up cried job

himself reaching up with powerful fingers for a grip by which to climb there were no rope ends hanging and as the revenge in her stranded position lay much higher forward than aft the boys standing in the bows found themselves faced by smooth planking too high to scale jeremy started back over the thwarts but heard bob calling to him and turned

here's a place to board the dellera boy was saying and pointed toward the forward gunport which stood open just beyond and above the bow of the longboat in a twinkling bob had straddled through the hull with jeremy close after him it was dark in the tween decks and the two boys made their way forward on tiptoe waiting breathlessly for the attack they felt sure would come

but apparently all the buccaneers were busy above in the fierce fight that they could hear raging along the rail they moved on undeterred till they reached the foot of the forecastle ladder where jeremy feeling along the bulkhead uttered an exclamation this is their gun rack and here's a musket all loaded and primed i'll take it along the hatch cover had been drawn too but bob trying it from beneath decided it was not fastened

both boys tugged at it and succeeded in sliding it back an inch or two where it stuck the hubbub on deck was now terrific they could hear above the general outcry an occasional sharply gasped command in job's voice or a snarling oath from one of the buccaneers but for the most part it was a bedlam of unintelligible shouts with a constant undertone of ringing steel and the thud of shifting feet

most of the firearms apparently had been discharged and in the melee no one had time to reload bob straining desperately at the hatch cover spied jeremy's pike shaft and thrusting it through the narrow opening pried with all his strength the hatch squeaked open reluctantly and the boys squirmed through on to the deck they gasped at the sight which met their eyes as they emerged

both of them had confidently expected to find the pirates already beaten and fighting with their backs to the wall but such was far from being the case on the deck of midships lay two men from the tiger sorely wounded while job and two others stood at bay above them swinging cutlasses mightily and beating off time after time the attacks of a dozen fierce pirate hangermen

a number of buccaneers had fallen but all who were unwounded were raging like a pack of dogs about the figures of job and his two supporters they can't get up cried bob the men can't climb the side here help me to bring that rope it was a matter of seconds only before the boys had dashed across the deck and thrown a rope's end to the men below in the long-boat then jeremy turned and ran toward the waist another man was down now

job and a single comrade were fighting back to back parrying with red blades the blows of half a score of the enemy jeremy saw a gleam of yellow teeth between wicked lips and a flash of light eyes in the thick of the assault then for a moment he had a glimpse of the whole face of pharaoh dags scarred and distorted with frightful passion a cruel wolf's face

and even as he looked the dripping sword-blade of the man with the broken nose plunged between the ribs of job's last henchman the wounded seaman staggered leaning his weight against his captain but still kept his guard up defending himself feebly job hooked his left arm about the poor lad's body and backed with his burden toward the mainmast slashing fiercely around him with his tireless right arm the while

when they reached the mast job leaned his comrade against it set his own back to the wood and battled on but now a cheer resounded and the buccaneers turning their heads found themselves face to face with the rush of half a dozen men from the tiger while more could be seen swarming over the rail the knot of pirates broke to meet the attack but some of them stayed dags and three others including the huge mulatto mate

closed in on job cutting at him savagely the wounded sailor had fainted and slipped to the deck jeremy saw the saddle-coloured mate step swiftly to one side then come up from behind the mast drawing a long dirk from his sash as he neared job's back he had lifted the knife and was stepping in for a blow when jeremy pulled the trigger of his musket

there must have been an extra heavy charge of powder in the gun for its recoil threw the boy flat on the deck and before he could regain his feet he saw a man close above him and caught the flash of a hanger in the air desperately jeremy rolled out of the way and none too soon for the blade cut past his head with a nasty swish he scrambled up and caught a boarding spike from the deck as he did so

the pirate followed hacking at him with his cutlass and for seconds that seemed like hours the boy fought for his life parrying one stroke after another till the pike-shaft was broken by the blows and he was left weaponless as he ducked and turned in despair a man from the tiger ran in and caught the buccaneer on his flank finishing him in short order

the deck was now full of struggling groups for though a score of the long-boat's crew had climbed aboard the pirates were putting up a fierce resistance jeremy panting from his encounter cast about for a weapon and soon found a cutlass with which he armed himself he turned toward the mainmast foot once more and to his joy discovered that his shot had taken effect

the mulatto had disappeared under the trampling mass of fighting men and job's tall figure still towered by the mast it took the lad only a second however to realize that his captain's plight was serious the big yankee was fighting wearily with a broken cutlass and his face was gray beneath the red stream of blood that ran from a wound above his eye

jeremy plunged into the ruck of the battle careless now of danger a sort of berserk rage possessed him at the sight of that wound he hewed his way frantically toward the mast and suddenly found bob there beside him cutting and lunging like a demon he gasped out a cheer but even as it left his throat the captain's arm flew up convulsively then dropped out of sight in the mob

job's down cried bob wildly but the new england boy's only reply was a half-choked sob now the tables were turned of a sudden for three stout sea-dogs from the tiger finishing their first opponents dashed into the fray with a yell and daggs hewing his way to the mast turned to face the new attack with only two men left on foot to back him

the fight was short and fierce first one then the other of the buccaneers went down before the furious assault of job's seamen at length only the pirate chief was left to battle on terrible and silent his face set in a ghastly grin like the visage of a lone wolf fighting his last fight but the odds were too great the men of the tiger pressed in relentlessly till at last a dozen sword-points found their mark at once

and so died pharaoh dags violently as he had lived chapter thirty six of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter this librivox recording is in the public domain read by warren bergman chapter thirty six it was jeremy who five minutes later held job's head on his knees while the weary bleeding sailors stood silently by with their hats off

the boatswain a grizzled veteran of many sea-fights was kneeling beside his captain with an ear to his side there was hope in the man's face when at length he looked up he's breathin yet was his verdict breathin but not much more there's half a score of cuts in em different places here lads rig a stretcher and let's get em back to the ship when the unconscious body of their big friend had been placed gently in the boat

bob and jeremy turned to each other with sober faces it was a costly sort of victory said bob this deck's not a pretty sight and there's nothing much we can do to help let's have a look at the cabin they went below and forced open the door of the after compartment which had once housed the great steed bonnet instead of its old immaculate and almost scholarly appearance the place now had an air of desolation

it reeked of filth stale tobacco smoke and the spilled lees of liquor in the clutter on the cabin table lay two bulging sacks and a small box well said bob as he felt the weight of one of the bags here's the rest of briggs gold but jeremy's attention was occupied he had picked up the box from the table and was examining it curiously

see here bob he cried this is the little chest i was carrying the night we ran through the woods i dropped it when that pirate tackled me what do you suppose is in it the box was leather-covered and heavily studded with nails jeremy tried the small padlock and found it rusty and weak a hard pull on the staple and it came away in his hand he threw open the cover and the two boys stood back gasping with astonishment

there on the lining of soft buckskin lay twelve great emeralds gleaming with a clear green light even in that dark place they were perfectly matched and as large as the end of a man's thumb each cut in a square pattern after the old-time fashion such stones they were as could have come only from the coffers of an oriental king

the ransom perhaps of a prince of the blood or of the favorite wife of some maharajah seized in one of solomon briggs daredevil raids bob found breath at last it's a fortune he cried they're worth more than all the gold together and they're yours jeremy yours by right of discovery twice over you're rich you and your father and tom think of it

you can buy a whole fleet of big ships like the indian queen and become a great merchant you and i'll be partners when we're grown up jubilant he picked up one of the sacks of gold and made his way to the deck followed by the half-dazed jeremy who carried the rest of the treasure the sun was close to setting when the tiger's boat made its last trip to the pirate sloop this time its errand was a sad one

silently the crew passed long limp bundles across the rail rowed with them to the beach and clambered up the desolate dunes with picks and shovels in their hands there where the wind moaned in the beach-plum thickets and the white gulls wheeled and screamed they dug a long grave and laid the dead to rest pirates and honest men together under the wintry sky the boat returned and was hoisted aboard

just as the mainsail had been run up and the schooner was filling away for her northward beat a single shout from the cross-trees caused every man to turn his gaze shoreward into the gathering dark a faint glow seemed to hang in the air above the pirate sloop a little snaky flame wriggled its way along a piece of sagging cordage licked at the edges of the torn sail and flared outward in a burst of red fire

a moment later and the whole schooner was ablaze from water-line to mast-head jeremy watching fascinated from the tiger's rail thought of the night when he had first seen that black hull and of the burning brig that had lit up the sky as the pirate sloop now illumined it her fate was the same that she had meted out to many a good ship they were rapidly drawing away now

the great glare of the burning schooner faded out as the flame devoured her fabric the foremast toppled and fell in a shower of sparks the mainmast followed only a feeble light flickered along the edges of the low-lying hulk the faint gleam of it was visible astern for some time before it was swallowed by the dark sea the revenge was gone this is the end of my story

of the voyage to boston town of how job was nursed back to health by phineas wibble the best surgeon in all the colonies of the glorious reunion when amos swan and clark curtis rejoined their sons of the many pleasant things that bob and jeremy found to do together after the swans had come to live in philadelphia of all these things there is not space enough in this book for me to tell

jeremy swan grew up to be one of the great americans of his day a man strong wise and independent and although he became rich and highly honored he never lost the simplicity of his ways sometimes when he was a hale old man of seventy he would take his grandson who was named job cantwell swan on his knee and tell him stories

but the story that young job loved best to hear and that old jeremy loved best to tell was about a boy in deerskin breeches and the wild days and nights he saw aboard the black buccaneer chapter thirty six end of the black buccaneer by stephen w meter

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