OCR Text |
Show ""Hi ATE"" i CHAPTER I . Wreck of the Sachem There were black looks from the men its they out away the wreckage of the main-topmast niul curses on their lips lost nothing In vehemence for being muted by the gale. Kellmvea, remote on the poop, missed none of the discontent, nil hough he seemed to have eyes only for the huntress astern, and the rocky coast that tilled the horizon to starboard, lie held himself very erect, his slight, wiry frame tensed with energy, bis hard-chiseled, hard-chiseled, young face frowning bleakly. Old Henderson, his first mate, stand Ing beside him. nodded toward the frigate's close-reefed tops'ls lifting nearer about the combers, " Tls had lin k. Rlr. We'll go ashore If they hit the other stick." "They won't follow us In much closer," Fellowes answered shortly. "There's a port called Knro we ought to open any moment. I know where we are. That's. Algarve. In southern Portugal." He scanned the viscous pall that draped tbe sky behind the frigate. An onshore gale, thai was the crown Ing affliction! Everything had gone wrong since they spoke the Salem letter of marqne oft the Cape Verdes. and heard Madison had declared war baffling winds, suspicious cruisers, the storm that hail driven them east Into the Gulf of Cadiz. And now this tall-sparred, yellow frigate I A cold rage posseted Fellowes; his blue eyes, bluer for the tan of cheek bones and brow, sparkled Idly He I reviewed the long voyage to Canton. ' the patience with whli-h he had assembled assem-bled a choice c-.iro. certain to pay big profits. Was be to see that cargo put up at auction by a British prize court) See the Sachem that he had groomed and cherished lovingly sold off at Ports month for British registry) He'd die first, he told himself. And his Jaw set squarely as a tonirue of flame and a roundshot whined overhead In the rigging. "Gettin closer," croaked the first mate. "And we're party nigh them rocks." "1 see It, Mr. Henderson," Fellowes assented crisply. "And once for all. I'll not strike. The frigate daren't follow us much farther she draws twice what we do." "Aye, aye. sir." muttered the first mate, but his lone was one of dissent Fellowes' fists clinched tight under the skirts ot his watch coat. Give him a few hours ot darkness, and he'd contrive to slip free of hi? trap, beat past the blinded frigate, perhaps turn and steer east again for Cadiz be could, at a pinch, flud a market for his cargo wiin the Spanish merchants. But profit, -trade was a secondary consideration. con-sideration. The main thing was to outface the arrogance ot British power, pow-er, show that America could keep Lie seas. The frlsate, undeterred by the Imminence Im-minence of a dangerous coast, continued contin-ued on her course a point or two near-i near-i er the wind than the Sachem's. Suddenly, Sud-denly, in her bows, glowed two little jets of flame for eyes The whippy boom of Long Toms rumbled down the wind. And the deck of the Sachem trembled onder Fellowes. There was a cracking and rending of Umbers, but he looked in vain for signs of damage, until he saw the helmstnaD clutching at the madly spinning wheel. "She don't answer.. Cap n I She don't answer," babbled the man. Overhead spars banged and canvas slatted as the brig broached to; the foretopmast went by the board with a crash In a welter of tangled rigging And In the midst of the confusion, Fellowes heard himself saying. caliyly : "The rudder's shot away. You'd best get for'nrd. my man." "I knowed 'twould happen," cried the first mate. "She'll be on them rocks In a Jiffy. The sooner we lower the boats, the surer we'll be o' savin' the crew." "There'll be time," snapped . Fellowes. Fel-lowes. "Her head's swinging into the wind. The foretopmast will serve as a sea-anchor while it holds. "Mr. Henderson, we'll lower the qnarterboats." And he called down to the crew: "Smartly, men I I'm sorry you're going Into captivity. Any who prefer to stay wiih me I'll do what I can for." "Ain't you comln' sir?" eiclalmed Henderson. "1 was brought np In England," Fellowes answered dryly. ' don't ban ker for their prisons." "But them nu-ks " "I'll risk it. My luck Is due for a turn. Now. then, look alive, all of yon I No small gear, men ' Just as you are." They obeyed him mechanically, officers and men alike demoralized by the rapidity wiih which disaster had overtaken them Presently old Henderson rolled aft, and hailed him respectfully: "Better come along of us. Cap'n; she's a goner." "I'd rather chance the rocks than Dartmoor." Fellowes rejoined, with a smile. "Make no mistake. You'd be wiser to stay wiih me go tor a pri vateersman after we reach home," "You'll never reach home througD them rocks." Henderson answered stubbornly. "I'm sorry, sir. Ye been a good skipper. I'd stay It I seed any chance of gettin ashore." "Thank you, Mr. Henderson Don't worry you're right to go." The mate's face was unhappy, out c -By Arthur 7). Hotvden Smith ropy iKio. tw-t AltTllDIt D. ihiwii;n smith WNU Hurvli a he saluted clumsily, and clambered over the bulwarks. A moment later, the small boats cast off, and pulled away. Fellowes was relieved whim the frigate held on her course to pick them up. At leitsi he had the sails faction of knowing he wasn't respon slhlc for any deaths. And he told him self, surveying the battered hulk of brig, that he'd done all thai was pos slhle to save her. Hut she was u goner, as old lien derson had'sald Drifting steadily on shore. He dropped otf the poop Into the green pool of the waist, and sloshed through tho companlonway of Ills cabin, where he discarded watch coat and sea hoots, aud buckled on a belt containing his scanty funds ile had barely regained the deck when a wave demolished the clutter ol wreckage wreck-age that moored the brig's how. Fellowes was halt-suflnrated by the cascades of emerald water that breached the bulwarks, bin lie fought bis way for'nrd. and succeeded In lashing himself to the windlass Ile It Came With a Jarring and Rending of Timber, a Mlflhty Din of Watera. had his parting view of the frigate, lying ly-ing to. the Sachem's bonis under her counter. Ahead, a saw toothed ledge of rocks dripped blackly In a hollow bfr tween two waves, am) he pulled tho slip-knot of his lashings, bracing himself him-self for the shock. It came with a Jarring and rending ot timbers, a mighty din of waters. Then he was snatched olT the deck, hurled up and urj and up He must swim, he realized, real-ized, but ot once he began to sink. Down down down I A drumming In his ears, eyes smarring. lungs oppressed. op-pressed. But he must fight on. He mustl Show these Englishmen Fellowes was aroused by fingers prodding at bis garments. A hairy face glared greedily into his; a curved knife Hashed In the gusty light of torches, playing hazily about a ring of other hairy faces, bestial and cruel. The man holding the knife wrenched at his soaking neckcloth. Easy to Imagine what would happen nexL He braced himself for the nick of the steel and a woman's voice belled In the shadows, high and clear. The hairy faces receded; the knife was hidden. The woman spoke briefly again. The torches blazed nearer, straw torches, tightly braided and dipped In resin. Across the area of plebby beach, he saw distinctly the three people who approached him: two women, one slim and willowy, despite the cloak that enveloped her, the other enormous In girth, panting and wheezing wheez-ing as she waddled along, and with them a enssncked priest. The slim woman stooped over fellowes, fel-lowes, and he looked up Into a pair of velvet brown eyes, dewy and compassionate, com-passionate, set In a lovely, oval face. "Poor soul," she exclaimed In, English, Eng-lish, InDocent of accent. "We saw your misfortune from the castle. But why did you remain on your ship?" "1 don't strike." he whispered. A shadow manlled her olive features. fea-tures. "All the world at war, and America Amer-ica must thrust her Infant into the melee I But Ve'll not talk politics, sir. I'll have you carried to Padre Antonio's." Four of the hairy peasants, very uneasy ami deferential now, lifted the American upon their shoulders, and tramped oft at a fast gait up a winding wind-ing path In a vent of the clllTs. But Fellowes knew llltle of that climb, for the rough handling tortured his battered bat-tered frame, and most of the way he was unconscious. When he came to, he was lying In a huge, canopied bed. warm and drowsy. drow-sy. Ills wet clot lies had been removed, and llnlinent applied to his cuts and bruises Moving lenlnilvely under his covers, feet rustled among the rushes, and the girl of the mantilla appeared beside lilm, ,oo lunger cloaked, her figure showing to advantage In a gown of woolen stuff as brown as her eyes. At her elbow was Ihe enormous woman, wom-an, who had attended her on the beach, a creniure so stout as to seem a caricature. The girl dropped a hand on Feb i lowes' forehead. "Ah, your fever Is going." she said approvingly. "You'll do well, sir " i "Thanks to you." he murmured. i "No, no I Thanks to yourself and j such aid as we could render." "I'd have had knife In ihroat but for you." he Insisted. "We won't speak ol that. Our peas ants. alas, are llllle betier Ihun sav- ages. But there Is something I mu.sl say to you. sir. I am obliged to leave this place, Peretiha. In Ihe morning There Is no one here wtio speaks Eng llsh. So. If you will tell me your wishes. I will explain them to Padre Antonio. He has the money belt you wore, and will return It at your pleasure." "Where do you go?" asked Fel lowes. "To LIshoL'." She caught her lip In her teeth, as If regretful of the statement. state-ment. "If you will he advised, sir." she hastened on. "you will Journey Into Spain The British control all northern Portugal, and their authorities authori-ties In Lisbon will not he partial to a shipwrecked American." He hesitated. "I think I'll try Lisbon." "As yon choose." She was almost haughiy "But you will require rest and refreshment In the meantlme. The Padre understands. "Now you must sleep, sir." "But I haven't thanked you I And I want" 'Tis late, and I rise with the sun. Good-night, sir God fetch you safe home." She was gone. And fretful as he was, a power stronger than his will pushed shut his leaden eyelids, lie awoke to a stainplne and shouting In the street below Mindful of his rescuer's departure, he managed to stumble out of bed. and hobble to a window. His curiosity was rewarded. A stately coach, six stalwart Anda-luslan Anda-luslan mules hitched to the pole, stood at the prlpst's door, that functionary, himself. In the act of ushering the two women Inlo It. The girl leaned from the coach window win-dow to give some parting message, and called to the coachman perched high on his box. The ponderous vehicle ve-hicle swayed oft, the mules' hoofs clacking daintily. Fellowes. more weary than he had reckoned, was con-lent con-lent to crawl hark to bed. He must discover who she was. he told himself, him-self, yielding to sleep again. He was awakened by the priest tapping tap-ping his shoulder, proffering a cup of chocolute. The chocolate put new strength In him, spurred him to Inquire the girl's Identity. But he could make nothing of the Padre's Portuguese, the Padre looked blank at his English, and the most Fellowes could gather was that a certain Donna Cara was a great lady, a good lady, If somewhat nnus ual In her conduct He supposed tht girl to be Donna Cara, but he wasn't by any means sure of IL All be could be assured ot was that she bad gone to Lisbon. Very well, he'd go there. And the third day of his stay he' an oounced his Intention. The Padre seemed dlsiurhed, but after considerable consider-able debate, he shrugged his shoul ders. produced Fellow money-belt and a hairy-face nam ItoJas, who looked like a bandit anu passed for muleteer. The fourth day Fellowes rode forth of the village. At the top of the narrow street, he halted to look back for the last time. His eyes were upon up-on the rocks where the Sachem had gone to her doom, a doom so complete com-plete that tiie only vestiges remaining of the brig were scattered hits of wreckage lodged In Inaccessible crannies cran-nies of the cliffs. fTO BE CONTINUED.) |