Show r W I 1 PORTO BE 0 OLD ARTHUR D HOWDEN SMITH COPYRIGHT by 0 HOWDEN SMITH A new costume novel by howison smith Is 1 an of 0 no mn mean imbor banoo but a pirate story which includes many of the famous camou s robert nobert loula louis Steven sons characters from rom treasure island lona john sliver silver raw few billy sines and the real la is in the nature of a literary balauat banau at porto bello gold Is a swashbuckling k bloodcurdling blood curdling tale of piracy on the spanish main it Is a combination of 0 bravo brave deeds and shameful friend ship love hate and ad high adventure in P point int ok or time the action takes place ft a lew few years year previous to that of steven tons sons master masterpiece place and to tells in facil act ot of how captain flint and ri rip rt rap murray raided the spanish go cold elal galleon and burled their ill gotten treasure on the lonely island known as the re tead ead mans chest the inspiration for or the well known pirate song fifteen wen men on the dead mans man s chet chest yoho yo ho ho he and a bottle of 0 rum sir harry johnton johnston a few ew years ayo ago startled the liter literary arT world with the gay gombeta Dom beys beTa a continuation of e dickens dombey and son howden smith however Is even more intrepid in attempting to preface a cre treat R t piece with a story ot of his own pastor a has succeeded succeed od to an extraordinary degree the consensus of 0 critical ogin opinion being that porto bello gold Is a worthy companion to treasure island the story Is not and doom docs not pretend tre to batory be Steven sons in any particular part cular cufar howden smith has simply availed himself of 0 a number of 0 the characters in the earlier tale and or of several situations which stevenson referred to as episodes ot of the past and with which he and his characters had no immediate concern for example there Is the character and part in the plot of the boy darby magraw stevenson merely y makes keg passing mention or of him but in howd n smiths stort he supplies th the m interest inhere st which jim hawkins supplies in the stevenson story that Is the juvenile adventure element and ana the reactions of 0 a boy to the glamour and realities of pirate life CHAPTER I 1 my fathers secret I 1 was in the counting room talking with peter corlzer Cor laer the chief of our fur traders he was that very day come down river from the iroquois country when the boy darby ran in from the street the bristol packet Is in master robert he be cried and oh sir the wa termen do say bay there be a pirate ship off the nook I 1 I 1 remember I 1 laughed at the combination bin atlon of awe and delight in his face ile he was a raw bog bos trotting bit of a we had bad bought at the last landing of bonded folk and lie talked with a brogue that thickened whenever Bh enever he be grew excited for the packet I 1 do not doubt you darby I 1 answered cut but you must show me the pirate peter corlzer chuckled in his quiet rumbling way his huge belly waggling before him beneath ills buckskin hunting shirt for all the world like a monster mold of jelly ja ja show us der pirates he be jeered darby flared up in a burst of irish temper that matched his tangled red hair 1 I would I 1 were a pirate efrat e and had you at my mercy you butter tub he be raged ill warrant tread the plank I 1 darby said 1 I have you done the errands my father set you every me ale answered he be very well then get you into the storeroom and sort over the pelts reter peter fetched in lie he flung off with a scowl as 1 I turned to peter sly my father will wish to know the packet arrived I 1 said will you go with me to the governors the council must be on the point of breaking up for they have been sitting since noon peter heaved his enormous body erect and I 1 marveled as aa always after a period of absence at his proportions to one who did not know him he seemed a butter tub of a man as darby had bad called him bim a muss mass of tallow tat fat limbs a pork barrel of a trunk a fat blab of a face upon which showed tiny insignificant features grotesquely tes tea quely at variance with tile the rest of his bulk ills his little eyes peered innocently between rolls ot of fat which all but masked them ills nose was a miniature dab above a mouth a child might have owned but under his layers of blubber were concealed muscles of forged steel and he was capable of the agility of a catamount the man had not lived on the frontier who could face him barehanded and escape ja ho be said gald simply we go lie he stood his musket in a corner comer and slipped off powder born and shot pouch the while I 1 donned hat and greatcoat for the air was still chilly and there was a scum of snodon snow on the ground we passed out into pearl street and walked Nse westward stward to hanover square and there on the farther kide bide of the square I 1 spied my father with governor clinton and lieutenant governor Oo vernor golden colden and it made ray heart warm to see how these and several other gentlemen hung upon his words there had bad been those who slandered him during the uproar over the 45 for ho be was wag known to have been a jacobite 1 his youth but his mends friends were more powerful than life ills en enemies emles and I 1 i joy oy to think that he was not the least influential of those of our leaders who held new york loyal to king george when many were for casting in our fortunes with the pretender ile iio saw peter and me as we approached pro ached and waved up to him but at the same moment there was a slight disturbance on the eastward side of the square and another little group of men came into view surrounding a grizzled ruddy chocked old fellow whose salt stained blue coll coat t spoke as eloquently of the sea as did his rolling gait I 1 could hear bear his hl bonne roaring voice clear across the square ran him down my eyes I 1 did and when I 1 get to port what do I 1 find but not a kings ship within my father interrupted him this captain farraday do you speak of being chased I 1 had thought we were at peace with the world captain farraday discarded the listeners who had bad attended him so go far and stumped across the square bellowing his answer in tones which brought shopkeepers to their doors and heads from upper windows chased that I 1 was master ormerod by as a pirate as flouts the kings majesty 1 the 11 nere here he perceived who accompanied my father off camo came his hat and he made an awkward bow your your excellency excell encyl 1 my duty master blaster but I 1 have no words to withdraw for all I 1 did not see gee who was near by to hear me aye there Is more to be said much more and matters have come to a pretty pass when the rascals come north to these ports peter corlzer and I 1 joined the little group of me merchants who were with the governor and the other curious persons hovered ns as close as they dared but I 1 find this hard to give crl credence to captain said governor clinton pleasantly enough pirates in these latitudes we have not nat been bothered by such of late did you have sight of the ship which pursued you sight marry that I 1 did and uncomfortable close your excellency she came up with a so easter two 04 0 V 0 1 I 1 made her out for a frigate 0 days past and at the first I 1 made her out for a frigate by the top hamper she carried A frigate protested master colden so big as that aye sir my matter and tt if I 1 have any eye for a ships lines end canvas she was none other than the royal james that chased me ma three thre days together when I 1 was homel homebound lound from the west indies in 43 11 that would be the vessel of the fellow known usually as captain spoke up my father and there was a quality la in his voice which led me to regard him closely it was manifest that he labored in th the e giap of some strong emotion but the only indication of this in ills his face was a slight rigidity of feature and none of the others marked it I 1 was the more amazed because my father was a man of iron nerves and also though his earlier years had been starred with a series of extraordinary adventures so far as I 1 knew he bad had nothing to do with the sea true for you master ormerod 11 answered captain farraday and slap henry morgan died there hath bath not lived a wore more complete rogue one of my mates was taken by him oft off jamaica ten years gone and cites him for a manof man of exquisite dress and man manners that would befit a london maca rout ron god doa sar save list and moreover Is as arrant a jacobite as ever was witness the name of his ship 1 I 1 have hoard heard he sails usually P 1 company remarked my father lie ile works with john flint who is no less of a rascal albeit rougher according to those unfortunates who have fallen in his path flint sails in the walrus a tall ship hip out of plymouth that was ans on the smyrna run pa be fore she fell into its his hands betwixt them they are a pretty pair captain farraday stopped perforce for breath and governor clinton seized the opportunity to ask with a smile captain rip rap did you call your pursuer what manner of name Is this the merchantman shrugged his shoulders nobody knows sir air but itis the only name he goes by y I 1 ha heard that years past oh it may be twenty or more he stopped a homebound home bound chesapeake packet and when tile the master was wag haled baled aboard the first question he asked was did lie he have any rip rap in hla his cargor cargo for it seems he Is singularly partial to that mixture of stuff and now I 1 he h beeri beed told his ow ownien n men give him this name for even they do not know for certain that to which he was WB born als said he was wag a gentleman who suffered for his political convictions but that Is as like to be A lie he as the truth all ali I 1 know Is that he be chased me in past the hook though the anne showed him a clean pair 0 heels and had run him down wl sunrise this morning and when I 1 made the harbor to find there was not a kings ship to send after him yes nodded the governor tile the thetis frigate sailed balled tor for home with dispatches a week ago but I 1 will send express to boston where commodore burrage lies iles and bid him to get to sea without loss of time doubt not our good commodore will make them rue the day and with lieutenant governor colden bud and the rest he made to move off only my father lingered you have letters letter for me captain farraday he be asked aye indeed air from master alten alien your agent in london I 1 was on ray my way to deliver era em and a goodly store of strouds axes knives beads tools flints and other ether trade goods to your account 1 I will accept the litter letters at t your hands and even save you the trip to pearl street capt captain aln replied my father my son robert here will visit you aboard ship in the morning and take measures to arrange for transshipping your cargo 1 I ha no quarrel with such terms rejoined captain IPar farraday raday fishing a silken wrapped packet from his coat tall pocket here you yon are master ormerod and ill be off to the george tavern for a bite of shore food and a mug of mulled ale my father fidgeted the packet in his bis hands for a moment you are arc certain captain who chased you he asked then id swear to his answered farraday confidently As I 1 said afore he chased me once in 43 and jenkins he took off jamaica in the ship cynthia out ol 01 0 southampton when flint was for drowning the bofo them but rip rap in hla his cold way says there ivas was no point to slaying without purpose and they turned em ein loose in the longboat and theres none left on the account that gall ball in it a great ship fit to be a kings frigate save it be rip rap flints walrus Is a tall ship and heavy armed but hath bath not the sail spread 0 the royal james jenkins says she was a frenchman and to be admitted she hath bath the fine run lines the french les build my father was hard put to it to make head against this flow of talk but at last he be succeeded it was my understanding he said that captain rip rap disappeared from the west indies during the late war I 1 glie give you thanks captain pray call upon me at your leisure and it if I 1 can be of any service to you I 1 am at your command captain farraday stumped off to ward the george a tall of the curious at his bis heels beels and I 1 grinned to myself at thought of the strong drink they would offer himan ir return turn for life tale there was no chance of his bis being sober inside of twenty four hours my father nodded absently to peter who had bad stood throughout the entire conversation his flat face ace sleepily imperturbable 1 I like it not he be muttered as if to himself peter gave him a quick look but said nothing Is there anything wrong father I 1 asked he frowned at me then stared off at the flie housetops la in a way he had almost as if he be sought to peer beyond the future no yes 1 I do not know lie ire broke off abruptly peter I 1 am glad you are here he be added ja said laid peter vacantly you have not looked at your letters yet I 1 reminded him 1 I have no occasion to he retorted there la Is that which but the street Is no place for such conversation come home my boy come home darby mcgraw met us at the door and from ills bis wild gate I 1 knew him to be halt half expecting to see the pirate hotfoot hot foot at our heels have you performed your tasks darby questioned my father yes oyes milster master be off with you then lien I 1 wish wash not to be disturbed see can jou aou find us late news of the pirates darby I 1 added ns as ie be slipped by ile he answered me with a merry scowl but my father spun on his heel what mean you by that robert says he I 1 was nonplussed nonplus sed why naught sir darby Is daft on pirates lie he peter corlzer shut the he room floor door upon the irish boy and came toward us moving with the stealth that was one of its his most astonishing characteristics acte ja lie he does not know he said what challenged my father what you andt I 1 know returned the dutchman calmly so you know too peter igia ja 11 I 1 could restrain my impatience no longer what Is this mystery I 1 demanded 1 I thought I 1 knew till the secrets of the business but sure father I 1 never thought to hear bear that we were concerned as a firm with pirates we are not my father answered C curtly this Is a matter of which you yon know nothing robert be because becallo calls until now there has been no occasion i for you to know of it if ile he hesitated peter lie ile went on must we tell the boy lie he Is not a boy he la Is a man said peter I 1 flar flashed lied my gratitude to the fat dutchman in a smile but lie he paid no attention my father too seemed to forget me ile he strode up and down the counting room hands under the skirts of its his coat head bowed in thought togs tags of phrases plira ses escaped his lips 1 I had thought him dead strange it if he be bobs up again here Is a problem I 1 had bad never thought to face mayhap I 1 exaggerate it cannot have significance tor for us certes bertes Is ie must be accident neen he comes tor for a purpose interrupted peter my father stayed his walk in front of peter by the fireplace v herein blazed a heap of elm logs who do you fancy this captain rip rap to be peter speak up you were right when you said robert Is no longer a boy if there Is danger here he deserves to know of it lie ile Is murray replied corlzer Cor laer life bis squeaking voice an incongruous contrast with his immense bulk andrew Blur murray rayl I 1 mused my father aye atwould be be I 1 have suspected it all these years held it for certainty but I 1 made sure when he be failed to show himself after the last war that providence had attended to him it seems I 1 was wrong whoever lie jie Is this pirate can do no harra harm to us in new york I 1 made bold to say be not too sure robert adjured my father ile he happens to be your great uncle lie ile |