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,cmJnvT:ar' AN INDEPENDENT FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 'V&g'SJZZ'
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Vol. VIII. IVoav Bloomtteld, Tuesday, Xeliimry 17, 1874. - IV o. 7.
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For the Blooiuf.eld Times.
THE MYSTERIOUS FRIEND.
A Story of Old Virginia
CHAPTER IX.
LET us now return to our youthful hero
whom wo left just after bis escape
from the jail. The boat was rowed swiftly
down the river, and though Orlando re
peatedly asked to be iuformed whither
they were conveying him they answered
him not. At length, as the boat turned a
point of land that projected into the stream,
the youth caught sight of a heavy brig that
' lay at anchor only a short distance below,
and iu an in stant the whole truth flashed
across his mind, and springing from his
seat be exclaimed, while his eyes flashed
fire :
"Put me ashore, or I will siuk the boat,
and you with it. You have betrayed me',
villains, but you shall not succeed I"
" Keep quiet, my young sir," said No
lan. " We ain't going to hurt you.
"But do you mean to convey me on
board that brig ?"
" Guess w shall atop there for tho pres
ent.' "Then turn your boat's head towards
the shore, or I'll jump and swim for it."
" You can try it," coolly returned Nolan,
as be drew a heavy pistol from his pocket
and cocked it.
Orlando settled back upon the thwart
with a groan, while Nolan laid the pistol
down by his side and resumed bis oar.
The youth had no weapon, and no means
of procuring one, and from the manner of
his companion be was assured that they
would not hesitate to shoot him, if he at
tempted to escape, lie was not foolish
enough to risk bis life without even a hope
oc ultimate success, though he was now
fully convinced that be 'had been cruelly
deceived and betrayed.
Shortly after Orlando had reseated him.
self he saw a boat put off from the brig and
start np the river. The moon was yot
shining, and as tho boat came nearer our
hero thought he recognized the man who
occupied the stern-sheets. Ere long the
boats met and the young hunter saw, in
the person of him who had caught his at-
' tention, Mr. Roswell Berkley ! That gon
tleman nodded bis head in a significant
manner to Nolan, and a dark, lowering
mile rested upon his countenance, as bis
glance fell upon the prisoner.
At that moment, Orlando could not have
spoken if he would, for his soul was too
full of indignation, lie had no difficulty
now in knowing into whose power he bad
fallen, aud he really felt that his case was
almost hopeless ; yet be resolved to be
quiet to maintain a steady, unmoved de
meanor, and not allow bis anger, under
any circumstances, to betray bira into
needless danger, hoping thereby to move
the more kindly feelings of his guardians,
nd be the better able to take advantage of
the irst opportunity that might present it
self for his escape.
When the boat at length hauled up un
der the gangway of the br'g the youth was
requested to step on board, and with a
readiness which somewhat astonished his
companions be obeyed. The men were
already at the windlass, the gaskets aud
furling-lines were cast off, and the sails
were hanging loose in the buutliues.
"Mr. Chester, I believe," said the Cap
tain, who stopped down from the raised
quarter-deck, as the youth came on board.
"That's my name," returned Orlando,
In a mild toiu', t the siiine timo casting
bis eyes about the ih.rk. lie was not much
acquainted with marine tactics, but yet he
knew from the appearance of things about
blm that the veiol was being gotten under
weigh.
" 80 we are to have you for a passen
ger," continued the Captain.
" I knew nothing of it, sir. I have been
betrayed into my present position ; and, as
you sse I am without the means of resis
tance, of course I must submit to the will
of him who has brought this about."
"Better be here than on the gallows,"
said the Captain, with a tinge of sarcasm
in bis voice.
" Whether- my p if sent position is for
good or for evil to myself and those who
depend on me, I trust that you will not
taunt me or trifle with my feelings. I
know, sir, why I am brought hither, and I
know, too, at whose will. The gallows
stood not in my path."
The captain's countenance assumed a less
chilling tone as the youth thus spoke, and
with more of forbearance in his manner, be
said :
" All I know about the matter is, that
you are put here to escape the gallows, and
if that offends you, I can't help it."
" I am not offended at what you have
said," replied Orlando. " I know that I
am your prisoner, aud that for the present
I must obey the will of those who have
only a physical power over me, but I only
ask that I may be treated as a man."
' I'm glad you know so much, for I
shan't have the disagreeable news to breaU
to you," said the Captain, in a careless
one. "So if you know you're a prisoner,
of course you'll expect to bo treated like
tone."
" If I treat others kindly I shall expect
the same in return."
"Of course ; we sha'n't make you mis
erable, if we can help it."
" There is one question I should like to
ask," said the youth.
"Well, what is it?"
" Where do you intend to carry mo?"
"Really, Mr. Chester, I couldn't tell
you."
At that moment the anchor was reported
to be a-peak, and the Captain started back
to the quarter-deck to attend to making
sail. Our hero, though but little acquaint
ed with tho world, could not tail to see
that the commander of the brig was a mau
capablo of any sort of villainy, and that be
was a fit tool for the execution of Berkley's
purposes, and in his heart be resolved that
he would embrace the first opportunity to
escape from bis clutches, even though
death stared him in tho face upon the at
tempt.
The brig was soon on her way towards
the mouth of the river, and shortly after
the anchors had been stowed, Orlando was
showed to a bed which had been prepared
for him beneath the cover of the long-boat.
The night passed slowly and heavily away,
and from what our hero could bear of the
conversation of the men, be found that it
was the general Impression among the
crew that he was actually taken on board
to save his neck from the gallows. At first
he thought of making them understand his
case, but be soon saw that such a course
would only be likely to make bis situation
worse, and be at length resolved to keep
his counsel to himself.
When the youth got out upon the deck
in the morning the brig bad cleared the
bay, and Cape Henry boro upon the star
board quarter. He gazed back upon the
land that just lifted its blue lines to viow
beyond the entrance of the bay, and he
thought of those be was leaving behind
of those from whom he was being thus
separated, and perhaps forever I He fan
cied he saw the teats coursing down the
pale cheeks of his poor mother, and be
could hear her piteous moans as she grad
uallj should awake to the knowledge that
she had no son 1 Then the form of bis lov
ed Ada rose to bis view, and be found
now pang in bis heart as he thought of
her. Less and less distinct grew the inner
shore, until at length it seemed to siuk
into the bosom of tho ocean between the
two copes ; and when the youth could no
longer gaze upon it, he turned back to
wards bis rough resting-place. Again the
picture of his mother came before his mind,
and, with bis heart almost rending with
anguish, be gave away to his grief, and tho
bitter, burning tears of a soul without hope
started forth from bis eyes.
" Come, come, Mr. Chester, you'd better
go to the galley and get some grub," said
some one who came up and touched him
upon the back.
Orlando turned aud beheld Dick Nolan.
" Nolan," said he, as he wiped the tears
from his checks, "why did you deceive me
so?"
"I low?" coolly returned the sailor.
" By telling me that Chiron bad sent for
me, nud that I was to be curried to my
mother,"
" O, I was only obeyin' orders, sir.
That's what I was directed to tell you if I
couldn't make you budge without ; so you
won't blame me, sir,"
"Nolan," said the youth, in a tone of
anguish so touching, and melancholy, that
the old sailor started, " suppose that you
had a mother one whom you loved as
your own life, and whose every drop of joy
was derived from you. Suppose that mis
fortune had shattered that mother's mind,
and that you alone could give peace to her
soul, or shed a ray of sunlight across her
path, would you, when calling to mind
that fond mother's bitter agony when
dwelling upon her tears and prayers, and
picture her sad loneliness, blame him who
bad lent himself au Instrument to tear you
from her ? Could you feel it in your heart
to thiuk he bad been unkind ?"
Dick Nolan could have withstood a tor
rent of curses and abuse with right good
will, but this attack touched him at a de
fenceless point, and be turned away his
head. In a moment, however, he turned
back, and in a tone mado tremulous by the
culling up of bis bettor feelings, he said :
I'm sorry for you, but I couldn't help
it ; though perhaps if I had known all this
before, I might have done differently. But
it's too late now to cry for the milk, for it's
all spilt. Come, you can have your break
fast now."
" No, Nolan, I have no appetite for food
now."
The sailor gazed a moment into the sad,
pensive features of the youth, and some
thing like a shade of pitying sorrow passed
over his features, as he silently turned
away.
"Ah," murmured Orlando to himself, as
he was left alono, " how easy a thing it is
to touch the human heart, if there be one
generous spark left within it. Now, had I
given way to my passion, or berated that
man for the part he had taken against me,
be would have exulted in my downfall,
and only returned me anger for anger ; but
now he pities me, and pity is surely gener
ous. If I can make no friends, I will at
leant endeavor to make no new enemies."
For three days the brig stood on in an
easterly direction, and during that time the
young hunter had been constantly on the
watch. There had been but little said to
him, though he bad been allowed a free
range on the decks, and as yet be had been
enabled to gain but little intelligence with
regard to his destination. It was between
nine and ten o'clock on the evening of the
third day that Orlando turned into his
bunk boneath the cover of the long-boat,
and endeavored to compose himself to
sleep. Nearly an hour had be lain thus,
but no sleep had as yet visited his eyelids,
though a sort of dreamy, troubled forget
fulness had begun to creep over him, when
the sound of voices directly below bim
aroused blm to a state of consciousness.
One of them he recognized as Nolan's, and
as he beard bis own name pronounced he
placed his ear nearer to the edge of the
boat.
"I really pity the poor fellow," said No
lan, In reply to something that had been
said, "and if I'd have known what they
were coin' to do with him, blow me if I'd
have anything to do with it."
" It's a curious affair, anyhow," remark.
ed another. " I can't see why a quiet chap
like bim should trouble anybody. Why,
he don't look as though he d barm a
mouse."
"O, as for that," returned Nolan,
"you'd And blm a bard customer at a
pinch rather a dangerous man to trifle
with on equal ground. But, you know,
even a child may sometimes be ia the way.
I rather think the youngster knows too
much for them shore chaps, and for that
they want to got bim out of the way."
"But where are they goin' to carry
bim ?" said a third speaker.
" Well, if I should just put this aud that
together, I think I could hit pretty near
the truth," answered Nolan.
"Then put it together, Dick."
" Well, I s'pose you know all our cargo
of tobacco is shipped for England." .
"Yes."-
" A nd don't you see that wo're steering
off to the south'rd of that ?' '
Yes, I noticed it."
" Well, now we have no earthly reason
for such a course, unless it be to leave part
of our cargo at some other port. I heard
the Captain you'll be mum, shipmates."
" Yes," replied three or four voices.
"Then I heard the Captain sayln' some
thing to the mate yesterday about the
coast of Africa, and about uhitt tlatti.
Now can't you guess?"
For a few moments all was silent, but at
length a low murmur of surprise, slightly
tinged with disapprobation, fell from the
lips of the inon, and in a moment more
Nolan said : '
" Now keep dark, and let things go on
as they may. I'm sorry for the poor fel
low, for if my suspicions are correct he'll
have a hard time of it ; but we can't help
it now it's nene of our business. sh t
Ilore comes the mate. Mum's the word."
Orlando Chester sank back upon his
pillow, and an audible groan escaped from
his lips. lie bad feared death, but now
such a fate would have seemed compara
tively light. lie had no doubt, from what
be had heard, that he was to be sold into
slavery I All thoughts of sleep were ban
ished from bis mind, and long did he pon
der upon what he' had beard ; but at
length the feeling came over him that such
a diabolical plan could not be carried out
against bim. Up through all his doubts
and fears there then struggled a hope that
a way of escape might yet be opened be
fore bim, and he gradually wrought his
mind into a Btate of comparative' calm.
He resolved that he would not, by a word
or look, betray his knowledge of tho fiend
ish purpose held against him, but that he
would, by every means in bis power, en
deavor to cultivato the friendship and good
will of the crew, and then, when the crisis
should come, be would arm himself and
stake his life for the result. God and right
were on his side, and with a heart now
bent to a firm purpose, the youth ere long
passed into the land of dreams,
When Orlando awoke in the morning,
the sun had been some time up, and the
crew were all on deck. Near the wheel
stood the Captain, with his spy-glass in bis
hand, and huddled around him were the
two mates, and some half a dozen of the
men. The brig was steering S. S. E., with
the wind quite fresh from the westward, so
that Bhe took it full upon the quarter, and
with her starboard studding-sails set she
was dashing along through the water at a
rapid rate.
"Is anything the matter?" axked our
hero of one of the men who was passing
along the gangway.
" There's a Bail in sight, that's all," re
turned the man thus addressed.
As the sailor spoke ho pointed with his
fingor over the weather beam, and after
gazing iu that direction a few moments the
youth made out a small white speck just
visible to the naked eye above the horizon.
There seemed nothing strange about the
circumstance, however, and without be
stowing further thought upon it, he went
to the galley after bis breakfast. The
forenoon passed away without any occur
rence worthy of note; but shortly after
dinner Orlando's attention was arrested by
the strange manner of the Captain, who
was evidently laboring under some power
ful excitement, and walking aft he follow
ed the commander's glass, and found tbat
the sail he had seen in the morning was
only about a quarter of a milo dintant, com
ing down with all ber canvass set. She
was a brigantine, aud for the first time the
young man noticed that she carried guns.
" Chester," said the Captain, as he no
ticed the form of bis prisoner, "step this
way. Do you see that brigantine ?"
" Yes sir."
" Well, what do you take her to be ?"
" Perhaps a pirate," said Oulando, as for
the first time the thought passed through
his mind.
" And you aro right. Now what do vou
Intend to do?"
" If any one seeks to harm me I shall en.
deavor to defend myself," returned Orlan
do. " May I be shot if you don't take it cool
ly," uttered the Captain, not a little sur
prised at the perfect coolness of the young
man.
"And why should I notf No benefit
can result from any undue excitement
and besides, I know not that I have much
to choose between my present situation,
and the one tbat may bo threatened by a
capture of our vessel."
" But you will fight in behalf of the brig,
will you not ?" asked the Captain.
" I have no arms, sir."
" We have plenty on board, so you need
not fear on tbat account."
" Theu you may arm me, sir, and if my
own judgment tells me that my portion of
strength is necessary for the defence of
your crew, I will use it. I have no desire
to see these oceau robbers trauiplo upon the
rights of others, for human right, is sa
cred, and be who would abuse it deserves
a just retribution."
The young hunter spoke in a low, mean
ing tone, aud the eyes of the Captain fell
to the deck, as he met the keen glance of
the speaker. Ho read at once the meaning
of the language, and though anything like
repentance or sorrow might never enter bin
soul, yet be could not but realize his own
basenoss and shame in the presence of one
like his prisoner, lie did not care to en
counter the gaze of the youth at that mo
ment, so, raising his glass to his eye, ho
took Another look at the approaching brig
antine. "Mr. Cowley," said the Captain to his
first mate, " the pirates are aiming their
long gun. Call the men aft and distribute
the arms. Look well to the pistols."
"Then you are determined to resist
them," said the mate, in a tone tUat be
trayed considerable fear.
" We must do it," returned the Captain,
exhibiting a quantity and quality of c6ur
age tbat must have cost a strong effort in
its production. " I know the character of
those men too well. They never leave live
men to tell tales against them."
The mate shuddered as he thought of the
coming conflict, but he strove hard to koep
his fear to himself, and calling upon one or
two of the men, he went below to bring up
the gnus.
The brig's crew consUtod, all told, of
eighteen men, Orlando making nineteen,
and ere long each man was armed with a
heavy cntlaBS and a brace of pistols. Our
hero readily took the weapons which tho
mate handed to him, but be did it with no
fixed purpose, only he felt that his own
life should be sold as dearly as possible.
As soon as the men were all armed, the
Captain call them aft and explained to
them the situation in which they were
placed he knew that if the pirates captur
ed the brig, the crew would be mercilessly
put to death ; and he appealed to bis sailors
to sell their lives at a dear cost. They
could but die, and they bad better die like
men than be killed like dogs and, they
might drive the enemy off.
During the Captain's speech ho seemed
actually to have worked himself up to a
pitch of real courage by the fearful picture
he had drawn for the purpose of inciting
his men to a bold resistance, and his new
found fearlessness had considerable- effect
upou the crew.
The brig carried two carriage-guns upon
bor dock, each capable of throwing a
twelve pound ball. They were lashed to
the bulwarks, one on each sido, and point
ed fore and aft, the ports having not yet
beeu opened, nor the guns cast loose. At
length a wreath of smoke curled up from
the deck of the brigantine, and on the
next instant an eighteen pound ball camo
dashing along directly under the brig's
bows.
The pirate was yet at a considerable dis
tance irom the brig, though she was gain
ing vantage rapidly, the latter vessel having
kept steadily on her course, and the former
only varying sufficiently to keep bor head
towards the object of ber chose. As soon
as all other matters had been arranged on
board the brig, the two heavy guns were
cast from their lashings and drawn aft,
where they were loaded half way to their
muzzles with every sort of missile thati
could be procured, such as iron bolts, nuta,
spikes, etc, and then they were both point
ed towards the spot where the pirates
would probably board, though if the point
of attack should be varied they could be
moved in a moment. '
Again the long gun of the pirate sent
forth ber Iron messenger; and it came
with some effect, for it struck tho brig's
side just abaft the main chains, and went
crashing and ploughing across the dock.
The splinter flew In every direction, one
of them wounding Orlando slightly upon
the leg. The youth started, as the felt the
twinge of pain, and casting bis eyes toward
the brigantine, he uttered :
" If I had my truBty rifle here you'd not
Are that gun again. " '
The Captain heard the youth's exolama
tion, and stepping up to his side, he ' ask
ed :
" Are you sure of your aim with a rifle?"
" With a good one I am."
"1 have two on board."
" Then bring them to mo," said our hero,
as be stooped down and bound bis hand
kerchief around his leg.
. Iu a few moments the Captain produced
two long, heavy riilos, aud at the first
glance the youth knew them to have been
made for tbo best. They were speedily
loaded, and taking one of them in his band
Orlando walked aft to where he could com
mand a view of the pirate's long gun, " He
had not been long on the watch when he
saw one of the enemy, with a match in his
band, approach the dreaded gun. Contin
ued next week,