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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/37006-h.zip b/37006-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..224113e --- /dev/null +++ b/37006-h.zip diff --git a/37006-h/37006-h.htm b/37006-h/37006-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..af6a11d --- /dev/null +++ b/37006-h/37006-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,6246 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Fire Cloud, by James +Sullivan</title> +<style type="text/css"> + + body {margin-left: 12%; + margin-right: 12%;} + + p {text-indent: 0em; + text-align: justify; + margin-top: .85em; + margin-bottom: .85em; + line-height: 1.25em;} + + .ctr {text-align: center;} + + .firstchapter {margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 1.5em; + text-align: center; + font-size: 115%;} + + .chapter {margin-top: 4em; + margin-bottom: 1.5em; + text-align: center; + font-size: 115%;} + + .figcenter {margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + text-align: center; + margin-bottom: 0em; + margin-top: 2em; + width: auto;} + + h1 {text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + line-height: 1.3em; + letter-spacing: 4px;} + + h2, h3, h4, h5, h6 {text-align: center; + margin-top: 1em; + margin-bottom: 1em; + line-height: 1.3em;} + + hr.med {width: 65%; + height: 1px; + margin-top: 2.5em; + margin-bottom: 2.5em;} + + table {margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto;} + + td.digit {text-align: right; + padding-right: 3px;} + + .poem {margin-left:12%; margin-right:4%; + margin-bottom: 1.5em; margin-top: 1.5em; text-align: left;} + .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem p {margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem p.i2 {margin-left: 1em;} + .poem p.i6 {margin-left: 3em;} + +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Fire Cloud, by Samuel Fletcher + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Fire Cloud + The Mysterious Cave. A Story of Indians and Pirates. + +Author: Samuel Fletcher + +Release Date: August 8, 2011 [EBook #37006] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRE CLOUD *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="Fire Cloud, By Samuel Fletcher, No. 86 Beadle's +Frontier Series" width="452" height="600"></div> +<br><br> +<p class="ctr"> +(Printed in the United States of America) +</p> +<br><br> + +<h1> +FIRE CLOUD; +</h1> + +<h3> +OR +</h3> + +<h2> +The Mysterious Cave. +</h2> + + +<h3> +A Story of Indians and Pirates. +</h3> + +<br><br> +<h4> +<i>Copyright, 1909, by James Sullivan.<br> +All Rights Reserved.</i> +</h4> + +<h4> +Published by<br> +THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK COMPANY<br> +Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. +</h4> + +<hr class="med"> + + +<p class="ctr"> +<big><b>FIRE CLOUD.</b></big> +</p> + + + +<br> +<p class="firstchapter"> +CHAPTER I. +</p> + + +<p> +Whether or not, the story which we are about to relate is absolutely +true in every particular, we are not prepared to say. All we know +about it is, that old Ben Miller who told it to our uncle Zeph, +believed it to be true, as did uncle Zeph himself. And from all we can +learn, uncle Zeph was a man of good judgment, and one not easily +imposed upon. +</p> + +<p> +And uncle Zeph said that he had known old people in his younger days, +who stated that they had actually seen the cave where many of the +scenes which we are about to relate occurred, although of late years, +no traces of any kind could be discovered in the locality where it is +supposed to have been situated. +</p> + +<p> +His opinion was, that as great rocks were continually rolling down the +side of the mountain at the foot of which the entrance to the cave +was, some one or more of these huge boulders had fallen into the +opening and completely closed it up. +</p> + +<p> +But that such a cave did exist, he was perfectly satisfied, and that +it would in all probability be again discovered at some future day, by +persons making excavations in the side of the mountain. And lucky he +thought would be the man who should make the discovery, for unheard of +treasures he had no doubt would be found stowed away in the chinks and +crevices of the rocks. +</p> + +<p> +So much by way of introduction; as we have no intention to describe +the cave until the proper time comes, we shall leave that part of the +subject for the present, while we introduce the reader to a few of the +principal personages of our narrative. +</p> + +<p> +At a distance of some fifteen or twenty miles from the City of New +York, on the Hudson river in the shadow of the rocks known as the +Palisades, something near two hundred years ago, lay a small vessel at +anchor. +</p> + +<p> +The vessel as we have said was small. Not more than fifty or sixty +tons burden, and what would be considered a lumbering craft now a days +with our improved knowledge of ship building, would at that time be +called a very fast sailor. +</p> + +<p> +This vessel was schooner rigged, and every thing about her deck trim +and in good order. +</p> + +<p> +On the forecastle sat two men, evidently sailors, belonging to the +vessel. +</p> + +<p> +We say sailors, but in saying so we do not mean to imply that they +resembled your genuine old <i>salt</i>, but something between a sailor +and a landsman. They could hardly be called land lubbers, for I doubt +if a couple of old salts could have managed their little craft better +than they, while they, when occasion required, could work on land as +well as water. +</p> + +<p> +In fact they belonged to the class known as river boatmen, though they +had no hesitation to venturing out to sea on an emergency. +</p> + +<p> +The elder of these men, who might have seen some fifty years or more, +was a short, thick set man with dark complexion, and small grey eyes +overshadowed by thick, shaggy brows as black as night. +</p> + +<p> +His mouth was large when he chose to open it, but his lips were thin +and generally compressed. +</p> + +<p> +He looked at you from under his eyebrows like one looking at you from +a place of concealment, and as if he was afraid he would be seen by +you. +</p> + +<p> +His name was David Rider, but was better known among his associates +under the title of Old Ropes. +</p> + +<p> +The other was a man of about twenty-five or thirty, and was a taller +and much better-looking man, but without anything very marked in his +countenance. His name was Jones Bradley. +</p> + +<p> +"I tell you what, Joe," said his companion, "I don't like the +captain's bringin' of this gal; there can't no good come of it, and it +may bring us into trouble." +</p> + +<p> +"Bring us into trouble! everything that's done out of the common +track, accordin' to you's a goin' to bring us into trouble. I'd like +to know how bringing a pretty girl among us, is goin' to git us into +trouble?" +</p> + +<p> +"A pretty face is well enough in its way," said Old Ropes, "but a +pretty face won't save a man from the gallows, especially if that face +is the face of an enemy." +</p> + +<p> +"By the 'tarnal, Ropes, if I hadn't see you fight like the very devil +when your blood was up, I should think you was giten' to be a coward. +How in thunder is that little baby of a girl goin' to git us into +trouble?" +</p> + +<p> +"Let me tell you," said Ropes, "that one pretty gal, if she's so +minded, can do you more harm than half a dozen stout men that you can +meet and fight face to face, and if you want to know the harm that's +goin' to come to us in this case I'll show you." +</p> + +<p> +"The gal, you know's the only daughter of old Rosenthrall. Why the +captain stole her away, I don't know. Out of revenge for some slight +or insult or other, I s'pose. Now the old man, as you're aware, knows +more about our business than is altogether safe for us. As I said +before, the gal's his only daughter, and he'll raise Heaven and earth +but he'll have her again, and when he finds who's got her, do you +suppose there'll be any safety for us here? No! no! if I was in the +captain's place, I'd either send her back again, or make her walk the +plank, as he did, you know who, and so get rid of her at once." +</p> + +<p> +"As for walking the plank," said the young man, laying his hand on his +companion's shoulder, danger or no danger, the man who makes that girl +walk the plank, shall walk after, though it should be Captain Flint +himself, or my name is not Jones Bradley." +</p> + +<p> +"You talk like a boy that had fallen dead in love," said the other; +"but anyhow, I don't like the captain's bringing the young woman among +us, and so I mean to tell him the first chance I have." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, now's your time," said Bradley, "for here comes the captain." +</p> + +<p> +As he spoke, a man coming up from the cabin joined them. His figure, +though slight, was firm and compact. He was of medium height; his +complexion naturally fair, was somewhat bronzed by the weather, his +hair was light, his eyes grey, and his face as a whole, one which many +would at first sight call handsome. Yet it was one that you could not +look on with pleasure for any length of time. There was something in +his cold grey eye that sent a chill into your blood, and you could not +help thinking that there was deceit, and falsehood in his perpetual +smile. +</p> + +<p> +Although his age was forty-five, there was scarcely a wrinkle on his +face, and you would not take him to be over thirty. +</p> + +<p> +Such was Captain Flint, the commander and owner of the little schooner +<i>Sea Gull</i>. +</p> + +<p> +"Captain," said Rider, when the other had joined the group; "Joe and I +was talking about that gal just afore you came up, and I was a sayin' +to him that I was afeard that she would git us into trouble, and I +would speak to you about it." +</p> + +<p> +"Well," said Captain Flint, after a moment's pause, "if this thing was +an affair of mine entirely, I should tell you to mind your own +business, and there the matter would end, but as it concerns you as +well as me, I suppose you ought to know why it was done. +</p> + +<p> +"The girl's father, as you know, has all along been one of our best +customers. And we suppose that he was too much interested in our +success to render it likely that he would expose any of our secrets, +but since he's been made a magistrate, he has all at once taken it +into his head to set up for an honest man, and the other day he not +only told me that it was time I had changed my course and become a +fair trader, but hinted that he had reason to suspect that we were +engaged in something worse than mere smuggling, and that if we did not +walk pretty straight in future, he might be compelled in his capacity +of magistrate to make an example of us. +</p> + +<p> +"I don't believe that he has got any evidence against us in regard to +that last affair of ours, but I believe that he suspects us, and +should he even make his suspicions public, it would work us a great +deal of mischief, to say the least of it. +</p> + +<p> +"I said nothing, but thinks I, old boy, I'll see if I can't get the +upper hand of you. For this purpose I employed some of our Indian +friends to entrap, and carry off the girl for me. I took care that it +should be done in such a manner as to make her father believe that she +was carried off by them for purposes of their own. +</p> + +<p> +"Now, he knows my extensive acquaintance with all the tribes along the +river, and that there is no one who can be of as much service to him +in his efforts to recover his daughter, as I, so that he will not be +very likely to interfere with us for some time to come. +</p> + +<p> +"I have seen him since the affair happened, and condoled with him, of +course. +</p> + +<p> +"He believes that the Indian who stole his daughter was the chief +Fire Cloud, in revenge for some insult received a number of years ago. +</p> + +<p> +"This opinion I encouraged, as it answered my purpose exactly, and I +promised to render all the assistance I could in his efforts to +recover his child. +</p> + +<p> +"This part of the country, as we all know, is getting too hot for us; +we can't stand it much longer; if we can only stave off the danger +until the arrival of that East Indiaman that's expected in shortly +there'll be a chance for us that don't come more than once or twice in +a lifetime. +</p> + +<p> +"Let us once get the pick out of her cargo, and we shall have enough +to make the fortunes of all of us, and we can retire to some country +where we can enjoy our good luck without the danger of being +interfered with. And then old Rosenthrall can have his daughter again +and welcome provided he can find her. +</p> + +<p> +"So you see that to let this girl escape will be as much as your necks +are worth." +</p> + +<p> +So saying, Captain Flint left his companions and returned to the +cabin. +</p> + +<p> +"Just as I thought," said Old Ropes, when the captain had gone, "if we +don't look well to it this unlucky affair will be the ruin of us all." +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER II. +</p> + + +<p> +Carl Rosenthrall was a wealthy citizen of New York. That is, rich when +we consider the time in which he lived, when our mammoth city was +little more than a good-sized village, and quite a thriving trade was +carried on with the Indians along the river, and it was in this trade +chiefly, that Carl Rosenthrall and his father before him, had made +nearly all the wealth which Carl possessed. +</p> + +<p> +But Carl Rosenthrall's business was not confined to trading with the +Indians alone, he kept what would now be called a country store. A +store where everything almost could be found, from a plough to a paper +of needles. +</p> + +<p> +Some ten years previous to the time when the events occurred which are +recorded in the preceding chapter, and when Hellena Rosenthrall was +about six years old, an Indian chief with whom Rosenthrall had +frequent dealings, and whose name was Fire Cloud, came in to the +merchant's house when he was at dinner with his family, and asked for +something to eat, saying that he was hungry. +</p> + +<p> +Now Fire Cloud, like the rest of his race, had an unfortunate liking +for strong drink, and was a little intoxicated, and Rosenthrall not +liking to be intruded upon at such a time by a drunken savage, ordered +him out of the house, at the same time calling him a drunken brute, +and making use of other language not very agreeable to the Indian. +</p> + +<p> +The chief did as he was required, but in doing so, he put his hand on +his tomahawk and at the same time turned on Rosenthrall a look that +said as well as words could say, "Give me but the opportunity, and +I'll bury this in your skull." +</p> + +<p> +The chief, on passing out, seated himself for a moment on the stoop in +front of the house. +</p> + +<p> +While he was sitting there, little Hellena, with whom he had been a +favorite, having often seen him at her father's store, came running +out to him with a large piece of cake in her hand, saying: +</p> + +<p> +"Here, No-No, Hellena will give you some cake." +</p> + +<p> +No-No was the name by which the Indian was known to the child, having +learned it from hearing the Indian make use of the name no, no, so +often when trading with her father. +</p> + +<p> +The Indian took the proffered cake with a smile, and as he did so +lifted the child up in his arms and gazed at her steadily for a few +moments, as if he wished to impress every feature upon his memory, and +then sat her down again. +</p> + +<p> +He was just in the act of doing this when the child's father came out +of the dining-room. +</p> + +<p> +Rosenthrall, imagining that the Indian was about to kidnap his +daughter, or do her some violence, rushed out ordering him to put the +child down, and be off about his business. +</p> + +<p> +It was the recollection of this circumstance, taken in connection with +the fact that Fire Cloud had been seen in the city on the day on which +his daughter had disappeared, which led Rosenthrall to fix upon the +old chief as the person who had carried off Hellena. +</p> + +<p> +This opinion, as we have seen, was encouraged by Captain Flint for +reasons of his own. +</p> + +<p> +The facts in the case were these. +</p> + +<p> +Rosenthrall, as Captain Flint had said, although for a long time one +of his best customers, knowing to, and winking at his unlawful doings, +having been elected a magistrate took it in to his head to be honest. +</p> + +<p> +He had made money out of his connection with the smuggler and pirate, +and he probably thought it best to break off the connection before it +should be too late, and he should be involved in the ruin which he +foresaw Captain Flint was certain to bring upon himself if he +continued much longer in the reckless course he was now pursuing. +</p> + +<p> +All this was understood by Captain Flint, and it was as he explained +to his men, in order to get the upper hand of Rosenthrall, and thus +prevent the danger which threatened him from that quarter, he had +caused Hellena to be kidnapped, and conveyed to their grand hiding +place, the cave in the side of the mountain. +</p> + +<p> +Rosenthrall at this time resided in a cottage on the banks of the +river, a short distance from his place of business, the grounds +sloping down to the water. +</p> + +<p> +These grounds were laid out into a flower garden where there was an +arbor in which Hellena spent the greater part of her time during the +warm summer evenings. +</p> + +<p> +It was while lingering in this arbor rather later than usual that she +was suddenly pounced upon by the two Indians employed by Captain Flint +for the purpose, and conveyed to his vessel, which lay at anchor a +short distance further up the river. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint immediately set sail with his unwilling passenger, and +in a few hours afterwards she was placed in the cave under the safe +keeping of the squaw who presided over that establishment. +</p> + +<p> +If the reader would like to know what kind of a looking girl Hellena +Rosenthrall was at this time, I would say that a merrier, more +animated, if not a handsomer face he never looked upon. She was the +very picture of health and fine spirits. +</p> + +<p> +Her figure was rather slight, but not spare, for her form was compact +and well rounded, and her movements were as light and elastic as those +of a deer. +</p> + +<p> +Her complexion was fair, one in which you might say without any streak +of fancy, the lily was blended with the rose. +</p> + +<p> +Her eyes were blue and her hair auburn, bordering on the golden, and +slightly inclined to wave rather than to curl. +</p> + +<p> +Her nose was of moderate size and straight, or nearly so. +</p> + +<p> +Some would say that her mouth was rather large, but the lips were so +beautifully shaped, and then when she smiled she displayed such an +exquisite set of the purest teeth, setting off to such advantage the +ruby tinting of the lips, you felt no disposition to find fault with +it. +</p> + +<p> +We have spoken of Hellena's look as being one of animation and high +spirits, and such was its general character, but for some time past a +shadow of gloom had come over it. +</p> + +<p> +Hellena was subject to the same frailties which are common to her sex. +She had fallen in love! +</p> + +<p> +The object of her affections was a young man some two or three years +older than herself, and at first nothing occurred to mar their +happiness, for the parents of both were in favor of the match. +</p> + +<p> +As they were both young, however, it was decided to postpone their +union for a year. +</p> + +<p> +In the meantime, Henry Billings, the intended bridegroom, should make +a voyage to Europe in order to transact some business for his father, +who was a merchant trading with Amsterdam. +</p> + +<p> +The vessel in which he sailed never reached her place of destination. +</p> + +<p> +It was known that she carried out a large amount of money sent by +merchants in New York, as remittances to those with whom they had +dealings in Europe. This, together with certain facts which transpired +shortly after the departure of the vessel, led some people to suspect +that she had met with foul play somewhere on the high seas; and that +not very far from port either. +</p> + +<p> +Hellena, who happened to be in her father's store one day when Captain +Flint was there, saw on his finger a plain gold ring which she was +sure had belonged to her lover. +</p> + +<p> +This fact she mentioned to her father after the captain had gone. +</p> + +<p> +Her father at that time ridiculed her suspicions. But he afterwards +remembered circumstances connected with the departure of the vessel, +and the movements of Captain Flint about the same time, which taken in +connection with the discovery made by his daughter, did seem to +justify the dark suspicions created in the mind of his daughter. +</p> + +<p> +But how was he to act under the circumstance? As a magistrate, it was +his business to investigate the matter. But then there was the danger +should he attempt to do so, of exposing his own connection with the +pirate. +</p> + +<p> +He must move cautiously. +</p> + +<p> +And he did move cautiously, yet not so cautiously but he aroused the +suspicions of Captain Flint, who, as we have seen, in order to secure +himself against the danger which threatened him in that quarter, had +carried off the daughter of the merchant. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER III. +</p> + + +<p> +When the vessel in which young Billings set sail started she had a +fair wind, and was soon out in the open sea. +</p> + +<p> +Just as night began to set in, a small craft was observed approaching +them, and being a much faster sailor than the larger and heavily +ladened ship, she was soon along-side. +</p> + +<p> +When near enough to be heard, the commander of the smaller vessel +desired the other to lay too, as he had important dispatches for him +which had been forgotten. +</p> + +<p> +The commander of the ship not liking to stop his vessel while under +full sail merely for the purpose of receiving dispatches, offered to +send for them, and was about lowering a boat for that purpose, when +the other captain, who was none other than Captain Flint, declared +that he could only deliver them in person. +</p> + +<p> +The captain of the ship, though in no very good humor, finally +consented to lay too, and the two vessels were soon lying along side +of each other. +</p> + +<p> +Now although while lying at, or about the wharves of New York, the two +men already introduced to the reader apparently constituted the whole +crew of Captain Flint's vessel, such was by no means the fact, for +there were times when the deck of the little craft would seem fairly +to swarm with stout, able-bodied fellows. And the present instance, +Captain Flint had no sooner set foot upon the deck of the ship, than +six or eight men fully armed appeared on the deck of the schooner +prepared to follow him. +</p> + +<p> +The first thing that Captain Flint did on reaching the deck of the +ship was to strike the captain down with a blow from the butt of a +large pistol he held in his hand. His men were soon at his side, and +as the crew of the other vessel were unarmed, although defending +themselves as well as they could, they were soon overpowered. +</p> + +<p> +Several of them were killed on the spot, and those who were not killed +outright, were only reserved for a more cruel fate. +</p> + +<p> +The fight being over, the next thing was to secure the treasure. +</p> + +<p> +This was a task of but little difficulty, for Flint had succeeded in +getting one of his men shipped as steward on the ill-fated vessel. +</p> + +<p> +One of those who had escaped the massacre was James Bradley. He had, +by order of Captain Flint, been lashed to the mast at the commencement +of the fight. +</p> + +<p> +He had not received a wound. All the others who were not killed were +more or less badly hurt. +</p> + +<p> +These were unceremoniously compelled to walk the plank, and were +drowned. +</p> + +<p> +When it came to Billings' turn, there seemed to be some hesitation +among the pirates subjecting him to the same fate as the others. +</p> + +<p> +Jones Bradley, in a particular manner, was for sparing his life on +condition that he would pledge himself to leave the country, never to +return, and bind himself to eternal secrecy. +</p> + +<p> +But this advice was overruled by Captain Flint himself, who declared +he would trust no one, and that the young man should walk the plank as +the others had done. +</p> + +<p> +From this decision there was no appeal, and Henry Billings resigned +himself to his fate. +</p> + +<p> +Before going he said he would, as a slight favor, to ask of one of his +captors. +</p> + +<p> +And then pulling a plain gold ring off his finger, he said: +</p> + +<p> +"It is only to convey this to the daughter of Carl Rosenthrall, if he +can find means of doing so, without exposing himself to danger. I can +hardly wish her to be made acquainted with my fate." +</p> + +<p> +When he had finished, Captain Flint stepped up saying that he would +undertake to perform the office, and taking the ring he placed it upon +his own finger. +</p> + +<p> +By this time it was dark. With a firm tread Billings stepped upon the +plank, and the next moment was floundering in the sea. +</p> + +<p> +The next thing for the pirates to do was to scuttle the ship, which +they did after helping themselves to so much of the most valuable +portion of the cargo as they thought they could safely carry away with +them. +</p> + +<p> +In about an hour afterwards the ship sank, bearing down with her the +bodies of her murdered crew, and burying, as Captain Flint supposed, +in the depths of the ocean all evidences of the fearful tragedy which +had been enacted upon her deck. +</p> + +<p> +The captain now directed his course homeward, and the next day the +little vessel was lying in port as if nothing unusual had happened, +Captain Flint pretending that he had returned from one of his usual +trading voyages along the coast. +</p> + +<p> +The intercourse between the new and the old world was not so frequent +in those days as now. The voyages, too, were much longer than at +present. So that, although a considerable time passed, bringing no +tidings of the ill-fated vessel without causing any uneasiness. +</p> + +<p> +But when week after week rolled by, and month followed month, and +still nothing was heard from her, the friends of those on board began +to be anxious about their fate. +</p> + +<p> +At length a vessel which had sailed some days later than the missing +ship, had reported that nothing had been heard from her. +</p> + +<p> +The only hope now was that she might have been obliged by stress of +weather to put in to some other port. +</p> + +<p> +But after awhile this hope also was abandoned, and all were +reluctantly compelled to come to the conclusion that she had foundered +at sea, and that all on board had perished. +</p> + +<p> +After lying a short time in port, Captain Flint set sail up the river +under pretence of going on a trading expedition among the various +Indian tribes. +</p> + +<p> +But he ascended the river no further than the Highlands, and come to +anchor along the mountain familiarly known as Butterhill, but which +people of more romantic turn call Mount Tecomthe, in honor of the +famous Indian chief of that name. +</p> + +<p> +Having secured their vessel close to the shore, the buccaneers now +landed, all save one, who was left in charge of the schooner. +</p> + +<p> +Each carried with him a bundle or package containing a portion of the +most valuable part of the plunder taken from the ship which they had +so recently robbed. +</p> + +<p> +Having ascended the side of the mountain for about two hundred yards, +they came to what seemed to be a simple fissure in the rocks about +wide enough to admit two men abreast. +</p> + +<p> +This cleft or fissure they entered, and having proceeded ten or +fifteen feet they came to what appeared to be a deep well or pit. +</p> + +<p> +Here the party halted, and Captain Flint lighted a torch, and +producing a light ladder, which was concealed in the bushes close by, +the whole party descended. +</p> + +<p> +On reaching the bottom of the pit, a low, irregular opening was seen +in the side, running horizontally into the mountain. +</p> + +<p> +This passage they entered, Indian file, and bending almost double. +</p> + +<p> +As they proceeded the opening widened and grew higher, until it +expanded into a rude chamber about twelve feet one way by fifteen feet +the other. +</p> + +<p> +Here, as far as could be seen, was a bar to all further progress, for +the walls of the chamber appeared to be shut in on every side. +</p> + +<p> +But on reaching the further side of the apartment, they stopped at a +rough slab of stone, which apparently formed a portion of the floor of +the cave. +</p> + +<p> +Upon one of the men pressing on one end of the slab, the other rose +like a trap door, disclosing an opening in the floor amply sufficient +to admit one person, and by the light of the torch might be seen a +rude flight of rocky stairs, descending they could not tell how far. +</p> + +<p> +These were no doubt in part at least artificial. +</p> + +<p> +The slab also had been placed over the hole by the pirates, or by some +others like them who had occupied the cave before this time, by way of +security, and to prevent surprise. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint descended these steps followed by his men. +</p> + +<p> +About twenty steps brought them to the bottom, when they entered +another horizontal passage, and which suddenly expanded into a wide +and lofty chamber. +</p> + +<p> +Here the party halted, and the captain shouted at the top of his +voice: +</p> + +<p> +"What ho! there, Lightfoot, you she devil, why don't you light up!" +</p> + +<p> +This rude summons was repeated several times before it received any +answer. +</p> + +<p> +At length an answer came in what was evidently a female voice, and +from one who was in no very good humor: "Oh, don't you get into a +passion now. How you s'pose I know you was coming back so soon." +</p> + +<p> +"Didn't I tell you I'd be back to-day!" angrily asked Flint. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, what if you did," replied the voice. "Do you always come when +you says you will?" +</p> + +<p> +"Well, no matter, let's have no more of your impudence. We're back +bow, and I want you to light up and make a fire." +</p> + +<p> +The person addressed was now heard retiring and muttering to herself. +</p> + +<p> +In a few moments the hall was a blaze of light from lamps placed in +almost every place where a lamp could be made to stand. +</p> + +<p> +The scene that burst upon the sight was one of enchantment. +</p> + +<p> +The walls and ceiling of the cavern seemed to be covered with a +frosting of diamonds, multiplying the lamps a thousand fold, and +adding to them all the colors of the rainbow. +</p> + +<p> +Some of the crystals which were of the purest quartz hanging from the +roof, were of an enormous size, giving reflections which made the +brilliancy perfectly bewildering. +</p> + +<p> +The floor of the cavern was covered, not with Brussels or Wilton +carpets, but with the skins of the deer and bear, which to the tread +were as pleasant as the softest velvet. +</p> + +<p> +Around the room were a number of frames, rudely constructed to be +sure, of branches, but none the less convenient on that account, over +which skins were stretched, forming comfortable couches where the men +might sleep or doze away their time when not actively employed. +</p> + +<p> +Near the center of the room was a large flat stone rising about two +feet above the floor. The top of this stone had been made perfectly +level, and over it a rich damask cloth had been spread so as to make +it answer all the purposes of a table. Boxes covered with skins, and +packages of merchandise answered the purpose of chairs, when chairs +were wanted. +</p> + +<p> +"Where is the king, I should like to know?" said Captain Flint, +looking with pride around the cavern now fully lighted up; "who can +show a hall in his palace that will compare with this?" +</p> + +<p> +"And where is the king that is half so independent as we are?" said +one of the men. +</p> + +<p> +"And kings we are," said Captain Flint; "didn't they call the +Buccaneers Sea Kings in the olden time?" +</p> + +<p> +"But this talking isn't getting our supper ready. Where has that +Indian she-devil taken herself off again?" +</p> + +<p> +The person here so coarsely alluded to, now made her appearance again, +bearing a basket containing a number of bottles, decanters and +drinking glasses. +</p> + +<p> +She was not, to be sure, so very beautiful, but by no means so ugly as +to deserve the epithet applied to her by Captain Flint. +</p> + +<p> +She was an Indian woman, apparently thirty, or thirty-five years of +age, of good figure and sprightly in her movements, which circumstance +had probable gained for her among her own people, the name of +Lightfoot. +</p> + +<p> +She had once saved Captain Flint's life when a prisoner among the +Indians, and fearing to return to her people, she had fled with him. +</p> + +<p> +It was while flying in company with this Indian woman, that Captain +Flint had accidently discovered this cave. And here the fugitives had +concealed themselves for several days, until the danger which then +threatened them had passed. +</p> + +<p> +It was on this occasion that it occurred to the captain, what a place +of rendezvous this cave would be for himself and his gang; what a +place of shelter in case of danger; what a fine storehouse for the +plunder obtained in his piratical expeditions! +</p> + +<p> +He immediately set about fixing it up for the purpose; and as it would +be necessary to have some one to take charge of things in his absence, +he thought of none whom he could more safely trust with the service, +than the Indian woman who had shared his flight. +</p> + +<p> +From that time, the cave became a den of pirates, as it had probably +at one time been a den of wild beasts. +</p> + +<p> +Which was the better condition, we leave it for the reader to decide. +</p> + +<p> +The only other occupant of the cave was a negro boy of about fourteen +or fifteen years of age, known by the name of Black Bill. +</p> + +<p> +He seemed to be a simple, half-witted, harmless fellow, and assisted +Lightfoot in doing the drudgery about the place. +</p> + +<p> +"What have you got in your basket, Lightfoot?" asked Captain Flint. +</p> + +<p> +"Wine," replied the Indian. +</p> + +<p> +"Away with your wine," said the captain; "we must have something +stronger than that. Give us some brandy; some fire-water. Where's +Black Bill?" he continued. +</p> + +<p> +"In de kitchen fixin' de fire," said Lightfoot. +</p> + +<p> +"All right, let him heat some water," said the captain; "and now, +boys, we'll make a night of it," he said, turning to his men. +</p> + +<p> +The place here spoken of by Lightfoot as the kitchen, was a recess of +several feet in the side of the cave, at the back of which was a +crevice or fissure in the rock, extending to the outside of the +mountain. +</p> + +<p> +This crevice formed a natural chimney through which the smoke could +escape from the fire that was kindled under it. +</p> + +<p> +The water was soon heated, the table was covered with bottles, +decanters and glasses of the costliest manufacture. Cold meats of +different kinds, and an infinite variety of fruits were produced, and +the feasting commenced. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER IV. +</p> + + +<p> +Yes, the pirate and his crew were now seated round the table for the +purpose as he said, of making a night of it. And a set of more perfect +devils could hardly be found upon the face of the earth. +</p> + +<p> +And yet there was nothing about them so far as outward appearance was +concerned, that would lead you to suppose them to be the horrible +wretches that they really were. +</p> + +<p> +With the exception of Jones Bradley, there was not one among them who +had not been guilty of almost every crime to be found on the calender +of human depravity. +</p> + +<p> +For some time very little was said by any of the party, but after a +while as their blood warmed under the influence of the hot liquor, +their tongues loosened, and they became more talkative. And to hear +them, you would think that a worthier set of men were no where to be +found. +</p> + +<p> +Not that they pretended to any extraordinary degree of virtue, but +then they had as much as anyone else. And he who pretended to any +more, was either a hypocrite or a fool. +</p> + +<p> +To be sure, they robbed, and murdered, and so did every one else, or +would if they found it to their interest to do so. +</p> + +<p> +"Hallo! Tim," shouted one of the men to another who sat at the +opposite side of the table; "where is that new song that you learned +the other day?" +</p> + +<p> +"I've got it here," replied the person referred to, putting his finger +on his forehead. +</p> + +<p> +"Out with it, then." +</p> + +<p> +"Let's have it," said the other. +</p> + +<p> +The request being backed by the others Tim complied as follows. +</p> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class="stanza"> +<p class="i6">THE BUCCANEER.</p></div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Fill up the bowl,</p> +<p>Through heart and soul,</p> +<p class="i2">Let the red wine circle free,</p> +<p>Here's health and cheer,</p> +<p>To the Buccaneer,</p> +<p class="i2">The monarch of the sea!</p></div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The king may pride,</p> +<p>In his empire wide,</p> +<p class="i2">A robber like us is he,</p> +<p>With iron hand,</p> +<p>He robs on land,</p> +<p class="i2">As we rob on the sea.</p></div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<p>The priest in his gown,</p> +<p>Upon us may frown,</p> +<p class="i2">The merchant our foe may be,</p> +<p>Let the judge in his wig,</p> +<p>And the lawyer look big,</p> +<p class="i2">They're robbers as well as we!</p></div> + +<div class="stanza"> +<p>Then fill up the bowl,</p> +<p>Through heart and through soul,</p> +<p class="i2">Let the red wine circle free,</p> +<p>Drink health and cheer,</p> +<p>To the Buccaneer.</p> +<p class="i2">He's monarch of the sea.</p></div></div> + +<p> +"I like that song," said one of the men, whose long sober face and +solemn, drawling voice had gained for him among his companions the +title of Parson. "I like that song; it has the ring of the true metal, +and speaks my sentiments exactly. It's as good as a sermon, and better +than some sermons I've heard." +</p> + +<p> +"It preaches the doctrine I've always preached, and that is that the +whole world is filled with creatures who live by preying upon each +other, and of all the animals that infest the earth, man is the worst +and cruelest." +</p> + +<p> +"What! Parson!" said one of the men, "you don't mean to say that the +whole world's nothing but a set of thieves and murderers!" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes; I do," said the parson; "or something just as bad." +</p> + +<p> +"I'd like to know how you make that out," put in Jones Bradley. "I had +a good old mother once, and a father now dead and gone. I own I'm bad +enough myself, but no argument of yours parson, or any body else's can +make me believe that they were thieves and murderers." +</p> + +<p> +"I don't mean to be personal," said the parson, "your father and +mother may have been angels for all I know, but I'll undertake to show +that all the rest of the world, lawyers, doctors and all, are a set of +thieves and murderers, or something just as bad." +</p> + +<p> +"Well Parson, s'pose you put the stopper on there," shouted one of the +men; "if you can sing a song, or spin a yarn, it's all right; but this +ain't a church, and we don't want to listen to one of your long-winded +sermons tonight." +</p> + +<p> +"Amen!" came from the voices of nearly all present. +</p> + +<p> +The Parson thus rebuked, was fain to hold his peace for the rest of +the evening. +</p> + +<p> +After a pause of a few moments, one of the men reminded Captain Flint, +that he had promised to inform them how he came to adopt their +honorable calling as a profession. +</p> + +<p> +"Well," said the captain, "I suppose I might as well do it now, as at +any other time; and if no one else has anything better to offer, I'll +commence; and to begin at the beginning, I was born in London. About +my schooling and bringing up, I haven't much to say, as an account of +it would only be a bore. +</p> + +<p> +"My father was a merchant and although I suppose one ought not to +speak disrespectfully of one's father, he was, I must say, as +gripping, and tight-fisted a man as ever walked the earth. +</p> + +<p> +"I once heard a man say, he would part with anything he had on earth +for money, but his wife. My father, I believe, would have not only +parted with his wife and children for money, but himself too, if he +had thought he should profit by the bargain. +</p> + +<p> +"As might be expected, the first thing he tried to impress on the +minds of his children was the necessity of getting money. +</p> + +<p> +"To be sure, he did not tell us to steal, as the word is generally +understood; for he wanted us to keep clear of the clutches of the law. +Could we only succeed in doing this, it mattered little to him, how +the desired object was secured. +</p> + +<p> +"He found in me an easy convert to his doctrine, so far as the getting +of money was concerned; but in the propriety of hoarding the money as +he did when it was obtained, I had no faith. +</p> + +<p> +"The best use I thought that money could be put too, was to spend it. +</p> + +<p> +"Here my father and I were at swords' points, and had it not been that +notwithstanding this failing, as he called it, I had become useful to +him in his business, he would have banished me long before I took into +my head to be beforehand with him, and become a voluntary exile from +the parental roof. +</p> + +<p> +"The way of it was this. As I have intimated, according to my father's +notions all the wealth in the world was common property, and every one +was entitled to all he could lay his hands on. +</p> + +<p> +"Now, believing in this doctrine, it occurred to me that my father had +more money than he could ever possibly make use of, and that if I +could possess a portion of it without exposing myself to any great +danger, I should only be carrying out his own doctrine. +</p> + +<p> +"Acting upon this thought, I set about helping myself as opportunity +offered, sometimes by false entries, and in various ways that I need +not explain. +</p> + +<p> +"This game I carried on for some time, but I knew that it would not +last forever. I should be found out at last, and I must be out of the +way before the crash came. +</p> + +<p> +"Luckily a chance of escape presented itself. +</p> + +<p> +"My father, in connection with two or three other merchants, chartered +a vessel to trade among the West India islands. +</p> + +<p> +"I managed to get myself appointed supercargo. I should now be out of +the way when the discovery of the frauds which I had been practicing I +knew must be made. +</p> + +<p> +"As I had no intention of ever returning, my mind was perfectly at +ease on this score. +</p> + +<p> +"We found ready sale for our cargo, and made a good thing of it. +</p> + +<p> +"As I have said, when I left home, it was with the intention of never +returning, though what I should do while abroad I had not decided, but +as soon as the cargo was disposed of, my mind was made up. +</p> + +<p> +"I determined to turn pirate! +</p> + +<p> +"I had observed on our outward passage, that our vessel, which was a +bark of about two hundred tons burden, was a very fast sailor, and +with a little fitting up, could be made just the craft we wanted for +our purpose. +</p> + +<p> +"During the voyage, I had sounded the hands in regard to my intention +of becoming a Buccaneer. I found them all ready to join me excepting +the first mate and the steward or cook, rather, a negro whose views I +knew too well beforehand, to consult on the matter. +</p> + +<p> +"As I knew that the ordinary crew of the vessel would not be +sufficient for our purpose, I engaged several resolute fellows to join +us, whom I prevailed on the captain to take on board as passengers. +</p> + +<p> +"When we had been about a week out at sea and all our plans were +completed, we quietly made prisoners of the captain and first mate, +put them in the jolly boat with provisions to last them for several +days, and sent them adrift. The cook, with his son, a little boy, +would have gone with them, but thinking that they might be useful to +us, we concluded to keep them on board. +</p> + +<p> +"What became of the captain and mate afterwards, we never heard. +</p> + +<p> +"We now put in to port on one of the islands where we knew we could do +it in safety, and fitted our vessel up for the purpose we intended to +use her. +</p> + +<p> +"This was soon done, and we commenced operations. +</p> + +<p> +"The game was abundant, and our success far exceeded our most sanguine +expectations. +</p> + +<p> +"There would be no use undertaking to tell the number of vessels, +French, English, Spanish and Dutch, that we captured and sunk, or of +the poor devils we sent to a watery grave. +</p> + +<p> +"But luck which had favored us so long, at last turned against as. +</p> + +<p> +"The different governments became alarmed for the safety of their +commerce in the seas which we frequented, and several expeditions were +fitted out for our special benefit. +</p> + +<p> +"For a while we only laughed at all this, for we had escaped so many +times, that we began to think we were under the protection of old +Neptune himself. But early one morning the man on the look-out +reported a sail a short distance to the leeward, which seemed trying +to get away from us. +</p> + +<p> +"It was a small vessel, or brig, but as the weather was rather hazy, +her character in other respects he could not make out. +</p> + +<p> +"We thought, however, that it was a small trading vessel, which having +discovered us, and suspecting our character, was trying to reach port +before we could overtake her. +</p> + +<p> +"Acting under this impression, we made all sail for her. +</p> + +<p> +"As the strange vessel did not make very great headway, an hour's +sailing brought as near enough to give us a pretty good view of her, +yet we could not exactly make out her character, yet we thought that +she had a rather suspicious look. And still she appeared rather like a +traveling vessel, though if so, she could not have much cargo on +board, and as the seemed built for speed, we wondered why she did not +make better headway. +</p> + +<p> +"But we were not long left in doubt in regard to her real character, +for all at once her port-holes which had been purposely concealed were +unmasked, and we received a broadside from her just as we were about +to send her a messenger from our long tom. +</p> + +<p> +"This broadside, although doing us little other damage, so cut our +rigging as to render our escape now impossible if such had been our +intention. So after returning the salute we had received, in as +handsome a manner as we could, I gave orders to bear down upon the +enemy's ship, which I was glad to see had been considerably disabled +by our shot. But as she had greatly the advantage of us in the weight +of material, our only hope was in boarding her, and fighting it out +hand to hand on her own deck. +</p> + +<p> +"The rigging of the two vessels was soon so entangled as to make it +impossible to separate them. +</p> + +<p> +"In spite of all the efforts of the crew of the enemy's vessel to +oppose us we were soon upon her deck. We found she was a Spanish +brigantine sent out purposely to capture us. +</p> + +<p> +"Her apparent efforts to get away from us had been only a ruse to draw +us on, so as to get us into a position from which there could be no +escape. +</p> + +<p> +"I have been in a good many fights, but never before one like that. +</p> + +<p> +"As we expected no quarter, we gave none. The crew of the Spanish +vessel rather outnumbered us, but not so greatly as to make the +contest very unequal. And in our case desperation supplied the place +of numbers. +</p> + +<p> +"The deck was soon slippery with gore, and there were but few left to +fight on either side. The captain of the Spanish vessel was one of the +first killed. Some were shot down, some were hurled over the deck in +the sea, some had their skulls broken with boarding pikes, and there +was not a man left alive of the Spanish crew; and of ours, I at first +thought that I was the only survivor, when the negro cook who had been +forgotten all the while, came up from the cabin of our brig, bearing +in his arms his little son, of course unharmed, but nearly frightened +to death. Strange as it may appear, it is nevertheless true, that with +the exception of a few slight scratches, I escaped without a wound. +</p> + +<p> +"To my horror I now discovered that both vessels were fast sinking. +But the cook set me at my ease on that score, by informing me that +there was one small boat that had not been injured. Into this we +immediately got, after having secured the small supply of provisions +and water within our reach, which from the condition the vessels were, +was very small. +</p> + +<p> +"We had barely got clear of the sinking vessels, when they both went +down, leaving us alone upon the wide ocean without compass or chart; +not a sail in sight, and many a long, long league from the nearest +coast. +</p> + +<p> +"For more than a week we were tossing about on the waves without +discovering a vessel. At last I saw that our provisions were nearly +gone. We had been on short allowance from the first. At the rate they +were going, they would not last more than two days longer. What was to +be done? Self preservation, they say is the first law of human nature; +to preserve my own life, I must sacrifice my companions. The moment +the thought struck me it was acted upon. +</p> + +<p> +"Sam, the black cook, was sitting a straddle the bow of the boat; with +a push I sent him into the sea. I was going to send his boy after him, +but the child clung to my legs in terror, and just at that moment a +sail hove in sight and I changed my purpose. +</p> + +<p> +"Such a groan of horror as the father gave on striking the water I +never heard before, and trust I shall never hear again." +</p> + +<p> +"At that instant the whole party sprang to their feet as if started by +a shock of electricity, while most fearful groan resounded through the +cavern, repeated by a thousand echos, each repetition growing fainter, +and fainter until seeming to lose itself in the distance. +</p> + +<p> +"That's it, that's it," said the captain, only louder, and if anything +more horrible. +</p> + +<p> +"But what does all this mean?" he demanded of Lightfoot, who had +joined the astonished group. +</p> + +<p> +"Don't know," said the woman. +</p> + +<p> +"Where's Black Bill?" next demanded the captain. +</p> + +<p> +"Here I is," said the boy crawling out from a recess in the wall in +which he slept. +</p> + +<p> +"Was that you, Bill?" demanded his master. +</p> + +<p> +"No; dis is me," innocently replied the darkey. +</p> + +<p> +"Do you know what that noise was?" asked the captain. +</p> + +<p> +"S'pose 'twas de debble comin' after massa," said the boy. +</p> + +<p> +"What do you mean, you wooley-headed imp," said the captain; "don't +you know that the devil likes his own color best? Away to bed, away, +you rascal!" +</p> + +<p> +"Well, boys," said Flint, addressing the men and trying to appear very +indifferent, "we have allowed ourselves to be alarmed by a trifle that +can be easily enough accounted for. +</p> + +<p> +"These rocks, as you see, are full of cracks and crevices; there may +be other caverns under, or about as, for all we know. The wind +entering these, has no doubt caused the noise we have beard, and which +to our imaginations, somewhat heated by the liquor we have been +drinking, has converted into the terrible groan which has so startled +us, and now that we know what it is, I may as well finish my story. +</p> + +<p> +"As I was saying, a sail hove in sight. It was a vessel bound to this +port. I and the boy were taken on board and arrived here in safety. +</p> + +<p> +"This boy, whether from love or fear, I can hardly say, has clung to +me ever since. +</p> + +<p> +"I have tried to shake him off several times, but it was no use, he +always returns. +</p> + +<p> +"The first business I engaged in on arriving here, was to trade with +the Indians; when having discovered this cave, it struck me that it +would make a fine storehouse for persons engaged in our line of +business. Acting upon this hint, I fitted it up as you see. +</p> + +<p> +"With a few gold pieces which I had secured in my belt I bought our +little schooner. From that time to the present, my history it as well +known to you as to myself. And now my long yarn is finished, let us go +on with our sport." +</p> + +<p> +But to recall the hilarity of spirits with which the entertainment had +commenced, was no easy matter. +</p> + +<p> +Whether the captain's explanation of the strange noise was +satisfactory to himself or not, it was by no means so to the men. +</p> + +<p> +Every attempt at singing, or story telling failed. The only thing that +seemed to meet with any favor was the hot punch, and this for the most +part, was drank in silence. +</p> + +<p> +After a while they slunk away from the table one by one, and fell +asleep in some remote corner of the cave, or rolled over where they +sat, and were soon oblivious to everything around them. +</p> + +<p> +The only wakeful one among them was the captain himself, who had drank +but little. +</p> + +<p> +He sat by the table alone. He started up! Could he have dozed and been +dreaming? but surely he heard that groan again! +</p> + +<p> +In a more suppressed voice than before, and not repeated so many +times, but the same horrid groan; he could not be mistaken, he had +never heard anything else like it. The matter must be looked into. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER V. +</p> + + +<p> +Although it was nearly true, as Captain Flint had told his men, that +they were about as well acquainted with his history since he landed in +this country as he was himself, such is not the case with the reader. +And in order that he may be as well informed in this matter as they +were, we shall now endeavor to fill up the gap in the narrative. +</p> + +<p> +To the crew of the vessel who had rescued him and saved his life, +Captain Flint had represented himself as being one of the hands of a +ship which had been wrecked at sea, and from which the only ones who +had escaped, were himself and two negros, one of whom was the father +of the boy who had been found with him. The father of the boy had +fallen overboard, and been drowned just before the vessel hove in +sight. +</p> + +<p> +This story, which seemed plausible enough, was believed by the men +into whose hands they had fallen, and Flint and the negro, received +every attention which their forlorn condition required. And upon +arriving in port, charitable people exerted themselves in the +captain's behalf, procuring him employment, and otherwise enabling him +to procure an honest livelihood, should he so incline. +</p> + +<p> +But honesty was not one of the captain's virtues. +</p> + +<p> +He had not been long in the country before he determined to try his +fortune among the Indians. +</p> + +<p> +He adopted this course partly because he saw in it a way of making +money more rapidly than in any other, and partly because it opened to +him a new field of wild adventure. +</p> + +<p> +Having made the acquaintance of some of the Indians who were in the +habit of coming to the city occasionally for the purpose of trading, +he accompanied them to their home in the wilderness, and having +previously made arrangements with merchants in the city, among others +Carl Rosenthrall, to purchase or dispose of his furs, he was soon +driving a thriving business. In a little while he became very popular +with the savages, joined one of the tribes and was made a chief. +</p> + +<p> +This state of things however, did not last long. The other chiefs +became jealous of his influence, and incited the minds of many of the +people against him. +</p> + +<p> +They said he cheated them in his dealings, that his attachment to the +red men was all pretence. That he was a paleface at heart, carrying on +trade with the palefaces to the injury of the Indians. Killing them +with his fire water which they gave them for their furs. +</p> + +<p> +In all this there was no little truth, but Flint, confident of his +power over his new friends, paid no attention to it. +</p> + +<p> +A crisis came at last. +</p> + +<p> +One of the chiefs who had been made drunk by whiskey which he had +received from Flint in exchange for a lot of beaver skins, accused the +latter of cheating him; called him a paleface thief who had joined the +Indians only for the purpose of cheating them. +</p> + +<p> +Flint forgetting his usual caution took the unruly savage by the +shoulders and thrust him out of the lodge. +</p> + +<p> +In a few moments the enraged Indian returned accompanied by another, +when the two attacked the white man with knives and tomahawks. +</p> + +<p> +Flint saw no way but to defend himself single-handed as he was, +against two infuriated savages, and to do to if possible without +killing either. +</p> + +<p> +This he soon discovered was impossible. The only weapon he had at +command was a hunting knife, and he had two strong men to contend +against. Fortunately for him, one of them was intoxicated. +</p> + +<p> +As it was, the savage who had begun the quarrel, was killed, and the +other so badly wounded that he died a few hours afterwards. +</p> + +<p> +The enmity of the whole tribe was now aroused against Flint, by the +unfortunate termination of this affair. +</p> + +<p> +It availed him nothing to contend that he had killed the two in self +defence, and that they begun the quarrel. +</p> + +<p> +He was a white man, and had killed two Indians, and that was enough. +</p> + +<p> +Besides, how did they know whether he told the truth or not? +</p> + +<p> +He was a paleface, and palefaces had crooked tongues, and their words +could not be depended upon. Besides their brethren were dead, and +could not speak for themselves. +</p> + +<p> +Finally it was decided in the grand council of the tribe that he +should suffer death, and although they called him a paleface, as he +had joined the tribe he should be treated as an Indian, and suffer +death by torture in order that he might have an opportunity of showing +how he could endure the most horrible torment without complaining. +</p> + +<p> +The case of Flint now seemed to be a desperate one. He was bound hand +and foot, and escape seemed out of the question. +</p> + +<p> +Relief came from a quarter he did not anticipate. +</p> + +<p> +The place where this took place was not on the borders of the great +lakes where the tribe to which Flint had attached himself belonged, +but on the shores of the Hudson river a few miles above the Highlands, +where a portion of the tribe had stopped to rest for a few days, while +on their way to New York, where they were going for the purpose of +trading. +</p> + +<p> +It happened that there was among them a woman who had originally +belonged to one of the tribes inhabiting this part of the country, but +who while young, had been taken prisoner in some one of the wars that +were always going on among the savages. She was carried away by her +captors, and finally adopted into their tribe. +</p> + +<p> +To this woman Flint had shown some kindness, and had at several times +made her presents of trinkets and trifles such as he knew would +gratify an uncultivated taste. And which cost him little or nothing. +He little thought when making these trifling presents the service he +was doing himself. +</p> + +<p> +Late in the night preceding the day on which he was to have been +executed, this woman came into the tent where he lay bound, and cut +the thongs with which he was tied, and telling him in a whisper to +follow her, she led the way out. +</p> + +<p> +With stealthy and cautious steps they made their way through the +encampment, but when clear of this, they traveled as rapidly as the +darkness of the night and the nature of the ground would admit of. +</p> + +<p> +All night, and a portion of the next day they continued their journey. +The rapidity with which she traveled, and her unhesitating manner, +soon convinced Flint that she was familiar with the country. +</p> + +<p> +Upon reaching Butterhill, or Mount Tecomthe, she led the way to the +cave which we have already described. +</p> + +<p> +After resting for a few moments in the first chamber, the Indian +woman, who we may as well inform the reader was none other than our +friend Lightfoot, showed Flint the secret door and the entrance to the +grand chamber, which after lighting a torch made of pitch-pine, they +entered. +</p> + +<p> +"Here we are safe," said Lightfoot; "Indians no find us here." +</p> + +<p> +The moment Flint entered this cavern it struck him as being a fine +retreat for a band of pirates or smugglers, and for this purpose he +determined to make use of it. +</p> + +<p> +Lightfoot's knowledge of this cave was owing to the fact, that she +belonged to a tribe to whom alone the secrets of the place were known. +It was a tribe that had inhabited that part of the country for +centuries. But war and privation had so reduced them, that there was +but a small remnant of them left, and strangers now occupied their +hunting grounds. +</p> + +<p> +The Indians in the neighborhood knew of the existence of the cave, but +had never penetrated farther than the first chamber, knowing nothing +of the concealed entrance which led to the other. Having as they said, +seen Indians enter it who never came out again, and who although +followed almost immediately could not be found there, they began to +hold it in a kind of awe, calling it the mystery or medicine cave, and +saying that it was under the guardianship of spirits. +</p> + +<p> +Although the remnants of the once powerful tribe to whom this cave had +belonged, were now scattered over the country, there existed between +them a sort of masonry by which the different members could recognise +each other whenever they met. +</p> + +<p> +Fire Cloud, the Indian chief, who has already been introduced to the +reader, was one of this tribe. +</p> + +<p> +Although the existence of the cave was known to the members of the +tribe generally, the whole of its secrets were known to the medicine +men, or priests only. +</p> + +<p> +In fact it might be considered the grand temple where they performed +the mystic rites and ceremonies by which they imposed upon the people, +and held them in subjection. +</p> + +<p> +Flint immediately set about fitting up the place for the purpose which +he intended it. +</p> + +<p> +To the few white trappers who now and then visited the district, the +existence of the cave was entirely unknown, and even the few Indians +who hunted and fished in the neighborhood, were acquainted only with +the outer cave as before stated. +</p> + +<p> +When Flint was fully satisfied that all danger from pursuit was over, +he set out for the purpose of going to the city in order to perfect +the arrangements for carrying out the project he had in view. +</p> + +<p> +On passing out, the first object that met his view was his faithful +follower Black Bill, siting at the entrance. +</p> + +<p> +"How the devil did you get here!" was his first exclamation. +</p> + +<p> +"Follered de Ingins what was a comin' arter massa," replied the boy. +</p> + +<p> +Bill had followed his master into the wilderness, always like a body +servant keeping near his person when not prevented by the Indians, +which was the case while his master was a prisoner. +</p> + +<p> +When the escape of Flint was discovered, he was free from restraint, +and he, unknown to the party who had gone in pursuit, had followed +them. +</p> + +<p> +From the negro, Flint learned that the Indians had tracked him to the +cave, but not finding him there, and not being able to trace him any +further, they had given up the pursuit. +</p> + +<p> +Flint thinking that the boy might be of service to him in the business +he was about to enter upon, took him into the cave and put him in +charge of Lightfoot. +</p> + +<p> +On reaching the city, Flint purchased the schooner of which he was in +command when first introduced to the reader. +</p> + +<p> +It is said that, "birds of a feather flock together," and Flint having +no difficulty gathering about him a number of kindred spirits, was +soon in a condition to enter upon the profession as he called it, most +congenial to his taste and habits. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER VI. +</p> + + +<p> +When the crew of the schooner woke up on the morning following the +night in which we have described in a previous chapter, they were by +no means the reckless, dare-devil looking men they were when they +entered the cave on the previous evening. +</p> + +<p> +For besides the usual effects produced on such characters by a night's +debauch, their countenances wore the haggard suspicious look of men +who felt judgment was hanging over them; that they were in the hands +of some mysterious power beyond their control. Some power from which +they could not escape, and which sooner or later, would mete out to +them the punishment they felt that they deserved. +</p> + +<p> +They had all had troubled dreams, and several of them declared that +they had heard that terrible groan during the night repeated if +possible, in a more horrible manner than before. +</p> + +<p> +To others the ghosts of the men they had lately murdered, appeared +menacing them with fearful retribution. +</p> + +<p> +As the day advanced, and they had to some extent recovered their +spirits by the aid of their favorite stimulants, they attempted to +laugh the matter off as a mere bugbear created by an imagination over +heated by too great an indulgence in strong drink. +</p> + +<p> +Although this opinion was not shared by Captain Flint, who had +carefully abstained from over-indulgence, for reasons of his own, he +encouraged it in his men. +</p> + +<p> +But even they, while considering it necessary to remain quiet for a +few days, to see whether or not, any harm should result to them, in +consequence of their late attack on the merchant ship, none of them +showed a disposition to pass another night in the cave. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint made no objection to his men remaining outside on the +following night, as it would give him the opportunity to investigate +the matter, which he desired. +</p> + +<p> +On the next night, when there was no one in the cavern but himself and +the two who usually occupied it, he called Lightfoot to him, and asked +her if she had ever heard any strange noises in the place before. +</p> + +<p> +"Sometime heard de voices of the Indian braves dat gone to the spirit +land," said the woman. +</p> + +<p> +"Did you ever hear anything like the groan we heard last night?" +</p> + +<p> +"Neber," said Lightfoot. +</p> + +<p> +"What do you think it was?" asked the captain. +</p> + +<p> +"Tink him de voice ob the great bad spirit," was the reply. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint, finding that he was not likely to learn anything in +this quarter that would unravel the mystery, now called the negro. +</p> + +<p> +"Bill," he said, "did you ever hear that noise before?" +</p> + +<p> +"Ony once, massa." +</p> + +<p> +"When was that, Bill?" +</p> + +<p> +"When you trow my—" +</p> + +<p> +"Hold your tongue, you black scoundrel, or I'll break every bone in +your body!" roared his master, cutting off the boy's sentence in the +middle. +</p> + +<p> +The boy was going to say: +</p> + +<p> +"When you trow'd my fadder into the sea." +</p> + +<p> +The captain now examined every portion of the cavern, to see if he +could discover anything that could account for the production of the +strange sound. +</p> + +<p> +In every part he tried his voice, to see if he could produce those +remarkable echoes, which had so startled him, on the previous night, +but without success. +</p> + +<p> +The walls, in various parts of the cavern, gave back echoes, but +nothing like those of the previous night. +</p> + +<p> +There were two recesses in opposite sides of the cave. The larger one +of these was occupied by Lightfoot as a sleeping apartment. The other, +which was much smaller, Black Bill made use of for the same purpose. +</p> + +<p> +From these two recesses, the captain had everything removed, in order +that he might subject them to a careful examination. +</p> + +<p> +But with no better success than before. +</p> + +<p> +He tried his voice here, as in other parts of the cavern, but the +walls gave back no unusual echoes. +</p> + +<p> +He was completely baffled, and, placing his lamp on the table, he sat +down on one of the seats, to meditate on what course next to pursue. +</p> + +<p> +Lightfoot and Bill soon after, at his request, retired. +</p> + +<p> +He had been seated, he could not tell how long, with his head resting +on his hands, when he was aroused by a yell more fearful, if possible, +even than the groan that had so alarmed him on the previous night. +</p> + +<p> +The yell was repeated in the same horrible and mysterious manner that +the groan had been. +</p> + +<p> +Flint sprang to his feet while the echoes were still ringing in his +ears, and rushed to the sleeping apartment, first, to that of the +Indian woman, and then, to that of the negro. +</p> + +<p> +They both seemed to be sound asleep, to all appearance, utterly +unconscious of the fearful racket that was going on around them. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint, more perplexed and bewildered than ever, resumed his +seat by the table; but not to sleep again that night, though the +fearful yell was not repeated. +</p> + +<p> +The captain prided himself on being perfectly free from all +superstition. +</p> + +<p> +He held in contempt the stories of ghosts of murdered men coming back +to torment their murderers. +</p> + +<p> +In fact, he was very much inclined to disbelieve in any hereafter at +all, taking it to be only an invention of cunning priests, for the +purpose of extorting money out of their silly dupes. But here was +something, which, if not explained away, would go far to stagger his +disbelief. +</p> + +<p> +He was glad that the last exhibition had only been witnessed by +himself, and that the men for the present preferred passing their +nights outside; for, as he learned from Lightfoot, the noises were +only during the night time. +</p> + +<p> +This would enable him to continue his investigation without any +interference on the part of the crew, whom he wished to keep in utter +ignorance of what he was doing, until he had perfectly unraveled the +mystery. +</p> + +<p> +For this purpose, he gave Lightfoot and Black Bill strict charges not +to inform the men of what had taken place during the night. +</p> + +<p> +He was determined to pass the principal portion of the day in sleep, +so as to be wide awake when the time should come for him to resume his +investigations. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER VII. +</p> + + +<p> +On the day after the first scene in the cave, late in the afternoon, +three men sat on the deck of the schooner, as she lay in the shadow of +forest covered mountain. +</p> + +<p> +These were Jones Bradley, Old Ropes, and the man who went by the name +of the Parson. They were discussing the occurrences of the previous +night. +</p> + +<p> +"I'm very much of the captains opinion," said the Parson, "that the +noises are caused by the wind rushing through the chinks and crevices +of the rocks." +</p> + +<p> +"Yes; but, then, there wan't no wind to speak of, and how is the wind +to make that horrible groan, s'pose it did blow a hurricane?" said +Jones Bradley. +</p> + +<p> +"Just so," said Old Ropes; "that notion about the wind makin' such a +noise at that, is all bosh. My opinion is, that it was the voice of a +spirit. I know that the captain laughs at all such things, but all his +laughin' don't amount to much with one that's seen spirits." +</p> + +<p> +"What! you don't mean to say that you ever actually see a live ghost?" +asked the Parson. +</p> + +<p> +"That's jist what I do mean to say," replied Old Ropes. +</p> + +<p> +"Hadn't you been takin' a leetle too much, or wasn't the liquor too +strong?" said the Parson. +</p> + +<p> +"Well, you may make as much fun about it as you please," said Old +Ropes; "but I tell you, that was the voice of a spirit, and, what's +more, I believe it's either the spirit of some one that's been +murdered in that cave, by some gang that's held it before, and buried +the body over the treasure they've stowed away there, or else the +ghost of some one's that's had foul play from the captain." +</p> + +<p> +"Well," said the Parson, "if I thought there was any treasure there +worth lookin' after, all the ghosts you could scare up wouldn't hinder +me from trying to get at it." +</p> + +<p> +"But, no matter about that; you say you see a live ghost once. Let's +hear about that." +</p> + +<p> +"I suppose," said Old Ropes, "that there aint no satisfaction in a +feller's tellin' of things that aint no credit to him; but, +howsomever, I might as well tell this, as, after all, it's only in the +line of our business. +</p> + +<p> +"You must know, then, that some five years ago, I shipped on board a +brig engaged in the same business that our craft is. +</p> + +<p> +"I needn't tell you of all the battles we were in, and all the prizes +we made; but the richest prize that ever come in our way, was a +Spanish vessel coming from Mexico, With a large amount of gold and +silver on board. +</p> + +<p> +"We attacked the ship, expecting to make an easy prize of her, but we +were disappointed. +</p> + +<p> +"The Spaniards showed fight, and gave us a tarnal sight of trouble. +Several of our best men were killed. +</p> + +<p> +"This made our captain terrible wrothy. He swore that every soul that +remained alive on the captured vessel should be put to death. +</p> + +<p> +"Now, it so happened that the wife and child (an infant,) of the +captain of the Spanish vessel, were on board. When the others had all +been disposed of, the men plead for the lives of these two. But our +captain would not listen to it; but he would let us cast lots to see +which of us would perform the unpleasant office. +</p> + +<p> +"As bad luck would have it, the lot fell upon me. There was no +shirking it. +</p> + +<p> +"It must be done; so, the plank was got ready. She took the baby in +her arms, stepped upon the plank, as I ordered her, and the next +moment, she, with the child in her arms, sank to rise no more; but the +look she gave me, as she went down, I shall never forget. +</p> + +<p> +"It haunts me yet, and many and many is the time that Spanish woman, +with the child in her arms, has appeared to me, fixing upon me the +same look that she gave me, as she sank in the sea. +</p> + +<p> +"Luck left us from that time; we never took a prize afterwards. +</p> + +<p> +"Our Vessel was captured by a Spanish cruiser soon afterwards. I, with +one other, succeeded in making our escape. +</p> + +<p> +"The captain, and all the rest, who were not killed in the battle, +were strung out on the yard-arm." +</p> + +<p> +"Does the ghost never speak to you?" asked the Parson. +</p> + +<p> +"Never," replied Old Ropes. +</p> + +<p> +"I suppose that's because she's a Spaniard, and thinks you don't +understand her language," remarked the Parson, sneeringly. "I wonder +why this ghost of the cave don't show himself, and not try to frighten +us with his horrible boo-wooing." +</p> + +<p> +"Well, you may make as much fun as you please," replied Old Ropes; +"but, mark my words for it, if the captain don't pay attention to the +warning he has had, that ghost will show himself in a way that won't +be agreeable to any of us." +</p> + +<p> +"If he takes my advice, he'll leave the cave, and take up his quarters +somewhere else." +</p> + +<p> +"What! you don't mean to say you're afraid!" quietly remarked the +Parson. +</p> + +<p> +"Put an enemy before me in the shape of flesh and blood, and I'll show +you whether I'm afeard, or not," said Old Ropes; "but this fighting +with dead men's another affair. The odds is all agin you. Lead and +steel wont reach 'em, and the very sight on 'em takes the pluck out of +a man, whether he will or no. +</p> + +<p> +"An enemy of real flesh and blood, when he does kill you, stabs you or +shoots you down at once, and there's an end of it; but, these ghosts +have a way of killing you by inches, without giving a fellow a chance +to pay them back anything in return." +</p> + +<p> +"It's pretty clear, anway, that they're a 'tarnal set of cowards," +remarked the Parson. +</p> + +<p> +"The biggest coward's the bravest men, when there's no danger," +retorted Old Ropes. +</p> + +<p> +To this, the Parson made no reply, thinking, probably, that he had +carried the joke far enough, and not wishing to provoke a quarrel with +his companion. +</p> + +<p> +"As to the affair of the cave," said Jones Bradley; "I think very much +as Old Ropes does about it. I'm opposed to troubling the dead, and I +believe there's them buried there that don't want to be disturbed by +us, and if we don't mind the warning they give us, still the worse for +us." +</p> + +<p> +"The captain don't seem to be very much alarmed about it," said the +Parson; "for he stays in the cave. And, then, there's the Indian woman +and the darkey; the ghost don't seem to trouble them much." +</p> + +<p> +"I'll say this for Captain Flint," remarked Old Ropes, "if ever I +knowed a man that feared neither man nor devil, that man is Captain +Flint; but his time'll come yet." +</p> + +<p> +"You don't mean to say you see breakers ahead, do you?" asked the +Parson. +</p> + +<p> +"Not in the way of our business, I don't mean," said Ropes; "but, I've +had a pretty long experience in this profession, and have seen the +finishing up of a good many of my shipmates; and I never know'd one +that had long experience, that would not tell you that he had been put +more in fear by the dead than ever he had by the living." +</p> + +<p> +"We all seem to be put in low spirits by this afternoon," said the +Parson; "s'pose we go below, and take a little something to cheer us +up." +</p> + +<p> +To this the others assented, and all three went below. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER VIII. +</p> + + +<p> +All Captain Flint's efforts to unravel the mysteries of the cave were +unsuccessful; and he was reluctantly obliged to give up the attempt, +at least for the present; but, in order to quiet the minds of the +crew, he told them that he had discovered the cause, and that it was +just what he had supposed it to be. +</p> + +<p> +As everything remained quiet in the cave for a long time after this, +and the minds of the men were occupied with more important matters, +the excitement caused by it wore off; and, in a while, the affair +seemed to be almost forgotten. +</p> + +<p> +And here we may as well go back a little in our narrative, and restore +the chain where it was broken off a few chapters back. +</p> + +<p> +When Captain Flint had purchased the schooner which he commanded, it +was with the professed object of using her as a vessel to trade with +the Indians up the rivers, and along the shore, and with the various +seaports upon the coast. +</p> + +<p> +To this trade it is true, he did to some extent apply himself, but +only so far as it might serve as a cloak to his secret and more +dishonorable and dishonest practices. +</p> + +<p> +Had Flint been disposed to confine himself to the calling he pretended +to follow, he might have made a handsome fortune in a short time, but +that would not have suited the corrupt and desperate character of the +man. +</p> + +<p> +He was like one of those wild animals which having once tasted blood, +have ever afterward an insatiable craving for it. +</p> + +<p> +It soon became known to a few of the merchants in the city, among the +rest Carl Rosenthrall, that Captain Flint had added to his regular +business, that of smuggling. +</p> + +<p> +This knowledge, however, being confined to those who shared the +profits with him, was not likely to be used to his disadvantage. +</p> + +<p> +After a while the whole country was put into a state of alarm by the +report that a desperate pirate had appeared on the coast. +</p> + +<p> +Several vessels which had been expected to arrive with rich cargoes +had not made their appearance, although the time for their arrival had +long passed. There was every reason to fear that they had been +captured by this desperate stranger who had sunk them, killing all on +board. +</p> + +<p> +The captain of some vessels which had arrived in safety reported +having been followed by a suspicious looking craft. +</p> + +<p> +They said she was a schooner about the size of one commanded by +Captain Flint, but rather longer, having higher masts and carrying +more sail. +</p> + +<p> +No one appeared to be more excited on the subject of the pirate, than +Captain Flint. He declared that he had seen the mysterious vessel, had +been chased by her, and had only escaped by his superior sailing. +</p> + +<p> +Several vessels had been fitted out expressly for the purpose of +capturing this daring stranger, but all to no purpose; nothing could +be seen of her. +</p> + +<p> +For a long time she would seem to absent herself from the coast, and +vessels would come and go in safety. Then all of a sudden, she would +appear again and several vessels would be missing, and never heard +from more. +</p> + +<p> +The last occurrence of this kind is the one which we have already +given an account of the capturing and sinking of the vessel in which +young Billings had taken passage for Europe. +</p> + +<p> +We have already seen how Hellena Rosenthrall's having accidentally +discovered her lover's ring on the finger of Captain Flint, had +excited suspicions of the merchant's daughter, and what happened to +her in consequence. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint having made it the interest of Rosenthrall to keep his +suspicions to himself if he still adhered to them, endeavored to +convince him that his daughter was mistaken, and that the ring however +much it might resemble the one belonging to her lover, was one which +had been given to him by his own mother at her death, and had been +worn by her as long as he could remember. +</p> + +<p> +This explanation satisfied, or seemed to satisfy the merchant, and the +two men appeared to be as good friends as ever again. +</p> + +<p> +The sudden and strange disappearance of the daughter of a person of so +much consequence as Carl Rosenthrall, would cause no little excitement +in a place no larger than New York was at the time of which we write. +</p> + +<p> +Most of the people agreed in the opinion with the merchant that the +girl had been carried off by the Indian Fire Cloud, in order to avenge +himself for the insult he had received years before. As we have seen, +Captain Flint encouraged this opinion, and promised that in an +expedition he was about fitting out for the Indian country, he would +make the recovery of the young woman one of his special objects. +</p> + +<p> +Flint knew all the while where Fire Cloud was to be found, and fearing +that he might come to the city ignorant as he was of the suspicion he +was laboring under, and thereby expose the double game he was playing, +he determined to visit the Indian in secret, under pretence of putting +him on his guard, but in reality for the purpose of saving himself. +</p> + +<p> +He sought out the old chief accordingly, and warned him of his danger. +</p> + +<p> +Fire Cloud was greatly enraged to think that he should be suspected +carrying off the young woman. +</p> + +<p> +"He hated her father," he said, "for he was a cheat, and had a crooked +tongue. But the paleface maiden was his friend, and for her sake he +would find her if she was among his people, and would restore her to +her friends." +</p> + +<p> +"If you enter the city of the palefaces, they will hang you up like a +dog without listening to anything you have to say in your defence," +said Flint. +</p> + +<p> +"The next time Fire Cloud enters the city of the palefaces, the maiden +shall accompany him," replied the Indian. +</p> + +<p> +This was the sort of an answer that Flint wished, and expected, and he +now saw that there was no danger to be apprehended from that quarter. +</p> + +<p> +But if Captain Flint felt himself relieved from danger in this +quarter, things looked rather squally in another. If he knew how to +disguise his vessel by putting on a false bow so as to make her look +longer, and lengthen the masts so as to make her carry more sail, he +was not the only one who understood these tricks. And one old sailor +whose bark had been chased by the strange schooner, declared that she +very much resembled Captain Flint's schooner disguised in this way. +</p> + +<p> +And then it was observed that the strange craft was never seen when +the captain's vessel was lying in port, or when she was known to be up +the river where he was trading among the Indians. +</p> + +<p> +Another suspicious circumstance was, that shortly after the strange +disappearance of a merchant vessel, Flint's schooner came into port +with her rigging considerably damaged, as if she had suffered from +some unusual cause. Flint accounted for it by saying that he had been +fired into by the pirate, and had just escaped with the skin of his +teeth. +</p> + +<p> +These suspicions were at first spoken cautiously, and in whispers +only, by a very few. +</p> + +<p> +They came to the ears of Flint himself at last, who seeing the danger +immediately set about taking measures to counteract it by meeting and +repelling, what he pretended to consider base slanders invented by his +enemies for the purpose of effecting his ruin. +</p> + +<p> +He threatened to prosecute the slanderers, and if they wished to see +how much of a pirate he was, let them fit out a vessel such as he +would describe, arm her, and man her according to his directions, give +him command of her, and if he didn't bring that blasted pirate into +port he'd never return to it himself. He'd like no better fun than to +meet her on equal terms, in an open sea. +</p> + +<p> +This bragadocia had the desired effect for awhile; besides, although +it could hardly be said that Flint had any real friends, yet there +were so many influential men who were concerned with him in some of +his contraband transactions. These dreaded the exposure to themselves, +should Flint's real character be discovered, which caused them to +answer for him in the place of friends. +</p> + +<p> +These men would no doubt be the first to crush him, could they only do +so without involving themselves in his ruin. +</p> + +<p> +But all this helped to convince Flint that his time in this part of +the country was pretty near up, and if he meant to continue in his +present line of business, he must look out for some new field of +operations. +</p> + +<p> +More than ever satisfied on this point, Captain Flint anxiously +awaited the arrival of the vessel, the capture of which was to be the +finishing stroke of his operations in this part of the world. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER IX. +</p> + + +<p> +When Captain Flint had decided to take possession of the cavern, and +fit it up as a place of retreat and concealment for himself and his +gang, he saw the necessity of having some one whom he could trust to +take charge of the place in his absence. A moment's reflection +satisfied him there was no one who would be more likely to serve him +in this capacity than the Indian woman who had rescued him from the +fearful fate he had just escaped. +</p> + +<p> +Lightfoot, who in her simplicity, looked upon him as a great chief, +was flattered by the proposal which he made her, and immediately took +charge of the establishment, and Captain Flint soon found that he had +no reason to repent the choice he had made, so far as fidelity to his +interests was concerned. +</p> + +<p> +For a while at first he treated her with as much kindness as it was in +the nature of such as he to treat any one. +</p> + +<p> +He may possibly have felt some gratitude for the service she had +rendered him, but it was self-interest more than any other feeling +that caused him to do all in his power to gain a controling influence +over her. +</p> + +<p> +He loaded her with presents of a character suited to her uncultivated +taste. +</p> + +<p> +Her person fairly glittered with beads, and jewelry of the most gaudy +character, while of shawls and blankets of the most glaring colors, +she had more than she knew what to do with. +</p> + +<p> +This course he pursued until he fancied he had completely won her +affection, and he could safely show himself in his true character +without the risk of loosing his influence over her. +</p> + +<p> +His manner to her now changed, and he commenced treating her more as a +slave than an equal, or one to whom he felt himself under obligations. +</p> + +<p> +It is true he would now and then treat her as formerly, and would +occasionally make her rich presents, but it would be done in the way +that the master would bestow a favor on a servant. +</p> + +<p> +Lightfoot bore this unkind treatment for some time without resenting +it, or appearing to notice it. Thinking perhaps that it was only a +freak of ill-humor that would last but for a short time, and then the +great chiefs attachment would return. +</p> + +<p> +Flint fancied that he had won the heart of the Indian woman, and +acting on the presumption that "love is blind," he thought that he +could do as he pleased without loosing hold on her affections. +</p> + +<p> +In this he had deceived himself. He had only captured the woman's +fancy. He had not won her heart. +</p> + +<p> +So that when Lightfoot found this altered manner of the captain's +towards her was not caused by a mere freak of humor, but was only his +true character showing itself, her fondness for him, if fondness it +could be called, began to cool. +</p> + +<p> +Things had come to this pass, when Hellena Rosenthrall was brought +into the cave. +</p> + +<p> +The first thought of Lightfoot was that she had now discovered the +cause of the captain's change of manner towards her. He had found +another object on which to lavish his favors and here was her rival. +And she was to be the servant, the slave of this new favorite. +</p> + +<p> +Flint, in leaving Hellena in charge of Lightfoot, gave strict charges +that she should be treated with every attention, but that she should +by no means be allowed to leave the cave. +</p> + +<p> +The manner of Lightfoot to Hellena, was at first sullen: and reserved, +and although she paid her all the attention that Hellena required of +her, she went no further. +</p> + +<p> +But after awhile, noticing the sad countenance of her paleface sister, +and that her face was frequently bathed in tears, her heart softened +toward her, and she ventured to ask the cause of her sorrow. And when +she had heard Hellena's story, her feelings towards her underwent an +entire change. +</p> + +<p> +From this time forward the two women were firm friends, and Lightfoot +pledged herself to do all in her power to restore her to her friends. +</p> + +<p> +Her attachment to Captain Flint was still too strong, however, to make +her take any measures to effect that object, until she could do so +without endangering his safety. +</p> + +<p> +But Lightfoot was not the only friend that Hellena had secured since +her capture. She had made another, and if possible a firmer one, in +the person of Black Bill. +</p> + +<p> +From the moment Hellena entered the cavern, Bill seemed to be +perfectly fascinated by her. Had she been an angel just from heaven, +his admiration for her could hardly have been greater. He could not +keep his eyes off of her. He followed her as she moved about, though +generally at a respectful distance, and nothing delighted him so much, +as to be allowed to wait upon her and perform for her such little acts +of kindness as lay within his power. +</p> + +<p> +While Hellena was relating the story of her wrongs to Lightfoot, Black +Bill sat at a little distance off an attentive listener to the +narrative. When it was finished, and Hellena's eyes were filled with +tears, the darkey sprang up saying in an encouraging tone of voice: +</p> + +<p> +"Don't cry, don't cry misses, de debble's comin arter massa Flint +berry soon, he tell me so hisself; den Black Bill take care ob de +white angel." +</p> + +<p> +This sudden and earnest outburst of feeling and kindness from the +negro, expressed as it was in such a strange manner, brought a smile +to the face of the maiden, notwithstanding the affliction which was +crushing her to the earth. +</p> + +<p> +"Why Bill," said Hellena, "you don't mean to say you ever saw the +devil here, do you?" +</p> + +<p> +"Never seed him, but heer'd him doe, sometimes," replied Bill. +</p> + +<p> +Now, Hellena, although a sensible girl in her way, was by no means +free from the superstition of the times. She believed in ghosts, and +witches, and fairies, and all that, and it was with a look of +considerable alarm that she turned to the Indian woman, saying: +</p> + +<p> +"I hope there ain't any evil spirits in this cave, Lightfoot." +</p> + +<p> +"No spirits here dat will hurt White Rose (the name she had given to +Hellena) or Lightfoot," said the Indian woman. +</p> + +<p> +"But the place is haunted, though!" said Hellena. +</p> + +<p> +"The spirits of the great Indian braves who have gone to the land of +spirits come back here sometimes." +</p> + +<p> +"Do you ever see them?" asked the girl, her alarm increasing. +</p> + +<p> +"Neber see dem, but hear dem sometime," replied Lightfoot. +</p> + +<p> +"Do they not frighten you?" asked Hellena. +</p> + +<p> +"Why should I be afraid?" said Lightfoot, "are they not my friends?" +</p> + +<p> +Lightfoot perceiving that Hellena's curiosity, as well as her fears +were excited; now in order to gratify the one, and to allay the other, +commenced relating to her some of the Indian traditions in relation to +the cavern. +</p> + +<p> +The substance of her narrative was as follows: +</p> + +<p> +She said that a great while ago, long, long before the palefaces had +put foot upon this continent, the shores of this river, and the land +for a great distance to the east and to the west, was inhabited by a +great nation. No other nation could compare with them in number, or in +the bravery of their warriors. Every other nation that was rash enough +to contend with them was sure to be brought into subjection, if not +utterly destroyed. +</p> + +<p> +Their chiefs were as much renowned for wisdom, and eloquence as for +bravery. And they were as just, as they were wise and brave. +</p> + +<p> +Many of the weaker tribes sought their protection, for they delighted +as much in sheltering the oppressed as in punishing the oppressor. +</p> + +<p> +Thus, for many long generations, they prospered until the whole land +was overshadowed by their greatness. +</p> + +<p> +And all this greatness, and all this power, their wise men said, was +because they listened to the voice of the Great Spirit as spoken to +them in this cave. +</p> + +<p> +Four times during the year, at the full of the moon the principal +chiefs and medicine men, would assemble here, when the Great Spirit +would speak to them, and through them to the people. +</p> + +<p> +As long as this people listened to the voice of the Great Spirit, +every thing went well with them. +</p> + +<p> +But at last there arose among them a great chief; a warrior, who said +he would conquer the whole world, and bring all people under his rule. +</p> + +<p> +The priests and the wise men warned him of his folly, and told him +that they had consulted the Great Spirit, and he had told them that if +he persisted in his folly he would bring utter ruin upon his people. +But the great chief only laughed at them, and called them fools, and +told them the warnings which they gave him, were not from the Great +Spirit, but were only inventions of their own, made up for the purpose +of frightening him. +</p> + +<p> +And so he persisted in his own headstrong course, and as he was a +great brave, and had won many great battles, very many listened to +him, and he raised a mighty army, and carried the war into the country +of all the neighbouring nations, that were dwelling in peace with his +own, and he brought home with him the spoils of many people. And then +he laughed at the priests and wise men once more, and said, go into +the magic cave again, and let us hear what the Great Spirit has to +say. +</p> + +<p> +And they went into the cave, as he had directed them. But they came +out sorrowing, and said that the Great Spirit had told them that he, +and his army should be utterly destroyed, and the whole nation +scattered to the four winds. +</p> + +<p> +And again he laughed at them, and called them fool, and deceivers. +</p> + +<p> +And he collected another great army, and went to war again. But by +this time the other nations, seeing the danger they were in, united +against him as a common enemy. +</p> + +<p> +He was overthrown, killed, and his army entirely cut to pieces. +</p> + +<p> +The conquering army now entered this country, and laid it waste, as +theirs had been laid waste before. +</p> + +<p> +And the war was carried on for many years, until the prophesy was +fulfilled that had been spoken by the Great Spirit, and the people of +this once mighty nation were scattered to the four winds. +</p> + +<p> +This people as a great nation are known no longer, but a remnant still +remains scattered among the other tribes. Occasionally some of them +visit this cave, to whom alone its mysteries are known, or were, +Lightfoot said, until she had brought Captain Flint there in order to +escape their pursuers. +</p> + +<p> +"Is the voice of the Great Spirit ever heard here now?" enquired +Hellena. +</p> + +<p> +Lightfoot said the voice of the Great Spirit had never been heard +there since the destruction of his favorite nation, but that the +spirits of the braves as he had said before, did sometimes come back +from the spirit-land to speak comfort to the small remnant of the +friends who still remained upon the earth. To those she belonged. +</p> + +<p> +This narrative of the Indian woman somewhat satisfied the curiosity of +Hellena, but it did not quiet her fears, and to be imprisoned in a +dreary cavern haunted by spirits, for aught she knew, demons, was to +her imagination, about as terrible a situation as she could possibly +be placed in. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER X. +</p> + + +<p> +When there were none of the pirates in the cave, it was the custom of +Lightfoot, and Hellena to spread their couch in the body of the +cavern, and there pass the night. Such was the case on the night +following the day on which Lightfoot had related to Hellena the sad +history of her people. +</p> + +<p> +It is hardly to be expected that the young girl's sleep would be very +sound that night, with her imagination filled with visions, hob +goblins of every form, size, and color. +</p> + +<p> +During the most of the forepart of the night she lay awake thinking +over the strange things she had heard concerning the cave, and +expecting every moment to see some horrible monster make its +appearance in the shape of an enormous Indian in his war paint, and +his hands reeking with blood. +</p> + +<p> +After a while she fell into a doze in which she had a horrid dream, +where all the things she had been thinking of appeared and took form, +but assuming shapes ten times more horrible than any her waking +imagination could possibly have created. +</p> + +<p> +It was past midnight. She had started from one of these horrid dreams, +and afraid to go to sleep again, lay quietly gazing around the cavern +on the ever varying reflections cast by the myriads of crystals that +glittered upon the wall and ceiling. +</p> + +<p> +Although there were in some portions of the cavern walls chinks or +crevices which let in air, and during some portion of the day a few +straggling sunbeams, it was found necessary even during the day to +keep a lamp constantly burning. And the one standing on the table in +the centre of the cave was never allowed to go out. +</p> + +<p> +As we have said, Hellena lay awake gazing about her. +</p> + +<p> +A perfect stillness reigned in the cave, broken only by the rather +heavy breathing of the Indian woman who slept soundly. +</p> + +<p> +Suddenly she heard, or thought she heard a slight grating noise at the +further side of the cavern. +</p> + +<p> +Can she be dreaming? or can her eyes deceive her? or does she actually +see the wall of the cavern parting? Such actually seems to be the +case, and from the opening out steps a figure dressed like an Indian, +and bearing in his hand a blazing torch. +</p> + +<p> +Hellena's tongue cleaves to the roof of her mouth, and her limbs are +paralyzed with terror. She cannot move if she dare. +</p> + +<p> +The figure moves about the room with a step as noiseless as the step +of the dead, while the crystals on the walls seem to be set in motion, +and to blaze with unnatural brilliancy as his torch is carried from +place to place. +</p> + +<p> +He carefully examines everything as he proceeds; particularly the +weapons belonging to the pirates, which seemed particularly to take +his fancy. But he carefully replaces everything after having examined +it. +</p> + +<p> +He now approaches the place where the two women are lying. +</p> + +<p> +Hellena with an effort closed her eyes. +</p> + +<p> +The figure approached the couch; for a moment he bent over it and +gazed intently on the two women; particularly on that of the white +maiden. When having apparently satisfied his curiosity, he withdrew as +stealthily as he had come. +</p> + +<p> +When Hellena opened her eyes again, the spectre had vanished, and +everything about the cave appeared as if nothing unusual had happened. +</p> + +<p> +For a long time she lay quietly thinking over the strange occurrences +of the night. She was in doubt whether scenes which she had witnessed +were real, or were only the empty creations of a dream. The horrible +spectres which she had seen in the fore part of the night seemed like +those which visit us in our dreams when our minds are troubled. But +the apparition of the Indian seemed more real. +</p> + +<p> +Could she be mistaken? was this, too, only a dream? or were the two +scenes only different parts of one waking vision? +</p> + +<p> +To this last opinion she seemed most inclined, and was fully confirmed +in the opinion that the cavern was haunted. +</p> + +<p> +Although Hellena was satisfied in her own mind that the figure that +had appeared so strangely was a disembodied spirit, yet she had a +vague impression that she had somewhere seen that form before. But +when, or where, she could not recollect. +</p> + +<p> +When in the morning she related the occurrences of the night to +Lightfoot, the Indian expressed no surprise, and exhibited no alarm. +Nor did she attempt to offer any explanation seeming to treat it as a +matter of course. +</p> + +<p> +Although this might be unsatisfactory to Hellena in some respects, it +was perhaps after all, quite as well for her that Lightfoot did not +exhibit any alarm at what had occurred, as by doing so she imparted +some of her own confidence to her more timid companion. +</p> + +<p> +All this while Black Bill had not been thought of but after a while he +crawled out from his bunk, his eyes twice their usual size, and coming +up to Hellena, he said: +</p> + +<p> +"Misses, misses, I seed do debble last night wid a great fire-brand in +his hand, and he went all round de cabe, lookin' for massa Flint, to +burn him up, but he couldn't fine him so he went away agin. Now I know +he's comin' after massa Flint, cause he didn't touch nobody else." +</p> + +<p> +"Did he frighten you?" asked Hellena. +</p> + +<p> +"No; but I kept mighty still, and shut my eyes when he come to look at +me, but he didn't say noffen, so I know'd it wasn't dis darkey he was +after." +</p> + +<p> +This statement of the negro's satisfied Hellena that she had not been +dreaming when she witnessed the apparition of the Indian. +</p> + +<p> +On further questioning Bill, she found he had not witnessed any of the +horrid phantoms that had visited her in her dreams. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as Hellena could do so without attracting attention, she took +a lamp and examined the walls in every direction to see if she could +discover any where a crevice large enough for a person to pass +through, but she could find nothing of the sort. +</p> + +<p> +The walls were rough and broken in many parts, but there was nothing +like what she was in search of. +</p> + +<p> +She next questioned Lightfoot about it, asking her if there was any +other entrance to the cave beside the one through which they had +entered. +</p> + +<p> +But the Indian woman gave her no satisfaction, simply telling her that +she might take the lamp and examine for herself. +</p> + +<p> +As Hellena had already done this, she was of course as much in the +dark as ever. +</p> + +<p> +When Captain Flint visited the cave again as he did on the following +day, Hellena would have related to him the occurrences of the previous +night, but she felt certain that he would only laugh at it as +something called up by her excited imagination, or treat it as a story +made up for the purpose of exciting his sympathy. +</p> + +<p> +Or perhaps invented for the purpose of arousing his superstition in +order to make him leave the cave, and take her to some place where +escape would be more easy. +</p> + +<p> +So she concluded to say nothing to him about it. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XI. +</p> + + +<p> +About a week after the occurrence of the events recorded in the last +chapter, Captain Flint and his crew were again assembled in the +cavern. It was past midnight, and they evidently had business of +importance before them, for although the table was spread as upon the +former occasion, the liquors appeared as yet to be untasted, and +instead of being seated around the table, the whole party were sitting +on skins in a remote corner of the cavern, and conversing in a +suppressed tone of voice as if fearful of being heard. +</p> + +<p> +"Something must be done," said one of the men, "to quiet this darn +suspicion, or it's all up with us." +</p> + +<p> +"I am for leaving at once," said Old Ropes; "the only safety for us +now is in giving our friends the slip, and the sooner we are out of +these waters the better it will be for us." +</p> + +<p> +"What, and leave the grand prize expecting to take care of itself?" +asked the captain. +</p> + +<p> +"Darn the prize," said Old Ropes, "the East Indiaman ain't expected +this two weeks yet, and if the suspicions agin us keep on increasin' +as they have for the last ten days, the land pirates'll have us all +strung up afore the vessel arrives." +</p> + +<p> +This opinion was shared by the majority of the men. Even the Parson +who took delight in opposing Old Ropes in almost every thing, agreed +with him here. +</p> + +<p> +"Whether or not," said he, "I am afraid to face death in a fair +business-like way, you all know, but as sure as I'm a genuine parson, +I'd rather be tortured to death by a band of savage Indians, than to +be strung up to a post with my feet dangling in the air to please a +set of gaping fools." +</p> + +<p> +"Things do look rather squally on shore, I admit," said the captain, +"but I've hit upon a plan to remedy all that, and one that will make +us pass for honest men, if not saints, long enough to enable us to +finish the little job we have on hand." +</p> + +<p> +"What is that?" enquired a number of voices. +</p> + +<p> +"Why, merely to make a few captures while we are lying quietly in the +harbour or a little way up the river. That'll turn the attention of +the people from us in another direction, in the mean while, we can +bide our time. +</p> + +<p> +"It can," said the captain. "We must man a whale boat or two and +attack some one of the small trading vessels that are coming in every +day. She must be run on the rocks where she may be examined +afterwards, so that any one may see that she has falling in the hands +of pirates. None of the crew must be allowed to escape, as that would +expose the trick. +</p> + +<p> +"All this must take place while I am known to be on shore, and the +schooner lying in port." +</p> + +<p> +This plot, which was worthy the invention of a fiend, was approved by +all but Jones Bradley who declared that he would have nothing to do +with it. For which disobedience of orders he would have probably been +put to death had he been at sea. +</p> + +<p> +The plan of operations having been decided upon, the whole party +seated themselves round the table for the purpose as they would say of +making a night of it. +</p> + +<p> +But somehow or other they seemed to be in no humor for enjoyment, as +enjoyment is understood by such characters. +</p> + +<p> +A gloom seemed to have settled on the whole party. +</p> + +<p> +They could not even get their spirits up, by pouring spirits down. +</p> + +<p> +And although they drank freely, they drank for the most part in +silence. +</p> + +<p> +"How is this?" shouted captain Flint, "at last have we all lost our +voices? Can no one favor us with a song, or toast or a yarn?" +</p> + +<p> +Hardly had these words passed the lips of the captain, when the +piteous moan which had so startled the pirates, on the previous +evening again saluted them, but in a more suppressed tone of voice. +The last faint murmurs of this moan had not yet died away, when a +shout, or rather a yell like an Indian war whoop, rang through the +cavern in a voice that made the very walls tremble, its thousand +echoes rolling away like distant thunder. +</p> + +<p> +The whole group sprang to their feet aghast. +</p> + +<p> +The two woman followed by Black Bill, terror stricken, joined the +group. +</p> + +<p> +This at least might be said of Hellena and the negro. The latter +clinging to the skirts of the white maiden for protection, as a mortal +in the midst of demons might be supposed to seek the protection of an +Angel. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint, now laying his hand violently on Lightfoot, said, "What +does all this mean? do you expect to frighten me by your juggling +tricks, you infernal squaw?" At these words he gave her a push that +sent her staggering to the floor. +</p> + +<p> +In a moment he saw his mistake, and went to her assistance (but she +had risen before he reached her,) and endeavored to conciliate her +with kind words and presents. +</p> + +<p> +He took a gold chain from his pocket, and threw it about her neck, and +drew a gold ring from his own finger and placed it upon hers. +</p> + +<p> +These attentions she received in moody silence. +</p> + +<p> +All this was done by Flint, not from any feelings of remorse for the +injustice he had done the woman, but from a knowledge of how much he +was in her power and how dangerous her enmity might be to him. +</p> + +<p> +Finding that she was not disposed to listen to him, he turned from her +muttering to himself: +</p> + +<p> +"She'll come round all right by and by," and then addressing his men +said: +</p> + +<p> +"Boys, we must look into this matter; there's something about this +cave we don't understand yet. There may be another one over it, or +under it. We must examine." +</p> + +<p> +He did not repeat the explanation he had given before, feeling no +doubt, that it would be of no use. +</p> + +<p> +A careful examination of the walls of the cave were made by the whole +party, but to no purpose. Nothing was discovered that could throw any +light upon the mystery, and they were obliged to give it up. +</p> + +<p> +And thus they were compelled to let the matter rest for the present. +</p> + +<p> +When the morning came, the pirates all left with the exception of the +captain, who remained, he said, for the purpose of making further +investigations, but quite as much for the purpose of endeavoring to +find out whether or not, Lightfoot had anything to do with the +production of the strange noises. But here again, he was fated to +disappointment. The Indian could not, or would not, give any +satisfactory explanation. +</p> + +<p> +The noises she contended were made by the braves of her nation who had +gone to the spirit world, and who were angry because their sacred +cavern had been profaned by the presence of the hated palefaces. +</p> + +<p> +Had he consulted Hellena, or Black Bill, his investigations would +probably have taken a different turn. +</p> + +<p> +The figure of the Indian having been seen by both Hellena and the +black, would have excited his curiosity if not his fears, and led him +to look upon it as a more serious matter than he had heretofore +supposed. +</p> + +<p> +But he did not consult either of them, probably supposing them to be a +couple of silly individuals whose opinions were not worth having. +</p> + +<p> +If any doubt had remained in the minds of the men in regard to the +supernatural character of the noises which had startled them in the +cave, they existed no longer. +</p> + +<p> +Even the Parson although generally ridiculing the idea of all sorts of +ghosts and hobgoblins, admitted that there was something in this +affair that staggered him, and he joined with the others in thinking +that the sooner they shifted their quarters, the better. +</p> + +<p> +"Don't you think that squaw had a hand in it?" asked one of the men: +"didn't you notice how cool she took it all the while?" +</p> + +<p> +"That's a fact," said the Parson; "it's strange I didn't think of that +before. I shouldn't wonder if it wasn't after all, a plot contrived by +her and some of her red-skinned brethren to frighten us out of the +cave, and get hold of the plunder we've got stowed away there." +</p> + +<p> +Some of the men now fell in with this opinion, and were for putting it +to the proof by torturing Lightfoot until she confessed her guilt. +</p> + +<p> +The majority of the men, however, adhered to the original opinion that +the whole thing was supernatural, and that the more they meddled with +it, the deeper they'd get themselves into trouble. +</p> + +<p> +"My opinion is," said Old Ropes, "that there's treasure buried there, +and the whole thing's under a charm, cave, mountain, and all." +</p> + +<p> +"If there's treasure buried there," said the Parson, "I'm for having a +share of it." +</p> + +<p> +"The only way to get treasure that's under charm," said Old Ropes, "is +to break the charm that binds it, by a stronger charm." +</p> + +<p> +"It would take some blasting to get at treasure buried in that solid +rock," said Jones Bradley. +</p> + +<p> +"If we could only break the charm that holds the treasure, just as +like as not that solid rock would all turn into quicksand," replied +Old Ropes. +</p> + +<p> +"Did you ever see the thing tried?" asked the Parson. +</p> + +<p> +"No; but I've seen them as has," replied Old Ropes. +</p> + +<p> +"And more than that," continued Old Ropes, "my belief is that Captain +Flint is of the same opinion, though he didn't like to say so. +</p> + +<p> +"I shouldn't wonder now, if he hadn't some charm he was tryin', and +that was the reason why he stayed in the cave so much." +</p> + +<p> +"I rather guess the charm that keeps the captain so much in the cave +is a putty face," dryly remarked one of the men. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XII. +</p> + + +<p> +While these things had been going on at the cavern, and Captain Flint +had been pretending to use his influence with the Indians for the +recovery of Hellena, Carl Rosenthrall himself had not been idle in the +meantime. +</p> + +<p> +He had dealings with Indians of the various tribes along the river, +and many from the Far North, and West, and he engaged them to make +diligent search for his daughter among their people, offering tempting +rewards to any who would restore her, or even tell him to a certainty, +where she was to be found. +</p> + +<p> +In order to induce Fire Cloud to restore her in case it should prove +it was he who was holding her in captivity, he sent word to that +chief, that if he would restore his child, he would not only not have +him punished, but would load him with presents. +</p> + +<p> +These offers, of course made through Captain Flint, who it was +supposed by Rosenthrall, had more opportunities than any one else of +communicating with the old chief. +</p> + +<p> +How likely they would have been to reach the chief, even if he had +been the real culprit, the reader can guess. +</p> + +<p> +In fact he had done all in his power to impress the Indian that to put +himself in the power of Rosenthrall, would be certain death to him. +</p> + +<p> +Thus more than a month passed without bringing to the distracted +father any tidings of his missing child. +</p> + +<p> +We may as well remark here, that Rosenthrall had lost his wife many +years before, and that Hellena was his only child, so that in losing +her he felt that he had lost everything. +</p> + +<p> +The Indians whom he had employed to aid him in his search, informed +him that they could learn nothing of his daughter among their people, +and some of them who were acquainted with Fire Cloud, told him that +the old chief protested he knew nothing of the matter. +</p> + +<p> +Could it be that Flint was playing him false? +</p> + +<p> +He could hardly think that it was Flint himself who had stolen his +child, for what motive could he have in doing it? +</p> + +<p> +The more he endeavored to unravel the mystery, the stranger and more +mysterious it became. +</p> + +<p> +Notwithstanding the statements to the contrary made by the Indians, +Flint persisted in giving it as his belief, that Fire Cloud had +carried off the girl and was still holding her a prisoner. He even +said that the chief had admitted as much to him. Yet he was sure that +if he was allowed to manage the affair in his own way, he should be +able to bring the Indian to terms. +</p> + +<p> +It was about this time that the dark suspicions began to be whispered +about that Captain Flint was in some way connected with the horrible +piracies that had recently been perpetrated on the coast, if he were +not in reality the leader of the desperate gang himself, by whom they +had been perpetrated. +</p> + +<p> +Those suspicions as we have seen, coming to Flint's own ears, had +caused him to plan another project still more horrible than the one he +was pursuing, in order to quiet those suspicions until he should have +an opportunity of capturing the rich prize which was to be the +finishing stroke to his achievements in this part of the world. +</p> + +<p> +The suspicions in regard to Captain Flint had reached the ears of +Rosenthrall, as well as others, who had been secretly concerned with +him in his smuggling transactions, although in no way mixed up with +his piracies. +</p> + +<p> +Rosenthrall feared that in case these suspicions against Flint should +lead to his arrest, the whole matter would come out and be exposed, +leading to the disgrace if not the ruin, of all concerned. +</p> + +<p> +It was therefore with a feeling of relief, while joining in the +general expression of horror, that he heard of a most terrible piracy +having been committed on the coast. Captain Flint's vessel was lying +in port, and he was known to be in the city. +</p> + +<p> +There was one thing too connected with this affair that seemed to +prove conclusively, that the suspicions heretofore harboured against +the captain were unjust. +</p> + +<p> +And that was the report brought by the crew of a fishing smack, that +they had seen a schooner answering to the description given of the +pirate, just before this horrible occurrence took place. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint now assumed the bearing of a man whose fair fame had +been purified of some foul blot stain that had been unjustly cast upon +it, one who had been honorably acquitted of base charges brought +against him by enemies who had sought his ruin. +</p> + +<p> +He had not been ignorant, he said, of the dark suspicions that had +been thrown out against him. +</p> + +<p> +But he had trusted to time to vindicate his character, and he had not +trusted in vain. +</p> + +<p> +Among the first to congratulate Captain Flint on his escape from the +danger with which he had been threatened, was Carl Rosenthrall. +</p> + +<p> +He admitted that he had been to some extent, tainted with suspicion, +in common with others, for which he now asked his forgiveness. +</p> + +<p> +The pardon was of course granted by the captain, coupled with hope +that he would not be so easily led away another time. +</p> + +<p> +The facts in regard to this last diabolical act of the pirates were +these. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint, in accordance with the plan which he had decided upon, +and with which the reader has already been made acquainted, fitted out +a small fishing vessel, manned by some of the most desperate of his +crew, and commanded by the Parson and Old Ropes. +</p> + +<p> +Most of the men went on board secretly at night, only three men +appearing on deck when she set sail. +</p> + +<p> +In fact, no one to look at her, would take her for anything but an +ordinary fishing smack. +</p> + +<p> +They had not been out long, before they came in sight of a vessel +which they thought would answer their purpose. It was a small brig +engaged in trading along the coast, and such a vessel as under +ordinary circumstances they would hardly think worth noticing. But +their object was not plunder this time, but simply to do something +that would shield them from the danger that threatened them on shore. +</p> + +<p> +The time seemed to favor them, for the night was closing in and there +were no other vessels in sight. +</p> + +<p> +On the pirates making a signal of distress, the commander of the brig +brought his vessel to, until the boat from the supposed smack could +reach him, and the crew could make their wants known. +</p> + +<p> +To his surprise six men fully armed sprang upon his deck. +</p> + +<p> +To resist this force there were only himself, and two men, all +unarmed. +</p> + +<p> +Of these the pirates made short work not deigning to answer the +questions put to them by their unfortunate victims. +</p> + +<p> +When they had murdered all on board, and thrown overboard such of the +cargo as they did not want they abandoned the brig, knowing from the +direction of the wind, and the state of the tide, that she would soon +drift on the beach, and the condition in which she would be found, +would lead people to believe that she had been boarded by pirates, and +all on board put to death. +</p> + +<p> +After having accomplished this hellish act, they turned their course +homeward, bringing the report that they had seen the notorious +piratical schooner which had committed so many horrible depredations, +leading every one to conclude that this was another of her terrible +deeds. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint, satisfied with the result of this last achievement, +felt himself secure for the present. +</p> + +<p> +He could now without fear of interruption, take time to mature his +plans for carrying out his next grand enterprise, which was to be the +crowning one of all his adventures, and which was to enrich all +engaged in it. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XIII. +</p> + + +<p> +Captain Flint's plan for the accomplishment of his last grand +enterprise was, as soon as it should be announced to him by those he +had constantly on the lookout, that the expected vessel was in sight, +to embark in a large whale boat which he had secretly armed, and +fitted for the purpose. +</p> + +<p> +After killing the crew of the vessel they expected to capture, he +would tack about ship, and take her into some port where he could +dispose of the vessel and cargo. +</p> + +<p> +As, in this case, it was his intention to abandon the country for +ever, he removed under various pretences, all his most valuable +property from the cavern. +</p> + +<p> +The schooner he was to leave in charge of Jones Bradley, under +pretence that it was necessary to do so, in order to divert suspicion +from him when the thing should have been accomplished. +</p> + +<p> +The fact was, that as he should have no further use for the schooner, +and having for some time past, feared that Bradley seemed to be too +tender-hearted to answer his purpose, he had determined to abandon him +and the schooner together. +</p> + +<p> +At last, news was brought to Captain Flint that a vessel answering the +one they were expecting was in sight. +</p> + +<p> +Flint who, with his crew of desperators, was lying at a place now +known as Sandy Hook, immediately started in pursuit. +</p> + +<p> +Everything seemed to favor the pirates. The doomed ship was making her +way under a light breeze apparently unconscious of danger. +</p> + +<p> +There was one thing about the ship, that struck the pirates as rather +unusual. There seemed to be more hands on board than were required to +man such a vessel. +</p> + +<p> +"I'm afraid there's more work for us than we've bargained for," said +one of the men. +</p> + +<p> +"They seem to have a few passengers on board," remarked Flint, "but we +can soon dispose of them." +</p> + +<p> +The principal part of Flint's men had stretched themselves on the +bottom of the boat for fear of exciting the suspicion of those on +board the ship by their numbers. +</p> + +<p> +As the pirate craft approached the merchant man, apparently with no +hostile intention, those on board the ship were watching the boat as +closely as they were themselves watched. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as they came within hailing distance, the man at the bow of +the boat notified the captain of the ship that he wished to come along +side, as he had something of importance to communicate. +</p> + +<p> +The captain of the ship commenced apparently making preparations to +receive the visit, when one of the men on deck who had been observing +the boat for some time came to him and said: +</p> + +<p> +"That's he. I'm sure I can't be mistaken. The man on the bow of the +boat is the notorious pirate Flint." +</p> + +<p> +The pirates were approaching rapidly. +</p> + +<p> +In a moment more they would be along side, and nothing could prevent +them from boarding the ship. +</p> + +<p> +In that moment the captain of the ship, by a skilful movement suddenly +tacked his vessel about just as the pirates came up, coming in contact +with the boat in such a manner as to split her in two in a moment. +</p> + +<p> +A dozen men sprung up from the bottom of the boat, uttering horrid +curses while they endeavored to reach the ship or cling to portions of +their shattered boat. +</p> + +<p> +The greater portion of them were drowned, as no efforts were made to +rescue them. +</p> + +<p> +Three only succeeded in reaching the deck of the ship in safety, and +these would probably have rather followed their comrades had they +known how few were going to escape. +</p> + +<p> +These three were Captain Flint, the one called the Parson and Old +Ropes. +</p> + +<p> +These were at first disposed to show fight, but it was of no use. +Their arms had been lost in their struggle in the water. +</p> + +<p> +They were soon overpowered and put in irons. +</p> + +<p> +Great was the excitement caused in the goodly little City of New York, +by the arrival of the merchant ship bringing as prisoners, the daring +pirate with two of his men whose fearful deeds had caused all the +inhabitants of the land to thrill with horror. +</p> + +<p> +And great was the surprise of the citizens to find in that terrible +pirate a well-known member of the community, and one whom nearly all +regarded as a worthy member of society. +</p> + +<p> +Another cause of surprise to the good people of the city, was the +arrival by this vessel, of one whom all had long given up as lost, and +that was Henry Billings, the lover of Hellena Rosenthrall. +</p> + +<p> +He it was who had recognized in the commander of the whale boat, the +pirate Flint, and had warned the captain of the ship of his danger, +thereby enabling him to save his vessel, and the lives of all on +board. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint made a slight mistake when he took the vessel by which +he was run down, for the India man he was looking out for. It was an +ordinary merchant ship from Amsterdam, freighted with merchandise from +that port. Though in appearance she very much resembled the vessel +which Captain Flint had taken her for. +</p> + +<p> +The reason young Billings happened to be on board of her was this: +</p> + +<p> +It will be remembered that when the ship in which Billings had taken +passage for Europe, was attacked by the pirates, he was forced to walk +the plank. +</p> + +<p> +By the pirates, he was of course supposed to have been drowned, but in +this they were mistaken. He had been in the water but a few moments +when he came in contact with a portion of a spar which had probably +come from some wreck or had been washed off of some vessel. +</p> + +<p> +To this he lashed himself with a large handkerchief which it was his +good fortune to have at the time. +</p> + +<p> +Lashed to this spar he passed the night. +</p> + +<p> +When morning came he found that he had drifted out to sea; he could +not tell how far. +</p> + +<p> +He was out of sight of land, and no sail met his anxious gaze. +</p> + +<p> +His strength was nearly exhausted, and he felt a stupor coming over +him. Then he lost all consciousness. +</p> + +<p> +How long he lay in this condition he could not tell. When he came to +himself, he found that he was lying in the birth of a vessel, while a +sailor was standing at his side. +</p> + +<p> +The whole thing was soon explained. +</p> + +<p> +He had been discovered by the Captain of a ship bound for England, +from Boston. +</p> + +<p> +He had been taken on board, in an almost lifeless condition, and +kindly cared for. +</p> + +<p> +In a little while he recovered his usual strength, and although his +return home must necessarily be delayed, he trusted to be enabled +before a great while to do so and bring to justice the villains who +had attempted his murder. +</p> + +<p> +Unfortunately the vessel by which he had been rescued, was wrecked on +the coast of Ireland, he and the crew barely escaping with their +lives. +</p> + +<p> +After a while, he succeeded in getting to England by working his +passage there. +</p> + +<p> +From London, he made his way in the same manner, to Amsterdam, where +the mercantile house with which he was connected being known, he found +no difficulty in securing a passage for New York. +</p> + +<p> +Billings now for the first time heard the story of Hellena's +mysterious disappearance. +</p> + +<p> +It immediately occurred to him that Captain Flint was some way +concerned in the affair not withstanding his positive denial that he +knew anything of the matter further than he had already made known. +</p> + +<p> +The capture of Captain Flint, and the other two pirates of course led +to the arrest of Jones Bradley who had been left in charge of the +schooner. +</p> + +<p> +He was found on board of the vessel, which was lying a short distance +up the river, and arrested before he had learned the fate of his +comrades. +</p> + +<p> +He was cast into prison with the rest, though each occupied a separate +cell. +</p> + +<p> +As no good reason could be given for delaying the punishment of the +prisoners, their trial was commenced immediately. +</p> + +<p> +The evidence against them was too clear to make a long trial +necessary. +</p> + +<p> +They were all condemned to death with the exception of Jones Bradley, +whose punishment on account of his not engaged in last affair, and +having recommended mercy in the case of Henry Billings, was committed +to imprisonment for life. +</p> + +<p> +When the time came for the carrying out of sentence of the three who +had been condemned to death, it was found that one of them was missing +and that one, the greatest villain of them all, Captain Flint himself! +</p> + +<p> +How could this have happened? No one had visited him on the previous +day but Carl Rosenthrall, and he was a magistrate, and surely he would +be the last one to aid in the escape of a prisoner! +</p> + +<p> +That he was gone however, was a fact. There was no disputing that. +</p> + +<p> +But If it were a fact that he had made his escape, it was equally +true, that he could not have gone very far, and the community were not +in the humor to let such a desperate character as he was now known to +be, escape without making a strenuous effort to recapture him. +</p> + +<p> +The execution of the two who had been sentenced to die at the same +time, was delayed for a few days in the hope of learning from them, +the places where Flint would most probably fly to, but they maintained +a sullen silence on the subject. +</p> + +<p> +They then applied to Jones Bradley with, at first, no better result. +But when Henry Billings, who was one of those appointed to visit him, +happened to allude to the strange fate of Hellena Rosenthrall, he +hesitated a moment, and then said he knew where the girl was, and that +she had been captured by Captain Flint, and kept in close confinement +by him. +</p> + +<p> +He had no wish he said to betray his old commander, though he knew +that he had been treated badly by him, but he would like to save the +young woman. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint might be in the same place, but if he was, he thought +that he would kill the girl sooner than give her up. +</p> + +<p> +If Captain Flint, was not there, the only ones in the cave besides the +girl, were a squaw, and Captain Flint's negro boy, Bill. +</p> + +<p> +For the sake of the girl Bradley said he would guide a party to the +cave. +</p> + +<p> +This offer was at once accepted, and a party well armed, headed by +young Billings, and guided by Jones Bradley, set out immediately. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XIV. +</p> + + +<p> +When Captain Flint made his escape from prison, it naturally enough +occurred to him, that the safest place for him for awhile, would be +the cave. +</p> + +<p> +In it he thought he could remain in perfect safety, until he should +find an opportunity for leaving the country. +</p> + +<p> +The cave, or at least the secret chamber, was unknown to any except +his crew, and those who were confined in it. +</p> + +<p> +On leaving the cave, the last time, with a heartlessness worthy a +demon, he had barred the entrance to the cavern on the outside, so as +to render it impossible for those confined there to escape in that +direction. +</p> + +<p> +In fact, he had, be supposed, buried them alive—left them to die of +hunger. +</p> + +<p> +Captain Flint reached the entrance of the cave in safety, and found +everything as he had left it. +</p> + +<p> +On reaching the inner chamber where he had left the two women and the +negro boy, he was startled to find the place apparently deserted, +while all was in total darkness, except where a few rays found their +way through the crevices of the rocks. +</p> + +<p> +He called the names first of one, and then another, but the only +answer he received was the echo of his own voice. +</p> + +<p> +How was this? could they be all sleeping or dead? +</p> + +<p> +They certainly could not have made their escape, for the fastenings +were all as he had left them. +</p> + +<p> +The means of striking fire were at hand, and a lamp was soon lighted. +</p> + +<p> +He searched the cave, but could discover no trace of the missing ones. +</p> + +<p> +A strange horror came over him, such as he had never felt before. +</p> + +<p> +The stillness oppressed him; no living enemy could have inspired him +with the fear he now felt from being alone in this gloomy cavern. +</p> + +<p> +"I must leave this place," he said, "I would rather be in prison than +here." +</p> + +<p> +Again he took up the lamp, and went round the cave, but more this time +in hopes of finding some weapon to defend himself with, in case he +should be attacked, than with the hope of discovering the manner in +which those he had left there had contrived to make their escape. +</p> + +<p> +It had been his custom, lately, on leaving the cavern, to take his +weapons with him, not knowing what use might be made of them by the +women under the provocation, to which they were sometimes subjected. +</p> + +<p> +The only weapon he could find was a large dagger. This he secured, and +was preparing to leave the cavern, when he thought he saw something +moving in one corner. +</p> + +<p> +In order to make sure that he had not been mistaken, he approached the +place. +</p> + +<p> +It was a corner where a quantity of skins had been thrown, and which +it had not been convenient for him to remove, when he left the cavern. +</p> + +<p> +Thinking that one of these skins might be of service to him in the +life he would be obliged to live for some time, he commenced sorting +them over, for the purpose of finding one that would answer his +purpose, when a figure suddenly sprang up from the pile. +</p> + +<p> +It would be hard to tell which of the two was the more frightened. +</p> + +<p> +"Dat you, massa," at length exclaimed the familiar voice of Black +Bill. "I tought it was de debil come back agin to carry me off." +</p> + +<p> +"What, is that you, Bill?" said Flint, greatly relieved, and glad to +find some one who could explain the strange disappearance of Hellena +and Lightfoot. +</p> + +<p> +"Where are the rest, Bill?" he asked; "where's the white girl and the +Indian woman?" +</p> + +<p> +"Debble carry dim off," said Bill. +</p> + +<p> +"What do you mean, you black fool?" said his master; "if you don't +tell me where they've gone, I'll break your black skull for you." +</p> + +<p> +"Don't know where dar gone," said Bill, tremblingly, "Only know dat de +debble take dem away." +</p> + +<p> +Flint finding that he was not likely to get anything out of the boy by +frightening him, now changed his manner, saying; +</p> + +<p> +"Never mind, Bill, let's hear all about it." +</p> + +<p> +The boy reassured, now told his master that the night before while he +was lying awake near the pile of skins and the women were asleep, he +saw the walls of the cavern divide and a figure holding a blazing +torch such as he had never seen before, enter the room. +</p> + +<p> +"I tought," said Bill, "dat it was de debble comin' arter you agin, +massa, and I was 'fraid he would take me along, so I crawled under de +skins, but I made a hole so dat I could watch what he was doin'." +</p> + +<p> +"He looked all round a spell for you, massa, an' when he couldn't find +you, den he went were de women was sleepin' an woke dem up and made +dem follow him. +</p> + +<p> +"Den da called me and looked all ober for me an' couldn't find me, an' +de debble said he couldn't wait no longer, an' dat he would come for +me annudder time, An den de walls opened agin, an' da all went true +togedder. When I heard you in de cave, massa, I tought it was de +debble come agin to fetch me, an' so I crawled under de skins agin." +</p> + +<p> +From this statement of the boy, Flint come to the conclusion that Bill +must have been too much frightened at the time to know what was +actually taking place. +</p> + +<p> +One thing was certain, and that was the prisoners had escaped, and had +been aided in their escape by some persons, to him unknown, in a most +strange and mysterious manner. +</p> + +<p> +Over and over again he questioned Black Bill, but every time with the +same result. +</p> + +<p> +The boy persisted in the statement, that he saw the whole party pass +out through an opening in the walls of the cavern. +</p> + +<p> +That they had not passed out through the usual entrance was evident, +for he found everything as he had left it. +</p> + +<p> +Again he examined the walls of the cavern, only to be again baffled +and disappointed. +</p> + +<p> +He began to think that may be after all, the cavern was under a spell +of enchantment, and that the women had actually been carried off in +the manner described by the negro. +</p> + +<p> +The boy was evidently honest in his statement, believing that he was +telling nothing that was not true. +</p> + +<p> +But be all this as it might, the mere presence of a human being, even +though a poor negro boy, was sufficient to enable him to shake off the +feeling of loneliness and fear, with which he was oppressed upon +entering the cavern. +</p> + +<p> +He now determined to remain in the cavern for a short time. +</p> + +<p> +Long enough at least to make a thorough examination of the place, +before taking his departure. +</p> + +<p> +This determination of Captain Flint's was by no means agreeable to the +negro boy. +</p> + +<p> +Bill was anxious to leave the cave, and by that means escape the +clutches of the devil, who was in the habit of frequenting it. +</p> + +<p> +He endeavored to induce Flint to change his resolution by assuring him +that he had heard the devil say that he was coming after him. But the +captain only laughed at the boy, and he was compelled to remain. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XV. +</p> + + +<p> +For several days after the departure of Captain Flint, the inmates of +the cavern felt no uneasiness at his absence; but when day after day +passed, until more than a week had elapsed without his making his +appearance they began to be alarmed. +</p> + +<p> +It had uniformly been the practice of Captain Flint on leaving the +cave, to give Lightfoot charges to remain there until his return, and +not to allow any one to enter, or pass out during his absence. +</p> + +<p> +This charge she had strictly obeyed. +</p> + +<p> +Singularly enough he had said nothing about it the last time. This, +however, made no difference with Lightfoot, for if she thought of it +at all, she supposed that he had forgotten it. Still she felt no +disposition to disobey his commands, although her feelings towards +him, since his late brutal treatment had very much changed. +</p> + +<p> +But their provisions were giving out, and to remain in the cavern much +longer, they must starve to death. Lightfoot therefore resolved to go +in search of the means of preventing such a catastrophe, leaving the +others to remain in the cave until her return. +</p> + +<p> +On attempting to pass out, she found to her horror that the way was +barred against her from the outside. +</p> + +<p> +In fact, they were buried alive! +</p> + +<p> +In vain she endeavored to force her way out. The entrance had been too +well secured. +</p> + +<p> +There seemed to be no alternative but to await patiently the return of +the captain. +</p> + +<p> +Failing in that, they must starve to death! +</p> + +<p> +Their supply of provisions was not yet quite exhausted, and they +immediately commenced putting themselves on short allowance, hoping by +that means to make them last until relief should come. +</p> + +<p> +While the two women were sitting together, talking over the matter, +and endeavoring to comfort each other, Hellena noticing the plain gold +ring on the finger of Lightfoot, that had been placed there by Captain +Flint during her quarrel with the Indian, asked to be allowed to look +at it. +</p> + +<p> +On examining the ring, she at once recognized it as the one worn by +her lost lover. +</p> + +<p> +Her suspicions in regard to Flint were now fully confirmed. She was +satisfied that he was in some way concerned in the sudden +disappearance of the missing man. +</p> + +<p> +Could it be possible that he had been put out of the way by this +villain, who, for some reason unknown to any but himself, was now +desirous of disposing of her also? +</p> + +<p> +The thought filled her with horror. +</p> + +<p> +That night the two women retired to rest as usual. It was a long time +before sleep came to their relief. But it came at last. +</p> + +<p> +The clock which the pirates had hung in the cave, struck twelve, when +Hellena started from her slumber with a suppressed cry, for the figure +she had seen in the vision many nights ago, stood bending over her! +But now it looked more like a being of real flesh and blood, than a +spectre. And when it spoke to her, saying, "has the little paleface +maiden forgotten; no, no!" she recognized in the intruder, her old +friend the Indian chief, Fire Cloud. +</p> + +<p> +Hellena, the feelings of childhood returning, sprang up, and throwing +her arms around the old chief, exclaimed: +</p> + +<p> +"Save me, no, no, save me!" +</p> + +<p> +Lightfoot was by this time awake also, and on her feet. To her the +appearance of the chief seemed a matter of no surprise. Not that she +had expected anything of the kind, but she looked upon the cave as a +place of enchantment, and she believed that the spirits having it in +charge, could cause the walls to open and close again at pleasure. And +she recognized Fire Cloud as one of the chiefs of her own tribe. He +was also a descendant of one of its priests, and was acquainted with +all the mysteries of the cavern. +</p> + +<p> +He told the prisoners that he had come to set them at liberty, and +bade them follow. +</p> + +<p> +They had got everything for their departure, when they observed for +the first time that Black Bill was missing. +</p> + +<p> +They could not think of going without him, leaving him there to +perish, but the cavern was searched for him in vain. His name was +called to no better purpose, till they were at last compelled to go +without him, the chief promising to return and make another search for +him, all of which was heard by the negro from his hiding place under +the pile of skins as related in the preceding chapter. +</p> + +<p> +The chief, to the surprise of Hellena, instead of going to what might +be called the door of the cavern, went to one of the remote corners, +and stooping down, laid hold of a projection of rock, and gave it a +sudden pressure, when a portion of the wall moved aside, disclosing a +passage, till then unknown to all except Fire Cloud himself. It was +one of the contrivances of the priests of the olden time, for the +purpose of imposing upon the ignorant and superstitious multitude. +</p> + +<p> +On passing through this opening, which the chief carefully closed +after him, the party entered a narrow passageway, leading they could +not see where, nor how far. +</p> + +<p> +The Indian led the way, carrying his torch, and assisting them over +the difficulties of the way, when assistance was required. +</p> + +<p> +Thus he led them on, over rocks, and precipices, sometimes the path +widening until it might be called another cavern, and then again +becoming so narrow as to only allow one to pass at a time. +</p> + +<p> +Thus they journeyed on for the better part of a mile, when they +suddenly came to a full stop. Further progress appeared to be +impossible. +</p> + +<p> +It seemed to Hellena that nothing short of an enchanter's wand could +open the way for them now, when Fire Cloud, going to the end of the +passage, gave a large slab which formed the wall a push on the lower +part, causing it to rise as if balanced by pivots at the center, and +making an opening through which the party passed, finding themselves +in the open air, with the stars shining brightly overhead. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as they had passed out the rock swung back again, and no one +unacquainted with the fact, would have supposed that common looking +rock to be the door of the passage leading to the mysterious cavern. +</p> + +<p> +The place to which they now came, was a narrow valley between the +mountains. +</p> + +<p> +Pursuing their journey up this valley, they came to a collection of +Indian wigwams, and here they halted, the chief showing them into his +own hut, which was one of the group. +</p> + +<p> +Another time, it would have alarmed Hellena Rosenthrall to find +herself in the wilderness surrounded by savages. +</p> + +<p> +But now, although among savages far away from home, without a white +face to look upon, she felt a degree of security, she had long been a +stranger to. +</p> + +<p> +In fact she felt that the Indians under whose protection she now found +herself, were far more human, far less cruel, than the demon calling +himself a white man, out of whose hands she had so fortunately +escaped. +</p> + +<p> +For once since her capture, her sleep was quiet, and refreshing. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XVI. +</p> + + +<p> +Black Bill, on leaving the captain, after having vainly endeavored to +persuade him to leave the cave, crawled in to his usual place for +passing the night, but not with the hope of forgetting his troubles in +sleep. +</p> + +<p> +He was more firmly than ever impressed with the idea that the cavern +was the resort of the Devil and his imps, and that they would +certainly return for the purpose of carrying off his master. To this +he would have no objection, did he not fear that they might nab him +also, in order to keep his master company. +</p> + +<p> +So when everything was perfectly still in the cavern excepting the +loud breathing of the captain, which gave evidence of his being fast +asleep, the negro crept cautiously out of the recess, where he had +thrown himself down, and moved noiselessly to the place where the +captain was lying. +</p> + +<p> +Having satisfied himself that his master was asleep, he went to the +table, and taking the lamp that was burning there, he moved towards +the entrance of the cave. This was now fastened only on the inside, +and the fastening could be easily removed. +</p> + +<p> +In a few moments Black Bill was at liberty. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as he felt himself free from the cave, he gave vent to a fit +of boisterous delight, exclaiming. "Hah! hah! hah! Now de debile may +come arter massa Flint as soon as he please, he ain't a goun to ketch +dis chile, I reckan. Serb de captain right for trowin my fadder in de +sea. +</p> + +<p> +"Hah! hah! hah! he tink I forgit all dat. I guess he fin out now." +</p> + +<p> +Thus he went on until the thought seeming to strike him that he might +be overheard, and pursued, he stopped all at once, and crept further +into the forest and as he thought further out of the reach of the +devil. +</p> + +<p> +The morning had far advanced when captain Flint awoke from his +slumber. +</p> + +<p> +He knew this from the few sunbeams that found their way through a +crevice in the rocks at one corner of the cave. +</p> + +<p> +With this exception the place was in total darkness, for the lamp as +we have said had been carried off by the negro. +</p> + +<p> +"Hello, there, Bill, you black imp," shouted the captain, "bring a +light." +</p> + +<p> +But Bill made no answer, although the command was several times +repeated. +</p> + +<p> +At last, Flint, in a rage, sprang up, and seizing a raw hide which he +always kept handy for such emergencies, he went to the sleeping place +of the negro, and struck a violent blow on the place where Bill ought +to have been, but where Bill was not. +</p> + +<p> +The captain started. "Has he, too, escaped me?" he exclaimed. +</p> + +<p> +Flint went back, and for a few moments sat down by the table in +silence. After awhile the horror at being alone in such a gloomy +place, once more came over him. +</p> + +<p> +"Who knows," he thought, "but this black imp may betray me into the +hands of my enemies. Even he, should he be so disposed, has it in his +power to come at night, and by fastening the entrance of the cavern on +the outside, bury me alive!" +</p> + +<p> +So Flint reasoned, and so reasoning, made up his mind to leave the +cavern. +</p> + +<p> +Flint had barely passed beyond the entrance of the cave, when he heard +the sound of approaching footsteps. He crouched under the bushes in +order to watch and listen. +</p> + +<p> +He saw a party of six men approaching, all fully armed excepting one, +who seemed to be a guide to the rest. +</p> + +<p> +Flint fairly gnashed his teeth with rage as he recognised in this man +his old associate—Jones Bradley. +</p> + +<p> +The whole party halted at a little distance from the entrance to the +cave, where Bradley desired them to remain while he should go and +reconnoitre. +</p> + +<p> +He had reached the entrance, had made a careful examination of +everything about it, and was in the act of turning to make his report, +when Flint sprang upon him from the bushes, saying, "So it's you, you +traitor, who has betrayed me," at the same moment plunging his dagger +in the breast of Bradley, who fell dead at his feet. +</p> + +<p> +In the next moment the pirate was flying through the forest. Several +shots were fired at him, but without any apparent effect. +</p> + +<p> +The whole party started in pursuit. But the pirate having the +advantage of a start and a better knowledge of the ground, was soon +hidden from view in the intricacies of the forest. +</p> + +<p> +Still the party continued their pursuit, led now by Henry Billings. +</p> + +<p> +As the pirate did not return the fire of his pursuers, it was evident +that his only weapon was the dagger with which he had killed the +unfortunate Bradley. +</p> + +<p> +For several hours they continued their search, but all to no purpose, +and they were about to give it up for the present, when one of them +stumbled, and fell over something buried in the grass, when up sprang +Black Bill, who had hidden there on hearing the approach of the party. +</p> + +<p> +"Lookin' arter massa Flint?" asked the boy, as soon as he had +discovered that he was among friends. +</p> + +<p> +"Yes; can you tell us which way he has gone?" asked Billings. +</p> + +<p> +"Gone dat way, and a-runnin' as if de debble was arter him, an' I +guess he is, too." +</p> + +<p> +The party set off in the direction pointed out, the negro following. +</p> + +<p> +After going about half a mile, they were brought to a full stop by a +precipice over which the foremost one of the party was near falling. +</p> + +<p> +As they came to the brink they thought they heard a whine and a low +growl, as of a wild animal in distress. +</p> + +<p> +Looking into the ravine, a sight met their gaze, which caused them to +shrink back with horror. +</p> + +<p> +At the bottom of the ravine lay the body of the man of whom they were +in pursuit, but literally torn to pieces. +</p> + +<p> +Beside the body crouched an enormous she bear, apparently dying from +wounds she had received from an encounter with the men. +</p> + +<p> +Could his worst enemy have wished him a severe punishment? +</p> + +<p> +"De debble got him now," said Black Bill, and the whole party took +their way back to the cave. +</p> + +<p> +On their way back, Billings learned from the negro that Hellena in +company with Lightfoot, had left the cave several days previous to +their coming. Where they had gone he could not tell. +</p> + +<p> +He was so possessed with the idea they had been spirited away by the +devil, or some one of his imps in the shape of an enormous Indian, +that they thought he must have been frightened out of his wits. +</p> + +<p> +Billings was at a loss what course to take, but he had made up his +mind not to return to the city, until he had learned something +definite in relation to the fate of his intended bride. +</p> + +<p> +In all probability, she was at some one of the Indian villages +belonging to some of the tribes occupying that part of the country. +</p> + +<p> +For this purpose he embarked again in the small vessel in which he had +come up the river, intending to proceed a short distance further up, +for the purpose of consulting an old chief who, with his family, +occupied a small island situated there. +</p> + +<p> +He had proceeded but a short distance when he saw a large fleet of +canoes approaching. +</p> + +<p> +Supposing them to belong to friendly Indians, Billings made no attempt +to avoid them, and his boat was in a few moments surrounded by the +savages. +</p> + +<p> +At first the Indians appeared to be perfectly friendly, offering to +trade and, seeming particularly anxious to purchase fire-arms. +</p> + +<p> +This aroused the suspicions of the white men, and they commenced +endeavoring to get rid of their troublesome visitors, when to their +astonishment, they were informed that they were prisoners! +</p> + +<p> +Billings was surprised to find that the Indians, after securing their +prisoners, instead of starting up the river again, continued their +course down the stream. +</p> + +<p> +But what he learned shortly after from one of the Indians, who spoke +English tolerably well, astonished him still more. And that was, that +he was taken for the notorious pirate Captain Flint, of whose escape +they had heard from some of their friends recently from the city, and +they thought that nothing would please their white brethren so much as +to bring him back captive. +</p> + +<p> +It was to no purpose that Billings endeavored to convince them of +their mistake. They only shook their heads, as much as to say it was +of no use, they were not to be so easily imposed upon. +</p> + +<p> +And so Billings saw there was no help for it but to await patiently +his arrival at New York, when all would be set right again. +</p> + +<p> +But in the meantime Hellena might be removed far beyond his reach. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XVII. +</p> + + +<p> +Great was the mortification in the city upon learning the mistake they +had made. +</p> + +<p> +Where they had expected to receive praise and a handsome reward for +having performed a meritorious action, they obtained only censure and +reproaches for meddling in matters that did not concern them. +</p> + +<p> +It was only a mistake however, and there was no help for it. And +Billings, although greatly vexed and disappointed, saw no course left +for him but to set off again, although he feared that the chances of +success were greatly against him this time, on account of the time +that had been lost. +</p> + +<p> +The Indians, whose unfortunate blunder had been the cause of this +delay, in order to make some amends for the wrong they had done him, +now came forward, and offered to aid him in his search for the missing +maiden. +</p> + +<p> +They proffered him the use of their canoes to enable him to ascend the +streams, and to furnish guides, and an escort to protect him while +traveling through the country. +</p> + +<p> +This offer, so much better than he had any reason to expect, was +gladly accepted by Billings, and with two friends who had volunteered +to accompany him, he once more started up the river, under the +protection of his new friends. +</p> + +<p> +War had broken out among the various tribes on the route which he must +travel, making it unsafe for him and his two companions, even under +such a guide and escort as his Indian friends could furnish them. +</p> + +<p> +Thus he with his two associates were detained so long in the Indian +country, that by their friends at home they were given up as lost. +</p> + +<p> +At last peace was restored, and they set out on their return. +</p> + +<p> +The journey home was a long and tedious one, but nothing occurred +worth narrating. +</p> + +<p> +Upon reaching the Hudson, they employed an Indian to take them the +remainder of the way in a canoe. +</p> + +<p> +Upon reaching Manhattan Island, the first place they stopped at was +the residence of Carl Rosenthrall, Billings intending that the father +of Hellena should be the first to hear the sad story of his failure +and disappointment. +</p> + +<p> +It was evening when he arrived at the house and the lamps were lighted +in the parlor. +</p> + +<p> +With heavy heart and trembling hands he rapped at the door. +</p> + +<p> +As the door opened he uttered a faint cry of surprise, which was +answered by a similar one by the person who admitted him. It was +Hellena herself! +</p> + +<p> +The scene that followed we shall not attempt to describe. +</p> + + + + +<p class="chapter"> +CHAPTER XVIII. +</p> + + +<p> +At about the same time that Henry Billings, under the protection of +his Indian friends, set out on his last expedition up the river, a +single canoe with four persons in it, put out from under the shadow of +Old Crow Nest, on its way down the stream. +</p> + +<p> +The individual by whom the canoe was directed was an Indian, a man +somewhat advanced in years. The others were a white girl, an Indian +woman, and a negro boy. +</p> + +<p> +In short, the party consisted of Fire Cloud, Hellena Rosenthrall, +Lightfoot, and Black Bill, on their way to the city. +</p> + +<p> +They had passed the fleet of canoes in which Billings had embarked, +but not knowing whether it belonged to a party of friendly Indians or +otherwise. +</p> + +<p> +Fire Cloud had avoided coming in contact with it for fear of being +delayed, or of the party being made prisoners and carried back again. +</p> + +<p> +Could they have but met, what a world of trouble would it not have +saved to all parties interested! +</p> + +<p> +As it was, Hellena arrived in safety, greatly to the delight of her +father and friends, who had long mourned for her as for one they never +expected to see again in this world. +</p> + +<p> +The sum of Hellena's happiness would now have been complete, had it +not been for the dark shadow cast over it by the absence of her lover. +</p> + +<p> +And this shadow grew darker, and darker, as weeks, and months, rolled +by without bringing any tidings of the missing one. +</p> + +<p> +What might have been the effects of the melancholy into which she was +fast sinking, it is hard to tell, had not the unexpected return of the +one for whose loss she was grieving, restored her once more to her +wonted health and spirits. +</p> + +<p> +And here we might lay down our pen, and call our story finished, did +we not think that justice to the reader, required that we should +explain some things connected with the mysterious, cavern not yet +accounted for. +</p> + +<p> +How the Indian entered the cave on the night when Hellena fancied she +had seen a ghost, and how she made her escape, has been explained, but +we have not yet explained how the noises were produced which so +alarmed the pirates. +</p> + +<p> +It will be remembered that the sleeping place of Black Bill was a +recess in the wall of the cavern. +</p> + +<p> +Now in the wall, near the head of the negro's bed, there was a deep +fissure or crevice. It happened that Bill while lying awake one night, +to amuse himself, put his month to the crevice and spoke some words, +when to his astonishment, what he had said, was repeated over and +over, again. +</p> + +<p> +Black Bill in his ignorance and simplicity, supposed that the echo, +which came back, was an answer from some one on the other side of the +wall. +</p> + +<p> +Having made this discovery, he repeated the experiment a number of +times, and always with the same result. +</p> + +<p> +After awhile, he began to ask questions of the spirit, as he supposed +it to be, that had spoken to him. +</p> + +<p> +Among other things he asked if the devil was coming after master. +</p> + +<p> +The echo replied, "The debil comin' after master," and repeated it a +great many times. +</p> + +<p> +Bill now became convinced that it was the devil himself that he had +been talking to. +</p> + +<p> +On the night when the pirates were so frightened by the fearful groan, +Bill was lying awake, listening to the captain's story. When he came +to the part where he describes the throwing the boy's father +overboard, and speaks of the horrible groan, Bill put his mouth to the +crevice, and imitated the groan, which had been too deeply fixed in +his memory ever to be forgotten, giving full scope to his voice. +</p> + +<p> +The effect astonished and frightened him as well as the pirates. +</p> + +<p> +With the same success he imitated the Indian war-whoop, which he had +learned while among the savages. +</p> + +<p> +The next time that the pirates were so terribly frightened, the alarm +was caused by Fire Cloud after his visit to the cave on the occasion +that he had been taken for the devil by Bill, and an Indian ghost by +Hellena. +</p> + +<p> +Fire Cloud had remained in another chamber of the cavern connected +with the secret passage already described, and where the echo was even +more wonderful than the one pronounced from the opening through which +the negro had spoken. +</p> + +<p> +Here he could hear all that was passing in the great chamber occupied +by the pirates, and from this chamber the echoes were to those who did +not understand their cause, perfectly frightful. +</p> + +<p> +All these peculiarities of the cavern had been known to the ancient +Indian priests or medicine men, and by them made use of to impose on +their ignorant followers. +</p> + + +<hr class="med"> + +<p class="ctr"> +<big><b>BEADLE'S FRONTIER SERIES</b></big> +</p> +<br> + +<table summary="List of the Frontier Series titles"> +<tr> +<td class="digit">1.</td> +<td>The Shawnee's Foe.</td> +<td class="digit">51.</td> +<td>Madman of the Ocont.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">2.</td> +<td>The Young Mountaineer.</td> +<td class="digit">52.</td> +<td>Slim Jim.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">3.</td> +<td>Wild Jim.</td> +<td class="digit">53.</td> +<td>Tiger-Eye.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">4.</td> +<td>Hawk-Eye, the Hunter.</td> +<td class="digit">54.</td> +<td>The Red Star of the Seminoles.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">5.</td> +<td>The Boy Guide.</td> +<td class="digit">55.</td> +<td>Trapper Joe.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">6.</td> +<td>War Tiger of the Modocs.</td> +<td class="digit">56.</td> +<td>The Indian Queen's Revenge.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">7.</td> +<td>The Red Modocs.</td> +<td class="digit">57.</td> +<td>Eagle-Eyed Zeke.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">8.</td> +<td>Iron Hand.</td> +<td class="digit">58.</td> +<td>Scar-Cheek, the Wild Half-Breed.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">9.</td> +<td>Shadow Bill, the Scout.</td> +<td class="digit">59.</td> +<td>Red Men of the Woods.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">10.</td> +<td>Wapawkaneta, or the Rangers of the Oneida.</td> +<td class="digit">60.</td> +<td>Tuscaloosa Sam.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">11.</td> +<td>Davy Crockett's Boy Hunter.</td> +<td class="digit">61.</td> +<td>The Bully of the Woods.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">12.</td> +<td>The Forest Avenger.</td> +<td class="digit">62.</td> +<td>The Trapper's Bride.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">13.</td> +<td>Old Jack's Frontier Cabin.</td> +<td class="digit">63.</td> +<td>Red Rattlesnake, The Pawnee.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">14.</td> +<td>On the Deep.</td> +<td class="digit">64.</td> +<td>The Scout of Tippecanoe.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">15.</td> +<td>Sharp Snout.</td> +<td class="digit">65.</td> +<td>Old Kit, The Scout.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">16.</td> +<td>The Mountain Demon.</td> +<td class="digit">66.</td> +<td>The Boy Scouts.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">17.</td> +<td>Wild Tom of Wyoming.</td> +<td class="digit">67.</td> +<td>Hiding Tom.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">18.</td> +<td>The Brave Boy Hunters of Kentucky.</td> +<td class="digit">68.</td> +<td>Roving Dick, Hunter.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">19.</td> +<td>The Fearless Ranger.</td> +<td class="digit">69.</td> +<td>Hickory Jack.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">20.</td> +<td>The Haunted Trapper.</td> +<td class="digit">70.</td> +<td>Mad Mike.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">21.</td> +<td>Madman of the Colorado.</td> +<td class="digit">71.</td> +<td>Snake-Eye.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">22.</td> +<td>The Panther Demon.</td> +<td class="digit">72.</td> +<td>Big-Hearted Joe.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">23.</td> +<td>Slashaway, the Fearless.</td> +<td class="digit">73.</td> +<td>The Blazing Arrow.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">24.</td> +<td>Pine Tree Jack.</td> +<td class="digit">74.</td> +<td>The Hunter Scouts.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">25.</td> +<td>Indian Jim.</td> +<td class="digit">75.</td> +<td>The Scout of Long Island.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">26.</td> +<td>Navajo Nick.</td> +<td class="digit">76.</td> +<td>Turkey-Foot.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">27.</td> +<td>The Tuscarora's Vow.</td> +<td class="digit">77.</td> +<td>The Death Rangers.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">28.</td> +<td>Deadwood Dick, Jr.</td> +<td class="digit">78.</td> +<td>Bullet Head.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">29.</td> +<td>A New York Boy Among the Indians.</td> +<td class="digit">79.</td> +<td>The Indian Spirit.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">30.</td> +<td>Deadwood Dick's Big Deal.</td> +<td class="digit">80.</td> +<td>The Twin Trappers.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">31.</td> +<td>Hank, the Guide.</td> +<td class="digit">81.</td> +<td>Lightfoot the Scout.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">32.</td> +<td>Deadwood Dick's Dozen.</td> +<td class="digit">82.</td> +<td>Grim Dick.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">33.</td> +<td>Squatty Dick.</td> +<td class="digit">83.</td> +<td>The Wooden-Legged Spy.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">34.</td> +<td>The Hunter's Secret.</td> +<td class="digit">84.</td> +<td>The Silent Trapper.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">35.</td> +<td>The Woman Trapper.</td> +<td class="digit">85.</td> +<td>Ugly Ike.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">36.</td> +<td>The Chief of the Miami.</td> +<td class="digit">86.</td> +<td>Fire Cloud.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">37.</td> +<td>Gunpowder Jim.</td> +<td class="digit">87.</td> +<td>Hank Jasper.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">38.</td> +<td>Mad Anthony's Captain.</td> +<td class="digit">88.</td> +<td>The Scout of the Sciota.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">39.</td> +<td>The Ranger Boy's Career.</td> +<td class="digit">89.</td> +<td>Black Samson.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">40.</td> +<td>Old Nick of the Swamp.</td> +<td class="digit">90.</td> +<td>Billy Bowlegs.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">41.</td> +<td>The Shadow Scout.</td> +<td class="digit">91.</td> +<td>The Bloody Footprint.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">42.</td> +<td>Lantern-Jawed Bob.</td> +<td class="digit">92.</td> +<td>Marksman the Hunter.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">43.</td> +<td>The Masked Hunter.</td> +<td class="digit">93.</td> +<td>The Demon Cruiser.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">44.</td> +<td>Brimstone Jake.</td> +<td class="digit">94.</td> +<td>Hunters and Redskins.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">45.</td> +<td>The Irish Hunter.</td> +<td class="digit">95.</td> +<td>Panther Jack.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">46.</td> +<td>Dave Bunker.</td> +<td class="digit">96.</td> +<td>Old Zeke.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">47.</td> +<td>The Shawnee Witch.</td> +<td class="digit">97.</td> +<td>The Panther Paleface.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">48.</td> +<td>Big Brave.</td> +<td class="digit">98.</td> +<td>The Scout of the St. Lawrence.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">49.</td> +<td>Spider-Legs.</td> +<td class="digit">99.</td> +<td>Bloody Brook.</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="digit">50.</td> +<td>Harry Hardskull.</td> +<td class="digit">100.</td> +<td>Long Bob of Kentucky.</td> +</tr> +</table> +<br> +<p class="ctr"> +THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. 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Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/37006-h/images/cover.jpg b/37006-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..3db24dd --- /dev/null +++ b/37006-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/37006.txt b/37006.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8f5e589 --- /dev/null +++ b/37006.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4095 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Fire Cloud, by Samuel Fletcher + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Fire Cloud + The Mysterious Cave. A Story of Indians and Pirates. + +Author: Samuel Fletcher + +Release Date: August 8, 2011 [EBook #37006] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRE CLOUD *** + + + + +Produced by Greg Weeks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +[Illustration: FIRE CLOUD +BY SAMUEL FLETCHER +No. 86 Beadle's Frontier Series] + + +(Printed in the United States of America) + + +FIRE CLOUD; + +OR + +The Mysterious Cave. + + +A Story of Indians and Pirates. + + +_Copyright, 1909, by James Sullivan._ +_All Rights Reserved._ + +Published by +THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK COMPANY +Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.A. + + + + +FIRE CLOUD. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + +Whether or not, the story which we are about to relate is absolutely +true in every particular, we are not prepared to say. All we know +about it is, that old Ben Miller who told it to our uncle Zeph, +believed it to be true, as did uncle Zeph himself. And from all we can +learn, uncle Zeph was a man of good judgment, and one not easily +imposed upon. + +And uncle Zeph said that he had known old people in his younger days, +who stated that they had actually seen the cave where many of the +scenes which we are about to relate occurred, although of late years, +no traces of any kind could be discovered in the locality where it is +supposed to have been situated. + +His opinion was, that as great rocks were continually rolling down the +side of the mountain at the foot of which the entrance to the cave +was, some one or more of these huge boulders had fallen into the +opening and completely closed it up. + +But that such a cave did exist, he was perfectly satisfied, and that +it would in all probability be again discovered at some future day, by +persons making excavations in the side of the mountain. And lucky he +thought would be the man who should make the discovery, for unheard of +treasures he had no doubt would be found stowed away in the chinks and +crevices of the rocks. + +So much by way of introduction; as we have no intention to describe +the cave until the proper time comes, we shall leave that part of the +subject for the present, while we introduce the reader to a few of the +principal personages of our narrative. + +At a distance of some fifteen or twenty miles from the City of New +York, on the Hudson river in the shadow of the rocks known as the +Palisades, something near two hundred years ago, lay a small vessel at +anchor. + +The vessel as we have said was small. Not more than fifty or sixty +tons burden, and what would be considered a lumbering craft now a days +with our improved knowledge of ship building, would at that time be +called a very fast sailor. + +This vessel was schooner rigged, and every thing about her deck trim +and in good order. + +On the forecastle sat two men, evidently sailors, belonging to the +vessel. + +We say sailors, but in saying so we do not mean to imply that they +resembled your genuine old _salt_, but something between a sailor +and a landsman. They could hardly be called land lubbers, for I doubt +if a couple of old salts could have managed their little craft better +than they, while they, when occasion required, could work on land as +well as water. + +In fact they belonged to the class known as river boatmen, though they +had no hesitation to venturing out to sea on an emergency. + +The elder of these men, who might have seen some fifty years or more, +was a short, thick set man with dark complexion, and small grey eyes +overshadowed by thick, shaggy brows as black as night. + +His mouth was large when he chose to open it, but his lips were thin +and generally compressed. + +He looked at you from under his eyebrows like one looking at you from +a place of concealment, and as if he was afraid he would be seen by +you. + +His name was David Rider, but was better known among his associates +under the title of Old Ropes. + +The other was a man of about twenty-five or thirty, and was a taller +and much better-looking man, but without anything very marked in his +countenance. His name was Jones Bradley. + +"I tell you what, Joe," said his companion, "I don't like the +captain's bringin' of this gal; there can't no good come of it, and it +may bring us into trouble." + +"Bring us into trouble! everything that's done out of the common +track, accordin' to you's a goin' to bring us into trouble. I'd like +to know how bringing a pretty girl among us, is goin' to git us into +trouble?" + +"A pretty face is well enough in its way," said Old Ropes, "but a +pretty face won't save a man from the gallows, especially if that face +is the face of an enemy." + +"By the 'tarnal, Ropes, if I hadn't see you fight like the very devil +when your blood was up, I should think you was giten' to be a coward. +How in thunder is that little baby of a girl goin' to git us into +trouble?" + +"Let me tell you," said Ropes, "that one pretty gal, if she's so +minded, can do you more harm than half a dozen stout men that you can +meet and fight face to face, and if you want to know the harm that's +goin' to come to us in this case I'll show you." + +"The gal, you know's the only daughter of old Rosenthrall. Why the +captain stole her away, I don't know. Out of revenge for some slight +or insult or other, I s'pose. Now the old man, as you're aware, knows +more about our business than is altogether safe for us. As I said +before, the gal's his only daughter, and he'll raise Heaven and earth +but he'll have her again, and when he finds who's got her, do you +suppose there'll be any safety for us here? No! no! if I was in the +captain's place, I'd either send her back again, or make her walk the +plank, as he did, you know who, and so get rid of her at once." + +"As for walking the plank," said the young man, laying his hand on his +companion's shoulder, danger or no danger, the man who makes that girl +walk the plank, shall walk after, though it should be Captain Flint +himself, or my name is not Jones Bradley." + +"You talk like a boy that had fallen dead in love," said the other; +"but anyhow, I don't like the captain's bringing the young woman among +us, and so I mean to tell him the first chance I have." + +"Well, now's your time," said Bradley, "for here comes the captain." + +As he spoke, a man coming up from the cabin joined them. His figure, +though slight, was firm and compact. He was of medium height; his +complexion naturally fair, was somewhat bronzed by the weather, his +hair was light, his eyes grey, and his face as a whole, one which many +would at first sight call handsome. Yet it was one that you could not +look on with pleasure for any length of time. There was something in +his cold grey eye that sent a chill into your blood, and you could not +help thinking that there was deceit, and falsehood in his perpetual +smile. + +Although his age was forty-five, there was scarcely a wrinkle on his +face, and you would not take him to be over thirty. + +Such was Captain Flint, the commander and owner of the little schooner +_Sea Gull_. + +"Captain," said Rider, when the other had joined the group; "Joe and I +was talking about that gal just afore you came up, and I was a sayin' +to him that I was afeard that she would git us into trouble, and I +would speak to you about it." + +"Well," said Captain Flint, after a moment's pause, "if this thing was +an affair of mine entirely, I should tell you to mind your own +business, and there the matter would end, but as it concerns you as +well as me, I suppose you ought to know why it was done. + +"The girl's father, as you know, has all along been one of our best +customers. And we suppose that he was too much interested in our +success to render it likely that he would expose any of our secrets, +but since he's been made a magistrate, he has all at once taken it +into his head to set up for an honest man, and the other day he not +only told me that it was time I had changed my course and become a +fair trader, but hinted that he had reason to suspect that we were +engaged in something worse than mere smuggling, and that if we did not +walk pretty straight in future, he might be compelled in his capacity +of magistrate to make an example of us. + +"I don't believe that he has got any evidence against us in regard to +that last affair of ours, but I believe that he suspects us, and +should he even make his suspicions public, it would work us a great +deal of mischief, to say the least of it. + +"I said nothing, but thinks I, old boy, I'll see if I can't get the +upper hand of you. For this purpose I employed some of our Indian +friends to entrap, and carry off the girl for me. I took care that it +should be done in such a manner as to make her father believe that she +was carried off by them for purposes of their own. + +"Now, he knows my extensive acquaintance with all the tribes along the +river, and that there is no one who can be of as much service to him +in his efforts to recover his daughter, as I, so that he will not be +very likely to interfere with us for some time to come. + +"I have seen him since the affair happened, and condoled with him, of +course. + +"He believes that the Indian who stole his daughter was the chief +Fire Cloud, in revenge for some insult received a number of years ago. + +"This opinion I encouraged, as it answered my purpose exactly, and I +promised to render all the assistance I could in his efforts to +recover his child. + +"This part of the country, as we all know, is getting too hot for us; +we can't stand it much longer; if we can only stave off the danger +until the arrival of that East Indiaman that's expected in shortly +there'll be a chance for us that don't come more than once or twice in +a lifetime. + +"Let us once get the pick out of her cargo, and we shall have enough +to make the fortunes of all of us, and we can retire to some country +where we can enjoy our good luck without the danger of being +interfered with. And then old Rosenthrall can have his daughter again +and welcome provided he can find her. + +"So you see that to let this girl escape will be as much as your necks +are worth." + +So saying, Captain Flint left his companions and returned to the +cabin. + +"Just as I thought," said Old Ropes, when the captain had gone, "if we +don't look well to it this unlucky affair will be the ruin of us all." + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + +Carl Rosenthrall was a wealthy citizen of New York. That is, rich when +we consider the time in which he lived, when our mammoth city was +little more than a good-sized village, and quite a thriving trade was +carried on with the Indians along the river, and it was in this trade +chiefly, that Carl Rosenthrall and his father before him, had made +nearly all the wealth which Carl possessed. + +But Carl Rosenthrall's business was not confined to trading with the +Indians alone, he kept what would now be called a country store. A +store where everything almost could be found, from a plough to a paper +of needles. + +Some ten years previous to the time when the events occurred which are +recorded in the preceding chapter, and when Hellena Rosenthrall was +about six years old, an Indian chief with whom Rosenthrall had +frequent dealings, and whose name was Fire Cloud, came in to the +merchant's house when he was at dinner with his family, and asked for +something to eat, saying that he was hungry. + +Now Fire Cloud, like the rest of his race, had an unfortunate liking +for strong drink, and was a little intoxicated, and Rosenthrall not +liking to be intruded upon at such a time by a drunken savage, ordered +him out of the house, at the same time calling him a drunken brute, +and making use of other language not very agreeable to the Indian. + +The chief did as he was required, but in doing so, he put his hand on +his tomahawk and at the same time turned on Rosenthrall a look that +said as well as words could say, "Give me but the opportunity, and +I'll bury this in your skull." + +The chief, on passing out, seated himself for a moment on the stoop in +front of the house. + +While he was sitting there, little Hellena, with whom he had been a +favorite, having often seen him at her father's store, came running +out to him with a large piece of cake in her hand, saying: + +"Here, No-No, Hellena will give you some cake." + +No-No was the name by which the Indian was known to the child, having +learned it from hearing the Indian make use of the name no, no, so +often when trading with her father. + +The Indian took the proffered cake with a smile, and as he did so +lifted the child up in his arms and gazed at her steadily for a few +moments, as if he wished to impress every feature upon his memory, and +then sat her down again. + +He was just in the act of doing this when the child's father came out +of the dining-room. + +Rosenthrall, imagining that the Indian was about to kidnap his +daughter, or do her some violence, rushed out ordering him to put the +child down, and be off about his business. + +It was the recollection of this circumstance, taken in connection with +the fact that Fire Cloud had been seen in the city on the day on which +his daughter had disappeared, which led Rosenthrall to fix upon the +old chief as the person who had carried off Hellena. + +This opinion, as we have seen, was encouraged by Captain Flint for +reasons of his own. + +The facts in the case were these. + +Rosenthrall, as Captain Flint had said, although for a long time one +of his best customers, knowing to, and winking at his unlawful doings, +having been elected a magistrate took it in to his head to be honest. + +He had made money out of his connection with the smuggler and pirate, +and he probably thought it best to break off the connection before it +should be too late, and he should be involved in the ruin which he +foresaw Captain Flint was certain to bring upon himself if he +continued much longer in the reckless course he was now pursuing. + +All this was understood by Captain Flint, and it was as he explained +to his men, in order to get the upper hand of Rosenthrall, and thus +prevent the danger which threatened him from that quarter, he had +caused Hellena to be kidnapped, and conveyed to their grand hiding +place, the cave in the side of the mountain. + +Rosenthrall at this time resided in a cottage on the banks of the +river, a short distance from his place of business, the grounds +sloping down to the water. + +These grounds were laid out into a flower garden where there was an +arbor in which Hellena spent the greater part of her time during the +warm summer evenings. + +It was while lingering in this arbor rather later than usual that she +was suddenly pounced upon by the two Indians employed by Captain Flint +for the purpose, and conveyed to his vessel, which lay at anchor a +short distance further up the river. + +Captain Flint immediately set sail with his unwilling passenger, and +in a few hours afterwards she was placed in the cave under the safe +keeping of the squaw who presided over that establishment. + +If the reader would like to know what kind of a looking girl Hellena +Rosenthrall was at this time, I would say that a merrier, more +animated, if not a handsomer face he never looked upon. She was the +very picture of health and fine spirits. + +Her figure was rather slight, but not spare, for her form was compact +and well rounded, and her movements were as light and elastic as those +of a deer. + +Her complexion was fair, one in which you might say without any streak +of fancy, the lily was blended with the rose. + +Her eyes were blue and her hair auburn, bordering on the golden, and +slightly inclined to wave rather than to curl. + +Her nose was of moderate size and straight, or nearly so. + +Some would say that her mouth was rather large, but the lips were so +beautifully shaped, and then when she smiled she displayed such an +exquisite set of the purest teeth, setting off to such advantage the +ruby tinting of the lips, you felt no disposition to find fault with +it. + +We have spoken of Hellena's look as being one of animation and high +spirits, and such was its general character, but for some time past a +shadow of gloom had come over it. + +Hellena was subject to the same frailties which are common to her sex. +She had fallen in love! + +The object of her affections was a young man some two or three years +older than herself, and at first nothing occurred to mar their +happiness, for the parents of both were in favor of the match. + +As they were both young, however, it was decided to postpone their +union for a year. + +In the meantime, Henry Billings, the intended bridegroom, should make +a voyage to Europe in order to transact some business for his father, +who was a merchant trading with Amsterdam. + +The vessel in which he sailed never reached her place of destination. + +It was known that she carried out a large amount of money sent by +merchants in New York, as remittances to those with whom they had +dealings in Europe. This, together with certain facts which transpired +shortly after the departure of the vessel, led some people to suspect +that she had met with foul play somewhere on the high seas; and that +not very far from port either. + +Hellena, who happened to be in her father's store one day when Captain +Flint was there, saw on his finger a plain gold ring which she was +sure had belonged to her lover. + +This fact she mentioned to her father after the captain had gone. + +Her father at that time ridiculed her suspicions. But he afterwards +remembered circumstances connected with the departure of the vessel, +and the movements of Captain Flint about the same time, which taken in +connection with the discovery made by his daughter, did seem to +justify the dark suspicions created in the mind of his daughter. + +But how was he to act under the circumstance? As a magistrate, it was +his business to investigate the matter. But then there was the danger +should he attempt to do so, of exposing his own connection with the +pirate. + +He must move cautiously. + +And he did move cautiously, yet not so cautiously but he aroused the +suspicions of Captain Flint, who, as we have seen, in order to secure +himself against the danger which threatened him in that quarter, had +carried off the daughter of the merchant. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + + +When the vessel in which young Billings set sail started she had a +fair wind, and was soon out in the open sea. + +Just as night began to set in, a small craft was observed approaching +them, and being a much faster sailor than the larger and heavily +ladened ship, she was soon along-side. + +When near enough to be heard, the commander of the smaller vessel +desired the other to lay too, as he had important dispatches for him +which had been forgotten. + +The commander of the ship not liking to stop his vessel while under +full sail merely for the purpose of receiving dispatches, offered to +send for them, and was about lowering a boat for that purpose, when +the other captain, who was none other than Captain Flint, declared +that he could only deliver them in person. + +The captain of the ship, though in no very good humor, finally +consented to lay too, and the two vessels were soon lying along side +of each other. + +Now although while lying at, or about the wharves of New York, the two +men already introduced to the reader apparently constituted the whole +crew of Captain Flint's vessel, such was by no means the fact, for +there were times when the deck of the little craft would seem fairly +to swarm with stout, able-bodied fellows. And the present instance, +Captain Flint had no sooner set foot upon the deck of the ship, than +six or eight men fully armed appeared on the deck of the schooner +prepared to follow him. + +The first thing that Captain Flint did on reaching the deck of the +ship was to strike the captain down with a blow from the butt of a +large pistol he held in his hand. His men were soon at his side, and +as the crew of the other vessel were unarmed, although defending +themselves as well as they could, they were soon overpowered. + +Several of them were killed on the spot, and those who were not killed +outright, were only reserved for a more cruel fate. + +The fight being over, the next thing was to secure the treasure. + +This was a task of but little difficulty, for Flint had succeeded in +getting one of his men shipped as steward on the ill-fated vessel. + +One of those who had escaped the massacre was James Bradley. He had, +by order of Captain Flint, been lashed to the mast at the commencement +of the fight. + +He had not received a wound. All the others who were not killed were +more or less badly hurt. + +These were unceremoniously compelled to walk the plank, and were +drowned. + +When it came to Billings' turn, there seemed to be some hesitation +among the pirates subjecting him to the same fate as the others. + +Jones Bradley, in a particular manner, was for sparing his life on +condition that he would pledge himself to leave the country, never to +return, and bind himself to eternal secrecy. + +But this advice was overruled by Captain Flint himself, who declared +he would trust no one, and that the young man should walk the plank as +the others had done. + +From this decision there was no appeal, and Henry Billings resigned +himself to his fate. + +Before going he said he would, as a slight favor, to ask of one of his +captors. + +And then pulling a plain gold ring off his finger, he said: + +"It is only to convey this to the daughter of Carl Rosenthrall, if he +can find means of doing so, without exposing himself to danger. I can +hardly wish her to be made acquainted with my fate." + +When he had finished, Captain Flint stepped up saying that he would +undertake to perform the office, and taking the ring he placed it upon +his own finger. + +By this time it was dark. With a firm tread Billings stepped upon the +plank, and the next moment was floundering in the sea. + +The next thing for the pirates to do was to scuttle the ship, which +they did after helping themselves to so much of the most valuable +portion of the cargo as they thought they could safely carry away with +them. + +In about an hour afterwards the ship sank, bearing down with her the +bodies of her murdered crew, and burying, as Captain Flint supposed, +in the depths of the ocean all evidences of the fearful tragedy which +had been enacted upon her deck. + +The captain now directed his course homeward, and the next day the +little vessel was lying in port as if nothing unusual had happened, +Captain Flint pretending that he had returned from one of his usual +trading voyages along the coast. + +The intercourse between the new and the old world was not so frequent +in those days as now. The voyages, too, were much longer than at +present. So that, although a considerable time passed, bringing no +tidings of the ill-fated vessel without causing any uneasiness. + +But when week after week rolled by, and month followed month, and +still nothing was heard from her, the friends of those on board began +to be anxious about their fate. + +At length a vessel which had sailed some days later than the missing +ship, had reported that nothing had been heard from her. + +The only hope now was that she might have been obliged by stress of +weather to put in to some other port. + +But after awhile this hope also was abandoned, and all were +reluctantly compelled to come to the conclusion that she had foundered +at sea, and that all on board had perished. + +After lying a short time in port, Captain Flint set sail up the river +under pretence of going on a trading expedition among the various +Indian tribes. + +But he ascended the river no further than the Highlands, and come to +anchor along the mountain familiarly known as Butterhill, but which +people of more romantic turn call Mount Tecomthe, in honor of the +famous Indian chief of that name. + +Having secured their vessel close to the shore, the buccaneers now +landed, all save one, who was left in charge of the schooner. + +Each carried with him a bundle or package containing a portion of the +most valuable part of the plunder taken from the ship which they had +so recently robbed. + +Having ascended the side of the mountain for about two hundred yards, +they came to what seemed to be a simple fissure in the rocks about +wide enough to admit two men abreast. + +This cleft or fissure they entered, and having proceeded ten or +fifteen feet they came to what appeared to be a deep well or pit. + +Here the party halted, and Captain Flint lighted a torch, and +producing a light ladder, which was concealed in the bushes close by, +the whole party descended. + +On reaching the bottom of the pit, a low, irregular opening was seen +in the side, running horizontally into the mountain. + +This passage they entered, Indian file, and bending almost double. + +As they proceeded the opening widened and grew higher, until it +expanded into a rude chamber about twelve feet one way by fifteen feet +the other. + +Here, as far as could be seen, was a bar to all further progress, for +the walls of the chamber appeared to be shut in on every side. + +But on reaching the further side of the apartment, they stopped at a +rough slab of stone, which apparently formed a portion of the floor of +the cave. + +Upon one of the men pressing on one end of the slab, the other rose +like a trap door, disclosing an opening in the floor amply sufficient +to admit one person, and by the light of the torch might be seen a +rude flight of rocky stairs, descending they could not tell how far. + +These were no doubt in part at least artificial. + +The slab also had been placed over the hole by the pirates, or by some +others like them who had occupied the cave before this time, by way of +security, and to prevent surprise. + +Captain Flint descended these steps followed by his men. + +About twenty steps brought them to the bottom, when they entered +another horizontal passage, and which suddenly expanded into a wide +and lofty chamber. + +Here the party halted, and the captain shouted at the top of his +voice: + +"What ho! there, Lightfoot, you she devil, why don't you light up!" + +This rude summons was repeated several times before it received any +answer. + +At length an answer came in what was evidently a female voice, and +from one who was in no very good humor: "Oh, don't you get into a +passion now. How you s'pose I know you was coming back so soon." + +"Didn't I tell you I'd be back to-day!" angrily asked Flint. + +"Well, what if you did," replied the voice. "Do you always come when +you says you will?" + +"Well, no matter, let's have no more of your impudence. We're back +bow, and I want you to light up and make a fire." + +The person addressed was now heard retiring and muttering to herself. + +In a few moments the hall was a blaze of light from lamps placed in +almost every place where a lamp could be made to stand. + +The scene that burst upon the sight was one of enchantment. + +The walls and ceiling of the cavern seemed to be covered with a +frosting of diamonds, multiplying the lamps a thousand fold, and +adding to them all the colors of the rainbow. + +Some of the crystals which were of the purest quartz hanging from the +roof, were of an enormous size, giving reflections which made the +brilliancy perfectly bewildering. + +The floor of the cavern was covered, not with Brussels or Wilton +carpets, but with the skins of the deer and bear, which to the tread +were as pleasant as the softest velvet. + +Around the room were a number of frames, rudely constructed to be +sure, of branches, but none the less convenient on that account, over +which skins were stretched, forming comfortable couches where the men +might sleep or doze away their time when not actively employed. + +Near the center of the room was a large flat stone rising about two +feet above the floor. The top of this stone had been made perfectly +level, and over it a rich damask cloth had been spread so as to make +it answer all the purposes of a table. Boxes covered with skins, and +packages of merchandise answered the purpose of chairs, when chairs +were wanted. + +"Where is the king, I should like to know?" said Captain Flint, +looking with pride around the cavern now fully lighted up; "who can +show a hall in his palace that will compare with this?" + +"And where is the king that is half so independent as we are?" said +one of the men. + +"And kings we are," said Captain Flint; "didn't they call the +Buccaneers Sea Kings in the olden time?" + +"But this talking isn't getting our supper ready. Where has that +Indian she-devil taken herself off again?" + +The person here so coarsely alluded to, now made her appearance again, +bearing a basket containing a number of bottles, decanters and +drinking glasses. + +She was not, to be sure, so very beautiful, but by no means so ugly as +to deserve the epithet applied to her by Captain Flint. + +She was an Indian woman, apparently thirty, or thirty-five years of +age, of good figure and sprightly in her movements, which circumstance +had probable gained for her among her own people, the name of +Lightfoot. + +She had once saved Captain Flint's life when a prisoner among the +Indians, and fearing to return to her people, she had fled with him. + +It was while flying in company with this Indian woman, that Captain +Flint had accidently discovered this cave. And here the fugitives had +concealed themselves for several days, until the danger which then +threatened them had passed. + +It was on this occasion that it occurred to the captain, what a place +of rendezvous this cave would be for himself and his gang; what a +place of shelter in case of danger; what a fine storehouse for the +plunder obtained in his piratical expeditions! + +He immediately set about fixing it up for the purpose; and as it would +be necessary to have some one to take charge of things in his absence, +he thought of none whom he could more safely trust with the service, +than the Indian woman who had shared his flight. + +From that time, the cave became a den of pirates, as it had probably +at one time been a den of wild beasts. + +Which was the better condition, we leave it for the reader to decide. + +The only other occupant of the cave was a negro boy of about fourteen +or fifteen years of age, known by the name of Black Bill. + +He seemed to be a simple, half-witted, harmless fellow, and assisted +Lightfoot in doing the drudgery about the place. + +"What have you got in your basket, Lightfoot?" asked Captain Flint. + +"Wine," replied the Indian. + +"Away with your wine," said the captain; "we must have something +stronger than that. Give us some brandy; some fire-water. Where's +Black Bill?" he continued. + +"In de kitchen fixin' de fire," said Lightfoot. + +"All right, let him heat some water," said the captain; "and now, +boys, we'll make a night of it," he said, turning to his men. + +The place here spoken of by Lightfoot as the kitchen, was a recess of +several feet in the side of the cave, at the back of which was a +crevice or fissure in the rock, extending to the outside of the +mountain. + +This crevice formed a natural chimney through which the smoke could +escape from the fire that was kindled under it. + +The water was soon heated, the table was covered with bottles, +decanters and glasses of the costliest manufacture. Cold meats of +different kinds, and an infinite variety of fruits were produced, and +the feasting commenced. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + +Yes, the pirate and his crew were now seated round the table for the +purpose as he said, of making a night of it. And a set of more perfect +devils could hardly be found upon the face of the earth. + +And yet there was nothing about them so far as outward appearance was +concerned, that would lead you to suppose them to be the horrible +wretches that they really were. + +With the exception of Jones Bradley, there was not one among them who +had not been guilty of almost every crime to be found on the calender +of human depravity. + +For some time very little was said by any of the party, but after a +while as their blood warmed under the influence of the hot liquor, +their tongues loosened, and they became more talkative. And to hear +them, you would think that a worthier set of men were no where to be +found. + +Not that they pretended to any extraordinary degree of virtue, but +then they had as much as anyone else. And he who pretended to any +more, was either a hypocrite or a fool. + +To be sure, they robbed, and murdered, and so did every one else, or +would if they found it to their interest to do so. + +"Hallo! Tim," shouted one of the men to another who sat at the +opposite side of the table; "where is that new song that you learned +the other day?" + +"I've got it here," replied the person referred to, putting his finger +on his forehead. + +"Out with it, then." + +"Let's have it," said the other. + +The request being backed by the others Tim complied as follows. + + THE BUCCANEER. + + Fill up the bowl, + Through heart and soul, + Let the red wine circle free, + Here's health and cheer, + To the Buccaneer, + The monarch of the sea! + + The king may pride, + In his empire wide, + A robber like us is he, + With iron hand, + He robs on land, + As we rob on the sea. + + The priest in his gown, + Upon us may frown, + The merchant our foe may be, + Let the judge in his wig, + And the lawyer look big, + They're robbers as well as we! + + Then fill up the bowl, + Through heart and through soul, + Let the red wine circle free, + Drink health and cheer, + To the Buccaneer. + He's monarch of the sea. + +"I like that song," said one of the men, whose long sober face and +solemn, drawling voice had gained for him among his companions the +title of Parson. "I like that song; it has the ring of the true metal, +and speaks my sentiments exactly. It's as good as a sermon, and better +than some sermons I've heard." + +"It preaches the doctrine I've always preached, and that is that the +whole world is filled with creatures who live by preying upon each +other, and of all the animals that infest the earth, man is the worst +and cruelest." + +"What! Parson!" said one of the men, "you don't mean to say that the +whole world's nothing but a set of thieves and murderers!" + +"Yes; I do," said the parson; "or something just as bad." + +"I'd like to know how you make that out," put in Jones Bradley. "I had +a good old mother once, and a father now dead and gone. I own I'm bad +enough myself, but no argument of yours parson, or any body else's can +make me believe that they were thieves and murderers." + +"I don't mean to be personal," said the parson, "your father and +mother may have been angels for all I know, but I'll undertake to show +that all the rest of the world, lawyers, doctors and all, are a set of +thieves and murderers, or something just as bad." + +"Well Parson, s'pose you put the stopper on there," shouted one of the +men; "if you can sing a song, or spin a yarn, it's all right; but this +ain't a church, and we don't want to listen to one of your long-winded +sermons tonight." + +"Amen!" came from the voices of nearly all present. + +The Parson thus rebuked, was fain to hold his peace for the rest of +the evening. + +After a pause of a few moments, one of the men reminded Captain Flint, +that he had promised to inform them how he came to adopt their +honorable calling as a profession. + +"Well," said the captain, "I suppose I might as well do it now, as at +any other time; and if no one else has anything better to offer, I'll +commence; and to begin at the beginning, I was born in London. About +my schooling and bringing up, I haven't much to say, as an account of +it would only be a bore. + +"My father was a merchant and although I suppose one ought not to +speak disrespectfully of one's father, he was, I must say, as +gripping, and tight-fisted a man as ever walked the earth. + +"I once heard a man say, he would part with anything he had on earth +for money, but his wife. My father, I believe, would have not only +parted with his wife and children for money, but himself too, if he +had thought he should profit by the bargain. + +"As might be expected, the first thing he tried to impress on the +minds of his children was the necessity of getting money. + +"To be sure, he did not tell us to steal, as the word is generally +understood; for he wanted us to keep clear of the clutches of the law. +Could we only succeed in doing this, it mattered little to him, how +the desired object was secured. + +"He found in me an easy convert to his doctrine, so far as the getting +of money was concerned; but in the propriety of hoarding the money as +he did when it was obtained, I had no faith. + +"The best use I thought that money could be put too, was to spend it. + +"Here my father and I were at swords' points, and had it not been that +notwithstanding this failing, as he called it, I had become useful to +him in his business, he would have banished me long before I took into +my head to be beforehand with him, and become a voluntary exile from +the parental roof. + +"The way of it was this. As I have intimated, according to my father's +notions all the wealth in the world was common property, and every one +was entitled to all he could lay his hands on. + +"Now, believing in this doctrine, it occurred to me that my father had +more money than he could ever possibly make use of, and that if I +could possess a portion of it without exposing myself to any great +danger, I should only be carrying out his own doctrine. + +"Acting upon this thought, I set about helping myself as opportunity +offered, sometimes by false entries, and in various ways that I need +not explain. + +"This game I carried on for some time, but I knew that it would not +last forever. I should be found out at last, and I must be out of the +way before the crash came. + +"Luckily a chance of escape presented itself. + +"My father, in connection with two or three other merchants, chartered +a vessel to trade among the West India islands. + +"I managed to get myself appointed supercargo. I should now be out of +the way when the discovery of the frauds which I had been practicing I +knew must be made. + +"As I had no intention of ever returning, my mind was perfectly at +ease on this score. + +"We found ready sale for our cargo, and made a good thing of it. + +"As I have said, when I left home, it was with the intention of never +returning, though what I should do while abroad I had not decided, but +as soon as the cargo was disposed of, my mind was made up. + +"I determined to turn pirate! + +"I had observed on our outward passage, that our vessel, which was a +bark of about two hundred tons burden, was a very fast sailor, and +with a little fitting up, could be made just the craft we wanted for +our purpose. + +"During the voyage, I had sounded the hands in regard to my intention +of becoming a Buccaneer. I found them all ready to join me excepting +the first mate and the steward or cook, rather, a negro whose views I +knew too well beforehand, to consult on the matter. + +"As I knew that the ordinary crew of the vessel would not be +sufficient for our purpose, I engaged several resolute fellows to join +us, whom I prevailed on the captain to take on board as passengers. + +"When we had been about a week out at sea and all our plans were +completed, we quietly made prisoners of the captain and first mate, +put them in the jolly boat with provisions to last them for several +days, and sent them adrift. The cook, with his son, a little boy, +would have gone with them, but thinking that they might be useful to +us, we concluded to keep them on board. + +"What became of the captain and mate afterwards, we never heard. + +"We now put in to port on one of the islands where we knew we could do +it in safety, and fitted our vessel up for the purpose we intended to +use her. + +"This was soon done, and we commenced operations. + +"The game was abundant, and our success far exceeded our most sanguine +expectations. + +"There would be no use undertaking to tell the number of vessels, +French, English, Spanish and Dutch, that we captured and sunk, or of +the poor devils we sent to a watery grave. + +"But luck which had favored us so long, at last turned against as. + +"The different governments became alarmed for the safety of their +commerce in the seas which we frequented, and several expeditions were +fitted out for our special benefit. + +"For a while we only laughed at all this, for we had escaped so many +times, that we began to think we were under the protection of old +Neptune himself. But early one morning the man on the look-out +reported a sail a short distance to the leeward, which seemed trying +to get away from us. + +"It was a small vessel, or brig, but as the weather was rather hazy, +her character in other respects he could not make out. + +"We thought, however, that it was a small trading vessel, which having +discovered us, and suspecting our character, was trying to reach port +before we could overtake her. + +"Acting under this impression, we made all sail for her. + +"As the strange vessel did not make very great headway, an hour's +sailing brought as near enough to give us a pretty good view of her, +yet we could not exactly make out her character, yet we thought that +she had a rather suspicious look. And still she appeared rather like a +traveling vessel, though if so, she could not have much cargo on +board, and as the seemed built for speed, we wondered why she did not +make better headway. + +"But we were not long left in doubt in regard to her real character, +for all at once her port-holes which had been purposely concealed were +unmasked, and we received a broadside from her just as we were about +to send her a messenger from our long tom. + +"This broadside, although doing us little other damage, so cut our +rigging as to render our escape now impossible if such had been our +intention. So after returning the salute we had received, in as +handsome a manner as we could, I gave orders to bear down upon the +enemy's ship, which I was glad to see had been considerably disabled +by our shot. But as she had greatly the advantage of us in the weight +of material, our only hope was in boarding her, and fighting it out +hand to hand on her own deck. + +"The rigging of the two vessels was soon so entangled as to make it +impossible to separate them. + +"In spite of all the efforts of the crew of the enemy's vessel to +oppose us we were soon upon her deck. We found she was a Spanish +brigantine sent out purposely to capture us. + +"Her apparent efforts to get away from us had been only a ruse to draw +us on, so as to get us into a position from which there could be no +escape. + +"I have been in a good many fights, but never before one like that. + +"As we expected no quarter, we gave none. The crew of the Spanish +vessel rather outnumbered us, but not so greatly as to make the +contest very unequal. And in our case desperation supplied the place +of numbers. + +"The deck was soon slippery with gore, and there were but few left to +fight on either side. The captain of the Spanish vessel was one of the +first killed. Some were shot down, some were hurled over the deck in +the sea, some had their skulls broken with boarding pikes, and there +was not a man left alive of the Spanish crew; and of ours, I at first +thought that I was the only survivor, when the negro cook who had been +forgotten all the while, came up from the cabin of our brig, bearing +in his arms his little son, of course unharmed, but nearly frightened +to death. Strange as it may appear, it is nevertheless true, that with +the exception of a few slight scratches, I escaped without a wound. + +"To my horror I now discovered that both vessels were fast sinking. +But the cook set me at my ease on that score, by informing me that +there was one small boat that had not been injured. Into this we +immediately got, after having secured the small supply of provisions +and water within our reach, which from the condition the vessels were, +was very small. + +"We had barely got clear of the sinking vessels, when they both went +down, leaving us alone upon the wide ocean without compass or chart; +not a sail in sight, and many a long, long league from the nearest +coast. + +"For more than a week we were tossing about on the waves without +discovering a vessel. At last I saw that our provisions were nearly +gone. We had been on short allowance from the first. At the rate they +were going, they would not last more than two days longer. What was to +be done? Self preservation, they say is the first law of human nature; +to preserve my own life, I must sacrifice my companions. The moment +the thought struck me it was acted upon. + +"Sam, the black cook, was sitting a straddle the bow of the boat; with +a push I sent him into the sea. I was going to send his boy after him, +but the child clung to my legs in terror, and just at that moment a +sail hove in sight and I changed my purpose. + +"Such a groan of horror as the father gave on striking the water I +never heard before, and trust I shall never hear again." + +"At that instant the whole party sprang to their feet as if started by +a shock of electricity, while most fearful groan resounded through the +cavern, repeated by a thousand echos, each repetition growing fainter, +and fainter until seeming to lose itself in the distance. + +"That's it, that's it," said the captain, only louder, and if anything +more horrible. + +"But what does all this mean?" he demanded of Lightfoot, who had +joined the astonished group. + +"Don't know," said the woman. + +"Where's Black Bill?" next demanded the captain. + +"Here I is," said the boy crawling out from a recess in the wall in +which he slept. + +"Was that you, Bill?" demanded his master. + +"No; dis is me," innocently replied the darkey. + +"Do you know what that noise was?" asked the captain. + +"S'pose 'twas de debble comin' after massa," said the boy. + +"What do you mean, you wooley-headed imp," said the captain; "don't +you know that the devil likes his own color best? Away to bed, away, +you rascal!" + +"Well, boys," said Flint, addressing the men and trying to appear very +indifferent, "we have allowed ourselves to be alarmed by a trifle that +can be easily enough accounted for. + +"These rocks, as you see, are full of cracks and crevices; there may +be other caverns under, or about as, for all we know. The wind +entering these, has no doubt caused the noise we have beard, and which +to our imaginations, somewhat heated by the liquor we have been +drinking, has converted into the terrible groan which has so startled +us, and now that we know what it is, I may as well finish my story. + +"As I was saying, a sail hove in sight. It was a vessel bound to this +port. I and the boy were taken on board and arrived here in safety. + +"This boy, whether from love or fear, I can hardly say, has clung to +me ever since. + +"I have tried to shake him off several times, but it was no use, he +always returns. + +"The first business I engaged in on arriving here, was to trade with +the Indians; when having discovered this cave, it struck me that it +would make a fine storehouse for persons engaged in our line of +business. Acting upon this hint, I fitted it up as you see. + +"With a few gold pieces which I had secured in my belt I bought our +little schooner. From that time to the present, my history it as well +known to you as to myself. And now my long yarn is finished, let us go +on with our sport." + +But to recall the hilarity of spirits with which the entertainment had +commenced, was no easy matter. + +Whether the captain's explanation of the strange noise was +satisfactory to himself or not, it was by no means so to the men. + +Every attempt at singing, or story telling failed. The only thing that +seemed to meet with any favor was the hot punch, and this for the most +part, was drank in silence. + +After a while they slunk away from the table one by one, and fell +asleep in some remote corner of the cave, or rolled over where they +sat, and were soon oblivious to everything around them. + +The only wakeful one among them was the captain himself, who had drank +but little. + +He sat by the table alone. He started up! Could he have dozed and been +dreaming? but surely he heard that groan again! + +In a more suppressed voice than before, and not repeated so many +times, but the same horrid groan; he could not be mistaken, he had +never heard anything else like it. The matter must be looked into. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + +Although it was nearly true, as Captain Flint had told his men, that +they were about as well acquainted with his history since he landed in +this country as he was himself, such is not the case with the reader. +And in order that he may be as well informed in this matter as they +were, we shall now endeavor to fill up the gap in the narrative. + +To the crew of the vessel who had rescued him and saved his life, +Captain Flint had represented himself as being one of the hands of a +ship which had been wrecked at sea, and from which the only ones who +had escaped, were himself and two negros, one of whom was the father +of the boy who had been found with him. The father of the boy had +fallen overboard, and been drowned just before the vessel hove in +sight. + +This story, which seemed plausible enough, was believed by the men +into whose hands they had fallen, and Flint and the negro, received +every attention which their forlorn condition required. And upon +arriving in port, charitable people exerted themselves in the +captain's behalf, procuring him employment, and otherwise enabling him +to procure an honest livelihood, should he so incline. + +But honesty was not one of the captain's virtues. + +He had not been long in the country before he determined to try his +fortune among the Indians. + +He adopted this course partly because he saw in it a way of making +money more rapidly than in any other, and partly because it opened to +him a new field of wild adventure. + +Having made the acquaintance of some of the Indians who were in the +habit of coming to the city occasionally for the purpose of trading, +he accompanied them to their home in the wilderness, and having +previously made arrangements with merchants in the city, among others +Carl Rosenthrall, to purchase or dispose of his furs, he was soon +driving a thriving business. In a little while he became very popular +with the savages, joined one of the tribes and was made a chief. + +This state of things however, did not last long. The other chiefs +became jealous of his influence, and incited the minds of many of the +people against him. + +They said he cheated them in his dealings, that his attachment to the +red men was all pretence. That he was a paleface at heart, carrying on +trade with the palefaces to the injury of the Indians. Killing them +with his fire water which they gave them for their furs. + +In all this there was no little truth, but Flint, confident of his +power over his new friends, paid no attention to it. + +A crisis came at last. + +One of the chiefs who had been made drunk by whiskey which he had +received from Flint in exchange for a lot of beaver skins, accused the +latter of cheating him; called him a paleface thief who had joined the +Indians only for the purpose of cheating them. + +Flint forgetting his usual caution took the unruly savage by the +shoulders and thrust him out of the lodge. + +In a few moments the enraged Indian returned accompanied by another, +when the two attacked the white man with knives and tomahawks. + +Flint saw no way but to defend himself single-handed as he was, +against two infuriated savages, and to do to if possible without +killing either. + +This he soon discovered was impossible. The only weapon he had at +command was a hunting knife, and he had two strong men to contend +against. Fortunately for him, one of them was intoxicated. + +As it was, the savage who had begun the quarrel, was killed, and the +other so badly wounded that he died a few hours afterwards. + +The enmity of the whole tribe was now aroused against Flint, by the +unfortunate termination of this affair. + +It availed him nothing to contend that he had killed the two in self +defence, and that they begun the quarrel. + +He was a white man, and had killed two Indians, and that was enough. + +Besides, how did they know whether he told the truth or not? + +He was a paleface, and palefaces had crooked tongues, and their words +could not be depended upon. Besides their brethren were dead, and +could not speak for themselves. + +Finally it was decided in the grand council of the tribe that he +should suffer death, and although they called him a paleface, as he +had joined the tribe he should be treated as an Indian, and suffer +death by torture in order that he might have an opportunity of showing +how he could endure the most horrible torment without complaining. + +The case of Flint now seemed to be a desperate one. He was bound hand +and foot, and escape seemed out of the question. + +Relief came from a quarter he did not anticipate. + +The place where this took place was not on the borders of the great +lakes where the tribe to which Flint had attached himself belonged, +but on the shores of the Hudson river a few miles above the Highlands, +where a portion of the tribe had stopped to rest for a few days, while +on their way to New York, where they were going for the purpose of +trading. + +It happened that there was among them a woman who had originally +belonged to one of the tribes inhabiting this part of the country, but +who while young, had been taken prisoner in some one of the wars that +were always going on among the savages. She was carried away by her +captors, and finally adopted into their tribe. + +To this woman Flint had shown some kindness, and had at several times +made her presents of trinkets and trifles such as he knew would +gratify an uncultivated taste. And which cost him little or nothing. +He little thought when making these trifling presents the service he +was doing himself. + +Late in the night preceding the day on which he was to have been +executed, this woman came into the tent where he lay bound, and cut +the thongs with which he was tied, and telling him in a whisper to +follow her, she led the way out. + +With stealthy and cautious steps they made their way through the +encampment, but when clear of this, they traveled as rapidly as the +darkness of the night and the nature of the ground would admit of. + +All night, and a portion of the next day they continued their journey. +The rapidity with which she traveled, and her unhesitating manner, +soon convinced Flint that she was familiar with the country. + +Upon reaching Butterhill, or Mount Tecomthe, she led the way to the +cave which we have already described. + +After resting for a few moments in the first chamber, the Indian +woman, who we may as well inform the reader was none other than our +friend Lightfoot, showed Flint the secret door and the entrance to the +grand chamber, which after lighting a torch made of pitch-pine, they +entered. + +"Here we are safe," said Lightfoot; "Indians no find us here." + +The moment Flint entered this cavern it struck him as being a fine +retreat for a band of pirates or smugglers, and for this purpose he +determined to make use of it. + +Lightfoot's knowledge of this cave was owing to the fact, that she +belonged to a tribe to whom alone the secrets of the place were known. +It was a tribe that had inhabited that part of the country for +centuries. But war and privation had so reduced them, that there was +but a small remnant of them left, and strangers now occupied their +hunting grounds. + +The Indians in the neighborhood knew of the existence of the cave, but +had never penetrated farther than the first chamber, knowing nothing +of the concealed entrance which led to the other. Having as they said, +seen Indians enter it who never came out again, and who although +followed almost immediately could not be found there, they began to +hold it in a kind of awe, calling it the mystery or medicine cave, and +saying that it was under the guardianship of spirits. + +Although the remnants of the once powerful tribe to whom this cave had +belonged, were now scattered over the country, there existed between +them a sort of masonry by which the different members could recognise +each other whenever they met. + +Fire Cloud, the Indian chief, who has already been introduced to the +reader, was one of this tribe. + +Although the existence of the cave was known to the members of the +tribe generally, the whole of its secrets were known to the medicine +men, or priests only. + +In fact it might be considered the grand temple where they performed +the mystic rites and ceremonies by which they imposed upon the people, +and held them in subjection. + +Flint immediately set about fitting up the place for the purpose which +he intended it. + +To the few white trappers who now and then visited the district, the +existence of the cave was entirely unknown, and even the few Indians +who hunted and fished in the neighborhood, were acquainted only with +the outer cave as before stated. + +When Flint was fully satisfied that all danger from pursuit was over, +he set out for the purpose of going to the city in order to perfect +the arrangements for carrying out the project he had in view. + +On passing out, the first object that met his view was his faithful +follower Black Bill, siting at the entrance. + +"How the devil did you get here!" was his first exclamation. + +"Follered de Ingins what was a comin' arter massa," replied the boy. + +Bill had followed his master into the wilderness, always like a body +servant keeping near his person when not prevented by the Indians, +which was the case while his master was a prisoner. + +When the escape of Flint was discovered, he was free from restraint, +and he, unknown to the party who had gone in pursuit, had followed +them. + +From the negro, Flint learned that the Indians had tracked him to the +cave, but not finding him there, and not being able to trace him any +further, they had given up the pursuit. + +Flint thinking that the boy might be of service to him in the business +he was about to enter upon, took him into the cave and put him in +charge of Lightfoot. + +On reaching the city, Flint purchased the schooner of which he was in +command when first introduced to the reader. + +It is said that, "birds of a feather flock together," and Flint having +no difficulty gathering about him a number of kindred spirits, was +soon in a condition to enter upon the profession as he called it, most +congenial to his taste and habits. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + +When the crew of the schooner woke up on the morning following the +night in which we have described in a previous chapter, they were by +no means the reckless, dare-devil looking men they were when they +entered the cave on the previous evening. + +For besides the usual effects produced on such characters by a night's +debauch, their countenances wore the haggard suspicious look of men +who felt judgment was hanging over them; that they were in the hands +of some mysterious power beyond their control. Some power from which +they could not escape, and which sooner or later, would mete out to +them the punishment they felt that they deserved. + +They had all had troubled dreams, and several of them declared that +they had heard that terrible groan during the night repeated if +possible, in a more horrible manner than before. + +To others the ghosts of the men they had lately murdered, appeared +menacing them with fearful retribution. + +As the day advanced, and they had to some extent recovered their +spirits by the aid of their favorite stimulants, they attempted to +laugh the matter off as a mere bugbear created by an imagination over +heated by too great an indulgence in strong drink. + +Although this opinion was not shared by Captain Flint, who had +carefully abstained from over-indulgence, for reasons of his own, he +encouraged it in his men. + +But even they, while considering it necessary to remain quiet for a +few days, to see whether or not, any harm should result to them, in +consequence of their late attack on the merchant ship, none of them +showed a disposition to pass another night in the cave. + +Captain Flint made no objection to his men remaining outside on the +following night, as it would give him the opportunity to investigate +the matter, which he desired. + +On the next night, when there was no one in the cavern but himself and +the two who usually occupied it, he called Lightfoot to him, and asked +her if she had ever heard any strange noises in the place before. + +"Sometime heard de voices of the Indian braves dat gone to the spirit +land," said the woman. + +"Did you ever hear anything like the groan we heard last night?" + +"Neber," said Lightfoot. + +"What do you think it was?" asked the captain. + +"Tink him de voice ob the great bad spirit," was the reply. + +Captain Flint, finding that he was not likely to learn anything in +this quarter that would unravel the mystery, now called the negro. + +"Bill," he said, "did you ever hear that noise before?" + +"Ony once, massa." + +"When was that, Bill?" + +"When you trow my--" + +"Hold your tongue, you black scoundrel, or I'll break every bone in +your body!" roared his master, cutting off the boy's sentence in the +middle. + +The boy was going to say: + +"When you trow'd my fadder into the sea." + +The captain now examined every portion of the cavern, to see if he +could discover anything that could account for the production of the +strange sound. + +In every part he tried his voice, to see if he could produce those +remarkable echoes, which had so startled him, on the previous night, +but without success. + +The walls, in various parts of the cavern, gave back echoes, but +nothing like those of the previous night. + +There were two recesses in opposite sides of the cave. The larger one +of these was occupied by Lightfoot as a sleeping apartment. The other, +which was much smaller, Black Bill made use of for the same purpose. + +From these two recesses, the captain had everything removed, in order +that he might subject them to a careful examination. + +But with no better success than before. + +He tried his voice here, as in other parts of the cavern, but the +walls gave back no unusual echoes. + +He was completely baffled, and, placing his lamp on the table, he sat +down on one of the seats, to meditate on what course next to pursue. + +Lightfoot and Bill soon after, at his request, retired. + +He had been seated, he could not tell how long, with his head resting +on his hands, when he was aroused by a yell more fearful, if possible, +even than the groan that had so alarmed him on the previous night. + +The yell was repeated in the same horrible and mysterious manner that +the groan had been. + +Flint sprang to his feet while the echoes were still ringing in his +ears, and rushed to the sleeping apartment, first, to that of the +Indian woman, and then, to that of the negro. + +They both seemed to be sound asleep, to all appearance, utterly +unconscious of the fearful racket that was going on around them. + +Captain Flint, more perplexed and bewildered than ever, resumed his +seat by the table; but not to sleep again that night, though the +fearful yell was not repeated. + +The captain prided himself on being perfectly free from all +superstition. + +He held in contempt the stories of ghosts of murdered men coming back +to torment their murderers. + +In fact, he was very much inclined to disbelieve in any hereafter at +all, taking it to be only an invention of cunning priests, for the +purpose of extorting money out of their silly dupes. But here was +something, which, if not explained away, would go far to stagger his +disbelief. + +He was glad that the last exhibition had only been witnessed by +himself, and that the men for the present preferred passing their +nights outside; for, as he learned from Lightfoot, the noises were +only during the night time. + +This would enable him to continue his investigation without any +interference on the part of the crew, whom he wished to keep in utter +ignorance of what he was doing, until he had perfectly unraveled the +mystery. + +For this purpose, he gave Lightfoot and Black Bill strict charges not +to inform the men of what had taken place during the night. + +He was determined to pass the principal portion of the day in sleep, +so as to be wide awake when the time should come for him to resume his +investigations. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + +On the day after the first scene in the cave, late in the afternoon, +three men sat on the deck of the schooner, as she lay in the shadow of +forest covered mountain. + +These were Jones Bradley, Old Ropes, and the man who went by the name +of the Parson. They were discussing the occurrences of the previous +night. + +"I'm very much of the captains opinion," said the Parson, "that the +noises are caused by the wind rushing through the chinks and crevices +of the rocks." + +"Yes; but, then, there wan't no wind to speak of, and how is the wind +to make that horrible groan, s'pose it did blow a hurricane?" said +Jones Bradley. + +"Just so," said Old Ropes; "that notion about the wind makin' such a +noise at that, is all bosh. My opinion is, that it was the voice of a +spirit. I know that the captain laughs at all such things, but all his +laughin' don't amount to much with one that's seen spirits." + +"What! you don't mean to say that you ever actually see a live ghost?" +asked the Parson. + +"That's jist what I do mean to say," replied Old Ropes. + +"Hadn't you been takin' a leetle too much, or wasn't the liquor too +strong?" said the Parson. + +"Well, you may make as much fun about it as you please," said Old +Ropes; "but I tell you, that was the voice of a spirit, and, what's +more, I believe it's either the spirit of some one that's been +murdered in that cave, by some gang that's held it before, and buried +the body over the treasure they've stowed away there, or else the +ghost of some one's that's had foul play from the captain." + +"Well," said the Parson, "if I thought there was any treasure there +worth lookin' after, all the ghosts you could scare up wouldn't hinder +me from trying to get at it." + +"But, no matter about that; you say you see a live ghost once. Let's +hear about that." + +"I suppose," said Old Ropes, "that there aint no satisfaction in a +feller's tellin' of things that aint no credit to him; but, +howsomever, I might as well tell this, as, after all, it's only in the +line of our business. + +"You must know, then, that some five years ago, I shipped on board a +brig engaged in the same business that our craft is. + +"I needn't tell you of all the battles we were in, and all the prizes +we made; but the richest prize that ever come in our way, was a +Spanish vessel coming from Mexico, With a large amount of gold and +silver on board. + +"We attacked the ship, expecting to make an easy prize of her, but we +were disappointed. + +"The Spaniards showed fight, and gave us a tarnal sight of trouble. +Several of our best men were killed. + +"This made our captain terrible wrothy. He swore that every soul that +remained alive on the captured vessel should be put to death. + +"Now, it so happened that the wife and child (an infant,) of the +captain of the Spanish vessel, were on board. When the others had all +been disposed of, the men plead for the lives of these two. But our +captain would not listen to it; but he would let us cast lots to see +which of us would perform the unpleasant office. + +"As bad luck would have it, the lot fell upon me. There was no +shirking it. + +"It must be done; so, the plank was got ready. She took the baby in +her arms, stepped upon the plank, as I ordered her, and the next +moment, she, with the child in her arms, sank to rise no more; but the +look she gave me, as she went down, I shall never forget. + +"It haunts me yet, and many and many is the time that Spanish woman, +with the child in her arms, has appeared to me, fixing upon me the +same look that she gave me, as she sank in the sea. + +"Luck left us from that time; we never took a prize afterwards. + +"Our Vessel was captured by a Spanish cruiser soon afterwards. I, with +one other, succeeded in making our escape. + +"The captain, and all the rest, who were not killed in the battle, +were strung out on the yard-arm." + +"Does the ghost never speak to you?" asked the Parson. + +"Never," replied Old Ropes. + +"I suppose that's because she's a Spaniard, and thinks you don't +understand her language," remarked the Parson, sneeringly. "I wonder +why this ghost of the cave don't show himself, and not try to frighten +us with his horrible boo-wooing." + +"Well, you may make as much fun as you please," replied Old Ropes; +"but, mark my words for it, if the captain don't pay attention to the +warning he has had, that ghost will show himself in a way that won't +be agreeable to any of us." + +"If he takes my advice, he'll leave the cave, and take up his quarters +somewhere else." + +"What! you don't mean to say you're afraid!" quietly remarked the +Parson. + +"Put an enemy before me in the shape of flesh and blood, and I'll show +you whether I'm afeard, or not," said Old Ropes; "but this fighting +with dead men's another affair. The odds is all agin you. Lead and +steel wont reach 'em, and the very sight on 'em takes the pluck out of +a man, whether he will or no. + +"An enemy of real flesh and blood, when he does kill you, stabs you or +shoots you down at once, and there's an end of it; but, these ghosts +have a way of killing you by inches, without giving a fellow a chance +to pay them back anything in return." + +"It's pretty clear, anway, that they're a 'tarnal set of cowards," +remarked the Parson. + +"The biggest coward's the bravest men, when there's no danger," +retorted Old Ropes. + +To this, the Parson made no reply, thinking, probably, that he had +carried the joke far enough, and not wishing to provoke a quarrel with +his companion. + +"As to the affair of the cave," said Jones Bradley; "I think very much +as Old Ropes does about it. I'm opposed to troubling the dead, and I +believe there's them buried there that don't want to be disturbed by +us, and if we don't mind the warning they give us, still the worse for +us." + +"The captain don't seem to be very much alarmed about it," said the +Parson; "for he stays in the cave. And, then, there's the Indian woman +and the darkey; the ghost don't seem to trouble them much." + +"I'll say this for Captain Flint," remarked Old Ropes, "if ever I +knowed a man that feared neither man nor devil, that man is Captain +Flint; but his time'll come yet." + +"You don't mean to say you see breakers ahead, do you?" asked the +Parson. + +"Not in the way of our business, I don't mean," said Ropes; "but, I've +had a pretty long experience in this profession, and have seen the +finishing up of a good many of my shipmates; and I never know'd one +that had long experience, that would not tell you that he had been put +more in fear by the dead than ever he had by the living." + +"We all seem to be put in low spirits by this afternoon," said the +Parson; "s'pose we go below, and take a little something to cheer us +up." + +To this the others assented, and all three went below. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + +All Captain Flint's efforts to unravel the mysteries of the cave were +unsuccessful; and he was reluctantly obliged to give up the attempt, +at least for the present; but, in order to quiet the minds of the +crew, he told them that he had discovered the cause, and that it was +just what he had supposed it to be. + +As everything remained quiet in the cave for a long time after this, +and the minds of the men were occupied with more important matters, +the excitement caused by it wore off; and, in a while, the affair +seemed to be almost forgotten. + +And here we may as well go back a little in our narrative, and restore +the chain where it was broken off a few chapters back. + +When Captain Flint had purchased the schooner which he commanded, it +was with the professed object of using her as a vessel to trade with +the Indians up the rivers, and along the shore, and with the various +seaports upon the coast. + +To this trade it is true, he did to some extent apply himself, but +only so far as it might serve as a cloak to his secret and more +dishonorable and dishonest practices. + +Had Flint been disposed to confine himself to the calling he pretended +to follow, he might have made a handsome fortune in a short time, but +that would not have suited the corrupt and desperate character of the +man. + +He was like one of those wild animals which having once tasted blood, +have ever afterward an insatiable craving for it. + +It soon became known to a few of the merchants in the city, among the +rest Carl Rosenthrall, that Captain Flint had added to his regular +business, that of smuggling. + +This knowledge, however, being confined to those who shared the +profits with him, was not likely to be used to his disadvantage. + +After a while the whole country was put into a state of alarm by the +report that a desperate pirate had appeared on the coast. + +Several vessels which had been expected to arrive with rich cargoes +had not made their appearance, although the time for their arrival had +long passed. There was every reason to fear that they had been +captured by this desperate stranger who had sunk them, killing all on +board. + +The captain of some vessels which had arrived in safety reported +having been followed by a suspicious looking craft. + +They said she was a schooner about the size of one commanded by +Captain Flint, but rather longer, having higher masts and carrying +more sail. + +No one appeared to be more excited on the subject of the pirate, than +Captain Flint. He declared that he had seen the mysterious vessel, had +been chased by her, and had only escaped by his superior sailing. + +Several vessels had been fitted out expressly for the purpose of +capturing this daring stranger, but all to no purpose; nothing could +be seen of her. + +For a long time she would seem to absent herself from the coast, and +vessels would come and go in safety. Then all of a sudden, she would +appear again and several vessels would be missing, and never heard +from more. + +The last occurrence of this kind is the one which we have already +given an account of the capturing and sinking of the vessel in which +young Billings had taken passage for Europe. + +We have already seen how Hellena Rosenthrall's having accidentally +discovered her lover's ring on the finger of Captain Flint, had +excited suspicions of the merchant's daughter, and what happened to +her in consequence. + +Captain Flint having made it the interest of Rosenthrall to keep his +suspicions to himself if he still adhered to them, endeavored to +convince him that his daughter was mistaken, and that the ring however +much it might resemble the one belonging to her lover, was one which +had been given to him by his own mother at her death, and had been +worn by her as long as he could remember. + +This explanation satisfied, or seemed to satisfy the merchant, and the +two men appeared to be as good friends as ever again. + +The sudden and strange disappearance of the daughter of a person of so +much consequence as Carl Rosenthrall, would cause no little excitement +in a place no larger than New York was at the time of which we write. + +Most of the people agreed in the opinion with the merchant that the +girl had been carried off by the Indian Fire Cloud, in order to avenge +himself for the insult he had received years before. As we have seen, +Captain Flint encouraged this opinion, and promised that in an +expedition he was about fitting out for the Indian country, he would +make the recovery of the young woman one of his special objects. + +Flint knew all the while where Fire Cloud was to be found, and fearing +that he might come to the city ignorant as he was of the suspicion he +was laboring under, and thereby expose the double game he was playing, +he determined to visit the Indian in secret, under pretence of putting +him on his guard, but in reality for the purpose of saving himself. + +He sought out the old chief accordingly, and warned him of his danger. + +Fire Cloud was greatly enraged to think that he should be suspected +carrying off the young woman. + +"He hated her father," he said, "for he was a cheat, and had a crooked +tongue. But the paleface maiden was his friend, and for her sake he +would find her if she was among his people, and would restore her to +her friends." + +"If you enter the city of the palefaces, they will hang you up like a +dog without listening to anything you have to say in your defence," +said Flint. + +"The next time Fire Cloud enters the city of the palefaces, the maiden +shall accompany him," replied the Indian. + +This was the sort of an answer that Flint wished, and expected, and he +now saw that there was no danger to be apprehended from that quarter. + +But if Captain Flint felt himself relieved from danger in this +quarter, things looked rather squally in another. If he knew how to +disguise his vessel by putting on a false bow so as to make her look +longer, and lengthen the masts so as to make her carry more sail, he +was not the only one who understood these tricks. And one old sailor +whose bark had been chased by the strange schooner, declared that she +very much resembled Captain Flint's schooner disguised in this way. + +And then it was observed that the strange craft was never seen when +the captain's vessel was lying in port, or when she was known to be up +the river where he was trading among the Indians. + +Another suspicious circumstance was, that shortly after the strange +disappearance of a merchant vessel, Flint's schooner came into port +with her rigging considerably damaged, as if she had suffered from +some unusual cause. Flint accounted for it by saying that he had been +fired into by the pirate, and had just escaped with the skin of his +teeth. + +These suspicions were at first spoken cautiously, and in whispers +only, by a very few. + +They came to the ears of Flint himself at last, who seeing the danger +immediately set about taking measures to counteract it by meeting and +repelling, what he pretended to consider base slanders invented by his +enemies for the purpose of effecting his ruin. + +He threatened to prosecute the slanderers, and if they wished to see +how much of a pirate he was, let them fit out a vessel such as he +would describe, arm her, and man her according to his directions, give +him command of her, and if he didn't bring that blasted pirate into +port he'd never return to it himself. He'd like no better fun than to +meet her on equal terms, in an open sea. + +This bragadocia had the desired effect for awhile; besides, although +it could hardly be said that Flint had any real friends, yet there +were so many influential men who were concerned with him in some of +his contraband transactions. These dreaded the exposure to themselves, +should Flint's real character be discovered, which caused them to +answer for him in the place of friends. + +These men would no doubt be the first to crush him, could they only do +so without involving themselves in his ruin. + +But all this helped to convince Flint that his time in this part of +the country was pretty near up, and if he meant to continue in his +present line of business, he must look out for some new field of +operations. + +More than ever satisfied on this point, Captain Flint anxiously +awaited the arrival of the vessel, the capture of which was to be the +finishing stroke of his operations in this part of the world. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + +When Captain Flint had decided to take possession of the cavern, and +fit it up as a place of retreat and concealment for himself and his +gang, he saw the necessity of having some one whom he could trust to +take charge of the place in his absence. A moment's reflection +satisfied him there was no one who would be more likely to serve him +in this capacity than the Indian woman who had rescued him from the +fearful fate he had just escaped. + +Lightfoot, who in her simplicity, looked upon him as a great chief, +was flattered by the proposal which he made her, and immediately took +charge of the establishment, and Captain Flint soon found that he had +no reason to repent the choice he had made, so far as fidelity to his +interests was concerned. + +For a while at first he treated her with as much kindness as it was in +the nature of such as he to treat any one. + +He may possibly have felt some gratitude for the service she had +rendered him, but it was self-interest more than any other feeling +that caused him to do all in his power to gain a controling influence +over her. + +He loaded her with presents of a character suited to her uncultivated +taste. + +Her person fairly glittered with beads, and jewelry of the most gaudy +character, while of shawls and blankets of the most glaring colors, +she had more than she knew what to do with. + +This course he pursued until he fancied he had completely won her +affection, and he could safely show himself in his true character +without the risk of loosing his influence over her. + +His manner to her now changed, and he commenced treating her more as a +slave than an equal, or one to whom he felt himself under obligations. + +It is true he would now and then treat her as formerly, and would +occasionally make her rich presents, but it would be done in the way +that the master would bestow a favor on a servant. + +Lightfoot bore this unkind treatment for some time without resenting +it, or appearing to notice it. Thinking perhaps that it was only a +freak of ill-humor that would last but for a short time, and then the +great chiefs attachment would return. + +Flint fancied that he had won the heart of the Indian woman, and +acting on the presumption that "love is blind," he thought that he +could do as he pleased without loosing hold on her affections. + +In this he had deceived himself. He had only captured the woman's +fancy. He had not won her heart. + +So that when Lightfoot found this altered manner of the captain's +towards her was not caused by a mere freak of humor, but was only his +true character showing itself, her fondness for him, if fondness it +could be called, began to cool. + +Things had come to this pass, when Hellena Rosenthrall was brought +into the cave. + +The first thought of Lightfoot was that she had now discovered the +cause of the captain's change of manner towards her. He had found +another object on which to lavish his favors and here was her rival. +And she was to be the servant, the slave of this new favorite. + +Flint, in leaving Hellena in charge of Lightfoot, gave strict charges +that she should be treated with every attention, but that she should +by no means be allowed to leave the cave. + +The manner of Lightfoot to Hellena, was at first sullen: and reserved, +and although she paid her all the attention that Hellena required of +her, she went no further. + +But after awhile, noticing the sad countenance of her paleface sister, +and that her face was frequently bathed in tears, her heart softened +toward her, and she ventured to ask the cause of her sorrow. And when +she had heard Hellena's story, her feelings towards her underwent an +entire change. + +From this time forward the two women were firm friends, and Lightfoot +pledged herself to do all in her power to restore her to her friends. + +Her attachment to Captain Flint was still too strong, however, to make +her take any measures to effect that object, until she could do so +without endangering his safety. + +But Lightfoot was not the only friend that Hellena had secured since +her capture. She had made another, and if possible a firmer one, in +the person of Black Bill. + +From the moment Hellena entered the cavern, Bill seemed to be +perfectly fascinated by her. Had she been an angel just from heaven, +his admiration for her could hardly have been greater. He could not +keep his eyes off of her. He followed her as she moved about, though +generally at a respectful distance, and nothing delighted him so much, +as to be allowed to wait upon her and perform for her such little acts +of kindness as lay within his power. + +While Hellena was relating the story of her wrongs to Lightfoot, Black +Bill sat at a little distance off an attentive listener to the +narrative. When it was finished, and Hellena's eyes were filled with +tears, the darkey sprang up saying in an encouraging tone of voice: + +"Don't cry, don't cry misses, de debble's comin arter massa Flint +berry soon, he tell me so hisself; den Black Bill take care ob de +white angel." + +This sudden and earnest outburst of feeling and kindness from the +negro, expressed as it was in such a strange manner, brought a smile +to the face of the maiden, notwithstanding the affliction which was +crushing her to the earth. + +"Why Bill," said Hellena, "you don't mean to say you ever saw the +devil here, do you?" + +"Never seed him, but heer'd him doe, sometimes," replied Bill. + +Now, Hellena, although a sensible girl in her way, was by no means +free from the superstition of the times. She believed in ghosts, and +witches, and fairies, and all that, and it was with a look of +considerable alarm that she turned to the Indian woman, saying: + +"I hope there ain't any evil spirits in this cave, Lightfoot." + +"No spirits here dat will hurt White Rose (the name she had given to +Hellena) or Lightfoot," said the Indian woman. + +"But the place is haunted, though!" said Hellena. + +"The spirits of the great Indian braves who have gone to the land of +spirits come back here sometimes." + +"Do you ever see them?" asked the girl, her alarm increasing. + +"Neber see dem, but hear dem sometime," replied Lightfoot. + +"Do they not frighten you?" asked Hellena. + +"Why should I be afraid?" said Lightfoot, "are they not my friends?" + +Lightfoot perceiving that Hellena's curiosity, as well as her fears +were excited; now in order to gratify the one, and to allay the other, +commenced relating to her some of the Indian traditions in relation to +the cavern. + +The substance of her narrative was as follows: + +She said that a great while ago, long, long before the palefaces had +put foot upon this continent, the shores of this river, and the land +for a great distance to the east and to the west, was inhabited by a +great nation. No other nation could compare with them in number, or in +the bravery of their warriors. Every other nation that was rash enough +to contend with them was sure to be brought into subjection, if not +utterly destroyed. + +Their chiefs were as much renowned for wisdom, and eloquence as for +bravery. And they were as just, as they were wise and brave. + +Many of the weaker tribes sought their protection, for they delighted +as much in sheltering the oppressed as in punishing the oppressor. + +Thus, for many long generations, they prospered until the whole land +was overshadowed by their greatness. + +And all this greatness, and all this power, their wise men said, was +because they listened to the voice of the Great Spirit as spoken to +them in this cave. + +Four times during the year, at the full of the moon the principal +chiefs and medicine men, would assemble here, when the Great Spirit +would speak to them, and through them to the people. + +As long as this people listened to the voice of the Great Spirit, +every thing went well with them. + +But at last there arose among them a great chief; a warrior, who said +he would conquer the whole world, and bring all people under his rule. + +The priests and the wise men warned him of his folly, and told him +that they had consulted the Great Spirit, and he had told them that if +he persisted in his folly he would bring utter ruin upon his people. +But the great chief only laughed at them, and called them fools, and +told them the warnings which they gave him, were not from the Great +Spirit, but were only inventions of their own, made up for the purpose +of frightening him. + +And so he persisted in his own headstrong course, and as he was a +great brave, and had won many great battles, very many listened to +him, and he raised a mighty army, and carried the war into the country +of all the neighbouring nations, that were dwelling in peace with his +own, and he brought home with him the spoils of many people. And then +he laughed at the priests and wise men once more, and said, go into +the magic cave again, and let us hear what the Great Spirit has to +say. + +And they went into the cave, as he had directed them. But they came +out sorrowing, and said that the Great Spirit had told them that he, +and his army should be utterly destroyed, and the whole nation +scattered to the four winds. + +And again he laughed at them, and called them fool, and deceivers. + +And he collected another great army, and went to war again. But by +this time the other nations, seeing the danger they were in, united +against him as a common enemy. + +He was overthrown, killed, and his army entirely cut to pieces. + +The conquering army now entered this country, and laid it waste, as +theirs had been laid waste before. + +And the war was carried on for many years, until the prophesy was +fulfilled that had been spoken by the Great Spirit, and the people of +this once mighty nation were scattered to the four winds. + +This people as a great nation are known no longer, but a remnant still +remains scattered among the other tribes. Occasionally some of them +visit this cave, to whom alone its mysteries are known, or were, +Lightfoot said, until she had brought Captain Flint there in order to +escape their pursuers. + +"Is the voice of the Great Spirit ever heard here now?" enquired +Hellena. + +Lightfoot said the voice of the Great Spirit had never been heard +there since the destruction of his favorite nation, but that the +spirits of the braves as he had said before, did sometimes come back +from the spirit-land to speak comfort to the small remnant of the +friends who still remained upon the earth. To those she belonged. + +This narrative of the Indian woman somewhat satisfied the curiosity of +Hellena, but it did not quiet her fears, and to be imprisoned in a +dreary cavern haunted by spirits, for aught she knew, demons, was to +her imagination, about as terrible a situation as she could possibly +be placed in. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + +When there were none of the pirates in the cave, it was the custom of +Lightfoot, and Hellena to spread their couch in the body of the +cavern, and there pass the night. Such was the case on the night +following the day on which Lightfoot had related to Hellena the sad +history of her people. + +It is hardly to be expected that the young girl's sleep would be very +sound that night, with her imagination filled with visions, hob +goblins of every form, size, and color. + +During the most of the forepart of the night she lay awake thinking +over the strange things she had heard concerning the cave, and +expecting every moment to see some horrible monster make its +appearance in the shape of an enormous Indian in his war paint, and +his hands reeking with blood. + +After a while she fell into a doze in which she had a horrid dream, +where all the things she had been thinking of appeared and took form, +but assuming shapes ten times more horrible than any her waking +imagination could possibly have created. + +It was past midnight. She had started from one of these horrid dreams, +and afraid to go to sleep again, lay quietly gazing around the cavern +on the ever varying reflections cast by the myriads of crystals that +glittered upon the wall and ceiling. + +Although there were in some portions of the cavern walls chinks or +crevices which let in air, and during some portion of the day a few +straggling sunbeams, it was found necessary even during the day to +keep a lamp constantly burning. And the one standing on the table in +the centre of the cave was never allowed to go out. + +As we have said, Hellena lay awake gazing about her. + +A perfect stillness reigned in the cave, broken only by the rather +heavy breathing of the Indian woman who slept soundly. + +Suddenly she heard, or thought she heard a slight grating noise at the +further side of the cavern. + +Can she be dreaming? or can her eyes deceive her? or does she actually +see the wall of the cavern parting? Such actually seems to be the +case, and from the opening out steps a figure dressed like an Indian, +and bearing in his hand a blazing torch. + +Hellena's tongue cleaves to the roof of her mouth, and her limbs are +paralyzed with terror. She cannot move if she dare. + +The figure moves about the room with a step as noiseless as the step +of the dead, while the crystals on the walls seem to be set in motion, +and to blaze with unnatural brilliancy as his torch is carried from +place to place. + +He carefully examines everything as he proceeds; particularly the +weapons belonging to the pirates, which seemed particularly to take +his fancy. But he carefully replaces everything after having examined +it. + +He now approaches the place where the two women are lying. + +Hellena with an effort closed her eyes. + +The figure approached the couch; for a moment he bent over it and +gazed intently on the two women; particularly on that of the white +maiden. When having apparently satisfied his curiosity, he withdrew as +stealthily as he had come. + +When Hellena opened her eyes again, the spectre had vanished, and +everything about the cave appeared as if nothing unusual had happened. + +For a long time she lay quietly thinking over the strange occurrences +of the night. She was in doubt whether scenes which she had witnessed +were real, or were only the empty creations of a dream. The horrible +spectres which she had seen in the fore part of the night seemed like +those which visit us in our dreams when our minds are troubled. But +the apparition of the Indian seemed more real. + +Could she be mistaken? was this, too, only a dream? or were the two +scenes only different parts of one waking vision? + +To this last opinion she seemed most inclined, and was fully confirmed +in the opinion that the cavern was haunted. + +Although Hellena was satisfied in her own mind that the figure that +had appeared so strangely was a disembodied spirit, yet she had a +vague impression that she had somewhere seen that form before. But +when, or where, she could not recollect. + +When in the morning she related the occurrences of the night to +Lightfoot, the Indian expressed no surprise, and exhibited no alarm. +Nor did she attempt to offer any explanation seeming to treat it as a +matter of course. + +Although this might be unsatisfactory to Hellena in some respects, it +was perhaps after all, quite as well for her that Lightfoot did not +exhibit any alarm at what had occurred, as by doing so she imparted +some of her own confidence to her more timid companion. + +All this while Black Bill had not been thought of but after a while he +crawled out from his bunk, his eyes twice their usual size, and coming +up to Hellena, he said: + +"Misses, misses, I seed do debble last night wid a great fire-brand in +his hand, and he went all round de cabe, lookin' for massa Flint, to +burn him up, but he couldn't fine him so he went away agin. Now I know +he's comin' after massa Flint, cause he didn't touch nobody else." + +"Did he frighten you?" asked Hellena. + +"No; but I kept mighty still, and shut my eyes when he come to look at +me, but he didn't say noffen, so I know'd it wasn't dis darkey he was +after." + +This statement of the negro's satisfied Hellena that she had not been +dreaming when she witnessed the apparition of the Indian. + +On further questioning Bill, she found he had not witnessed any of the +horrid phantoms that had visited her in her dreams. + +As soon as Hellena could do so without attracting attention, she took +a lamp and examined the walls in every direction to see if she could +discover any where a crevice large enough for a person to pass +through, but she could find nothing of the sort. + +The walls were rough and broken in many parts, but there was nothing +like what she was in search of. + +She next questioned Lightfoot about it, asking her if there was any +other entrance to the cave beside the one through which they had +entered. + +But the Indian woman gave her no satisfaction, simply telling her that +she might take the lamp and examine for herself. + +As Hellena had already done this, she was of course as much in the +dark as ever. + +When Captain Flint visited the cave again as he did on the following +day, Hellena would have related to him the occurrences of the previous +night, but she felt certain that he would only laugh at it as +something called up by her excited imagination, or treat it as a story +made up for the purpose of exciting his sympathy. + +Or perhaps invented for the purpose of arousing his superstition in +order to make him leave the cave, and take her to some place where +escape would be more easy. + +So she concluded to say nothing to him about it. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + +About a week after the occurrence of the events recorded in the last +chapter, Captain Flint and his crew were again assembled in the +cavern. It was past midnight, and they evidently had business of +importance before them, for although the table was spread as upon the +former occasion, the liquors appeared as yet to be untasted, and +instead of being seated around the table, the whole party were sitting +on skins in a remote corner of the cavern, and conversing in a +suppressed tone of voice as if fearful of being heard. + +"Something must be done," said one of the men, "to quiet this darn +suspicion, or it's all up with us." + +"I am for leaving at once," said Old Ropes; "the only safety for us +now is in giving our friends the slip, and the sooner we are out of +these waters the better it will be for us." + +"What, and leave the grand prize expecting to take care of itself?" +asked the captain. + +"Darn the prize," said Old Ropes, "the East Indiaman ain't expected +this two weeks yet, and if the suspicions agin us keep on increasin' +as they have for the last ten days, the land pirates'll have us all +strung up afore the vessel arrives." + +This opinion was shared by the majority of the men. Even the Parson +who took delight in opposing Old Ropes in almost every thing, agreed +with him here. + +"Whether or not," said he, "I am afraid to face death in a fair +business-like way, you all know, but as sure as I'm a genuine parson, +I'd rather be tortured to death by a band of savage Indians, than to +be strung up to a post with my feet dangling in the air to please a +set of gaping fools." + +"Things do look rather squally on shore, I admit," said the captain, +"but I've hit upon a plan to remedy all that, and one that will make +us pass for honest men, if not saints, long enough to enable us to +finish the little job we have on hand." + +"What is that?" enquired a number of voices. + +"Why, merely to make a few captures while we are lying quietly in the +harbour or a little way up the river. That'll turn the attention of +the people from us in another direction, in the mean while, we can +bide our time. + +"It can," said the captain. "We must man a whale boat or two and +attack some one of the small trading vessels that are coming in every +day. She must be run on the rocks where she may be examined +afterwards, so that any one may see that she has falling in the hands +of pirates. None of the crew must be allowed to escape, as that would +expose the trick. + +"All this must take place while I am known to be on shore, and the +schooner lying in port." + +This plot, which was worthy the invention of a fiend, was approved by +all but Jones Bradley who declared that he would have nothing to do +with it. For which disobedience of orders he would have probably been +put to death had he been at sea. + +The plan of operations having been decided upon, the whole party +seated themselves round the table for the purpose as they would say of +making a night of it. + +But somehow or other they seemed to be in no humor for enjoyment, as +enjoyment is understood by such characters. + +A gloom seemed to have settled on the whole party. + +They could not even get their spirits up, by pouring spirits down. + +And although they drank freely, they drank for the most part in +silence. + +"How is this?" shouted captain Flint, "at last have we all lost our +voices? Can no one favor us with a song, or toast or a yarn?" + +Hardly had these words passed the lips of the captain, when the +piteous moan which had so startled the pirates, on the previous +evening again saluted them, but in a more suppressed tone of voice. +The last faint murmurs of this moan had not yet died away, when a +shout, or rather a yell like an Indian war whoop, rang through the +cavern in a voice that made the very walls tremble, its thousand +echoes rolling away like distant thunder. + +The whole group sprang to their feet aghast. + +The two woman followed by Black Bill, terror stricken, joined the +group. + +This at least might be said of Hellena and the negro. The latter +clinging to the skirts of the white maiden for protection, as a mortal +in the midst of demons might be supposed to seek the protection of an +Angel. + +Captain Flint, now laying his hand violently on Lightfoot, said, "What +does all this mean? do you expect to frighten me by your juggling +tricks, you infernal squaw?" At these words he gave her a push that +sent her staggering to the floor. + +In a moment he saw his mistake, and went to her assistance (but she +had risen before he reached her,) and endeavored to conciliate her +with kind words and presents. + +He took a gold chain from his pocket, and threw it about her neck, and +drew a gold ring from his own finger and placed it upon hers. + +These attentions she received in moody silence. + +All this was done by Flint, not from any feelings of remorse for the +injustice he had done the woman, but from a knowledge of how much he +was in her power and how dangerous her enmity might be to him. + +Finding that she was not disposed to listen to him, he turned from her +muttering to himself: + +"She'll come round all right by and by," and then addressing his men +said: + +"Boys, we must look into this matter; there's something about this +cave we don't understand yet. There may be another one over it, or +under it. We must examine." + +He did not repeat the explanation he had given before, feeling no +doubt, that it would be of no use. + +A careful examination of the walls of the cave were made by the whole +party, but to no purpose. Nothing was discovered that could throw any +light upon the mystery, and they were obliged to give it up. + +And thus they were compelled to let the matter rest for the present. + +When the morning came, the pirates all left with the exception of the +captain, who remained, he said, for the purpose of making further +investigations, but quite as much for the purpose of endeavoring to +find out whether or not, Lightfoot had anything to do with the +production of the strange noises. But here again, he was fated to +disappointment. The Indian could not, or would not, give any +satisfactory explanation. + +The noises she contended were made by the braves of her nation who had +gone to the spirit world, and who were angry because their sacred +cavern had been profaned by the presence of the hated palefaces. + +Had he consulted Hellena, or Black Bill, his investigations would +probably have taken a different turn. + +The figure of the Indian having been seen by both Hellena and the +black, would have excited his curiosity if not his fears, and led him +to look upon it as a more serious matter than he had heretofore +supposed. + +But he did not consult either of them, probably supposing them to be a +couple of silly individuals whose opinions were not worth having. + +If any doubt had remained in the minds of the men in regard to the +supernatural character of the noises which had startled them in the +cave, they existed no longer. + +Even the Parson although generally ridiculing the idea of all sorts of +ghosts and hobgoblins, admitted that there was something in this +affair that staggered him, and he joined with the others in thinking +that the sooner they shifted their quarters, the better. + +"Don't you think that squaw had a hand in it?" asked one of the men: +"didn't you notice how cool she took it all the while?" + +"That's a fact," said the Parson; "it's strange I didn't think of that +before. I shouldn't wonder if it wasn't after all, a plot contrived by +her and some of her red-skinned brethren to frighten us out of the +cave, and get hold of the plunder we've got stowed away there." + +Some of the men now fell in with this opinion, and were for putting it +to the proof by torturing Lightfoot until she confessed her guilt. + +The majority of the men, however, adhered to the original opinion that +the whole thing was supernatural, and that the more they meddled with +it, the deeper they'd get themselves into trouble. + +"My opinion is," said Old Ropes, "that there's treasure buried there, +and the whole thing's under a charm, cave, mountain, and all." + +"If there's treasure buried there," said the Parson, "I'm for having a +share of it." + +"The only way to get treasure that's under charm," said Old Ropes, "is +to break the charm that binds it, by a stronger charm." + +"It would take some blasting to get at treasure buried in that solid +rock," said Jones Bradley. + +"If we could only break the charm that holds the treasure, just as +like as not that solid rock would all turn into quicksand," replied +Old Ropes. + +"Did you ever see the thing tried?" asked the Parson. + +"No; but I've seen them as has," replied Old Ropes. + +"And more than that," continued Old Ropes, "my belief is that Captain +Flint is of the same opinion, though he didn't like to say so. + +"I shouldn't wonder now, if he hadn't some charm he was tryin', and +that was the reason why he stayed in the cave so much." + +"I rather guess the charm that keeps the captain so much in the cave +is a putty face," dryly remarked one of the men. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + +While these things had been going on at the cavern, and Captain Flint +had been pretending to use his influence with the Indians for the +recovery of Hellena, Carl Rosenthrall himself had not been idle in the +meantime. + +He had dealings with Indians of the various tribes along the river, +and many from the Far North, and West, and he engaged them to make +diligent search for his daughter among their people, offering tempting +rewards to any who would restore her, or even tell him to a certainty, +where she was to be found. + +In order to induce Fire Cloud to restore her in case it should prove +it was he who was holding her in captivity, he sent word to that +chief, that if he would restore his child, he would not only not have +him punished, but would load him with presents. + +These offers, of course made through Captain Flint, who it was +supposed by Rosenthrall, had more opportunities than any one else of +communicating with the old chief. + +How likely they would have been to reach the chief, even if he had +been the real culprit, the reader can guess. + +In fact he had done all in his power to impress the Indian that to put +himself in the power of Rosenthrall, would be certain death to him. + +Thus more than a month passed without bringing to the distracted +father any tidings of his missing child. + +We may as well remark here, that Rosenthrall had lost his wife many +years before, and that Hellena was his only child, so that in losing +her he felt that he had lost everything. + +The Indians whom he had employed to aid him in his search, informed +him that they could learn nothing of his daughter among their people, +and some of them who were acquainted with Fire Cloud, told him that +the old chief protested he knew nothing of the matter. + +Could it be that Flint was playing him false? + +He could hardly think that it was Flint himself who had stolen his +child, for what motive could he have in doing it? + +The more he endeavored to unravel the mystery, the stranger and more +mysterious it became. + +Notwithstanding the statements to the contrary made by the Indians, +Flint persisted in giving it as his belief, that Fire Cloud had +carried off the girl and was still holding her a prisoner. He even +said that the chief had admitted as much to him. Yet he was sure that +if he was allowed to manage the affair in his own way, he should be +able to bring the Indian to terms. + +It was about this time that the dark suspicions began to be whispered +about that Captain Flint was in some way connected with the horrible +piracies that had recently been perpetrated on the coast, if he were +not in reality the leader of the desperate gang himself, by whom they +had been perpetrated. + +Those suspicions as we have seen, coming to Flint's own ears, had +caused him to plan another project still more horrible than the one he +was pursuing, in order to quiet those suspicions until he should have +an opportunity of capturing the rich prize which was to be the +finishing stroke to his achievements in this part of the world. + +The suspicions in regard to Captain Flint had reached the ears of +Rosenthrall, as well as others, who had been secretly concerned with +him in his smuggling transactions, although in no way mixed up with +his piracies. + +Rosenthrall feared that in case these suspicions against Flint should +lead to his arrest, the whole matter would come out and be exposed, +leading to the disgrace if not the ruin, of all concerned. + +It was therefore with a feeling of relief, while joining in the +general expression of horror, that he heard of a most terrible piracy +having been committed on the coast. Captain Flint's vessel was lying +in port, and he was known to be in the city. + +There was one thing too connected with this affair that seemed to +prove conclusively, that the suspicions heretofore harboured against +the captain were unjust. + +And that was the report brought by the crew of a fishing smack, that +they had seen a schooner answering to the description given of the +pirate, just before this horrible occurrence took place. + +Captain Flint now assumed the bearing of a man whose fair fame had +been purified of some foul blot stain that had been unjustly cast upon +it, one who had been honorably acquitted of base charges brought +against him by enemies who had sought his ruin. + +He had not been ignorant, he said, of the dark suspicions that had +been thrown out against him. + +But he had trusted to time to vindicate his character, and he had not +trusted in vain. + +Among the first to congratulate Captain Flint on his escape from the +danger with which he had been threatened, was Carl Rosenthrall. + +He admitted that he had been to some extent, tainted with suspicion, +in common with others, for which he now asked his forgiveness. + +The pardon was of course granted by the captain, coupled with hope +that he would not be so easily led away another time. + +The facts in regard to this last diabolical act of the pirates were +these. + +Captain Flint, in accordance with the plan which he had decided upon, +and with which the reader has already been made acquainted, fitted out +a small fishing vessel, manned by some of the most desperate of his +crew, and commanded by the Parson and Old Ropes. + +Most of the men went on board secretly at night, only three men +appearing on deck when she set sail. + +In fact, no one to look at her, would take her for anything but an +ordinary fishing smack. + +They had not been out long, before they came in sight of a vessel +which they thought would answer their purpose. It was a small brig +engaged in trading along the coast, and such a vessel as under +ordinary circumstances they would hardly think worth noticing. But +their object was not plunder this time, but simply to do something +that would shield them from the danger that threatened them on shore. + +The time seemed to favor them, for the night was closing in and there +were no other vessels in sight. + +On the pirates making a signal of distress, the commander of the brig +brought his vessel to, until the boat from the supposed smack could +reach him, and the crew could make their wants known. + +To his surprise six men fully armed sprang upon his deck. + +To resist this force there were only himself, and two men, all +unarmed. + +Of these the pirates made short work not deigning to answer the +questions put to them by their unfortunate victims. + +When they had murdered all on board, and thrown overboard such of the +cargo as they did not want they abandoned the brig, knowing from the +direction of the wind, and the state of the tide, that she would soon +drift on the beach, and the condition in which she would be found, +would lead people to believe that she had been boarded by pirates, and +all on board put to death. + +After having accomplished this hellish act, they turned their course +homeward, bringing the report that they had seen the notorious +piratical schooner which had committed so many horrible depredations, +leading every one to conclude that this was another of her terrible +deeds. + +Captain Flint, satisfied with the result of this last achievement, +felt himself secure for the present. + +He could now without fear of interruption, take time to mature his +plans for carrying out his next grand enterprise, which was to be the +crowning one of all his adventures, and which was to enrich all +engaged in it. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + +Captain Flint's plan for the accomplishment of his last grand +enterprise was, as soon as it should be announced to him by those he +had constantly on the lookout, that the expected vessel was in sight, +to embark in a large whale boat which he had secretly armed, and +fitted for the purpose. + +After killing the crew of the vessel they expected to capture, he +would tack about ship, and take her into some port where he could +dispose of the vessel and cargo. + +As, in this case, it was his intention to abandon the country for +ever, he removed under various pretences, all his most valuable +property from the cavern. + +The schooner he was to leave in charge of Jones Bradley, under +pretence that it was necessary to do so, in order to divert suspicion +from him when the thing should have been accomplished. + +The fact was, that as he should have no further use for the schooner, +and having for some time past, feared that Bradley seemed to be too +tender-hearted to answer his purpose, he had determined to abandon him +and the schooner together. + +At last, news was brought to Captain Flint that a vessel answering the +one they were expecting was in sight. + +Flint who, with his crew of desperators, was lying at a place now +known as Sandy Hook, immediately started in pursuit. + +Everything seemed to favor the pirates. The doomed ship was making her +way under a light breeze apparently unconscious of danger. + +There was one thing about the ship, that struck the pirates as rather +unusual. There seemed to be more hands on board than were required to +man such a vessel. + +"I'm afraid there's more work for us than we've bargained for," said +one of the men. + +"They seem to have a few passengers on board," remarked Flint, "but we +can soon dispose of them." + +The principal part of Flint's men had stretched themselves on the +bottom of the boat for fear of exciting the suspicion of those on +board the ship by their numbers. + +As the pirate craft approached the merchant man, apparently with no +hostile intention, those on board the ship were watching the boat as +closely as they were themselves watched. + +As soon as they came within hailing distance, the man at the bow of +the boat notified the captain of the ship that he wished to come along +side, as he had something of importance to communicate. + +The captain of the ship commenced apparently making preparations to +receive the visit, when one of the men on deck who had been observing +the boat for some time came to him and said: + +"That's he. I'm sure I can't be mistaken. The man on the bow of the +boat is the notorious pirate Flint." + +The pirates were approaching rapidly. + +In a moment more they would be along side, and nothing could prevent +them from boarding the ship. + +In that moment the captain of the ship, by a skilful movement suddenly +tacked his vessel about just as the pirates came up, coming in contact +with the boat in such a manner as to split her in two in a moment. + +A dozen men sprung up from the bottom of the boat, uttering horrid +curses while they endeavored to reach the ship or cling to portions of +their shattered boat. + +The greater portion of them were drowned, as no efforts were made to +rescue them. + +Three only succeeded in reaching the deck of the ship in safety, and +these would probably have rather followed their comrades had they +known how few were going to escape. + +These three were Captain Flint, the one called the Parson and Old +Ropes. + +These were at first disposed to show fight, but it was of no use. +Their arms had been lost in their struggle in the water. + +They were soon overpowered and put in irons. + +Great was the excitement caused in the goodly little City of New York, +by the arrival of the merchant ship bringing as prisoners, the daring +pirate with two of his men whose fearful deeds had caused all the +inhabitants of the land to thrill with horror. + +And great was the surprise of the citizens to find in that terrible +pirate a well-known member of the community, and one whom nearly all +regarded as a worthy member of society. + +Another cause of surprise to the good people of the city, was the +arrival by this vessel, of one whom all had long given up as lost, and +that was Henry Billings, the lover of Hellena Rosenthrall. + +He it was who had recognized in the commander of the whale boat, the +pirate Flint, and had warned the captain of the ship of his danger, +thereby enabling him to save his vessel, and the lives of all on +board. + +Captain Flint made a slight mistake when he took the vessel by which +he was run down, for the India man he was looking out for. It was an +ordinary merchant ship from Amsterdam, freighted with merchandise from +that port. Though in appearance she very much resembled the vessel +which Captain Flint had taken her for. + +The reason young Billings happened to be on board of her was this: + +It will be remembered that when the ship in which Billings had taken +passage for Europe, was attacked by the pirates, he was forced to walk +the plank. + +By the pirates, he was of course supposed to have been drowned, but in +this they were mistaken. He had been in the water but a few moments +when he came in contact with a portion of a spar which had probably +come from some wreck or had been washed off of some vessel. + +To this he lashed himself with a large handkerchief which it was his +good fortune to have at the time. + +Lashed to this spar he passed the night. + +When morning came he found that he had drifted out to sea; he could +not tell how far. + +He was out of sight of land, and no sail met his anxious gaze. + +His strength was nearly exhausted, and he felt a stupor coming over +him. Then he lost all consciousness. + +How long he lay in this condition he could not tell. When he came to +himself, he found that he was lying in the birth of a vessel, while a +sailor was standing at his side. + +The whole thing was soon explained. + +He had been discovered by the Captain of a ship bound for England, +from Boston. + +He had been taken on board, in an almost lifeless condition, and +kindly cared for. + +In a little while he recovered his usual strength, and although his +return home must necessarily be delayed, he trusted to be enabled +before a great while to do so and bring to justice the villains who +had attempted his murder. + +Unfortunately the vessel by which he had been rescued, was wrecked on +the coast of Ireland, he and the crew barely escaping with their +lives. + +After a while, he succeeded in getting to England by working his +passage there. + +From London, he made his way in the same manner, to Amsterdam, where +the mercantile house with which he was connected being known, he found +no difficulty in securing a passage for New York. + +Billings now for the first time heard the story of Hellena's +mysterious disappearance. + +It immediately occurred to him that Captain Flint was some way +concerned in the affair not withstanding his positive denial that he +knew anything of the matter further than he had already made known. + +The capture of Captain Flint, and the other two pirates of course led +to the arrest of Jones Bradley who had been left in charge of the +schooner. + +He was found on board of the vessel, which was lying a short distance +up the river, and arrested before he had learned the fate of his +comrades. + +He was cast into prison with the rest, though each occupied a separate +cell. + +As no good reason could be given for delaying the punishment of the +prisoners, their trial was commenced immediately. + +The evidence against them was too clear to make a long trial +necessary. + +They were all condemned to death with the exception of Jones Bradley, +whose punishment on account of his not engaged in last affair, and +having recommended mercy in the case of Henry Billings, was committed +to imprisonment for life. + +When the time came for the carrying out of sentence of the three who +had been condemned to death, it was found that one of them was missing +and that one, the greatest villain of them all, Captain Flint himself! + +How could this have happened? No one had visited him on the previous +day but Carl Rosenthrall, and he was a magistrate, and surely he would +be the last one to aid in the escape of a prisoner! + +That he was gone however, was a fact. There was no disputing that. + +But If it were a fact that he had made his escape, it was equally +true, that he could not have gone very far, and the community were not +in the humor to let such a desperate character as he was now known to +be, escape without making a strenuous effort to recapture him. + +The execution of the two who had been sentenced to die at the same +time, was delayed for a few days in the hope of learning from them, +the places where Flint would most probably fly to, but they maintained +a sullen silence on the subject. + +They then applied to Jones Bradley with, at first, no better result. +But when Henry Billings, who was one of those appointed to visit him, +happened to allude to the strange fate of Hellena Rosenthrall, he +hesitated a moment, and then said he knew where the girl was, and that +she had been captured by Captain Flint, and kept in close confinement +by him. + +He had no wish he said to betray his old commander, though he knew +that he had been treated badly by him, but he would like to save the +young woman. + +Captain Flint might be in the same place, but if he was, he thought +that he would kill the girl sooner than give her up. + +If Captain Flint, was not there, the only ones in the cave besides the +girl, were a squaw, and Captain Flint's negro boy, Bill. + +For the sake of the girl Bradley said he would guide a party to the +cave. + +This offer was at once accepted, and a party well armed, headed by +young Billings, and guided by Jones Bradley, set out immediately. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + +When Captain Flint made his escape from prison, it naturally enough +occurred to him, that the safest place for him for awhile, would be +the cave. + +In it he thought he could remain in perfect safety, until he should +find an opportunity for leaving the country. + +The cave, or at least the secret chamber, was unknown to any except +his crew, and those who were confined in it. + +On leaving the cave, the last time, with a heartlessness worthy a +demon, he had barred the entrance to the cavern on the outside, so as +to render it impossible for those confined there to escape in that +direction. + +In fact, he had, be supposed, buried them alive--left them to die of +hunger. + +Captain Flint reached the entrance of the cave in safety, and found +everything as he had left it. + +On reaching the inner chamber where he had left the two women and the +negro boy, he was startled to find the place apparently deserted, +while all was in total darkness, except where a few rays found their +way through the crevices of the rocks. + +He called the names first of one, and then another, but the only +answer he received was the echo of his own voice. + +How was this? could they be all sleeping or dead? + +They certainly could not have made their escape, for the fastenings +were all as he had left them. + +The means of striking fire were at hand, and a lamp was soon lighted. + +He searched the cave, but could discover no trace of the missing ones. + +A strange horror came over him, such as he had never felt before. + +The stillness oppressed him; no living enemy could have inspired him +with the fear he now felt from being alone in this gloomy cavern. + +"I must leave this place," he said, "I would rather be in prison than +here." + +Again he took up the lamp, and went round the cave, but more this time +in hopes of finding some weapon to defend himself with, in case he +should be attacked, than with the hope of discovering the manner in +which those he had left there had contrived to make their escape. + +It had been his custom, lately, on leaving the cavern, to take his +weapons with him, not knowing what use might be made of them by the +women under the provocation, to which they were sometimes subjected. + +The only weapon he could find was a large dagger. This he secured, and +was preparing to leave the cavern, when he thought he saw something +moving in one corner. + +In order to make sure that he had not been mistaken, he approached the +place. + +It was a corner where a quantity of skins had been thrown, and which +it had not been convenient for him to remove, when he left the cavern. + +Thinking that one of these skins might be of service to him in the +life he would be obliged to live for some time, he commenced sorting +them over, for the purpose of finding one that would answer his +purpose, when a figure suddenly sprang up from the pile. + +It would be hard to tell which of the two was the more frightened. + +"Dat you, massa," at length exclaimed the familiar voice of Black +Bill. "I tought it was de debil come back agin to carry me off." + +"What, is that you, Bill?" said Flint, greatly relieved, and glad to +find some one who could explain the strange disappearance of Hellena +and Lightfoot. + +"Where are the rest, Bill?" he asked; "where's the white girl and the +Indian woman?" + +"Debble carry dim off," said Bill. + +"What do you mean, you black fool?" said his master; "if you don't +tell me where they've gone, I'll break your black skull for you." + +"Don't know where dar gone," said Bill, tremblingly, "Only know dat de +debble take dem away." + +Flint finding that he was not likely to get anything out of the boy by +frightening him, now changed his manner, saying; + +"Never mind, Bill, let's hear all about it." + +The boy reassured, now told his master that the night before while he +was lying awake near the pile of skins and the women were asleep, he +saw the walls of the cavern divide and a figure holding a blazing +torch such as he had never seen before, enter the room. + +"I tought," said Bill, "dat it was de debble comin' arter you agin, +massa, and I was 'fraid he would take me along, so I crawled under de +skins, but I made a hole so dat I could watch what he was doin'." + +"He looked all round a spell for you, massa, an' when he couldn't find +you, den he went were de women was sleepin' an woke dem up and made +dem follow him. + +"Den da called me and looked all ober for me an' couldn't find me, an' +de debble said he couldn't wait no longer, an' dat he would come for +me annudder time, An den de walls opened agin, an' da all went true +togedder. When I heard you in de cave, massa, I tought it was de +debble come agin to fetch me, an' so I crawled under de skins agin." + +From this statement of the boy, Flint come to the conclusion that Bill +must have been too much frightened at the time to know what was +actually taking place. + +One thing was certain, and that was the prisoners had escaped, and had +been aided in their escape by some persons, to him unknown, in a most +strange and mysterious manner. + +Over and over again he questioned Black Bill, but every time with the +same result. + +The boy persisted in the statement, that he saw the whole party pass +out through an opening in the walls of the cavern. + +That they had not passed out through the usual entrance was evident, +for he found everything as he had left it. + +Again he examined the walls of the cavern, only to be again baffled +and disappointed. + +He began to think that may be after all, the cavern was under a spell +of enchantment, and that the women had actually been carried off in +the manner described by the negro. + +The boy was evidently honest in his statement, believing that he was +telling nothing that was not true. + +But be all this as it might, the mere presence of a human being, even +though a poor negro boy, was sufficient to enable him to shake off the +feeling of loneliness and fear, with which he was oppressed upon +entering the cavern. + +He now determined to remain in the cavern for a short time. + +Long enough at least to make a thorough examination of the place, +before taking his departure. + +This determination of Captain Flint's was by no means agreeable to the +negro boy. + +Bill was anxious to leave the cave, and by that means escape the +clutches of the devil, who was in the habit of frequenting it. + +He endeavored to induce Flint to change his resolution by assuring him +that he had heard the devil say that he was coming after him. But the +captain only laughed at the boy, and he was compelled to remain. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + + +For several days after the departure of Captain Flint, the inmates of +the cavern felt no uneasiness at his absence; but when day after day +passed, until more than a week had elapsed without his making his +appearance they began to be alarmed. + +It had uniformly been the practice of Captain Flint on leaving the +cave, to give Lightfoot charges to remain there until his return, and +not to allow any one to enter, or pass out during his absence. + +This charge she had strictly obeyed. + +Singularly enough he had said nothing about it the last time. This, +however, made no difference with Lightfoot, for if she thought of it +at all, she supposed that he had forgotten it. Still she felt no +disposition to disobey his commands, although her feelings towards +him, since his late brutal treatment had very much changed. + +But their provisions were giving out, and to remain in the cavern much +longer, they must starve to death. Lightfoot therefore resolved to go +in search of the means of preventing such a catastrophe, leaving the +others to remain in the cave until her return. + +On attempting to pass out, she found to her horror that the way was +barred against her from the outside. + +In fact, they were buried alive! + +In vain she endeavored to force her way out. The entrance had been too +well secured. + +There seemed to be no alternative but to await patiently the return of +the captain. + +Failing in that, they must starve to death! + +Their supply of provisions was not yet quite exhausted, and they +immediately commenced putting themselves on short allowance, hoping by +that means to make them last until relief should come. + +While the two women were sitting together, talking over the matter, +and endeavoring to comfort each other, Hellena noticing the plain gold +ring on the finger of Lightfoot, that had been placed there by Captain +Flint during her quarrel with the Indian, asked to be allowed to look +at it. + +On examining the ring, she at once recognized it as the one worn by +her lost lover. + +Her suspicions in regard to Flint were now fully confirmed. She was +satisfied that he was in some way concerned in the sudden +disappearance of the missing man. + +Could it be possible that he had been put out of the way by this +villain, who, for some reason unknown to any but himself, was now +desirous of disposing of her also? + +The thought filled her with horror. + +That night the two women retired to rest as usual. It was a long time +before sleep came to their relief. But it came at last. + +The clock which the pirates had hung in the cave, struck twelve, when +Hellena started from her slumber with a suppressed cry, for the figure +she had seen in the vision many nights ago, stood bending over her! +But now it looked more like a being of real flesh and blood, than a +spectre. And when it spoke to her, saying, "has the little paleface +maiden forgotten; no, no!" she recognized in the intruder, her old +friend the Indian chief, Fire Cloud. + +Hellena, the feelings of childhood returning, sprang up, and throwing +her arms around the old chief, exclaimed: + +"Save me, no, no, save me!" + +Lightfoot was by this time awake also, and on her feet. To her the +appearance of the chief seemed a matter of no surprise. Not that she +had expected anything of the kind, but she looked upon the cave as a +place of enchantment, and she believed that the spirits having it in +charge, could cause the walls to open and close again at pleasure. And +she recognized Fire Cloud as one of the chiefs of her own tribe. He +was also a descendant of one of its priests, and was acquainted with +all the mysteries of the cavern. + +He told the prisoners that he had come to set them at liberty, and +bade them follow. + +They had got everything for their departure, when they observed for +the first time that Black Bill was missing. + +They could not think of going without him, leaving him there to +perish, but the cavern was searched for him in vain. His name was +called to no better purpose, till they were at last compelled to go +without him, the chief promising to return and make another search for +him, all of which was heard by the negro from his hiding place under +the pile of skins as related in the preceding chapter. + +The chief, to the surprise of Hellena, instead of going to what might +be called the door of the cavern, went to one of the remote corners, +and stooping down, laid hold of a projection of rock, and gave it a +sudden pressure, when a portion of the wall moved aside, disclosing a +passage, till then unknown to all except Fire Cloud himself. It was +one of the contrivances of the priests of the olden time, for the +purpose of imposing upon the ignorant and superstitious multitude. + +On passing through this opening, which the chief carefully closed +after him, the party entered a narrow passageway, leading they could +not see where, nor how far. + +The Indian led the way, carrying his torch, and assisting them over +the difficulties of the way, when assistance was required. + +Thus he led them on, over rocks, and precipices, sometimes the path +widening until it might be called another cavern, and then again +becoming so narrow as to only allow one to pass at a time. + +Thus they journeyed on for the better part of a mile, when they +suddenly came to a full stop. Further progress appeared to be +impossible. + +It seemed to Hellena that nothing short of an enchanter's wand could +open the way for them now, when Fire Cloud, going to the end of the +passage, gave a large slab which formed the wall a push on the lower +part, causing it to rise as if balanced by pivots at the center, and +making an opening through which the party passed, finding themselves +in the open air, with the stars shining brightly overhead. + +As soon as they had passed out the rock swung back again, and no one +unacquainted with the fact, would have supposed that common looking +rock to be the door of the passage leading to the mysterious cavern. + +The place to which they now came, was a narrow valley between the +mountains. + +Pursuing their journey up this valley, they came to a collection of +Indian wigwams, and here they halted, the chief showing them into his +own hut, which was one of the group. + +Another time, it would have alarmed Hellena Rosenthrall to find +herself in the wilderness surrounded by savages. + +But now, although among savages far away from home, without a white +face to look upon, she felt a degree of security, she had long been a +stranger to. + +In fact she felt that the Indians under whose protection she now found +herself, were far more human, far less cruel, than the demon calling +himself a white man, out of whose hands she had so fortunately +escaped. + +For once since her capture, her sleep was quiet, and refreshing. + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + + +Black Bill, on leaving the captain, after having vainly endeavored to +persuade him to leave the cave, crawled in to his usual place for +passing the night, but not with the hope of forgetting his troubles in +sleep. + +He was more firmly than ever impressed with the idea that the cavern +was the resort of the Devil and his imps, and that they would +certainly return for the purpose of carrying off his master. To this +he would have no objection, did he not fear that they might nab him +also, in order to keep his master company. + +So when everything was perfectly still in the cavern excepting the +loud breathing of the captain, which gave evidence of his being fast +asleep, the negro crept cautiously out of the recess, where he had +thrown himself down, and moved noiselessly to the place where the +captain was lying. + +Having satisfied himself that his master was asleep, he went to the +table, and taking the lamp that was burning there, he moved towards +the entrance of the cave. This was now fastened only on the inside, +and the fastening could be easily removed. + +In a few moments Black Bill was at liberty. + +As soon as he felt himself free from the cave, he gave vent to a fit +of boisterous delight, exclaiming. "Hah! hah! hah! Now de debile may +come arter massa Flint as soon as he please, he ain't a goun to ketch +dis chile, I reckan. Serb de captain right for trowin my fadder in de +sea. + +"Hah! hah! hah! he tink I forgit all dat. I guess he fin out now." + +Thus he went on until the thought seeming to strike him that he might +be overheard, and pursued, he stopped all at once, and crept further +into the forest and as he thought further out of the reach of the +devil. + +The morning had far advanced when captain Flint awoke from his +slumber. + +He knew this from the few sunbeams that found their way through a +crevice in the rocks at one corner of the cave. + +With this exception the place was in total darkness, for the lamp as +we have said had been carried off by the negro. + +"Hello, there, Bill, you black imp," shouted the captain, "bring a +light." + +But Bill made no answer, although the command was several times +repeated. + +At last, Flint, in a rage, sprang up, and seizing a raw hide which he +always kept handy for such emergencies, he went to the sleeping place +of the negro, and struck a violent blow on the place where Bill ought +to have been, but where Bill was not. + +The captain started. "Has he, too, escaped me?" he exclaimed. + +Flint went back, and for a few moments sat down by the table in +silence. After awhile the horror at being alone in such a gloomy +place, once more came over him. + +"Who knows," he thought, "but this black imp may betray me into the +hands of my enemies. Even he, should he be so disposed, has it in his +power to come at night, and by fastening the entrance of the cavern on +the outside, bury me alive!" + +So Flint reasoned, and so reasoning, made up his mind to leave the +cavern. + +Flint had barely passed beyond the entrance of the cave, when he heard +the sound of approaching footsteps. He crouched under the bushes in +order to watch and listen. + +He saw a party of six men approaching, all fully armed excepting one, +who seemed to be a guide to the rest. + +Flint fairly gnashed his teeth with rage as he recognised in this man +his old associate--Jones Bradley. + +The whole party halted at a little distance from the entrance to the +cave, where Bradley desired them to remain while he should go and +reconnoitre. + +He had reached the entrance, had made a careful examination of +everything about it, and was in the act of turning to make his report, +when Flint sprang upon him from the bushes, saying, "So it's you, you +traitor, who has betrayed me," at the same moment plunging his dagger +in the breast of Bradley, who fell dead at his feet. + +In the next moment the pirate was flying through the forest. Several +shots were fired at him, but without any apparent effect. + +The whole party started in pursuit. But the pirate having the +advantage of a start and a better knowledge of the ground, was soon +hidden from view in the intricacies of the forest. + +Still the party continued their pursuit, led now by Henry Billings. + +As the pirate did not return the fire of his pursuers, it was evident +that his only weapon was the dagger with which he had killed the +unfortunate Bradley. + +For several hours they continued their search, but all to no purpose, +and they were about to give it up for the present, when one of them +stumbled, and fell over something buried in the grass, when up sprang +Black Bill, who had hidden there on hearing the approach of the party. + +"Lookin' arter massa Flint?" asked the boy, as soon as he had +discovered that he was among friends. + +"Yes; can you tell us which way he has gone?" asked Billings. + +"Gone dat way, and a-runnin' as if de debble was arter him, an' I +guess he is, too." + +The party set off in the direction pointed out, the negro following. + +After going about half a mile, they were brought to a full stop by a +precipice over which the foremost one of the party was near falling. + +As they came to the brink they thought they heard a whine and a low +growl, as of a wild animal in distress. + +Looking into the ravine, a sight met their gaze, which caused them to +shrink back with horror. + +At the bottom of the ravine lay the body of the man of whom they were +in pursuit, but literally torn to pieces. + +Beside the body crouched an enormous she bear, apparently dying from +wounds she had received from an encounter with the men. + +Could his worst enemy have wished him a severe punishment? + +"De debble got him now," said Black Bill, and the whole party took +their way back to the cave. + +On their way back, Billings learned from the negro that Hellena in +company with Lightfoot, had left the cave several days previous to +their coming. Where they had gone he could not tell. + +He was so possessed with the idea they had been spirited away by the +devil, or some one of his imps in the shape of an enormous Indian, +that they thought he must have been frightened out of his wits. + +Billings was at a loss what course to take, but he had made up his +mind not to return to the city, until he had learned something +definite in relation to the fate of his intended bride. + +In all probability, she was at some one of the Indian villages +belonging to some of the tribes occupying that part of the country. + +For this purpose he embarked again in the small vessel in which he had +come up the river, intending to proceed a short distance further up, +for the purpose of consulting an old chief who, with his family, +occupied a small island situated there. + +He had proceeded but a short distance when he saw a large fleet of +canoes approaching. + +Supposing them to belong to friendly Indians, Billings made no attempt +to avoid them, and his boat was in a few moments surrounded by the +savages. + +At first the Indians appeared to be perfectly friendly, offering to +trade and, seeming particularly anxious to purchase fire-arms. + +This aroused the suspicions of the white men, and they commenced +endeavoring to get rid of their troublesome visitors, when to their +astonishment, they were informed that they were prisoners! + +Billings was surprised to find that the Indians, after securing their +prisoners, instead of starting up the river again, continued their +course down the stream. + +But what he learned shortly after from one of the Indians, who spoke +English tolerably well, astonished him still more. And that was, that +he was taken for the notorious pirate Captain Flint, of whose escape +they had heard from some of their friends recently from the city, and +they thought that nothing would please their white brethren so much as +to bring him back captive. + +It was to no purpose that Billings endeavored to convince them of +their mistake. They only shook their heads, as much as to say it was +of no use, they were not to be so easily imposed upon. + +And so Billings saw there was no help for it but to await patiently +his arrival at New York, when all would be set right again. + +But in the meantime Hellena might be removed far beyond his reach. + + + + +CHAPTER XVII. + + +Great was the mortification in the city upon learning the mistake they +had made. + +Where they had expected to receive praise and a handsome reward for +having performed a meritorious action, they obtained only censure and +reproaches for meddling in matters that did not concern them. + +It was only a mistake however, and there was no help for it. And +Billings, although greatly vexed and disappointed, saw no course left +for him but to set off again, although he feared that the chances of +success were greatly against him this time, on account of the time +that had been lost. + +The Indians, whose unfortunate blunder had been the cause of this +delay, in order to make some amends for the wrong they had done him, +now came forward, and offered to aid him in his search for the missing +maiden. + +They proffered him the use of their canoes to enable him to ascend the +streams, and to furnish guides, and an escort to protect him while +traveling through the country. + +This offer, so much better than he had any reason to expect, was +gladly accepted by Billings, and with two friends who had volunteered +to accompany him, he once more started up the river, under the +protection of his new friends. + +War had broken out among the various tribes on the route which he must +travel, making it unsafe for him and his two companions, even under +such a guide and escort as his Indian friends could furnish them. + +Thus he with his two associates were detained so long in the Indian +country, that by their friends at home they were given up as lost. + +At last peace was restored, and they set out on their return. + +The journey home was a long and tedious one, but nothing occurred +worth narrating. + +Upon reaching the Hudson, they employed an Indian to take them the +remainder of the way in a canoe. + +Upon reaching Manhattan Island, the first place they stopped at was +the residence of Carl Rosenthrall, Billings intending that the father +of Hellena should be the first to hear the sad story of his failure +and disappointment. + +It was evening when he arrived at the house and the lamps were lighted +in the parlor. + +With heavy heart and trembling hands he rapped at the door. + +As the door opened he uttered a faint cry of surprise, which was +answered by a similar one by the person who admitted him. It was +Hellena herself! + +The scene that followed we shall not attempt to describe. + + + + +CHAPTER XVIII. + + +At about the same time that Henry Billings, under the protection of +his Indian friends, set out on his last expedition up the river, a +single canoe with four persons in it, put out from under the shadow of +Old Crow Nest, on its way down the stream. + +The individual by whom the canoe was directed was an Indian, a man +somewhat advanced in years. The others were a white girl, an Indian +woman, and a negro boy. + +In short, the party consisted of Fire Cloud, Hellena Rosenthrall, +Lightfoot, and Black Bill, on their way to the city. + +They had passed the fleet of canoes in which Billings had embarked, +but not knowing whether it belonged to a party of friendly Indians or +otherwise. + +Fire Cloud had avoided coming in contact with it for fear of being +delayed, or of the party being made prisoners and carried back again. + +Could they have but met, what a world of trouble would it not have +saved to all parties interested! + +As it was, Hellena arrived in safety, greatly to the delight of her +father and friends, who had long mourned for her as for one they never +expected to see again in this world. + +The sum of Hellena's happiness would now have been complete, had it +not been for the dark shadow cast over it by the absence of her lover. + +And this shadow grew darker, and darker, as weeks, and months, rolled +by without bringing any tidings of the missing one. + +What might have been the effects of the melancholy into which she was +fast sinking, it is hard to tell, had not the unexpected return of the +one for whose loss she was grieving, restored her once more to her +wonted health and spirits. + +And here we might lay down our pen, and call our story finished, did +we not think that justice to the reader, required that we should +explain some things connected with the mysterious, cavern not yet +accounted for. + +How the Indian entered the cave on the night when Hellena fancied she +had seen a ghost, and how she made her escape, has been explained, but +we have not yet explained how the noises were produced which so +alarmed the pirates. + +It will be remembered that the sleeping place of Black Bill was a +recess in the wall of the cavern. + +Now in the wall, near the head of the negro's bed, there was a deep +fissure or crevice. It happened that Bill while lying awake one night, +to amuse himself, put his month to the crevice and spoke some words, +when to his astonishment, what he had said, was repeated over and +over, again. + +Black Bill in his ignorance and simplicity, supposed that the echo, +which came back, was an answer from some one on the other side of the +wall. + +Having made this discovery, he repeated the experiment a number of +times, and always with the same result. + +After awhile, he began to ask questions of the spirit, as he supposed +it to be, that had spoken to him. + +Among other things he asked if the devil was coming after master. + +The echo replied, "The debil comin' after master," and repeated it a +great many times. + +Bill now became convinced that it was the devil himself that he had +been talking to. + +On the night when the pirates were so frightened by the fearful groan, +Bill was lying awake, listening to the captain's story. When he came +to the part where he describes the throwing the boy's father +overboard, and speaks of the horrible groan, Bill put his mouth to the +crevice, and imitated the groan, which had been too deeply fixed in +his memory ever to be forgotten, giving full scope to his voice. + +The effect astonished and frightened him as well as the pirates. + +With the same success he imitated the Indian war-whoop, which he had +learned while among the savages. + +The next time that the pirates were so terribly frightened, the alarm +was caused by Fire Cloud after his visit to the cave on the occasion +that he had been taken for the devil by Bill, and an Indian ghost by +Hellena. + +Fire Cloud had remained in another chamber of the cavern connected +with the secret passage already described, and where the echo was even +more wonderful than the one pronounced from the opening through which +the negro had spoken. + +Here he could hear all that was passing in the great chamber occupied +by the pirates, and from this chamber the echoes were to those who did +not understand their cause, perfectly frightful. + +All these peculiarities of the cavern had been known to the ancient +Indian priests or medicine men, and by them made use of to impose on +their ignorant followers. + + + + +BEADLE'S FRONTIER SERIES + + + 1. The Shawnee's Foe. + 2. The Young Mountaineer. + 3. Wild Jim. + 4. Hawk-Eye, the Hunter. + 5. The Boy Guide. + 6. War Tiger of the Modocs. + 7. The Red Modocs. + 8. Iron Hand. + 9. Shadow Bill, the Scout. + 10. Wapawkaneta, or the Rangers of the Oneida. + 11. Davy Crockett's Boy Hunter. + 12. The Forest Avenger. + 13. Old Jack's Frontier Cabin. + 14. On the Deep. + 15. Sharp Snout. + 16. The Mountain Demon. + 17. Wild Tom of Wyoming. + 18. The Brave Boy Hunters of Kentucky. + 19. The Fearless Ranger. + 20. The Haunted Trapper. + 21. Madman of the Colorado. + 22. The Panther Demon. + 23. Slashaway, the Fearless. + 24. Pine Tree Jack. + 25. Indian Jim. + 26. Navajo Nick. + 27. The Tuscarora's Vow. + 28. Deadwood Dick, Jr. + 29. A New York Boy Among the Indians. + 30. Deadwood Dick's Big Deal. + 31. Hank, the Guide. + 32. Deadwood Dick's Dozen. + 33. Squatty Dick. + 34. The Hunter's Secret. + 35. The Woman Trapper. + 36. The Chief of the Miami. + 37. Gunpowder Jim. + 38. Mad Anthony's Captain. + 39. The Ranger Boy's Career. + 40. Old Nick of the Swamp. + 41. The Shadow Scout. + 42. Lantern-Jawed Bob. + 43. The Masked Hunter. + 44. Brimstone Jake. + 45. The Irish Hunter. + 46. Dave Bunker. + 47. The Shawnee Witch. + 48. Big Brave. + 49. Spider-Legs. + 50. Harry Hardskull. + 51. Madman of the Ocont. + 52. Slim Jim. + 53. Tiger-Eye. + 54. The Red Star of the Seminoles. + 55. Trapper Joe. + 56. The Indian Queen's Revenge. + 57. Eagle-Eyed Zeke. + 58. Scar-Cheek, the Wild Half-Breed. + 59. Red Men of the Woods. + 60. Tuscaloosa Sam. + 61. The Bully of the Woods. + 62. The Trapper's Bride. + 63. Red Rattlesnake, The Pawnee. + 64. The Scout of Tippecanoe. + 65. Old Kit, The Scout. + 66. The Boy Scouts. + 67. Hiding Tom. + 68. Roving Dick, Hunter. + 69. Hickory Jack. + 70. Mad Mike. + 71. Snake-Eye. + 72. Big-Hearted Joe. + 73. The Blazing Arrow. + 74. The Hunter Scouts. + 75. The Scout of Long Island. + 76. Turkey-Foot. + 77. The Death Rangers. + 78. Bullet Head. + 79. The Indian Spirit. + 80. The Twin Trappers. + 81. Lightfoot the Scout. + 82. Grim Dick. + 83. The Wooden-Legged Spy. + 84. The Silent Trapper. + 85. Ugly Ike. + 86. Fire Cloud. + 87. Hank Jasper. + 88. The Scout of the Sciota. + 89. Black Samson. + 90. Billy Bowlegs. + 91. The Bloody Footprint. + 92. Marksman the Hunter. + 93. The Demon Cruiser. + 94. Hunters and Redskins. + 95. Panther Jack. + 96. Old Zeke. + 97. The Panther Paleface. + 98. The Scout of the St. Lawrence. + 99. Bloody Brook. + 100. Long Bob of Kentucky. + +THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. Cleveland, U.S.A. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Fire Cloud, by Samuel Fletcher + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK FIRE CLOUD *** + +***** This file should be named 37006.txt or 37006.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/3/7/0/0/37006/ + +Produced by Greg Weeks and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. 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