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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 50723 ***
+
+THE DEMON CRUISER.
+
+BY
+R. L. WHEELER.
+
+_Copyright, 1909, by James Sullivan._
+
+_All Rights Reserved._
+
+
+Published by
+THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK COMPANY
+Cleveland, Ohio, U. S. A.
+
+(Printed in the United States of America)
+
+
+
+
+TABLE OF CONTENTS
+
+
+CHAPTER                                            PAGE
+
+I.      A Dark Deed                                   9
+
+II.     The Box                                      14
+
+III.                                                 19
+
+IV.     Lashed and Adrift                            25
+
+V.      The Island                                   30
+
+VI.     The Vision                                   36
+
+VII.    The Attack                                   40
+
+VIII.   Drifting On                                  46
+
+IX.     Driven Away                                  50
+
+X.      Haunted                                      55
+
+XI.     On the Ledge                                 61
+
+XII.    Captured                                     65
+
+XIII.   Walled In                                    71
+
+XIV.    In the Tree                                  75
+
+XV.     Out of the Tree                              80
+
+XVI.    The Fire-Chasm                               85
+
+XVII.   Unexpected                                   89
+
+XVIII.  Conclusion                                   96
+
+
+
+
+THE DEMON CRUISER.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+A DARK DEED.
+
+
+The ship _Maxwell_, Captain Roberts, homeward bound from Australia to
+New York, was bowling along upon her course under full sail.
+
+It was a dark night, unrelieved save by the phosphor gleam of the seas
+around the vessel, and the light of the two lanterns hung up in the
+fore and mizzen rigging.
+
+The _Maxwell_ had one passenger--a gentleman named William Manton,
+who, having accumulated a fortune at Australia, was now returning
+to the United States, where his wife had died during his absence,
+but where he expected to find his daughter, Mary, and a young man of
+nineteen years old, living with an aunt in New York.
+
+In an iron box the passenger carried his fortune--gold pieces,
+amounting in all to five hundred thousand dollars.
+
+He kept the box locked up in his chest, which was provided with a
+patent lock, so arranged that it could not possibly be opened without
+a great deal of noise.
+
+Occasionally Mr. Manton would go to this chest, and, taking out his
+money, look at it to see that all was safe. He was by no means either
+greedy or miserly; but he felt very anxious and careful about this
+money intended for his beloved child. That his death was not many
+years distant, he felt sure, as he had long suffered from an incurable
+complaint of the liver.
+
+This might be detected now in his sallow skin, sunken cheeks, and
+hollow eyes, as in his room he bent over his box--counting the bright,
+yellow pieces of gold.
+
+In every other respect, Mr. Manton was a fine looking old gentleman,
+being broad-shouldered and strong, with long arms, erect form, and
+piercing glance.
+
+There was upon his face, at present, a look of intense satisfaction,
+as coin after coin, in hard, shining pieces passed through his hands.
+
+"Ay," he muttered at length, "my girl will never be poor!"
+
+As he spoke, a sudden chill passed through the old man's frame; a
+shudder as if an ice-bolt had come in contact with his body.
+
+He could not divine the cause; but, had he taken pains to glance
+quickly behind him, up at a small opening in his door, he would have
+known that it was the magnetism of the pair of evil-looking eyes there
+which had chilled his blood.
+
+The eyes belonged to a rough, square, dark-skinned face, the owner of
+which was the third mate, Mr. Brand--a man of Portuguese extraction,
+whom the captain had shipped at Australia, to take the place of his
+other third officer, lost overboard in a gale.
+
+Brand was an excellent sailor, but a reckless, good-for-nothing fellow
+at heart; a cruel, bloody-thirsty wretch, who had committed almost
+every crime one can imagine, except murder!
+
+Still it was evident the man had a conscience, as he would sometimes
+get to thinking of the evil course he had pursued, and resolve to
+reform.
+
+Alas! for reformation! rum was his God, and in this he would soon
+drown all his better feelings, and keep getting worse and hardened
+until he grew to be a perfect devil!
+
+Captain Roberts had known nothing of this when he shipped the third
+mate, who could play the hypocrite to perfection when he pleased.
+The fellow drank his rum in the privacy of his own apartment, and
+took good care never to appear on deck intoxicated, for Roberts was
+a stern, resolute, temperate man, who would never have forgiven his
+second officer for being drunk on duty.
+
+It was now Brand's watch below. In his apartment he had heard the
+click of Mr. Manton's chest-lock; a noise which had saluted his ears,
+since leaving Australia more than once. Determined to ascertain the
+cause, he had emerged from his room in his stocking feet, and made his
+way to Manton's door as shown.
+
+As he watched the old man counting his money; as he saw the glitter of
+those bright pieces, his mouth fairly watered, and a fearful purpose
+began to gather strength at his heart.
+
+Having seen Manton return the little box to his chest, the third mate
+stole back to his berth, and lay a long time awake, endeavoring to
+plan a scheme for obtaining the money.
+
+"Wouldn't like to take the old gent's life," he muttered; "and
+won't--no I won't; for bad as Dick Brand is, he has never yet
+murdered."
+
+The more he thought, however, the less fearful became the idea of
+murder.
+
+The gold--the broad glittering pieces of bright gold, threw a glimmer
+over the dark suggestion creeping into and gaining force over his mind!
+
+Clink! clink! clink!
+
+He imagined he could still hear the noise of the pieces lightly
+striking against each other, as when the old man counted them!
+
+The sweat came out upon his brow; he felt feverish and restless to
+commence the work now, to at once possess himself by a bold stroke, of
+the treasure!
+
+There were no persons in the cabin but Mr. Manton, himself, and the
+steward, the captain, with the first and second officers being on
+deck, and not apt to come below until two bells--ten o'clock, which
+was yet an hour distant. The steward slept away off at the further end
+of the cabin, and being a sound sleeper, there was no danger of his
+waking from any noise less than that of a thunderbolt.
+
+Brand, however, to make sure, now rose, and going to the steward's
+door listened intently, when the heavy breathing of the man convinced
+him that his present slumber was no exception to the rule.
+
+In the middle of the state-room the dark schemer paused, glancing up
+at the companionway. The spray occasionally entering this in drops,
+would give him an excuse for closing the slide, so that he could hear
+if any person should attempt to enter during the performance of his
+fearful work.
+
+Then Brand asked himself what he should do after committing the deed.
+
+Investigation would follow, and there were many ways in which he might
+be discovered.
+
+"Curses upon it! I had not thought of that," muttered the wretch,
+fairly grinding his teeth.
+
+He went back to his berth, not to sleep, but to endeavor to plan a
+safer scheme!
+
+It seemed as if the evil one favored him!
+
+At six bells--two hours after ten o'clock--while the captain and first
+mate slept profoundly in their respective apartments, adjoining the
+steward's, Brand heard a noise, and cautiously peering through his
+door saw Mr. Manton, half dressed, about to go on deck, as was often
+his custom, to take a mouthful of fresh air.
+
+He locked his door carefully after him; then ascended the companion.
+
+Brand waited a few minutes, then one moment exulting, and the next
+shuddering at the thought of the deed contemplated, he cautiously made
+his way on deck.
+
+The rascal had carefully considered the purpose in view. He felt
+certain that no man aboard but himself, knew of the fortune carried by
+Mr. Manton in his chest. The passenger was not at all communicative,
+while the captain and his first and second officers were. Therefore,
+had they known of the box of money, they would have talked enough
+about it for all hands to become in a short time, posted on the
+subject.
+
+Brand's first step, on reaching the deck, was to ascertain the
+relative position of the officer of the watch, the passenger and the
+man at the wheel.
+
+The latter, located near the steerage, was looking sharply at the
+compass, as it was his duty to do, while the officer of the watch had
+gone amidships, where he stood leaning over the rail, evidently in a
+reverie. As to the passenger, he had moved far off, and was leaning
+across the bulwarks astern, the better to get the benefit of the fresh
+breeze then blowing square into his face.
+
+"Now, then," thought Brand, drawing from his breast pocket a small,
+sharp dirk.
+
+Noiselessly as a snake, he stole behind the passenger, then, starting
+up and throwing a quick glance round him to make sure that everything
+was still favorable, he drew off to stab Mr. Manton in the back.
+
+Chance willed that the latter should turn at this critical instant.
+
+Involuntarily he seized the ruffian's wrist, and being a resolute man,
+grappled him by the throat with the other hand.
+
+Fearful that the man would sing out, which he certainly would have
+done at once but for a cold lately contracted in the throat, Brand
+suddenly pressed this whole tremendous weight against the passenger,
+throwing him backward head over heels across the bulwarks into the sea.
+
+A splash--a gurgling cry--a hand thrown up above the dark water!
+
+Then no sound was to be heard save the ordinary noises of a vessel
+booming along with the wind and waves roaring, and yards, masts and
+timbers creaking.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+THE BOX.
+
+
+After committing this dark deed, Brand, crouching in the shadow of the
+bulwarks, waited to make sure that the splash had not been heard by
+any other than himself.
+
+Assured of this in a few moments, the third officer crawled back to
+the companionway and descended as cautiously as he had come.
+
+Entering the state room, he made his way to Manton's door, determined
+as soon as possible, to possess himself of the treasure.
+
+Procuring a bunch of skeleton keys, which he always carried with him,
+he endeavored to unlock the door.
+
+Vain the effort; not one of the keys would answer.
+
+The rascal then drew forth his penknife, and with some trouble
+contrived at last to pick the lock.
+
+Entering and carefully shutting the door, he advanced to the chest,
+which he soon opened with the key belonging to it, found hanging up
+near the head of the berth Manton had occupied.
+
+He drew forth the box, his eyes snapping with greed, his fingers
+itching to handle the glittering contents. The box was heavy, being
+made of iron and rather large, measuring about a foot in breadth and
+length.
+
+An exultant grin crossed the man's face, giving to it an expression
+perfectly hideous, as, carefully closing the chest and locking it, he
+made his way back to his own apartment with the treasure box.
+
+Arrived there, he held the box up before him, and examined it on all
+sides, but could discover no way to open it.
+
+"Ay, ay," he muttered, "I see how it is. The box has a secret spring,
+which I must find before I can get at the treasure. A blasted fine way
+of savin' money. I'd like to feast my eyes upon them shiners again,
+but guess I'll wait until I get housed before I do so, as one never
+knows who be a-watchin' him, and my bein' discovered a-counting these
+pieces, might lead to unpleasant questioning."
+
+He deposited the box in his own chest, upon which he sat down, after
+locking it.
+
+He had obtained what he coveted, but somehow it did not bring him the
+expected satisfaction.
+
+The gurgling cry of Mr. Manton kept sounding in his ears with a
+pertinacity truly appalling! The weird eyes of the man, gleaming and
+rolling in his head, also haunted the fellow's mind!
+
+He rose, sat down again--then rose a second time, and threw himself
+upon his berth, trying to sleep.
+
+After awhile he fell into a feverish slumber, and dreamed he saw the
+drowned victim come up, looking white and cadaverous, with clothes and
+hair dripping, hanging suspended right over his head!
+
+In his terror he uttered a hoarse shriek, which not only waked him,
+but also the captain, who came rushing to his door, asking him what
+was the matter:
+
+"Nothing--a nightmare I s'pose!" answered Brand, with a forced laugh.
+
+The captain, satisfied, returned to his berth and slept again.
+
+Brand, however, could not sleep. He was on deck before morning, when,
+with an involuntary shudder, he glanced astern, through the flying
+rack and scud of a gale which was rising.
+
+Far in the distance he then beheld a bright light--a red, lurid glare,
+apparently shooting up from the sea.
+
+It was a volcano, which for years had not burned, but was breaking out
+afresh on one of the Esmedura Islands.
+
+Brand thought it was a ship on fire.
+
+"We'd better veer round, then," remarked the officer of the watch.
+
+"Oh, no!" Brand exclaimed, involuntarily.
+
+The vision of Manton's dead body, which might be discovered floating
+upon the water, rose before his mind.
+
+The second officer informed the captain about the light, when, using
+his night-glass, the skipper soon ascertained and explained the cause
+of the fire.
+
+Brand breathed a sigh of relief.
+
+When morning came, Manton was missed at breakfast. Having always found
+him punctual, the captain was alarmed. He went to the room and opened
+the door when no answer was returned to his summons, to find the old
+man missing.
+
+Search was made--of course in vain--Brand apparently the most zealous
+of all in his efforts to find the missing one.
+
+"He's gone, shipmates, it's my opinion, where's neither weepin' nor
+whaling," said a voice behind Brand, while he was looking in the hold.
+
+The third officer turned to behold Tom Turk, a queer old tar, with
+enormous head and body, and short, thick legs.
+
+Brand looked at him, keenly.
+
+"What did you say?" he inquired, sharply.
+
+"It's plain English, ain't it?" said Turk, rolling his quid round and
+round: "there's neither weepin nor whalin' in t'other land. The old
+man to my thinkin', was a good sort o' chap what has gone, sir, where
+p'raps neither you nor I will go, sir, seein' as we've our bad p'ints!"
+
+Brand eyed the speaker steadily, and was satisfied that he knew
+nothing of the dark deed committed.
+
+Meantime the search was continued, until it was concluded that the old
+man, whose habit of rousing up at eight was well known, had fallen
+overboard.
+
+Several months later the vessel arrived at New York Harbor.
+
+Scarcely was she anchored when a boat containing, besides the rowers,
+a female and a young man, was seen pulling towards her.
+
+The boat was soon alongside, when the young man--a tall, fine looking
+fellow, sprang out to assist the lady at up the gangway. She was a
+beautiful girl, with brown hair flowing in curls over her shoulders, a
+white rose-tinted skin, large, intelligent blue eyes and a form full
+rounded grace.
+
+The moment she reached the deck, she glanced eagerly round her.
+
+"Where is he? Where is Mr. Manton, my father, sir?" she said,
+addressing the captain.
+
+The latter's countenance fell; in a few words he explained.
+
+It was a terrible shock to the girl. Pale as death she staggered, and
+would have fallen but for the support of her companion's arm.
+
+When she could stand alone, he inquired all the particulars of the
+captain, who promptly gave what information he could.
+
+"Are you certain he was lost?" inquired the young man; "was there no
+way in which he might have saved himself?"
+
+"I fear not," was the reply. "We must have been two miles from land at
+the time."
+
+"Papa was an excellent swimmer," faltered the young girl. "He might
+have reached the land."
+
+The captain, however, shook his head, saying he felt quite certain
+that his passenger was not saved.
+
+Further remarks were exchanged, when the captain added that the
+passenger's chest, unmolested, was in the cabin as it had been left.
+
+At this, Brand, who stood not far off, turned aside his head and felt
+uneasy.
+
+What more probable than that Manton had written to his daughter,
+telling her about the box with him. Just where he kept it, and how
+much it contained.
+
+If that were so, however, it was evident that at present all
+considerations were drowned in the grief and excitement the girl felt
+at the sudden news of her parent's loss.
+
+With a mute but expressive look, she turned towards the young man,
+her companion, who at once helped her down the gangway, telling the
+captain that the chest would be sent for.
+
+"Good riddance!" thought Brand; "I must get away from this craft as
+soon as I can."
+
+Next day he applied for his discharge, which the captain granted. An
+hour later, Brand and the chest were lodged at a seaman's boarding
+house in ---- street.
+
+Carefully locking his door and pulling down the window curtains, the
+third officer drew the iron box from the chest. After a long search
+he found the secret spring, which proved to be one of the small brass
+nails with which the box was studded.
+
+Trembling with greedy expectation, he pressed against it, when the lid
+flew open.
+
+Then a strange cry burst from his lips.
+
+The box was empty!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+
+For several moments the man continued staring at the empty box, wholly
+unable to account for the singular discovery.
+
+Then he sat down and ruminated. No living soul aboard the vessel had
+known of his possessing the box, therefore he was certain that the
+money could not have been extracted after he obtained it.
+
+The only inference was that the money was not in the box when he took
+it.
+
+Where then was it?
+
+Vainly the man puzzled his brains: he could arrive at no definite
+conclusion.
+
+Weeks passed.
+
+Manton's chest must by this time, have been received and opened by his
+daughter. Brand had seen several of the ship's officers, but it was
+evident they had not heard of Manton's daughter missing anything from
+the chest.
+
+Brand, therefore, breathed easy on this score, believing that, after
+all, the passenger had not written a word to his daughter about the
+box.
+
+Two weeks later, by recommendation of Captain Roberts, who had found
+Brand to be an excellent seaman, the latter obtained command of a ship
+called the _Quadrant_, bound to Australia and the East Indies.
+
+While Brand was preparing his vessel for sea, he had a visit from the
+owner.
+
+"Captain," said the latter, "you will cruise awhile off the islands,
+in the neighborhood of Australia, and visit some of them before going
+into Sydney."
+
+"What for?" inquired Brand.
+
+The order had really been an unpleasant one to him, as if brought
+afresh to his imagination, the drowned body of his victim, Mr.
+Manton, floating about on the water.
+
+"Because," answered the owner, "the daughter of that passenger aboard
+the _Maxwell_, Mr. Manton, cannot be persuaded that her father was
+really lost. She is anxious to investigate the matter; to search all
+the islands she can, especially that one upon which was seen the
+volcano!"
+
+Objections rose to Brand's white lips; but he dared not give them
+utterance, fearful of exciting suspicion.
+
+"The lady," continued the owner, "will be accompanied by a young
+man--her affianced, who has been in the United States navy, and
+is a good sailor, from whom, in case of emergency, you may derive
+assistance. He is one of my clerks; a worthy young man, whom I hope
+you will treat with all due courtesy."
+
+"Ay, ay, sir," answered Brand, who could be pleasant enough when he
+chose.
+
+Next day he went about shipping his crew, among whom was old Tom Turk.
+
+Brand admired the latter's skill in seamanship, and this was his only
+reason for taking him, as in every other respect he disliked him.
+
+The vessel ready a fortnight later, got under weigh, and was soon
+plunging her bows into the dark waters of the Atlantic.
+
+On the quarter deck, by the side of Mary Manton, stood Harry
+Granville, her lover, endeavoring to cheer her spirits, which had
+drooped ever since the fearful news of her father's disappearance from
+the _Maxwell_.
+
+Brand, superintending the work aboard the vessel, watched the lovers
+askance. The presence of the daughter of the very man he had pushed
+overboard, made him feel uneasy.
+
+Every time he encountered the great, earnest blue eyes, it seemed to
+him as if they could see, away down into his soul, the dark secret he
+intended to carry with him to his grave!
+
+Favored by fair winds the vessel, in a few months arrived in the
+latitude where the tragedy had taken place.
+
+"Here is where the passenger fell overboard!" said Brand, addressing
+Harry Grenville, one evening, just after sundown.
+
+The young man went into the cabin, whence he soon reappeared with
+Mary, whose eyes were suffused with tears, while she gazed earnestly
+upon the water, as if there hoping to see the form of her parent
+reappear.
+
+Brand, walking his quarter-deck, kept his eyes steadily averted from
+her face.
+
+Gradually darkness stole round the vessel, when, far ahead, a bright,
+lurid light broke upon the vision of Mary Manton.
+
+"What is that?" she inquired of her lover.
+
+He informed her that it was a volcano.
+
+"Then that is the volcanic island where we are to search," said Mary.
+
+"Yes," answered Harry, "but you must not hope to discover anything.
+From this point no man could hardly hope to swim to that island."
+
+Mary sighed heavily.
+
+At the same moment, she noticed that her lover's head was inclined
+sideways.
+
+She was then sensible of a distant humming, roaring noise, growing
+louder and louder!
+
+"It is the volcano, is it not?" she inquired.
+
+"No," answered Harry, "it is a storm coming up."
+
+He sprang to the companion and glanced at the barometer, which,
+however, for some reason, had fallen but little.
+
+"The instrument must be out of repair," said Harry.
+
+Then he stepped to the captain's side, and questioned him when he was
+informed that the barometer was injured.
+
+"I need no such toy," continued Brand, "to tell me when a storm is
+a-comin' up! I've heard the wind pipe too often for that."
+
+"We are going to have a hard blow, pretty soon," said Harry--"don't
+you hear?"
+
+"That's the volcano, youngster!" answered Brand gruffly.
+
+"You are mistaken."
+
+"Peers I know my business!"
+
+"I am sure it is the gale we hear. You would do well to take in sail."
+
+"I hope I'm master abroad my own craft," said Brand, sneering.
+
+"We will leave it to some of your oldest seaman," said Glenville,
+wishing to avoid a quarrel, if possible.
+
+Several of the old tars, among them Turk, were called up. They agreed
+with Glenville.
+
+"I've heerd the roarin' of a volcanic, before now," said Turk, "which,
+beggin' pardon, sir, is no more like a gale a-comin' up than this is
+like the thump of a handspike," taking out his quid and throwing it
+violently to the deck.
+
+Brand, however, skillful seaman though he was, refused to be
+convinced, until suddenly he beheld driving down upon him from
+windward, a long line of white water, showing like a wall through the
+gloom.
+
+Then the unmistakable notes of the tempest were heard by all aboard.
+
+"Go below," said Harry to his fair companion.
+
+She obeyed trembling; at the same moment, with a whis and a rush, the
+storm was heard sweeping along towards the vessel.
+
+"Hands! by halliards! clew up everything lively there! Mind tacks and
+sheets," screamed Brand, in a voice like the scream of a wild beast.
+
+Top-gallant sails, topsail, foresail and mainsail were soon clewed up,
+and the seamen's forms were distinctly seen running up through the
+gloom.
+
+Too late! While the poor fellows were yet upon the yards, the storm,
+with the din of a thousand furies, struck the devoted ship.
+
+At first nothing could be seen or heard, save the rush and the roar of
+the tempest.
+
+The spray shrouded the ship as in a white cloud, flying all round
+her, blinding and bewildering the men, while the roar of the sea, the
+creaking, snapping and straining of yards and masts, the creaking
+of the timbers, the cannon-like report of the sails, slatting all
+over the vessel, with the whipping about of ropes, tacks and sheets,
+created a din such as only the sailor, caught unawares in a storm, can
+realize.
+
+Vainly Brand, claining to a rope near the mizzenmast, endeavored to
+make himself heard; his voice was as a mere whisper in contrast with
+the shrieking and howling of the storm.
+
+Meanwhile far down, with her rail buried, the ship tore away through
+the mad waters, swift as a thunderbolt, pitching meanwhile with a
+violence which threw several men off the yard into the white and black
+mist of spray and storm, bubbling, boiling and rolling beneath.
+
+Harry Glenville had sprung aloft to cheer and encourage the men.
+
+Vainly endeavoring to make himself heard, he was suddenly thrown from
+his position, and must have gone overboard but for his catching the
+backstay and by this reaching the deck.
+
+No need now of men to pull the sails. With a sharp tearing sound,
+like the blasts from a thousand bass trumpets, every strip of canvass
+aboard the vessel was torn to shreds and carried far off into the rack
+and scud.
+
+Soon after there was a crash, when down came the fore and main
+topmasts, falling over the side, and dragging the ship down, so that
+half of her decks were buried, while the seas continually broke over
+the other part.
+
+In a few minutes Brand, with the help of his speaking trumpet, was
+enabled to make himself heard by shrieking into the very ears of the
+men.
+
+"Clear the wreck!" was his first order, which Tom Turk at once sprang
+to obey, axe in hand.
+
+Harry Glenville, similarly provided, was at the side of the old tar,
+to whom he had taken quite a fancy, and who he had reason to believe,
+appreciated and was glad of his notice.
+
+The two soon gaining the wreck, went to work, having previously
+fastened ropes round their middles to prevent themselves from being
+washed overboard.
+
+With a few blows they renewed the encumbrances, when the vessel
+partially righted.
+
+The wind was now blowing a perfect tornado, keeping the spray down
+almost upon the surface of the sea, which was nearly as flat as a
+floor.
+
+The ship also feeling this pressure, instead of now rolling and
+plunging, was forced down into the stormy sea almost to the middle of
+her bulwarks, while her bows were completely buried.
+
+Harry had taken off the rope, and was about returning aft, when the
+water forward swept by an erratic movement of the ship, caught him and
+carried him from his feet!
+
+Like a shot he was whirled over the bulwarks, when he caught a small,
+rotten piece of rope hanging from the shrouds.
+
+Brand, who was not far off, might easily have saved him by springing
+and grasping his hand.
+
+For reasons which may be imagined, he resolved to leave the man to his
+fate!
+
+The rope being, as stated, a rotten one, broke!
+
+"My God! he is gone!" shrieked the hypocritical captain.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+LASHED AND ADRIFT.
+
+
+"Guess not!" answered the voice of old Tom Turk, "he's as safe as a
+marlinespike in a rack!"
+
+So saying, the old fellow by a dextrious movement, threw a bowline
+hitch he had quickly formed at the end of a rope, over the young man's
+head, and drew him safely aboard.
+
+Mary, who, hearing of her lover's peril, had ventured on deck in spite
+of the storm, sprang towards him.
+
+"Ay, ay, now, lass!" exclaimed Turk, "mustn't be in too much of a
+hurry to go, as there's a mighty danger of our all goin' before long.
+Bless your pretty eyes! that's what I call a collapse!" as Mary
+impulsively threw her arms around her lover's neck, in her joy at his
+safety.
+
+On went the vessel, booming, crashing, thundering on her course, with
+all her timbers quivering, as if about to fly apart.
+
+"Oh, Harry!" exclaimed Mary, "will this storm ever be over!"
+
+"Yes! be not afraid!" he answered, as he helped her into the cabin.
+
+There he beheld a sight which was truly appalling. The water was
+washing and swashing about the cabin floor up to his very knees, while
+articles of furniture were floating about like so many chips!
+
+The young man conducted the girl back again, and having safely secured
+her to the mizzenmast, by means of a rope, he went over to the captain.
+
+"Your ship has sprung a leak!"
+
+"What?" exclaimed Brand, almost bounding off his feet.
+
+Harry repeated the information, when Brand, peering into the cabin,
+discovered that he had spoken correctly.
+
+The vessel, it was evident, had sprung a leak somewhere beneath the
+counter.
+
+Pumps were immediately rigged, and their dismal clanging was ere long
+heard like a knell through the storm.
+
+The carpenter being sent below, half an hour later, reported the water
+gaining.
+
+Brand stared at him half stupefied.
+
+Then, with eyes rolling wildly in his head, he shrieked out:
+
+"I might have known I'd have no luck in these accursed waters!"
+
+He drew back, shuddering from head to foot. The blue eyes of Mary
+Manton were turned full upon his dark, distorted face!
+
+"Why?" inquired a voice at his elbow, when, turning he beheld Harry
+Glenville.
+
+He gave the young man a black look! then uttered a horrible oath!
+
+"Blast you, young eavesdropper, are you a-goin' to follow me about
+like a spy?"
+
+"I don't understand! You talk foolishly!" said Harry.
+
+"Do I?" inquired Brand, with a sneer, apparently recovering his
+calmness all of a sudden. "Well, I'll tell you what I meant. I meant
+on account of the infernal storms one often meets with in these
+latitudes. It matters little, however, we are all doomed to Davy Jones
+now, unless we can get off in the boats!"
+
+"Ay, ay, the boats are probably our only recourse!" answered Harry,
+with great coolness.
+
+Brand admired him in spite of himself.
+
+"Why, now, blast it! it seems to me you take matters easy, youngster!"
+
+"This is not the first storm I've seen!" answered Harry.
+
+"No! but when you know that it's p'raps to be your last, one would
+think you'd feel uneasy, to say the least."
+
+"A difference in temperaments," answered the other; "but come! don't
+you think we'd better be getting the boats ready? The lashings are
+loose and they'll soon be adrift, if we don't hurry."
+
+"Ho, ho! so you're getting anxious, after all, my young shaver!"
+
+"Not in the least for myself," answered Harry contemptuously, "but
+there is another in my charge."
+
+As the young man spoke, the ship suddenly fell off, when, with a crash
+and a roar like a thunderbolt, a huge cataract of water was borne
+directly across the vessel, carrying away the wheelhouse with the man
+at the helm, the caboose, a part of the forecastle, and last, but by
+far not least, all the boats, which, as Harry had stated, were become
+loosened in their lashings.
+
+This catastrophe held every man mute after he had saved himself from
+going overboard.
+
+White and dumb the sailors saw the last means of their leaving the
+doomed ship borne away from them.
+
+"It's all up with us!" screamed Brand--the first to break the silence.
+
+"We are lost! we cannot be saved! Is it not so?" cried Mary, clinging
+to the arm of her lover.
+
+"There is no telling!" he answered; "but hope for the best."
+
+Just then the ship falling off yet further, headed directly for that
+great mass of red lurid light, gleaming like a bonfire of demons
+through the bleak darkness of the night and the storm.
+
+"Ay, ay, there's the volcano," cried Harry.
+
+"Yes, how like a beacon of hope it seems!" exclaimed Mary.
+
+"Ay, a hell-beacon!" growled the captain, as he passed into the cabin.
+
+What business had he in the cabin at such a moment, when his ship was
+going down into the dark waters!
+
+Rum!
+
+He would drink, drink, drink, drowning the dragon of conscience which,
+in this dread moment, seemed gnawing at his very vitals.
+
+Up to his waist in water, he found the swimming chests containing his
+grog, and breaking it open, poured the fiery contents of one of the
+bottles down his throat.
+
+The next moment he felt a rope drawing tightly round his breast
+beneath the armpits, became aware then of being hauled up through the
+companionway, while the voice of old Tom Turk rang in his ears:
+
+"Hold there, Cap! Blast me, sir, but this ain't a square above-board
+bizness, do you see--a drinkin' of grog when there's peril! How do
+you know, but some of t'others aboard would like a few tauts, when
+opportunity drifts to em."
+
+The captain would have responded the minute he was hauled up, with a
+blow of the fist, or at least an oath but for the terrible catastrophe
+which now seemed impending.
+
+Humming, gurgling and roaring, a strange noise, growing louder every
+moment, was heard in the hold.
+
+"God help us all!" screamed the carpenter; "no more use at them pumps.
+What you hear is the water surgin' into the hold."
+
+Mary clung closely to her lover, while the men with axes at once went
+to work, chopping down pieces of timber for the purpose of forming a
+raft.
+
+"How far should you judge we are from yonder island!" said Harry, now
+pointing to the red gleam which seemed to send a track of lurid fire
+shooting through the darkness.
+
+"Well," answered Tom Turk, "it's hard tellin' at night though I'm
+shouldn't say we're more than a league from it. It's symbological,"
+continued Turk, gloomily crossing his arms over his breast, "to many
+of us as shall go below instead of aloft."
+
+"I dare say you have sinned as well as others, you old rascal!" cried
+Brand, fiercely addressing the speaker.
+
+"There's no denying that," answered Tom; "I have sinned when I was
+a little chip, but not since the days o' my apple steelin', from
+orchards and such like. Ever since, I have behaved myself like a
+martyr, confinin' myself to but eights tauts of grog at a time--when I
+could get it, that is; which ain't under present state of affairs."
+
+Meanwhile the men hurried to construct the raft, which was at last
+completed in a clumsy manner, owing to the hurried nature of the work.
+
+It was high time it was finished, for every part of the craft except a
+dry spot on the quarterdeck, was now buried, the water reaching half
+way up the stumps of the shattered masts.
+
+The raft was secured alongside, after which Harry helped Mary to the
+floating platform, taking care to lash her securely to the timbers.
+
+In a minute all hands were upon the raft, and Brand was about severing
+the rope with his knife, when, with a sudden lurch, down went the ship
+dragging the floating platform with it.
+
+The men drifted off into sea! but Mary being lashed to the raft went
+down with it!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+THE ISLAND.
+
+
+As the young girl disappeared beneath the dark waters, two persons
+dove after her, determined to accomplish her rescue or perish in the
+attempt.
+
+Those two were Harry Glenville and old Tom Turk.
+
+Could they reach the girl and bring her to the surface, they might
+easily manage to lash her to some one of the many planks and spars
+floating around them, and faintly revealed in the lurid gleam
+streaming along the waters from the volcano, now less than two miles
+distant.
+
+Down under the sea, Turk and his friend finally came upon the girl,
+when, with one blow of his knife, hold ready in his right hand, Harry
+severed the rope holding Mary to the raft.
+
+Now, however, he felt the force of the downward suction of the doomed
+ship, and was unable to ascend with his burden to the surface of the
+sea.
+
+In this situation the young man preserved his presence of mind,
+holding to Mary with a firm grasp, his right arm round her waist,
+while with the other he paddled under water, hoping soon to get out of
+range of the suction force dragging him down.
+
+In about a minute, he became aware that he was ascending with great
+rapidity, and then comprehended that the whirlpool formed by the
+sinking craft had subsided, shooting him and his precious charge
+upward with the bubble caused by the collapsing of the waters.
+
+He was soon at the surface of the sea, to behold his shipmates all
+around him clinging to spars and fragments.
+
+He swam to a spar near him, and, with the ropes dangling therefrom,
+lashed the girl to it; then looked down upon her white, upturned face,
+closed eyes and drooping hair, almost fearing that she was dead!
+
+Far along the waters the light of the volcano, streaming luridly,
+illumined that pale face and shining hair with unearthly radiance.
+
+"Mary, speak to me!" exclaimed the young man. "Tell me that you are
+alive--that you hear me calling you!"
+
+Vain the supplication. Her closed lips remained mute, the eyes were
+not opened, the sad pallor of the face remained unchanged.
+
+Suddenly he became aware of a noise like a porpoise blowing, and
+turning, beheld Tom Turk, who had just risen alongside of him,
+clinging to the same spar to which he hung.
+
+"Phew, bless my eyes!" ejaculated the old sailor, "this is sartinly
+a most uncomfortable siterwation for them as has always sarved their
+captins faithful."
+
+Then he looked closely at the young girl.
+
+"Don't be afraid," he exclaimed, "the gal is all right. That waxy
+look, I'm sartin, ain't from death. She'll git over it! I never saw
+one of the female sect in this siterwation afore, except once off the
+Cape of Good Hope where I was wrecked in the bark _Tempest_. The poor
+creatur' was in the water tied to the bottom of a boat a whole day,
+but the water bein' warm, as it is here, she got over her hardship,
+and I believe is now livin' parfectly healthy with a famerly of small
+children."
+
+"It seems to me, Turk," said Harry, suddenly, "that we are receding
+from the volcanic inland; instead of approaching it."
+
+"I was a-thinkin' of that same," answered Turk; "in fact the wind has
+hauled round a little, and is now a-blowin' from the island, instead
+of towards it."
+
+This troubled the young man much. He now had little hope, in fact, of
+Mary's being saved.
+
+Meanwhile, through the din of the storm, the voices of Turk's
+shipmates were now and then heard, as they drifted along, attached to
+their respective spars.
+
+With the strange coolness of seamen in the most perilous situations,
+many of these men even ventured so far as to laugh and crack jokes as
+they were tossed about on that stormy ocean; so true it is that "Jack
+never despairs while there is a plank under him."
+
+Gradually the voices became more detached as the poor fellows were
+separated further and further from each other by the intervening seas,
+perhaps never again to meet on earth!
+
+Mary Manton now opened her eyes. The plank to which she was attached
+had by this time drifted out of range of the stream of light, but
+Harry and Turk could see the gleam of those bright orbs through the
+darkness.
+
+"Why! where am I? Harry! Harry! where are you?" exclaimed the poor
+girl, while shudder after shudder convulsed her frame.
+
+"I am here, Mary!" he answered. "Cheer up! You are with friends. We
+may, in time, succeed in reaching land."
+
+"Oh, I am so glad you are safe!" she exclaimed, impulsively, resting
+her bright head on his shoulder. "Do you think we are far from land?"
+
+"I hope not," he answered. Then, raising himself halfway out of water,
+and glancing far ahead through the gloom. "God be praised! I think I
+see land, now! at all events there are breakers."
+
+Turk looked in the indicated direction, to behold a long line of white
+water gleaming through the darkness.
+
+"Ay! ay!" he shouted, in a ringing voice, "there is land, sure enough.
+Cheer up, lass, we are near land after all."
+
+"I am afraid our shipmates will not succeed in reaching it," said
+Harry, "as they must be far to leeward of us by this time."
+
+"There's no tellin'," answered Turk; "but I'm afraid not. I hope,
+hows'ever, the poor lads will be picked up, between this and
+to-morrow night, by some passing craft."
+
+All night long the three were borne on, at the mercy of winds and
+waves, nearer and nearer towards the line of white water.
+
+The sufferings of poor Mary were meanwhile intense, and were fully
+appreciated by the two men, notwithstanding the girl's efforts to hide
+her pain and seem cheerful.
+
+Poor child! drenched through and through, cold and feverish by turns,
+with a terrible pain in her head, and half smothered by the seas
+continually breaking over her, no wonder that she suffered!
+
+Almost unconscious when the gray dawn stole upon the waters, she heard
+the ringing tones of Harry Glenville, breaking like music upon her
+half-bewildered senses.
+
+"Land O! right ahead!"
+
+Then Harry, loosening her lashings so that she could turn her head,
+pointed out to her a lofty cape, covered with shrubbery, beneath which
+was a beach covered with beautiful cocoanut trees, now waving wildly
+in the gale!
+
+"Thank God!" she murmured, and endeavored to smile.
+
+The effort, however, was too much. With a faint but glad cry, she fell
+back, half fainting, upon her lover's shoulder.
+
+The drifting spar was now close upon the reef, scarcely five fathoms
+ahead.
+
+In less than half an hour it struck against one of the rocks, when
+Harry and Turk, loosening their fair charge from the spar, surveyed
+the water between the reef and the island.
+
+Concluding that it was shallow enough to enable them to wade, they
+made their way toward the beach, carrying the girl between them.
+
+Soon landing, they found a clear stream, in the heart of a breadfruit
+thicket, with a bank of soft turf upon which they laid the young girl.
+
+Then Turk, with a knowing wink, drew from his pocket a small flask,
+containing a red liquid.
+
+"Though temperance!" said he, "although I ain't never signed no
+pledge, still I will indulge in a draught of this, by way of
+celebratin' our wonderful preservation!"
+
+Before drinking, the old tar put the neck of the bottle between the
+lips of the young girl, pouring some of the brandy down her throat.
+
+The effect was instantaneous; color came to her cheeks, and she opened
+her beautiful blue eyes, which were turned upon her lover before she
+spoke.
+
+"Harry! Where are we now? Are you perfectly safe--uninjured--"
+
+"Ay, ay," interrupted Turk; "that's the way with her sect, always
+a-thinkin' of t'others before themselves."
+
+"I am perfectly well, and uninjured," answered Harry, as he helped
+Mary to her feet. "Come, Turk," he added, to the old sailor, "let us
+get some kind of a shelter up for this poor child!"
+
+A fire was first kindled, dry wood having been found in a hollow
+behind some stones. Then Harry procured a log and made a good seat for
+the girl before the fire, that she might dry her saturated garments.
+
+"This is comfortable," said Turk, as he again raised his flask to his
+lips; "here we are all out of them perils which--"
+
+Harry quietly seized his arm.
+
+"Turk," said he, "we may need that brandy. I will buy it of you."
+
+At this the movements of the old tar were peculiar.
+
+He put the flask down on a flat rock; then he spread his legs apart
+like a pair of compasses, and thrust both hands in his pockets,
+looking at his friend with eyebrows elevated almost to the top of his
+forehead.
+
+"This," said he, slowly, "is an insultin' proposition. Avast! avast!
+about buyin' my grog! D'ye think I would sell it, if it'll be of any
+use to the gal? No; she is perfectly welcome to that and to a gallon,
+had I as much in my possession."
+
+"Nay, Harry," said Mary sweetly, noticing the wistful glances the old
+tar cast at the bottle, even while delivering his magnanimous speech.
+
+"Mr. Turk shall keep his liquor. I will not need it! See, I am quite
+strong!" and she rose briskly to her feet.
+
+"Mr. Turk," muttered the old sailor, "that Mr. which I ain't heard for
+many a year, sounds mighty queer. It's too respectful to sich an old
+hulk as me, Miss. Please drop it and call me plain Tom Turk."
+
+"Tom Turk it shall be, then," answered the young girl.
+
+As she spoke, there was a rustling in the shrubbery near the fire.
+
+"Savages!" gasped Mary; "let us fly."
+
+She shrank back, when parting the bushes a familiar form emerged to
+view.
+
+It was Captain Brand.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+THE VISION.
+
+
+"You here!" exclaimed Harry, starting back.
+
+"And why not?" inquired Brand, with a sinister smile, "haven't I as
+good a right to be saved as yourself?"
+
+"Certainly, and I am glad you have saved yourself. Still your
+appearance surprised me a little, as I had thought that no persons
+except ourselves, had succeeded in reaching this island from the
+wreck."
+
+"It was a narrow escape for me," answered Brand; "the current which
+runs round the extremity of this island, caught me, and I would have
+been whirled past the land, do you see, but for my catching the spur
+of a rock by which I just succeeded in drawing myself ashore."
+
+"Bad eggs always float," said Turk, making a grimace.
+
+"What mean you, you rascal?" cried Brand; "are you regrettin' my
+escape?"
+
+"Not exactly, still I'll own I'd rather some of t'others had been
+saved and you have gone instead."
+
+"Blast you for an unmannerly old dog," shouted Brand; "I've half a
+mind to give you a taste of a rope's end. Just remember you are under
+my orders, now, as you were aboard ship."
+
+"I differ with ye there," answered outspoken Turk; "so much in fact,
+that if you should try to rope's end me, I should have to keel haul
+you."
+
+And Turk, as he spoke, showed a formidable looking fist, hairy and
+covered with protuberances like those one see on the knots of an oak.
+
+Brand's eye flashed fire, and he made a step forward.
+
+Then he controlled himself, muttering something in an inaudible voice.
+
+Meanwhile, the eyes of Mary were turned upon the intruder with a
+mingled expression of fear and dislike.
+
+There was evidently in those eyes some startling resemblance which
+made the captain feel very uneasy, for he half turned his head, while
+a ghastly hue overspread his face.
+
+"So," said Harry, breaking the awkward silence, "we did not reach our
+destination, the volcanic isle, after all."
+
+"No," answered Brand, gloomily.
+
+"Can we not get to it from here?" inquired Mary, eagerly; "I know not
+why, but I feel as if we should there find my poor, lost papa!"
+
+"Never," thought Brand; "your papa has been food for fishes long
+before now."
+
+In a few minutes they were at work erecting bowers.
+
+Turk was moving away, with Brand about to follow him, when, turning
+and catching a sudden glance at the captain, he snatched up his bottle
+and pocketed it.
+
+"You need not be afraid," said the skipper, with a sneer; "I have
+a supply of gin of my own," showing a big black bottle, partially
+protruding from the inside pocket of his jacket.
+
+Turk pulled Harry's sleeve.
+
+"The captain's gin," he whispered, "better than this ere brandy of
+mine, would make an excellent cosmopolite for the gal in case of
+sickness."
+
+"You may keep your brandy if you wish," answered Harry, sternly.
+
+At this reproof, old Turk colored and scratched his head like a
+schoolboy detected in some grave offence.
+
+Then he ran forward, and grasped the young man's hand.
+
+"I wouldn't taste a drop of my grog for the world, since the gal may
+want it. Still do ye see, human natur' is human natur', and I'm bound
+to say that I have been selfish in this matter, to the great sorrer of
+Tom Turk."
+
+Two bowers were soon erected of twigs and leaves; one for the
+accommodation of the men, the other for Mary.
+
+With their jackets and a multitude of dried leaves, the men formed a
+pleasant little retreat for the young girl, who thanked them for their
+pains.
+
+Towards sundown the gale abated. The men took advantage of this to
+construct, with some fragments of the wreck drifted ashore, a raft,
+upon which they paddled out to the reef, where several barrels and
+boxes from the wrecked vessel had drifted. These were found to contain
+hard bread and salt beef, enough to last them for several weeks.
+
+With some difficulty they got the valuable articles over the reef,
+and they were paddling them to land, when they saw Mary, whom they
+had left upon the beach, beckoning to them with an air of fear and
+excitement.
+
+"We had better let the provision go," said Harry.
+
+"No!" exclaimed Brand, "I am captain here. The gal has probably got
+scared at nothing."
+
+"Come, Turk!" said Harry, "if this fellow don't choose to follow us,
+we will leave him."
+
+So saying, the young man plunged into the water, closely followed by
+the old tar, greatly to the indignation of Brand, who, clenching his
+fists, muttered to himself:
+
+"I will be even with them, yet."
+
+Meanwhile the beach now being but twenty yards distant from the raft,
+Harry and his friend were soon ashore.
+
+"Perhaps I was mistaken," said Mary, as she fled to her lover's side,
+"but I feel quite certain I saw the head of a savage, protruding over
+the shrubbery near my bower," pointing as she spoke, towards a clump
+of bushes about forty yards from the sylvan shelter.
+
+Instantly Harry bounded toward the spot, armed with a stout club
+picked up from the ground.
+
+Turk was about following, when a thought seemed to strike him. He
+retraced his step, and, taking from his pocket his bottle of grog,
+rolled it up in a green breadfruit leaf, and presented it to Mary.
+
+"Here, lass!" said he, "please take charge of this and--" here a
+suppressed sob escaped the old fellow, "if I never return to claim it,
+keep it as a testamentary of affection from Tom Turk."
+
+Before the girl could reply, he was off after Harry, who, by this
+time, was close upon the clump of shrubbery.
+
+The young man looked all around him, but could see neither sign nor
+trace of a savage.
+
+Concluding the girl's fancy had deceived her, both men returned to
+assure her that such was the case. Mary, however, looked doubtful.
+
+"It may have been fancy," she said, "but somehow I hardly think it
+was."
+
+Harry endeavoured to quiet her fears, and was finally successful.
+
+Meanwhile Turk was noticed to behave in a singular manner. He
+would walk all round the girl, looking at her, now and then, in a
+significant manner winking first with one eye and then the other.
+
+Annoyed, Harry at length asked him what he wanted.
+
+"Beg pardon, Miss," he stammered "but if you please, that bottle of
+grog!"
+
+Mary blushed, and thrusting her hand in the pocket of her dress,
+pulled forth the flask, which she at once presented to the old sailor.
+
+"Thank ye, Miss," said he, "it shall be preserved for your benefit."
+
+So saying he pocketed the flask, and waded off to the raft to help get
+the box and barrel ashore.
+
+This was soon done.
+
+"We had better stand watch, to-night," said Harry, when the articles
+were brought to the shelter.
+
+"Wherefore?" queried Brand.
+
+"Because Miss Manton will feel much easier, if we do."
+
+"Oh! very well, you can stand watch if you like, but I don't care to
+lose my sleep for nothing."
+
+Night soon closed round the party.
+
+Harry took the first watch, while Turk rolled up like a ball, lay
+cuddled in a corner of the hut.
+
+The storm having now subsided, the sea was almost calm. There was a
+full moon, but the clouds passing along over the sky, in detached
+masses, frequently veiled it.
+
+Harry was pacing his beat, not far from the shrubbery in which Mary
+had fancied she saw the savage, when he suddenly paused, with his ear
+inclined to one side.
+
+Steps, mingled with the murmur of voices, were audible, apparently
+approaching the hut!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+THE ATTACK.
+
+
+To waken Turk and Brand was the work of a moment. Both sprang up to
+hear Harry's explanation.
+
+"We have no arms!" said Brand, "and so we had better be scuddin' off
+as soon as possible!"
+
+Turk thrust his hand in his pocket, and pulling forth his flask of
+grog, eyed it wistfully and anxiously.
+
+"Sooner than this should fall in the hands of them savages," he
+exclaimed, "I had better put it, do you see where by rights it
+belongs, meanin' the stomach of Tom Turk!"
+
+Up went the bottle, and the old tar seemed about drinking, when it
+struck him that the liquor might, after all, come in use for Mary, in
+case they should contrive to make their escape. With a heavy sigh he
+thrust the bottle back into his pocket.
+
+Meanwhile the steps drew nearer.
+
+Harry waked Mary, and at once escorted her to the raft. Not a moment
+too soon, for, with a sudden yell, a large party of fierce-looking
+islanders, tattooed from head to foot, and looming up like demons in
+the faint radiance of the moon, burst forth from a clump of shrubbery,
+about fifty yards distant.
+
+Waving war clubs and spears, while their long hair streamed in
+red, fiery clouds down their backs and shoulders, the wild fellows
+certainly formed a hideous spectacle!
+
+Before the raft could be unfastened, a shower of spears came whizzing
+round the heads of the little party.
+
+"Shove off! shove off!" screamed Brand, as he seized the raft-pole to
+push the floating platform away from the beach.
+
+"Not yet!" cried Mary, noticing that her lover, who had paused to
+collect the jackets left in the huts, and also a few of the biscuits,
+was not upon the raft.
+
+In a moment the young man came panting to the beach.
+
+Brand, however, not heeding the girl's exclamation was about shoving
+off, when Turk caught his arm.
+
+"Avast there, captain! Don't be in too much of a hurry!"
+
+Enraged, the latter glared upon the speaker, but this was no time for
+quarreling.
+
+Harry now sprang from the raft. At the same moment two of the savages,
+ahead of their companions, arriving, seized the rope attached to the
+floating platform, which they endeavored to pull ashore.
+
+To prevent their doing so, Harry stepped to the edge of the raft, and
+with the pole endeavored to strike them on the head.
+
+One of them seizing the pole, gave it a sudden jerk, thus pulling the
+young man off into the water!
+
+With a fierce yell, they then pounced upon him, dragging him to the
+beach!
+
+Feeling that there was not a moment to lose, the young man, by a
+sudden movement, disengaged himself from their clutches; then, picking
+up a spear, drove it through the body of one who had lifted his
+war-club to beat out the sailor's brains!
+
+The other now aimed at Harry's head a furious blow, which must have
+killed him, had it taken effect.
+
+Not so, however, for old Tom Turk, seeing his friend's peril, had
+sprang ashore, and picked up another spear, which he thrust through
+the back of the native!
+
+The scream of the dark-skinned fellow, as, throwing up his arms, he
+fell backward, rang down the sky with startling distinctness, while
+his friends, hearing that scream, and eager for vengeance, came
+dashing on, yelling like a pack of wild hyenas!
+
+With a single bound through the water, Turk and Harry now gained the
+raft, and were soon helping Brand, who had not even left his place,
+push the floating platform out to sea.
+
+Luckily there was an outer current tending towards the reef, and which
+drew the raft rapidly along towards the rocks. This soon was reached,
+while the baffled yells of the savages continued pealing along the
+waters.
+
+As the raft was drawn through an opening in the reef, and the party
+put out to sea, Turk again drew forth his beloved grog, and eyed it
+wistfully.
+
+"Ay, ay, bless your eyes!" said he, "you are too good to grease the
+gullets of them blueskins."
+
+"Put up your grog, Turk," said Harry, "we have more important matters
+to think of."
+
+"Ay, ay," said Brand, gruffly, "we've to think that we may be food for
+fishes!"
+
+"Do you not believe we can reach the volcanic island, now?" inquired
+Mary, as she glanced towards the red light, gleaming, far away, along
+the waters.
+
+"It's hard tellin'," answered Brand. "If there's no heavy sea and we
+can make head against the southern tendency of the current, we may
+contrive to reach the island."
+
+With their poles which were not flat enough for paddles, the party
+made slow progress.
+
+An hour had passed, when, suddenly, Mary pointed far astern towards a
+long, dark object, apparently shooting out from the shore.
+
+"What is that?"
+
+"A canoe, by ----!" ejaculated Brand. "We may as well give up, now!"
+
+"No!" exclaimed Harry, resolutely. "We will not give up! If I mistake
+not," he added, pointing towards a dark mass, floating through the air
+to windward of them, "there is a fog coming up! This will screen us
+from our pursuers!"
+
+"I am glad of that," said Mary, thankfully.
+
+"I'm not so sure it will screen us!" said Brand, "them savages are
+cunnin' rascals!"
+
+"Where there's hope," remarked Turk, "there's no use of throwin'
+clouds over the same."
+
+The fog came fast, and finally thickening around the party, they
+seemed enclosed in a wall of darkness.
+
+"Hark!" said Harry, suddenly, as the dip of the canoe's paddles were
+heard. "We must get the raft round, and try another course!"
+
+This, with some difficulty was done, when the clumsy vessel was urged
+along to the southward.
+
+"Now, then, still as mice!" said Harry.
+
+He was obeyed, those on the raft scarcely breathing.
+
+A moment later something dark, indistinctly seen, was observed gliding
+along past the raft and within twenty fathoms of it!
+
+It was the canoe!
+
+The weary hours of night wore away.
+
+Poor Mary had slept but little, although Turk and Harry had made her
+a comfortable couch with their jackets.
+
+Now, as the gray dawn stole upon the waters, the young girl looked
+round her with a weary sigh.
+
+The fog had cleared, the faint rays of the sun were beginning to tinge
+the east, but, far and wide, nothing but sky and water were visible.
+
+Sky and water, and nothing aboard the raft--not even a morsel of bread
+or a drop of fresh water.
+
+Already the girl began to feel the cravings of thirst. With powerful
+effort, she endeavored to forget that she felt this want, but in vain.
+
+The day wore away, the sun went down, night began to settle upon the
+waters.
+
+The men strained their eyes vainly for land or sail.
+
+Next morning the sufferings of all from thirst were intense. Brand,
+pulling forth his bottle of gin, drank deeply, not offering a drop to
+the rest.
+
+Then Turk presented his grog to Harry.
+
+"Give some to the poor lass!"
+
+Harry did so. She tasted a few drops, but could not be prevailed upon
+to take more.
+
+Turk looked wistfully at the flask, then thrusting it back, muttered:
+
+"No--no! it must all be saved for that poor little girl, God bless her
+eyes!"
+
+One--two--three days passed. Still adrift on the wilderness of ocean.
+No sail--no land--no fresh water.
+
+God help the castaways!
+
+Brand was almost mad. His eyes gleamed like a tiger's--he gnashed his
+teeth!
+
+Harry, too, was scarcely sane! Turk alone remained cool and careful,
+although his sufferings were terrible.
+
+And Mary?
+
+Alas! poor girl--the flush on her sunken cheek burned deep and
+red--her eyes were feverish--her panting breath came thick and
+fast--she was too weak to sit up.
+
+There was no more liquor in Turk's flask. He had given all--every drop
+to the young girl.
+
+So there they all were, still drifting along, a burning sun over their
+heads, the water almost steaming around them.
+
+Gradually a sickly, yellowish mist went over the sun.
+
+Harry watched it a moment, then sprang to his feet, shrieking out:
+
+"Land, oh!"
+
+"Where? where?" queried Brand wildly.
+
+It was pointed out to him, all present saw it now.
+
+There was surely a misty line--a headland, extending away to the south
+and west.
+
+"God be praised," murmured Mary, faintly; "oh Harry! Harry! we shall
+get some fresh water now, and some beautiful fruit!"
+
+The poor creature smacked her lips and clapped her hands as the spoke.
+
+How tediously slow were the movements of the raft.
+
+On it went, however, apparently nearing the land every moment.
+
+At length it seemed scarcely a mile distant.
+
+"We will soon be there, now," exclaimed Mary.
+
+Suddenly a wail went up from the raft, a long, mournful wail--a half
+shriek of astonishment, and bitter disappointment.
+
+The supposed land had suddenly vanished--blown away by a mere puff of
+air.
+
+Alas! it was nothing but a fog bank!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+DRIFTING ON.
+
+
+As the delusive fog was swept away before the breeze, Brand uttered a
+howl, and throwing himself down, dashed his head against one of the
+planks of the raft.
+
+"Eat--drink! I must have something! Come, it is time!"
+
+And he drew forth a clasp knife, eyeing Mary at the same moment with a
+wolfish gleam in the eyes not to be mistaken.
+
+The bare thought seemed to inspire Harry with a rage almost demoniacal.
+
+He threw himself upon the man, wrenching the knife from his grasp, and
+hurling it into the sea.
+
+Then he caught the captain by the throat, and seemed on the point of
+hurling him overboard.
+
+Turk, however, interfered.
+
+"That work won't do, lad! You'd be sorry for it when you got over sich
+feelin's as at present agitates you. Let him alone, sir. We'll all
+have sufferin' enough yet, I'll warrant ye!"
+
+Thus prevailed upon, not only by the old sailor but by the mingled
+pleadings of Mary, Harry relaxed his hold of the fellow, who, with a
+baffled howl, sank down, glaring at the water, as if hoping to see his
+knife again rise to the surface.
+
+Meanwhile a fresh breeze now came along, wrinkling the water, and
+falling upon the heated brows and parched lips of the raft's people,
+inspiring sensations of relief.
+
+Harry took off his outside shirt, and with one of the raft poles, thus
+formed a sail.
+
+"A queer piece of canvass, sartinly," said Tom Turk, mournfully; "but
+as there's a to'gallant sail, we may as well have a topsail, do you
+see?"
+
+So saying, he took off his shirt, which was also put upon the pole.
+
+The impetus thus given to the raft can be hardly credited.
+
+Away it went, rippling the water, at the rate of about three knots.
+
+It was nearly sundown, when Tom Turk suddenly balancing himself upon
+his toes, was heard singing out:
+
+"Land, oh!"
+
+"Another delusion," bitterly exclaimed Harry, not even attempting to
+rise from his position by Mary's side.
+
+"I'm sartin, this time!" exclaimed the old sailor; "fog never looks
+like them black things thereaway," pointing westward.
+
+Harry and Brand were up in a moment, to discover that the old tar had
+indeed spoken truth.
+
+Far away a number of rocks were seen, protruding from the sea.
+
+"Better no land at all than that," growled Brand, in a disappointed
+voice. "We'll find no water there."
+
+On went the raft, and in due time the rocks were gained. They were
+found to be about ten in number, and to rise several feet above the
+surface of the sea.
+
+Brand was the first to spring ashore. Rushing forward, he was suddenly
+seen to throw himself down.
+
+Harry and Turk were soon by his side, to perceive that he had found,
+in a hollow of one of the rocks, a quantity of water, evidently lodged
+there by a recent waterspout, and prevented from drying up by the
+shadow from an overhanging cliff.
+
+It seemed as if the captain would never get his fill.
+
+He drank and drank, drawing in the water with a noise like that of a
+horse at a trough.
+
+At last he rose.
+
+There was a gallon and a half of water still in the rocky basin.
+
+What a contrast now was presented between the conduct of Brand and
+that of his shipmates. Turk filled his flask with the pure element,
+and presented it to Harry, who at once passed it to Mary.
+
+"Drink first!" said the poor girl.
+
+Finding, however, that she could not prevail upon him to do so, Mary
+at length drank her fill.
+
+The effect was magical. Her eyes brightened--the feverish hue seemed
+to leave her cheek--she breathed a grateful sigh of relief.
+
+At the basin, Turk would not drink until his companion had first done
+so.
+
+When all had partaken, there was still a quart of water left.
+
+Turk went to the raft, and, procuring his flask, in which there still
+remained a few drops, he filled it from the hollow, and returning,
+presented it to Mary.
+
+"This is for you, my lass," said he.
+
+Meanwhile, Brand filled his bottle, holding about twice as much as
+Turk's.
+
+Neither Harry nor the old seaman said anything; but they exchanged
+glances, which said plainly:
+
+"When we want water for the girl, we will know where to get it."
+
+Walking about the rocks, Harry suddenly uttered a glad cry.
+
+In some crevices among the rocks, he beheld a number of fat-looking
+fish.
+
+"It seems as if heaven has sent these especially for our benefit, at
+the right time," said the young man, joyfully, as Turk came to his
+side.
+
+The old tar, however, looked sober.
+
+"It is easy enough," said he, "tellin' how them fish came here."
+
+"I don't understand you."
+
+"Well, then, I'll tell you. These rocks, is covered up at high tide.
+That is how them fish came to be left here!"
+
+"We have our raft," said Harry, joyfully, "so that if the rocks do
+overflow, we may thus get more fish!"
+
+"Ay, ay, it's all right, so long as the raft holds together," answered
+Turk, "which I'm mighty afraid, won't be long," pointing at the
+lashings holding the timbers together.
+
+These lashings were, in fact, much worn; some of them could not long
+be made use of.
+
+"We must try to fix the raft," said Harry, "I dare say we can contrive
+it so that we may keep afloat."
+
+From the raft the hungry men soon turned their attention to the fish.
+
+These were cooked with a couple of planks--there were plenty to
+spare--torn from the raft and split up against the jagged edges of
+the rocks, some of the fragments to be afterwards cut by Turk's
+pocketknife, and lighted by matches which, sailor-like, the old tar
+always carried with him in a small tin box, that they might be kept
+dry.
+
+Meanwhile, Brand, while taking no part in these preparations, sat like
+a hungry tiger eyeing the cooked fish.
+
+A portion was given to him; in fact, the whole party made a hearty and
+palatable meal.
+
+Now, Mary, her wants having been relieved, again spoke of the volcanic
+island.
+
+"I so wish we could fall in with some sail, which would take us
+there," said she. "Oh, if I could only see my dear papa!"
+
+Brand shrugged his shoulders.
+
+"Hark!" he suddenly screamed, as the night shadows gathered, "I
+fancied I heard a gurgling sound!"
+
+Neither of the rest had heard anything.
+
+"P'raps it was the wash of the waves against the rock," said Brand.
+
+Next morning the whole party rose after a slight rest--the men having
+stood watch--to perceive that the water had risen nearly to the top of
+the first rock.
+
+"The rock will soon be flooded," remarked Harry.
+
+"Ay, ay, so I'm afraid," said Turk. "We had better try to make the
+raft stronger."
+
+Unfortunately, the men having no rope with them, succeeded but poorly.
+
+"Truth is," said Turk, aside to his friend, "I wouldn't trust
+ourselves two days on them planks!"
+
+At this time the party stood upon one of the rocks.
+
+Suddenly Mary pointed down at the water, through which, all around
+their position, a number of dark-looking fins now were seen, moving
+hither and thither.
+
+"What are those things?" she inquired.
+
+"Sharks!" answered Harry and Turk, as they simultaneously drew the
+young girl upon the raft.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+DRIVEN AWAY.
+
+
+The water kept rising higher.
+
+Meanwhile, the sharks swam all round the rocks, and the raft, now and
+then leaping forth, as if to clutch at the party.
+
+The sight of these ugly-looking creatures, with their long heads,
+sharp fins, teeth, and dull, bloodshot eyes, inspired Mary with the
+most disagreeable sensations.
+
+"Come!" said she, "let us leave this fearful place!"
+
+Turk shook his head.
+
+"It is our only salvation, Miss, I'm afraid."
+
+"Not much of a salvation, either," said Brand, pointing down at
+several of the ferocious creatures, which had begun to gnaw at the
+lashings of the raft.
+
+Vainly the men endeavored to drive them away; they clung with steady
+tenacity to the lashings, biting with demon-like intelligence at the
+rope strands, as if aware that the severing of these would put the
+party in their power.
+
+Finally the seamen were obliged to get off the raft on the rocks, and
+draw the planks after them, as the only means of pulling the lashings
+away from the teeth of the troublesome monsters.
+
+The water, however, kept rising, so that it was necessary to get away
+as soon as possible.
+
+The men did their best to strengthen the planks, then once more
+launched their raft, actually driven away by the sharks.
+
+The tendency of the current and the wind now was to the westward.
+
+"At such a rate," said Turk, "shouldn't wonder if we find ourselves,
+before two days, on the volcanic island."
+
+For this island the party had looked every day, while they were
+afloat; but, for some reason or other, since the night of their first
+floating away from the island, they had seen nothing of the smoke or
+fire of the burning crater.
+
+The seamen had attributed this fact to the murky atmosphere westward,
+shrouding the island from their view, while the raft had meanwhile
+been carried further and further from it by the tide.
+
+When night came, after their leaving the rock, the bearings of which
+they endeavored to keep in mind, they again looked for the light of
+the volcano. The atmosphere, however, not having yet cleared, they
+could see no sign of it. Hoping that the current would continue in
+this direction and carry them to the island, they watched the west,
+keenly yet vainly for a sign of the shore.
+
+Mary slept little that night. In the morning Harry pointed out to her,
+far away, the land, evidently that which they were anxious to reach,
+looming up, the mist having cleared.
+
+That it was the wished-for shore was made evident by a column of
+smoke, rising up from the summit of one of the lofty island peaks.
+
+"Do you think we will reach it?" the young girl inquired.
+
+"I think so; if the set of the current does not change to the south,"
+answered Harry.
+
+He was right; before night the party were close upon the island shore.
+
+Mary's eyes lighted up with joy. Worn though she was by hardship and
+suffering, she could yet feel a thrill of eager, pleasant expectation,
+as she gazed at the beautiful shores of this island.
+
+Scarcely a mile in extent, and not more than half that in breadth, the
+shores teemed with the most luxuriant vegetation.
+
+There were seen tall cocoanuts waving upon a bright, pebbly beach,
+rocks covered with flowers and vines, cascades flashing and gleaming
+as they glittered in the sunlight, and the broad waters of silver
+streams, gliding along through mossy grounds.
+
+"Beautiful," said Mary, clapping her hands. "Papa! papa! are you
+there?"
+
+She spoke half plaintively, half joyfully, clasping her hands like a
+little child.
+
+Brand turned aside his head. Hardened as he was, the voice went
+straight to his ruffian heart, and he felt at that moment as if he
+would give worlds had he not committed the fearful crime which, after
+all, had been perpetrated for nothing.
+
+Meanwhile Turk stood gazing steadily towards one of the island bays.
+
+"If I ain't mistaken," said he, "there's an old wreck of some kind
+there!"
+
+"Ay, ay," cried Harry; "I see it--the wreck of a schooner, if we may
+judge by the two stumps of her masts."
+
+It was almost sundown before the raft touched upon the beach.
+
+"We will commence our search for traces of your father," said Harry to
+Mary, after all had refreshed themselves with luxurious bananas and
+the remains of their fish, "by visiting that old wreck. If your parent
+be here, he probably has visited the hulk, and perhaps left some sign
+of his presence; a pipe, matches or something of that sort."
+
+"Who knows," said Mary, "but he has taken up his quarters there."
+
+"I'm afraid you are too hopeful, lass," said old Tom Turk, "'specially
+as it was believed by all aboard the _Maxwell_ that the poor old man
+was drowned after he fell overboard."
+
+"Yes," said Brand, shuddering; "I for one believe he was drowned."
+
+"I will go with you to the wreck," said Mary.
+
+"No," replied Harry, "it will be too much for you."
+
+The young girl, however, insisting, the whole party started for the
+bay, which they could see from their position.
+
+A short walk brought them to the wreck.
+
+It was a schooner, and as had been supposed, with its two masts broken
+short off near the deck.
+
+It lay almost upon its beam ends, firmly wedged in between two rocks.
+
+By mounting a small, flat rock near the larboard gunwale, the party
+easily got aboard. Having done so, they entered the cabin. It was
+devoid of all articles of furniture, these probably having been taken
+away by some of the Indian visitors at the island.
+
+A candle, however, with an old piece of a clay pipe, a few nails, and
+an empty box, were found.
+
+Turk took the candle, and endeavored to light it. This was done with
+some difficulty, after which the party passed into the hold. Here,
+saturated with salt water, which had broken in through the bottom of
+the schooner, were seen several coils of old rope and a few empty
+barrels.
+
+"All of which," philosophized Turk, "will come in good use, 'specially
+if we can find some nails."
+
+After a long search, he came upon a bag of rusty nails, lying upon one
+of the beams.
+
+"With these," said Turk, "we can manage to make a boat, leastways a
+good raft."
+
+The flickering candle shed lurid light upon the old, creaking beams
+of the schooner, as the party vainly searched the hold for signs of
+Mary's father.
+
+"Thought it would be of no use," said Turk; "Poor old man, he was
+drowned, you may be sartin."
+
+"Oh, papa! papa! would that I could find him!" wailed Mary, mournfully.
+
+Brand shuddered, as he always did, when the girl's father was
+mentioned.
+
+Seating himself on a detached coil of rigging, with his back turned to
+the rest of the party, he suddenly fancied he felt a strange, creeping
+sensation stealing over his body; a feeling, as if a multitude of
+worms, were crawling up his back.
+
+Instinctively he turned half round, to see his companions, already
+leaving the hold, passing into the cabin.
+
+Some strange instinct prompted him to turn yet further round, when he
+beheld a sight which for some moments kept him motionless, unable to
+utter a word.
+
+In the faint light of the candle, streaming into the hold, he saw a
+long, lean neck, surmounted by a face as bloodless and apparently
+almost transparent, with hollow cheeks and protruding eyes, lifted
+above a barrel at the other side of the hold.
+
+A strange looking face it was; a face of unearthly transparency,
+apparently quivering like a vapor, while his eyes--those great,
+staring eyes, were fixed strangely upon the captain.
+
+The latter, as mentioned, could not utter a word. To him the
+apparition was doubly terrible, as it was that of the man whom he had
+pushed overboard from the _Maxwell_.
+
+Yes, there it was, sure enough, the face of the unfortunate passenger,
+William Manton.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+HAUNTED.
+
+
+As Brand, like one spell-bound, continued staring at the strange
+vision, he beheld the lean throat quivering, and heard issuing
+therefrom a gurgling cry exactly like that on the fatal night.
+
+It was a horrible sound, especially to Brand, who, with one hoarse
+scream, bounded backward on beholding the apparition suddenly vanish,
+as if melting away in the air.
+
+At the noise made by Brand, Turk, followed by Harry, rushed back into
+the hold.
+
+"What is the matter?"
+
+"Nothing," gasped Brand; "nothing at all."
+
+There were big drops of sweat upon his brow, his eyes protruded, while
+great, purple rings spread around them.
+
+"Nothing," said Turk; "ay, ay, now, but there must be something the
+matter with ye, Cap. D'ye feel hungry?"
+
+Perceiving that he must make some excuse, Brand puzzled himself trying
+to think of some plausible one.
+
+"The fact is," said he, "I believe what we've gone through has
+unstrung my nerves. I thought I felt a snake around my legs, when it
+was nothing but a coil of rope."
+
+His auditors believed him all the more readily that they had by this
+time concluded that the man, like most all thoroughly selfish people,
+was a coward.
+
+In a short time they were out of the schooner, when Brand, who had
+previously lagged, was now the foremost.
+
+In a short time they reached a level piece of turf about one hundred
+yards from the wreck.
+
+This they concluded would be a good halting place, at least for the
+present, and so they commenced the work of erecting shelters.
+
+This was soon done, after which they threw themselves down to rest,
+Mary, as on the other island, occupying a bower apart from the others.
+
+The young girl slept but little that night. When she did full asleep,
+her slumber was troubled with disagreeable dreams. The roaring of the
+volcano whose red gleam could be seen far up through the shrubbery,
+shooting from one of the island peaks, mingled with her fancies, and
+seemed the report of countless volleys of musketry.
+
+At morn, after partaking of a frugal breakfast, the party consulted as
+to their next course.
+
+Turk wanted to commence at once upon his boat, Brand, sullen,
+glowering and silent, seemed inclined to do nothing, while Mary and
+Glenville concluded to walk off by themselves to explore the island.
+
+Striking through the shrubbery, the young people soon found themselves
+at the foot of the peak on which was the volcano.
+
+They could see the smoke and the flashes of fire shooting up, could
+also feel the ground shake under them, as if the flames were careering
+beneath their very feet. Watching the volcano awhile, they moved on.
+
+"Let us explore the island thoroughly," said Mary, "we may yet come
+upon some trace of my parent."
+
+"Why is it, Mary," inquired Harry, "that you seem so confident on this
+subject?"
+
+"My father," answered the young girl, "was an excellent swimmer. I
+have heard him say he once swam across the East River, New York, while
+a boy.
+
+"Then again the captain informed me that, in falling overboard, it was
+found that my parent had carried away with him a plank, which, from
+carelessness, had been left hanging loosely over the stern. Now what
+more likely than that with the help of the plank, and this island but
+two miles to leeward, he should succeed in reaching it?"
+
+Harry shook his head.
+
+"Of course," said he, "such things have happened, but I have no idea
+that your father reached the island."
+
+For several hours the two walked over the isle, which they found to
+be a beautiful place. There were flowers of almost every hue, clear,
+purling streams, rocks, caverns and cascades, while through the green
+shrubbery the banana and the breadfruit were visible.
+
+The wanderers, however, came upon no traces of Mr. Manton, and Harry
+could see that his companion's hopes in this respect were almost
+extinguished.
+
+Returning to the spot where the shelters were located, they found Turk
+already at work upon his boat, assisted by Brand.
+
+"You are making good progress," remarked Harry.
+
+"Ay, ay," answered Turk, "there's no chance for laziness, now. The
+sooner we leave this island the better, accordin' to my notion."
+
+The old tar spoke solemnly.
+
+"Ay," said Captain Brand, "that's my opinion. Hark! did ye hear that?"
+
+A roaring, rumbling sound was heard, right under their feet; the
+ground trembled violently.
+
+"It is the subterranean fire of that volcano," said Harry. "I hardly
+think there is much danger."
+
+He said this to quiet the fears of Mary, who turned pale and looked
+anxious.
+
+"To my notion," said Turk, "it's devils a-lightin' their brimstone
+right under us, hopin' in that way to catch us. It's plain they're
+after some one among us, which I may premise by sayin' ain't me nor
+Harry, nor this young lass."
+
+Brand frowned darkly.
+
+"How know you that I'm not as good as the rest of you," said he.
+
+"Honestly speakin', Cap, I don't think you are," exclaimed the old
+tar, bluntly.
+
+"I've always led a good life," said Brand, shunning the great blue
+eyes of Mary.
+
+There was a rumble like thunder under ground, then a report like the
+discharge of musketry.
+
+"The devils is a-firin' off their muskets to celebrate that lie of
+yours, Cap," remarked Turk, as he turned to his work.
+
+The party now felt anxious. The noises under ground continued, the
+island shook, while increased volumes of fire shot up from the
+volcanic peak.
+
+Harry now assisted Turk in his work on the boat. There had been found
+that morning in the schooner an old hatchet with which Turk had
+knocked away a large quantity of timber from the wreck to be conveyed
+to the spot where he intended erecting his boat.
+
+Working all day, the men made good progress.
+
+Brand worked as hard as the rest. It was not the danger from the
+volcano alone that urged him on in his efforts, but the continual
+harassing fear, of again beholding that fearful apparition of his
+drownded victim.
+
+At night the aspect of the volcano was terrific. There were the lurid
+flames, apparently shooting to the very skies, while whole showers
+of sparks were thrown out in fiery flakes that filled all the air,
+floating along like millions of fireflies over the sea, in the water
+of which the were reflected.
+
+Meanwhile the shocks became every moment more frequent, the ground
+shaking as if beneath the tramp of armed horsemen.
+
+Harry had advanced into the thicket a short distance, when he became
+aware of a hissing sound, as if thousands of serpents were around him.
+
+At the same moment, a broad, bright stream of something flashed up
+before him, apparently descending towards him with great rapidity.
+
+Now he comprehended that it was a stream of lava, thrown from the
+volcanic crater, and rushing down the side of the steep cliff.
+
+In fact he had not time to reach the spot where he had left his
+companions, when it came hissing and rushing into the thicket, which
+he had just left.
+
+All night a careful watch was kept, the raft with additional timbers
+secured to it being in readiness for the party to leave at a moment's
+notice.
+
+Nothing more than the shocks, with the fall of additional lava
+occurred, however, to disturb the party.
+
+"I doubt if anything serious happens, after all," said Harry.
+
+Turk pointed to a couple of fissures in the side of the cliff.
+
+"That looks bad," said he; "in my opinion, this island goes in less
+than forty-eight hours."
+
+Good progress was made on the boat this day.
+
+At night watching the volcano, Mary suddenly uttered a wild cry, and
+pointed up towards an overhanging rock beneath the crater.
+
+"What is it?" was the question.
+
+"I don't know," said Mary, shuddering, "but just now I am certain I
+saw a form appear, and then suddenly vanish upon that shelf of rock."
+
+"Are you sure?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+Turk looked solemn; Brand turned deadly pale.
+
+"It must have been a spirit," said the old tar; "some imp after you,
+Cap," he added, looking straight at Brand.
+
+"Ay, a spirit," muttered the captain, his teeth chattering.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+ON THE LEDGE.
+
+
+"This must be looked into," said Harry, resolutely. "Who will go with
+me to the ledge?"
+
+"No--no--do not go," pleaded Mary, "see how the fire rages! The peak
+may explode before you come down, and you be swallowed up in the
+flames!"
+
+Harry however was determined to go.
+
+"If nobody will go with me," said he, "I will go alone."
+
+Mary advanced to his side.
+
+"I will go with you," said she; "if you are to perish, I will die with
+you."
+
+The young man, however, would not permit the girl to accompany him.
+
+"If what was seen was mortal," said Turk, "why, then, I'd go with you;
+but I don't care to have anything to do with spirits and sich like,
+which can give you a poke in the stomach, do you see, and yet you not
+be able to square off to 'em."
+
+"Very well, then, I go alone," said Harry, as he sprang away.
+
+He had not reached the foot of the cliff, when he felt a hand on his
+arm, and turned to behold Turk.
+
+"Fact is," said the latter, "I won't see ye go alone, but if there's
+any fightin' to do with ghosts, you mustn't expect me to help you, for
+when I aim at a nose, I like to hit it, which is impossible with the
+noses of goblins and sich like, as your fist will go right through
+'em."
+
+The two soon were at the foot of the cliff, which both now commenced
+to ascend. As they advanced, the rumbling beneath them seemed to
+increase, shaking the cliff to its foundation.
+
+At length they arrived near the ledge, where the heat was almost
+unbearable. On one side of them there was a wide cleft, in which a
+line of fire was seen, glowing like a red hot iron. The slightest
+mis-step on the part of the adventurers in their endeavors to reach
+the ledge, must precipitate them into the cleft.
+
+To get to their destination, they must move along a narrow ridge not
+more than two inches wide, with nothing at the side of the rock to
+clutch except a slightly rugged surface which must afford them a very
+insecure hold.
+
+"This is dang'rous traveling," remarked Turk, "worse than walkin' on a
+railroad track over a rottin bridge."
+
+The two kept on, carefully making progress, until finally they were
+close to the ledge, upon which a sudden spring carried them.
+
+Winding round the cliff, they could now see another ledge, but no sign
+of the strange figure. They clambered the rocky surface, exploring it
+on all sides, but saw no sign of what they were after.
+
+"To my notion," said Turk, "that goblin has gone down to take a
+siesta, do you see, preparatory to comin' up agin, which, I take it,
+is a good hint fur us to make leg-bail."
+
+"What is this?" inquired Harry suddenly, stooping and picking up a
+singular object.
+
+It was a cocoanut branch twisted into an odd shape, bearing some
+resemblance to a pronged fork.
+
+"Ay, ay, now, there's the pitchfork for sartin!" exclaimed Turk; "that
+goblin has left his instrumental be--behind him, and we may yet come
+upon his tail!"
+
+"Hark, Turk," said Harry, somewhat sternly, "you must not talk in
+that way. This is in fact, no time for joking. See there," pointing
+above them as he spoke, to where lurid flames were shooting out from
+crevices in the rock, thus preventing their ascent.
+
+Gazing below them they beheld the dark tops of the trees, far beneath.
+
+There was no means by which they could reach the ground.
+
+The flames meanwhile burning brighter and longer, every moment, until
+finally they scorched the flesh of the two men, whose situation from
+the intense heat, was becoming intolerable.
+
+For a moment they stood looking at each other, puzzled to know what to
+do.
+
+Then a sudden thought flashed across Harry's mind.
+
+"There are coils of rope in the schooner," said he; "we can start from
+here to Brand, who, probably, is watching us, telling him to bring up
+and lower to us one of those coils of rope."
+
+"Ay, ay, if he ain't afraid," answered Turk.
+
+The two men shouting with united voices, pronounced the captain's name.
+
+"Halloa!" was the response.
+
+"We cannot get back the way we came. Bring us a rope from the
+schooner's wreck, and lower it to us."
+
+Brand shuddered and turned pale.
+
+Mary, who was near, besought him to hurry.
+
+"No," he answered, in husky voice, "I do not care to go aboard that
+schooner!"
+
+"Then I will go!" cried Mary, and away she went.
+
+Bad as he was, Brand was yet man enough not to permit this girl to
+undertake such a difficult task.
+
+He sprang after her, and soon boarding the schooner, advanced with
+lighted candle into the hold, casting fearful glances around him.
+
+He saw nothing, however, to excite alarm, and so seizing a small coil,
+he emerged with it on deck.
+
+He was about climbing over the bulwarks, when, chancing to turn his
+head towards the schooner's bows, he fancied he saw the phantom face
+of the drowned passenger as it was hastily withdrawn!
+
+"P'shaw, this is mere imagination," muttered the captain, as he
+sprung over the rail to the beach, where he found Mary anxiously
+waiting for him.
+
+"Quick! make haste!" exclaimed the young girl.
+
+It almost seemed to Brand, as he encountered the gaze of those wild
+eyes, that he beheld a second phantom, so alike were the eyes of
+father and daughter.
+
+Throwing the coil over his shoulders, he hurried along to the cliff
+and commenced the ascent, followed by Mary, who, in her anxiety for
+her lover's safety, would almost have followed the man into the very
+flames.
+
+In a short time they were at a point, whence the rope might be lowered
+to the two imperiled men upon the ledge.
+
+Brand, therefore, uncoiling the line, lowered the end to them at a
+point where the flames could not come into contact with it, fastening
+the other part to a spur.
+
+It was evident, however, that the two must make good speed, else the
+strands would become so weakened by the heat that there would be
+danger of their giving way.
+
+The two men found the rope, where they lowered it over the edge of the
+rocky shelf, long enough to reach to the ground, about one hundred and
+fifty feet beneath them.
+
+Then Turk commenced the descent, succeeding in reaching the ground
+safely.
+
+By this time the strands were so weakened that Brand was obliged to
+haul the rope up, to prevent its parting, and secure another turn
+around the rocky spur.
+
+Then Harry, grasping the lower part, commenced to descend. He had got
+within about one hundred and twenty feet of the ground and within a
+few feet of the top of one of the trees, when from the branches, the
+captain, whose position afforded him a good view of the trees revealed
+in the volcano's lurid light, uttered a sudden wild cry, that rang
+above the din of the roaring fire.
+
+Protruding from the foliage of the tree, towards which Harry was being
+lowered, the man beheld the long, lean neck and ghastly countenance
+of the apparition he so dreaded.
+
+So great was the effect of this vision upon him that he let go the
+rope which descended swift as a shot.
+
+Where now was Harry Glenville?
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+CAPTURED.
+
+
+Mary, shrieking, peered far over the edge of the rock, vainly looking
+for her lover.
+
+"Killed! killed!" she wailed, wringing her hands. "My God, he is
+dashed to pieces on the ground, by your letting go of the rope!"
+
+"I?" exclaimed the captain, looking wild and half bewildered.
+
+"Ay, God! it is so!"
+
+The vision had by this time vanished. Partially recovering his
+self-possession, the captain hurried down the steep cliff, following
+Mary, who, like a maniac, ran on.
+
+She soon gained the foot of the precipice, and was hurrying along in
+the direction where she expected to find the remains of her lover all
+mangled from his fall of sixty feet, when suddenly, she felt some
+person grasp her arm, and turning, beheld Brand.
+
+"Let me go! Why hold me?" screamed the young girl, wildly.
+
+"See, there!" he answered, pointing towards the beach, "that is the
+reason!"
+
+Looking in the indicated direction, she beheld, in the lurid glare of
+the volcanic fire, a long canoe, by the beach.
+
+Evidently it was the same which had pursued them on that day when the
+two warriors were slain.
+
+Bent on vengeance, the islanders had not yet given up the pursuit, but
+had searched for the fugitives ever since, at last coming upon their
+traces.
+
+Now the forms of the fierce men were seen advancing swiftly in single
+file up the beach, on a course, which, had Mary kept on, must have
+brought her into contact with them.
+
+"Never mind," she exclaimed; "let me go to his body! What care I if
+they do kill me, so long as I get a glimpse of his form?"
+
+Brand, however, held her firmly.
+
+He felt that he should at least partially atone for his crime by
+saving the daughter of the man he had sent to his death.
+
+"Come! come with me! This is madness."
+
+Mary struggled in vain. Brand drew her along with him into the shadow
+of a small cavern in the foot of the cliff.
+
+"Hark!" he said, "you must not cry out."
+
+Attracted probably by her cries, several natives soon presented
+themselves at the entrance of the cavern.
+
+Brand, being unarmed, could do nothing. Several spears were pointed at
+his heart and that of his companion.
+
+An islander--a huge fellow with great rings tattooed like bracelets
+all over both his arms; evidently a chief, interposed.
+
+"No strike!" he exclaimed, in broken English, "this's too much quick
+death. Best take and chokee slow."
+
+"What do you mean?" inquired Brand.
+
+"Cussem Americanon!" said the chief, fiercely, "kill one two me men!
+Mus' pay for dat."
+
+"You are mistaken," answered Brand; "I never killed a man. It wasn't
+me."
+
+"All same you with," answered the islander. "Ho! ho! never get way
+from me--me got long canoe."
+
+The two were dragged to the beach, bound with strong wythes, and were
+made to sit down upon the sand.
+
+Then a brief conversation was held, after which, the chief said
+something to several of his men.
+
+Away they went, climbing up a tree, and procuring several branches.
+
+These they brought to the chief, who, passing them round the neck of
+the prisoners so tightly that both were nearly throttled, then turned
+again and spoke to his people.
+
+Instantly the latter, seizing the two, dragged them up to their necks
+into the water, where they were firmly held with the incoming seas
+continually breaking over their heads.
+
+A slow, torturing method this to make way with prisoners. It is
+however resorted to by many of the South Sea Island tribes.
+
+At first the victim easily manages to catch his breath between
+whiles. Gradually, however, this becoming harder, and the difficulty
+increasing every moment, the wretches are eventually strangled to
+death.
+
+Poor Mary! The hardships and excitement she had lately undergone were
+of themselves sufficient to deprive an ordinary woman of her strength.
+This young girl, however, had an excellent constitution and, when
+occasion required, a strong will. Now the intensity of her anguish
+regarding her lover had so worked upon her, that, with this new
+torture before her, she became unconscious.
+
+Heedless of this, however, the native having charge of her, still held
+her upright in the water, until the chief again interfered.
+
+"Makee muchee now long," said he.
+
+The two were drawn out to the beach, Brand, however, being informed
+that the disagreeable ceremony would before morning, be repeated,
+until he was drownee, drownee, drownee.
+
+Soon after Mary came to her senses. At first somewhat bewildered, she
+soon remembered all.
+
+"Dead! dead!" she moaned, "he is dead."
+
+The natives heeded not her sufferings. On the contrary, they seemed to
+gloat over her distress.
+
+An hour wore on when the prisoners were again led into water, the seas
+breaking high, continually went over their heads.
+
+Mary soon drew her breath with difficulty--her brain went round and
+round, she felt that she was dying.
+
+In fact, life must have deserted her in a few minutes, but for a
+singular interposition, the phantom-like figure which has been
+mentioned, appearing suddenly on the branch of a tree and waving its
+arms to the natives in a frantic manner.
+
+"Berch, hounds and dogs!" it exclaimed in hollow voice; "what would ye
+do. I forbid this work. Terrible misfortune will attend ye, if ye keep
+on thus persecuting those prisoners."
+
+Brand, hearing that voice, turned his head.
+
+As he did so, the form suddenly vanished.
+
+The natives stood looking at each other in surprise. Brand noticing
+their astonishment, thought he might turn it to good account.
+
+No other consideration but that of saving his life could have tempted
+him to speak of the vision of the murdered passenger to a living soul.
+
+"Indians," said he, "I would at once speak to your chief."
+
+The men who held him understood him sufficiently to make known his
+request to their leader, who, forthwith, appeared floundering through
+the water.
+
+"What want? Speak quick!"
+
+"Well, then," said Brand, shuddering, "he whom you saw just now among
+the trees, was no mortal vision. It is a phantom!"
+
+"How know you that?"
+
+"If the chief will take me a little ways off I will tell him," said
+Brand, not caring to have the young girl hear what he intended to say.
+
+The chief did as requested, when Brand explained, saying that the
+phantom was that of a passenger who had accidentally fallen overboard
+from a vessel aboard which he (Brand), was third officer.
+
+The superstitious natives are prone to believe weird stories, and the
+chief was no exception to the rule.
+
+To his awe-stricken followers he at once explained what he had
+learned, when it was unanimously agreed that the lives of the two
+prisoners should be spared, at least for the present.
+
+No good, the natives all agreed, could come of their disobeying the
+injunctions of a spirit.
+
+Mary and Brand were therefore taken and seated near a bright fire,
+which had been kindled for comfort by their enemies.
+
+They were treated to cooked breadfruit, cocoanut sauce, and other
+delicacies of the South Sea Islanders. Brand ate heartily, but poor
+Mary, almost maddened by her grief, would not even look at what was
+proffered her.
+
+"Harry is dead! dead!" was the continual cry of her anguished soul.
+
+Meanwhile the whole island was rocking like a floating ship. Showers
+of fire, roaring thunder, flew from the volcanic peak.
+
+The natives looked at each other. Presently the chief spoke.
+
+"The islee will be swallowed in fire," said he; "the spirit which
+spoke, did not tell right. It is a bad spirit, which Islander must not
+mind. It said if Islander spare white men's life, no harm come. See!
+here is harm. The island will be lost before Islander can find all
+their foes."
+
+Such was the purport of the chief's words, uttered however, in a more
+incomprehensible manner than we have shown.
+
+"Yes," continued the speaker, "so we say we must killee! killee,"
+pointing at the two prisoners; "must killee quickee, no slow now."
+
+He held a brief consultation with some of his men, four of whom now
+advanced toward the girl and Brand, each of which was lifted between a
+couple.
+
+"Quickee--go!" screamed the chief, when each of the pair, with their
+burdens commenced rapidly scaling the sides of the steep ascent.
+
+Good need it now seemed, was there of their making swift speed.
+
+They kept on with all possible dispatch, eventually pausing upon a
+lofty spire, far up on the very top of the mountain.
+
+This spur, rising to a height of about forty feet from the edge of
+the volcanic crater, overlooked the chasm of fire, which, like the
+infernal lake itself, lay at its base, shooting its forked tongues of
+roaring, hissing flame high in air!
+
+And now the prisoners comprehended the fate intended for them, for the
+natives driving them to and fro, preparing to fling them into that
+lurid, roaring, crackling sea of fire!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+WALLED IN.
+
+
+To repeat a previous question.
+
+Where now was Harry Glenville?
+
+On feeling himself descending, after Brand let go of the rope to which
+he was clinging, the young man, instinctively throwing out his arms,
+was fortunate enough to grasp the branch of the tree through which his
+falling form was crashing.
+
+To this branch he clung, swinging a hundred feet above the ground.
+
+Every moment he expected that the branch, which was a slender one, and
+which he held near the extremity, would part. He could hear it crack,
+every time he swung.
+
+Above him, faintly revealed in the lurid light, he could meanwhile
+see a larger and stronger branch, which he hoped he might, by a
+sudden upward stretching of an arm, succeed in grasping. Still there
+was danger that he might miss his grasp, when he would certainly be
+precipitated upon the ground below.
+
+Still considering whether or not to make the attempt, he suddenly
+heard the cheery voice of Tom Turk:
+
+"Hold on hard, lad, and I'll be up there to help ye, in the tyin' of a
+square knot!"
+
+"Make haste!" exclaimed Harry, "as I expect, every minute, that the
+branch I hold will give way."
+
+"Ay, ay. Keep up a good heart. My climbin' days ain't quite over yet!"
+
+As he spoke, Turk commenced rapidly ascending the tree, running up
+the trunk with the squirrel-like dexterity of a true sailor.
+
+He had with him the end of the fallen rope, thrown over his shoulder.
+
+In a short time, he was upon the brunch, just above the swinging form
+of his friend.
+
+The latter's weight had nearly parted the branch, strips of which were
+already beginning to peel off.
+
+"Make haste, Turk!" repeated the young man.
+
+"Ay, ay, lad! here's the rope!" cried Turk, lowering to his friend the
+end, to which he had fastened a bowline hitch; "jest slip that over
+your head, and under one of your arms, and I'll have ye up in half a
+minute."
+
+Harry promptly complied, not a moment too soon, for with a crash, the
+branch now gave way.
+
+The young man would have gone with it, in spite of the bowline hitch,
+which he had not yet been able to properly secure, but for his
+throwing up both hands and grasping the rope.
+
+Turk, who had taken a turn round the upper branch, was thus enabled to
+draw him safely up.
+
+In a few seconds both men were on the ground, about to move in the
+direction of the base of the cliff to meet Mary and Brand, when they
+beheld the forms of the natives, stealing along from their canoe.
+
+"Ay, ay, now!" whispered Turk, "this is calamitous."
+
+"We must save Mary at all hazards," exclaimed Harry, impulsively, as
+he bounded forward.
+
+"S--sh!" whispered Turk, "jest see there! They have got the poor gal
+and that Brand already," pointing to the natives, lugging of their
+prisoners.
+
+Harry would have sprang onward unarmed as he was, to attack the two
+savages, but for the cooler and more prudent Turk.
+
+"Hold!" he whispered, grasping his friend's jacket, "can't do anything
+in a hurry, which do you see, will salle all."
+
+Even as he spoke, another party of savages were observed, approaching
+them.
+
+"Now, then, fur scuddin!" said Turk, "no use stayin' here to be
+speared to death, which is a most uncomfortable way of dyin',
+'specially when you are afterwards b'iled in a pot for the blueskins'
+dinner."
+
+He drew the young man along to a clump of bushes near the base of an
+enormous tree.
+
+"I've sighted this tree before," said he, "which I know is holler.
+It's big enough to hold you and me. Afterwards we can see to the gal,
+if there's any way to save her, whereas if we should try now, we'd
+only be killed, which sartinly would be a poor way for keepin' the
+lass."
+
+Harry saw the sense of this remark at once. With the old seaman, he
+crouched in the bushes.
+
+"Well have to get into the tree, mole fashion," said Turk, "see'n' as
+the hole leading to the inside of it, is scooped out underneath."
+
+So saying he displaced some bushes, and bade his friend crawl into the
+aperture thus revealed.
+
+Harry did so, and was soon followed by Turk.
+
+In the hollow tree, the two now glanced up, to see through an opening
+in the trunk, broken half way off, the lurid gleam of the volcanic
+fire.
+
+"Here we are, moles as is moles!" exclaimed Turk.
+
+Meanwhile the shouts of the savages, who, it was evident, had now
+come upon the footprints of the two seamen on the ground, were heard
+outside of the tree.
+
+"They will of course discover us, after all!" said Harry, "and we will
+have to die. Better to have fallen in defense of Mary."
+
+Turk scratched his head. By the red gleam, shooting down into the
+hollow, Harry could see a troubled expression upon the old seaman's
+face.
+
+"Ay, ay," he muttered, at length, "the Turks never was good at
+strategic p'nts. I had a grandfather, who, to save himself from a mad
+bull, throwed himself, in tryin' to leap over it, partly upon the
+creatur's horns, which, penetratin' the seat of his breeches, held
+him expended in that way until he was relieved by friends!"
+
+The old tar had scarcely thus delivered himself, when, chancing to
+glance down, he beheld the tattooed face of a savage, thrust under the
+trunk of the tree, peering up at him.
+
+Before he could utter a word, however, the face was withdrawn.
+
+Next moment a sound, as of men busy at work piling something around
+the tree, was heard.
+
+Soon after all was still.
+
+The two men held a consultation. Doubtless the savages were somewhere
+not far off, waiting for them to emerge.
+
+Nevertheless, they determined to make an attempt to escape from their
+present retreat.
+
+Turk was the first to stoop for the purpose of passing out, when an
+exclamation broke from his lips.
+
+"What's the matter?" inquired Harry.
+
+"Matter enough!" was the reply; "we are walled in with arth so that we
+can't get out!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+IN THE TREE.
+
+
+For a moment the two stood eyeing each other, with looks of dismay.
+
+"Can't we burrow our way out?" queried the young man.
+
+"I'm afraid not. Them rascals knowed what they were doin' when they
+fastened us up. In my opinion, we are to be left in this hollow tree
+to be swallered up with the island when it goes!"
+
+Harry glanced up. The opening in the top of the trunk was about
+fifteen feet above them. There was no way for them to reach it!
+
+The young man bowed his face on his hand.
+
+"I would have been willing--would have cheerfully died," said he,
+"in helping poor Mary; but to perish far away from that girl without
+having lifted a hand in her defense is very mortifying!"
+
+"Ay, ay," said Turk, "and this is a lesson to me never to give advice
+in the futur'--if there be any futur' left for me on this arth! I'm as
+sorry as you can be, that I got you to give up follerin' the lass at
+once!"
+
+For several moments the two men stood, glancing up through the opening
+in the trunk, which being directly beneath the volcano, afforded them
+a good view of it.
+
+The huge crater was spouting showers of flame and sparks, which seemed
+to increase in quantity every moment.
+
+Meanwhile the roaring noise of the subterranean fires was becoming
+louder. The ground shook with the thunder in its bosom, until the very
+tree in which the two men were ensconced began to tremble.
+
+"The 'castrophy' must soon take place!" exclaimed Turk; "wish you'd
+l'arn me to say a few prayers before we are swallered up! That is,"
+continued the old tar, "I did l'arn my catechism, once upon a time,
+but it's so long ago that the idee has been blowed out of my head by
+the squalls and gales I've weathered, do you see!"
+
+Harry answered not. His mind was full of bitter reflections, in the
+midst of which his Mary, suffering in the hands of the savages,
+occupied a prominent part.
+
+"Perhaps we may burrow out of this!" he exclaimed, at length, "at all
+events, let us try!"
+
+So saying, he stooped, and went to work with hands and nails.
+
+He made some progress, but he had not dug a foot, when his hands came
+into contact with a hard substance, which resisted all his efforts to
+move it.
+
+It was a heavy stone, almost a rock in size, which had been shoved
+against the opening.
+
+"No hope!" he said, despairingly.
+
+As he spoke, a wild yell was heard without, followed by the noise of
+approaching steps.
+
+The steps drew nearer; there was a halt made alongside the tree, then
+followed a noise of dry branches being dragged along and piled round
+the trunk.
+
+"Ay! ay!" exclaimed Turk, aghast, "them heathens ain't even goin' to
+give us a chance to die in them underground flames, but is agoing to
+pile faggots and burn us at once."
+
+Harry shuddered.
+
+Then the thought occurred to him that perhaps Mary had perished in a
+similar manner.
+
+In a few minutes the crackling of flames, betokened that the old tar
+had guessed aright.
+
+The fire was wreathing and twining around the trunk of the tree, the
+inside of which was every moment growing hotter.
+
+"Ay, ay," moaned Turk, despondingly, "we are all a-goin' to be baked
+alive, as if we were two clams instead of humanized bein's!"
+
+Hotter became the seamen's narrow quarters every moment. Tongues of
+flames were now seen creeping through crevices in the trunk.
+
+The sap oozed with a hiss like a serpent's, while the smoke entering
+the hollow, almost suffocated the occupants.
+
+Heated, almost blinded, their flesh scorched, the sufferings of the
+twain were becoming fearful.
+
+In the lurid glare each could see the eyeballs of the other rolling
+wildly in his head, and hear his panting breath drawn with difficulty.
+
+"This is intolerable!" gasped Harry; "would that the rascals would
+spear us, and thus at once put an end to our torment."
+
+There seemed, however, no probability of their doing this.
+
+Meanwhile there were none of the manifestations of exultation and
+triumph peculiar to the North American savages.
+
+Nothing was to be heard above the din of the roaring and crackling
+flames, save a low, guttural croaking of quiet satisfaction, such as
+might have been uttered over chunks of roast beef cooking on a spit.
+
+"Ay, ay," muttered Turk, who for some time had been dancing up and
+down with pain, "I feel as if the gravy was already a-oozing out of my
+body."
+
+As he spoke, he chanced to glance upward, when he was startled by
+the apparition of a face, half concealed by a great green leaf,
+(protruding downward from under an old cap) thrust through the opening
+in the top of the trunk, while the rest of the body was screened by
+the thick branches around it.
+
+"Hist! Stand by! I'll save you both if I can!" said the stranger in a
+shrill, penetrating whisper, "on one condition!"
+
+For several moments the two men were so surprised that they could only
+stand motionless, looking up at the intruding face, without uttering a
+word.
+
+Harry was the first to speak.
+
+"Who are you! How came you there?"
+
+"It don't matter. I am only half human, at any rate. On one condition
+I said I'd save you."
+
+"Name it, name it, my man!" cried Turk, "and you'll see how quick we'll
+comply. But I'd think the savages would see you up there?"
+
+"No; the branches and leaves are too thick. The leaf over my face
+hides it from them while my body is in shadow."
+
+"Name that ere condition of yours then, quick!" exclaimed Turk.
+
+"Well, it is that you save my money!"
+
+"Your money?"
+
+"Yes I cannot get to it now. I beg you will save me my precious money."
+
+"Where is it!" inquired Turk, "if you'll jist tell me that p'raps I
+can----"
+
+"It's in a little cleft in the right side of the trunk in a bag. You
+may feel it by putting your hand there. Oh! my money--my precious
+money! that must not be sacrificed!"
+
+Turk felt along the trunk until finally his hand struck a deep cleft
+notched in the wood, when he felt the bag and drew it forth.
+
+It emitted a clinking sound.
+
+"Ay, ay, that's it!" whispered the stranger; "now unfasten the cord
+from it, and throw the end up to me, when I will draw you safely out
+of the hollow!"
+
+Turk instantly proceeded to do as directed. Unwinding the cord which,
+though small in thickness, was as tough as a clothes-line, he was
+glad to perceive that it was long enough to reach to the top of the
+trunk.
+
+Meanwhile, in spite of his sufferings, he could not forbear peeping
+into the bag, which, he at once perceived was full of shining pieces
+of gold.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+OUT OF THE TREE.
+
+
+"What avail is all this?" said Harry; "it is likely the savages have
+already heard our conversation. Besides, they will certainly see us,
+when we are drawn up out of the top of the trunk."
+
+"It ain't likely they've heard us," said Turk, "as there's sich an
+infernal din with the roarin' of the fire here and the volcano above;
+but as to their seein' us, I dare say that may happen."
+
+"Throw me the cord--quick!" cried the stranger, "and let me haul you
+up here with my precious gold!"
+
+Turk threw the end of the cord.
+
+"You may go first," said Harry to the old tar.
+
+"Not a bit of it, lad!" answered Turk; "I ain't one of that sort, do
+ye see! There's no hurry for me. Your life is more valuable than that
+of sich an old lubber as your humble servant, Tom Turk."
+
+Harry, however was firm.
+
+He fastened the end of the line quickly under the armpits of the
+sailor, and ordered the stranger to haul away.
+
+Assisted by his own efforts and by the pulls from the man above, Turk
+soon was drawn through the opening.
+
+Then a savage yell proclaimed that he was seen, and the trick to
+effect of his release discovered by the natives.
+
+"Quick, my lad!" shouted Turk, throwing down the line to his friend,
+as several spears whizzed round his head.
+
+"Give me my gold!" almost shrieked the stranger, as he snatched the
+bag from the old seaman's pocket, and thrust it into his own, "and
+stand by to follow me, if you'd escape the natives."
+
+"Jist hold on a minnit!" said Turk, clutching the man by the arm;
+"I don't know who you be; whether you be humanized or t'otherwise,
+but one thing is sartin, it's playin' us a very scaly trick fur you
+a-tryin' to get off, when you know that the life of a feller creatur'
+is still to be saved."
+
+"Quick then, quick!" screamed the stranger, "don't you perceive that
+the natives are going to fling more spears?"
+
+"They can't hurt ye, if you ain't human," said Turk--then he added,
+eyeing the stranger curiously, "if you have what's tarmed a caudal
+canpendage, that is a tail, do you see, as all non-human bein's has, I
+wish you'd show it, so that I may know whose acquaintance I have the
+honor of makin."
+
+"Whiz! whiz! buz-z-z!" came more spears, passing within a few inches
+of the speaker's head.
+
+While talking, Turk had not neglected his friend, who by this time had
+passed the line round his breast and given the word to haul.
+
+The two pairs of arms soon had him up, when turning, the stranger was
+seen running along a branch extending from the burning tree to another.
+
+"There goes either the devil or a spook!" said Turk; "it's the
+queerest creatur' I ever saw, thinkin' of its gold under sarcumstances
+like the present."
+
+"Follow me, follow me, if you would escape," the man was now heard
+screaming out at the top of his voice.
+
+The seamen obeyed, gliding after the figure, which seemed to dart
+along with the speed of a squirrel.
+
+Having gained the other tree, the strange guide descended half way,
+then, by a drooping branch, swung himself quickly to the ground.
+
+Harry and his friend followed, the twain being pursued by the savages.
+
+Every nook and corner seemed familiar to the leader.
+
+On he went, dashing away with a speed which rapidly widened the
+distance between him and his followers.
+
+By powerful efforts, however, the two men continued to keep in sight.
+
+Finally Harry paused. The steps of the savages were heard crashing
+along but a short distance behind him.
+
+"Come on!" cried Turk, seizing the other's arm.
+
+"No," answered the latter, "the man is evidently carrying us further
+and further from Mary. For my part, I shall endeavor to ascertain the
+fate of the girl, if I die for it."
+
+All efforts of his friend to persuade him to keep on proved unavailing.
+
+"Well, one thing is sartin," said the old tar, "where you go, there,
+sir, Tom Turk, who never yet deserted a chum, goes too!"
+
+"Thank you," answered Glenville, squeezing the arm of his friend.
+
+Stepping to one side, and crouching in the shrubbery, Turk persuaded
+Harry to do the same.
+
+At this time, these two men were concealed from the savages by a high
+rock, round the angle of which they had passed.
+
+The natives, when they made the turn, believing that the two had kept
+on, continued the pursuit in a straight line, seeing the form of the
+strange guide, faintly visible in the far distance.
+
+When the savages had passed, making straight for the burning peak,
+Harry and his companion rose.
+
+"Which way now?" inquired Turk.
+
+"Towards the beach. There we may find Mary, either dead or alive, as
+there, it would seem, the greater number of the savages are gathered."
+
+Accordingly, they moved toward the beach, cautiously keeping in the
+shadow of the shrubbery, when they finally found themselves within
+about fifteen feet of a spot occupied by a dozen warriors, all of
+whom stood upright, their glances bent upon the steep sides of the
+volcanic cliff.
+
+"What is that?" inquired Harry, suddenly, trembling in every limb.
+
+"There are savages speeding up the cliff, and if I mistake not, I
+just saw the gleam of a light dress, as if the rascals were bearing a
+female between them."
+
+"Ay, ay," said Turk. "I saw it too, and it was sartinly a most
+melancholy sight."
+
+"That woman that we saw could of course be none other than Mary
+Manton," said Harry. "Come, we will at least die fighting for the
+girl."
+
+Before his friend could say a word, he was speeding along toward the
+cliff, still keeping in the shadow of the shrubbery, so that the
+natives could not see him.
+
+Now he and his companion eventually arrived at the base of the cliff.
+
+The natives in pursuit of the guide had, of course got there before
+them, and were now seen speeding up the steep ascent in hot pursuit of
+the strange man.
+
+"Come," said Harry; "come!"
+
+As he spoke, he sped straight up the cliff.
+
+"Well," muttered Turk, as he panted for breath, "this is hot work for
+sich old timbers as I be. The lad won't give me a chance to breathe.
+I may as well make up my mind to go to etarnity, the road to which
+is where we are now goin'; so I'll jist make one chaw of this plug,"
+pulling from his pocket a great piece of tobacco, the whole of which
+he at once thrust into his right cheek.
+
+On he went, until suddenly he uttered a loud cry, as Harry disappeared
+from his sight.
+
+Believing that the young man had fallen into some one of the deep
+chasms with which the cliff abounded, he hurried on, and was somewhat
+relieved to perceive that the object of his fears had merely fallen
+into a small rocky pit, with the exception of a few slight bruises,
+hurting himself but little.
+
+Springing into the pit, the old tar assisted his prostrate friend to
+his feet.
+
+At the same moment, clapping his hand to his brow, and uttering a wild
+cry, the young man pointed far above him.
+
+Gazing in the indicated direction, Turk uttered a sort of despairing
+grunt, and sat down on a flat, protruding shelf of rock, as if
+completely overcome at the spectacle which now met his gaze.
+
+This spectacle, which has already been described, was none other
+than that of the young girl and Captain Brand, far above the
+two adventurers, distinctly revealed in the lurid gleam of the
+fire-spouting crater, being swung back and forth for a fling into the
+red-flaming jaw of the horrible chasm!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+THE FIRE-CHASM.
+
+
+The fearful situation in which she now found herself was enough to
+appal a stouter hear than that of Mary Manton.
+
+Poor girl! after all the hardships she had undergone, to find herself
+about to meet such a frightful doom, was, indeed, a trying ordeal for
+her delicate nerves.
+
+Shriek after shriek passing her lips, mingled with the hoarsest cries
+of Captain Brand, and the triumphant screams of the savages, who,
+their forms and faces lighted by the volcanic fire, might well have
+been compared to the demons of the infernal regions!
+
+Twenty times at least, as if to torture them by the fearful suspense,
+the natives swung their victims before they made the final one to
+throw them into the yawning chasm!
+
+Meanwhile, Turk and his friend had started afresh, and were fast
+scaling the sides of the cliff.
+
+The mountain was now fairly reeling with the inner convulsions. The
+lava had swollen on one side to a broad stream, rushing, hissing and
+streaming down the side of the steep cliff.
+
+In fact the two men as they mounted, were constantly obliged to dodge
+to one side, to escape contact with some of the diverging rivulets.
+
+On they went, now tottering on the verge of some deep gorge, and now
+scaling a narrow passage between enormous rocks, which reeled as if
+about to fall upon and crush them.
+
+Meanwhile the air was full of strange noises.
+
+Hissing, roaring and booming, the report of bursting deluges of fire
+came out from the bosom of the mountain.
+
+The fire spread fast--the sky itself seemed aflame with the warning of
+impending destruction.
+
+"This is sartinly the most excitin' moment in my life," said Turk, who
+now gasped at every step. "I'm afraid that even when we git up to the
+summit where that poor gal is, there won't be any strength left in my
+bones to help the poor creature!"
+
+"Come on!" answered Harry, in ringing tones. "On! on!"
+
+And on they went, scaling the burning mountain with almost incredible
+speed.
+
+At one time the view of the forms upon the summit was hidden by an
+intruding rock.
+
+"Do you see her, now?" Harry anxiously inquired.
+
+"No!" answered Turk, as he vainly endeavored to catch a glimpse of the
+fire-lighted forms.
+
+"Alas! It was a bad day for poor Mary, when she set out in search of
+her lost father," exclaimed Harry; "poor girl! brave girl!"
+
+"Ay, and a wild-goose chase, it has proved so far, and will prove a
+wild-gooser before its over."
+
+Continuing on, the two men finally came to a point, where two paths,
+diverging between high rocks, met their gaze.
+
+They were undecided which of these to take.
+
+"My God! the girl will meet her fate, before we can get to her!"
+exclaimed Harry, as he dashed into the path on the right. "Come on,
+Turk! This path ascends and must be the right one, as the other seems
+to incline!"
+
+Turk shook his head.
+
+"P'raps you're right, and p'raps not!" he said. "If it hadn't been for
+them lava-streams, we might have kept straight ahead, and been at the
+end of our cruise in more senses than one, before the present moment."
+
+The two kept on, but the further they went, the more puzzled they
+became, as the path they pursued soon led them among a perfect
+labyrinth of rocks, some of them overarched so that, with the
+exception of a lurid gleam of light, here and there, they were left in
+total darkness.
+
+The labyrinth became more difficult.
+
+Tangled bushes, vines, shrubs, and the roots of decayed trees impeded
+their way every moment.
+
+Meanwhile the agony of the young man, searching hither and thither for
+some way out of his difficulty, was terrible. The sweat came out upon
+his brow, his veins seemed on fire with feverish excitement.
+
+He knew all the time he was thus searching that Mary's doom must soon
+be sealed, if already she had not been hurled into the whirlpool of
+fire!
+
+Turk also vainly exerted himself; but the more the two endeavored
+to find a way out of the labyrinth, the more hopelessly they became
+entangled.
+
+At length they found themselves at the mouth of a cavern. The floor
+of this cave seemed to extend downward, while far ahead of them, they
+beheld the fiery gleam of the volcano.
+
+"This is our way," shouted Turk. "Come, lad, come!"
+
+He dove into the cavern, followed by his friend, both believing that
+when they should arrive at the terminus of this sloping tunnel, they
+would find a way to the top of the cliff!
+
+Encouraged by this hope, Harry sped on with a swiftness, which soon
+carried him far beyond his friend.
+
+In a few minutes he had gained the further end of the cavern, when
+Turk heard his wild despairing cry ringing out like that of a wounded
+wolf.
+
+In a moment he was by the young man, who pointed upward.
+
+When Turk also perceived that they had made their way to this point,
+only to be aggravated by another sight of the tatooed forms of the
+savages and their intended victims, so far above them that they could
+not hope to reach the spot.
+
+In fact they now found themselves in one of those deep gorges, whose
+sides were too steep to be ascended, but which commanded a view of the
+raging fire.
+
+Yes, there was the girl and Brand, still being swung hither and
+thither that their torments might yet be prolonged.
+
+The sight almost drove Harry mad. He clenched his fists, and
+compressed his lips, as if, by the exertion of a strong will alone, he
+hoped to prevent the accomplishment of the fearful deed.
+
+As to Turk, he danced about in his excitement performing a sort of
+fantastic hornpipe, while all the time the tears streamed down his
+wrinkled cheeks.
+
+"Ay, ay," he moaned, "it is too bad. If I could lay down my life a
+thousand times for that poor gal, God knows I would willingly do it."
+
+The scream of the imperiled one now rang down the cliff penetrating
+the hearts of the two men like a knife.
+
+"Good God!" cried Harry; "oh, Turk! Turk! let us see if we cannot yet
+get to her, before the demons do their foul work."
+
+The increased thunder of the volcano seemed to mock his voice. The air
+and sky reddened by the lurid gleam, seemed filled with a crimson mist
+rolling in clouds round the swaying forms, and shrouding them from
+sight.
+
+As Harry spoke, Turk pressed his forehead against the rocky side of
+the gorge, while he pointed upward at the girl, whose hair, catching
+the red gleam, seemed another shower of fire.
+
+"No use, Harry. See, they are giving the last swing! I know by the
+voice of that native who has jist howled out the order."
+
+In fact so shrill and piercing and savage was the islander's cry that
+its import could not well be mistaken.
+
+Like the croaking shriek of a ravenous sea-bird, it came grating down
+the sides of the rock.
+
+"My God! there she goes!" screamed Harry; "Mary! Mary!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+UNEXPECTED.
+
+
+With that cry from Harry Glenville was mingled the despairing scream
+of the young girl.
+
+The two savages holding her, had swung her forward with great impetus
+to fling her into the red gulf, when a wild form suddenly came
+bounding forward from the summit of an overhanging rock, snatched the
+girl from their arms and made off with her with deer-like speed.
+
+To explain this, it must be remembered that the gaze of all the
+savages present, had been concentrated upon the two intended victims,
+so that they had known nothing of the approach of the intruder, who,
+it need scarcely be told, was the singular island guide.
+
+This person, probably from his greater familiarity with the mountain
+paths, had distanced his pursuers who, like Harry Glenville and Turk,
+soon became puzzled as to their course, and thus lost track of the
+fugitive.
+
+Coming upon the fearful scene near the fire chasm, the strong man had
+found it easy to leap from his position, snatch the girl from the
+already relaxed grasp of her tormentors, and make considerable headway
+before the natives could recover sufficiently from their surprise to
+start in pursuit.
+
+So astonished were all that the two who held Captain Brand, allowed
+the latter to disengage himself from their grasp and make off at a
+speed accelerated to almost incredible swiftness by his fears.
+
+The course taken by Brand led him at right angles with that followed
+by the stranger, so that the pursuers were obliged to separate.
+
+This separation gave the fugitives an advantage, especially the
+strange guide, who seemed familiar with every nook and corner of the
+mountain.
+
+On he went, seeming to carry his burden with a strength probably
+caused by some powerful excitement, although his gray hair, streaming
+back from under the broad leaf, partially concealing his face,
+proclaimed his advanced years.
+
+Finally, however, he began to stagger beneath his burden, which, it
+was evident, was too much for him.
+
+Seemingly bent, however, upon gaining some particular point, he kept
+on until he came to a small, dark hollow, between a number of jagged
+rocks, where he crawled therein.
+
+"Hist!" he muttered, as the young girl opened her mouth, apparently on
+the point of speaking. "Not a word! I have my money! money! money!" he
+added, in the same penetrating whisper, as he thrust his hand in his
+pocket and felt the jingling bag.
+
+The man had been mistaken about Mary's wishing to speak.
+
+The poor girl's eyes were closed, her cheek as white as marble. She
+had fainted at the moment when the natives were at the point of
+flinging her to her destruction.
+
+Seemingly unaware of this circumstance, her preserver, crouching down
+without again looking at her, listened intently, probably for the
+steps of his pursuers.
+
+These steps, drawing nearer, finally went past.
+
+The fugitive had served the natives a trick. Unseen by them, owing to
+an intruding point of rock, when he crawled into the small cave, they
+had passed him, believing he had gone on, far ahead.
+
+He waited full a quarter of an hour, then, emerging, continued on.
+
+At a place where two narrow paths diverged, he came upon Brand,
+crouching in the angle of a rock.
+
+Here the light was indistinct.
+
+"Who are you who have saved this girl?" inquired the captain, coming
+forward.
+
+"Don't question me," answered the other, "but help me with this girl."
+
+Brand started as suddenly. Then, recovering his self-possession,
+although trembling in every limb, he complied with the request.
+
+"My money--my money--ha! ha! I _have that_ safe!" muttered the
+stranger, as they proceeded.
+
+"Your _what_?" gasped Brand, fairly turning as white as the senseless
+girl.
+
+"My money," was the answer--"all safe!"
+
+On they went, following a path which led them by the tunnel through
+which Harry and Turk had previously passed, from which they were
+emerging at this very moment.
+
+Brand started back.
+
+"You safe?" he exclaimed, staring at Harry, as if at a ghost.
+
+"Ay," answered the young man.
+
+Then he sprang to the side of the unconscious girl, peering down upon
+her still face.
+
+"Not dead! not dead!" he cried, wildly.
+
+Even as he spoke, the girl opened her eyes.
+
+In the faint light they gleamed like stars, as they fell upon her
+lover's face.
+
+"Harry!" she exclaimed.
+
+In an instant she was on her feet, supported by her friends until she
+had fully regained her balance.
+
+Then explanations followed.
+
+"And who, my friend, are you who have thus benefitted us?" inquired
+Harry, now turning to grasp the hand of the stranger.
+
+The latter, however, was nowhere to be seen.
+
+"That chap I should sartinly take for the devil, do you see, if it
+'twan't that I couldn't neither see his caudal cumpendage, nor account
+for his savin' the gal, which no devil, I take it, would have done."
+
+Meanwhile, words may not express the joy of the lovers at their
+reunion. Mary had firmly believed that Harry was dashed to pieces when
+Brand let go of the rope.
+
+Alluding to this, Turk now said:
+
+"How came you to do sich a trick, captain?"
+
+The latter turned aside his head, trembling like an aspen as he
+recalled to mind the apparition he had seen among the trees.
+
+"Accidents will happen," he said, in a husky voice.
+
+"Well," continued Turk, "now that we have so far got clear of them
+infarnal blackskins, I trust and hope that we may contrive to get away
+from the island without seein' 'em, or, at any rate, before we are
+swallowed up in fire!"
+
+At that moment, far ahead of them, they beheld the stranger, his face
+still screened by the broad leaf, beckoning to them.
+
+So he had not deserted them, after all.
+
+"We'd better follow him," said Turk, "as he seems to know every part
+of this island. To my thinkin', he'll get us out of this scrape, if
+it's possible to get out!"
+
+The advice was followed.
+
+The strange guide led the party along the narrow path with great
+celerity, until they finally arrived at the foot of the cliff.
+
+By this time the whole island presented an appearance at once, wild
+and fearful.
+
+The showers of fire from the mountain were increased ten-fold; the
+island rocked like a cradle. Every part of it seemed lighted with a
+ghastly radiance. A red mist hovered over it rolling along, volume
+upon volume.
+
+Near the beach the water was seen breaking into thousands of bubbles,
+while further beyond it was dashed to a foam.
+
+Meanwhile the noises of shock following shock were become terrific.
+
+A whole pack of artillery seemed to burst and boom, volley upon
+volley, beneath the quaking soil!
+
+Suddenly there was a shock as of many thunderbolts, from the direction
+of the mountain, which was now seen split, apparently from top to
+bottom, into a great chasm, from which in great quantities burst forth
+streams of lava and long forked tongues of lurid flame.
+
+The island was now as light as day. Far and near objects could be
+plainly distinguished, while overhead showers of flying sparks almost
+obscured the sky!
+
+In the red glare, the forms of savages were now seen making all haste
+to descend the tottering cliff!
+
+Appalled by the impending fate of the island, all the natives who had
+been left below, were seen at a distance beckoning to their companions
+to make haste.
+
+The white people now were nearer the canoe than the savages themselves.
+
+"Come!" screamed the guide, as he made towards the light vessel.
+"Come!"
+
+He beckoned, as he spoke, to the young girl and the seamen, all of
+whom made haste to follow him.
+
+The savages below, now, for the first time, caught sight of the white
+party, and made for them with great swiftness, yelling and brandishing
+their spears.
+
+"There's sartinly no time to lose," exclaimed Turk, as he assisted his
+friend to help Mary along; "if them blackskins get at us now, they'll
+make sure work of it by pinning us to the ground."
+
+The party hurried on.
+
+They reached the canoe, while the islanders were yet forty yards
+distant, when, springing in, all the men seized paddles and went to
+work.
+
+Spear after spear was hurled at them before they had gone more than a
+few fathoms from the beach.
+
+One of these missiles severed a lock from Mary's head, another grazed
+the shoulder of her lover.
+
+"Quick!" shrieked Turk, "if we don't get away from here in a minute,
+we'll all be swallered in fire and water!"
+
+This, in fact, seemed evident. The bubbles increased on the surface.
+The surges rolled wildly, swaying hither and thither--the booming
+thunder underground was become deafening.
+
+Glancing towards the islanders, these unfortunates were seen running
+towards the raft, and then flocking up on it with all possible
+dispatch, while filling the air with dismal, howling cries.
+
+"God help the poor wretches!" cried Mary.
+
+"Paddle ahead, paddle for life!" screamed Turk, as the cliff, with a
+din as if the very earth were being rent in twain, tumbled to pieces,
+rock upon rock, apparently drowned in a sea of fire, amid which the
+forms of the doomed natives on the cliff were also seen to disappear.
+Sky air and sea looked as if aflame.
+
+The whole universe seemed to rock and tremble.
+
+The crimson waves rose high around the frail canoe; while the raft
+nearer to the beach, was at once engulphed with its living freight.
+
+"God help us!" cried Mary.
+
+"We are lost!" shouted Brand, shutting out the fearful aspect of sea
+and heaven, by putting a hand to his eyes.
+
+"Hush!" said Harry, sternly, "I trust we may escape."
+
+All round the island the waves were now seen trembling in great
+colliding, clashing walls of hissing boiling water.
+
+From these walls streams of fire, like lightning flashes, shot
+continually upward.
+
+The air was still full of flying sparks, and of lava stones which
+dropped in showers into the water.
+
+For full half an hour the commotion continued, when, suddenly, the
+doomed island disappeared forever, while the agitated waves continued
+to bubble and boil long afterwards, over the spot where it had existed.
+
+Gradually the fearful red lustre of sky and sea died away. A gloom,
+appalling from its strange suddenness, fell upon the sea.
+
+The canoe with its occupants floated in darkness upon the agitated
+waters.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+CONCLUSION.
+
+
+The men in the canoe continued paddling ahead. There was no sleep for
+any of the occupants during that night.
+
+When daylight stole upon the sea they looked toward the spot, far
+astern, where the island had been but where there was nothing now to
+mark the spot except a mass of agitated waters, gradually subsiding.
+
+Straight and tall, at the stern of the canoe, sat the stranger guide,
+he whose features had previously been hidden and the breadfruit leaf,
+now thrust aside.
+
+Brand, who had been gazing toward the place he occupied, ever since
+the day began to break, now was visibly agitated. He trembled all
+over, while his face was perfectly ghastly.
+
+As the light increased, and the stranger's features became yet more
+distinct, the captain uttered a wild cry, and while his eyes rolled
+wildly in his head, sat as if transfixed to his thwart still gazing
+upon the man before him.
+
+A moment he remained thus, then fell senseless upon his face.
+
+Mary, who had hitherto been gazing away toward the west, turned at the
+cry Brand uttered, and seemed for a moment, like one spellbound as her
+gaze fell upon the stranger's face.
+
+Then her eyes lighted up her whole countenance a gleam with joy.
+
+"My father!" she exclaimed, "father! father! Oh! thank God, I have
+found him at last!"
+
+Stretching forth her arms, she moved towards the guide, who, however,
+still sat looking at her half wonderingly and half pityingly, without
+seeming to recognize her.
+
+Mary, however, knew him well. She could not mistake those familiar
+features, and the fact of his not seeming to recognize her, seemed to
+inspire her with the deepest grief.
+
+"Oh, papa! papa! Look! behold! Here is your daughter! I am Mary, papa!
+Don't you know me?"
+
+An expression of partial intelligence came to the man's eyes, then
+passed like a gleam of sunlight obliterated by the shadow of a cloud.
+
+"Ay, ay, now!" exclaimed Tom Turk as he gazed at the man, "this is too
+bad! I know ye well enough as the passenger once aboard the _Maxwell_,
+and who was supposed to be lost; the father of this lass. It's mighty
+strange you don't know your own child."
+
+"Mr. Manton," exclaimed Harry, stepping forward, and grasping the hand
+of him he addressed, "this is a great, great pleasure! Thank God we
+have found you at last, alive and well! Do not, I beg of you, afflict
+your daughter longer by playing off this joke upon her!"
+
+"Joke! joke!" said Mr. Manton, running a hand through his gray hair
+and looking up in a bewildered manner, "I don't understand you! Ha!
+ha! it's all safe, my money!" he added, "all safe! safe!"
+
+Harry looked sorrowfully at the speaker.
+
+Glances of intelligence were exchanged between him and Turk.
+
+Even Mary could no longer doubt the fearful truth, which had gradually
+been forcing itself upon her mind.
+
+Her father was insane!
+
+She flung herself at his feet--she grasped both his hands, and kissed
+them again and again--then burst into tears, sobbing as if her heart
+would break, at the vacant stare, which was the only response to her
+manifestations.
+
+Harry endeavored to soothe her.
+
+"I am confident," said he, "that your father is not a confirmed
+lunatic. He may be restored to his reason, if care be taken. I have
+seen worse cases than this cured."
+
+So excited were Harry and his friends over the discovery they had
+made, that, although the singular emotion of Brand had not escaped
+their attention, yet they had not noticed his being unconscious.
+
+Now, however, Turk perceived it.
+
+"A strange affair, this," said he; "had old Nick himself come to claim
+the captain, he couldn't have acted queerer than he has at the sight
+of Mr. Manton!"
+
+In a few minutes, the captain recovered, staring wildly around him,
+until his eye was caught by the spectacle of the old man astern, when
+he started back with an affrighted cry.
+
+"It is real flesh and blood, then," he exclaimed.
+
+"Why, of course, Cap," answered Turk, "you don't suppose, I hope,
+that we'd take a ghost passenger!"
+
+"Real flesh and blood," continued Brand, an expression of relief
+passing over his face, as he noticed the vacant stare of Mr. Manton,
+showing that the latter did not recognize him. "I am glad of it--ay,
+very glad. So he was not lost overboard, after all!"
+
+"It seems not!" said Turk; "but I shouldn't have thought the discovery
+would have set you off into a faintin' fit?"
+
+"Well, you see," said Brand, with a forced laugh, "the fact is I am a
+little superstitious--always was!"
+
+This explanation hardly seemed to satisfy the old sailor, who shook
+his head without saying a word.
+
+Meanwhile, the canoe, still urged along by Turk's paddle, was gliding
+through the blue waters, now just beginning to catch the tinge of the
+coming sunlight.
+
+Suddenly the old sailor, who had long been gazing far away towards the
+west, sprung to his feet, screaming out! "Sail O!" with all his might.
+
+"It's the same craft I saw t'other night from the cliff!" said he; "I
+didn't say anything about it, as I wasn't sure it was a sail in the
+imperfect light, and didn't want to awake false hopes."
+
+Harry Glenville now seizing his paddle, assisted Turk.
+
+Meanwhile Brand, with an old handkerchief, continued to raise a
+signal, which it was soon evident, was seen by the vessel.
+
+Previously standing away towards the southward, she now was seen to
+come 'round, bowling along, close hauled towards the canoe.
+
+This at last was reached, and the occupants picked up, to learn they
+were aboard the ship _Empire_, of New York, homeward bound.
+
+Every kind attention was bestowed upon the castaways, who, on their
+arrival home, a few months after, published a letter of thanks to the
+good skipper.
+
+Mary took her father to a little cottage she occupied with an aunt.
+
+A celebrated physician, accustomed to lunatic cases was called.
+
+He pronounced Mr. Manton's case, a curable one, and, in the course of
+a year proved it so, by restoring the old man fully to his reason.
+
+Words may not express the joy of Mary, who had awaited this happy
+moment to become the wife of Harry Glenville.
+
+The old man was present at the wedding, in which he took the interest
+natural to the father of the bride.
+
+On the very night of the ceremony, the old man, who had not previously
+touched upon that 'dark affair' aboard the _Maxwell_, was able to
+reveal events, so as to go into a full explanation.
+
+He stated that, after being knocked overboard by Brand, he threw out
+his arms, clutching the plank which had fallen with him, and which,
+thanks to his being a good swimmer and to a favorable current, enabled
+him to drift down upon the volcanic island.
+
+The hardship and excitement undergone, however, that night, so worked
+upon his brain, that he was affected with a fever which lasted a
+couple of days.
+
+After that all was a blank to Mr. Manton. He could not remember what
+took place from that time to the present.
+
+Although insane, however, the man's instinct, or some other cause, had
+prompted him to stow his money away in the hollow tree.
+
+"Ay, ay," said Harry, "it was evidently to obtain your money that that
+wretch Brand threw you overboard!"
+
+"Of course," answered Manton. "But the rascal was nicely foiled, for,
+as it happened, it was always my custom, when I stepped on deck to put
+my money in the canvas bag, and thrust it into my pocket!
+
+"This carefulness of mine may be understood, when I inform you that I
+intended every cent of that money for my darling child, to whom I now
+present it with great joy at being able to place her above want during
+her lifetime!"
+
+We have little to add.
+
+After Manton's explanation, Brand was sought for, but could not be
+found, as he had cleared off to parts unknown.
+
+He was never again heard of, if we except a rumor, that he had been
+lost at sea!
+
+Tom Turk was favorably recommended to the ship owners by Harry
+Glenville, who was thus enabled to procure him a vessel.
+
+The old fellow followed the sea until he was seventy years of age,
+when he settled down in an old cottage on the outskirts of New York,
+within a mile of the residence of Harry Glenville and his beautiful
+bride.
+
+Mr. Manton still lives; in fact his native air has seemed to agree
+with him. He is nearly as straight as ever, while, in spite of his
+gray hairs, his cheek glows with the ruddy hue of health!
+
+Often on still summer nights, with his grandchildren at his knee, he
+relates the story of the wicked Brand, who, for his many crimes, and
+especially for his dark attempt to take a human life, was long spoken
+of by sea men as the Demon Cruiser.
+
+
+THE END.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+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 Oconto.
+
+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.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+Transcriber's Notes
+
+
+The Table of Contents has been added by the transcriber and it is
+placed in the public domain. Minor punctuation errors have been
+silently corrected.
+
+Page 12: Changed "birth" to "berth."
+  (Orig: He went back to his birth, not to sleep,)
+
+Page 19: Changed "Sidney," to "Sydney."
+  (Orig: visit some of them before going into Sidney.")
+
+Page 21: Changed "steped" to "stepped."
+  (Orig: Then he steped to the captain's side,)
+
+Page 23: Retained "claining," but possibly meant "clinging."
+  (Orig: Vainly Brand, claining to a rope near the mizzenmast,)
+
+Page 23: Changed "sevaral" to "several."
+  (Orig: a violence which threw sevaral men off the yard)
+
+Page 25: Retained "dextrious", but probably meant "dexterous."
+  (Orig: the old fellow by a dextrious movement,)
+
+Page 30: Changed "swarm" to "swam."
+  (Orig: He swarm to a spar near him, and, with the ropes)
+
+Page 38: Changed "accomodation" to "accommodation."
+  (Orig: one for the accomodation of the men,)
+
+Page 40: Changed "apparrently" to "apparently."
+  (Orig: were audible, apparrently approaching the hut!)
+
+Page 42: Retained "from," but probably meant "for."
+  (Orig: Harry now sprang from the raft.)
+
+Page 47: Changed "ripling" to "rippling."
+  (Orig: Away it went, ripling the water,)
+
+Page 53: Changed "rock," to "rocks."
+  (Orig: firmly wedged in between two rock,)
+
+Page 55: Changed "strangly" to "strangely."
+  (Orig: staring eyes, were fixed strangly upon the captain.)
+
+Page 59: Changed "decending" to "descending."
+  (Orig: apparently decending towards him with great rapidity.)
+
+Page 59: Changed "aditional" to "additional."
+  (Orig: with the fall of aditional lava occurred,)
+
+Page 62: Changed "in" to "is."
+  (Orig: "This in dang'rous traveling," remarked Turk,)
+
+Page 63: Removed duplicate "it."
+  (Orig: the drowned passenger as it it was hastily withdrawn!)
+
+Page 68: Changed "rembered" to "remembered."
+  (Orig: bewildered, she soon rembered all.)
+
+Page 68: Changed "headed" to "heeded."
+  (Orig: The natives headed not her sufferings.)
+
+Page 69: Changed "superstious" to "superstitious."
+  (Orig: The superstious natives are prone to believe weird stories,)
+
+Page 69: Changed "eat" to "ate."
+  (Orig: Brand eat heartily, but poor Mary, almost maddened)
+
+Page 70: Changed "evntually" to "eventually."
+  (Orig: all possible dispatch, evntually pausing upon a lofty spire,)
+
+Page 70: Changed "hight" to "height."
+  (Orig: This spur, rising to a hight of about forty feet)
+
+Page 73: Changed "peal" to "peel."
+  (Orig: strips of which were already beginning to peal off.)
+
+Page 73: "salle" for "sally," is best guess for unclear word,
+meaning to rush out, assault.
+  (Orig: do anything in a hurry, which do you see, will salle all.")
+
+Page 78: Changed "conditon" to "condition."
+  (Orig: "Name that ere conditon of yours then, quick!")
+
+Page 85: Retained "hear" typo, but possibly "heart" or "head."
+  (Orig: was enough to appal a stouter hear than that of Mary)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Demon Cruiser, by R. L. Wheeler
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 50723 ***
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-The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Demon Cruiser, by R. L. Wheeler

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-Title: The Demon Cruiser

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-Author: R. L. Wheeler

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-THE DEMON CRUISER.</h1>

-

-<p class="ph3">BY</p>

-<p class="ph2">R. L. WHEELER.</p>

-<hr class="r5" />

-<p class="ph4"><em>Copyright, 1909, by James Sullivan.</em><br />

-<em>All Rights Reserved.</em></p>

-<hr class="r5" />

-

-<p class="ph3">Published by<br />

-THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK COMPANY<br />

-Cleveland, Ohio, U. S. A.

-</p>

-

-<p class="center"><small>(Printed in the United States of America)</small></p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-<h2><a id="TABLE_OF_CONTENTS">TABLE OF CONTENTS</a></h2>

-

-

-<div class="center">

-<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="toc">

-<tr><td align="left">CHAPTER</td><td align="right" colspan="2">PAGE</td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">I.</td><td align="left">A Dark Deed</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">II.</td><td align="left">The Box</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">III.</td><td align="right" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">IV.</td><td align="left">Lashed and Adrift</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">V.</td><td align="left">The Island</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">VI.</td><td align="left">The Vision</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">VII.</td><td align="left">The Attack</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">40</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">VIII.</td><td align="left">Drifting On</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">IX.</td><td align="left">Driven Away</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">50</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">X.</td><td align="left">Haunted</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">55</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">XI.</td><td align="left">On the Ledge</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">XII.</td><td align="left">Captured</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">65</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">XIII.</td><td align="left">Walled In</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">XIV.</td><td align="left">In the Tree</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">XV.</td><td align="left">Out of the Tree</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">XVI.</td><td align="left">The Fire-Chasm</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_85">85</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">XVII.</td><td align="left">Unexpected</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">89</a></td></tr>

-<tr><td align="right">XVIII.</td><td align="left">Conclusion</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_96">96</a></td></tr>

-</table></div>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p>

-<h2><a name="THE_DEMON_CRUISER" id="THE_DEMON_CRUISER"><big>THE DEMON CRUISER.</big></a></h2>

-

-

-

-<hr class="r5" />

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a><br /><br />

-

-A DARK DEED.</h2>

-

-

-<p>The ship <em>Maxwell</em>, Captain Roberts, homeward bound from Australia to

-New York, was bowling along upon her course under full sail.</p>

-

-<p>It was a dark night, unrelieved save by the phosphor gleam of the seas

-around the vessel, and the light of the two lanterns hung up in the

-fore and mizzen rigging.</p>

-

-<p>The <em>Maxwell</em> had one passenger&mdash;a gentleman named William Manton,

-who, having accumulated a fortune at Australia, was now returning

-to the United States, where his wife had died during his absence,

-but where he expected to find his daughter, Mary, and a young man of

-nineteen years old, living with an aunt in New York.</p>

-

-<p>In an iron box the passenger carried his fortune&mdash;gold pieces,

-amounting in all to five hundred thousand dollars.</p>

-

-<p>He kept the box locked up in his chest, which was provided with a

-patent lock, so arranged that it could not possibly be opened without

-a great deal of noise.</p>

-

-<p>Occasionally Mr. Manton would go to this chest, and, taking out his

-money, look at it to see that all was safe. He was by no means either

-greedy or miserly; but he felt very anxious and careful about this

-money intended for his beloved child. That his death was not many

-years distant, he felt sure, as he had long suffered from an incurable

-complaint of the liver.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>This might be detected now in his sallow skin, sunken cheeks, and

-hollow eyes, as in his room he bent over his box&mdash;counting the bright,

-yellow pieces of gold.</p>

-

-<p>In every other respect, Mr. Manton was a fine looking old gentleman,

-being broad-shouldered and strong, with long arms, erect form, and

-piercing glance.</p>

-

-<p>There was upon his face, at present, a look of intense satisfaction,

-as coin after coin, in hard, shining pieces passed through his hands.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay," he muttered at length, "my girl will never be poor!"</p>

-

-<p>As he spoke, a sudden chill passed through the old man's frame; a

-shudder as if an ice-bolt had come in contact with his body.</p>

-

-<p>He could not divine the cause; but, had he taken pains to glance

-quickly behind him, up at a small opening in his door, he would have

-known that it was the magnetism of the pair of evil-looking eyes there

-which had chilled his blood.</p>

-

-<p>The eyes belonged to a rough, square, dark-skinned face, the owner of

-which was the third mate, Mr. Brand&mdash;a man of Portuguese extraction,

-whom the captain had shipped at Australia, to take the place of his

-other third officer, lost overboard in a gale.</p>

-

-<p>Brand was an excellent sailor, but a reckless, good-for-nothing fellow

-at heart; a cruel, bloody-thirsty wretch, who had committed almost

-every crime one can imagine, except murder!</p>

-

-<p>Still it was evident the man had a conscience, as he would sometimes

-get to thinking of the evil course he had pursued, and resolve to

-reform.</p>

-

-<p>Alas! for reformation! rum was his God, and in this he would soon

-drown all his better feelings, and keep getting worse and hardened

-until he grew to be a perfect devil!</p>

-

-<p>Captain Roberts had known nothing of this when he shipped the third

-mate, who could play the hypocrite to perfection when he pleased.

-The fellow drank his rum<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> in the privacy of his own apartment, and

-took good care never to appear on deck intoxicated, for Roberts was

-a stern, resolute, temperate man, who would never have forgiven his

-second officer for being drunk on duty.</p>

-

-<p>It was now Brand's watch below. In his apartment he had heard the

-click of Mr. Manton's chest-lock; a noise which had saluted his ears,

-since leaving Australia more than once. Determined to ascertain the

-cause, he had emerged from his room in his stocking feet, and made his

-way to Manton's door as shown.</p>

-

-<p>As he watched the old man counting his money; as he saw the glitter of

-those bright pieces, his mouth fairly watered, and a fearful purpose

-began to gather strength at his heart.</p>

-

-<p>Having seen Manton return the little box to his chest, the third mate

-stole back to his berth, and lay a long time awake, endeavoring to

-plan a scheme for obtaining the money.</p>

-

-<p>"Wouldn't like to take the old gent's life," he muttered; "and

-won't&mdash;no I won't; for bad as Dick Brand is, he has never yet

-murdered."</p>

-

-<p>The more he thought, however, the less fearful became the idea of

-murder.</p>

-

-<p>The gold&mdash;the broad glittering pieces of bright gold, threw a glimmer

-over the dark suggestion creeping into and gaining force over his mind!</p>

-

-<p>Clink! clink! clink!</p>

-

-<p>He imagined he could still hear the noise of the pieces lightly

-striking against each other, as when the old man counted them!</p>

-

-<p>The sweat came out upon his brow; he felt feverish and restless to

-commence the work now, to at once possess himself by a bold stroke, of

-the treasure!</p>

-

-<p>There were no persons in the cabin but Mr. Manton, himself, and the

-steward, the captain, with the first and second officers being on

-deck, and not apt to come below until two bells&mdash;ten o'clock, which

-was yet an hour distant. The steward slept away off at the further end

-of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> the cabin, and being a sound sleeper, there was no danger of his

-waking from any noise less than that of a thunderbolt.</p>

-

-<p>Brand, however, to make sure, now rose, and going to the steward's

-door listened intently, when the heavy breathing of the man convinced

-him that his present slumber was no exception to the rule.</p>

-

-<p>In the middle of the state-room the dark schemer paused, glancing up

-at the companionway. The spray occasionally entering this in drops,

-would give him an excuse for closing the slide, so that he could hear

-if any person should attempt to enter during the performance of his

-fearful work.</p>

-

-<p>Then Brand asked himself what he should do after committing the deed.</p>

-

-<p>Investigation would follow, and there were many ways in which he might

-be discovered.</p>

-

-<p>"Curses upon it! I had not thought of that," muttered the wretch,

-fairly grinding his teeth.</p>

-

-<p>He went back to his berth, not to sleep, but to endeavor to plan a

-safer scheme!</p>

-

-<p>It seemed as if the evil one favored him!</p>

-

-<p>At six bells&mdash;two hours after ten o'clock&mdash;while the captain and first

-mate slept profoundly in their respective apartments, adjoining the

-steward's, Brand heard a noise, and cautiously peering through his

-door saw Mr. Manton, half dressed, about to go on deck, as was often

-his custom, to take a mouthful of fresh air.</p>

-

-<p>He locked his door carefully after him; then ascended the companion.</p>

-

-<p>Brand waited a few minutes, then one moment exulting, and the next

-shuddering at the thought of the deed contemplated, he cautiously made

-his way on deck.</p>

-

-<p>The rascal had carefully considered the purpose in view. He felt

-certain that no man aboard but himself, knew of the fortune carried by

-Mr. Manton in his chest. The passenger was not at all communicative,

-while the captain and his first and second officers were. Therefore,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>

-had they known of the box of money, they would have talked enough

-about it for all hands to become in a short time, posted on the

-subject.</p>

-

-<p>Brand's first step, on reaching the deck, was to ascertain the

-relative position of the officer of the watch, the passenger and the

-man at the wheel.</p>

-

-<p>The latter, located near the steerage, was looking sharply at the

-compass, as it was his duty to do, while the officer of the watch had

-gone amidships, where he stood leaning over the rail, evidently in a

-reverie. As to the passenger, he had moved far off, and was leaning

-across the bulwarks astern, the better to get the benefit of the fresh

-breeze then blowing square into his face.</p>

-

-<p>"Now, then," thought Brand, drawing from his breast pocket a small,

-sharp dirk.</p>

-

-<p>Noiselessly as a snake, he stole behind the passenger, then, starting

-up and throwing a quick glance round him to make sure that everything

-was still favorable, he drew off to stab Mr. Manton in the back.</p>

-

-<p>Chance willed that the latter should turn at this critical instant.</p>

-

-<p>Involuntarily he seized the ruffian's wrist, and being a resolute man,

-grappled him by the throat with the other hand.</p>

-

-<p>Fearful that the man would sing out, which he certainly would have

-done at once but for a cold lately contracted in the throat, Brand

-suddenly pressed this whole tremendous weight against the passenger,

-throwing him backward head over heels across the bulwarks into the sea.</p>

-

-<p>A splash&mdash;a gurgling cry&mdash;a hand thrown up above the dark water!</p>

-

-<p>Then no sound was to be heard save the ordinary noises of a vessel

-booming along with the wind and waves roaring, and yards, masts and

-timbers creaking.</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p>

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a><br /><br />

-

-THE BOX.</h2>

-

-

-<p>After committing this dark deed, Brand, crouching in the shadow of the

-bulwarks, waited to make sure that the splash had not been heard by

-any other than himself.</p>

-

-<p>Assured of this in a few moments, the third officer crawled back to

-the companionway and descended as cautiously as he had come.</p>

-

-<p>Entering the state room, he made his way to Manton's door, determined

-as soon as possible, to possess himself of the treasure.</p>

-

-<p>Procuring a bunch of skeleton keys, which he always carried with him,

-he endeavored to unlock the door.</p>

-

-<p>Vain the effort; not one of the keys would answer.</p>

-

-<p>The rascal then drew forth his penknife, and with some trouble

-contrived at last to pick the lock.</p>

-

-<p>Entering and carefully shutting the door, he advanced to the chest,

-which he soon opened with the key belonging to it, found hanging up

-near the head of the berth Manton had occupied.</p>

-

-<p>He drew forth the box, his eyes snapping with greed, his fingers

-itching to handle the glittering contents. The box was heavy, being

-made of iron and rather large, measuring about a foot in breadth and

-length.</p>

-

-<p>An exultant grin crossed the man's face, giving to it an expression

-perfectly hideous, as, carefully closing the chest and locking it, he

-made his way back to his own apartment with the treasure box.</p>

-

-<p>Arrived there, he held the box up before him, and examined it on all

-sides, but could discover no way to open it.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay," he muttered, "I see how it is. The box has a secret spring,

-which I must find before I can get at the treasure. A blasted fine way

-of savin' money. I'd like to feast my eyes upon them shiners again,

-but guess I'll wait until I get housed before I do so, as one never

-knows who be a-watchin' him, and my bein' discovered a-counting these

-pieces, might lead to unpleasant questioning."</p>

-

-<p>He deposited the box in his own chest, upon which he sat down, after

-locking it.</p>

-

-<p>He had obtained what he coveted, but somehow it did not bring him the

-expected satisfaction.</p>

-

-<p>The gurgling cry of Mr. Manton kept sounding in his ears with a

-pertinacity truly appalling! The weird eyes of the man, gleaming and

-rolling in his head, also haunted the fellow's mind!</p>

-

-<p>He rose, sat down again&mdash;then rose a second time, and threw himself

-upon his berth, trying to sleep.</p>

-

-<p>After awhile he fell into a feverish slumber, and dreamed he saw the

-drowned victim come up, looking white and cadaverous, with clothes and

-hair dripping, hanging suspended right over his head!</p>

-

-<p>In his terror he uttered a hoarse shriek, which not only waked him,

-but also the captain, who came rushing to his door, asking him what

-was the matter:</p>

-

-<p>"Nothing&mdash;a nightmare I s'pose!" answered Brand, with a forced laugh.</p>

-

-<p>The captain, satisfied, returned to his berth and slept again.</p>

-

-<p>Brand, however, could not sleep. He was on deck before morning, when,

-with an involuntary shudder, he glanced astern, through the flying

-rack and scud of a gale which was rising.</p>

-

-<p>Far in the distance he then beheld a bright light&mdash;a red, lurid glare,

-apparently shooting up from the sea.</p>

-

-<p>It was a volcano, which for years had not burned, but was breaking out

-afresh on one of the Esmedura Islands.</p>

-

-<p>Brand thought it was a ship on fire.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"We'd better veer round, then," remarked the officer of the watch.</p>

-

-<p>"Oh, no!" Brand exclaimed, involuntarily.</p>

-

-<p>The vision of Manton's dead body, which might be discovered floating

-upon the water, rose before his mind.</p>

-

-<p>The second officer informed the captain about the light, when, using

-his night-glass, the skipper soon ascertained and explained the cause

-of the fire.</p>

-

-<p>Brand breathed a sigh of relief.</p>

-

-<p>When morning came, Manton was missed at breakfast. Having always found

-him punctual, the captain was alarmed. He went to the room and opened

-the door when no answer was returned to his summons, to find the old

-man missing.</p>

-

-<p>Search was made&mdash;of course in vain&mdash;Brand apparently the most zealous

-of all in his efforts to find the missing one.</p>

-

-<p>"He's gone, shipmates, it's my opinion, where's neither weepin' nor

-whaling," said a voice behind Brand, while he was looking in the hold.</p>

-

-<p>The third officer turned to behold Tom Turk, a queer old tar, with

-enormous head and body, and short, thick legs.</p>

-

-<p>Brand looked at him, keenly.</p>

-

-<p>"What did you say?" he inquired, sharply.</p>

-

-<p>"It's plain English, ain't it?" said Turk, rolling his quid round and

-round: "there's neither weepin nor whalin' in t'other land. The old

-man to my thinkin', was a good sort o' chap what has gone, sir, where

-p'raps neither you nor I will go, sir, seein' as we've our bad p'ints!"</p>

-

-<p>Brand eyed the speaker steadily, and was satisfied that he knew

-nothing of the dark deed committed.</p>

-

-<p>Meantime the search was continued, until it was concluded that the old

-man, whose habit of rousing up at eight was well known, had fallen

-overboard.</p>

-

-<p>Several months later the vessel arrived at New York Harbor.</p>

-

-<p>Scarcely was she anchored when a boat containing, besides<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> the rowers,

-a female and a young man, was seen pulling towards her.</p>

-

-<p>The boat was soon alongside, when the young man&mdash;a tall, fine looking

-fellow, sprang out to assist the lady at up the gangway. She was a

-beautiful girl, with brown hair flowing in curls over her shoulders, a

-white rose-tinted skin, large, intelligent blue eyes and a form full

-rounded grace.</p>

-

-<p>The moment she reached the deck, she glanced eagerly round her.</p>

-

-<p>"Where is he? Where is Mr. Manton, my father, sir?" she said,

-addressing the captain.</p>

-

-<p>The latter's countenance fell; in a few words he explained.</p>

-

-<p>It was a terrible shock to the girl. Pale as death she staggered, and

-would have fallen but for the support of her companion's arm.</p>

-

-<p>When she could stand alone, he inquired all the particulars of the

-captain, who promptly gave what information he could.</p>

-

-<p>"Are you certain he was lost?" inquired the young man; "was there no

-way in which he might have saved himself?"</p>

-

-<p>"I fear not," was the reply. "We must have been two miles from land at

-the time."</p>

-

-<p>"Papa was an excellent swimmer," faltered the young girl. "He might

-have reached the land."</p>

-

-<p>The captain, however, shook his head, saying he felt quite certain

-that his passenger was not saved.</p>

-

-<p>Further remarks were exchanged, when the captain added that the

-passenger's chest, unmolested, was in the cabin as it had been left.</p>

-

-<p>At this, Brand, who stood not far off, turned aside his head and felt

-uneasy.</p>

-

-<p>What more probable than that Manton had written to his daughter,

-telling her about the box with him. Just where he kept it, and how

-much it contained.</p>

-

-<p>If that were so, however, it was evident that at present<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> all

-considerations were drowned in the grief and excitement the girl felt

-at the sudden news of her parent's loss.</p>

-

-<p>With a mute but expressive look, she turned towards the young man,

-her companion, who at once helped her down the gangway, telling the

-captain that the chest would be sent for.</p>

-

-<p>"Good riddance!" thought Brand; "I must get away from this craft as

-soon as I can."</p>

-

-<p>Next day he applied for his discharge, which the captain granted. An

-hour later, Brand and the chest were lodged at a seaman's boarding

-house in &mdash;&mdash; street.</p>

-

-<p>Carefully locking his door and pulling down the window curtains, the

-third officer drew the iron box from the chest. After a long search

-he found the secret spring, which proved to be one of the small brass

-nails with which the box was studded.</p>

-

-<p>Trembling with greedy expectation, he pressed against it, when the lid

-flew open.</p>

-

-<p>Then a strange cry burst from his lips.</p>

-

-<p>The box was empty!</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p>

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></h2>

-

-

-<p>For several moments the man continued staring at the empty box, wholly

-unable to account for the singular discovery.</p>

-

-<p>Then he sat down and ruminated. No living soul aboard the vessel had

-known of his possessing the box, therefore he was certain that the

-money could not have been extracted after he obtained it.</p>

-

-<p>The only inference was that the money was not in the box when he took

-it.</p>

-

-<p>Where then was it?</p>

-

-<p>Vainly the man puzzled his brains: he could arrive at no definite

-conclusion.</p>

-

-<p>Weeks passed.</p>

-

-<p>Manton's chest must by this time, have been received and opened by his

-daughter. Brand had seen several of the ship's officers, but it was

-evident they had not heard of Manton's daughter missing anything from

-the chest.</p>

-

-<p>Brand, therefore, breathed easy on this score, believing that, after

-all, the passenger had not written a word to his daughter about the

-box.</p>

-

-<p>Two weeks later, by recommendation of Captain Roberts, who had found

-Brand to be an excellent seaman, the latter obtained command of a ship

-called the <em>Quadrant</em>, bound to Australia and the East Indies.</p>

-

-<p>While Brand was preparing his vessel for sea, he had a visit from the

-owner.</p>

-

-<p>"Captain," said the latter, "you will cruise awhile off the islands,

-in the neighborhood of Australia, and visit some of them before going

-into Sydney."</p>

-

-<p>"What for?" inquired Brand.</p>

-

-<p>The order had really been an unpleasant one to him, as if brought

-afresh to his imagination, the drowned body<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> of his victim, Mr.

-Manton, floating about on the water.</p>

-

-<p>"Because," answered the owner, "the daughter of that passenger aboard

-the <em>Maxwell</em>, Mr. Manton, cannot be persuaded that her father was

-really lost. She is anxious to investigate the matter; to search all

-the islands she can, especially that one upon which was seen the

-volcano!"</p>

-

-<p>Objections rose to Brand's white lips; but he dared not give them

-utterance, fearful of exciting suspicion.</p>

-

-<p>"The lady," continued the owner, "will be accompanied by a young

-man&mdash;her affianced, who has been in the United States navy, and

-is a good sailor, from whom, in case of emergency, you may derive

-assistance. He is one of my clerks; a worthy young man, whom I hope

-you will treat with all due courtesy."</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, sir," answered Brand, who could be pleasant enough when he

-chose.</p>

-

-<p>Next day he went about shipping his crew, among whom was old Tom Turk.</p>

-

-<p>Brand admired the latter's skill in seamanship, and this was his only

-reason for taking him, as in every other respect he disliked him.</p>

-

-<p>The vessel ready a fortnight later, got under weigh, and was soon

-plunging her bows into the dark waters of the Atlantic.</p>

-

-<p>On the quarter deck, by the side of Mary Manton, stood Harry

-Granville, her lover, endeavoring to cheer her spirits, which had

-drooped ever since the fearful news of her father's disappearance from

-the <em>Maxwell</em>.</p>

-

-<p>Brand, superintending the work aboard the vessel, watched the lovers

-askance. The presence of the daughter of the very man he had pushed

-overboard, made him feel uneasy.</p>

-

-<p>Every time he encountered the great, earnest blue eyes, it seemed to

-him as if they could see, away down into his soul, the dark secret he

-intended to carry with him to his grave!</p>

-

-<p>Favored by fair winds the vessel, in a few months arrived in the

-latitude where the tragedy had taken place.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"Here is where the passenger fell overboard!" said Brand, addressing

-Harry Grenville, one evening, just after sundown.</p>

-

-<p>The young man went into the cabin, whence he soon reappeared with

-Mary, whose eyes were suffused with tears, while she gazed earnestly

-upon the water, as if there hoping to see the form of her parent

-reappear.</p>

-

-<p>Brand, walking his quarter-deck, kept his eyes steadily averted from

-her face.</p>

-

-<p>Gradually darkness stole round the vessel, when, far ahead, a bright,

-lurid light broke upon the vision of Mary Manton.</p>

-

-<p>"What is that?" she inquired of her lover.</p>

-

-<p>He informed her that it was a volcano.</p>

-

-<p>"Then that is the volcanic island where we are to search," said Mary.</p>

-

-<p>"Yes," answered Harry, "but you must not hope to discover anything.

-From this point no man could hardly hope to swim to that island."</p>

-

-<p>Mary sighed heavily.</p>

-

-<p>At the same moment, she noticed that her lover's head was inclined

-sideways.</p>

-

-<p>She was then sensible of a distant humming, roaring noise, growing

-louder and louder!</p>

-

-<p>"It is the volcano, is it not?" she inquired.</p>

-

-<p>"No," answered Harry, "it is a storm coming up."</p>

-

-<p>He sprang to the companion and glanced at the barometer, which,

-however, for some reason, had fallen but little.</p>

-

-<p>"The instrument must be out of repair," said Harry.</p>

-

-<p>Then he stepped to the captain's side, and questioned him when he was

-informed that the barometer was injured.</p>

-

-<p>"I need no such toy," continued Brand, "to tell me when a storm is

-a-comin' up! I've heard the wind pipe too often for that."</p>

-

-<p>"We are going to have a hard blow, pretty soon," said Harry&mdash;"don't

-you hear?"</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"That's the volcano, youngster!" answered Brand gruffly.</p>

-

-<p>"You are mistaken."</p>

-

-<p>"Peers I know my business!"</p>

-

-<p>"I am sure it is the gale we hear. You would do well to take in sail."</p>

-

-<p>"I hope I'm master abroad my own craft," said Brand, sneering.</p>

-

-<p>"We will leave it to some of your oldest seaman," said Glenville,

-wishing to avoid a quarrel, if possible.</p>

-

-<p>Several of the old tars, among them Turk, were called up. They agreed

-with Glenville.</p>

-

-<p>"I've heerd the roarin' of a volcanic, before now," said Turk, "which,

-beggin' pardon, sir, is no more like a gale a-comin' up than this is

-like the thump of a handspike," taking out his quid and throwing it

-violently to the deck.</p>

-

-<p>Brand, however, skillful seaman though he was, refused to be

-convinced, until suddenly he beheld driving down upon him from

-windward, a long line of white water, showing like a wall through the

-gloom.</p>

-

-<p>Then the unmistakable notes of the tempest were heard by all aboard.</p>

-

-<p>"Go below," said Harry to his fair companion.</p>

-

-<p>She obeyed trembling; at the same moment, with a whis and a rush, the

-storm was heard sweeping along towards the vessel.</p>

-

-<p>"Hands! by halliards! clew up everything lively there! Mind tacks and

-sheets," screamed Brand, in a voice like the scream of a wild beast.</p>

-

-<p>Top-gallant sails, topsail, foresail and mainsail were soon clewed up,

-and the seamen's forms were distinctly seen running up through the

-gloom.</p>

-

-<p>Too late! While the poor fellows were yet upon the yards, the storm,

-with the din of a thousand furies, struck the devoted ship.</p>

-

-<p>At first nothing could be seen or heard, save the rush and the roar of

-the tempest.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>The spray shrouded the ship as in a white cloud, flying all round

-her, blinding and bewildering the men, while the roar of the sea, the

-creaking, snapping and straining of yards and masts, the creaking

-of the timbers, the cannon-like report of the sails, slatting all

-over the vessel, with the whipping about of ropes, tacks and sheets,

-created a din such as only the sailor, caught unawares in a storm, can

-realize.</p>

-

-<p>Vainly Brand, claining to a rope near the mizzenmast, endeavored to

-make himself heard; his voice was as a mere whisper in contrast with

-the shrieking and howling of the storm.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile far down, with her rail buried, the ship tore away through

-the mad waters, swift as a thunderbolt, pitching meanwhile with a

-violence which threw several men off the yard into the white and black

-mist of spray and storm, bubbling, boiling and rolling beneath.</p>

-

-<p>Harry Glenville had sprung aloft to cheer and encourage the men.</p>

-

-<p>Vainly endeavoring to make himself heard, he was suddenly thrown from

-his position, and must have gone overboard but for his catching the

-backstay and by this reaching the deck.</p>

-

-<p>No need now of men to pull the sails. With a sharp tearing sound,

-like the blasts from a thousand bass trumpets, every strip of canvass

-aboard the vessel was torn to shreds and carried far off into the rack

-and scud.</p>

-

-<p>Soon after there was a crash, when down came the fore and main

-topmasts, falling over the side, and dragging the ship down, so that

-half of her decks were buried, while the seas continually broke over

-the other part.</p>

-

-<p>In a few minutes Brand, with the help of his speaking trumpet, was

-enabled to make himself heard by shrieking into the very ears of the

-men.</p>

-

-<p>"Clear the wreck!" was his first order, which Tom Turk at once sprang

-to obey, axe in hand.</p>

-

-<p>Harry Glenville, similarly provided, was at the side of the old tar,

-to whom he had taken quite a fancy, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> who he had reason to believe,

-appreciated and was glad of his notice.</p>

-

-<p>The two soon gaining the wreck, went to work, having previously

-fastened ropes round their middles to prevent themselves from being

-washed overboard.</p>

-

-<p>With a few blows they renewed the encumbrances, when the vessel

-partially righted.</p>

-

-<p>The wind was now blowing a perfect tornado, keeping the spray down

-almost upon the surface of the sea, which was nearly as flat as a

-floor.</p>

-

-<p>The ship also feeling this pressure, instead of now rolling and

-plunging, was forced down into the stormy sea almost to the middle of

-her bulwarks, while her bows were completely buried.</p>

-

-<p>Harry had taken off the rope, and was about returning aft, when the

-water forward swept by an erratic movement of the ship, caught him and

-carried him from his feet!</p>

-

-<p>Like a shot he was whirled over the bulwarks, when he caught a small,

-rotten piece of rope hanging from the shrouds.</p>

-

-<p>Brand, who was not far off, might easily have saved him by springing

-and grasping his hand.</p>

-

-<p>For reasons which may be imagined, he resolved to leave the man to his

-fate!</p>

-

-<p>The rope being, as stated, a rotten one, broke!</p>

-

-<p>"My God! he is gone!" shrieked the hypocritical captain.</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p>

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a><br /><br />

-

-LASHED AND ADRIFT.</h2>

-

-

-<p>"Guess not!" answered the voice of old Tom Turk, "he's as safe as a

-marlinespike in a rack!"</p>

-

-<p>So saying, the old fellow by a dextrious movement, threw a bowline

-hitch he had quickly formed at the end of a rope, over the young man's

-head, and drew him safely aboard.</p>

-

-<p>Mary, who, hearing of her lover's peril, had ventured on deck in spite

-of the storm, sprang towards him.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, now, lass!" exclaimed Turk, "mustn't be in too much of a

-hurry to go, as there's a mighty danger of our all goin' before long.

-Bless your pretty eyes! that's what I call a collapse!" as Mary

-impulsively threw her arms around her lover's neck, in her joy at his

-safety.</p>

-

-<p>On went the vessel, booming, crashing, thundering on her course, with

-all her timbers quivering, as if about to fly apart.</p>

-

-<p>"Oh, Harry!" exclaimed Mary, "will this storm ever be over!"</p>

-

-<p>"Yes! be not afraid!" he answered, as he helped her into the cabin.</p>

-

-<p>There he beheld a sight which was truly appalling. The water was

-washing and swashing about the cabin floor up to his very knees, while

-articles of furniture were floating about like so many chips!</p>

-

-<p>The young man conducted the girl back again, and having safely secured

-her to the mizzenmast, by means of a rope, he went over to the captain.</p>

-

-<p>"Your ship has sprung a leak!"</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"What?" exclaimed Brand, almost bounding off his feet.</p>

-

-<p>Harry repeated the information, when Brand, peering into the cabin,

-discovered that he had spoken correctly.</p>

-

-<p>The vessel, it was evident, had sprung a leak somewhere beneath the

-counter.</p>

-

-<p>Pumps were immediately rigged, and their dismal clanging was ere long

-heard like a knell through the storm.</p>

-

-<p>The carpenter being sent below, half an hour later, reported the water

-gaining.</p>

-

-<p>Brand stared at him half stupefied.</p>

-

-<p>Then, with eyes rolling wildly in his head, he shrieked out:</p>

-

-<p>"I might have known I'd have no luck in these accursed waters!"</p>

-

-<p>He drew back, shuddering from head to foot. The blue eyes of Mary

-Manton were turned full upon his dark, distorted face!</p>

-

-<p>"Why?" inquired a voice at his elbow, when, turning he beheld Harry

-Glenville.</p>

-

-<p>He gave the young man a black look! then uttered a horrible oath!</p>

-

-<p>"Blast you, young eavesdropper, are you a-goin' to follow me about

-like a spy?"</p>

-

-<p>"I don't understand! You talk foolishly!" said Harry.</p>

-

-<p>"Do I?" inquired Brand, with a sneer, apparently recovering his

-calmness all of a sudden. "Well, I'll tell you what I meant. I meant

-on account of the infernal storms one often meets with in these

-latitudes. It matters little, however, we are all doomed to Davy Jones

-now, unless we can get off in the boats!"</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, the boats are probably our only recourse!" answered Harry,

-with great coolness.</p>

-

-<p>Brand admired him in spite of himself.</p>

-

-<p>"Why, now, blast it! it seems to me you take matters easy, youngster!"</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"This is not the first storm I've seen!" answered Harry.</p>

-

-<p>"No! but when you know that it's p'raps to be your last, one would

-think you'd feel uneasy, to say the least."</p>

-

-<p>"A difference in temperaments," answered the other; "but come! don't

-you think we'd better be getting the boats ready? The lashings are

-loose and they'll soon be adrift, if we don't hurry."</p>

-

-<p>"Ho, ho! so you're getting anxious, after all, my young shaver!"</p>

-

-<p>"Not in the least for myself," answered Harry contemptuously, "but

-there is another in my charge."</p>

-

-<p>As the young man spoke, the ship suddenly fell off, when, with a crash

-and a roar like a thunderbolt, a huge cataract of water was borne

-directly across the vessel, carrying away the wheelhouse with the man

-at the helm, the caboose, a part of the forecastle, and last, but by

-far not least, all the boats, which, as Harry had stated, were become

-loosened in their lashings.</p>

-

-<p>This catastrophe held every man mute after he had saved himself from

-going overboard.</p>

-

-<p>White and dumb the sailors saw the last means of their leaving the

-doomed ship borne away from them.</p>

-

-<p>"It's all up with us!" screamed Brand&mdash;the first to break the silence.</p>

-

-<p>"We are lost! we cannot be saved! Is it not so?" cried Mary, clinging

-to the arm of her lover.</p>

-

-<p>"There is no telling!" he answered; "but hope for the best."</p>

-

-<p>Just then the ship falling off yet further, headed directly for that

-great mass of red lurid light, gleaming like a bonfire of demons

-through the bleak darkness of the night and the storm.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, there's the volcano," cried Harry.</p>

-

-<p>"Yes, how like a beacon of hope it seems!" exclaimed Mary.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, a hell-beacon!" growled the captain, as he passed into the cabin.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>What business had he in the cabin at such a moment, when his ship was

-going down into the dark waters!</p>

-

-<p>Rum!</p>

-

-<p>He would drink, drink, drink, drowning the dragon of conscience which,

-in this dread moment, seemed gnawing at his very vitals.</p>

-

-<p>Up to his waist in water, he found the swimming chests containing his

-grog, and breaking it open, poured the fiery contents of one of the

-bottles down his throat.</p>

-

-<p>The next moment he felt a rope drawing tightly round his breast

-beneath the armpits, became aware then of being hauled up through the

-companionway, while the voice of old Tom Turk rang in his ears:</p>

-

-<p>"Hold there, Cap! Blast me, sir, but this ain't a square above-board

-bizness, do you see&mdash;a drinkin' of grog when there's peril! How do

-you know, but some of t'others aboard would like a few tauts, when

-opportunity drifts to em."</p>

-

-<p>The captain would have responded the minute he was hauled up, with a

-blow of the fist, or at least an oath but for the terrible catastrophe

-which now seemed impending.</p>

-

-<p>Humming, gurgling and roaring, a strange noise, growing louder every

-moment, was heard in the hold.</p>

-

-<p>"God help us all!" screamed the carpenter; "no more use at them pumps.

-What you hear is the water surgin' into the hold."</p>

-

-<p>Mary clung closely to her lover, while the men with axes at once went

-to work, chopping down pieces of timber for the purpose of forming a

-raft.</p>

-

-<p>"How far should you judge we are from yonder island!" said Harry, now

-pointing to the red gleam which seemed to send a track of lurid fire

-shooting through the darkness.</p>

-

-<p>"Well," answered Tom Turk, "it's hard tellin' at night though I'm

-shouldn't say we're more than a league from it. It's symbological,"

-continued Turk, gloomily crossing his arms over his breast, "to many

-of us as shall go below instead of aloft."</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"I dare say you have sinned as well as others, you old rascal!" cried

-Brand, fiercely addressing the speaker.</p>

-

-<p>"There's no denying that," answered Tom; "I have sinned when I was

-a little chip, but not since the days o' my apple steelin', from

-orchards and such like. Ever since, I have behaved myself like a

-martyr, confinin' myself to but eights tauts of grog at a time&mdash;when I

-could get it, that is; which ain't under present state of affairs."</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile the men hurried to construct the raft, which was at last

-completed in a clumsy manner, owing to the hurried nature of the work.</p>

-

-<p>It was high time it was finished, for every part of the craft except a

-dry spot on the quarterdeck, was now buried, the water reaching half

-way up the stumps of the shattered masts.</p>

-

-<p>The raft was secured alongside, after which Harry helped Mary to the

-floating platform, taking care to lash her securely to the timbers.</p>

-

-<p>In a minute all hands were upon the raft, and Brand was about severing

-the rope with his knife, when, with a sudden lurch, down went the ship

-dragging the floating platform with it.</p>

-

-<p>The men drifted off into sea! but Mary being lashed to the raft went

-down with it!</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p>

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a><br /><br />

-

-THE ISLAND.</h2>

-

-

-<p>As the young girl disappeared beneath the dark waters, two persons

-dove after her, determined to accomplish her rescue or perish in the

-attempt.</p>

-

-<p>Those two were Harry Glenville and old Tom Turk.</p>

-

-<p>Could they reach the girl and bring her to the surface, they might

-easily manage to lash her to some one of the many planks and spars

-floating around them, and faintly revealed in the lurid gleam

-streaming along the waters from the volcano, now less than two miles

-distant.</p>

-

-<p>Down under the sea, Turk and his friend finally came upon the girl,

-when, with one blow of his knife, hold ready in his right hand, Harry

-severed the rope holding Mary to the raft.</p>

-

-<p>Now, however, he felt the force of the downward suction of the doomed

-ship, and was unable to ascend with his burden to the surface of the

-sea.</p>

-

-<p>In this situation the young man preserved his presence of mind,

-holding to Mary with a firm grasp, his right arm round her waist,

-while with the other he paddled under water, hoping soon to get out of

-range of the suction force dragging him down.</p>

-

-<p>In about a minute, he became aware that he was ascending with great

-rapidity, and then comprehended that the whirlpool formed by the

-sinking craft had subsided, shooting him and his precious charge

-upward with the bubble caused by the collapsing of the waters.</p>

-

-<p>He was soon at the surface of the sea, to behold his shipmates all

-around him clinging to spars and fragments.</p>

-

-<p>He swam to a spar near him, and, with the ropes dangling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> therefrom,

-lashed the girl to it; then looked down upon her white, upturned face,

-closed eyes and drooping hair, almost fearing that she was dead!</p>

-

-<p>Far along the waters the light of the volcano, streaming luridly,

-illumined that pale face and shining hair with unearthly radiance.</p>

-

-<p>"Mary, speak to me!" exclaimed the young man. "Tell me that you are

-alive&mdash;that you hear me calling you!"</p>

-

-<p>Vain the supplication. Her closed lips remained mute, the eyes were

-not opened, the sad pallor of the face remained unchanged.</p>

-

-<p>Suddenly he became aware of a noise like a porpoise blowing, and

-turning, beheld Tom Turk, who had just risen alongside of him,

-clinging to the same spar to which he hung.</p>

-

-<p>"Phew, bless my eyes!" ejaculated the old sailor, "this is sartinly

-a most uncomfortable siterwation for them as has always sarved their

-captins faithful."</p>

-

-<p>Then he looked closely at the young girl.</p>

-

-<p>"Don't be afraid," he exclaimed, "the gal is all right. That waxy

-look, I'm sartin, ain't from death. She'll git over it! I never saw

-one of the female sect in this siterwation afore, except once off the

-Cape of Good Hope where I was wrecked in the bark <em>Tempest</em>. The poor

-creatur' was in the water tied to the bottom of a boat a whole day,

-but the water bein' warm, as it is here, she got over her hardship,

-and I believe is now livin' parfectly healthy with a famerly of small

-children."</p>

-

-<p>"It seems to me, Turk," said Harry, suddenly, "that we are receding

-from the volcanic inland; instead of approaching it."</p>

-

-<p>"I was a-thinkin' of that same," answered Turk; "in fact the wind has

-hauled round a little, and is now a-blowin' from the island, instead

-of towards it."</p>

-

-<p>This troubled the young man much. He now had little hope, in fact, of

-Mary's being saved.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile, through the din of the storm, the voices of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> Turk's

-shipmates were now and then heard, as they drifted along, attached to

-their respective spars.</p>

-

-<p>With the strange coolness of seamen in the most perilous situations,

-many of these men even ventured so far as to laugh and crack jokes as

-they were tossed about on that stormy ocean; so true it is that "Jack

-never despairs while there is a plank under him."</p>

-

-<p>Gradually the voices became more detached as the poor fellows were

-separated further and further from each other by the intervening seas,

-perhaps never again to meet on earth!</p>

-

-<p>Mary Manton now opened her eyes. The plank to which she was attached

-had by this time drifted out of range of the stream of light, but

-Harry and Turk could see the gleam of those bright orbs through the

-darkness.</p>

-

-<p>"Why! where am I? Harry! Harry! where are you?" exclaimed the poor

-girl, while shudder after shudder convulsed her frame.</p>

-

-<p>"I am here, Mary!" he answered. "Cheer up! You are with friends. We

-may, in time, succeed in reaching land."</p>

-

-<p>"Oh, I am so glad you are safe!" she exclaimed, impulsively, resting

-her bright head on his shoulder. "Do you think we are far from land?"</p>

-

-<p>"I hope not," he answered. Then, raising himself halfway out of water,

-and glancing far ahead through the gloom. "God be praised! I think I

-see land, now! at all events there are breakers."</p>

-

-<p>Turk looked in the indicated direction, to behold a long line of white

-water gleaming through the darkness.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay! ay!" he shouted, in a ringing voice, "there is land, sure enough.

-Cheer up, lass, we are near land after all."</p>

-

-<p>"I am afraid our shipmates will not succeed in reaching it," said

-Harry, "as they must be far to leeward of us by this time."</p>

-

-<p>"There's no tellin'," answered Turk; "but I'm afraid not. I hope,

-hows'ever, the poor lads will be picked up,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> between this and

-to-morrow night, by some passing craft."</p>

-

-<p>All night long the three were borne on, at the mercy of winds and

-waves, nearer and nearer towards the line of white water.</p>

-

-<p>The sufferings of poor Mary were meanwhile intense, and were fully

-appreciated by the two men, notwithstanding the girl's efforts to hide

-her pain and seem cheerful.</p>

-

-<p>Poor child! drenched through and through, cold and feverish by turns,

-with a terrible pain in her head, and half smothered by the seas

-continually breaking over her, no wonder that she suffered!</p>

-

-<p>Almost unconscious when the gray dawn stole upon the waters, she heard

-the ringing tones of Harry Glenville, breaking like music upon her

-half-bewildered senses.</p>

-

-<p>"Land O! right ahead!"</p>

-

-<p>Then Harry, loosening her lashings so that she could turn her head,

-pointed out to her a lofty cape, covered with shrubbery, beneath which

-was a beach covered with beautiful cocoanut trees, now waving wildly

-in the gale!</p>

-

-<p>"Thank God!" she murmured, and endeavored to smile.</p>

-

-<p>The effort, however, was too much. With a faint but glad cry, she fell

-back, half fainting, upon her lover's shoulder.</p>

-

-<p>The drifting spar was now close upon the reef, scarcely five fathoms

-ahead.</p>

-

-<p>In less than half an hour it struck against one of the rocks, when

-Harry and Turk, loosening their fair charge from the spar, surveyed

-the water between the reef and the island.</p>

-

-<p>Concluding that it was shallow enough to enable them to wade, they

-made their way toward the beach, carrying the girl between them.</p>

-

-<p>Soon landing, they found a clear stream, in the heart of a breadfruit

-thicket, with a bank of soft turf upon which they laid the young girl.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Then Turk, with a knowing wink, drew from his pocket a small flask,

-containing a red liquid.</p>

-

-<p>"Though temperance!" said he, "although I ain't never signed no

-pledge, still I will indulge in a draught of this, by way of

-celebratin' our wonderful preservation!"</p>

-

-<p>Before drinking, the old tar put the neck of the bottle between the

-lips of the young girl, pouring some of the brandy down her throat.</p>

-

-<p>The effect was instantaneous; color came to her cheeks, and she opened

-her beautiful blue eyes, which were turned upon her lover before she

-spoke.</p>

-

-<p>"Harry! Where are we now? Are you perfectly safe&mdash;uninjured&mdash;"</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay," interrupted Turk; "that's the way with her sect, always

-a-thinkin' of t'others before themselves."</p>

-

-<p>"I am perfectly well, and uninjured," answered Harry, as he helped

-Mary to her feet. "Come, Turk," he added, to the old sailor, "let us

-get some kind of a shelter up for this poor child!"</p>

-

-<p>A fire was first kindled, dry wood having been found in a hollow

-behind some stones. Then Harry procured a log and made a good seat for

-the girl before the fire, that she might dry her saturated garments.</p>

-

-<p>"This is comfortable," said Turk, as he again raised his flask to his

-lips; "here we are all out of them perils which&mdash;"</p>

-

-<p>Harry quietly seized his arm.</p>

-

-<p>"Turk," said he, "we may need that brandy. I will buy it of you."</p>

-

-<p>At this the movements of the old tar were peculiar.</p>

-

-<p>He put the flask down on a flat rock; then he spread his legs apart

-like a pair of compasses, and thrust both hands in his pockets,

-looking at his friend with eyebrows elevated almost to the top of his

-forehead.</p>

-

-<p>"This," said he, slowly, "is an insultin' proposition. Avast! avast!

-about buyin' my grog! D'ye think I would sell it, if it'll be of any

-use to the gal? No; she is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> perfectly welcome to that and to a gallon,

-had I as much in my possession."</p>

-

-<p>"Nay, Harry," said Mary sweetly, noticing the wistful glances the old

-tar cast at the bottle, even while delivering his magnanimous speech.</p>

-

-<p>"Mr. Turk shall keep his liquor. I will not need it! See, I am quite

-strong!" and she rose briskly to her feet.</p>

-

-<p>"Mr. Turk," muttered the old sailor, "that Mr. which I ain't heard for

-many a year, sounds mighty queer. It's too respectful to sich an old

-hulk as me, Miss. Please drop it and call me plain Tom Turk."</p>

-

-<p>"Tom Turk it shall be, then," answered the young girl.</p>

-

-<p>As she spoke, there was a rustling in the shrubbery near the fire.</p>

-

-<p>"Savages!" gasped Mary; "let us fly."</p>

-

-<p>She shrank back, when parting the bushes a familiar form emerged to

-view.</p>

-

-<p>It was Captain Brand.</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p>

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a><br /><br />

-

-THE VISION.</h2>

-

-

-<p>"You here!" exclaimed Harry, starting back.</p>

-

-<p>"And why not?" inquired Brand, with a sinister smile, "haven't I as

-good a right to be saved as yourself?"</p>

-

-<p>"Certainly, and I am glad you have saved yourself. Still your

-appearance surprised me a little, as I had thought that no persons

-except ourselves, had succeeded in reaching this island from the

-wreck."</p>

-

-<p>"It was a narrow escape for me," answered Brand; "the current which

-runs round the extremity of this island, caught me, and I would have

-been whirled past the land, do you see, but for my catching the spur

-of a rock by which I just succeeded in drawing myself ashore."</p>

-

-<p>"Bad eggs always float," said Turk, making a grimace.</p>

-

-<p>"What mean you, you rascal?" cried Brand; "are you regrettin' my

-escape?"</p>

-

-<p>"Not exactly, still I'll own I'd rather some of t'others had been

-saved and you have gone instead."</p>

-

-<p>"Blast you for an unmannerly old dog," shouted Brand; "I've half a

-mind to give you a taste of a rope's end. Just remember you are under

-my orders, now, as you were aboard ship."</p>

-

-<p>"I differ with ye there," answered outspoken Turk; "so much in fact,

-that if you should try to rope's end me, I should have to keel haul

-you."</p>

-

-<p>And Turk, as he spoke, showed a formidable looking fist, hairy and

-covered with protuberances like those one see on the knots of an oak.</p>

-

-<p>Brand's eye flashed fire, and he made a step forward.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Then he controlled himself, muttering something in an inaudible voice.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile, the eyes of Mary were turned upon the intruder with a

-mingled expression of fear and dislike.</p>

-

-<p>There was evidently in those eyes some startling resemblance which

-made the captain feel very uneasy, for he half turned his head, while

-a ghastly hue overspread his face.</p>

-

-<p>"So," said Harry, breaking the awkward silence, "we did not reach our

-destination, the volcanic isle, after all."</p>

-

-<p>"No," answered Brand, gloomily.</p>

-

-<p>"Can we not get to it from here?" inquired Mary, eagerly; "I know not

-why, but I feel as if we should there find my poor, lost papa!"</p>

-

-<p>"Never," thought Brand; "your papa has been food for fishes long

-before now."</p>

-

-<p>In a few minutes they were at work erecting bowers.</p>

-

-<p>Turk was moving away, with Brand about to follow him, when, turning

-and catching a sudden glance at the captain, he snatched up his bottle

-and pocketed it.</p>

-

-<p>"You need not be afraid," said the skipper, with a sneer; "I have

-a supply of gin of my own," showing a big black bottle, partially

-protruding from the inside pocket of his jacket.</p>

-

-<p>Turk pulled Harry's sleeve.</p>

-

-<p>"The captain's gin," he whispered, "better than this ere brandy of

-mine, would make an excellent cosmopolite for the gal in case of

-sickness."</p>

-

-<p>"You may keep your brandy if you wish," answered Harry, sternly.</p>

-

-<p>At this reproof, old Turk colored and scratched his head like a

-schoolboy detected in some grave offence.</p>

-

-<p>Then he ran forward, and grasped the young man's hand.</p>

-

-<p>"I wouldn't taste a drop of my grog for the world, since the gal may

-want it. Still do ye see, human natur' is human natur', and I'm bound

-to say that I have been selfish in this matter, to the great sorrer of

-Tom Turk."</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Two bowers were soon erected of twigs and leaves; one for the

-accommodation of the men, the other for Mary.</p>

-

-<p>With their jackets and a multitude of dried leaves, the men formed a

-pleasant little retreat for the young girl, who thanked them for their

-pains.</p>

-

-<p>Towards sundown the gale abated. The men took advantage of this to

-construct, with some fragments of the wreck drifted ashore, a raft,

-upon which they paddled out to the reef, where several barrels and

-boxes from the wrecked vessel had drifted. These were found to contain

-hard bread and salt beef, enough to last them for several weeks.</p>

-

-<p>With some difficulty they got the valuable articles over the reef,

-and they were paddling them to land, when they saw Mary, whom they

-had left upon the beach, beckoning to them with an air of fear and

-excitement.</p>

-

-<p>"We had better let the provision go," said Harry.</p>

-

-<p>"No!" exclaimed Brand, "I am captain here. The gal has probably got

-scared at nothing."</p>

-

-<p>"Come, Turk!" said Harry, "if this fellow don't choose to follow us,

-we will leave him."</p>

-

-<p>So saying, the young man plunged into the water, closely followed by

-the old tar, greatly to the indignation of Brand, who, clenching his

-fists, muttered to himself:</p>

-

-<p>"I will be even with them, yet."</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile the beach now being but twenty yards distant from the raft,

-Harry and his friend were soon ashore.</p>

-

-<p>"Perhaps I was mistaken," said Mary, as she fled to her lover's side,

-"but I feel quite certain I saw the head of a savage, protruding over

-the shrubbery near my bower," pointing as she spoke, towards a clump

-of bushes about forty yards from the sylvan shelter.</p>

-

-<p>Instantly Harry bounded toward the spot, armed with a stout club

-picked up from the ground.</p>

-

-<p>Turk was about following, when a thought seemed to strike him. He

-retraced his step, and, taking from his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> pocket his bottle of grog,

-rolled it up in a green breadfruit leaf, and presented it to Mary.</p>

-

-<p>"Here, lass!" said he, "please take charge of this and&mdash;" here a

-suppressed sob escaped the old fellow, "if I never return to claim it,

-keep it as a testamentary of affection from Tom Turk."</p>

-

-<p>Before the girl could reply, he was off after Harry, who, by this

-time, was close upon the clump of shrubbery.</p>

-

-<p>The young man looked all around him, but could see neither sign nor

-trace of a savage.</p>

-

-<p>Concluding the girl's fancy had deceived her, both men returned to

-assure her that such was the case. Mary, however, looked doubtful.</p>

-

-<p>"It may have been fancy," she said, "but somehow I hardly think it

-was."</p>

-

-<p>Harry endeavoured to quiet her fears, and was finally successful.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile Turk was noticed to behave in a singular manner. He

-would walk all round the girl, looking at her, now and then, in a

-significant manner winking first with one eye and then the other.</p>

-

-<p>Annoyed, Harry at length asked him what he wanted.</p>

-

-<p>"Beg pardon, Miss," he stammered "but if you please, that bottle of

-grog!"</p>

-

-<p>Mary blushed, and thrusting her hand in the pocket of her dress,

-pulled forth the flask, which she at once presented to the old sailor.</p>

-

-<p>"Thank ye, Miss," said he, "it shall be preserved for your benefit."</p>

-

-<p>So saying he pocketed the flask, and waded off to the raft to help get

-the box and barrel ashore.</p>

-

-<p>This was soon done.</p>

-

-<p>"We had better stand watch, to-night," said Harry, when the articles

-were brought to the shelter.</p>

-

-<p>"Wherefore?" queried Brand.</p>

-

-<p>"Because Miss Manton will feel much easier, if we do."</p>

-

-<p>"Oh! very well, you can stand watch if you like, but I don't care to

-lose my sleep for nothing."</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Night soon closed round the party.</p>

-

-<p>Harry took the first watch, while Turk rolled up like a ball, lay

-cuddled in a corner of the hut.</p>

-

-<p>The storm having now subsided, the sea was almost calm. There was a

-full moon, but the clouds passing along over the sky, in detached

-masses, frequently veiled it.</p>

-

-<p>Harry was pacing his beat, not far from the shrubbery in which Mary

-had fancied she saw the savage, when he suddenly paused, with his ear

-inclined to one side.</p>

-

-<p>Steps, mingled with the murmur of voices, were audible, apparently

-approaching the hut!</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a><br /><br />

-

-THE ATTACK.</h2>

-

-

-<p>To waken Turk and Brand was the work of a moment. Both sprang up to

-hear Harry's explanation.</p>

-

-<p>"We have no arms!" said Brand, "and so we had better be scuddin' off

-as soon as possible!"</p>

-

-<p>Turk thrust his hand in his pocket, and pulling forth his flask of

-grog, eyed it wistfully and anxiously.</p>

-

-<p>"Sooner than this should fall in the hands of them savages," he

-exclaimed, "I had better put it, do you see where by rights it

-belongs, meanin' the stomach of Tom Turk!"</p>

-

-<p>Up went the bottle, and the old tar seemed about drinking, when it

-struck him that the liquor might, after all,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> come in use for Mary, in

-case they should contrive to make their escape. With a heavy sigh he

-thrust the bottle back into his pocket.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile the steps drew nearer.</p>

-

-<p>Harry waked Mary, and at once escorted her to the raft. Not a moment

-too soon, for, with a sudden yell, a large party of fierce-looking

-islanders, tattooed from head to foot, and looming up like demons in

-the faint radiance of the moon, burst forth from a clump of shrubbery,

-about fifty yards distant.</p>

-

-<p>Waving war clubs and spears, while their long hair streamed in

-red, fiery clouds down their backs and shoulders, the wild fellows

-certainly formed a hideous spectacle!</p>

-

-<p>Before the raft could be unfastened, a shower of spears came whizzing

-round the heads of the little party.</p>

-

-<p>"Shove off! shove off!" screamed Brand, as he seized the raft-pole to

-push the floating platform away from the beach.</p>

-

-<p>"Not yet!" cried Mary, noticing that her lover, who had paused to

-collect the jackets left in the huts, and also a few of the biscuits,

-was not upon the raft.</p>

-

-<p>In a moment the young man came panting to the beach.</p>

-

-<p>Brand, however, not heeding the girl's exclamation was about shoving

-off, when Turk caught his arm.</p>

-

-<p>"Avast there, captain! Don't be in too much of a hurry!"</p>

-

-<p>Enraged, the latter glared upon the speaker, but this was no time for

-quarreling.</p>

-

-<p>Harry now sprang from the raft. At the same moment two of the savages,

-ahead of their companions, arriving, seized the rope attached to the

-floating platform, which they endeavored to pull ashore.</p>

-

-<p>To prevent their doing so, Harry stepped to the edge of the raft, and

-with the pole endeavored to strike them on the head.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>One of them seizing the pole, gave it a sudden jerk, thus pulling the

-young man off into the water!</p>

-

-<p>With a fierce yell, they then pounced upon him, dragging him to the

-beach!</p>

-

-<p>Feeling that there was not a moment to lose, the young man, by a

-sudden movement, disengaged himself from their clutches; then, picking

-up a spear, drove it through the body of one who had lifted his

-war-club to beat out the sailor's brains!</p>

-

-<p>The other now aimed at Harry's head a furious blow, which must have

-killed him, had it taken effect.</p>

-

-<p>Not so, however, for old Tom Turk, seeing his friend's peril, had

-sprang ashore, and picked up another spear, which he thrust through

-the back of the native!</p>

-

-<p>The scream of the dark-skinned fellow, as, throwing up his arms, he

-fell backward, rang down the sky with startling distinctness, while

-his friends, hearing that scream, and eager for vengeance, came

-dashing on, yelling like a pack of wild hyenas!</p>

-

-<p>With a single bound through the water, Turk and Harry now gained the

-raft, and were soon helping Brand, who had not even left his place,

-push the floating platform out to sea.</p>

-

-<p>Luckily there was an outer current tending towards the reef, and which

-drew the raft rapidly along towards the rocks. This soon was reached,

-while the baffled yells of the savages continued pealing along the

-waters.</p>

-

-<p>As the raft was drawn through an opening in the reef, and the party

-put out to sea, Turk again drew forth his beloved grog, and eyed it

-wistfully.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, bless your eyes!" said he, "you are too good to grease the

-gullets of them blueskins."</p>

-

-<p>"Put up your grog, Turk," said Harry, "we have more important matters

-to think of."</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay," said Brand, gruffly, "we've to think that we may be food for

-fishes!"</p>

-

-<p>"Do you not believe we can reach the volcanic island, now?" inquired

-Mary, as she glanced towards the red light, gleaming, far away, along

-the waters.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"It's hard tellin'," answered Brand. "If there's no heavy sea and we

-can make head against the southern tendency of the current, we may

-contrive to reach the island."</p>

-

-<p>With their poles which were not flat enough for paddles, the party

-made slow progress.</p>

-

-<p>An hour had passed, when, suddenly, Mary pointed far astern towards a

-long, dark object, apparently shooting out from the shore.</p>

-

-<p>"What is that?"</p>

-

-<p>"A canoe, by &mdash;&mdash;!" ejaculated Brand. "We may as well give up, now!"</p>

-

-<p>"No!" exclaimed Harry, resolutely. "We will not give up! If I mistake

-not," he added, pointing towards a dark mass, floating through the air

-to windward of them, "there is a fog coming up! This will screen us

-from our pursuers!"</p>

-

-<p>"I am glad of that," said Mary, thankfully.</p>

-

-<p>"I'm not so sure it will screen us!" said Brand, "them savages are

-cunnin' rascals!"</p>

-

-<p>"Where there's hope," remarked Turk, "there's no use of throwin'

-clouds over the same."</p>

-

-<p>The fog came fast, and finally thickening around the party, they

-seemed enclosed in a wall of darkness.</p>

-

-<p>"Hark!" said Harry, suddenly, as the dip of the canoe's paddles were

-heard. "We must get the raft round, and try another course!"</p>

-

-<p>This, with some difficulty was done, when the clumsy vessel was urged

-along to the southward.</p>

-

-<p>"Now, then, still as mice!" said Harry.</p>

-

-<p>He was obeyed, those on the raft scarcely breathing.</p>

-

-<p>A moment later something dark, indistinctly seen, was observed gliding

-along past the raft and within twenty fathoms of it!</p>

-

-<p>It was the canoe!</p>

-

-<p>The weary hours of night wore away.</p>

-

-<p>Poor Mary had slept but little, although Turk and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> Harry had made her

-a comfortable couch with their jackets.</p>

-

-<p>Now, as the gray dawn stole upon the waters, the young girl looked

-round her with a weary sigh.</p>

-

-<p>The fog had cleared, the faint rays of the sun were beginning to tinge

-the east, but, far and wide, nothing but sky and water were visible.</p>

-

-<p>Sky and water, and nothing aboard the raft&mdash;not even a morsel of bread

-or a drop of fresh water.</p>

-

-<p>Already the girl began to feel the cravings of thirst. With powerful

-effort, she endeavored to forget that she felt this want, but in vain.</p>

-

-<p>The day wore away, the sun went down, night began to settle upon the

-waters.</p>

-

-<p>The men strained their eyes vainly for land or sail.</p>

-

-<p>Next morning the sufferings of all from thirst were intense. Brand,

-pulling forth his bottle of gin, drank deeply, not offering a drop to

-the rest.</p>

-

-<p>Then Turk presented his grog to Harry.</p>

-

-<p>"Give some to the poor lass!"</p>

-

-<p>Harry did so. She tasted a few drops, but could not be prevailed upon

-to take more.</p>

-

-<p>Turk looked wistfully at the flask, then thrusting it back, muttered:</p>

-

-<p>"No&mdash;no! it must all be saved for that poor little girl, God bless her

-eyes!"</p>

-

-<p>One&mdash;two&mdash;three days passed. Still adrift on the wilderness of ocean.

-No sail&mdash;no land&mdash;no fresh water.</p>

-

-<p>God help the castaways!</p>

-

-<p>Brand was almost mad. His eyes gleamed like a tiger's&mdash;he gnashed his

-teeth!</p>

-

-<p>Harry, too, was scarcely sane! Turk alone remained cool and careful,

-although his sufferings were terrible.</p>

-

-<p>And Mary?</p>

-

-<p>Alas! poor girl&mdash;the flush on her sunken cheek burned deep and

-red&mdash;her eyes were feverish&mdash;her panting breath came thick and

-fast&mdash;she was too weak to sit up.</p>

-

-<p>There was no more liquor in Turk's flask. He had given all&mdash;every drop

-to the young girl.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>So there they all were, still drifting along, a burning sun over their

-heads, the water almost steaming around them.</p>

-

-<p>Gradually a sickly, yellowish mist went over the sun.</p>

-

-<p>Harry watched it a moment, then sprang to his feet, shrieking out:</p>

-

-<p>"Land, oh!"</p>

-

-<p>"Where? where?" queried Brand wildly.</p>

-

-<p>It was pointed out to him, all present saw it now.</p>

-

-<p>There was surely a misty line&mdash;a headland, extending away to the south

-and west.</p>

-

-<p>"God be praised," murmured Mary, faintly; "oh Harry! Harry! we shall

-get some fresh water now, and some beautiful fruit!"</p>

-

-<p>The poor creature smacked her lips and clapped her hands as the spoke.</p>

-

-<p>How tediously slow were the movements of the raft.</p>

-

-<p>On it went, however, apparently nearing the land every moment.</p>

-

-<p>At length it seemed scarcely a mile distant.</p>

-

-<p>"We will soon be there, now," exclaimed Mary.</p>

-

-<p>Suddenly a wail went up from the raft, a long, mournful wail&mdash;a half

-shriek of astonishment, and bitter disappointment.</p>

-

-<p>The supposed land had suddenly vanished&mdash;blown away by a mere puff of

-air.</p>

-

-<p>Alas! it was nothing but a fog bank!</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p>

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a><br /><br />

-

-DRIFTING ON.</h2>

-

-

-<p>As the delusive fog was swept away before the breeze, Brand uttered a

-howl, and throwing himself down, dashed his head against one of the

-planks of the raft.</p>

-

-<p>"Eat&mdash;drink! I must have something! Come, it is time!"</p>

-

-<p>And he drew forth a clasp knife, eyeing Mary at the same moment with a

-wolfish gleam in the eyes not to be mistaken.</p>

-

-<p>The bare thought seemed to inspire Harry with a rage almost demoniacal.</p>

-

-<p>He threw himself upon the man, wrenching the knife from his grasp, and

-hurling it into the sea.</p>

-

-<p>Then he caught the captain by the throat, and seemed on the point of

-hurling him overboard.</p>

-

-<p>Turk, however, interfered.</p>

-

-<p>"That work won't do, lad! You'd be sorry for it when you got over sich

-feelin's as at present agitates you. Let him alone, sir. We'll all

-have sufferin' enough yet, I'll warrant ye!"</p>

-

-<p>Thus prevailed upon, not only by the old sailor but by the mingled

-pleadings of Mary, Harry relaxed his hold of the fellow, who, with a

-baffled howl, sank down, glaring at the water, as if hoping to see his

-knife again rise to the surface.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile a fresh breeze now came along, wrinkling the water, and

-falling upon the heated brows and parched lips of the raft's people,

-inspiring sensations of relief.</p>

-

-<p>Harry took off his outside shirt, and with one of the raft poles, thus

-formed a sail.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"A queer piece of canvass, sartinly," said Tom Turk, mournfully; "but

-as there's a to'gallant sail, we may as well have a topsail, do you

-see?"</p>

-

-<p>So saying, he took off his shirt, which was also put upon the pole.</p>

-

-<p>The impetus thus given to the raft can be hardly credited.</p>

-

-<p>Away it went, rippling the water, at the rate of about three knots.</p>

-

-<p>It was nearly sundown, when Tom Turk suddenly balancing himself upon

-his toes, was heard singing out:</p>

-

-<p>"Land, oh!"</p>

-

-<p>"Another delusion," bitterly exclaimed Harry, not even attempting to

-rise from his position by Mary's side.</p>

-

-<p>"I'm sartin, this time!" exclaimed the old sailor; "fog never looks

-like them black things thereaway," pointing westward.</p>

-

-<p>Harry and Brand were up in a moment, to discover that the old tar had

-indeed spoken truth.</p>

-

-<p>Far away a number of rocks were seen, protruding from the sea.</p>

-

-<p>"Better no land at all than that," growled Brand, in a disappointed

-voice. "We'll find no water there."</p>

-

-<p>On went the raft, and in due time the rocks were gained. They were

-found to be about ten in number, and to rise several feet above the

-surface of the sea.</p>

-

-<p>Brand was the first to spring ashore. Rushing forward, he was suddenly

-seen to throw himself down.</p>

-

-<p>Harry and Turk were soon by his side, to perceive that he had found,

-in a hollow of one of the rocks, a quantity of water, evidently lodged

-there by a recent waterspout, and prevented from drying up by the

-shadow from an overhanging cliff.</p>

-

-<p>It seemed as if the captain would never get his fill.</p>

-

-<p>He drank and drank, drawing in the water with a noise like that of a

-horse at a trough.</p>

-

-<p>At last he rose.</p>

-

-<p>There was a gallon and a half of water still in the rocky basin.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>What a contrast now was presented between the conduct of Brand and

-that of his shipmates. Turk filled his flask with the pure element,

-and presented it to Harry, who at once passed it to Mary.</p>

-

-<p>"Drink first!" said the poor girl.</p>

-

-<p>Finding, however, that she could not prevail upon him to do so, Mary

-at length drank her fill.</p>

-

-<p>The effect was magical. Her eyes brightened&mdash;the feverish hue seemed

-to leave her cheek&mdash;she breathed a grateful sigh of relief.</p>

-

-<p>At the basin, Turk would not drink until his companion had first done

-so.</p>

-

-<p>When all had partaken, there was still a quart of water left.</p>

-

-<p>Turk went to the raft, and, procuring his flask, in which there still

-remained a few drops, he filled it from the hollow, and returning,

-presented it to Mary.</p>

-

-<p>"This is for you, my lass," said he.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile, Brand filled his bottle, holding about twice as much as

-Turk's.</p>

-

-<p>Neither Harry nor the old seaman said anything; but they exchanged

-glances, which said plainly:</p>

-

-<p>"When we want water for the girl, we will know where to get it."</p>

-

-<p>Walking about the rocks, Harry suddenly uttered a glad cry.</p>

-

-<p>In some crevices among the rocks, he beheld a number of fat-looking

-fish.</p>

-

-<p>"It seems as if heaven has sent these especially for our benefit, at

-the right time," said the young man, joyfully, as Turk came to his

-side.</p>

-

-<p>The old tar, however, looked sober.</p>

-

-<p>"It is easy enough," said he, "tellin' how them fish came here."</p>

-

-<p>"I don't understand you."</p>

-

-<p>"Well, then, I'll tell you. These rocks, is covered up at high tide.

-That is how them fish came to be left here!"</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"We have our raft," said Harry, joyfully, "so that if the rocks do

-overflow, we may thus get more fish!"</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, it's all right, so long as the raft holds together," answered

-Turk, "which I'm mighty afraid, won't be long," pointing at the

-lashings holding the timbers together.</p>

-

-<p>These lashings were, in fact, much worn; some of them could not long

-be made use of.</p>

-

-<p>"We must try to fix the raft," said Harry, "I dare say we can contrive

-it so that we may keep afloat."</p>

-

-<p>From the raft the hungry men soon turned their attention to the fish.</p>

-

-<p>These were cooked with a couple of planks&mdash;there were plenty to

-spare&mdash;torn from the raft and split up against the jagged edges of

-the rocks, some of the fragments to be afterwards cut by Turk's

-pocketknife, and lighted by matches which, sailor-like, the old tar

-always carried with him in a small tin box, that they might be kept

-dry.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile, Brand, while taking no part in these preparations, sat like

-a hungry tiger eyeing the cooked fish.</p>

-

-<p>A portion was given to him; in fact, the whole party made a hearty and

-palatable meal.</p>

-

-<p>Now, Mary, her wants having been relieved, again spoke of the volcanic

-island.</p>

-

-<p>"I so wish we could fall in with some sail, which would take us

-there," said she. "Oh, if I could only see my dear papa!"</p>

-

-<p>Brand shrugged his shoulders.</p>

-

-<p>"Hark!" he suddenly screamed, as the night shadows gathered, "I

-fancied I heard a gurgling sound!"</p>

-

-<p>Neither of the rest had heard anything.</p>

-

-<p>"P'raps it was the wash of the waves against the rock," said Brand.</p>

-

-<p>Next morning the whole party rose after a slight rest&mdash;the men having

-stood watch&mdash;to perceive that the water had risen nearly to the top of

-the first rock.</p>

-

-<p>"The rock will soon be flooded," remarked Harry.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, so I'm afraid," said Turk. "We had better try to make the

-raft stronger."</p>

-

-<p>Unfortunately, the men having no rope with them, succeeded but poorly.</p>

-

-<p>"Truth is," said Turk, aside to his friend, "I wouldn't trust

-ourselves two days on them planks!"</p>

-

-<p>At this time the party stood upon one of the rocks.</p>

-

-<p>Suddenly Mary pointed down at the water, through which, all around

-their position, a number of dark-looking fins now were seen, moving

-hither and thither.</p>

-

-<p>"What are those things?" she inquired.</p>

-

-<p>"Sharks!" answered Harry and Turk, as they simultaneously drew the

-young girl upon the raft.</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a><br /><br />

-

-DRIVEN AWAY.</h2>

-

-

-<p>The water kept rising higher.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile, the sharks swam all round the rocks, and the raft, now and

-then leaping forth, as if to clutch at the party.</p>

-

-<p>The sight of these ugly-looking creatures, with their long heads,

-sharp fins, teeth, and dull, bloodshot eyes, inspired Mary with the

-most disagreeable sensations.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"Come!" said she, "let us leave this fearful place!"</p>

-

-<p>Turk shook his head.</p>

-

-<p>"It is our only salvation, Miss, I'm afraid."</p>

-

-<p>"Not much of a salvation, either," said Brand, pointing down at

-several of the ferocious creatures, which had begun to gnaw at the

-lashings of the raft.</p>

-

-<p>Vainly the men endeavored to drive them away; they clung with steady

-tenacity to the lashings, biting with demon-like intelligence at the

-rope strands, as if aware that the severing of these would put the

-party in their power.</p>

-

-<p>Finally the seamen were obliged to get off the raft on the rocks, and

-draw the planks after them, as the only means of pulling the lashings

-away from the teeth of the troublesome monsters.</p>

-

-<p>The water, however, kept rising, so that it was necessary to get away

-as soon as possible.</p>

-

-<p>The men did their best to strengthen the planks, then once more

-launched their raft, actually driven away by the sharks.</p>

-

-<p>The tendency of the current and the wind now was to the westward.</p>

-

-<p>"At such a rate," said Turk, "shouldn't wonder if we find ourselves,

-before two days, on the volcanic island."</p>

-

-<p>For this island the party had looked every day, while they were

-afloat; but, for some reason or other, since the night of their first

-floating away from the island, they had seen nothing of the smoke or

-fire of the burning crater.</p>

-

-<p>The seamen had attributed this fact to the murky atmosphere westward,

-shrouding the island from their view, while the raft had meanwhile

-been carried further and further from it by the tide.</p>

-

-<p>When night came, after their leaving the rock, the bearings of which

-they endeavored to keep in mind, they again looked for the light of

-the volcano. The atmosphere, however, not having yet cleared, they

-could see no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> sign of it. Hoping that the current would continue in

-this direction and carry them to the island, they watched the west,

-keenly yet vainly for a sign of the shore.</p>

-

-<p>Mary slept little that night. In the morning Harry pointed out to her,

-far away, the land, evidently that which they were anxious to reach,

-looming up, the mist having cleared.</p>

-

-<p>That it was the wished-for shore was made evident by a column of

-smoke, rising up from the summit of one of the lofty island peaks.</p>

-

-<p>"Do you think we will reach it?" the young girl inquired.</p>

-

-<p>"I think so; if the set of the current does not change to the south,"

-answered Harry.</p>

-

-<p>He was right; before night the party were close upon the island shore.</p>

-

-<p>Mary's eyes lighted up with joy. Worn though she was by hardship and

-suffering, she could yet feel a thrill of eager, pleasant expectation,

-as she gazed at the beautiful shores of this island.</p>

-

-<p>Scarcely a mile in extent, and not more than half that in breadth, the

-shores teemed with the most luxuriant vegetation.</p>

-

-<p>There were seen tall cocoanuts waving upon a bright, pebbly beach,

-rocks covered with flowers and vines, cascades flashing and gleaming

-as they glittered in the sunlight, and the broad waters of silver

-streams, gliding along through mossy grounds.</p>

-

-<p>"Beautiful," said Mary, clapping her hands. "Papa! papa! are you

-there?"</p>

-

-<p>She spoke half plaintively, half joyfully, clasping her hands like a

-little child.</p>

-

-<p>Brand turned aside his head. Hardened as he was, the voice went

-straight to his ruffian heart, and he felt at that moment as if he

-would give worlds had he not committed the fearful crime which, after

-all, had been perpetrated for nothing.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile Turk stood gazing steadily towards one of the island bays.</p>

-

-<p>"If I ain't mistaken," said he, "there's an old wreck of some kind

-there!"</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay," cried Harry; "I see it&mdash;the wreck of a schooner, if we may

-judge by the two stumps of her masts."</p>

-

-<p>It was almost sundown before the raft touched upon the beach.</p>

-

-<p>"We will commence our search for traces of your father," said Harry to

-Mary, after all had refreshed themselves with luxurious bananas and

-the remains of their fish, "by visiting that old wreck. If your parent

-be here, he probably has visited the hulk, and perhaps left some sign

-of his presence; a pipe, matches or something of that sort."</p>

-

-<p>"Who knows," said Mary, "but he has taken up his quarters there."</p>

-

-<p>"I'm afraid you are too hopeful, lass," said old Tom Turk, "'specially

-as it was believed by all aboard the <em>Maxwell</em> that the poor old man

-was drowned after he fell overboard."</p>

-

-<p>"Yes," said Brand, shuddering; "I for one believe he was drowned."</p>

-

-<p>"I will go with you to the wreck," said Mary.</p>

-

-<p>"No," replied Harry, "it will be too much for you."</p>

-

-<p>The young girl, however, insisting, the whole party started for the

-bay, which they could see from their position.</p>

-

-<p>A short walk brought them to the wreck.</p>

-

-<p>It was a schooner, and as had been supposed, with its two masts broken

-short off near the deck.</p>

-

-<p>It lay almost upon its beam ends, firmly wedged in between two rocks.</p>

-

-<p>By mounting a small, flat rock near the larboard gunwale, the party

-easily got aboard. Having done so, they entered the cabin. It was

-devoid of all articles of furniture,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> these probably having been taken

-away by some of the Indian visitors at the island.</p>

-

-<p>A candle, however, with an old piece of a clay pipe, a few nails, and

-an empty box, were found.</p>

-

-<p>Turk took the candle, and endeavored to light it. This was done with

-some difficulty, after which the party passed into the hold. Here,

-saturated with salt water, which had broken in through the bottom of

-the schooner, were seen several coils of old rope and a few empty

-barrels.</p>

-

-<p>"All of which," philosophized Turk, "will come in good use, 'specially

-if we can find some nails."</p>

-

-<p>After a long search, he came upon a bag of rusty nails, lying upon one

-of the beams.</p>

-

-<p>"With these," said Turk, "we can manage to make a boat, leastways a

-good raft."</p>

-

-<p>The flickering candle shed lurid light upon the old, creaking beams

-of the schooner, as the party vainly searched the hold for signs of

-Mary's father.</p>

-

-<p>"Thought it would be of no use," said Turk; "Poor old man, he was

-drowned, you may be sartin."</p>

-

-<p>"Oh, papa! papa! would that I could find him!" wailed Mary, mournfully.</p>

-

-<p>Brand shuddered, as he always did, when the girl's father was

-mentioned.</p>

-

-<p>Seating himself on a detached coil of rigging, with his back turned to

-the rest of the party, he suddenly fancied he felt a strange, creeping

-sensation stealing over his body; a feeling, as if a multitude of

-worms, were crawling up his back.</p>

-

-<p>Instinctively he turned half round, to see his companions, already

-leaving the hold, passing into the cabin.</p>

-

-<p>Some strange instinct prompted him to turn yet further round, when he

-beheld a sight which for some moments kept him motionless, unable to

-utter a word.</p>

-

-<p>In the faint light of the candle, streaming into the hold, he saw a

-long, lean neck, surmounted by a face as bloodless and apparently

-almost transparent, with hollow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> cheeks and protruding eyes, lifted

-above a barrel at the other side of the hold.</p>

-

-<p>A strange looking face it was; a face of unearthly transparency,

-apparently quivering like a vapor, while his eyes&mdash;those great,

-staring eyes, were fixed strangely upon the captain.</p>

-

-<p>The latter, as mentioned, could not utter a word. To him the

-apparition was doubly terrible, as it was that of the man whom he had

-pushed overboard from the <em>Maxwell</em>.</p>

-

-<p>Yes, there it was, sure enough, the face of the unfortunate passenger,

-William Manton.</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a><br /><br />

-

-HAUNTED.</h2>

-

-

-<p>As Brand, like one spell-bound, continued staring at the strange

-vision, he beheld the lean throat quivering, and heard issuing

-therefrom a gurgling cry exactly like that on the fatal night.</p>

-

-<p>It was a horrible sound, especially to Brand, who, with one hoarse

-scream, bounded backward on beholding the apparition suddenly vanish,

-as if melting away in the air.</p>

-

-<p>At the noise made by Brand, Turk, followed by Harry, rushed back into

-the hold.</p>

-

-<p>"What is the matter?"</p>

-

-<p>"Nothing," gasped Brand; "nothing at all."</p>

-

-<p>There were big drops of sweat upon his brow, his eyes protruded, while

-great, purple rings spread around them.</p>

-

-<p>"Nothing," said Turk; "ay, ay, now, but there must be something the

-matter with ye, Cap. D'ye feel hungry?"</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Perceiving that he must make some excuse, Brand puzzled himself trying

-to think of some plausible one.</p>

-

-<p>"The fact is," said he, "I believe what we've gone through has

-unstrung my nerves. I thought I felt a snake around my legs, when it

-was nothing but a coil of rope."</p>

-

-<p>His auditors believed him all the more readily that they had by this

-time concluded that the man, like most all thoroughly selfish people,

-was a coward.</p>

-

-<p>In a short time they were out of the schooner, when Brand, who had

-previously lagged, was now the foremost.</p>

-

-<p>In a short time they reached a level piece of turf about one hundred

-yards from the wreck.</p>

-

-<p>This they concluded would be a good halting place, at least for the

-present, and so they commenced the work of erecting shelters.</p>

-

-<p>This was soon done, after which they threw themselves down to rest,

-Mary, as on the other island, occupying a bower apart from the others.</p>

-

-<p>The young girl slept but little that night. When she did full asleep,

-her slumber was troubled with disagreeable dreams. The roaring of the

-volcano whose red gleam could be seen far up through the shrubbery,

-shooting from one of the island peaks, mingled with her fancies, and

-seemed the report of countless volleys of musketry.</p>

-

-<p>At morn, after partaking of a frugal breakfast, the party consulted as

-to their next course.</p>

-

-<p>Turk wanted to commence at once upon his boat, Brand, sullen,

-glowering and silent, seemed inclined to do nothing, while Mary and

-Glenville concluded to walk off by themselves to explore the island.</p>

-

-<p>Striking through the shrubbery, the young people soon found themselves

-at the foot of the peak on which was the volcano.</p>

-

-<p>They could see the smoke and the flashes of fire shooting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> up, could

-also feel the ground shake under them, as if the flames were careering

-beneath their very feet. Watching the volcano awhile, they moved on.</p>

-

-<p>"Let us explore the island thoroughly," said Mary, "we may yet come

-upon some trace of my parent."</p>

-

-<p>"Why is it, Mary," inquired Harry, "that you seem so confident on this

-subject?"</p>

-

-<p>"My father," answered the young girl, "was an excellent swimmer. I

-have heard him say he once swam across the East River, New York, while

-a boy.</p>

-

-<p>"Then again the captain informed me that, in falling overboard, it was

-found that my parent had carried away with him a plank, which, from

-carelessness, had been left hanging loosely over the stern. Now what

-more likely than that with the help of the plank, and this island but

-two miles to leeward, he should succeed in reaching it?"</p>

-

-<p>Harry shook his head.</p>

-

-<p>"Of course," said he, "such things have happened, but I have no idea

-that your father reached the island."</p>

-

-<p>For several hours the two walked over the isle, which they found to

-be a beautiful place. There were flowers of almost every hue, clear,

-purling streams, rocks, caverns and cascades, while through the green

-shrubbery the banana and the breadfruit were visible.</p>

-

-<p>The wanderers, however, came upon no traces of Mr. Manton, and Harry

-could see that his companion's hopes in this respect were almost

-extinguished.</p>

-

-<p>Returning to the spot where the shelters were located, they found Turk

-already at work upon his boat, assisted by Brand.</p>

-

-<p>"You are making good progress," remarked Harry.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay," answered Turk, "there's no chance for laziness, now. The

-sooner we leave this island the better, accordin' to my notion."</p>

-

-<p>The old tar spoke solemnly.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay," said Captain Brand, "that's my opinion. Hark! did ye hear that?"</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>A roaring, rumbling sound was heard, right under their feet; the

-ground trembled violently.</p>

-

-<p>"It is the subterranean fire of that volcano," said Harry. "I hardly

-think there is much danger."</p>

-

-<p>He said this to quiet the fears of Mary, who turned pale and looked

-anxious.</p>

-

-<p>"To my notion," said Turk, "it's devils a-lightin' their brimstone

-right under us, hopin' in that way to catch us. It's plain they're

-after some one among us, which I may premise by sayin' ain't me nor

-Harry, nor this young lass."</p>

-

-<p>Brand frowned darkly.</p>

-

-<p>"How know you that I'm not as good as the rest of you," said he.</p>

-

-<p>"Honestly speakin', Cap, I don't think you are," exclaimed the old

-tar, bluntly.</p>

-

-<p>"I've always led a good life," said Brand, shunning the great blue

-eyes of Mary.</p>

-

-<p>There was a rumble like thunder under ground, then a report like the

-discharge of musketry.</p>

-

-<p>"The devils is a-firin' off their muskets to celebrate that lie of

-yours, Cap," remarked Turk, as he turned to his work.</p>

-

-<p>The party now felt anxious. The noises under ground continued, the

-island shook, while increased volumes of fire shot up from the

-volcanic peak.</p>

-

-<p>Harry now assisted Turk in his work on the boat. There had been found

-that morning in the schooner an old hatchet with which Turk had

-knocked away a large quantity of timber from the wreck to be conveyed

-to the spot where he intended erecting his boat.</p>

-

-<p>Working all day, the men made good progress.</p>

-

-<p>Brand worked as hard as the rest. It was not the danger from the

-volcano alone that urged him on in his efforts, but the continual

-harassing fear, of again beholding that fearful apparition of his

-drownded victim.</p>

-

-<p>At night the aspect of the volcano was terrific. There were the lurid

-flames, apparently shooting to the very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> skies, while whole showers

-of sparks were thrown out in fiery flakes that filled all the air,

-floating along like millions of fireflies over the sea, in the water

-of which the were reflected.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile the shocks became every moment more frequent, the ground

-shaking as if beneath the tramp of armed horsemen.</p>

-

-<p>Harry had advanced into the thicket a short distance, when he became

-aware of a hissing sound, as if thousands of serpents were around him.</p>

-

-<p>At the same moment, a broad, bright stream of something flashed up

-before him, apparently descending towards him with great rapidity.</p>

-

-<p>Now he comprehended that it was a stream of lava, thrown from the

-volcanic crater, and rushing down the side of the steep cliff.</p>

-

-<p>In fact he had not time to reach the spot where he had left his

-companions, when it came hissing and rushing into the thicket, which

-he had just left.</p>

-

-<p>All night a careful watch was kept, the raft with additional timbers

-secured to it being in readiness for the party to leave at a moment's

-notice.</p>

-

-<p>Nothing more than the shocks, with the fall of additional lava

-occurred, however, to disturb the party.</p>

-

-<p>"I doubt if anything serious happens, after all," said Harry.</p>

-

-<p>Turk pointed to a couple of fissures in the side of the cliff.</p>

-

-<p>"That looks bad," said he; "in my opinion, this island goes in less

-than forty-eight hours."</p>

-

-<p>Good progress was made on the boat this day.</p>

-

-<p>At night watching the volcano, Mary suddenly uttered a wild cry, and

-pointed up towards an overhanging rock beneath the crater.</p>

-

-<p>"What is it?" was the question.</p>

-

-<p>"I don't know," said Mary, shuddering, "but just now I am certain I

-saw a form appear, and then suddenly vanish upon that shelf of rock."</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"Are you sure?"</p>

-

-<p>"Yes."</p>

-

-<p>Turk looked solemn; Brand turned deadly pale.</p>

-

-<p>"It must have been a spirit," said the old tar; "some imp after you,

-Cap," he added, looking straight at Brand.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, a spirit," muttered the captain, his teeth chattering.</p>

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span></p>

-

-

-

-

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a><br /><br />

-

-ON THE LEDGE.</h2>

-

-

-<p>"This must be looked into," said Harry, resolutely. "Who will go with

-me to the ledge?"</p>

-

-<p>"No&mdash;no&mdash;do not go," pleaded Mary, "see how the fire rages! The peak

-may explode before you come down, and you be swallowed up in the

-flames!"</p>

-

-<p>Harry however was determined to go.</p>

-

-<p>"If nobody will go with me," said he, "I will go alone."</p>

-

-<p>Mary advanced to his side.</p>

-

-<p>"I will go with you," said she; "if you are to perish, I will die with

-you."</p>

-

-<p>The young man, however, would not permit the girl to accompany him.</p>

-

-<p>"If what was seen was mortal," said Turk, "why, then, I'd go with you;

-but I don't care to have anything to do with spirits and sich like,

-which can give you a poke in the stomach, do you see, and yet you not

-be able to square off to 'em."</p>

-

-<p>"Very well, then, I go alone," said Harry, as he sprang away.</p>

-

-<p>He had not reached the foot of the cliff, when he felt a hand on his

-arm, and turned to behold Turk.</p>

-

-<p>"Fact is," said the latter, "I won't see ye go alone, but if there's

-any fightin' to do with ghosts, you mustn't expect me to help you, for

-when I aim at a nose, I like to hit it, which is impossible with the

-noses of goblins and sich like, as your fist will go right through

-'em."</p>

-

-<p>The two soon were at the foot of the cliff, which both<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> now commenced

-to ascend. As they advanced, the rumbling beneath them seemed to

-increase, shaking the cliff to its foundation.</p>

-

-<p>At length they arrived near the ledge, where the heat was almost

-unbearable. On one side of them there was a wide cleft, in which a

-line of fire was seen, glowing like a red hot iron. The slightest

-mis-step on the part of the adventurers in their endeavors to reach

-the ledge, must precipitate them into the cleft.</p>

-

-<p>To get to their destination, they must move along a narrow ridge not

-more than two inches wide, with nothing at the side of the rock to

-clutch except a slightly rugged surface which must afford them a very

-insecure hold.</p>

-

-<p>"This is dang'rous traveling," remarked Turk, "worse than walkin' on a

-railroad track over a rottin bridge."</p>

-

-<p>The two kept on, carefully making progress, until finally they were

-close to the ledge, upon which a sudden spring carried them.</p>

-

-<p>Winding round the cliff, they could now see another ledge, but no sign

-of the strange figure. They clambered the rocky surface, exploring it

-on all sides, but saw no sign of what they were after.</p>

-

-<p>"To my notion," said Turk, "that goblin has gone down to take a

-siesta, do you see, preparatory to comin' up agin, which, I take it,

-is a good hint fur us to make leg-bail."</p>

-

-<p>"What is this?" inquired Harry suddenly, stooping and picking up a

-singular object.</p>

-

-<p>It was a cocoanut branch twisted into an odd shape, bearing some

-resemblance to a pronged fork.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, now, there's the pitchfork for sartin!" exclaimed Turk; "that

-goblin has left his instrumental be&mdash;behind him, and we may yet come

-upon his tail!"</p>

-

-<p>"Hark, Turk," said Harry, somewhat sternly, "you must not talk in

-that way. This is in fact, no time for joking. See there," pointing

-above them as he spoke, to where lurid flames were shooting out from

-crevices in the rock, thus preventing their ascent.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Gazing below them they beheld the dark tops of the trees, far beneath.</p>

-

-<p>There was no means by which they could reach the ground.</p>

-

-<p>The flames meanwhile burning brighter and longer, every moment, until

-finally they scorched the flesh of the two men, whose situation from

-the intense heat, was becoming intolerable.</p>

-

-<p>For a moment they stood looking at each other, puzzled to know what to

-do.</p>

-

-<p>Then a sudden thought flashed across Harry's mind.</p>

-

-<p>"There are coils of rope in the schooner," said he; "we can start from

-here to Brand, who, probably, is watching us, telling him to bring up

-and lower to us one of those coils of rope."</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, if he ain't afraid," answered Turk.</p>

-

-<p>The two men shouting with united voices, pronounced the captain's name.</p>

-

-<p>"Halloa!" was the response.</p>

-

-<p>"We cannot get back the way we came. Bring us a rope from the

-schooner's wreck, and lower it to us."</p>

-

-<p>Brand shuddered and turned pale.</p>

-

-<p>Mary, who was near, besought him to hurry.</p>

-

-<p>"No," he answered, in husky voice, "I do not care to go aboard that

-schooner!"</p>

-

-<p>"Then I will go!" cried Mary, and away she went.</p>

-

-<p>Bad as he was, Brand was yet man enough not to permit this girl to

-undertake such a difficult task.</p>

-

-<p>He sprang after her, and soon boarding the schooner, advanced with

-lighted candle into the hold, casting fearful glances around him.</p>

-

-<p>He saw nothing, however, to excite alarm, and so seizing a small coil,

-he emerged with it on deck.</p>

-

-<p>He was about climbing over the bulwarks, when, chancing to turn his

-head towards the schooner's bows, he fancied he saw the phantom face

-of the drowned passenger as it was hastily withdrawn!</p>

-

-<p>"P'shaw, this is mere imagination," muttered the captain,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> as he

-sprung over the rail to the beach, where he found Mary anxiously

-waiting for him.</p>

-

-<p>"Quick! make haste!" exclaimed the young girl.</p>

-

-<p>It almost seemed to Brand, as he encountered the gaze of those wild

-eyes, that he beheld a second phantom, so alike were the eyes of

-father and daughter.</p>

-

-<p>Throwing the coil over his shoulders, he hurried along to the cliff

-and commenced the ascent, followed by Mary, who, in her anxiety for

-her lover's safety, would almost have followed the man into the very

-flames.</p>

-

-<p>In a short time they were at a point, whence the rope might be lowered

-to the two imperiled men upon the ledge.</p>

-

-<p>Brand, therefore, uncoiling the line, lowered the end to them at a

-point where the flames could not come into contact with it, fastening

-the other part to a spur.</p>

-

-<p>It was evident, however, that the two must make good speed, else the

-strands would become so weakened by the heat that there would be

-danger of their giving way.</p>

-

-<p>The two men found the rope, where they lowered it over the edge of the

-rocky shelf, long enough to reach to the ground, about one hundred and

-fifty feet beneath them.</p>

-

-<p>Then Turk commenced the descent, succeeding in reaching the ground

-safely.</p>

-

-<p>By this time the strands were so weakened that Brand was obliged to

-haul the rope up, to prevent its parting, and secure another turn

-around the rocky spur.</p>

-

-<p>Then Harry, grasping the lower part, commenced to descend. He had got

-within about one hundred and twenty feet of the ground and within a

-few feet of the top of one of the trees, when from the branches, the

-captain, whose position afforded him a good view of the trees revealed

-in the volcano's lurid light, uttered a sudden wild cry, that rang

-above the din of the roaring fire.</p>

-

-<p>Protruding from the foliage of the tree, towards which Harry was being

-lowered, the man beheld the long, lean<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> neck and ghastly countenance

-of the apparition he so dreaded.</p>

-

-<p>So great was the effect of this vision upon him that he let go the

-rope which descended swift as a shot.</p>

-

-<p>Where now was Harry Glenville?</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a><br /><br />

-

-CAPTURED.</h2>

-

-

-<p>Mary, shrieking, peered far over the edge of the rock, vainly looking

-for her lover.</p>

-

-<p>"Killed! killed!" she wailed, wringing her hands. "My God, he is

-dashed to pieces on the ground, by your letting go of the rope!"</p>

-

-<p>"I?" exclaimed the captain, looking wild and half bewildered.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, God! it is so!"</p>

-

-<p>The vision had by this time vanished. Partially recovering his

-self-possession, the captain hurried down the steep cliff, following

-Mary, who, like a maniac, ran on.</p>

-

-<p>She soon gained the foot of the precipice, and was hurrying along in

-the direction where she expected to find the remains of her lover all

-mangled from his fall of sixty feet, when suddenly, she felt some

-person grasp her arm, and turning, beheld Brand.</p>

-

-<p>"Let me go! Why hold me?" screamed the young girl, wildly.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"See, there!" he answered, pointing towards the beach, "that is the

-reason!"</p>

-

-<p>Looking in the indicated direction, she beheld, in the lurid glare of

-the volcanic fire, a long canoe, by the beach.</p>

-

-<p>Evidently it was the same which had pursued them on that day when the

-two warriors were slain.</p>

-

-<p>Bent on vengeance, the islanders had not yet given up the pursuit, but

-had searched for the fugitives ever since, at last coming upon their

-traces.</p>

-

-<p>Now the forms of the fierce men were seen advancing swiftly in single

-file up the beach, on a course, which, had Mary kept on, must have

-brought her into contact with them.</p>

-

-<p>"Never mind," she exclaimed; "let me go to his body! What care I if

-they do kill me, so long as I get a glimpse of his form?"</p>

-

-<p>Brand, however, held her firmly.</p>

-

-<p>He felt that he should at least partially atone for his crime by

-saving the daughter of the man he had sent to his death.</p>

-

-<p>"Come! come with me! This is madness."</p>

-

-<p>Mary struggled in vain. Brand drew her along with him into the shadow

-of a small cavern in the foot of the cliff.</p>

-

-<p>"Hark!" he said, "you must not cry out."</p>

-

-<p>Attracted probably by her cries, several natives soon presented

-themselves at the entrance of the cavern.</p>

-

-<p>Brand, being unarmed, could do nothing. Several spears were pointed at

-his heart and that of his companion.</p>

-

-<p>An islander&mdash;a huge fellow with great rings tattooed like bracelets

-all over both his arms; evidently a chief, interposed.</p>

-

-<p>"No strike!" he exclaimed, in broken English, "this's too much quick

-death. Best take and chokee slow."</p>

-

-<p>"What do you mean?" inquired Brand.</p>

-

-<p>"Cussem Americanon!" said the chief, fiercely, "kill one two me men!

-Mus' pay for dat."</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"You are mistaken," answered Brand; "I never killed a man. It wasn't

-me."</p>

-

-<p>"All same you with," answered the islander. "Ho! ho! never get way

-from me&mdash;me got long canoe."</p>

-

-<p>The two were dragged to the beach, bound with strong wythes, and were

-made to sit down upon the sand.</p>

-

-<p>Then a brief conversation was held, after which, the chief said

-something to several of his men.</p>

-

-<p>Away they went, climbing up a tree, and procuring several branches.</p>

-

-<p>These they brought to the chief, who, passing them round the neck of

-the prisoners so tightly that both were nearly throttled, then turned

-again and spoke to his people.</p>

-

-<p>Instantly the latter, seizing the two, dragged them up to their necks

-into the water, where they were firmly held with the incoming seas

-continually breaking over their heads.</p>

-

-<p>A slow, torturing method this to make way with prisoners. It is

-however resorted to by many of the South Sea Island tribes.</p>

-

-<p>At first the victim easily manages to catch his breath between

-whiles. Gradually, however, this becoming harder, and the difficulty

-increasing every moment, the wretches are eventually strangled to

-death.</p>

-

-<p>Poor Mary! The hardships and excitement she had lately undergone were

-of themselves sufficient to deprive an ordinary woman of her strength.

-This young girl, however, had an excellent constitution and, when

-occasion required, a strong will. Now the intensity of her anguish

-regarding her lover had so worked upon her, that, with this new

-torture before her, she became unconscious.</p>

-

-<p>Heedless of this, however, the native having charge of her, still held

-her upright in the water, until the chief again interfered.</p>

-

-<p>"Makee muchee now long," said he.</p>

-

-<p>The two were drawn out to the beach, Brand, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> being informed

-that the disagreeable ceremony would before morning, be repeated,

-until he was drownee, drownee, drownee.</p>

-

-<p>Soon after Mary came to her senses. At first somewhat bewildered, she

-soon remembered all.</p>

-

-<p>"Dead! dead!" she moaned, "he is dead."</p>

-

-<p>The natives heeded not her sufferings. On the contrary, they seemed to

-gloat over her distress.</p>

-

-<p>An hour wore on when the prisoners were again led into water, the seas

-breaking high, continually went over their heads.</p>

-

-<p>Mary soon drew her breath with difficulty&mdash;her brain went round and

-round, she felt that she was dying.</p>

-

-<p>In fact, life must have deserted her in a few minutes, but for a

-singular interposition, the phantom-like figure which has been

-mentioned, appearing suddenly on the branch of a tree and waving its

-arms to the natives in a frantic manner.</p>

-

-<p>"Berch, hounds and dogs!" it exclaimed in hollow voice; "what would ye

-do. I forbid this work. Terrible misfortune will attend ye, if ye keep

-on thus persecuting those prisoners."</p>

-

-<p>Brand, hearing that voice, turned his head.</p>

-

-<p>As he did so, the form suddenly vanished.</p>

-

-<p>The natives stood looking at each other in surprise. Brand noticing

-their astonishment, thought he might turn it to good account.</p>

-

-<p>No other consideration but that of saving his life could have tempted

-him to speak of the vision of the murdered passenger to a living soul.</p>

-

-<p>"Indians," said he, "I would at once speak to your chief."</p>

-

-<p>The men who held him understood him sufficiently to make known his

-request to their leader, who, forthwith, appeared floundering through

-the water.</p>

-

-<p>"What want? Speak quick!"</p>

-

-<p>"Well, then," said Brand, shuddering, "he whom you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> saw just now among

-the trees, was no mortal vision. It is a phantom!"</p>

-

-<p>"How know you that?"</p>

-

-<p>"If the chief will take me a little ways off I will tell him," said

-Brand, not caring to have the young girl hear what he intended to say.</p>

-

-<p>The chief did as requested, when Brand explained, saying that the

-phantom was that of a passenger who had accidentally fallen overboard

-from a vessel aboard which he (Brand), was third officer.</p>

-

-<p>The superstitious natives are prone to believe weird stories, and the

-chief was no exception to the rule.</p>

-

-<p>To his awe-stricken followers he at once explained what he had

-learned, when it was unanimously agreed that the lives of the two

-prisoners should be spared, at least for the present.</p>

-

-<p>No good, the natives all agreed, could come of their disobeying the

-injunctions of a spirit.</p>

-

-<p>Mary and Brand were therefore taken and seated near a bright fire,

-which had been kindled for comfort by their enemies.</p>

-

-<p>They were treated to cooked breadfruit, cocoanut sauce, and other

-delicacies of the South Sea Islanders. Brand ate heartily, but poor

-Mary, almost maddened by her grief, would not even look at what was

-proffered her.</p>

-

-<p>"Harry is dead! dead!" was the continual cry of her anguished soul.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile the whole island was rocking like a floating ship. Showers

-of fire, roaring thunder, flew from the volcanic peak.</p>

-

-<p>The natives looked at each other. Presently the chief spoke.</p>

-

-<p>"The islee will be swallowed in fire," said he; "the spirit which

-spoke, did not tell right. It is a bad spirit, which Islander must not

-mind. It said if Islander spare white men's life, no harm come. See!

-here is harm. The island will be lost before Islander can find all

-their foes."</p>

-

-<p>Such was the purport of the chief's words, uttered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> however, in a more

-incomprehensible manner than we have shown.</p>

-

-<p>"Yes," continued the speaker, "so we say we must killee! killee,"

-pointing at the two prisoners; "must killee quickee, no slow now."</p>

-

-<p>He held a brief consultation with some of his men, four of whom now

-advanced toward the girl and Brand, each of which was lifted between a

-couple.</p>

-

-<p>"Quickee&mdash;go!" screamed the chief, when each of the pair, with their

-burdens commenced rapidly scaling the sides of the steep ascent.</p>

-

-<p>Good need it now seemed, was there of their making swift speed.</p>

-

-<p>They kept on with all possible dispatch, eventually pausing upon a

-lofty spire, far up on the very top of the mountain.</p>

-

-<p>This spur, rising to a height of about forty feet from the edge of

-the volcanic crater, overlooked the chasm of fire, which, like the

-infernal lake itself, lay at its base, shooting its forked tongues of

-roaring, hissing flame high in air!</p>

-

-<p>And now the prisoners comprehended the fate intended for them, for the

-natives driving them to and fro, preparing to fling them into that

-lurid, roaring, crackling sea of fire!</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p>

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a><br /><br />

-

-WALLED IN.</h2>

-

-

-<p>To repeat a previous question.</p>

-

-<p>Where now was Harry Glenville?</p>

-

-<p>On feeling himself descending, after Brand let go of the rope to which

-he was clinging, the young man, instinctively throwing out his arms,

-was fortunate enough to grasp the branch of the tree through which his

-falling form was crashing.</p>

-

-<p>To this branch he clung, swinging a hundred feet above the ground.</p>

-

-<p>Every moment he expected that the branch, which was a slender one, and

-which he held near the extremity, would part. He could hear it crack,

-every time he swung.</p>

-

-<p>Above him, faintly revealed in the lurid light, he could meanwhile

-see a larger and stronger branch, which he hoped he might, by a

-sudden upward stretching of an arm, succeed in grasping. Still there

-was danger that he might miss his grasp, when he would certainly be

-precipitated upon the ground below.</p>

-

-<p>Still considering whether or not to make the attempt, he suddenly

-heard the cheery voice of Tom Turk:</p>

-

-<p>"Hold on hard, lad, and I'll be up there to help ye, in the tyin' of a

-square knot!"</p>

-

-<p>"Make haste!" exclaimed Harry, "as I expect, every minute, that the

-branch I hold will give way."</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay. Keep up a good heart. My climbin' days ain't quite over yet!"</p>

-

-<p>As he spoke, Turk commenced rapidly ascending the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> tree, running up

-the trunk with the squirrel-like dexterity of a true sailor.</p>

-

-<p>He had with him the end of the fallen rope, thrown over his shoulder.</p>

-

-<p>In a short time, he was upon the brunch, just above the swinging form

-of his friend.</p>

-

-<p>The latter's weight had nearly parted the branch, strips of which were

-already beginning to peel off.</p>

-

-<p>"Make haste, Turk!" repeated the young man.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, lad! here's the rope!" cried Turk, lowering to his friend the

-end, to which he had fastened a bowline hitch; "jest slip that over

-your head, and under one of your arms, and I'll have ye up in half a

-minute."</p>

-

-<p>Harry promptly complied, not a moment too soon, for with a crash, the

-branch now gave way.</p>

-

-<p>The young man would have gone with it, in spite of the bowline hitch,

-which he had not yet been able to properly secure, but for his

-throwing up both hands and grasping the rope.</p>

-

-<p>Turk, who had taken a turn round the upper branch, was thus enabled to

-draw him safely up.</p>

-

-<p>In a few seconds both men were on the ground, about to move in the

-direction of the base of the cliff to meet Mary and Brand, when they

-beheld the forms of the natives, stealing along from their canoe.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, now!" whispered Turk, "this is calamitous."</p>

-

-<p>"We must save Mary at all hazards," exclaimed Harry, impulsively, as

-he bounded forward.</p>

-

-<p>"S&mdash;sh!" whispered Turk, "jest see there! They have got the poor gal

-and that Brand already," pointing to the natives, lugging of their

-prisoners.</p>

-

-<p>Harry would have sprang onward unarmed as he was, to attack the two

-savages, but for the cooler and more prudent Turk.</p>

-

-<p>"Hold!" he whispered, grasping his friend's jacket, "can't do anything

-in a hurry, which do you see, will salle all."</p>

-

-<p>Even as he spoke, another party of savages were observed, approaching

-them.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"Now, then, fur scuddin!" said Turk, "no use stayin' here to be

-speared to death, which is a most uncomfortable way of dyin',

-'specially when you are afterwards b'iled in a pot for the blueskins'

-dinner."</p>

-

-<p>He drew the young man along to a clump of bushes near the base of an

-enormous tree.</p>

-

-<p>"I've sighted this tree before," said he, "which I know is holler.

-It's big enough to hold you and me. Afterwards we can see to the gal,

-if there's any way to save her, whereas if we should try now, we'd

-only be killed, which sartinly would be a poor way for keepin' the

-lass."</p>

-

-<p>Harry saw the sense of this remark at once. With the old seaman, he

-crouched in the bushes.</p>

-

-<p>"Well have to get into the tree, mole fashion," said Turk, "see'n' as

-the hole leading to the inside of it, is scooped out underneath."</p>

-

-<p>So saying he displaced some bushes, and bade his friend crawl into the

-aperture thus revealed.</p>

-

-<p>Harry did so, and was soon followed by Turk.</p>

-

-<p>In the hollow tree, the two now glanced up, to see through an opening

-in the trunk, broken half way off, the lurid gleam of the volcanic

-fire.</p>

-

-<p>"Here we are, moles as is moles!" exclaimed Turk.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile the shouts of the savages, who, it was evident, had now

-come upon the footprints of the two seamen on the ground, were heard

-outside of the tree.</p>

-

-<p>"They will of course discover us, after all!" said Harry, "and we will

-have to die. Better to have fallen in defense of Mary."</p>

-

-<p>Turk scratched his head. By the red gleam, shooting down into the

-hollow, Harry could see a troubled expression upon the old seaman's

-face.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay," he muttered, at length, "the Turks never was good at

-strategic p'nts. I had a grandfather, who, to save himself from a mad

-bull, throwed himself, in tryin' to leap over it, partly upon the

-creatur's horns, which,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> penetratin' the seat of his breeches, held

-him expended in that way until he was relieved by friends!"</p>

-

-<p>The old tar had scarcely thus delivered himself, when, chancing to

-glance down, he beheld the tattooed face of a savage, thrust under the

-trunk of the tree, peering up at him.</p>

-

-<p>Before he could utter a word, however, the face was withdrawn.</p>

-

-<p>Next moment a sound, as of men busy at work piling something around

-the tree, was heard.</p>

-

-<p>Soon after all was still.</p>

-

-<p>The two men held a consultation. Doubtless the savages were somewhere

-not far off, waiting for them to emerge.</p>

-

-<p>Nevertheless, they determined to make an attempt to escape from their

-present retreat.</p>

-

-<p>Turk was the first to stoop for the purpose of passing out, when an

-exclamation broke from his lips.</p>

-

-<p>"What's the matter?" inquired Harry.</p>

-

-<p>"Matter enough!" was the reply; "we are walled in with arth so that we

-can't get out!"</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p>

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a><br /><br />

-

-IN THE TREE.</h2>

-

-

-<p>For a moment the two stood eyeing each other, with looks of dismay.</p>

-

-<p>"Can't we burrow our way out?" queried the young man.</p>

-

-<p>"I'm afraid not. Them rascals knowed what they were doin' when they

-fastened us up. In my opinion, we are to be left in this hollow tree

-to be swallered up with the island when it goes!"</p>

-

-<p>Harry glanced up. The opening in the top of the trunk was about

-fifteen feet above them. There was no way for them to reach it!</p>

-

-<p>The young man bowed his face on his hand.</p>

-

-<p>"I would have been willing&mdash;would have cheerfully died," said he,

-"in helping poor Mary; but to perish far away from that girl without

-having lifted a hand in her defense is very mortifying!"</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay," said Turk, "and this is a lesson to me never to give advice

-in the futur'&mdash;if there be any futur' left for me on this arth! I'm as

-sorry as you can be, that I got you to give up follerin' the lass at

-once!"</p>

-

-<p>For several moments the two men stood, glancing up through the opening

-in the trunk, which being directly beneath the volcano, afforded them

-a good view of it.</p>

-

-<p>The huge crater was spouting showers of flame and sparks, which seemed

-to increase in quantity every moment.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile the roaring noise of the subterranean fires was becoming

-louder. The ground shook with the thunder in its bosom, until the very

-tree in which the two men were ensconced began to tremble.</p>

-

-<p>"The 'castrophy' must soon take place!" exclaimed Turk; "wish you'd

-l'arn me to say a few prayers before we are swallered up! That is,"

-continued the old tar, "I did l'arn my catechism, once upon a time,

-but it's so long ago that the idee has been blowed out of my head by

-the squalls and gales I've weathered, do you see!"</p>

-

-<p>Harry answered not. His mind was full of bitter reflections, in the

-midst of which his Mary, suffering in the hands of the savages,

-occupied a prominent part.</p>

-

-<p>"Perhaps we may burrow out of this!" he exclaimed, at length, "at all

-events, let us try!"</p>

-

-<p>So saying, he stooped, and went to work with hands and nails.</p>

-

-<p>He made some progress, but he had not dug a foot, when his hands came

-into contact with a hard substance, which resisted all his efforts to

-move it.</p>

-

-<p>It was a heavy stone, almost a rock in size, which had been shoved

-against the opening.</p>

-

-<p>"No hope!" he said, despairingly.</p>

-

-<p>As he spoke, a wild yell was heard without, followed by the noise of

-approaching steps.</p>

-

-<p>The steps drew nearer; there was a halt made alongside the tree, then

-followed a noise of dry branches being dragged along and piled round

-the trunk.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay! ay!" exclaimed Turk, aghast, "them heathens ain't even goin' to

-give us a chance to die in them underground flames, but is agoing to

-pile faggots and burn us at once."</p>

-

-<p>Harry shuddered.</p>

-

-<p>Then the thought occurred to him that perhaps Mary had perished in a

-similar manner.</p>

-

-<p>In a few minutes the crackling of flames, betokened that the old tar

-had guessed aright.</p>

-

-<p>The fire was wreathing and twining around the trunk<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> of the tree, the

-inside of which was every moment growing hotter.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay," moaned Turk, despondingly, "we are all a-goin' to be baked

-alive, as if we were two clams instead of humanized bein's!"</p>

-

-<p>Hotter became the seamen's narrow quarters every moment. Tongues of

-flames were now seen creeping through crevices in the trunk.</p>

-

-<p>The sap oozed with a hiss like a serpent's, while the smoke entering

-the hollow, almost suffocated the occupants.</p>

-

-<p>Heated, almost blinded, their flesh scorched, the sufferings of the

-twain were becoming fearful.</p>

-

-<p>In the lurid glare each could see the eyeballs of the other rolling

-wildly in his head, and hear his panting breath drawn with difficulty.</p>

-

-<p>"This is intolerable!" gasped Harry; "would that the rascals would

-spear us, and thus at once put an end to our torment."</p>

-

-<p>There seemed, however, no probability of their doing this.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile there were none of the manifestations of exultation and

-triumph peculiar to the North American savages.</p>

-

-<p>Nothing was to be heard above the din of the roaring and crackling

-flames, save a low, guttural croaking of quiet satisfaction, such as

-might have been uttered over chunks of roast beef cooking on a spit.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay," muttered Turk, who for some time had been dancing up and

-down with pain, "I feel as if the gravy was already a-oozing out of my

-body."</p>

-

-<p>As he spoke, he chanced to glance upward, when he was startled by

-the apparition of a face, half concealed by a great green leaf,

-(protruding downward from under an old cap) thrust through the opening

-in the top of the trunk, while the rest of the body was screened by

-the thick branches around it.</p>

-

-<p>"Hist! Stand by! I'll save you both if I can!" said<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> the stranger in a

-shrill, penetrating whisper, "on one condition!"</p>

-

-<p>For several moments the two men were so surprised that they could only

-stand motionless, looking up at the intruding face, without uttering a

-word.</p>

-

-<p>Harry was the first to speak.</p>

-

-<p>"Who are you! How came you there?"</p>

-

-<p>"It don't matter. I am only half human, at any rate. On one condition

-I said I'd save you."</p>

-

-<p>"Name it, name it, my man!" cried Turk, "and you'll see how quick we'll

-comply. But I'd think the savages would see you up there?"</p>

-

-<p>"No; the branches and leaves are too thick. The leaf over my face

-hides it from them while my body is in shadow."</p>

-

-<p>"Name that ere condition of yours then, quick!" exclaimed Turk.</p>

-

-<p>"Well, it is that you save my money!"</p>

-

-<p>"Your money?"</p>

-

-<p>"Yes I cannot get to it now. I beg you will save me my precious money."</p>

-

-<p>"Where is it!" inquired Turk, "if you'll jist tell me that p'raps I

-can&mdash;&mdash;"</p>

-

-<p>"It's in a little cleft in the right side of the trunk in a bag. You

-may feel it by putting your hand there. Oh! my money&mdash;my precious

-money! that must not be sacrificed!"</p>

-

-<p>Turk felt along the trunk until finally his hand struck a deep cleft

-notched in the wood, when he felt the bag and drew it forth.</p>

-

-<p>It emitted a clinking sound.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, that's it!" whispered the stranger; "now unfasten the cord

-from it, and throw the end up to me, when I will draw you safely out

-of the hollow!"</p>

-

-<p>Turk instantly proceeded to do as directed. Unwinding the cord which,

-though small in thickness, was as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> tough as a clothes-line, he was

-glad to perceive that it was long enough to reach to the top of the

-trunk.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile, in spite of his sufferings, he could not forbear peeping

-into the bag, which, he at once perceived was full of shining pieces

-of gold.</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p>

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a><br /><br />

-

-OUT OF THE TREE.</h2>

-

-

-<p>"What avail is all this?" said Harry; "it is likely the savages have

-already heard our conversation. Besides, they will certainly see us,

-when we are drawn up out of the top of the trunk."</p>

-

-<p>"It ain't likely they've heard us," said Turk, "as there's sich an

-infernal din with the roarin' of the fire here and the volcano above;

-but as to their seein' us, I dare say that may happen."</p>

-

-<p>"Throw me the cord&mdash;quick!" cried the stranger, "and let me haul you

-up here with my precious gold!"</p>

-

-<p>Turk threw the end of the cord.</p>

-

-<p>"You may go first," said Harry to the old tar.</p>

-

-<p>"Not a bit of it, lad!" answered Turk; "I ain't one of that sort, do

-ye see! There's no hurry for me. Your life is more valuable than that

-of sich an old lubber as your humble servant, Tom Turk."</p>

-

-<p>Harry, however was firm.</p>

-

-<p>He fastened the end of the line quickly under the armpits of the

-sailor, and ordered the stranger to haul away.</p>

-

-<p>Assisted by his own efforts and by the pulls from the man above, Turk

-soon was drawn through the opening.</p>

-

-<p>Then a savage yell proclaimed that he was seen, and the trick to

-effect of his release discovered by the natives.</p>

-

-<p>"Quick, my lad!" shouted Turk, throwing down the line to his friend,

-as several spears whizzed round his head.</p>

-

-<p>"Give me my gold!" almost shrieked the stranger, as he snatched the

-bag from the old seaman's pocket, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> thrust it into his own, "and

-stand by to follow me, if you'd escape the natives."</p>

-

-<p>"Jist hold on a minnit!" said Turk, clutching the man by the arm;

-"I don't know who you be; whether you be humanized or t'otherwise,

-but one thing is sartin, it's playin' us a very scaly trick fur you

-a-tryin' to get off, when you know that the life of a feller creatur'

-is still to be saved."</p>

-

-<p>"Quick then, quick!" screamed the stranger, "don't you perceive that

-the natives are going to fling more spears?"</p>

-

-<p>"They can't hurt ye, if you ain't human," said Turk&mdash;then he added,

-eyeing the stranger curiously, "if you have what's tarmed a caudal

-canpendage, that is a tail, do you see, as all non-human bein's has, I

-wish you'd show it, so that I may know whose acquaintance I have the

-honor of makin."</p>

-

-<p>"Whiz! whiz! buz-z-z!" came more spears, passing within a few inches

-of the speaker's head.</p>

-

-<p>While talking, Turk had not neglected his friend, who by this time had

-passed the line round his breast and given the word to haul.</p>

-

-<p>The two pairs of arms soon had him up, when turning, the stranger was

-seen running along a branch extending from the burning tree to another.</p>

-

-<p>"There goes either the devil or a spook!" said Turk; "it's the

-queerest creatur' I ever saw, thinkin' of its gold under sarcumstances

-like the present."</p>

-

-<p>"Follow me, follow me, if you would escape," the man was now heard

-screaming out at the top of his voice.</p>

-

-<p>The seamen obeyed, gliding after the figure, which seemed to dart

-along with the speed of a squirrel.</p>

-

-<p>Having gained the other tree, the strange guide descended half way,

-then, by a drooping branch, swung himself quickly to the ground.</p>

-

-<p>Harry and his friend followed, the twain being pursued by the savages.</p>

-

-<p>Every nook and corner seemed familiar to the leader.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>On he went, dashing away with a speed which rapidly widened the

-distance between him and his followers.</p>

-

-<p>By powerful efforts, however, the two men continued to keep in sight.</p>

-

-<p>Finally Harry paused. The steps of the savages were heard crashing

-along but a short distance behind him.</p>

-

-<p>"Come on!" cried Turk, seizing the other's arm.</p>

-

-<p>"No," answered the latter, "the man is evidently carrying us further

-and further from Mary. For my part, I shall endeavor to ascertain the

-fate of the girl, if I die for it."</p>

-

-<p>All efforts of his friend to persuade him to keep on proved unavailing.</p>

-

-<p>"Well, one thing is sartin," said the old tar, "where you go, there,

-sir, Tom Turk, who never yet deserted a chum, goes too!"</p>

-

-<p>"Thank you," answered Glenville, squeezing the arm of his friend.</p>

-

-<p>Stepping to one side, and crouching in the shrubbery, Turk persuaded

-Harry to do the same.</p>

-

-<p>At this time, these two men were concealed from the savages by a high

-rock, round the angle of which they had passed.</p>

-

-<p>The natives, when they made the turn, believing that the two had kept

-on, continued the pursuit in a straight line, seeing the form of the

-strange guide, faintly visible in the far distance.</p>

-

-<p>When the savages had passed, making straight for the burning peak,

-Harry and his companion rose.</p>

-

-<p>"Which way now?" inquired Turk.</p>

-

-<p>"Towards the beach. There we may find Mary, either dead or alive, as

-there, it would seem, the greater number of the savages are gathered."</p>

-

-<p>Accordingly, they moved toward the beach, cautiously keeping in the

-shadow of the shrubbery, when they finally found themselves within

-about fifteen feet of a spot occupied by a dozen warriors, all of

-whom stood upright,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> their glances bent upon the steep sides of the

-volcanic cliff.</p>

-

-<p>"What is that?" inquired Harry, suddenly, trembling in every limb.</p>

-

-<p>"There are savages speeding up the cliff, and if I mistake not, I

-just saw the gleam of a light dress, as if the rascals were bearing a

-female between them."</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay," said Turk. "I saw it too, and it was sartinly a most

-melancholy sight."</p>

-

-<p>"That woman that we saw could of course be none other than Mary

-Manton," said Harry. "Come, we will at least die fighting for the

-girl."</p>

-

-<p>Before his friend could say a word, he was speeding along toward the

-cliff, still keeping in the shadow of the shrubbery, so that the

-natives could not see him.</p>

-

-<p>Now he and his companion eventually arrived at the base of the cliff.</p>

-

-<p>The natives in pursuit of the guide had, of course got there before

-them, and were now seen speeding up the steep ascent in hot pursuit of

-the strange man.</p>

-

-<p>"Come," said Harry; "come!"</p>

-

-<p>As he spoke, he sped straight up the cliff.</p>

-

-<p>"Well," muttered Turk, as he panted for breath, "this is hot work for

-sich old timbers as I be. The lad won't give me a chance to breathe.

-I may as well make up my mind to go to etarnity, the road to which

-is where we are now goin'; so I'll jist make one chaw of this plug,"

-pulling from his pocket a great piece of tobacco, the whole of which

-he at once thrust into his right cheek.</p>

-

-<p>On he went, until suddenly he uttered a loud cry, as Harry disappeared

-from his sight.</p>

-

-<p>Believing that the young man had fallen into some one of the deep

-chasms with which the cliff abounded, he hurried on, and was somewhat

-relieved to perceive that the object of his fears had merely fallen

-into a small rocky pit, with the exception of a few slight bruises,

-hurting himself but little.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Springing into the pit, the old tar assisted his prostrate friend to

-his feet.</p>

-

-<p>At the same moment, clapping his hand to his brow, and uttering a wild

-cry, the young man pointed far above him.</p>

-

-<p>Gazing in the indicated direction, Turk uttered a sort of despairing

-grunt, and sat down on a flat, protruding shelf of rock, as if

-completely overcome at the spectacle which now met his gaze.</p>

-

-<p>This spectacle, which has already been described, was none other

-than that of the young girl and Captain Brand, far above the

-two adventurers, distinctly revealed in the lurid gleam of the

-fire-spouting crater, being swung back and forth for a fling into the

-red-flaming jaw of the horrible chasm!</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p>

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a><br /><br />

-

-THE FIRE-CHASM.</h2>

-

-

-<p>The fearful situation in which she now found herself was enough to

-appal a stouter hear than that of Mary Manton.</p>

-

-<p>Poor girl! after all the hardships she had undergone, to find herself

-about to meet such a frightful doom, was, indeed, a trying ordeal for

-her delicate nerves.</p>

-

-<p>Shriek after shriek passing her lips, mingled with the hoarsest cries

-of Captain Brand, and the triumphant screams of the savages, who,

-their forms and faces lighted by the volcanic fire, might well have

-been compared to the demons of the infernal regions!</p>

-

-<p>Twenty times at least, as if to torture them by the fearful suspense,

-the natives swung their victims before they made the final one to

-throw them into the yawning chasm!</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile, Turk and his friend had started afresh, and were fast

-scaling the sides of the cliff.</p>

-

-<p>The mountain was now fairly reeling with the inner convulsions. The

-lava had swollen on one side to a broad stream, rushing, hissing and

-streaming down the side of the steep cliff.</p>

-

-<p>In fact the two men as they mounted, were constantly obliged to dodge

-to one side, to escape contact with some of the diverging rivulets.</p>

-

-<p>On they went, now tottering on the verge of some deep gorge, and now

-scaling a narrow passage between enormous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> rocks, which reeled as if

-about to fall upon and crush them.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile the air was full of strange noises.</p>

-

-<p>Hissing, roaring and booming, the report of bursting deluges of fire

-came out from the bosom of the mountain.</p>

-

-<p>The fire spread fast&mdash;the sky itself seemed aflame with the warning of

-impending destruction.</p>

-

-<p>"This is sartinly the most excitin' moment in my life," said Turk, who

-now gasped at every step. "I'm afraid that even when we git up to the

-summit where that poor gal is, there won't be any strength left in my

-bones to help the poor creature!"</p>

-

-<p>"Come on!" answered Harry, in ringing tones. "On! on!"</p>

-

-<p>And on they went, scaling the burning mountain with almost incredible

-speed.</p>

-

-<p>At one time the view of the forms upon the summit was hidden by an

-intruding rock.</p>

-

-<p>"Do you see her, now?" Harry anxiously inquired.</p>

-

-<p>"No!" answered Turk, as he vainly endeavored to catch a glimpse of the

-fire-lighted forms.</p>

-

-<p>"Alas! It was a bad day for poor Mary, when she set out in search of

-her lost father," exclaimed Harry; "poor girl! brave girl!"</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, and a wild-goose chase, it has proved so far, and will prove a

-wild-gooser before its over."</p>

-

-<p>Continuing on, the two men finally came to a point, where two paths,

-diverging between high rocks, met their gaze.</p>

-

-<p>They were undecided which of these to take.</p>

-

-<p>"My God! the girl will meet her fate, before we can get to her!"

-exclaimed Harry, as he dashed into the path on the right. "Come on,

-Turk! This path ascends and must be the right one, as the other seems

-to incline!"</p>

-

-<p>Turk shook his head.</p>

-

-<p>"P'raps you're right, and p'raps not!" he said. "If it hadn't been for

-them lava-streams, we might have kept<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> straight ahead, and been at the

-end of our cruise in more senses than one, before the present moment."</p>

-

-<p>The two kept on, but the further they went, the more puzzled they

-became, as the path they pursued soon led them among a perfect

-labyrinth of rocks, some of them overarched so that, with the

-exception of a lurid gleam of light, here and there, they were left in

-total darkness.</p>

-

-<p>The labyrinth became more difficult.</p>

-

-<p>Tangled bushes, vines, shrubs, and the roots of decayed trees impeded

-their way every moment.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile the agony of the young man, searching hither and thither for

-some way out of his difficulty, was terrible. The sweat came out upon

-his brow, his veins seemed on fire with feverish excitement.</p>

-

-<p>He knew all the time he was thus searching that Mary's doom must soon

-be sealed, if already she had not been hurled into the whirlpool of

-fire!</p>

-

-<p>Turk also vainly exerted himself; but the more the two endeavored

-to find a way out of the labyrinth, the more hopelessly they became

-entangled.</p>

-

-<p>At length they found themselves at the mouth of a cavern. The floor

-of this cave seemed to extend downward, while far ahead of them, they

-beheld the fiery gleam of the volcano.</p>

-

-<p>"This is our way," shouted Turk. "Come, lad, come!"</p>

-

-<p>He dove into the cavern, followed by his friend, both believing that

-when they should arrive at the terminus of this sloping tunnel, they

-would find a way to the top of the cliff!</p>

-

-<p>Encouraged by this hope, Harry sped on with a swiftness, which soon

-carried him far beyond his friend.</p>

-

-<p>In a few minutes he had gained the further end of the cavern, when

-Turk heard his wild despairing cry ringing out like that of a wounded

-wolf.</p>

-

-<p>In a moment he was by the young man, who pointed upward.</p>

-

-<p>When Turk also perceived that they had made their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> way to this point,

-only to be aggravated by another sight of the tatooed forms of the

-savages and their intended victims, so far above them that they could

-not hope to reach the spot.</p>

-

-<p>In fact they now found themselves in one of those deep gorges, whose

-sides were too steep to be ascended, but which commanded a view of the

-raging fire.</p>

-

-<p>Yes, there was the girl and Brand, still being swung hither and

-thither that their torments might yet be prolonged.</p>

-

-<p>The sight almost drove Harry mad. He clenched his fists, and

-compressed his lips, as if, by the exertion of a strong will alone, he

-hoped to prevent the accomplishment of the fearful deed.</p>

-

-<p>As to Turk, he danced about in his excitement performing a sort of

-fantastic hornpipe, while all the time the tears streamed down his

-wrinkled cheeks.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay," he moaned, "it is too bad. If I could lay down my life a

-thousand times for that poor gal, God knows I would willingly do it."</p>

-

-<p>The scream of the imperiled one now rang down the cliff penetrating

-the hearts of the two men like a knife.</p>

-

-<p>"Good God!" cried Harry; "oh, Turk! Turk! let us see if we cannot yet

-get to her, before the demons do their foul work."</p>

-

-<p>The increased thunder of the volcano seemed to mock his voice. The air

-and sky reddened by the lurid gleam, seemed filled with a crimson mist

-rolling in clouds round the swaying forms, and shrouding them from

-sight.</p>

-

-<p>As Harry spoke, Turk pressed his forehead against the rocky side of

-the gorge, while he pointed upward at the girl, whose hair, catching

-the red gleam, seemed another shower of fire.</p>

-

-<p>"No use, Harry. See, they are giving the last swing! I know by the

-voice of that native who has jist howled out the order."</p>

-

-<p>In fact so shrill and piercing and savage was the islander's cry that

-its import could not well be mistaken.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Like the croaking shriek of a ravenous sea-bird, it came grating down

-the sides of the rock.</p>

-

-<p>"My God! there she goes!" screamed Harry; "Mary! Mary!"</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a><br /><br />

-

-UNEXPECTED.</h2>

-

-

-<p>With that cry from Harry Glenville was mingled the despairing scream

-of the young girl.</p>

-

-<p>The two savages holding her, had swung her forward with great impetus

-to fling her into the red gulf, when a wild form suddenly came

-bounding forward from the summit of an overhanging rock, snatched the

-girl from their arms and made off with her with deer-like speed.</p>

-

-<p>To explain this, it must be remembered that the gaze of all the

-savages present, had been concentrated upon the two intended victims,

-so that they had known nothing of the approach of the intruder, who,

-it need scarcely be told, was the singular island guide.</p>

-

-<p>This person, probably from his greater familiarity with the mountain

-paths, had distanced his pursuers who, like Harry Glenville and Turk,

-soon became puzzled as to their course, and thus lost track of the

-fugitive.</p>

-

-<p>Coming upon the fearful scene near the fire chasm, the strong man had

-found it easy to leap from his position, snatch the girl from the

-already relaxed grasp of her tormentors, and make considerable headway

-before the natives could recover sufficiently from their surprise to

-start in pursuit.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>So astonished were all that the two who held Captain Brand, allowed

-the latter to disengage himself from their grasp and make off at a

-speed accelerated to almost incredible swiftness by his fears.</p>

-

-<p>The course taken by Brand led him at right angles with that followed

-by the stranger, so that the pursuers were obliged to separate.</p>

-

-<p>This separation gave the fugitives an advantage, especially the

-strange guide, who seemed familiar with every nook and corner of the

-mountain.</p>

-

-<p>On he went, seeming to carry his burden with a strength probably

-caused by some powerful excitement, although his gray hair, streaming

-back from under the broad leaf, partially concealing his face,

-proclaimed his advanced years.</p>

-

-<p>Finally, however, he began to stagger beneath his burden, which, it

-was evident, was too much for him.</p>

-

-<p>Seemingly bent, however, upon gaining some particular point, he kept

-on until he came to a small, dark hollow, between a number of jagged

-rocks, where he crawled therein.</p>

-

-<p>"Hist!" he muttered, as the young girl opened her mouth, apparently on

-the point of speaking. "Not a word! I have my money! money! money!" he

-added, in the same penetrating whisper, as he thrust his hand in his

-pocket and felt the jingling bag.</p>

-

-<p>The man had been mistaken about Mary's wishing to speak.</p>

-

-<p>The poor girl's eyes were closed, her cheek as white as marble. She

-had fainted at the moment when the natives were at the point of

-flinging her to her destruction.</p>

-

-<p>Seemingly unaware of this circumstance, her preserver, crouching down

-without again looking at her, listened intently, probably for the

-steps of his pursuers.</p>

-

-<p>These steps, drawing nearer, finally went past.</p>

-

-<p>The fugitive had served the natives a trick. Unseen by them, owing to

-an intruding point of rock, when he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> crawled into the small cave, they

-had passed him, believing he had gone on, far ahead.</p>

-

-<p>He waited full a quarter of an hour, then, emerging, continued on.</p>

-

-<p>At a place where two narrow paths diverged, he came upon Brand,

-crouching in the angle of a rock.</p>

-

-<p>Here the light was indistinct.</p>

-

-<p>"Who are you who have saved this girl?" inquired the captain, coming

-forward.</p>

-

-<p>"Don't question me," answered the other, "but help me with this girl."</p>

-

-<p>Brand started as suddenly. Then, recovering his self-possession,

-although trembling in every limb, he complied with the request.</p>

-

-<p>"My money&mdash;my money&mdash;ha! ha! I <em>have that</em> safe!" muttered the

-stranger, as they proceeded.</p>

-

-<p>"Your <em>what</em>?" gasped Brand, fairly turning as white as the senseless

-girl.</p>

-

-<p>"My money," was the answer&mdash;"all safe!"</p>

-

-<p>On they went, following a path which led them by the tunnel through

-which Harry and Turk had previously passed, from which they were

-emerging at this very moment.</p>

-

-<p>Brand started back.</p>

-

-<p>"You safe?" he exclaimed, staring at Harry, as if at a ghost.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay," answered the young man.</p>

-

-<p>Then he sprang to the side of the unconscious girl, peering down upon

-her still face.</p>

-

-<p>"Not dead! not dead!" he cried, wildly.</p>

-

-<p>Even as he spoke, the girl opened her eyes.</p>

-

-<p>In the faint light they gleamed like stars, as they fell upon her

-lover's face.</p>

-

-<p>"Harry!" she exclaimed.</p>

-

-<p>In an instant she was on her feet, supported by her friends until she

-had fully regained her balance.</p>

-

-<p>Then explanations followed.</p>

-

-<p>"And who, my friend, are you who have thus benefitted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> us?" inquired

-Harry, now turning to grasp the hand of the stranger.</p>

-

-<p>The latter, however, was nowhere to be seen.</p>

-

-<p>"That chap I should sartinly take for the devil, do you see, if it

-'twan't that I couldn't neither see his caudal cumpendage, nor account

-for his savin' the gal, which no devil, I take it, would have done."</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile, words may not express the joy of the lovers at their

-reunion. Mary had firmly believed that Harry was dashed to pieces when

-Brand let go of the rope.</p>

-

-<p>Alluding to this, Turk now said:</p>

-

-<p>"How came you to do sich a trick, captain?"</p>

-

-<p>The latter turned aside his head, trembling like an aspen as he

-recalled to mind the apparition he had seen among the trees.</p>

-

-<p>"Accidents will happen," he said, in a husky voice.</p>

-

-<p>"Well," continued Turk, "now that we have so far got clear of them

-infarnal blackskins, I trust and hope that we may contrive to get away

-from the island without seein' 'em, or, at any rate, before we are

-swallowed up in fire!"</p>

-

-<p>At that moment, far ahead of them, they beheld the stranger, his face

-still screened by the broad leaf, beckoning to them.</p>

-

-<p>So he had not deserted them, after all.</p>

-

-<p>"We'd better follow him," said Turk, "as he seems to know every part

-of this island. To my thinkin', he'll get us out of this scrape, if

-it's possible to get out!"</p>

-

-<p>The advice was followed.</p>

-

-<p>The strange guide led the party along the narrow path with great

-celerity, until they finally arrived at the foot of the cliff.</p>

-

-<p>By this time the whole island presented an appearance at once, wild

-and fearful.</p>

-

-<p>The showers of fire from the mountain were increased ten-fold; the

-island rocked like a cradle. Every part of it seemed lighted with a

-ghastly radiance. A red mist hovered over it rolling along, volume

-upon volume.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Near the beach the water was seen breaking into thousands of bubbles,

-while further beyond it was dashed to a foam.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile the noises of shock following shock were become terrific.</p>

-

-<p>A whole pack of artillery seemed to burst and boom, volley upon

-volley, beneath the quaking soil!</p>

-

-<p>Suddenly there was a shock as of many thunderbolts, from the direction

-of the mountain, which was now seen split, apparently from top to

-bottom, into a great chasm, from which in great quantities burst forth

-streams of lava and long forked tongues of lurid flame.</p>

-

-<p>The island was now as light as day. Far and near objects could be

-plainly distinguished, while overhead showers of flying sparks almost

-obscured the sky!</p>

-

-<p>In the red glare, the forms of savages were now seen making all haste

-to descend the tottering cliff!</p>

-

-<p>Appalled by the impending fate of the island, all the natives who had

-been left below, were seen at a distance beckoning to their companions

-to make haste.</p>

-

-<p>The white people now were nearer the canoe than the savages themselves.</p>

-

-<p>"Come!" screamed the guide, as he made towards the light vessel.

-"Come!"</p>

-

-<p>He beckoned, as he spoke, to the young girl and the seamen, all of

-whom made haste to follow him.</p>

-

-<p>The savages below, now, for the first time, caught sight of the white

-party, and made for them with great swiftness, yelling and brandishing

-their spears.</p>

-

-<p>"There's sartinly no time to lose," exclaimed Turk, as he assisted his

-friend to help Mary along; "if them blackskins get at us now, they'll

-make sure work of it by pinning us to the ground."</p>

-

-<p>The party hurried on.</p>

-

-<p>They reached the canoe, while the islanders were yet forty yards

-distant, when, springing in, all the men seized paddles and went to

-work.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Spear after spear was hurled at them before they had gone more than a

-few fathoms from the beach.</p>

-

-<p>One of these missiles severed a lock from Mary's head, another grazed

-the shoulder of her lover.</p>

-

-<p>"Quick!" shrieked Turk, "if we don't get away from here in a minute,

-we'll all be swallered in fire and water!"</p>

-

-<p>This, in fact, seemed evident. The bubbles increased on the surface.

-The surges rolled wildly, swaying hither and thither&mdash;the booming

-thunder underground was become deafening.</p>

-

-<p>Glancing towards the islanders, these unfortunates were seen running

-towards the raft, and then flocking up on it with all possible

-dispatch, while filling the air with dismal, howling cries.</p>

-

-<p>"God help the poor wretches!" cried Mary.</p>

-

-<p>"Paddle ahead, paddle for life!" screamed Turk, as the cliff, with a

-din as if the very earth were being rent in twain, tumbled to pieces,

-rock upon rock, apparently drowned in a sea of fire, amid which the

-forms of the doomed natives on the cliff were also seen to disappear.

-Sky air and sea looked as if aflame.</p>

-

-<p>The whole universe seemed to rock and tremble.</p>

-

-<p>The crimson waves rose high around the frail canoe; while the raft

-nearer to the beach, was at once engulphed with its living freight.</p>

-

-<p>"God help us!" cried Mary.</p>

-

-<p>"We are lost!" shouted Brand, shutting out the fearful aspect of sea

-and heaven, by putting a hand to his eyes.</p>

-

-<p>"Hush!" said Harry, sternly, "I trust we may escape."</p>

-

-<p>All round the island the waves were now seen trembling in great

-colliding, clashing walls of hissing boiling water.</p>

-

-<p>From these walls streams of fire, like lightning flashes, shot

-continually upward.</p>

-

-<p>The air was still full of flying sparks, and of lava stones which

-dropped in showers into the water.</p>

-

-<p>For full half an hour the commotion continued, when,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> suddenly, the

-doomed island disappeared forever, while the agitated waves continued

-to bubble and boil long afterwards, over the spot where it had existed.</p>

-

-<p>Gradually the fearful red lustre of sky and sea died away. A gloom,

-appalling from its strange suddenness, fell upon the sea.</p>

-

-<p>The canoe with its occupants floated in darkness upon the agitated

-waters.</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="chap" />

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p>

-<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a><br /><br />

-

-CONCLUSION.</h2>

-

-

-<p>The men in the canoe continued paddling ahead. There was no sleep for

-any of the occupants during that night.</p>

-

-<p>When daylight stole upon the sea they looked toward the spot, far

-astern, where the island had been but where there was nothing now to

-mark the spot except a mass of agitated waters, gradually subsiding.</p>

-

-<p>Straight and tall, at the stern of the canoe, sat the stranger guide,

-he whose features had previously been hidden and the breadfruit leaf,

-now thrust aside.</p>

-

-<p>Brand, who had been gazing toward the place he occupied, ever since

-the day began to break, now was visibly agitated. He trembled all

-over, while his face was perfectly ghastly.</p>

-

-<p>As the light increased, and the stranger's features became yet more

-distinct, the captain uttered a wild cry, and while his eyes rolled

-wildly in his head, sat as if transfixed to his thwart still gazing

-upon the man before him.</p>

-

-<p>A moment he remained thus, then fell senseless upon his face.</p>

-

-<p>Mary, who had hitherto been gazing away toward the west, turned at the

-cry Brand uttered, and seemed for a moment, like one spellbound as her

-gaze fell upon the stranger's face.</p>

-

-<p>Then her eyes lighted up her whole countenance a gleam with joy.</p>

-

-<p>"My father!" she exclaimed, "father! father! Oh! thank God, I have

-found him at last!"</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>Stretching forth her arms, she moved towards the guide, who, however,

-still sat looking at her half wonderingly and half pityingly, without

-seeming to recognize her.</p>

-

-<p>Mary, however, knew him well. She could not mistake those familiar

-features, and the fact of his not seeming to recognize her, seemed to

-inspire her with the deepest grief.</p>

-

-<p>"Oh, papa! papa! Look! behold! Here is your daughter! I am Mary, papa!

-Don't you know me?"</p>

-

-<p>An expression of partial intelligence came to the man's eyes, then

-passed like a gleam of sunlight obliterated by the shadow of a cloud.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay, now!" exclaimed Tom Turk as he gazed at the man, "this is too

-bad! I know ye well enough as the passenger once aboard the <em>Maxwell</em>,

-and who was supposed to be lost; the father of this lass. It's mighty

-strange you don't know your own child."</p>

-

-<p>"Mr. Manton," exclaimed Harry, stepping forward, and grasping the hand

-of him he addressed, "this is a great, great pleasure! Thank God we

-have found you at last, alive and well! Do not, I beg of you, afflict

-your daughter longer by playing off this joke upon her!"</p>

-

-<p>"Joke! joke!" said Mr. Manton, running a hand through his gray hair

-and looking up in a bewildered manner, "I don't understand you! Ha!

-ha! it's all safe, my money!" he added, "all safe! safe!"</p>

-

-<p>Harry looked sorrowfully at the speaker.</p>

-

-<p>Glances of intelligence were exchanged between him and Turk.</p>

-

-<p>Even Mary could no longer doubt the fearful truth, which had gradually

-been forcing itself upon her mind.</p>

-

-<p>Her father was insane!</p>

-

-<p>She flung herself at his feet&mdash;she grasped both his hands, and kissed

-them again and again&mdash;then burst into tears, sobbing as if her heart

-would break, at the vacant stare, which was the only response to her

-manifestations.</p>

-

-<p>Harry endeavored to soothe her.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>"I am confident," said he, "that your father is not a confirmed

-lunatic. He may be restored to his reason, if care be taken. I have

-seen worse cases than this cured."</p>

-

-<p>So excited were Harry and his friends over the discovery they had

-made, that, although the singular emotion of Brand had not escaped

-their attention, yet they had not noticed his being unconscious.</p>

-

-<p>Now, however, Turk perceived it.</p>

-

-<p>"A strange affair, this," said he; "had old Nick himself come to claim

-the captain, he couldn't have acted queerer than he has at the sight

-of Mr. Manton!"</p>

-

-<p>In a few minutes, the captain recovered, staring wildly around him,

-until his eye was caught by the spectacle of the old man astern, when

-he started back with an affrighted cry.</p>

-

-<p>"It is real flesh and blood, then," he exclaimed.</p>

-

-<p>"Why, of course, Cap," answered Turk, "you don't suppose, I hope,

-that we'd take a ghost passenger!"</p>

-

-<p>"Real flesh and blood," continued Brand, an expression of relief

-passing over his face, as he noticed the vacant stare of Mr. Manton,

-showing that the latter did not recognize him. "I am glad of it&mdash;ay,

-very glad. So he was not lost overboard, after all!"</p>

-

-<p>"It seems not!" said Turk; "but I shouldn't have thought the discovery

-would have set you off into a faintin' fit?"</p>

-

-<p>"Well, you see," said Brand, with a forced laugh, "the fact is I am a

-little superstitious&mdash;always was!"</p>

-

-<p>This explanation hardly seemed to satisfy the old sailor, who shook

-his head without saying a word.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile, the canoe, still urged along by Turk's paddle, was gliding

-through the blue waters, now just beginning to catch the tinge of the

-coming sunlight.</p>

-

-<p>Suddenly the old sailor, who had long been gazing far away towards the

-west, sprung to his feet, screaming out! "Sail O!" with all his might.</p>

-

-<p>"It's the same craft I saw t'other night from the cliff!" said he; "I

-didn't say anything about it, as I wasn't sure<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> it was a sail in the

-imperfect light, and didn't want to awake false hopes."</p>

-

-<p>Harry Glenville now seizing his paddle, assisted Turk.</p>

-

-<p>Meanwhile Brand, with an old handkerchief, continued to raise a

-signal, which it was soon evident, was seen by the vessel.</p>

-

-<p>Previously standing away towards the southward, she now was seen to

-come 'round, bowling along, close hauled towards the canoe.</p>

-

-<p>This at last was reached, and the occupants picked up, to learn they

-were aboard the ship <em>Empire</em>, of New York, homeward bound.</p>

-

-<p>Every kind attention was bestowed upon the castaways, who, on their

-arrival home, a few months after, published a letter of thanks to the

-good skipper.</p>

-

-<p>Mary took her father to a little cottage she occupied with an aunt.</p>

-

-<p>A celebrated physician, accustomed to lunatic cases was called.</p>

-

-<p>He pronounced Mr. Manton's case, a curable one, and, in the course of

-a year proved it so, by restoring the old man fully to his reason.</p>

-

-<p>Words may not express the joy of Mary, who had awaited this happy

-moment to become the wife of Harry Glenville.</p>

-

-<p>The old man was present at the wedding, in which he took the interest

-natural to the father of the bride.</p>

-

-<p>On the very night of the ceremony, the old man, who had not previously

-touched upon that 'dark affair' aboard the <em>Maxwell</em>, was able to

-reveal events, so as to go into a full explanation.</p>

-

-<p>He stated that, after being knocked overboard by Brand, he threw out

-his arms, clutching the plank which had fallen with him, and which,

-thanks to his being a good swimmer and to a favorable current, enabled

-him to drift down upon the volcanic island.</p>

-

-<p>The hardship and excitement undergone, however, that night, so worked

-upon his brain, that he was affected with a fever which lasted a

-couple of days.</p>

-

-<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p>

-

-<p>After that all was a blank to Mr. Manton. He could not remember what

-took place from that time to the present.</p>

-

-<p>Although insane, however, the man's instinct, or some other cause, had

-prompted him to stow his money away in the hollow tree.</p>

-

-<p>"Ay, ay," said Harry, "it was evidently to obtain your money that that

-wretch Brand threw you overboard!"</p>

-

-<p>"Of course," answered Manton. "But the rascal was nicely foiled, for,

-as it happened, it was always my custom, when I stepped on deck to put

-my money in the canvas bag, and thrust it into my pocket!</p>

-

-<p>"This carefulness of mine may be understood, when I inform you that I

-intended every cent of that money for my darling child, to whom I now

-present it with great joy at being able to place her above want during

-her lifetime!"</p>

-

-<p>We have little to add.</p>

-

-<p>After Manton's explanation, Brand was sought for, but could not be

-found, as he had cleared off to parts unknown.</p>

-

-<p>He was never again heard of, if we except a rumor, that he had been

-lost at sea!</p>

-

-<p>Tom Turk was favorably recommended to the ship owners by Harry

-Glenville, who was thus enabled to procure him a vessel.</p>

-

-<p>The old fellow followed the sea until he was seventy years of age,

-when he settled down in an old cottage on the outskirts of New York,

-within a mile of the residence of Harry Glenville and his beautiful

-bride.</p>

-

-<p>Mr. Manton still lives; in fact his native air has seemed to agree

-with him. He is nearly as straight as ever, while, in spite of his

-gray hairs, his cheek glows with the ruddy hue of health!</p>

-

-<p>Often on still summer nights, with his grandchildren at his knee, he

-relates the story of the wicked Brand, who, for his many crimes, and

-especially for his dark attempt to take a human life, was long spoken

-of by sea men as the Demon Cruiser.</p>

-

-

-<p class="center">THE END.</p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="full" />

-<h2><a name="BEADLES_FRONTIER_SERIES" id="BEADLES_FRONTIER_SERIES">BEADLE'S FRONTIER SERIES</a></h2>

-

-

-<ul class="list">

-<li class="ifrst">1. The Shawnee's Foe.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">2. The Young Mountaineer.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">3. Wild Jim.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">4. Hawk-Eye, the Hunter.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">5. The Boy Guide.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">6. War Tiger of the Modocs.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">7. The Red Modocs.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">8. Iron Hand.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">9. Shadow Bill, the Scout.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">10. Wapawkaneta, or the Rangers of the Oneida.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">11. Davy Crockett's Boy Hunter.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">12. The Forest Avenger.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">13. Old Jack's Frontier Cabin.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">14. On the Deep.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">15. Sharp Snout.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">16. The Mountain Demon.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">17. Wild Tom of Wyoming.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">18. The Brave Boy Hunters of Kentucky.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">19. The Fearless Ranger.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">20. The Haunted Trapper.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">21. Madman of the Colorado.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">22. The Panther Demon.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">23. Slashaway, the Fearless.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">24. Pine Tree Jack.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">25. Indian Jim.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">26. Navajo Nick.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">27. The Tuscarora's Vow.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">28. Deadwood Dick, Jr.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">29. A New York Boy Among the Indians.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">30. Deadwood Dick's Big Deal.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">31. Hank, the Guide.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">32. Deadwood Dick's Dozen.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">33. Squatty Dick.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">34. The Hunter's Secret.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">35. The Woman Trapper.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">36. The Chief of the Miami.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">37. Gunpowder Jim.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">38. Mad Anthony's Captain.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">39. The Ranger Boy's Career.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">40. Old Nick of the Swamp.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">41. The Shadow Scout.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">42. Lantern-Jawed Bob.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">43. The Masked Hunter.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">44. Brimstone Jake.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">45. The Irish Hunter.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">46. Dave Bunker.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">47. The Shawnee Witch.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">48. Big Brave.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">49. Spider-Legs.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">50. Harry Hardskull.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">51. Madman of the Oconto.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">52. Slim Jim.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">53. Tiger-Eye.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">54. The Red Star of the Seminoles.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">55. Trapper Joe.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">56. The Indian Queen's Revenge.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">57. Eagle-Eyed Zeke.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">58. Scar-Cheek, the Wild Half-Breed.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">59. Red Men of the Woods.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">60. Tuscaloosa Sam.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">61. The Bully of the Woods.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">62. The Trapper's Bride.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">63. Red Rattlesnake, The Pawnee.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">64. The Scout of Tippecanoe.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">65. Old Kit, The Scout.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">66. The Boy Scouts.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">67. Hiding Tom.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">68. Roving Dick, Hunter.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">69. Hickory Jack.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">70. Mad Mike.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">71. Snake-Eye.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">72. Big-Hearted Joe.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">73. The Blazing Arrow.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">74. The Hunter Scouts.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">75. The Scout of Long Island.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">76. Turkey-Foot.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">77. The Death Rangers.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">78. Bullet Head.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">79. The Indian Spirit.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">80. The Twin Trappers.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">81. Lightfoot the Scout.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">82. Grim Dick.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">83. The Wooden-Legged Spy.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">84. The Silent Trapper.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">85. Ugly Ike.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">86. Fire Cloud.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">87. Hank Jasper.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">88. The Scout of the Sciota.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">89. Black Samson.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">90. Billy Bowlegs.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">91. The Bloody Footprint.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">92. Marksman the Hunter.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">93. The Demon Cruiser.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">94. Hunters and Redskins.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">95. Panther Jack.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">96. Old Zeke.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">97. The Panther Paleface.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">98. The Scout of the St. Lawrence.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">99. Bloody Brook.</li>

-

-<li class="ilist">100. Long Bob of Kentucky.</li>

-</ul>

-

-<p class="center"><small>THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. Cleveland. U. S. A.</small></p>

-

-

-

-<hr class="full" />

-<p class="transnote"><b>Transcriber's Notes</b><br /><br />

-

-

-The Table of Contents has been added by the transcriber and it is

-placed in the public domain. Minor punctuation errors have been

-silently corrected.<br /><br />

-

-Page <a href="#Page_12">12</a>: Changed "birth" to "berth."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: He went back to his birth, not to sleep,)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_19">19</a>: Changed "Sidney," to "Sydney."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: visit some of them before going into Sidney.")</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_21">21</a>: Changed "steped" to "stepped."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Then he steped to the captain's side,)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_23">23</a>: Retained "claining," but possibly meant "clinging."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Vainly Brand, claining to a rope near the mizzenmast,)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_23">23</a>: Changed "sevaral" to "several."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: a violence which threw sevaral men off the yard)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_25">25</a>: Retained "dextrious", but probably meant "dexterous."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: the old fellow by a dextrious movement,)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_30">30</a>: Changed "swarm" to "swam."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: He swarm to a spar near him, and, with the ropes)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_38">38</a>: Changed "accomodation" to "accommodation."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: one for the accomodation of the men,)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_40">40</a>: Changed "apparrently" to "apparently."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: were audible, apparrently approaching the hut!)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_42">42</a>: Retained "from," but probably meant "for."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Harry now sprang from the raft.)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_47">47</a>: Changed "ripling" to "rippling."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Away it went, ripling the water,)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_53">53</a>: Changed "rock," to "rocks."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: firmly wedged in between two rock,)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_55">55</a>: Changed "strangly" to "strangely."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: staring eyes, were fixed strangly upon the captain.)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_59">59</a>: Changed "decending" to "descending."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: apparently decending towards him with great rapidity.)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_59">59</a>: Changed "aditional" to "additional."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: with the fall of aditional lava occurred,)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_62">62</a>: Changed "in" to "is."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">("This in dang'rous traveling," remarked Turk,)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_63">63</a>: Removed duplicate "it."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: the drowned passenger as it it was hastily withdrawn!)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_68">68</a>: Changed "rembered" to "remembered."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: bewildered, she soon rembered all.)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_68">68</a>: Changed "headed" to "heeded."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: The natives headed not her sufferings.)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_69">69</a>: Changed "superstious" to "superstitious."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: The superstious natives are prone to believe weird stories,)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_69">69</a>: Changed "eat" to "ate."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Brand eat heartily, but poor Mary, almost maddened)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_70">70</a>: Changed "evntually" to "eventually."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: all possible dispatch, evntually pausing upon a lofty spire,)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_70">70</a>: Changed "hight" to "height."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: This spur, rising to a hight of about forty feet)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_73">73</a>: Changed "peal" to "peel."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: strips of which were already beginning to peal off.)</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_73">73</a>: "salle" for "sally," is best guess for unclear word,

-meaning to rush out, assault.<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: do anything in a hurry, which do you see, will salle all.")</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_78">78</a>: Changed "conditon" to "condition."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: "Name that ere conditon of yours then, quick!")</span><br />

-<br />

-Page <a href="#Page_85">85</a>: Retained "hear" typo, but possibly "heart" or "head."<br />

-<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: was enough to appal a stouter hear than that of Mary)</span><br />

-</p>

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-<pre>

-

-

-

-

-

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+      The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Demon Cruiser, by R. L. Wheeler.
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+<body>
+<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 50723 ***</div>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 599px;">
+<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="599" height="800" alt="cover" />
+</div>
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h1>
+THE DEMON CRUISER.</h1>
+
+<p class="ph3">BY</p>
+<p class="ph2">R. L. WHEELER.</p>
+<hr class="r5" />
+<p class="ph4"><em>Copyright, 1909, by James Sullivan.</em><br />
+<em>All Rights Reserved.</em></p>
+<hr class="r5" />
+
+<p class="ph3">Published by<br />
+THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK COMPANY<br />
+Cleveland, Ohio, U. S. A.
+</p>
+
+<p class="center"><small>(Printed in the United States of America)</small></p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a id="TABLE_OF_CONTENTS">TABLE OF CONTENTS</a></h2>
+
+
+<div class="center">
+<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="toc">
+<tr><td align="left">CHAPTER</td><td align="right" colspan="2">PAGE</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">I.</td><td align="left">A Dark Deed</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">II.</td><td align="left">The Box</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">III.</td><td align="right" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">IV.</td><td align="left">Lashed and Adrift</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">V.</td><td align="left">The Island</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">VI.</td><td align="left">The Vision</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">VII.</td><td align="left">The Attack</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">40</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">VIII.</td><td align="left">Drifting On</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">IX.</td><td align="left">Driven Away</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">50</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">X.</td><td align="left">Haunted</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">55</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XI.</td><td align="left">On the Ledge</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XII.</td><td align="left">Captured</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">65</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XIII.</td><td align="left">Walled In</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XIV.</td><td align="left">In the Tree</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XV.</td><td align="left">Out of the Tree</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XVI.</td><td align="left">The Fire-Chasm</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_85">85</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XVII.</td><td align="left">Unexpected</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">89</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XVIII.</td><td align="left">Conclusion</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_96">96</a></td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="THE_DEMON_CRUISER" id="THE_DEMON_CRUISER"><big>THE DEMON CRUISER.</big></a></h2>
+
+
+
+<hr class="r5" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a><br /><br />
+
+A DARK DEED.</h2>
+
+
+<p>The ship <em>Maxwell</em>, Captain Roberts, homeward bound from Australia to
+New York, was bowling along upon her course under full sail.</p>
+
+<p>It was a dark night, unrelieved save by the phosphor gleam of the seas
+around the vessel, and the light of the two lanterns hung up in the
+fore and mizzen rigging.</p>
+
+<p>The <em>Maxwell</em> had one passenger&mdash;a gentleman named William Manton,
+who, having accumulated a fortune at Australia, was now returning
+to the United States, where his wife had died during his absence,
+but where he expected to find his daughter, Mary, and a young man of
+nineteen years old, living with an aunt in New York.</p>
+
+<p>In an iron box the passenger carried his fortune&mdash;gold pieces,
+amounting in all to five hundred thousand dollars.</p>
+
+<p>He kept the box locked up in his chest, which was provided with a
+patent lock, so arranged that it could not possibly be opened without
+a great deal of noise.</p>
+
+<p>Occasionally Mr. Manton would go to this chest, and, taking out his
+money, look at it to see that all was safe. He was by no means either
+greedy or miserly; but he felt very anxious and careful about this
+money intended for his beloved child. That his death was not many
+years distant, he felt sure, as he had long suffered from an incurable
+complaint of the liver.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>This might be detected now in his sallow skin, sunken cheeks, and
+hollow eyes, as in his room he bent over his box&mdash;counting the bright,
+yellow pieces of gold.</p>
+
+<p>In every other respect, Mr. Manton was a fine looking old gentleman,
+being broad-shouldered and strong, with long arms, erect form, and
+piercing glance.</p>
+
+<p>There was upon his face, at present, a look of intense satisfaction,
+as coin after coin, in hard, shining pieces passed through his hands.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay," he muttered at length, "my girl will never be poor!"</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke, a sudden chill passed through the old man's frame; a
+shudder as if an ice-bolt had come in contact with his body.</p>
+
+<p>He could not divine the cause; but, had he taken pains to glance
+quickly behind him, up at a small opening in his door, he would have
+known that it was the magnetism of the pair of evil-looking eyes there
+which had chilled his blood.</p>
+
+<p>The eyes belonged to a rough, square, dark-skinned face, the owner of
+which was the third mate, Mr. Brand&mdash;a man of Portuguese extraction,
+whom the captain had shipped at Australia, to take the place of his
+other third officer, lost overboard in a gale.</p>
+
+<p>Brand was an excellent sailor, but a reckless, good-for-nothing fellow
+at heart; a cruel, bloody-thirsty wretch, who had committed almost
+every crime one can imagine, except murder!</p>
+
+<p>Still it was evident the man had a conscience, as he would sometimes
+get to thinking of the evil course he had pursued, and resolve to
+reform.</p>
+
+<p>Alas! for reformation! rum was his God, and in this he would soon
+drown all his better feelings, and keep getting worse and hardened
+until he grew to be a perfect devil!</p>
+
+<p>Captain Roberts had known nothing of this when he shipped the third
+mate, who could play the hypocrite to perfection when he pleased.
+The fellow drank his rum<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> in the privacy of his own apartment, and
+took good care never to appear on deck intoxicated, for Roberts was
+a stern, resolute, temperate man, who would never have forgiven his
+second officer for being drunk on duty.</p>
+
+<p>It was now Brand's watch below. In his apartment he had heard the
+click of Mr. Manton's chest-lock; a noise which had saluted his ears,
+since leaving Australia more than once. Determined to ascertain the
+cause, he had emerged from his room in his stocking feet, and made his
+way to Manton's door as shown.</p>
+
+<p>As he watched the old man counting his money; as he saw the glitter of
+those bright pieces, his mouth fairly watered, and a fearful purpose
+began to gather strength at his heart.</p>
+
+<p>Having seen Manton return the little box to his chest, the third mate
+stole back to his berth, and lay a long time awake, endeavoring to
+plan a scheme for obtaining the money.</p>
+
+<p>"Wouldn't like to take the old gent's life," he muttered; "and
+won't&mdash;no I won't; for bad as Dick Brand is, he has never yet
+murdered."</p>
+
+<p>The more he thought, however, the less fearful became the idea of
+murder.</p>
+
+<p>The gold&mdash;the broad glittering pieces of bright gold, threw a glimmer
+over the dark suggestion creeping into and gaining force over his mind!</p>
+
+<p>Clink! clink! clink!</p>
+
+<p>He imagined he could still hear the noise of the pieces lightly
+striking against each other, as when the old man counted them!</p>
+
+<p>The sweat came out upon his brow; he felt feverish and restless to
+commence the work now, to at once possess himself by a bold stroke, of
+the treasure!</p>
+
+<p>There were no persons in the cabin but Mr. Manton, himself, and the
+steward, the captain, with the first and second officers being on
+deck, and not apt to come below until two bells&mdash;ten o'clock, which
+was yet an hour distant. The steward slept away off at the further end
+of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> the cabin, and being a sound sleeper, there was no danger of his
+waking from any noise less than that of a thunderbolt.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, however, to make sure, now rose, and going to the steward's
+door listened intently, when the heavy breathing of the man convinced
+him that his present slumber was no exception to the rule.</p>
+
+<p>In the middle of the state-room the dark schemer paused, glancing up
+at the companionway. The spray occasionally entering this in drops,
+would give him an excuse for closing the slide, so that he could hear
+if any person should attempt to enter during the performance of his
+fearful work.</p>
+
+<p>Then Brand asked himself what he should do after committing the deed.</p>
+
+<p>Investigation would follow, and there were many ways in which he might
+be discovered.</p>
+
+<p>"Curses upon it! I had not thought of that," muttered the wretch,
+fairly grinding his teeth.</p>
+
+<p>He went back to his berth, not to sleep, but to endeavor to plan a
+safer scheme!</p>
+
+<p>It seemed as if the evil one favored him!</p>
+
+<p>At six bells&mdash;two hours after ten o'clock&mdash;while the captain and first
+mate slept profoundly in their respective apartments, adjoining the
+steward's, Brand heard a noise, and cautiously peering through his
+door saw Mr. Manton, half dressed, about to go on deck, as was often
+his custom, to take a mouthful of fresh air.</p>
+
+<p>He locked his door carefully after him; then ascended the companion.</p>
+
+<p>Brand waited a few minutes, then one moment exulting, and the next
+shuddering at the thought of the deed contemplated, he cautiously made
+his way on deck.</p>
+
+<p>The rascal had carefully considered the purpose in view. He felt
+certain that no man aboard but himself, knew of the fortune carried by
+Mr. Manton in his chest. The passenger was not at all communicative,
+while the captain and his first and second officers were. Therefore,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>
+had they known of the box of money, they would have talked enough
+about it for all hands to become in a short time, posted on the
+subject.</p>
+
+<p>Brand's first step, on reaching the deck, was to ascertain the
+relative position of the officer of the watch, the passenger and the
+man at the wheel.</p>
+
+<p>The latter, located near the steerage, was looking sharply at the
+compass, as it was his duty to do, while the officer of the watch had
+gone amidships, where he stood leaning over the rail, evidently in a
+reverie. As to the passenger, he had moved far off, and was leaning
+across the bulwarks astern, the better to get the benefit of the fresh
+breeze then blowing square into his face.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, then," thought Brand, drawing from his breast pocket a small,
+sharp dirk.</p>
+
+<p>Noiselessly as a snake, he stole behind the passenger, then, starting
+up and throwing a quick glance round him to make sure that everything
+was still favorable, he drew off to stab Mr. Manton in the back.</p>
+
+<p>Chance willed that the latter should turn at this critical instant.</p>
+
+<p>Involuntarily he seized the ruffian's wrist, and being a resolute man,
+grappled him by the throat with the other hand.</p>
+
+<p>Fearful that the man would sing out, which he certainly would have
+done at once but for a cold lately contracted in the throat, Brand
+suddenly pressed this whole tremendous weight against the passenger,
+throwing him backward head over heels across the bulwarks into the sea.</p>
+
+<p>A splash&mdash;a gurgling cry&mdash;a hand thrown up above the dark water!</p>
+
+<p>Then no sound was to be heard save the ordinary noises of a vessel
+booming along with the wind and waves roaring, and yards, masts and
+timbers creaking.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a><br /><br />
+
+THE BOX.</h2>
+
+
+<p>After committing this dark deed, Brand, crouching in the shadow of the
+bulwarks, waited to make sure that the splash had not been heard by
+any other than himself.</p>
+
+<p>Assured of this in a few moments, the third officer crawled back to
+the companionway and descended as cautiously as he had come.</p>
+
+<p>Entering the state room, he made his way to Manton's door, determined
+as soon as possible, to possess himself of the treasure.</p>
+
+<p>Procuring a bunch of skeleton keys, which he always carried with him,
+he endeavored to unlock the door.</p>
+
+<p>Vain the effort; not one of the keys would answer.</p>
+
+<p>The rascal then drew forth his penknife, and with some trouble
+contrived at last to pick the lock.</p>
+
+<p>Entering and carefully shutting the door, he advanced to the chest,
+which he soon opened with the key belonging to it, found hanging up
+near the head of the berth Manton had occupied.</p>
+
+<p>He drew forth the box, his eyes snapping with greed, his fingers
+itching to handle the glittering contents. The box was heavy, being
+made of iron and rather large, measuring about a foot in breadth and
+length.</p>
+
+<p>An exultant grin crossed the man's face, giving to it an expression
+perfectly hideous, as, carefully closing the chest and locking it, he
+made his way back to his own apartment with the treasure box.</p>
+
+<p>Arrived there, he held the box up before him, and examined it on all
+sides, but could discover no way to open it.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," he muttered, "I see how it is. The box has a secret spring,
+which I must find before I can get at the treasure. A blasted fine way
+of savin' money. I'd like to feast my eyes upon them shiners again,
+but guess I'll wait until I get housed before I do so, as one never
+knows who be a-watchin' him, and my bein' discovered a-counting these
+pieces, might lead to unpleasant questioning."</p>
+
+<p>He deposited the box in his own chest, upon which he sat down, after
+locking it.</p>
+
+<p>He had obtained what he coveted, but somehow it did not bring him the
+expected satisfaction.</p>
+
+<p>The gurgling cry of Mr. Manton kept sounding in his ears with a
+pertinacity truly appalling! The weird eyes of the man, gleaming and
+rolling in his head, also haunted the fellow's mind!</p>
+
+<p>He rose, sat down again&mdash;then rose a second time, and threw himself
+upon his berth, trying to sleep.</p>
+
+<p>After awhile he fell into a feverish slumber, and dreamed he saw the
+drowned victim come up, looking white and cadaverous, with clothes and
+hair dripping, hanging suspended right over his head!</p>
+
+<p>In his terror he uttered a hoarse shriek, which not only waked him,
+but also the captain, who came rushing to his door, asking him what
+was the matter:</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing&mdash;a nightmare I s'pose!" answered Brand, with a forced laugh.</p>
+
+<p>The captain, satisfied, returned to his berth and slept again.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, however, could not sleep. He was on deck before morning, when,
+with an involuntary shudder, he glanced astern, through the flying
+rack and scud of a gale which was rising.</p>
+
+<p>Far in the distance he then beheld a bright light&mdash;a red, lurid glare,
+apparently shooting up from the sea.</p>
+
+<p>It was a volcano, which for years had not burned, but was breaking out
+afresh on one of the Esmedura Islands.</p>
+
+<p>Brand thought it was a ship on fire.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"We'd better veer round, then," remarked the officer of the watch.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, no!" Brand exclaimed, involuntarily.</p>
+
+<p>The vision of Manton's dead body, which might be discovered floating
+upon the water, rose before his mind.</p>
+
+<p>The second officer informed the captain about the light, when, using
+his night-glass, the skipper soon ascertained and explained the cause
+of the fire.</p>
+
+<p>Brand breathed a sigh of relief.</p>
+
+<p>When morning came, Manton was missed at breakfast. Having always found
+him punctual, the captain was alarmed. He went to the room and opened
+the door when no answer was returned to his summons, to find the old
+man missing.</p>
+
+<p>Search was made&mdash;of course in vain&mdash;Brand apparently the most zealous
+of all in his efforts to find the missing one.</p>
+
+<p>"He's gone, shipmates, it's my opinion, where's neither weepin' nor
+whaling," said a voice behind Brand, while he was looking in the hold.</p>
+
+<p>The third officer turned to behold Tom Turk, a queer old tar, with
+enormous head and body, and short, thick legs.</p>
+
+<p>Brand looked at him, keenly.</p>
+
+<p>"What did you say?" he inquired, sharply.</p>
+
+<p>"It's plain English, ain't it?" said Turk, rolling his quid round and
+round: "there's neither weepin nor whalin' in t'other land. The old
+man to my thinkin', was a good sort o' chap what has gone, sir, where
+p'raps neither you nor I will go, sir, seein' as we've our bad p'ints!"</p>
+
+<p>Brand eyed the speaker steadily, and was satisfied that he knew
+nothing of the dark deed committed.</p>
+
+<p>Meantime the search was continued, until it was concluded that the old
+man, whose habit of rousing up at eight was well known, had fallen
+overboard.</p>
+
+<p>Several months later the vessel arrived at New York Harbor.</p>
+
+<p>Scarcely was she anchored when a boat containing, besides<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> the rowers,
+a female and a young man, was seen pulling towards her.</p>
+
+<p>The boat was soon alongside, when the young man&mdash;a tall, fine looking
+fellow, sprang out to assist the lady at up the gangway. She was a
+beautiful girl, with brown hair flowing in curls over her shoulders, a
+white rose-tinted skin, large, intelligent blue eyes and a form full
+rounded grace.</p>
+
+<p>The moment she reached the deck, she glanced eagerly round her.</p>
+
+<p>"Where is he? Where is Mr. Manton, my father, sir?" she said,
+addressing the captain.</p>
+
+<p>The latter's countenance fell; in a few words he explained.</p>
+
+<p>It was a terrible shock to the girl. Pale as death she staggered, and
+would have fallen but for the support of her companion's arm.</p>
+
+<p>When she could stand alone, he inquired all the particulars of the
+captain, who promptly gave what information he could.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you certain he was lost?" inquired the young man; "was there no
+way in which he might have saved himself?"</p>
+
+<p>"I fear not," was the reply. "We must have been two miles from land at
+the time."</p>
+
+<p>"Papa was an excellent swimmer," faltered the young girl. "He might
+have reached the land."</p>
+
+<p>The captain, however, shook his head, saying he felt quite certain
+that his passenger was not saved.</p>
+
+<p>Further remarks were exchanged, when the captain added that the
+passenger's chest, unmolested, was in the cabin as it had been left.</p>
+
+<p>At this, Brand, who stood not far off, turned aside his head and felt
+uneasy.</p>
+
+<p>What more probable than that Manton had written to his daughter,
+telling her about the box with him. Just where he kept it, and how
+much it contained.</p>
+
+<p>If that were so, however, it was evident that at present<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> all
+considerations were drowned in the grief and excitement the girl felt
+at the sudden news of her parent's loss.</p>
+
+<p>With a mute but expressive look, she turned towards the young man,
+her companion, who at once helped her down the gangway, telling the
+captain that the chest would be sent for.</p>
+
+<p>"Good riddance!" thought Brand; "I must get away from this craft as
+soon as I can."</p>
+
+<p>Next day he applied for his discharge, which the captain granted. An
+hour later, Brand and the chest were lodged at a seaman's boarding
+house in &mdash;&mdash; street.</p>
+
+<p>Carefully locking his door and pulling down the window curtains, the
+third officer drew the iron box from the chest. After a long search
+he found the secret spring, which proved to be one of the small brass
+nails with which the box was studded.</p>
+
+<p>Trembling with greedy expectation, he pressed against it, when the lid
+flew open.</p>
+
+<p>Then a strange cry burst from his lips.</p>
+
+<p>The box was empty!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></h2>
+
+
+<p>For several moments the man continued staring at the empty box, wholly
+unable to account for the singular discovery.</p>
+
+<p>Then he sat down and ruminated. No living soul aboard the vessel had
+known of his possessing the box, therefore he was certain that the
+money could not have been extracted after he obtained it.</p>
+
+<p>The only inference was that the money was not in the box when he took
+it.</p>
+
+<p>Where then was it?</p>
+
+<p>Vainly the man puzzled his brains: he could arrive at no definite
+conclusion.</p>
+
+<p>Weeks passed.</p>
+
+<p>Manton's chest must by this time, have been received and opened by his
+daughter. Brand had seen several of the ship's officers, but it was
+evident they had not heard of Manton's daughter missing anything from
+the chest.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, therefore, breathed easy on this score, believing that, after
+all, the passenger had not written a word to his daughter about the
+box.</p>
+
+<p>Two weeks later, by recommendation of Captain Roberts, who had found
+Brand to be an excellent seaman, the latter obtained command of a ship
+called the <em>Quadrant</em>, bound to Australia and the East Indies.</p>
+
+<p>While Brand was preparing his vessel for sea, he had a visit from the
+owner.</p>
+
+<p>"Captain," said the latter, "you will cruise awhile off the islands,
+in the neighborhood of Australia, and visit some of them before going
+into Sydney."</p>
+
+<p>"What for?" inquired Brand.</p>
+
+<p>The order had really been an unpleasant one to him, as if brought
+afresh to his imagination, the drowned body<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> of his victim, Mr.
+Manton, floating about on the water.</p>
+
+<p>"Because," answered the owner, "the daughter of that passenger aboard
+the <em>Maxwell</em>, Mr. Manton, cannot be persuaded that her father was
+really lost. She is anxious to investigate the matter; to search all
+the islands she can, especially that one upon which was seen the
+volcano!"</p>
+
+<p>Objections rose to Brand's white lips; but he dared not give them
+utterance, fearful of exciting suspicion.</p>
+
+<p>"The lady," continued the owner, "will be accompanied by a young
+man&mdash;her affianced, who has been in the United States navy, and
+is a good sailor, from whom, in case of emergency, you may derive
+assistance. He is one of my clerks; a worthy young man, whom I hope
+you will treat with all due courtesy."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, sir," answered Brand, who could be pleasant enough when he
+chose.</p>
+
+<p>Next day he went about shipping his crew, among whom was old Tom Turk.</p>
+
+<p>Brand admired the latter's skill in seamanship, and this was his only
+reason for taking him, as in every other respect he disliked him.</p>
+
+<p>The vessel ready a fortnight later, got under weigh, and was soon
+plunging her bows into the dark waters of the Atlantic.</p>
+
+<p>On the quarter deck, by the side of Mary Manton, stood Harry
+Granville, her lover, endeavoring to cheer her spirits, which had
+drooped ever since the fearful news of her father's disappearance from
+the <em>Maxwell</em>.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, superintending the work aboard the vessel, watched the lovers
+askance. The presence of the daughter of the very man he had pushed
+overboard, made him feel uneasy.</p>
+
+<p>Every time he encountered the great, earnest blue eyes, it seemed to
+him as if they could see, away down into his soul, the dark secret he
+intended to carry with him to his grave!</p>
+
+<p>Favored by fair winds the vessel, in a few months arrived in the
+latitude where the tragedy had taken place.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Here is where the passenger fell overboard!" said Brand, addressing
+Harry Grenville, one evening, just after sundown.</p>
+
+<p>The young man went into the cabin, whence he soon reappeared with
+Mary, whose eyes were suffused with tears, while she gazed earnestly
+upon the water, as if there hoping to see the form of her parent
+reappear.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, walking his quarter-deck, kept his eyes steadily averted from
+her face.</p>
+
+<p>Gradually darkness stole round the vessel, when, far ahead, a bright,
+lurid light broke upon the vision of Mary Manton.</p>
+
+<p>"What is that?" she inquired of her lover.</p>
+
+<p>He informed her that it was a volcano.</p>
+
+<p>"Then that is the volcanic island where we are to search," said Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," answered Harry, "but you must not hope to discover anything.
+From this point no man could hardly hope to swim to that island."</p>
+
+<p>Mary sighed heavily.</p>
+
+<p>At the same moment, she noticed that her lover's head was inclined
+sideways.</p>
+
+<p>She was then sensible of a distant humming, roaring noise, growing
+louder and louder!</p>
+
+<p>"It is the volcano, is it not?" she inquired.</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered Harry, "it is a storm coming up."</p>
+
+<p>He sprang to the companion and glanced at the barometer, which,
+however, for some reason, had fallen but little.</p>
+
+<p>"The instrument must be out of repair," said Harry.</p>
+
+<p>Then he stepped to the captain's side, and questioned him when he was
+informed that the barometer was injured.</p>
+
+<p>"I need no such toy," continued Brand, "to tell me when a storm is
+a-comin' up! I've heard the wind pipe too often for that."</p>
+
+<p>"We are going to have a hard blow, pretty soon," said Harry&mdash;"don't
+you hear?"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"That's the volcano, youngster!" answered Brand gruffly.</p>
+
+<p>"You are mistaken."</p>
+
+<p>"Peers I know my business!"</p>
+
+<p>"I am sure it is the gale we hear. You would do well to take in sail."</p>
+
+<p>"I hope I'm master abroad my own craft," said Brand, sneering.</p>
+
+<p>"We will leave it to some of your oldest seaman," said Glenville,
+wishing to avoid a quarrel, if possible.</p>
+
+<p>Several of the old tars, among them Turk, were called up. They agreed
+with Glenville.</p>
+
+<p>"I've heerd the roarin' of a volcanic, before now," said Turk, "which,
+beggin' pardon, sir, is no more like a gale a-comin' up than this is
+like the thump of a handspike," taking out his quid and throwing it
+violently to the deck.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, however, skillful seaman though he was, refused to be
+convinced, until suddenly he beheld driving down upon him from
+windward, a long line of white water, showing like a wall through the
+gloom.</p>
+
+<p>Then the unmistakable notes of the tempest were heard by all aboard.</p>
+
+<p>"Go below," said Harry to his fair companion.</p>
+
+<p>She obeyed trembling; at the same moment, with a whis and a rush, the
+storm was heard sweeping along towards the vessel.</p>
+
+<p>"Hands! by halliards! clew up everything lively there! Mind tacks and
+sheets," screamed Brand, in a voice like the scream of a wild beast.</p>
+
+<p>Top-gallant sails, topsail, foresail and mainsail were soon clewed up,
+and the seamen's forms were distinctly seen running up through the
+gloom.</p>
+
+<p>Too late! While the poor fellows were yet upon the yards, the storm,
+with the din of a thousand furies, struck the devoted ship.</p>
+
+<p>At first nothing could be seen or heard, save the rush and the roar of
+the tempest.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The spray shrouded the ship as in a white cloud, flying all round
+her, blinding and bewildering the men, while the roar of the sea, the
+creaking, snapping and straining of yards and masts, the creaking
+of the timbers, the cannon-like report of the sails, slatting all
+over the vessel, with the whipping about of ropes, tacks and sheets,
+created a din such as only the sailor, caught unawares in a storm, can
+realize.</p>
+
+<p>Vainly Brand, claining to a rope near the mizzenmast, endeavored to
+make himself heard; his voice was as a mere whisper in contrast with
+the shrieking and howling of the storm.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile far down, with her rail buried, the ship tore away through
+the mad waters, swift as a thunderbolt, pitching meanwhile with a
+violence which threw several men off the yard into the white and black
+mist of spray and storm, bubbling, boiling and rolling beneath.</p>
+
+<p>Harry Glenville had sprung aloft to cheer and encourage the men.</p>
+
+<p>Vainly endeavoring to make himself heard, he was suddenly thrown from
+his position, and must have gone overboard but for his catching the
+backstay and by this reaching the deck.</p>
+
+<p>No need now of men to pull the sails. With a sharp tearing sound,
+like the blasts from a thousand bass trumpets, every strip of canvass
+aboard the vessel was torn to shreds and carried far off into the rack
+and scud.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after there was a crash, when down came the fore and main
+topmasts, falling over the side, and dragging the ship down, so that
+half of her decks were buried, while the seas continually broke over
+the other part.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes Brand, with the help of his speaking trumpet, was
+enabled to make himself heard by shrieking into the very ears of the
+men.</p>
+
+<p>"Clear the wreck!" was his first order, which Tom Turk at once sprang
+to obey, axe in hand.</p>
+
+<p>Harry Glenville, similarly provided, was at the side of the old tar,
+to whom he had taken quite a fancy, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> who he had reason to believe,
+appreciated and was glad of his notice.</p>
+
+<p>The two soon gaining the wreck, went to work, having previously
+fastened ropes round their middles to prevent themselves from being
+washed overboard.</p>
+
+<p>With a few blows they renewed the encumbrances, when the vessel
+partially righted.</p>
+
+<p>The wind was now blowing a perfect tornado, keeping the spray down
+almost upon the surface of the sea, which was nearly as flat as a
+floor.</p>
+
+<p>The ship also feeling this pressure, instead of now rolling and
+plunging, was forced down into the stormy sea almost to the middle of
+her bulwarks, while her bows were completely buried.</p>
+
+<p>Harry had taken off the rope, and was about returning aft, when the
+water forward swept by an erratic movement of the ship, caught him and
+carried him from his feet!</p>
+
+<p>Like a shot he was whirled over the bulwarks, when he caught a small,
+rotten piece of rope hanging from the shrouds.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, who was not far off, might easily have saved him by springing
+and grasping his hand.</p>
+
+<p>For reasons which may be imagined, he resolved to leave the man to his
+fate!</p>
+
+<p>The rope being, as stated, a rotten one, broke!</p>
+
+<p>"My God! he is gone!" shrieked the hypocritical captain.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a><br /><br />
+
+LASHED AND ADRIFT.</h2>
+
+
+<p>"Guess not!" answered the voice of old Tom Turk, "he's as safe as a
+marlinespike in a rack!"</p>
+
+<p>So saying, the old fellow by a dextrious movement, threw a bowline
+hitch he had quickly formed at the end of a rope, over the young man's
+head, and drew him safely aboard.</p>
+
+<p>Mary, who, hearing of her lover's peril, had ventured on deck in spite
+of the storm, sprang towards him.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, now, lass!" exclaimed Turk, "mustn't be in too much of a
+hurry to go, as there's a mighty danger of our all goin' before long.
+Bless your pretty eyes! that's what I call a collapse!" as Mary
+impulsively threw her arms around her lover's neck, in her joy at his
+safety.</p>
+
+<p>On went the vessel, booming, crashing, thundering on her course, with
+all her timbers quivering, as if about to fly apart.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Harry!" exclaimed Mary, "will this storm ever be over!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes! be not afraid!" he answered, as he helped her into the cabin.</p>
+
+<p>There he beheld a sight which was truly appalling. The water was
+washing and swashing about the cabin floor up to his very knees, while
+articles of furniture were floating about like so many chips!</p>
+
+<p>The young man conducted the girl back again, and having safely secured
+her to the mizzenmast, by means of a rope, he went over to the captain.</p>
+
+<p>"Your ship has sprung a leak!"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"What?" exclaimed Brand, almost bounding off his feet.</p>
+
+<p>Harry repeated the information, when Brand, peering into the cabin,
+discovered that he had spoken correctly.</p>
+
+<p>The vessel, it was evident, had sprung a leak somewhere beneath the
+counter.</p>
+
+<p>Pumps were immediately rigged, and their dismal clanging was ere long
+heard like a knell through the storm.</p>
+
+<p>The carpenter being sent below, half an hour later, reported the water
+gaining.</p>
+
+<p>Brand stared at him half stupefied.</p>
+
+<p>Then, with eyes rolling wildly in his head, he shrieked out:</p>
+
+<p>"I might have known I'd have no luck in these accursed waters!"</p>
+
+<p>He drew back, shuddering from head to foot. The blue eyes of Mary
+Manton were turned full upon his dark, distorted face!</p>
+
+<p>"Why?" inquired a voice at his elbow, when, turning he beheld Harry
+Glenville.</p>
+
+<p>He gave the young man a black look! then uttered a horrible oath!</p>
+
+<p>"Blast you, young eavesdropper, are you a-goin' to follow me about
+like a spy?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't understand! You talk foolishly!" said Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"Do I?" inquired Brand, with a sneer, apparently recovering his
+calmness all of a sudden. "Well, I'll tell you what I meant. I meant
+on account of the infernal storms one often meets with in these
+latitudes. It matters little, however, we are all doomed to Davy Jones
+now, unless we can get off in the boats!"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, the boats are probably our only recourse!" answered Harry,
+with great coolness.</p>
+
+<p>Brand admired him in spite of himself.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, now, blast it! it seems to me you take matters easy, youngster!"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"This is not the first storm I've seen!" answered Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"No! but when you know that it's p'raps to be your last, one would
+think you'd feel uneasy, to say the least."</p>
+
+<p>"A difference in temperaments," answered the other; "but come! don't
+you think we'd better be getting the boats ready? The lashings are
+loose and they'll soon be adrift, if we don't hurry."</p>
+
+<p>"Ho, ho! so you're getting anxious, after all, my young shaver!"</p>
+
+<p>"Not in the least for myself," answered Harry contemptuously, "but
+there is another in my charge."</p>
+
+<p>As the young man spoke, the ship suddenly fell off, when, with a crash
+and a roar like a thunderbolt, a huge cataract of water was borne
+directly across the vessel, carrying away the wheelhouse with the man
+at the helm, the caboose, a part of the forecastle, and last, but by
+far not least, all the boats, which, as Harry had stated, were become
+loosened in their lashings.</p>
+
+<p>This catastrophe held every man mute after he had saved himself from
+going overboard.</p>
+
+<p>White and dumb the sailors saw the last means of their leaving the
+doomed ship borne away from them.</p>
+
+<p>"It's all up with us!" screamed Brand&mdash;the first to break the silence.</p>
+
+<p>"We are lost! we cannot be saved! Is it not so?" cried Mary, clinging
+to the arm of her lover.</p>
+
+<p>"There is no telling!" he answered; "but hope for the best."</p>
+
+<p>Just then the ship falling off yet further, headed directly for that
+great mass of red lurid light, gleaming like a bonfire of demons
+through the bleak darkness of the night and the storm.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, there's the volcano," cried Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, how like a beacon of hope it seems!" exclaimed Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, a hell-beacon!" growled the captain, as he passed into the cabin.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>What business had he in the cabin at such a moment, when his ship was
+going down into the dark waters!</p>
+
+<p>Rum!</p>
+
+<p>He would drink, drink, drink, drowning the dragon of conscience which,
+in this dread moment, seemed gnawing at his very vitals.</p>
+
+<p>Up to his waist in water, he found the swimming chests containing his
+grog, and breaking it open, poured the fiery contents of one of the
+bottles down his throat.</p>
+
+<p>The next moment he felt a rope drawing tightly round his breast
+beneath the armpits, became aware then of being hauled up through the
+companionway, while the voice of old Tom Turk rang in his ears:</p>
+
+<p>"Hold there, Cap! Blast me, sir, but this ain't a square above-board
+bizness, do you see&mdash;a drinkin' of grog when there's peril! How do
+you know, but some of t'others aboard would like a few tauts, when
+opportunity drifts to em."</p>
+
+<p>The captain would have responded the minute he was hauled up, with a
+blow of the fist, or at least an oath but for the terrible catastrophe
+which now seemed impending.</p>
+
+<p>Humming, gurgling and roaring, a strange noise, growing louder every
+moment, was heard in the hold.</p>
+
+<p>"God help us all!" screamed the carpenter; "no more use at them pumps.
+What you hear is the water surgin' into the hold."</p>
+
+<p>Mary clung closely to her lover, while the men with axes at once went
+to work, chopping down pieces of timber for the purpose of forming a
+raft.</p>
+
+<p>"How far should you judge we are from yonder island!" said Harry, now
+pointing to the red gleam which seemed to send a track of lurid fire
+shooting through the darkness.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," answered Tom Turk, "it's hard tellin' at night though I'm
+shouldn't say we're more than a league from it. It's symbological,"
+continued Turk, gloomily crossing his arms over his breast, "to many
+of us as shall go below instead of aloft."</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I dare say you have sinned as well as others, you old rascal!" cried
+Brand, fiercely addressing the speaker.</p>
+
+<p>"There's no denying that," answered Tom; "I have sinned when I was
+a little chip, but not since the days o' my apple steelin', from
+orchards and such like. Ever since, I have behaved myself like a
+martyr, confinin' myself to but eights tauts of grog at a time&mdash;when I
+could get it, that is; which ain't under present state of affairs."</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the men hurried to construct the raft, which was at last
+completed in a clumsy manner, owing to the hurried nature of the work.</p>
+
+<p>It was high time it was finished, for every part of the craft except a
+dry spot on the quarterdeck, was now buried, the water reaching half
+way up the stumps of the shattered masts.</p>
+
+<p>The raft was secured alongside, after which Harry helped Mary to the
+floating platform, taking care to lash her securely to the timbers.</p>
+
+<p>In a minute all hands were upon the raft, and Brand was about severing
+the rope with his knife, when, with a sudden lurch, down went the ship
+dragging the floating platform with it.</p>
+
+<p>The men drifted off into sea! but Mary being lashed to the raft went
+down with it!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a><br /><br />
+
+THE ISLAND.</h2>
+
+
+<p>As the young girl disappeared beneath the dark waters, two persons
+dove after her, determined to accomplish her rescue or perish in the
+attempt.</p>
+
+<p>Those two were Harry Glenville and old Tom Turk.</p>
+
+<p>Could they reach the girl and bring her to the surface, they might
+easily manage to lash her to some one of the many planks and spars
+floating around them, and faintly revealed in the lurid gleam
+streaming along the waters from the volcano, now less than two miles
+distant.</p>
+
+<p>Down under the sea, Turk and his friend finally came upon the girl,
+when, with one blow of his knife, hold ready in his right hand, Harry
+severed the rope holding Mary to the raft.</p>
+
+<p>Now, however, he felt the force of the downward suction of the doomed
+ship, and was unable to ascend with his burden to the surface of the
+sea.</p>
+
+<p>In this situation the young man preserved his presence of mind,
+holding to Mary with a firm grasp, his right arm round her waist,
+while with the other he paddled under water, hoping soon to get out of
+range of the suction force dragging him down.</p>
+
+<p>In about a minute, he became aware that he was ascending with great
+rapidity, and then comprehended that the whirlpool formed by the
+sinking craft had subsided, shooting him and his precious charge
+upward with the bubble caused by the collapsing of the waters.</p>
+
+<p>He was soon at the surface of the sea, to behold his shipmates all
+around him clinging to spars and fragments.</p>
+
+<p>He swam to a spar near him, and, with the ropes dangling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> therefrom,
+lashed the girl to it; then looked down upon her white, upturned face,
+closed eyes and drooping hair, almost fearing that she was dead!</p>
+
+<p>Far along the waters the light of the volcano, streaming luridly,
+illumined that pale face and shining hair with unearthly radiance.</p>
+
+<p>"Mary, speak to me!" exclaimed the young man. "Tell me that you are
+alive&mdash;that you hear me calling you!"</p>
+
+<p>Vain the supplication. Her closed lips remained mute, the eyes were
+not opened, the sad pallor of the face remained unchanged.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly he became aware of a noise like a porpoise blowing, and
+turning, beheld Tom Turk, who had just risen alongside of him,
+clinging to the same spar to which he hung.</p>
+
+<p>"Phew, bless my eyes!" ejaculated the old sailor, "this is sartinly
+a most uncomfortable siterwation for them as has always sarved their
+captins faithful."</p>
+
+<p>Then he looked closely at the young girl.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't be afraid," he exclaimed, "the gal is all right. That waxy
+look, I'm sartin, ain't from death. She'll git over it! I never saw
+one of the female sect in this siterwation afore, except once off the
+Cape of Good Hope where I was wrecked in the bark <em>Tempest</em>. The poor
+creatur' was in the water tied to the bottom of a boat a whole day,
+but the water bein' warm, as it is here, she got over her hardship,
+and I believe is now livin' parfectly healthy with a famerly of small
+children."</p>
+
+<p>"It seems to me, Turk," said Harry, suddenly, "that we are receding
+from the volcanic inland; instead of approaching it."</p>
+
+<p>"I was a-thinkin' of that same," answered Turk; "in fact the wind has
+hauled round a little, and is now a-blowin' from the island, instead
+of towards it."</p>
+
+<p>This troubled the young man much. He now had little hope, in fact, of
+Mary's being saved.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, through the din of the storm, the voices of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> Turk's
+shipmates were now and then heard, as they drifted along, attached to
+their respective spars.</p>
+
+<p>With the strange coolness of seamen in the most perilous situations,
+many of these men even ventured so far as to laugh and crack jokes as
+they were tossed about on that stormy ocean; so true it is that "Jack
+never despairs while there is a plank under him."</p>
+
+<p>Gradually the voices became more detached as the poor fellows were
+separated further and further from each other by the intervening seas,
+perhaps never again to meet on earth!</p>
+
+<p>Mary Manton now opened her eyes. The plank to which she was attached
+had by this time drifted out of range of the stream of light, but
+Harry and Turk could see the gleam of those bright orbs through the
+darkness.</p>
+
+<p>"Why! where am I? Harry! Harry! where are you?" exclaimed the poor
+girl, while shudder after shudder convulsed her frame.</p>
+
+<p>"I am here, Mary!" he answered. "Cheer up! You are with friends. We
+may, in time, succeed in reaching land."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I am so glad you are safe!" she exclaimed, impulsively, resting
+her bright head on his shoulder. "Do you think we are far from land?"</p>
+
+<p>"I hope not," he answered. Then, raising himself halfway out of water,
+and glancing far ahead through the gloom. "God be praised! I think I
+see land, now! at all events there are breakers."</p>
+
+<p>Turk looked in the indicated direction, to behold a long line of white
+water gleaming through the darkness.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay! ay!" he shouted, in a ringing voice, "there is land, sure enough.
+Cheer up, lass, we are near land after all."</p>
+
+<p>"I am afraid our shipmates will not succeed in reaching it," said
+Harry, "as they must be far to leeward of us by this time."</p>
+
+<p>"There's no tellin'," answered Turk; "but I'm afraid not. I hope,
+hows'ever, the poor lads will be picked up,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> between this and
+to-morrow night, by some passing craft."</p>
+
+<p>All night long the three were borne on, at the mercy of winds and
+waves, nearer and nearer towards the line of white water.</p>
+
+<p>The sufferings of poor Mary were meanwhile intense, and were fully
+appreciated by the two men, notwithstanding the girl's efforts to hide
+her pain and seem cheerful.</p>
+
+<p>Poor child! drenched through and through, cold and feverish by turns,
+with a terrible pain in her head, and half smothered by the seas
+continually breaking over her, no wonder that she suffered!</p>
+
+<p>Almost unconscious when the gray dawn stole upon the waters, she heard
+the ringing tones of Harry Glenville, breaking like music upon her
+half-bewildered senses.</p>
+
+<p>"Land O! right ahead!"</p>
+
+<p>Then Harry, loosening her lashings so that she could turn her head,
+pointed out to her a lofty cape, covered with shrubbery, beneath which
+was a beach covered with beautiful cocoanut trees, now waving wildly
+in the gale!</p>
+
+<p>"Thank God!" she murmured, and endeavored to smile.</p>
+
+<p>The effort, however, was too much. With a faint but glad cry, she fell
+back, half fainting, upon her lover's shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>The drifting spar was now close upon the reef, scarcely five fathoms
+ahead.</p>
+
+<p>In less than half an hour it struck against one of the rocks, when
+Harry and Turk, loosening their fair charge from the spar, surveyed
+the water between the reef and the island.</p>
+
+<p>Concluding that it was shallow enough to enable them to wade, they
+made their way toward the beach, carrying the girl between them.</p>
+
+<p>Soon landing, they found a clear stream, in the heart of a breadfruit
+thicket, with a bank of soft turf upon which they laid the young girl.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Then Turk, with a knowing wink, drew from his pocket a small flask,
+containing a red liquid.</p>
+
+<p>"Though temperance!" said he, "although I ain't never signed no
+pledge, still I will indulge in a draught of this, by way of
+celebratin' our wonderful preservation!"</p>
+
+<p>Before drinking, the old tar put the neck of the bottle between the
+lips of the young girl, pouring some of the brandy down her throat.</p>
+
+<p>The effect was instantaneous; color came to her cheeks, and she opened
+her beautiful blue eyes, which were turned upon her lover before she
+spoke.</p>
+
+<p>"Harry! Where are we now? Are you perfectly safe&mdash;uninjured&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," interrupted Turk; "that's the way with her sect, always
+a-thinkin' of t'others before themselves."</p>
+
+<p>"I am perfectly well, and uninjured," answered Harry, as he helped
+Mary to her feet. "Come, Turk," he added, to the old sailor, "let us
+get some kind of a shelter up for this poor child!"</p>
+
+<p>A fire was first kindled, dry wood having been found in a hollow
+behind some stones. Then Harry procured a log and made a good seat for
+the girl before the fire, that she might dry her saturated garments.</p>
+
+<p>"This is comfortable," said Turk, as he again raised his flask to his
+lips; "here we are all out of them perils which&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Harry quietly seized his arm.</p>
+
+<p>"Turk," said he, "we may need that brandy. I will buy it of you."</p>
+
+<p>At this the movements of the old tar were peculiar.</p>
+
+<p>He put the flask down on a flat rock; then he spread his legs apart
+like a pair of compasses, and thrust both hands in his pockets,
+looking at his friend with eyebrows elevated almost to the top of his
+forehead.</p>
+
+<p>"This," said he, slowly, "is an insultin' proposition. Avast! avast!
+about buyin' my grog! D'ye think I would sell it, if it'll be of any
+use to the gal? No; she is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> perfectly welcome to that and to a gallon,
+had I as much in my possession."</p>
+
+<p>"Nay, Harry," said Mary sweetly, noticing the wistful glances the old
+tar cast at the bottle, even while delivering his magnanimous speech.</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Turk shall keep his liquor. I will not need it! See, I am quite
+strong!" and she rose briskly to her feet.</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Turk," muttered the old sailor, "that Mr. which I ain't heard for
+many a year, sounds mighty queer. It's too respectful to sich an old
+hulk as me, Miss. Please drop it and call me plain Tom Turk."</p>
+
+<p>"Tom Turk it shall be, then," answered the young girl.</p>
+
+<p>As she spoke, there was a rustling in the shrubbery near the fire.</p>
+
+<p>"Savages!" gasped Mary; "let us fly."</p>
+
+<p>She shrank back, when parting the bushes a familiar form emerged to
+view.</p>
+
+<p>It was Captain Brand.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a><br /><br />
+
+THE VISION.</h2>
+
+
+<p>"You here!" exclaimed Harry, starting back.</p>
+
+<p>"And why not?" inquired Brand, with a sinister smile, "haven't I as
+good a right to be saved as yourself?"</p>
+
+<p>"Certainly, and I am glad you have saved yourself. Still your
+appearance surprised me a little, as I had thought that no persons
+except ourselves, had succeeded in reaching this island from the
+wreck."</p>
+
+<p>"It was a narrow escape for me," answered Brand; "the current which
+runs round the extremity of this island, caught me, and I would have
+been whirled past the land, do you see, but for my catching the spur
+of a rock by which I just succeeded in drawing myself ashore."</p>
+
+<p>"Bad eggs always float," said Turk, making a grimace.</p>
+
+<p>"What mean you, you rascal?" cried Brand; "are you regrettin' my
+escape?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not exactly, still I'll own I'd rather some of t'others had been
+saved and you have gone instead."</p>
+
+<p>"Blast you for an unmannerly old dog," shouted Brand; "I've half a
+mind to give you a taste of a rope's end. Just remember you are under
+my orders, now, as you were aboard ship."</p>
+
+<p>"I differ with ye there," answered outspoken Turk; "so much in fact,
+that if you should try to rope's end me, I should have to keel haul
+you."</p>
+
+<p>And Turk, as he spoke, showed a formidable looking fist, hairy and
+covered with protuberances like those one see on the knots of an oak.</p>
+
+<p>Brand's eye flashed fire, and he made a step forward.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Then he controlled himself, muttering something in an inaudible voice.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, the eyes of Mary were turned upon the intruder with a
+mingled expression of fear and dislike.</p>
+
+<p>There was evidently in those eyes some startling resemblance which
+made the captain feel very uneasy, for he half turned his head, while
+a ghastly hue overspread his face.</p>
+
+<p>"So," said Harry, breaking the awkward silence, "we did not reach our
+destination, the volcanic isle, after all."</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered Brand, gloomily.</p>
+
+<p>"Can we not get to it from here?" inquired Mary, eagerly; "I know not
+why, but I feel as if we should there find my poor, lost papa!"</p>
+
+<p>"Never," thought Brand; "your papa has been food for fishes long
+before now."</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes they were at work erecting bowers.</p>
+
+<p>Turk was moving away, with Brand about to follow him, when, turning
+and catching a sudden glance at the captain, he snatched up his bottle
+and pocketed it.</p>
+
+<p>"You need not be afraid," said the skipper, with a sneer; "I have
+a supply of gin of my own," showing a big black bottle, partially
+protruding from the inside pocket of his jacket.</p>
+
+<p>Turk pulled Harry's sleeve.</p>
+
+<p>"The captain's gin," he whispered, "better than this ere brandy of
+mine, would make an excellent cosmopolite for the gal in case of
+sickness."</p>
+
+<p>"You may keep your brandy if you wish," answered Harry, sternly.</p>
+
+<p>At this reproof, old Turk colored and scratched his head like a
+schoolboy detected in some grave offence.</p>
+
+<p>Then he ran forward, and grasped the young man's hand.</p>
+
+<p>"I wouldn't taste a drop of my grog for the world, since the gal may
+want it. Still do ye see, human natur' is human natur', and I'm bound
+to say that I have been selfish in this matter, to the great sorrer of
+Tom Turk."</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Two bowers were soon erected of twigs and leaves; one for the
+accommodation of the men, the other for Mary.</p>
+
+<p>With their jackets and a multitude of dried leaves, the men formed a
+pleasant little retreat for the young girl, who thanked them for their
+pains.</p>
+
+<p>Towards sundown the gale abated. The men took advantage of this to
+construct, with some fragments of the wreck drifted ashore, a raft,
+upon which they paddled out to the reef, where several barrels and
+boxes from the wrecked vessel had drifted. These were found to contain
+hard bread and salt beef, enough to last them for several weeks.</p>
+
+<p>With some difficulty they got the valuable articles over the reef,
+and they were paddling them to land, when they saw Mary, whom they
+had left upon the beach, beckoning to them with an air of fear and
+excitement.</p>
+
+<p>"We had better let the provision go," said Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"No!" exclaimed Brand, "I am captain here. The gal has probably got
+scared at nothing."</p>
+
+<p>"Come, Turk!" said Harry, "if this fellow don't choose to follow us,
+we will leave him."</p>
+
+<p>So saying, the young man plunged into the water, closely followed by
+the old tar, greatly to the indignation of Brand, who, clenching his
+fists, muttered to himself:</p>
+
+<p>"I will be even with them, yet."</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the beach now being but twenty yards distant from the raft,
+Harry and his friend were soon ashore.</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps I was mistaken," said Mary, as she fled to her lover's side,
+"but I feel quite certain I saw the head of a savage, protruding over
+the shrubbery near my bower," pointing as she spoke, towards a clump
+of bushes about forty yards from the sylvan shelter.</p>
+
+<p>Instantly Harry bounded toward the spot, armed with a stout club
+picked up from the ground.</p>
+
+<p>Turk was about following, when a thought seemed to strike him. He
+retraced his step, and, taking from his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> pocket his bottle of grog,
+rolled it up in a green breadfruit leaf, and presented it to Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"Here, lass!" said he, "please take charge of this and&mdash;" here a
+suppressed sob escaped the old fellow, "if I never return to claim it,
+keep it as a testamentary of affection from Tom Turk."</p>
+
+<p>Before the girl could reply, he was off after Harry, who, by this
+time, was close upon the clump of shrubbery.</p>
+
+<p>The young man looked all around him, but could see neither sign nor
+trace of a savage.</p>
+
+<p>Concluding the girl's fancy had deceived her, both men returned to
+assure her that such was the case. Mary, however, looked doubtful.</p>
+
+<p>"It may have been fancy," she said, "but somehow I hardly think it
+was."</p>
+
+<p>Harry endeavoured to quiet her fears, and was finally successful.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile Turk was noticed to behave in a singular manner. He
+would walk all round the girl, looking at her, now and then, in a
+significant manner winking first with one eye and then the other.</p>
+
+<p>Annoyed, Harry at length asked him what he wanted.</p>
+
+<p>"Beg pardon, Miss," he stammered "but if you please, that bottle of
+grog!"</p>
+
+<p>Mary blushed, and thrusting her hand in the pocket of her dress,
+pulled forth the flask, which she at once presented to the old sailor.</p>
+
+<p>"Thank ye, Miss," said he, "it shall be preserved for your benefit."</p>
+
+<p>So saying he pocketed the flask, and waded off to the raft to help get
+the box and barrel ashore.</p>
+
+<p>This was soon done.</p>
+
+<p>"We had better stand watch, to-night," said Harry, when the articles
+were brought to the shelter.</p>
+
+<p>"Wherefore?" queried Brand.</p>
+
+<p>"Because Miss Manton will feel much easier, if we do."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! very well, you can stand watch if you like, but I don't care to
+lose my sleep for nothing."</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Night soon closed round the party.</p>
+
+<p>Harry took the first watch, while Turk rolled up like a ball, lay
+cuddled in a corner of the hut.</p>
+
+<p>The storm having now subsided, the sea was almost calm. There was a
+full moon, but the clouds passing along over the sky, in detached
+masses, frequently veiled it.</p>
+
+<p>Harry was pacing his beat, not far from the shrubbery in which Mary
+had fancied she saw the savage, when he suddenly paused, with his ear
+inclined to one side.</p>
+
+<p>Steps, mingled with the murmur of voices, were audible, apparently
+approaching the hut!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a><br /><br />
+
+THE ATTACK.</h2>
+
+
+<p>To waken Turk and Brand was the work of a moment. Both sprang up to
+hear Harry's explanation.</p>
+
+<p>"We have no arms!" said Brand, "and so we had better be scuddin' off
+as soon as possible!"</p>
+
+<p>Turk thrust his hand in his pocket, and pulling forth his flask of
+grog, eyed it wistfully and anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>"Sooner than this should fall in the hands of them savages," he
+exclaimed, "I had better put it, do you see where by rights it
+belongs, meanin' the stomach of Tom Turk!"</p>
+
+<p>Up went the bottle, and the old tar seemed about drinking, when it
+struck him that the liquor might, after all,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> come in use for Mary, in
+case they should contrive to make their escape. With a heavy sigh he
+thrust the bottle back into his pocket.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the steps drew nearer.</p>
+
+<p>Harry waked Mary, and at once escorted her to the raft. Not a moment
+too soon, for, with a sudden yell, a large party of fierce-looking
+islanders, tattooed from head to foot, and looming up like demons in
+the faint radiance of the moon, burst forth from a clump of shrubbery,
+about fifty yards distant.</p>
+
+<p>Waving war clubs and spears, while their long hair streamed in
+red, fiery clouds down their backs and shoulders, the wild fellows
+certainly formed a hideous spectacle!</p>
+
+<p>Before the raft could be unfastened, a shower of spears came whizzing
+round the heads of the little party.</p>
+
+<p>"Shove off! shove off!" screamed Brand, as he seized the raft-pole to
+push the floating platform away from the beach.</p>
+
+<p>"Not yet!" cried Mary, noticing that her lover, who had paused to
+collect the jackets left in the huts, and also a few of the biscuits,
+was not upon the raft.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment the young man came panting to the beach.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, however, not heeding the girl's exclamation was about shoving
+off, when Turk caught his arm.</p>
+
+<p>"Avast there, captain! Don't be in too much of a hurry!"</p>
+
+<p>Enraged, the latter glared upon the speaker, but this was no time for
+quarreling.</p>
+
+<p>Harry now sprang from the raft. At the same moment two of the savages,
+ahead of their companions, arriving, seized the rope attached to the
+floating platform, which they endeavored to pull ashore.</p>
+
+<p>To prevent their doing so, Harry stepped to the edge of the raft, and
+with the pole endeavored to strike them on the head.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>One of them seizing the pole, gave it a sudden jerk, thus pulling the
+young man off into the water!</p>
+
+<p>With a fierce yell, they then pounced upon him, dragging him to the
+beach!</p>
+
+<p>Feeling that there was not a moment to lose, the young man, by a
+sudden movement, disengaged himself from their clutches; then, picking
+up a spear, drove it through the body of one who had lifted his
+war-club to beat out the sailor's brains!</p>
+
+<p>The other now aimed at Harry's head a furious blow, which must have
+killed him, had it taken effect.</p>
+
+<p>Not so, however, for old Tom Turk, seeing his friend's peril, had
+sprang ashore, and picked up another spear, which he thrust through
+the back of the native!</p>
+
+<p>The scream of the dark-skinned fellow, as, throwing up his arms, he
+fell backward, rang down the sky with startling distinctness, while
+his friends, hearing that scream, and eager for vengeance, came
+dashing on, yelling like a pack of wild hyenas!</p>
+
+<p>With a single bound through the water, Turk and Harry now gained the
+raft, and were soon helping Brand, who had not even left his place,
+push the floating platform out to sea.</p>
+
+<p>Luckily there was an outer current tending towards the reef, and which
+drew the raft rapidly along towards the rocks. This soon was reached,
+while the baffled yells of the savages continued pealing along the
+waters.</p>
+
+<p>As the raft was drawn through an opening in the reef, and the party
+put out to sea, Turk again drew forth his beloved grog, and eyed it
+wistfully.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, bless your eyes!" said he, "you are too good to grease the
+gullets of them blueskins."</p>
+
+<p>"Put up your grog, Turk," said Harry, "we have more important matters
+to think of."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," said Brand, gruffly, "we've to think that we may be food for
+fishes!"</p>
+
+<p>"Do you not believe we can reach the volcanic island, now?" inquired
+Mary, as she glanced towards the red light, gleaming, far away, along
+the waters.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"It's hard tellin'," answered Brand. "If there's no heavy sea and we
+can make head against the southern tendency of the current, we may
+contrive to reach the island."</p>
+
+<p>With their poles which were not flat enough for paddles, the party
+made slow progress.</p>
+
+<p>An hour had passed, when, suddenly, Mary pointed far astern towards a
+long, dark object, apparently shooting out from the shore.</p>
+
+<p>"What is that?"</p>
+
+<p>"A canoe, by &mdash;&mdash;!" ejaculated Brand. "We may as well give up, now!"</p>
+
+<p>"No!" exclaimed Harry, resolutely. "We will not give up! If I mistake
+not," he added, pointing towards a dark mass, floating through the air
+to windward of them, "there is a fog coming up! This will screen us
+from our pursuers!"</p>
+
+<p>"I am glad of that," said Mary, thankfully.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm not so sure it will screen us!" said Brand, "them savages are
+cunnin' rascals!"</p>
+
+<p>"Where there's hope," remarked Turk, "there's no use of throwin'
+clouds over the same."</p>
+
+<p>The fog came fast, and finally thickening around the party, they
+seemed enclosed in a wall of darkness.</p>
+
+<p>"Hark!" said Harry, suddenly, as the dip of the canoe's paddles were
+heard. "We must get the raft round, and try another course!"</p>
+
+<p>This, with some difficulty was done, when the clumsy vessel was urged
+along to the southward.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, then, still as mice!" said Harry.</p>
+
+<p>He was obeyed, those on the raft scarcely breathing.</p>
+
+<p>A moment later something dark, indistinctly seen, was observed gliding
+along past the raft and within twenty fathoms of it!</p>
+
+<p>It was the canoe!</p>
+
+<p>The weary hours of night wore away.</p>
+
+<p>Poor Mary had slept but little, although Turk and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> Harry had made her
+a comfortable couch with their jackets.</p>
+
+<p>Now, as the gray dawn stole upon the waters, the young girl looked
+round her with a weary sigh.</p>
+
+<p>The fog had cleared, the faint rays of the sun were beginning to tinge
+the east, but, far and wide, nothing but sky and water were visible.</p>
+
+<p>Sky and water, and nothing aboard the raft&mdash;not even a morsel of bread
+or a drop of fresh water.</p>
+
+<p>Already the girl began to feel the cravings of thirst. With powerful
+effort, she endeavored to forget that she felt this want, but in vain.</p>
+
+<p>The day wore away, the sun went down, night began to settle upon the
+waters.</p>
+
+<p>The men strained their eyes vainly for land or sail.</p>
+
+<p>Next morning the sufferings of all from thirst were intense. Brand,
+pulling forth his bottle of gin, drank deeply, not offering a drop to
+the rest.</p>
+
+<p>Then Turk presented his grog to Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"Give some to the poor lass!"</p>
+
+<p>Harry did so. She tasted a few drops, but could not be prevailed upon
+to take more.</p>
+
+<p>Turk looked wistfully at the flask, then thrusting it back, muttered:</p>
+
+<p>"No&mdash;no! it must all be saved for that poor little girl, God bless her
+eyes!"</p>
+
+<p>One&mdash;two&mdash;three days passed. Still adrift on the wilderness of ocean.
+No sail&mdash;no land&mdash;no fresh water.</p>
+
+<p>God help the castaways!</p>
+
+<p>Brand was almost mad. His eyes gleamed like a tiger's&mdash;he gnashed his
+teeth!</p>
+
+<p>Harry, too, was scarcely sane! Turk alone remained cool and careful,
+although his sufferings were terrible.</p>
+
+<p>And Mary?</p>
+
+<p>Alas! poor girl&mdash;the flush on her sunken cheek burned deep and
+red&mdash;her eyes were feverish&mdash;her panting breath came thick and
+fast&mdash;she was too weak to sit up.</p>
+
+<p>There was no more liquor in Turk's flask. He had given all&mdash;every drop
+to the young girl.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>So there they all were, still drifting along, a burning sun over their
+heads, the water almost steaming around them.</p>
+
+<p>Gradually a sickly, yellowish mist went over the sun.</p>
+
+<p>Harry watched it a moment, then sprang to his feet, shrieking out:</p>
+
+<p>"Land, oh!"</p>
+
+<p>"Where? where?" queried Brand wildly.</p>
+
+<p>It was pointed out to him, all present saw it now.</p>
+
+<p>There was surely a misty line&mdash;a headland, extending away to the south
+and west.</p>
+
+<p>"God be praised," murmured Mary, faintly; "oh Harry! Harry! we shall
+get some fresh water now, and some beautiful fruit!"</p>
+
+<p>The poor creature smacked her lips and clapped her hands as the spoke.</p>
+
+<p>How tediously slow were the movements of the raft.</p>
+
+<p>On it went, however, apparently nearing the land every moment.</p>
+
+<p>At length it seemed scarcely a mile distant.</p>
+
+<p>"We will soon be there, now," exclaimed Mary.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly a wail went up from the raft, a long, mournful wail&mdash;a half
+shriek of astonishment, and bitter disappointment.</p>
+
+<p>The supposed land had suddenly vanished&mdash;blown away by a mere puff of
+air.</p>
+
+<p>Alas! it was nothing but a fog bank!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a><br /><br />
+
+DRIFTING ON.</h2>
+
+
+<p>As the delusive fog was swept away before the breeze, Brand uttered a
+howl, and throwing himself down, dashed his head against one of the
+planks of the raft.</p>
+
+<p>"Eat&mdash;drink! I must have something! Come, it is time!"</p>
+
+<p>And he drew forth a clasp knife, eyeing Mary at the same moment with a
+wolfish gleam in the eyes not to be mistaken.</p>
+
+<p>The bare thought seemed to inspire Harry with a rage almost demoniacal.</p>
+
+<p>He threw himself upon the man, wrenching the knife from his grasp, and
+hurling it into the sea.</p>
+
+<p>Then he caught the captain by the throat, and seemed on the point of
+hurling him overboard.</p>
+
+<p>Turk, however, interfered.</p>
+
+<p>"That work won't do, lad! You'd be sorry for it when you got over sich
+feelin's as at present agitates you. Let him alone, sir. We'll all
+have sufferin' enough yet, I'll warrant ye!"</p>
+
+<p>Thus prevailed upon, not only by the old sailor but by the mingled
+pleadings of Mary, Harry relaxed his hold of the fellow, who, with a
+baffled howl, sank down, glaring at the water, as if hoping to see his
+knife again rise to the surface.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile a fresh breeze now came along, wrinkling the water, and
+falling upon the heated brows and parched lips of the raft's people,
+inspiring sensations of relief.</p>
+
+<p>Harry took off his outside shirt, and with one of the raft poles, thus
+formed a sail.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"A queer piece of canvass, sartinly," said Tom Turk, mournfully; "but
+as there's a to'gallant sail, we may as well have a topsail, do you
+see?"</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he took off his shirt, which was also put upon the pole.</p>
+
+<p>The impetus thus given to the raft can be hardly credited.</p>
+
+<p>Away it went, rippling the water, at the rate of about three knots.</p>
+
+<p>It was nearly sundown, when Tom Turk suddenly balancing himself upon
+his toes, was heard singing out:</p>
+
+<p>"Land, oh!"</p>
+
+<p>"Another delusion," bitterly exclaimed Harry, not even attempting to
+rise from his position by Mary's side.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm sartin, this time!" exclaimed the old sailor; "fog never looks
+like them black things thereaway," pointing westward.</p>
+
+<p>Harry and Brand were up in a moment, to discover that the old tar had
+indeed spoken truth.</p>
+
+<p>Far away a number of rocks were seen, protruding from the sea.</p>
+
+<p>"Better no land at all than that," growled Brand, in a disappointed
+voice. "We'll find no water there."</p>
+
+<p>On went the raft, and in due time the rocks were gained. They were
+found to be about ten in number, and to rise several feet above the
+surface of the sea.</p>
+
+<p>Brand was the first to spring ashore. Rushing forward, he was suddenly
+seen to throw himself down.</p>
+
+<p>Harry and Turk were soon by his side, to perceive that he had found,
+in a hollow of one of the rocks, a quantity of water, evidently lodged
+there by a recent waterspout, and prevented from drying up by the
+shadow from an overhanging cliff.</p>
+
+<p>It seemed as if the captain would never get his fill.</p>
+
+<p>He drank and drank, drawing in the water with a noise like that of a
+horse at a trough.</p>
+
+<p>At last he rose.</p>
+
+<p>There was a gallon and a half of water still in the rocky basin.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>What a contrast now was presented between the conduct of Brand and
+that of his shipmates. Turk filled his flask with the pure element,
+and presented it to Harry, who at once passed it to Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"Drink first!" said the poor girl.</p>
+
+<p>Finding, however, that she could not prevail upon him to do so, Mary
+at length drank her fill.</p>
+
+<p>The effect was magical. Her eyes brightened&mdash;the feverish hue seemed
+to leave her cheek&mdash;she breathed a grateful sigh of relief.</p>
+
+<p>At the basin, Turk would not drink until his companion had first done
+so.</p>
+
+<p>When all had partaken, there was still a quart of water left.</p>
+
+<p>Turk went to the raft, and, procuring his flask, in which there still
+remained a few drops, he filled it from the hollow, and returning,
+presented it to Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"This is for you, my lass," said he.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, Brand filled his bottle, holding about twice as much as
+Turk's.</p>
+
+<p>Neither Harry nor the old seaman said anything; but they exchanged
+glances, which said plainly:</p>
+
+<p>"When we want water for the girl, we will know where to get it."</p>
+
+<p>Walking about the rocks, Harry suddenly uttered a glad cry.</p>
+
+<p>In some crevices among the rocks, he beheld a number of fat-looking
+fish.</p>
+
+<p>"It seems as if heaven has sent these especially for our benefit, at
+the right time," said the young man, joyfully, as Turk came to his
+side.</p>
+
+<p>The old tar, however, looked sober.</p>
+
+<p>"It is easy enough," said he, "tellin' how them fish came here."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't understand you."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then, I'll tell you. These rocks, is covered up at high tide.
+That is how them fish came to be left here!"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"We have our raft," said Harry, joyfully, "so that if the rocks do
+overflow, we may thus get more fish!"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, it's all right, so long as the raft holds together," answered
+Turk, "which I'm mighty afraid, won't be long," pointing at the
+lashings holding the timbers together.</p>
+
+<p>These lashings were, in fact, much worn; some of them could not long
+be made use of.</p>
+
+<p>"We must try to fix the raft," said Harry, "I dare say we can contrive
+it so that we may keep afloat."</p>
+
+<p>From the raft the hungry men soon turned their attention to the fish.</p>
+
+<p>These were cooked with a couple of planks&mdash;there were plenty to
+spare&mdash;torn from the raft and split up against the jagged edges of
+the rocks, some of the fragments to be afterwards cut by Turk's
+pocketknife, and lighted by matches which, sailor-like, the old tar
+always carried with him in a small tin box, that they might be kept
+dry.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, Brand, while taking no part in these preparations, sat like
+a hungry tiger eyeing the cooked fish.</p>
+
+<p>A portion was given to him; in fact, the whole party made a hearty and
+palatable meal.</p>
+
+<p>Now, Mary, her wants having been relieved, again spoke of the volcanic
+island.</p>
+
+<p>"I so wish we could fall in with some sail, which would take us
+there," said she. "Oh, if I could only see my dear papa!"</p>
+
+<p>Brand shrugged his shoulders.</p>
+
+<p>"Hark!" he suddenly screamed, as the night shadows gathered, "I
+fancied I heard a gurgling sound!"</p>
+
+<p>Neither of the rest had heard anything.</p>
+
+<p>"P'raps it was the wash of the waves against the rock," said Brand.</p>
+
+<p>Next morning the whole party rose after a slight rest&mdash;the men having
+stood watch&mdash;to perceive that the water had risen nearly to the top of
+the first rock.</p>
+
+<p>"The rock will soon be flooded," remarked Harry.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, so I'm afraid," said Turk. "We had better try to make the
+raft stronger."</p>
+
+<p>Unfortunately, the men having no rope with them, succeeded but poorly.</p>
+
+<p>"Truth is," said Turk, aside to his friend, "I wouldn't trust
+ourselves two days on them planks!"</p>
+
+<p>At this time the party stood upon one of the rocks.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly Mary pointed down at the water, through which, all around
+their position, a number of dark-looking fins now were seen, moving
+hither and thither.</p>
+
+<p>"What are those things?" she inquired.</p>
+
+<p>"Sharks!" answered Harry and Turk, as they simultaneously drew the
+young girl upon the raft.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a><br /><br />
+
+DRIVEN AWAY.</h2>
+
+
+<p>The water kept rising higher.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, the sharks swam all round the rocks, and the raft, now and
+then leaping forth, as if to clutch at the party.</p>
+
+<p>The sight of these ugly-looking creatures, with their long heads,
+sharp fins, teeth, and dull, bloodshot eyes, inspired Mary with the
+most disagreeable sensations.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Come!" said she, "let us leave this fearful place!"</p>
+
+<p>Turk shook his head.</p>
+
+<p>"It is our only salvation, Miss, I'm afraid."</p>
+
+<p>"Not much of a salvation, either," said Brand, pointing down at
+several of the ferocious creatures, which had begun to gnaw at the
+lashings of the raft.</p>
+
+<p>Vainly the men endeavored to drive them away; they clung with steady
+tenacity to the lashings, biting with demon-like intelligence at the
+rope strands, as if aware that the severing of these would put the
+party in their power.</p>
+
+<p>Finally the seamen were obliged to get off the raft on the rocks, and
+draw the planks after them, as the only means of pulling the lashings
+away from the teeth of the troublesome monsters.</p>
+
+<p>The water, however, kept rising, so that it was necessary to get away
+as soon as possible.</p>
+
+<p>The men did their best to strengthen the planks, then once more
+launched their raft, actually driven away by the sharks.</p>
+
+<p>The tendency of the current and the wind now was to the westward.</p>
+
+<p>"At such a rate," said Turk, "shouldn't wonder if we find ourselves,
+before two days, on the volcanic island."</p>
+
+<p>For this island the party had looked every day, while they were
+afloat; but, for some reason or other, since the night of their first
+floating away from the island, they had seen nothing of the smoke or
+fire of the burning crater.</p>
+
+<p>The seamen had attributed this fact to the murky atmosphere westward,
+shrouding the island from their view, while the raft had meanwhile
+been carried further and further from it by the tide.</p>
+
+<p>When night came, after their leaving the rock, the bearings of which
+they endeavored to keep in mind, they again looked for the light of
+the volcano. The atmosphere, however, not having yet cleared, they
+could see no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> sign of it. Hoping that the current would continue in
+this direction and carry them to the island, they watched the west,
+keenly yet vainly for a sign of the shore.</p>
+
+<p>Mary slept little that night. In the morning Harry pointed out to her,
+far away, the land, evidently that which they were anxious to reach,
+looming up, the mist having cleared.</p>
+
+<p>That it was the wished-for shore was made evident by a column of
+smoke, rising up from the summit of one of the lofty island peaks.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you think we will reach it?" the young girl inquired.</p>
+
+<p>"I think so; if the set of the current does not change to the south,"
+answered Harry.</p>
+
+<p>He was right; before night the party were close upon the island shore.</p>
+
+<p>Mary's eyes lighted up with joy. Worn though she was by hardship and
+suffering, she could yet feel a thrill of eager, pleasant expectation,
+as she gazed at the beautiful shores of this island.</p>
+
+<p>Scarcely a mile in extent, and not more than half that in breadth, the
+shores teemed with the most luxuriant vegetation.</p>
+
+<p>There were seen tall cocoanuts waving upon a bright, pebbly beach,
+rocks covered with flowers and vines, cascades flashing and gleaming
+as they glittered in the sunlight, and the broad waters of silver
+streams, gliding along through mossy grounds.</p>
+
+<p>"Beautiful," said Mary, clapping her hands. "Papa! papa! are you
+there?"</p>
+
+<p>She spoke half plaintively, half joyfully, clasping her hands like a
+little child.</p>
+
+<p>Brand turned aside his head. Hardened as he was, the voice went
+straight to his ruffian heart, and he felt at that moment as if he
+would give worlds had he not committed the fearful crime which, after
+all, had been perpetrated for nothing.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile Turk stood gazing steadily towards one of the island bays.</p>
+
+<p>"If I ain't mistaken," said he, "there's an old wreck of some kind
+there!"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," cried Harry; "I see it&mdash;the wreck of a schooner, if we may
+judge by the two stumps of her masts."</p>
+
+<p>It was almost sundown before the raft touched upon the beach.</p>
+
+<p>"We will commence our search for traces of your father," said Harry to
+Mary, after all had refreshed themselves with luxurious bananas and
+the remains of their fish, "by visiting that old wreck. If your parent
+be here, he probably has visited the hulk, and perhaps left some sign
+of his presence; a pipe, matches or something of that sort."</p>
+
+<p>"Who knows," said Mary, "but he has taken up his quarters there."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm afraid you are too hopeful, lass," said old Tom Turk, "'specially
+as it was believed by all aboard the <em>Maxwell</em> that the poor old man
+was drowned after he fell overboard."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said Brand, shuddering; "I for one believe he was drowned."</p>
+
+<p>"I will go with you to the wreck," said Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"No," replied Harry, "it will be too much for you."</p>
+
+<p>The young girl, however, insisting, the whole party started for the
+bay, which they could see from their position.</p>
+
+<p>A short walk brought them to the wreck.</p>
+
+<p>It was a schooner, and as had been supposed, with its two masts broken
+short off near the deck.</p>
+
+<p>It lay almost upon its beam ends, firmly wedged in between two rocks.</p>
+
+<p>By mounting a small, flat rock near the larboard gunwale, the party
+easily got aboard. Having done so, they entered the cabin. It was
+devoid of all articles of furniture,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> these probably having been taken
+away by some of the Indian visitors at the island.</p>
+
+<p>A candle, however, with an old piece of a clay pipe, a few nails, and
+an empty box, were found.</p>
+
+<p>Turk took the candle, and endeavored to light it. This was done with
+some difficulty, after which the party passed into the hold. Here,
+saturated with salt water, which had broken in through the bottom of
+the schooner, were seen several coils of old rope and a few empty
+barrels.</p>
+
+<p>"All of which," philosophized Turk, "will come in good use, 'specially
+if we can find some nails."</p>
+
+<p>After a long search, he came upon a bag of rusty nails, lying upon one
+of the beams.</p>
+
+<p>"With these," said Turk, "we can manage to make a boat, leastways a
+good raft."</p>
+
+<p>The flickering candle shed lurid light upon the old, creaking beams
+of the schooner, as the party vainly searched the hold for signs of
+Mary's father.</p>
+
+<p>"Thought it would be of no use," said Turk; "Poor old man, he was
+drowned, you may be sartin."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, papa! papa! would that I could find him!" wailed Mary, mournfully.</p>
+
+<p>Brand shuddered, as he always did, when the girl's father was
+mentioned.</p>
+
+<p>Seating himself on a detached coil of rigging, with his back turned to
+the rest of the party, he suddenly fancied he felt a strange, creeping
+sensation stealing over his body; a feeling, as if a multitude of
+worms, were crawling up his back.</p>
+
+<p>Instinctively he turned half round, to see his companions, already
+leaving the hold, passing into the cabin.</p>
+
+<p>Some strange instinct prompted him to turn yet further round, when he
+beheld a sight which for some moments kept him motionless, unable to
+utter a word.</p>
+
+<p>In the faint light of the candle, streaming into the hold, he saw a
+long, lean neck, surmounted by a face as bloodless and apparently
+almost transparent, with hollow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> cheeks and protruding eyes, lifted
+above a barrel at the other side of the hold.</p>
+
+<p>A strange looking face it was; a face of unearthly transparency,
+apparently quivering like a vapor, while his eyes&mdash;those great,
+staring eyes, were fixed strangely upon the captain.</p>
+
+<p>The latter, as mentioned, could not utter a word. To him the
+apparition was doubly terrible, as it was that of the man whom he had
+pushed overboard from the <em>Maxwell</em>.</p>
+
+<p>Yes, there it was, sure enough, the face of the unfortunate passenger,
+William Manton.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a><br /><br />
+
+HAUNTED.</h2>
+
+
+<p>As Brand, like one spell-bound, continued staring at the strange
+vision, he beheld the lean throat quivering, and heard issuing
+therefrom a gurgling cry exactly like that on the fatal night.</p>
+
+<p>It was a horrible sound, especially to Brand, who, with one hoarse
+scream, bounded backward on beholding the apparition suddenly vanish,
+as if melting away in the air.</p>
+
+<p>At the noise made by Brand, Turk, followed by Harry, rushed back into
+the hold.</p>
+
+<p>"What is the matter?"</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing," gasped Brand; "nothing at all."</p>
+
+<p>There were big drops of sweat upon his brow, his eyes protruded, while
+great, purple rings spread around them.</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing," said Turk; "ay, ay, now, but there must be something the
+matter with ye, Cap. D'ye feel hungry?"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Perceiving that he must make some excuse, Brand puzzled himself trying
+to think of some plausible one.</p>
+
+<p>"The fact is," said he, "I believe what we've gone through has
+unstrung my nerves. I thought I felt a snake around my legs, when it
+was nothing but a coil of rope."</p>
+
+<p>His auditors believed him all the more readily that they had by this
+time concluded that the man, like most all thoroughly selfish people,
+was a coward.</p>
+
+<p>In a short time they were out of the schooner, when Brand, who had
+previously lagged, was now the foremost.</p>
+
+<p>In a short time they reached a level piece of turf about one hundred
+yards from the wreck.</p>
+
+<p>This they concluded would be a good halting place, at least for the
+present, and so they commenced the work of erecting shelters.</p>
+
+<p>This was soon done, after which they threw themselves down to rest,
+Mary, as on the other island, occupying a bower apart from the others.</p>
+
+<p>The young girl slept but little that night. When she did full asleep,
+her slumber was troubled with disagreeable dreams. The roaring of the
+volcano whose red gleam could be seen far up through the shrubbery,
+shooting from one of the island peaks, mingled with her fancies, and
+seemed the report of countless volleys of musketry.</p>
+
+<p>At morn, after partaking of a frugal breakfast, the party consulted as
+to their next course.</p>
+
+<p>Turk wanted to commence at once upon his boat, Brand, sullen,
+glowering and silent, seemed inclined to do nothing, while Mary and
+Glenville concluded to walk off by themselves to explore the island.</p>
+
+<p>Striking through the shrubbery, the young people soon found themselves
+at the foot of the peak on which was the volcano.</p>
+
+<p>They could see the smoke and the flashes of fire shooting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> up, could
+also feel the ground shake under them, as if the flames were careering
+beneath their very feet. Watching the volcano awhile, they moved on.</p>
+
+<p>"Let us explore the island thoroughly," said Mary, "we may yet come
+upon some trace of my parent."</p>
+
+<p>"Why is it, Mary," inquired Harry, "that you seem so confident on this
+subject?"</p>
+
+<p>"My father," answered the young girl, "was an excellent swimmer. I
+have heard him say he once swam across the East River, New York, while
+a boy.</p>
+
+<p>"Then again the captain informed me that, in falling overboard, it was
+found that my parent had carried away with him a plank, which, from
+carelessness, had been left hanging loosely over the stern. Now what
+more likely than that with the help of the plank, and this island but
+two miles to leeward, he should succeed in reaching it?"</p>
+
+<p>Harry shook his head.</p>
+
+<p>"Of course," said he, "such things have happened, but I have no idea
+that your father reached the island."</p>
+
+<p>For several hours the two walked over the isle, which they found to
+be a beautiful place. There were flowers of almost every hue, clear,
+purling streams, rocks, caverns and cascades, while through the green
+shrubbery the banana and the breadfruit were visible.</p>
+
+<p>The wanderers, however, came upon no traces of Mr. Manton, and Harry
+could see that his companion's hopes in this respect were almost
+extinguished.</p>
+
+<p>Returning to the spot where the shelters were located, they found Turk
+already at work upon his boat, assisted by Brand.</p>
+
+<p>"You are making good progress," remarked Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," answered Turk, "there's no chance for laziness, now. The
+sooner we leave this island the better, accordin' to my notion."</p>
+
+<p>The old tar spoke solemnly.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay," said Captain Brand, "that's my opinion. Hark! did ye hear that?"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>A roaring, rumbling sound was heard, right under their feet; the
+ground trembled violently.</p>
+
+<p>"It is the subterranean fire of that volcano," said Harry. "I hardly
+think there is much danger."</p>
+
+<p>He said this to quiet the fears of Mary, who turned pale and looked
+anxious.</p>
+
+<p>"To my notion," said Turk, "it's devils a-lightin' their brimstone
+right under us, hopin' in that way to catch us. It's plain they're
+after some one among us, which I may premise by sayin' ain't me nor
+Harry, nor this young lass."</p>
+
+<p>Brand frowned darkly.</p>
+
+<p>"How know you that I'm not as good as the rest of you," said he.</p>
+
+<p>"Honestly speakin', Cap, I don't think you are," exclaimed the old
+tar, bluntly.</p>
+
+<p>"I've always led a good life," said Brand, shunning the great blue
+eyes of Mary.</p>
+
+<p>There was a rumble like thunder under ground, then a report like the
+discharge of musketry.</p>
+
+<p>"The devils is a-firin' off their muskets to celebrate that lie of
+yours, Cap," remarked Turk, as he turned to his work.</p>
+
+<p>The party now felt anxious. The noises under ground continued, the
+island shook, while increased volumes of fire shot up from the
+volcanic peak.</p>
+
+<p>Harry now assisted Turk in his work on the boat. There had been found
+that morning in the schooner an old hatchet with which Turk had
+knocked away a large quantity of timber from the wreck to be conveyed
+to the spot where he intended erecting his boat.</p>
+
+<p>Working all day, the men made good progress.</p>
+
+<p>Brand worked as hard as the rest. It was not the danger from the
+volcano alone that urged him on in his efforts, but the continual
+harassing fear, of again beholding that fearful apparition of his
+drownded victim.</p>
+
+<p>At night the aspect of the volcano was terrific. There were the lurid
+flames, apparently shooting to the very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> skies, while whole showers
+of sparks were thrown out in fiery flakes that filled all the air,
+floating along like millions of fireflies over the sea, in the water
+of which the were reflected.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the shocks became every moment more frequent, the ground
+shaking as if beneath the tramp of armed horsemen.</p>
+
+<p>Harry had advanced into the thicket a short distance, when he became
+aware of a hissing sound, as if thousands of serpents were around him.</p>
+
+<p>At the same moment, a broad, bright stream of something flashed up
+before him, apparently descending towards him with great rapidity.</p>
+
+<p>Now he comprehended that it was a stream of lava, thrown from the
+volcanic crater, and rushing down the side of the steep cliff.</p>
+
+<p>In fact he had not time to reach the spot where he had left his
+companions, when it came hissing and rushing into the thicket, which
+he had just left.</p>
+
+<p>All night a careful watch was kept, the raft with additional timbers
+secured to it being in readiness for the party to leave at a moment's
+notice.</p>
+
+<p>Nothing more than the shocks, with the fall of additional lava
+occurred, however, to disturb the party.</p>
+
+<p>"I doubt if anything serious happens, after all," said Harry.</p>
+
+<p>Turk pointed to a couple of fissures in the side of the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>"That looks bad," said he; "in my opinion, this island goes in less
+than forty-eight hours."</p>
+
+<p>Good progress was made on the boat this day.</p>
+
+<p>At night watching the volcano, Mary suddenly uttered a wild cry, and
+pointed up towards an overhanging rock beneath the crater.</p>
+
+<p>"What is it?" was the question.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know," said Mary, shuddering, "but just now I am certain I
+saw a form appear, and then suddenly vanish upon that shelf of rock."</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Are you sure?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes."</p>
+
+<p>Turk looked solemn; Brand turned deadly pale.</p>
+
+<p>"It must have been a spirit," said the old tar; "some imp after you,
+Cap," he added, looking straight at Brand.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, a spirit," muttered the captain, his teeth chattering.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a><br /><br />
+
+ON THE LEDGE.</h2>
+
+
+<p>"This must be looked into," said Harry, resolutely. "Who will go with
+me to the ledge?"</p>
+
+<p>"No&mdash;no&mdash;do not go," pleaded Mary, "see how the fire rages! The peak
+may explode before you come down, and you be swallowed up in the
+flames!"</p>
+
+<p>Harry however was determined to go.</p>
+
+<p>"If nobody will go with me," said he, "I will go alone."</p>
+
+<p>Mary advanced to his side.</p>
+
+<p>"I will go with you," said she; "if you are to perish, I will die with
+you."</p>
+
+<p>The young man, however, would not permit the girl to accompany him.</p>
+
+<p>"If what was seen was mortal," said Turk, "why, then, I'd go with you;
+but I don't care to have anything to do with spirits and sich like,
+which can give you a poke in the stomach, do you see, and yet you not
+be able to square off to 'em."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well, then, I go alone," said Harry, as he sprang away.</p>
+
+<p>He had not reached the foot of the cliff, when he felt a hand on his
+arm, and turned to behold Turk.</p>
+
+<p>"Fact is," said the latter, "I won't see ye go alone, but if there's
+any fightin' to do with ghosts, you mustn't expect me to help you, for
+when I aim at a nose, I like to hit it, which is impossible with the
+noses of goblins and sich like, as your fist will go right through
+'em."</p>
+
+<p>The two soon were at the foot of the cliff, which both<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> now commenced
+to ascend. As they advanced, the rumbling beneath them seemed to
+increase, shaking the cliff to its foundation.</p>
+
+<p>At length they arrived near the ledge, where the heat was almost
+unbearable. On one side of them there was a wide cleft, in which a
+line of fire was seen, glowing like a red hot iron. The slightest
+mis-step on the part of the adventurers in their endeavors to reach
+the ledge, must precipitate them into the cleft.</p>
+
+<p>To get to their destination, they must move along a narrow ridge not
+more than two inches wide, with nothing at the side of the rock to
+clutch except a slightly rugged surface which must afford them a very
+insecure hold.</p>
+
+<p>"This is dang'rous traveling," remarked Turk, "worse than walkin' on a
+railroad track over a rottin bridge."</p>
+
+<p>The two kept on, carefully making progress, until finally they were
+close to the ledge, upon which a sudden spring carried them.</p>
+
+<p>Winding round the cliff, they could now see another ledge, but no sign
+of the strange figure. They clambered the rocky surface, exploring it
+on all sides, but saw no sign of what they were after.</p>
+
+<p>"To my notion," said Turk, "that goblin has gone down to take a
+siesta, do you see, preparatory to comin' up agin, which, I take it,
+is a good hint fur us to make leg-bail."</p>
+
+<p>"What is this?" inquired Harry suddenly, stooping and picking up a
+singular object.</p>
+
+<p>It was a cocoanut branch twisted into an odd shape, bearing some
+resemblance to a pronged fork.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, now, there's the pitchfork for sartin!" exclaimed Turk; "that
+goblin has left his instrumental be&mdash;behind him, and we may yet come
+upon his tail!"</p>
+
+<p>"Hark, Turk," said Harry, somewhat sternly, "you must not talk in
+that way. This is in fact, no time for joking. See there," pointing
+above them as he spoke, to where lurid flames were shooting out from
+crevices in the rock, thus preventing their ascent.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Gazing below them they beheld the dark tops of the trees, far beneath.</p>
+
+<p>There was no means by which they could reach the ground.</p>
+
+<p>The flames meanwhile burning brighter and longer, every moment, until
+finally they scorched the flesh of the two men, whose situation from
+the intense heat, was becoming intolerable.</p>
+
+<p>For a moment they stood looking at each other, puzzled to know what to
+do.</p>
+
+<p>Then a sudden thought flashed across Harry's mind.</p>
+
+<p>"There are coils of rope in the schooner," said he; "we can start from
+here to Brand, who, probably, is watching us, telling him to bring up
+and lower to us one of those coils of rope."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, if he ain't afraid," answered Turk.</p>
+
+<p>The two men shouting with united voices, pronounced the captain's name.</p>
+
+<p>"Halloa!" was the response.</p>
+
+<p>"We cannot get back the way we came. Bring us a rope from the
+schooner's wreck, and lower it to us."</p>
+
+<p>Brand shuddered and turned pale.</p>
+
+<p>Mary, who was near, besought him to hurry.</p>
+
+<p>"No," he answered, in husky voice, "I do not care to go aboard that
+schooner!"</p>
+
+<p>"Then I will go!" cried Mary, and away she went.</p>
+
+<p>Bad as he was, Brand was yet man enough not to permit this girl to
+undertake such a difficult task.</p>
+
+<p>He sprang after her, and soon boarding the schooner, advanced with
+lighted candle into the hold, casting fearful glances around him.</p>
+
+<p>He saw nothing, however, to excite alarm, and so seizing a small coil,
+he emerged with it on deck.</p>
+
+<p>He was about climbing over the bulwarks, when, chancing to turn his
+head towards the schooner's bows, he fancied he saw the phantom face
+of the drowned passenger as it was hastily withdrawn!</p>
+
+<p>"P'shaw, this is mere imagination," muttered the captain,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> as he
+sprung over the rail to the beach, where he found Mary anxiously
+waiting for him.</p>
+
+<p>"Quick! make haste!" exclaimed the young girl.</p>
+
+<p>It almost seemed to Brand, as he encountered the gaze of those wild
+eyes, that he beheld a second phantom, so alike were the eyes of
+father and daughter.</p>
+
+<p>Throwing the coil over his shoulders, he hurried along to the cliff
+and commenced the ascent, followed by Mary, who, in her anxiety for
+her lover's safety, would almost have followed the man into the very
+flames.</p>
+
+<p>In a short time they were at a point, whence the rope might be lowered
+to the two imperiled men upon the ledge.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, therefore, uncoiling the line, lowered the end to them at a
+point where the flames could not come into contact with it, fastening
+the other part to a spur.</p>
+
+<p>It was evident, however, that the two must make good speed, else the
+strands would become so weakened by the heat that there would be
+danger of their giving way.</p>
+
+<p>The two men found the rope, where they lowered it over the edge of the
+rocky shelf, long enough to reach to the ground, about one hundred and
+fifty feet beneath them.</p>
+
+<p>Then Turk commenced the descent, succeeding in reaching the ground
+safely.</p>
+
+<p>By this time the strands were so weakened that Brand was obliged to
+haul the rope up, to prevent its parting, and secure another turn
+around the rocky spur.</p>
+
+<p>Then Harry, grasping the lower part, commenced to descend. He had got
+within about one hundred and twenty feet of the ground and within a
+few feet of the top of one of the trees, when from the branches, the
+captain, whose position afforded him a good view of the trees revealed
+in the volcano's lurid light, uttered a sudden wild cry, that rang
+above the din of the roaring fire.</p>
+
+<p>Protruding from the foliage of the tree, towards which Harry was being
+lowered, the man beheld the long, lean<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> neck and ghastly countenance
+of the apparition he so dreaded.</p>
+
+<p>So great was the effect of this vision upon him that he let go the
+rope which descended swift as a shot.</p>
+
+<p>Where now was Harry Glenville?</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a><br /><br />
+
+CAPTURED.</h2>
+
+
+<p>Mary, shrieking, peered far over the edge of the rock, vainly looking
+for her lover.</p>
+
+<p>"Killed! killed!" she wailed, wringing her hands. "My God, he is
+dashed to pieces on the ground, by your letting go of the rope!"</p>
+
+<p>"I?" exclaimed the captain, looking wild and half bewildered.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, God! it is so!"</p>
+
+<p>The vision had by this time vanished. Partially recovering his
+self-possession, the captain hurried down the steep cliff, following
+Mary, who, like a maniac, ran on.</p>
+
+<p>She soon gained the foot of the precipice, and was hurrying along in
+the direction where she expected to find the remains of her lover all
+mangled from his fall of sixty feet, when suddenly, she felt some
+person grasp her arm, and turning, beheld Brand.</p>
+
+<p>"Let me go! Why hold me?" screamed the young girl, wildly.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"See, there!" he answered, pointing towards the beach, "that is the
+reason!"</p>
+
+<p>Looking in the indicated direction, she beheld, in the lurid glare of
+the volcanic fire, a long canoe, by the beach.</p>
+
+<p>Evidently it was the same which had pursued them on that day when the
+two warriors were slain.</p>
+
+<p>Bent on vengeance, the islanders had not yet given up the pursuit, but
+had searched for the fugitives ever since, at last coming upon their
+traces.</p>
+
+<p>Now the forms of the fierce men were seen advancing swiftly in single
+file up the beach, on a course, which, had Mary kept on, must have
+brought her into contact with them.</p>
+
+<p>"Never mind," she exclaimed; "let me go to his body! What care I if
+they do kill me, so long as I get a glimpse of his form?"</p>
+
+<p>Brand, however, held her firmly.</p>
+
+<p>He felt that he should at least partially atone for his crime by
+saving the daughter of the man he had sent to his death.</p>
+
+<p>"Come! come with me! This is madness."</p>
+
+<p>Mary struggled in vain. Brand drew her along with him into the shadow
+of a small cavern in the foot of the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>"Hark!" he said, "you must not cry out."</p>
+
+<p>Attracted probably by her cries, several natives soon presented
+themselves at the entrance of the cavern.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, being unarmed, could do nothing. Several spears were pointed at
+his heart and that of his companion.</p>
+
+<p>An islander&mdash;a huge fellow with great rings tattooed like bracelets
+all over both his arms; evidently a chief, interposed.</p>
+
+<p>"No strike!" he exclaimed, in broken English, "this's too much quick
+death. Best take and chokee slow."</p>
+
+<p>"What do you mean?" inquired Brand.</p>
+
+<p>"Cussem Americanon!" said the chief, fiercely, "kill one two me men!
+Mus' pay for dat."</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"You are mistaken," answered Brand; "I never killed a man. It wasn't
+me."</p>
+
+<p>"All same you with," answered the islander. "Ho! ho! never get way
+from me&mdash;me got long canoe."</p>
+
+<p>The two were dragged to the beach, bound with strong wythes, and were
+made to sit down upon the sand.</p>
+
+<p>Then a brief conversation was held, after which, the chief said
+something to several of his men.</p>
+
+<p>Away they went, climbing up a tree, and procuring several branches.</p>
+
+<p>These they brought to the chief, who, passing them round the neck of
+the prisoners so tightly that both were nearly throttled, then turned
+again and spoke to his people.</p>
+
+<p>Instantly the latter, seizing the two, dragged them up to their necks
+into the water, where they were firmly held with the incoming seas
+continually breaking over their heads.</p>
+
+<p>A slow, torturing method this to make way with prisoners. It is
+however resorted to by many of the South Sea Island tribes.</p>
+
+<p>At first the victim easily manages to catch his breath between
+whiles. Gradually, however, this becoming harder, and the difficulty
+increasing every moment, the wretches are eventually strangled to
+death.</p>
+
+<p>Poor Mary! The hardships and excitement she had lately undergone were
+of themselves sufficient to deprive an ordinary woman of her strength.
+This young girl, however, had an excellent constitution and, when
+occasion required, a strong will. Now the intensity of her anguish
+regarding her lover had so worked upon her, that, with this new
+torture before her, she became unconscious.</p>
+
+<p>Heedless of this, however, the native having charge of her, still held
+her upright in the water, until the chief again interfered.</p>
+
+<p>"Makee muchee now long," said he.</p>
+
+<p>The two were drawn out to the beach, Brand, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> being informed
+that the disagreeable ceremony would before morning, be repeated,
+until he was drownee, drownee, drownee.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after Mary came to her senses. At first somewhat bewildered, she
+soon remembered all.</p>
+
+<p>"Dead! dead!" she moaned, "he is dead."</p>
+
+<p>The natives heeded not her sufferings. On the contrary, they seemed to
+gloat over her distress.</p>
+
+<p>An hour wore on when the prisoners were again led into water, the seas
+breaking high, continually went over their heads.</p>
+
+<p>Mary soon drew her breath with difficulty&mdash;her brain went round and
+round, she felt that she was dying.</p>
+
+<p>In fact, life must have deserted her in a few minutes, but for a
+singular interposition, the phantom-like figure which has been
+mentioned, appearing suddenly on the branch of a tree and waving its
+arms to the natives in a frantic manner.</p>
+
+<p>"Berch, hounds and dogs!" it exclaimed in hollow voice; "what would ye
+do. I forbid this work. Terrible misfortune will attend ye, if ye keep
+on thus persecuting those prisoners."</p>
+
+<p>Brand, hearing that voice, turned his head.</p>
+
+<p>As he did so, the form suddenly vanished.</p>
+
+<p>The natives stood looking at each other in surprise. Brand noticing
+their astonishment, thought he might turn it to good account.</p>
+
+<p>No other consideration but that of saving his life could have tempted
+him to speak of the vision of the murdered passenger to a living soul.</p>
+
+<p>"Indians," said he, "I would at once speak to your chief."</p>
+
+<p>The men who held him understood him sufficiently to make known his
+request to their leader, who, forthwith, appeared floundering through
+the water.</p>
+
+<p>"What want? Speak quick!"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then," said Brand, shuddering, "he whom you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> saw just now among
+the trees, was no mortal vision. It is a phantom!"</p>
+
+<p>"How know you that?"</p>
+
+<p>"If the chief will take me a little ways off I will tell him," said
+Brand, not caring to have the young girl hear what he intended to say.</p>
+
+<p>The chief did as requested, when Brand explained, saying that the
+phantom was that of a passenger who had accidentally fallen overboard
+from a vessel aboard which he (Brand), was third officer.</p>
+
+<p>The superstitious natives are prone to believe weird stories, and the
+chief was no exception to the rule.</p>
+
+<p>To his awe-stricken followers he at once explained what he had
+learned, when it was unanimously agreed that the lives of the two
+prisoners should be spared, at least for the present.</p>
+
+<p>No good, the natives all agreed, could come of their disobeying the
+injunctions of a spirit.</p>
+
+<p>Mary and Brand were therefore taken and seated near a bright fire,
+which had been kindled for comfort by their enemies.</p>
+
+<p>They were treated to cooked breadfruit, cocoanut sauce, and other
+delicacies of the South Sea Islanders. Brand ate heartily, but poor
+Mary, almost maddened by her grief, would not even look at what was
+proffered her.</p>
+
+<p>"Harry is dead! dead!" was the continual cry of her anguished soul.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the whole island was rocking like a floating ship. Showers
+of fire, roaring thunder, flew from the volcanic peak.</p>
+
+<p>The natives looked at each other. Presently the chief spoke.</p>
+
+<p>"The islee will be swallowed in fire," said he; "the spirit which
+spoke, did not tell right. It is a bad spirit, which Islander must not
+mind. It said if Islander spare white men's life, no harm come. See!
+here is harm. The island will be lost before Islander can find all
+their foes."</p>
+
+<p>Such was the purport of the chief's words, uttered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> however, in a more
+incomprehensible manner than we have shown.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," continued the speaker, "so we say we must killee! killee,"
+pointing at the two prisoners; "must killee quickee, no slow now."</p>
+
+<p>He held a brief consultation with some of his men, four of whom now
+advanced toward the girl and Brand, each of which was lifted between a
+couple.</p>
+
+<p>"Quickee&mdash;go!" screamed the chief, when each of the pair, with their
+burdens commenced rapidly scaling the sides of the steep ascent.</p>
+
+<p>Good need it now seemed, was there of their making swift speed.</p>
+
+<p>They kept on with all possible dispatch, eventually pausing upon a
+lofty spire, far up on the very top of the mountain.</p>
+
+<p>This spur, rising to a height of about forty feet from the edge of
+the volcanic crater, overlooked the chasm of fire, which, like the
+infernal lake itself, lay at its base, shooting its forked tongues of
+roaring, hissing flame high in air!</p>
+
+<p>And now the prisoners comprehended the fate intended for them, for the
+natives driving them to and fro, preparing to fling them into that
+lurid, roaring, crackling sea of fire!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a><br /><br />
+
+WALLED IN.</h2>
+
+
+<p>To repeat a previous question.</p>
+
+<p>Where now was Harry Glenville?</p>
+
+<p>On feeling himself descending, after Brand let go of the rope to which
+he was clinging, the young man, instinctively throwing out his arms,
+was fortunate enough to grasp the branch of the tree through which his
+falling form was crashing.</p>
+
+<p>To this branch he clung, swinging a hundred feet above the ground.</p>
+
+<p>Every moment he expected that the branch, which was a slender one, and
+which he held near the extremity, would part. He could hear it crack,
+every time he swung.</p>
+
+<p>Above him, faintly revealed in the lurid light, he could meanwhile
+see a larger and stronger branch, which he hoped he might, by a
+sudden upward stretching of an arm, succeed in grasping. Still there
+was danger that he might miss his grasp, when he would certainly be
+precipitated upon the ground below.</p>
+
+<p>Still considering whether or not to make the attempt, he suddenly
+heard the cheery voice of Tom Turk:</p>
+
+<p>"Hold on hard, lad, and I'll be up there to help ye, in the tyin' of a
+square knot!"</p>
+
+<p>"Make haste!" exclaimed Harry, "as I expect, every minute, that the
+branch I hold will give way."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay. Keep up a good heart. My climbin' days ain't quite over yet!"</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke, Turk commenced rapidly ascending the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> tree, running up
+the trunk with the squirrel-like dexterity of a true sailor.</p>
+
+<p>He had with him the end of the fallen rope, thrown over his shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>In a short time, he was upon the brunch, just above the swinging form
+of his friend.</p>
+
+<p>The latter's weight had nearly parted the branch, strips of which were
+already beginning to peel off.</p>
+
+<p>"Make haste, Turk!" repeated the young man.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, lad! here's the rope!" cried Turk, lowering to his friend the
+end, to which he had fastened a bowline hitch; "jest slip that over
+your head, and under one of your arms, and I'll have ye up in half a
+minute."</p>
+
+<p>Harry promptly complied, not a moment too soon, for with a crash, the
+branch now gave way.</p>
+
+<p>The young man would have gone with it, in spite of the bowline hitch,
+which he had not yet been able to properly secure, but for his
+throwing up both hands and grasping the rope.</p>
+
+<p>Turk, who had taken a turn round the upper branch, was thus enabled to
+draw him safely up.</p>
+
+<p>In a few seconds both men were on the ground, about to move in the
+direction of the base of the cliff to meet Mary and Brand, when they
+beheld the forms of the natives, stealing along from their canoe.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, now!" whispered Turk, "this is calamitous."</p>
+
+<p>"We must save Mary at all hazards," exclaimed Harry, impulsively, as
+he bounded forward.</p>
+
+<p>"S&mdash;sh!" whispered Turk, "jest see there! They have got the poor gal
+and that Brand already," pointing to the natives, lugging of their
+prisoners.</p>
+
+<p>Harry would have sprang onward unarmed as he was, to attack the two
+savages, but for the cooler and more prudent Turk.</p>
+
+<p>"Hold!" he whispered, grasping his friend's jacket, "can't do anything
+in a hurry, which do you see, will salle all."</p>
+
+<p>Even as he spoke, another party of savages were observed, approaching
+them.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Now, then, fur scuddin!" said Turk, "no use stayin' here to be
+speared to death, which is a most uncomfortable way of dyin',
+'specially when you are afterwards b'iled in a pot for the blueskins'
+dinner."</p>
+
+<p>He drew the young man along to a clump of bushes near the base of an
+enormous tree.</p>
+
+<p>"I've sighted this tree before," said he, "which I know is holler.
+It's big enough to hold you and me. Afterwards we can see to the gal,
+if there's any way to save her, whereas if we should try now, we'd
+only be killed, which sartinly would be a poor way for keepin' the
+lass."</p>
+
+<p>Harry saw the sense of this remark at once. With the old seaman, he
+crouched in the bushes.</p>
+
+<p>"Well have to get into the tree, mole fashion," said Turk, "see'n' as
+the hole leading to the inside of it, is scooped out underneath."</p>
+
+<p>So saying he displaced some bushes, and bade his friend crawl into the
+aperture thus revealed.</p>
+
+<p>Harry did so, and was soon followed by Turk.</p>
+
+<p>In the hollow tree, the two now glanced up, to see through an opening
+in the trunk, broken half way off, the lurid gleam of the volcanic
+fire.</p>
+
+<p>"Here we are, moles as is moles!" exclaimed Turk.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the shouts of the savages, who, it was evident, had now
+come upon the footprints of the two seamen on the ground, were heard
+outside of the tree.</p>
+
+<p>"They will of course discover us, after all!" said Harry, "and we will
+have to die. Better to have fallen in defense of Mary."</p>
+
+<p>Turk scratched his head. By the red gleam, shooting down into the
+hollow, Harry could see a troubled expression upon the old seaman's
+face.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," he muttered, at length, "the Turks never was good at
+strategic p'nts. I had a grandfather, who, to save himself from a mad
+bull, throwed himself, in tryin' to leap over it, partly upon the
+creatur's horns, which,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> penetratin' the seat of his breeches, held
+him expended in that way until he was relieved by friends!"</p>
+
+<p>The old tar had scarcely thus delivered himself, when, chancing to
+glance down, he beheld the tattooed face of a savage, thrust under the
+trunk of the tree, peering up at him.</p>
+
+<p>Before he could utter a word, however, the face was withdrawn.</p>
+
+<p>Next moment a sound, as of men busy at work piling something around
+the tree, was heard.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after all was still.</p>
+
+<p>The two men held a consultation. Doubtless the savages were somewhere
+not far off, waiting for them to emerge.</p>
+
+<p>Nevertheless, they determined to make an attempt to escape from their
+present retreat.</p>
+
+<p>Turk was the first to stoop for the purpose of passing out, when an
+exclamation broke from his lips.</p>
+
+<p>"What's the matter?" inquired Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"Matter enough!" was the reply; "we are walled in with arth so that we
+can't get out!"</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a><br /><br />
+
+IN THE TREE.</h2>
+
+
+<p>For a moment the two stood eyeing each other, with looks of dismay.</p>
+
+<p>"Can't we burrow our way out?" queried the young man.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm afraid not. Them rascals knowed what they were doin' when they
+fastened us up. In my opinion, we are to be left in this hollow tree
+to be swallered up with the island when it goes!"</p>
+
+<p>Harry glanced up. The opening in the top of the trunk was about
+fifteen feet above them. There was no way for them to reach it!</p>
+
+<p>The young man bowed his face on his hand.</p>
+
+<p>"I would have been willing&mdash;would have cheerfully died," said he,
+"in helping poor Mary; but to perish far away from that girl without
+having lifted a hand in her defense is very mortifying!"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," said Turk, "and this is a lesson to me never to give advice
+in the futur'&mdash;if there be any futur' left for me on this arth! I'm as
+sorry as you can be, that I got you to give up follerin' the lass at
+once!"</p>
+
+<p>For several moments the two men stood, glancing up through the opening
+in the trunk, which being directly beneath the volcano, afforded them
+a good view of it.</p>
+
+<p>The huge crater was spouting showers of flame and sparks, which seemed
+to increase in quantity every moment.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the roaring noise of the subterranean fires was becoming
+louder. The ground shook with the thunder in its bosom, until the very
+tree in which the two men were ensconced began to tremble.</p>
+
+<p>"The 'castrophy' must soon take place!" exclaimed Turk; "wish you'd
+l'arn me to say a few prayers before we are swallered up! That is,"
+continued the old tar, "I did l'arn my catechism, once upon a time,
+but it's so long ago that the idee has been blowed out of my head by
+the squalls and gales I've weathered, do you see!"</p>
+
+<p>Harry answered not. His mind was full of bitter reflections, in the
+midst of which his Mary, suffering in the hands of the savages,
+occupied a prominent part.</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps we may burrow out of this!" he exclaimed, at length, "at all
+events, let us try!"</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he stooped, and went to work with hands and nails.</p>
+
+<p>He made some progress, but he had not dug a foot, when his hands came
+into contact with a hard substance, which resisted all his efforts to
+move it.</p>
+
+<p>It was a heavy stone, almost a rock in size, which had been shoved
+against the opening.</p>
+
+<p>"No hope!" he said, despairingly.</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke, a wild yell was heard without, followed by the noise of
+approaching steps.</p>
+
+<p>The steps drew nearer; there was a halt made alongside the tree, then
+followed a noise of dry branches being dragged along and piled round
+the trunk.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay! ay!" exclaimed Turk, aghast, "them heathens ain't even goin' to
+give us a chance to die in them underground flames, but is agoing to
+pile faggots and burn us at once."</p>
+
+<p>Harry shuddered.</p>
+
+<p>Then the thought occurred to him that perhaps Mary had perished in a
+similar manner.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes the crackling of flames, betokened that the old tar
+had guessed aright.</p>
+
+<p>The fire was wreathing and twining around the trunk<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> of the tree, the
+inside of which was every moment growing hotter.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," moaned Turk, despondingly, "we are all a-goin' to be baked
+alive, as if we were two clams instead of humanized bein's!"</p>
+
+<p>Hotter became the seamen's narrow quarters every moment. Tongues of
+flames were now seen creeping through crevices in the trunk.</p>
+
+<p>The sap oozed with a hiss like a serpent's, while the smoke entering
+the hollow, almost suffocated the occupants.</p>
+
+<p>Heated, almost blinded, their flesh scorched, the sufferings of the
+twain were becoming fearful.</p>
+
+<p>In the lurid glare each could see the eyeballs of the other rolling
+wildly in his head, and hear his panting breath drawn with difficulty.</p>
+
+<p>"This is intolerable!" gasped Harry; "would that the rascals would
+spear us, and thus at once put an end to our torment."</p>
+
+<p>There seemed, however, no probability of their doing this.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile there were none of the manifestations of exultation and
+triumph peculiar to the North American savages.</p>
+
+<p>Nothing was to be heard above the din of the roaring and crackling
+flames, save a low, guttural croaking of quiet satisfaction, such as
+might have been uttered over chunks of roast beef cooking on a spit.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," muttered Turk, who for some time had been dancing up and
+down with pain, "I feel as if the gravy was already a-oozing out of my
+body."</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke, he chanced to glance upward, when he was startled by
+the apparition of a face, half concealed by a great green leaf,
+(protruding downward from under an old cap) thrust through the opening
+in the top of the trunk, while the rest of the body was screened by
+the thick branches around it.</p>
+
+<p>"Hist! Stand by! I'll save you both if I can!" said<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> the stranger in a
+shrill, penetrating whisper, "on one condition!"</p>
+
+<p>For several moments the two men were so surprised that they could only
+stand motionless, looking up at the intruding face, without uttering a
+word.</p>
+
+<p>Harry was the first to speak.</p>
+
+<p>"Who are you! How came you there?"</p>
+
+<p>"It don't matter. I am only half human, at any rate. On one condition
+I said I'd save you."</p>
+
+<p>"Name it, name it, my man!" cried Turk, "and you'll see how quick we'll
+comply. But I'd think the savages would see you up there?"</p>
+
+<p>"No; the branches and leaves are too thick. The leaf over my face
+hides it from them while my body is in shadow."</p>
+
+<p>"Name that ere condition of yours then, quick!" exclaimed Turk.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, it is that you save my money!"</p>
+
+<p>"Your money?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes I cannot get to it now. I beg you will save me my precious money."</p>
+
+<p>"Where is it!" inquired Turk, "if you'll jist tell me that p'raps I
+can&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"It's in a little cleft in the right side of the trunk in a bag. You
+may feel it by putting your hand there. Oh! my money&mdash;my precious
+money! that must not be sacrificed!"</p>
+
+<p>Turk felt along the trunk until finally his hand struck a deep cleft
+notched in the wood, when he felt the bag and drew it forth.</p>
+
+<p>It emitted a clinking sound.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, that's it!" whispered the stranger; "now unfasten the cord
+from it, and throw the end up to me, when I will draw you safely out
+of the hollow!"</p>
+
+<p>Turk instantly proceeded to do as directed. Unwinding the cord which,
+though small in thickness, was as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> tough as a clothes-line, he was
+glad to perceive that it was long enough to reach to the top of the
+trunk.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, in spite of his sufferings, he could not forbear peeping
+into the bag, which, he at once perceived was full of shining pieces
+of gold.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a><br /><br />
+
+OUT OF THE TREE.</h2>
+
+
+<p>"What avail is all this?" said Harry; "it is likely the savages have
+already heard our conversation. Besides, they will certainly see us,
+when we are drawn up out of the top of the trunk."</p>
+
+<p>"It ain't likely they've heard us," said Turk, "as there's sich an
+infernal din with the roarin' of the fire here and the volcano above;
+but as to their seein' us, I dare say that may happen."</p>
+
+<p>"Throw me the cord&mdash;quick!" cried the stranger, "and let me haul you
+up here with my precious gold!"</p>
+
+<p>Turk threw the end of the cord.</p>
+
+<p>"You may go first," said Harry to the old tar.</p>
+
+<p>"Not a bit of it, lad!" answered Turk; "I ain't one of that sort, do
+ye see! There's no hurry for me. Your life is more valuable than that
+of sich an old lubber as your humble servant, Tom Turk."</p>
+
+<p>Harry, however was firm.</p>
+
+<p>He fastened the end of the line quickly under the armpits of the
+sailor, and ordered the stranger to haul away.</p>
+
+<p>Assisted by his own efforts and by the pulls from the man above, Turk
+soon was drawn through the opening.</p>
+
+<p>Then a savage yell proclaimed that he was seen, and the trick to
+effect of his release discovered by the natives.</p>
+
+<p>"Quick, my lad!" shouted Turk, throwing down the line to his friend,
+as several spears whizzed round his head.</p>
+
+<p>"Give me my gold!" almost shrieked the stranger, as he snatched the
+bag from the old seaman's pocket, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> thrust it into his own, "and
+stand by to follow me, if you'd escape the natives."</p>
+
+<p>"Jist hold on a minnit!" said Turk, clutching the man by the arm;
+"I don't know who you be; whether you be humanized or t'otherwise,
+but one thing is sartin, it's playin' us a very scaly trick fur you
+a-tryin' to get off, when you know that the life of a feller creatur'
+is still to be saved."</p>
+
+<p>"Quick then, quick!" screamed the stranger, "don't you perceive that
+the natives are going to fling more spears?"</p>
+
+<p>"They can't hurt ye, if you ain't human," said Turk&mdash;then he added,
+eyeing the stranger curiously, "if you have what's tarmed a caudal
+canpendage, that is a tail, do you see, as all non-human bein's has, I
+wish you'd show it, so that I may know whose acquaintance I have the
+honor of makin."</p>
+
+<p>"Whiz! whiz! buz-z-z!" came more spears, passing within a few inches
+of the speaker's head.</p>
+
+<p>While talking, Turk had not neglected his friend, who by this time had
+passed the line round his breast and given the word to haul.</p>
+
+<p>The two pairs of arms soon had him up, when turning, the stranger was
+seen running along a branch extending from the burning tree to another.</p>
+
+<p>"There goes either the devil or a spook!" said Turk; "it's the
+queerest creatur' I ever saw, thinkin' of its gold under sarcumstances
+like the present."</p>
+
+<p>"Follow me, follow me, if you would escape," the man was now heard
+screaming out at the top of his voice.</p>
+
+<p>The seamen obeyed, gliding after the figure, which seemed to dart
+along with the speed of a squirrel.</p>
+
+<p>Having gained the other tree, the strange guide descended half way,
+then, by a drooping branch, swung himself quickly to the ground.</p>
+
+<p>Harry and his friend followed, the twain being pursued by the savages.</p>
+
+<p>Every nook and corner seemed familiar to the leader.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>On he went, dashing away with a speed which rapidly widened the
+distance between him and his followers.</p>
+
+<p>By powerful efforts, however, the two men continued to keep in sight.</p>
+
+<p>Finally Harry paused. The steps of the savages were heard crashing
+along but a short distance behind him.</p>
+
+<p>"Come on!" cried Turk, seizing the other's arm.</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered the latter, "the man is evidently carrying us further
+and further from Mary. For my part, I shall endeavor to ascertain the
+fate of the girl, if I die for it."</p>
+
+<p>All efforts of his friend to persuade him to keep on proved unavailing.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, one thing is sartin," said the old tar, "where you go, there,
+sir, Tom Turk, who never yet deserted a chum, goes too!"</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you," answered Glenville, squeezing the arm of his friend.</p>
+
+<p>Stepping to one side, and crouching in the shrubbery, Turk persuaded
+Harry to do the same.</p>
+
+<p>At this time, these two men were concealed from the savages by a high
+rock, round the angle of which they had passed.</p>
+
+<p>The natives, when they made the turn, believing that the two had kept
+on, continued the pursuit in a straight line, seeing the form of the
+strange guide, faintly visible in the far distance.</p>
+
+<p>When the savages had passed, making straight for the burning peak,
+Harry and his companion rose.</p>
+
+<p>"Which way now?" inquired Turk.</p>
+
+<p>"Towards the beach. There we may find Mary, either dead or alive, as
+there, it would seem, the greater number of the savages are gathered."</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly, they moved toward the beach, cautiously keeping in the
+shadow of the shrubbery, when they finally found themselves within
+about fifteen feet of a spot occupied by a dozen warriors, all of
+whom stood upright,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> their glances bent upon the steep sides of the
+volcanic cliff.</p>
+
+<p>"What is that?" inquired Harry, suddenly, trembling in every limb.</p>
+
+<p>"There are savages speeding up the cliff, and if I mistake not, I
+just saw the gleam of a light dress, as if the rascals were bearing a
+female between them."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," said Turk. "I saw it too, and it was sartinly a most
+melancholy sight."</p>
+
+<p>"That woman that we saw could of course be none other than Mary
+Manton," said Harry. "Come, we will at least die fighting for the
+girl."</p>
+
+<p>Before his friend could say a word, he was speeding along toward the
+cliff, still keeping in the shadow of the shrubbery, so that the
+natives could not see him.</p>
+
+<p>Now he and his companion eventually arrived at the base of the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>The natives in pursuit of the guide had, of course got there before
+them, and were now seen speeding up the steep ascent in hot pursuit of
+the strange man.</p>
+
+<p>"Come," said Harry; "come!"</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke, he sped straight up the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," muttered Turk, as he panted for breath, "this is hot work for
+sich old timbers as I be. The lad won't give me a chance to breathe.
+I may as well make up my mind to go to etarnity, the road to which
+is where we are now goin'; so I'll jist make one chaw of this plug,"
+pulling from his pocket a great piece of tobacco, the whole of which
+he at once thrust into his right cheek.</p>
+
+<p>On he went, until suddenly he uttered a loud cry, as Harry disappeared
+from his sight.</p>
+
+<p>Believing that the young man had fallen into some one of the deep
+chasms with which the cliff abounded, he hurried on, and was somewhat
+relieved to perceive that the object of his fears had merely fallen
+into a small rocky pit, with the exception of a few slight bruises,
+hurting himself but little.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Springing into the pit, the old tar assisted his prostrate friend to
+his feet.</p>
+
+<p>At the same moment, clapping his hand to his brow, and uttering a wild
+cry, the young man pointed far above him.</p>
+
+<p>Gazing in the indicated direction, Turk uttered a sort of despairing
+grunt, and sat down on a flat, protruding shelf of rock, as if
+completely overcome at the spectacle which now met his gaze.</p>
+
+<p>This spectacle, which has already been described, was none other
+than that of the young girl and Captain Brand, far above the
+two adventurers, distinctly revealed in the lurid gleam of the
+fire-spouting crater, being swung back and forth for a fling into the
+red-flaming jaw of the horrible chasm!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a><br /><br />
+
+THE FIRE-CHASM.</h2>
+
+
+<p>The fearful situation in which she now found herself was enough to
+appal a stouter hear than that of Mary Manton.</p>
+
+<p>Poor girl! after all the hardships she had undergone, to find herself
+about to meet such a frightful doom, was, indeed, a trying ordeal for
+her delicate nerves.</p>
+
+<p>Shriek after shriek passing her lips, mingled with the hoarsest cries
+of Captain Brand, and the triumphant screams of the savages, who,
+their forms and faces lighted by the volcanic fire, might well have
+been compared to the demons of the infernal regions!</p>
+
+<p>Twenty times at least, as if to torture them by the fearful suspense,
+the natives swung their victims before they made the final one to
+throw them into the yawning chasm!</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, Turk and his friend had started afresh, and were fast
+scaling the sides of the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>The mountain was now fairly reeling with the inner convulsions. The
+lava had swollen on one side to a broad stream, rushing, hissing and
+streaming down the side of the steep cliff.</p>
+
+<p>In fact the two men as they mounted, were constantly obliged to dodge
+to one side, to escape contact with some of the diverging rivulets.</p>
+
+<p>On they went, now tottering on the verge of some deep gorge, and now
+scaling a narrow passage between enormous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> rocks, which reeled as if
+about to fall upon and crush them.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the air was full of strange noises.</p>
+
+<p>Hissing, roaring and booming, the report of bursting deluges of fire
+came out from the bosom of the mountain.</p>
+
+<p>The fire spread fast&mdash;the sky itself seemed aflame with the warning of
+impending destruction.</p>
+
+<p>"This is sartinly the most excitin' moment in my life," said Turk, who
+now gasped at every step. "I'm afraid that even when we git up to the
+summit where that poor gal is, there won't be any strength left in my
+bones to help the poor creature!"</p>
+
+<p>"Come on!" answered Harry, in ringing tones. "On! on!"</p>
+
+<p>And on they went, scaling the burning mountain with almost incredible
+speed.</p>
+
+<p>At one time the view of the forms upon the summit was hidden by an
+intruding rock.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you see her, now?" Harry anxiously inquired.</p>
+
+<p>"No!" answered Turk, as he vainly endeavored to catch a glimpse of the
+fire-lighted forms.</p>
+
+<p>"Alas! It was a bad day for poor Mary, when she set out in search of
+her lost father," exclaimed Harry; "poor girl! brave girl!"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, and a wild-goose chase, it has proved so far, and will prove a
+wild-gooser before its over."</p>
+
+<p>Continuing on, the two men finally came to a point, where two paths,
+diverging between high rocks, met their gaze.</p>
+
+<p>They were undecided which of these to take.</p>
+
+<p>"My God! the girl will meet her fate, before we can get to her!"
+exclaimed Harry, as he dashed into the path on the right. "Come on,
+Turk! This path ascends and must be the right one, as the other seems
+to incline!"</p>
+
+<p>Turk shook his head.</p>
+
+<p>"P'raps you're right, and p'raps not!" he said. "If it hadn't been for
+them lava-streams, we might have kept<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> straight ahead, and been at the
+end of our cruise in more senses than one, before the present moment."</p>
+
+<p>The two kept on, but the further they went, the more puzzled they
+became, as the path they pursued soon led them among a perfect
+labyrinth of rocks, some of them overarched so that, with the
+exception of a lurid gleam of light, here and there, they were left in
+total darkness.</p>
+
+<p>The labyrinth became more difficult.</p>
+
+<p>Tangled bushes, vines, shrubs, and the roots of decayed trees impeded
+their way every moment.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the agony of the young man, searching hither and thither for
+some way out of his difficulty, was terrible. The sweat came out upon
+his brow, his veins seemed on fire with feverish excitement.</p>
+
+<p>He knew all the time he was thus searching that Mary's doom must soon
+be sealed, if already she had not been hurled into the whirlpool of
+fire!</p>
+
+<p>Turk also vainly exerted himself; but the more the two endeavored
+to find a way out of the labyrinth, the more hopelessly they became
+entangled.</p>
+
+<p>At length they found themselves at the mouth of a cavern. The floor
+of this cave seemed to extend downward, while far ahead of them, they
+beheld the fiery gleam of the volcano.</p>
+
+<p>"This is our way," shouted Turk. "Come, lad, come!"</p>
+
+<p>He dove into the cavern, followed by his friend, both believing that
+when they should arrive at the terminus of this sloping tunnel, they
+would find a way to the top of the cliff!</p>
+
+<p>Encouraged by this hope, Harry sped on with a swiftness, which soon
+carried him far beyond his friend.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes he had gained the further end of the cavern, when
+Turk heard his wild despairing cry ringing out like that of a wounded
+wolf.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment he was by the young man, who pointed upward.</p>
+
+<p>When Turk also perceived that they had made their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> way to this point,
+only to be aggravated by another sight of the tatooed forms of the
+savages and their intended victims, so far above them that they could
+not hope to reach the spot.</p>
+
+<p>In fact they now found themselves in one of those deep gorges, whose
+sides were too steep to be ascended, but which commanded a view of the
+raging fire.</p>
+
+<p>Yes, there was the girl and Brand, still being swung hither and
+thither that their torments might yet be prolonged.</p>
+
+<p>The sight almost drove Harry mad. He clenched his fists, and
+compressed his lips, as if, by the exertion of a strong will alone, he
+hoped to prevent the accomplishment of the fearful deed.</p>
+
+<p>As to Turk, he danced about in his excitement performing a sort of
+fantastic hornpipe, while all the time the tears streamed down his
+wrinkled cheeks.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," he moaned, "it is too bad. If I could lay down my life a
+thousand times for that poor gal, God knows I would willingly do it."</p>
+
+<p>The scream of the imperiled one now rang down the cliff penetrating
+the hearts of the two men like a knife.</p>
+
+<p>"Good God!" cried Harry; "oh, Turk! Turk! let us see if we cannot yet
+get to her, before the demons do their foul work."</p>
+
+<p>The increased thunder of the volcano seemed to mock his voice. The air
+and sky reddened by the lurid gleam, seemed filled with a crimson mist
+rolling in clouds round the swaying forms, and shrouding them from
+sight.</p>
+
+<p>As Harry spoke, Turk pressed his forehead against the rocky side of
+the gorge, while he pointed upward at the girl, whose hair, catching
+the red gleam, seemed another shower of fire.</p>
+
+<p>"No use, Harry. See, they are giving the last swing! I know by the
+voice of that native who has jist howled out the order."</p>
+
+<p>In fact so shrill and piercing and savage was the islander's cry that
+its import could not well be mistaken.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Like the croaking shriek of a ravenous sea-bird, it came grating down
+the sides of the rock.</p>
+
+<p>"My God! there she goes!" screamed Harry; "Mary! Mary!"</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a><br /><br />
+
+UNEXPECTED.</h2>
+
+
+<p>With that cry from Harry Glenville was mingled the despairing scream
+of the young girl.</p>
+
+<p>The two savages holding her, had swung her forward with great impetus
+to fling her into the red gulf, when a wild form suddenly came
+bounding forward from the summit of an overhanging rock, snatched the
+girl from their arms and made off with her with deer-like speed.</p>
+
+<p>To explain this, it must be remembered that the gaze of all the
+savages present, had been concentrated upon the two intended victims,
+so that they had known nothing of the approach of the intruder, who,
+it need scarcely be told, was the singular island guide.</p>
+
+<p>This person, probably from his greater familiarity with the mountain
+paths, had distanced his pursuers who, like Harry Glenville and Turk,
+soon became puzzled as to their course, and thus lost track of the
+fugitive.</p>
+
+<p>Coming upon the fearful scene near the fire chasm, the strong man had
+found it easy to leap from his position, snatch the girl from the
+already relaxed grasp of her tormentors, and make considerable headway
+before the natives could recover sufficiently from their surprise to
+start in pursuit.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>So astonished were all that the two who held Captain Brand, allowed
+the latter to disengage himself from their grasp and make off at a
+speed accelerated to almost incredible swiftness by his fears.</p>
+
+<p>The course taken by Brand led him at right angles with that followed
+by the stranger, so that the pursuers were obliged to separate.</p>
+
+<p>This separation gave the fugitives an advantage, especially the
+strange guide, who seemed familiar with every nook and corner of the
+mountain.</p>
+
+<p>On he went, seeming to carry his burden with a strength probably
+caused by some powerful excitement, although his gray hair, streaming
+back from under the broad leaf, partially concealing his face,
+proclaimed his advanced years.</p>
+
+<p>Finally, however, he began to stagger beneath his burden, which, it
+was evident, was too much for him.</p>
+
+<p>Seemingly bent, however, upon gaining some particular point, he kept
+on until he came to a small, dark hollow, between a number of jagged
+rocks, where he crawled therein.</p>
+
+<p>"Hist!" he muttered, as the young girl opened her mouth, apparently on
+the point of speaking. "Not a word! I have my money! money! money!" he
+added, in the same penetrating whisper, as he thrust his hand in his
+pocket and felt the jingling bag.</p>
+
+<p>The man had been mistaken about Mary's wishing to speak.</p>
+
+<p>The poor girl's eyes were closed, her cheek as white as marble. She
+had fainted at the moment when the natives were at the point of
+flinging her to her destruction.</p>
+
+<p>Seemingly unaware of this circumstance, her preserver, crouching down
+without again looking at her, listened intently, probably for the
+steps of his pursuers.</p>
+
+<p>These steps, drawing nearer, finally went past.</p>
+
+<p>The fugitive had served the natives a trick. Unseen by them, owing to
+an intruding point of rock, when he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> crawled into the small cave, they
+had passed him, believing he had gone on, far ahead.</p>
+
+<p>He waited full a quarter of an hour, then, emerging, continued on.</p>
+
+<p>At a place where two narrow paths diverged, he came upon Brand,
+crouching in the angle of a rock.</p>
+
+<p>Here the light was indistinct.</p>
+
+<p>"Who are you who have saved this girl?" inquired the captain, coming
+forward.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't question me," answered the other, "but help me with this girl."</p>
+
+<p>Brand started as suddenly. Then, recovering his self-possession,
+although trembling in every limb, he complied with the request.</p>
+
+<p>"My money&mdash;my money&mdash;ha! ha! I <em>have that</em> safe!" muttered the
+stranger, as they proceeded.</p>
+
+<p>"Your <em>what</em>?" gasped Brand, fairly turning as white as the senseless
+girl.</p>
+
+<p>"My money," was the answer&mdash;"all safe!"</p>
+
+<p>On they went, following a path which led them by the tunnel through
+which Harry and Turk had previously passed, from which they were
+emerging at this very moment.</p>
+
+<p>Brand started back.</p>
+
+<p>"You safe?" he exclaimed, staring at Harry, as if at a ghost.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay," answered the young man.</p>
+
+<p>Then he sprang to the side of the unconscious girl, peering down upon
+her still face.</p>
+
+<p>"Not dead! not dead!" he cried, wildly.</p>
+
+<p>Even as he spoke, the girl opened her eyes.</p>
+
+<p>In the faint light they gleamed like stars, as they fell upon her
+lover's face.</p>
+
+<p>"Harry!" she exclaimed.</p>
+
+<p>In an instant she was on her feet, supported by her friends until she
+had fully regained her balance.</p>
+
+<p>Then explanations followed.</p>
+
+<p>"And who, my friend, are you who have thus benefitted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> us?" inquired
+Harry, now turning to grasp the hand of the stranger.</p>
+
+<p>The latter, however, was nowhere to be seen.</p>
+
+<p>"That chap I should sartinly take for the devil, do you see, if it
+'twan't that I couldn't neither see his caudal cumpendage, nor account
+for his savin' the gal, which no devil, I take it, would have done."</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, words may not express the joy of the lovers at their
+reunion. Mary had firmly believed that Harry was dashed to pieces when
+Brand let go of the rope.</p>
+
+<p>Alluding to this, Turk now said:</p>
+
+<p>"How came you to do sich a trick, captain?"</p>
+
+<p>The latter turned aside his head, trembling like an aspen as he
+recalled to mind the apparition he had seen among the trees.</p>
+
+<p>"Accidents will happen," he said, in a husky voice.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," continued Turk, "now that we have so far got clear of them
+infarnal blackskins, I trust and hope that we may contrive to get away
+from the island without seein' 'em, or, at any rate, before we are
+swallowed up in fire!"</p>
+
+<p>At that moment, far ahead of them, they beheld the stranger, his face
+still screened by the broad leaf, beckoning to them.</p>
+
+<p>So he had not deserted them, after all.</p>
+
+<p>"We'd better follow him," said Turk, "as he seems to know every part
+of this island. To my thinkin', he'll get us out of this scrape, if
+it's possible to get out!"</p>
+
+<p>The advice was followed.</p>
+
+<p>The strange guide led the party along the narrow path with great
+celerity, until they finally arrived at the foot of the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>By this time the whole island presented an appearance at once, wild
+and fearful.</p>
+
+<p>The showers of fire from the mountain were increased ten-fold; the
+island rocked like a cradle. Every part of it seemed lighted with a
+ghastly radiance. A red mist hovered over it rolling along, volume
+upon volume.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Near the beach the water was seen breaking into thousands of bubbles,
+while further beyond it was dashed to a foam.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the noises of shock following shock were become terrific.</p>
+
+<p>A whole pack of artillery seemed to burst and boom, volley upon
+volley, beneath the quaking soil!</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly there was a shock as of many thunderbolts, from the direction
+of the mountain, which was now seen split, apparently from top to
+bottom, into a great chasm, from which in great quantities burst forth
+streams of lava and long forked tongues of lurid flame.</p>
+
+<p>The island was now as light as day. Far and near objects could be
+plainly distinguished, while overhead showers of flying sparks almost
+obscured the sky!</p>
+
+<p>In the red glare, the forms of savages were now seen making all haste
+to descend the tottering cliff!</p>
+
+<p>Appalled by the impending fate of the island, all the natives who had
+been left below, were seen at a distance beckoning to their companions
+to make haste.</p>
+
+<p>The white people now were nearer the canoe than the savages themselves.</p>
+
+<p>"Come!" screamed the guide, as he made towards the light vessel.
+"Come!"</p>
+
+<p>He beckoned, as he spoke, to the young girl and the seamen, all of
+whom made haste to follow him.</p>
+
+<p>The savages below, now, for the first time, caught sight of the white
+party, and made for them with great swiftness, yelling and brandishing
+their spears.</p>
+
+<p>"There's sartinly no time to lose," exclaimed Turk, as he assisted his
+friend to help Mary along; "if them blackskins get at us now, they'll
+make sure work of it by pinning us to the ground."</p>
+
+<p>The party hurried on.</p>
+
+<p>They reached the canoe, while the islanders were yet forty yards
+distant, when, springing in, all the men seized paddles and went to
+work.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Spear after spear was hurled at them before they had gone more than a
+few fathoms from the beach.</p>
+
+<p>One of these missiles severed a lock from Mary's head, another grazed
+the shoulder of her lover.</p>
+
+<p>"Quick!" shrieked Turk, "if we don't get away from here in a minute,
+we'll all be swallered in fire and water!"</p>
+
+<p>This, in fact, seemed evident. The bubbles increased on the surface.
+The surges rolled wildly, swaying hither and thither&mdash;the booming
+thunder underground was become deafening.</p>
+
+<p>Glancing towards the islanders, these unfortunates were seen running
+towards the raft, and then flocking up on it with all possible
+dispatch, while filling the air with dismal, howling cries.</p>
+
+<p>"God help the poor wretches!" cried Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"Paddle ahead, paddle for life!" screamed Turk, as the cliff, with a
+din as if the very earth were being rent in twain, tumbled to pieces,
+rock upon rock, apparently drowned in a sea of fire, amid which the
+forms of the doomed natives on the cliff were also seen to disappear.
+Sky air and sea looked as if aflame.</p>
+
+<p>The whole universe seemed to rock and tremble.</p>
+
+<p>The crimson waves rose high around the frail canoe; while the raft
+nearer to the beach, was at once engulphed with its living freight.</p>
+
+<p>"God help us!" cried Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"We are lost!" shouted Brand, shutting out the fearful aspect of sea
+and heaven, by putting a hand to his eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Hush!" said Harry, sternly, "I trust we may escape."</p>
+
+<p>All round the island the waves were now seen trembling in great
+colliding, clashing walls of hissing boiling water.</p>
+
+<p>From these walls streams of fire, like lightning flashes, shot
+continually upward.</p>
+
+<p>The air was still full of flying sparks, and of lava stones which
+dropped in showers into the water.</p>
+
+<p>For full half an hour the commotion continued, when,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> suddenly, the
+doomed island disappeared forever, while the agitated waves continued
+to bubble and boil long afterwards, over the spot where it had existed.</p>
+
+<p>Gradually the fearful red lustre of sky and sea died away. A gloom,
+appalling from its strange suddenness, fell upon the sea.</p>
+
+<p>The canoe with its occupants floated in darkness upon the agitated
+waters.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a><br /><br />
+
+CONCLUSION.</h2>
+
+
+<p>The men in the canoe continued paddling ahead. There was no sleep for
+any of the occupants during that night.</p>
+
+<p>When daylight stole upon the sea they looked toward the spot, far
+astern, where the island had been but where there was nothing now to
+mark the spot except a mass of agitated waters, gradually subsiding.</p>
+
+<p>Straight and tall, at the stern of the canoe, sat the stranger guide,
+he whose features had previously been hidden and the breadfruit leaf,
+now thrust aside.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, who had been gazing toward the place he occupied, ever since
+the day began to break, now was visibly agitated. He trembled all
+over, while his face was perfectly ghastly.</p>
+
+<p>As the light increased, and the stranger's features became yet more
+distinct, the captain uttered a wild cry, and while his eyes rolled
+wildly in his head, sat as if transfixed to his thwart still gazing
+upon the man before him.</p>
+
+<p>A moment he remained thus, then fell senseless upon his face.</p>
+
+<p>Mary, who had hitherto been gazing away toward the west, turned at the
+cry Brand uttered, and seemed for a moment, like one spellbound as her
+gaze fell upon the stranger's face.</p>
+
+<p>Then her eyes lighted up her whole countenance a gleam with joy.</p>
+
+<p>"My father!" she exclaimed, "father! father! Oh! thank God, I have
+found him at last!"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Stretching forth her arms, she moved towards the guide, who, however,
+still sat looking at her half wonderingly and half pityingly, without
+seeming to recognize her.</p>
+
+<p>Mary, however, knew him well. She could not mistake those familiar
+features, and the fact of his not seeming to recognize her, seemed to
+inspire her with the deepest grief.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, papa! papa! Look! behold! Here is your daughter! I am Mary, papa!
+Don't you know me?"</p>
+
+<p>An expression of partial intelligence came to the man's eyes, then
+passed like a gleam of sunlight obliterated by the shadow of a cloud.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, now!" exclaimed Tom Turk as he gazed at the man, "this is too
+bad! I know ye well enough as the passenger once aboard the <em>Maxwell</em>,
+and who was supposed to be lost; the father of this lass. It's mighty
+strange you don't know your own child."</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Manton," exclaimed Harry, stepping forward, and grasping the hand
+of him he addressed, "this is a great, great pleasure! Thank God we
+have found you at last, alive and well! Do not, I beg of you, afflict
+your daughter longer by playing off this joke upon her!"</p>
+
+<p>"Joke! joke!" said Mr. Manton, running a hand through his gray hair
+and looking up in a bewildered manner, "I don't understand you! Ha!
+ha! it's all safe, my money!" he added, "all safe! safe!"</p>
+
+<p>Harry looked sorrowfully at the speaker.</p>
+
+<p>Glances of intelligence were exchanged between him and Turk.</p>
+
+<p>Even Mary could no longer doubt the fearful truth, which had gradually
+been forcing itself upon her mind.</p>
+
+<p>Her father was insane!</p>
+
+<p>She flung herself at his feet&mdash;she grasped both his hands, and kissed
+them again and again&mdash;then burst into tears, sobbing as if her heart
+would break, at the vacant stare, which was the only response to her
+manifestations.</p>
+
+<p>Harry endeavored to soothe her.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I am confident," said he, "that your father is not a confirmed
+lunatic. He may be restored to his reason, if care be taken. I have
+seen worse cases than this cured."</p>
+
+<p>So excited were Harry and his friends over the discovery they had
+made, that, although the singular emotion of Brand had not escaped
+their attention, yet they had not noticed his being unconscious.</p>
+
+<p>Now, however, Turk perceived it.</p>
+
+<p>"A strange affair, this," said he; "had old Nick himself come to claim
+the captain, he couldn't have acted queerer than he has at the sight
+of Mr. Manton!"</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes, the captain recovered, staring wildly around him,
+until his eye was caught by the spectacle of the old man astern, when
+he started back with an affrighted cry.</p>
+
+<p>"It is real flesh and blood, then," he exclaimed.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, of course, Cap," answered Turk, "you don't suppose, I hope,
+that we'd take a ghost passenger!"</p>
+
+<p>"Real flesh and blood," continued Brand, an expression of relief
+passing over his face, as he noticed the vacant stare of Mr. Manton,
+showing that the latter did not recognize him. "I am glad of it&mdash;ay,
+very glad. So he was not lost overboard, after all!"</p>
+
+<p>"It seems not!" said Turk; "but I shouldn't have thought the discovery
+would have set you off into a faintin' fit?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, you see," said Brand, with a forced laugh, "the fact is I am a
+little superstitious&mdash;always was!"</p>
+
+<p>This explanation hardly seemed to satisfy the old sailor, who shook
+his head without saying a word.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, the canoe, still urged along by Turk's paddle, was gliding
+through the blue waters, now just beginning to catch the tinge of the
+coming sunlight.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly the old sailor, who had long been gazing far away towards the
+west, sprung to his feet, screaming out! "Sail O!" with all his might.</p>
+
+<p>"It's the same craft I saw t'other night from the cliff!" said he; "I
+didn't say anything about it, as I wasn't sure<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> it was a sail in the
+imperfect light, and didn't want to awake false hopes."</p>
+
+<p>Harry Glenville now seizing his paddle, assisted Turk.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile Brand, with an old handkerchief, continued to raise a
+signal, which it was soon evident, was seen by the vessel.</p>
+
+<p>Previously standing away towards the southward, she now was seen to
+come 'round, bowling along, close hauled towards the canoe.</p>
+
+<p>This at last was reached, and the occupants picked up, to learn they
+were aboard the ship <em>Empire</em>, of New York, homeward bound.</p>
+
+<p>Every kind attention was bestowed upon the castaways, who, on their
+arrival home, a few months after, published a letter of thanks to the
+good skipper.</p>
+
+<p>Mary took her father to a little cottage she occupied with an aunt.</p>
+
+<p>A celebrated physician, accustomed to lunatic cases was called.</p>
+
+<p>He pronounced Mr. Manton's case, a curable one, and, in the course of
+a year proved it so, by restoring the old man fully to his reason.</p>
+
+<p>Words may not express the joy of Mary, who had awaited this happy
+moment to become the wife of Harry Glenville.</p>
+
+<p>The old man was present at the wedding, in which he took the interest
+natural to the father of the bride.</p>
+
+<p>On the very night of the ceremony, the old man, who had not previously
+touched upon that 'dark affair' aboard the <em>Maxwell</em>, was able to
+reveal events, so as to go into a full explanation.</p>
+
+<p>He stated that, after being knocked overboard by Brand, he threw out
+his arms, clutching the plank which had fallen with him, and which,
+thanks to his being a good swimmer and to a favorable current, enabled
+him to drift down upon the volcanic island.</p>
+
+<p>The hardship and excitement undergone, however, that night, so worked
+upon his brain, that he was affected with a fever which lasted a
+couple of days.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>After that all was a blank to Mr. Manton. He could not remember what
+took place from that time to the present.</p>
+
+<p>Although insane, however, the man's instinct, or some other cause, had
+prompted him to stow his money away in the hollow tree.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," said Harry, "it was evidently to obtain your money that that
+wretch Brand threw you overboard!"</p>
+
+<p>"Of course," answered Manton. "But the rascal was nicely foiled, for,
+as it happened, it was always my custom, when I stepped on deck to put
+my money in the canvas bag, and thrust it into my pocket!</p>
+
+<p>"This carefulness of mine may be understood, when I inform you that I
+intended every cent of that money for my darling child, to whom I now
+present it with great joy at being able to place her above want during
+her lifetime!"</p>
+
+<p>We have little to add.</p>
+
+<p>After Manton's explanation, Brand was sought for, but could not be
+found, as he had cleared off to parts unknown.</p>
+
+<p>He was never again heard of, if we except a rumor, that he had been
+lost at sea!</p>
+
+<p>Tom Turk was favorably recommended to the ship owners by Harry
+Glenville, who was thus enabled to procure him a vessel.</p>
+
+<p>The old fellow followed the sea until he was seventy years of age,
+when he settled down in an old cottage on the outskirts of New York,
+within a mile of the residence of Harry Glenville and his beautiful
+bride.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Manton still lives; in fact his native air has seemed to agree
+with him. He is nearly as straight as ever, while, in spite of his
+gray hairs, his cheek glows with the ruddy hue of health!</p>
+
+<p>Often on still summer nights, with his grandchildren at his knee, he
+relates the story of the wicked Brand, who, for his many crimes, and
+especially for his dark attempt to take a human life, was long spoken
+of by sea men as the Demon Cruiser.</p>
+
+
+<p class="center">THE END.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="full" />
+<h2><a name="BEADLES_FRONTIER_SERIES" id="BEADLES_FRONTIER_SERIES">BEADLE'S FRONTIER SERIES</a></h2>
+
+
+<ul class="list">
+<li class="ifrst">1. The Shawnee's Foe.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">2. The Young Mountaineer.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">3. Wild Jim.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">4. Hawk-Eye, the Hunter.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">5. The Boy Guide.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">6. War Tiger of the Modocs.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">7. The Red Modocs.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">8. Iron Hand.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">9. Shadow Bill, the Scout.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">10. Wapawkaneta, or the Rangers of the Oneida.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">11. Davy Crockett's Boy Hunter.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">12. The Forest Avenger.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">13. Old Jack's Frontier Cabin.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">14. On the Deep.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">15. Sharp Snout.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">16. The Mountain Demon.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">17. Wild Tom of Wyoming.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">18. The Brave Boy Hunters of Kentucky.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">19. The Fearless Ranger.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">20. The Haunted Trapper.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">21. Madman of the Colorado.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">22. The Panther Demon.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">23. Slashaway, the Fearless.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">24. Pine Tree Jack.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">25. Indian Jim.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">26. Navajo Nick.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">27. The Tuscarora's Vow.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">28. Deadwood Dick, Jr.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">29. A New York Boy Among the Indians.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">30. Deadwood Dick's Big Deal.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">31. Hank, the Guide.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">32. Deadwood Dick's Dozen.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">33. Squatty Dick.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">34. The Hunter's Secret.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">35. The Woman Trapper.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">36. The Chief of the Miami.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">37. Gunpowder Jim.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">38. Mad Anthony's Captain.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">39. The Ranger Boy's Career.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">40. Old Nick of the Swamp.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">41. The Shadow Scout.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">42. Lantern-Jawed Bob.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">43. The Masked Hunter.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">44. Brimstone Jake.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">45. The Irish Hunter.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">46. Dave Bunker.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">47. The Shawnee Witch.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">48. Big Brave.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">49. Spider-Legs.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">50. Harry Hardskull.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">51. Madman of the Oconto.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">52. Slim Jim.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">53. Tiger-Eye.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">54. The Red Star of the Seminoles.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">55. Trapper Joe.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">56. The Indian Queen's Revenge.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">57. Eagle-Eyed Zeke.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">58. Scar-Cheek, the Wild Half-Breed.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">59. Red Men of the Woods.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">60. Tuscaloosa Sam.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">61. The Bully of the Woods.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">62. The Trapper's Bride.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">63. Red Rattlesnake, The Pawnee.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">64. The Scout of Tippecanoe.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">65. Old Kit, The Scout.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">66. The Boy Scouts.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">67. Hiding Tom.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">68. Roving Dick, Hunter.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">69. Hickory Jack.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">70. Mad Mike.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">71. Snake-Eye.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">72. Big-Hearted Joe.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">73. The Blazing Arrow.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">74. The Hunter Scouts.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">75. The Scout of Long Island.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">76. Turkey-Foot.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">77. The Death Rangers.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">78. Bullet Head.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">79. The Indian Spirit.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">80. The Twin Trappers.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">81. Lightfoot the Scout.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">82. Grim Dick.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">83. The Wooden-Legged Spy.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">84. The Silent Trapper.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">85. Ugly Ike.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">86. Fire Cloud.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">87. Hank Jasper.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">88. The Scout of the Sciota.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">89. Black Samson.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">90. Billy Bowlegs.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">91. The Bloody Footprint.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">92. Marksman the Hunter.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">93. The Demon Cruiser.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">94. Hunters and Redskins.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">95. Panther Jack.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">96. Old Zeke.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">97. The Panther Paleface.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">98. The Scout of the St. Lawrence.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">99. Bloody Brook.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">100. Long Bob of Kentucky.</li>
+</ul>
+
+<p class="center"><small>THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. Cleveland. U. S. A.</small></p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="full" />
+<p class="transnote"><b>Transcriber's Notes</b><br /><br />
+
+
+The Table of Contents has been added by the transcriber and it is
+placed in the public domain. Minor punctuation errors have been
+silently corrected.<br /><br />
+
+Page <a href="#Page_12">12</a>: Changed "birth" to "berth."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: He went back to his birth, not to sleep,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_19">19</a>: Changed "Sidney," to "Sydney."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: visit some of them before going into Sidney.")</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_21">21</a>: Changed "steped" to "stepped."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Then he steped to the captain's side,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_23">23</a>: Retained "claining," but possibly meant "clinging."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Vainly Brand, claining to a rope near the mizzenmast,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_23">23</a>: Changed "sevaral" to "several."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: a violence which threw sevaral men off the yard)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_25">25</a>: Retained "dextrious", but probably meant "dexterous."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: the old fellow by a dextrious movement,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_30">30</a>: Changed "swarm" to "swam."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: He swarm to a spar near him, and, with the ropes)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_38">38</a>: Changed "accomodation" to "accommodation."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: one for the accomodation of the men,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_40">40</a>: Changed "apparrently" to "apparently."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: were audible, apparrently approaching the hut!)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_42">42</a>: Retained "from," but probably meant "for."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Harry now sprang from the raft.)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_47">47</a>: Changed "ripling" to "rippling."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Away it went, ripling the water,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_53">53</a>: Changed "rock," to "rocks."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: firmly wedged in between two rock,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_55">55</a>: Changed "strangly" to "strangely."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: staring eyes, were fixed strangly upon the captain.)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_59">59</a>: Changed "decending" to "descending."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: apparently decending towards him with great rapidity.)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_59">59</a>: Changed "aditional" to "additional."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: with the fall of aditional lava occurred,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_62">62</a>: Changed "in" to "is."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">("This in dang'rous traveling," remarked Turk,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_63">63</a>: Removed duplicate "it."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: the drowned passenger as it it was hastily withdrawn!)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_68">68</a>: Changed "rembered" to "remembered."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: bewildered, she soon rembered all.)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_68">68</a>: Changed "headed" to "heeded."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: The natives headed not her sufferings.)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_69">69</a>: Changed "superstious" to "superstitious."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: The superstious natives are prone to believe weird stories,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_69">69</a>: Changed "eat" to "ate."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Brand eat heartily, but poor Mary, almost maddened)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_70">70</a>: Changed "evntually" to "eventually."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: all possible dispatch, evntually pausing upon a lofty spire,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_70">70</a>: Changed "hight" to "height."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: This spur, rising to a hight of about forty feet)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_73">73</a>: Changed "peal" to "peel."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: strips of which were already beginning to peal off.)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_73">73</a>: "salle" for "sally," is best guess for unclear word,
+meaning to rush out, assault.<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: do anything in a hurry, which do you see, will salle all.")</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_78">78</a>: Changed "conditon" to "condition."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: "Name that ere conditon of yours then, quick!")</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_85">85</a>: Retained "hear" typo, but possibly "heart" or "head."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: was enough to appal a stouter hear than that of Mary)</span><br />
+</p>
+
+<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 50723 ***</div>
+</body>
+</html>
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+      The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Demon Cruiser, by R. L. Wheeler.
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+
+<pre>
+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Demon Cruiser, by R. L. Wheeler
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
+other parts of the world 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.  If you are not located in the United States, you'll have
+to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.
+
+Title: The Demon Cruiser
+
+Author: R. L. Wheeler
+
+Release Date: December 20, 2015 [EBook #50723]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DEMON CRUISER ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Greg Weeks, Diane Monico, and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 599px;">
+<img src="images/cover.jpg" width="599" height="800" alt="cover" />
+</div>
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h1>
+THE DEMON CRUISER.</h1>
+
+<p class="ph3">BY</p>
+<p class="ph2">R. L. WHEELER.</p>
+<hr class="r5" />
+<p class="ph4"><em>Copyright, 1909, by James Sullivan.</em><br />
+<em>All Rights Reserved.</em></p>
+<hr class="r5" />
+
+<p class="ph3">Published by<br />
+THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK COMPANY<br />
+Cleveland, Ohio, U. S. A.
+</p>
+
+<p class="center"><small>(Printed in the United States of America)</small></p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a id="TABLE_OF_CONTENTS">TABLE OF CONTENTS</a></h2>
+
+
+<div class="center">
+<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="toc">
+<tr><td align="left">CHAPTER</td><td align="right" colspan="2">PAGE</td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">I.</td><td align="left">A Dark Deed</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">II.</td><td align="left">The Box</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_14">14</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">III.</td><td align="right" colspan="2"><a href="#Page_19">19</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">IV.</td><td align="left">Lashed and Adrift</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_25">25</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">V.</td><td align="left">The Island</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_30">30</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">VI.</td><td align="left">The Vision</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_36">36</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">VII.</td><td align="left">The Attack</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">40</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">VIII.</td><td align="left">Drifting On</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_46">46</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">IX.</td><td align="left">Driven Away</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">50</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">X.</td><td align="left">Haunted</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">55</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XI.</td><td align="left">On the Ledge</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_61">61</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XII.</td><td align="left">Captured</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">65</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XIII.</td><td align="left">Walled In</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_71">71</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XIV.</td><td align="left">In the Tree</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_75">75</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XV.</td><td align="left">Out of the Tree</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_80">80</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XVI.</td><td align="left">The Fire-Chasm</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_85">85</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XVII.</td><td align="left">Unexpected</td><td align="right"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">89</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td align="right">XVIII.</td><td align="left">Conclusion</td><td align="right"><a href="#Page_96">96</a></td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="THE_DEMON_CRUISER" id="THE_DEMON_CRUISER"><big>THE DEMON CRUISER.</big></a></h2>
+
+
+
+<hr class="r5" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a><br /><br />
+
+A DARK DEED.</h2>
+
+
+<p>The ship <em>Maxwell</em>, Captain Roberts, homeward bound from Australia to
+New York, was bowling along upon her course under full sail.</p>
+
+<p>It was a dark night, unrelieved save by the phosphor gleam of the seas
+around the vessel, and the light of the two lanterns hung up in the
+fore and mizzen rigging.</p>
+
+<p>The <em>Maxwell</em> had one passenger&mdash;a gentleman named William Manton,
+who, having accumulated a fortune at Australia, was now returning
+to the United States, where his wife had died during his absence,
+but where he expected to find his daughter, Mary, and a young man of
+nineteen years old, living with an aunt in New York.</p>
+
+<p>In an iron box the passenger carried his fortune&mdash;gold pieces,
+amounting in all to five hundred thousand dollars.</p>
+
+<p>He kept the box locked up in his chest, which was provided with a
+patent lock, so arranged that it could not possibly be opened without
+a great deal of noise.</p>
+
+<p>Occasionally Mr. Manton would go to this chest, and, taking out his
+money, look at it to see that all was safe. He was by no means either
+greedy or miserly; but he felt very anxious and careful about this
+money intended for his beloved child. That his death was not many
+years distant, he felt sure, as he had long suffered from an incurable
+complaint of the liver.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>This might be detected now in his sallow skin, sunken cheeks, and
+hollow eyes, as in his room he bent over his box&mdash;counting the bright,
+yellow pieces of gold.</p>
+
+<p>In every other respect, Mr. Manton was a fine looking old gentleman,
+being broad-shouldered and strong, with long arms, erect form, and
+piercing glance.</p>
+
+<p>There was upon his face, at present, a look of intense satisfaction,
+as coin after coin, in hard, shining pieces passed through his hands.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay," he muttered at length, "my girl will never be poor!"</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke, a sudden chill passed through the old man's frame; a
+shudder as if an ice-bolt had come in contact with his body.</p>
+
+<p>He could not divine the cause; but, had he taken pains to glance
+quickly behind him, up at a small opening in his door, he would have
+known that it was the magnetism of the pair of evil-looking eyes there
+which had chilled his blood.</p>
+
+<p>The eyes belonged to a rough, square, dark-skinned face, the owner of
+which was the third mate, Mr. Brand&mdash;a man of Portuguese extraction,
+whom the captain had shipped at Australia, to take the place of his
+other third officer, lost overboard in a gale.</p>
+
+<p>Brand was an excellent sailor, but a reckless, good-for-nothing fellow
+at heart; a cruel, bloody-thirsty wretch, who had committed almost
+every crime one can imagine, except murder!</p>
+
+<p>Still it was evident the man had a conscience, as he would sometimes
+get to thinking of the evil course he had pursued, and resolve to
+reform.</p>
+
+<p>Alas! for reformation! rum was his God, and in this he would soon
+drown all his better feelings, and keep getting worse and hardened
+until he grew to be a perfect devil!</p>
+
+<p>Captain Roberts had known nothing of this when he shipped the third
+mate, who could play the hypocrite to perfection when he pleased.
+The fellow drank his rum<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> in the privacy of his own apartment, and
+took good care never to appear on deck intoxicated, for Roberts was
+a stern, resolute, temperate man, who would never have forgiven his
+second officer for being drunk on duty.</p>
+
+<p>It was now Brand's watch below. In his apartment he had heard the
+click of Mr. Manton's chest-lock; a noise which had saluted his ears,
+since leaving Australia more than once. Determined to ascertain the
+cause, he had emerged from his room in his stocking feet, and made his
+way to Manton's door as shown.</p>
+
+<p>As he watched the old man counting his money; as he saw the glitter of
+those bright pieces, his mouth fairly watered, and a fearful purpose
+began to gather strength at his heart.</p>
+
+<p>Having seen Manton return the little box to his chest, the third mate
+stole back to his berth, and lay a long time awake, endeavoring to
+plan a scheme for obtaining the money.</p>
+
+<p>"Wouldn't like to take the old gent's life," he muttered; "and
+won't&mdash;no I won't; for bad as Dick Brand is, he has never yet
+murdered."</p>
+
+<p>The more he thought, however, the less fearful became the idea of
+murder.</p>
+
+<p>The gold&mdash;the broad glittering pieces of bright gold, threw a glimmer
+over the dark suggestion creeping into and gaining force over his mind!</p>
+
+<p>Clink! clink! clink!</p>
+
+<p>He imagined he could still hear the noise of the pieces lightly
+striking against each other, as when the old man counted them!</p>
+
+<p>The sweat came out upon his brow; he felt feverish and restless to
+commence the work now, to at once possess himself by a bold stroke, of
+the treasure!</p>
+
+<p>There were no persons in the cabin but Mr. Manton, himself, and the
+steward, the captain, with the first and second officers being on
+deck, and not apt to come below until two bells&mdash;ten o'clock, which
+was yet an hour distant. The steward slept away off at the further end
+of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> the cabin, and being a sound sleeper, there was no danger of his
+waking from any noise less than that of a thunderbolt.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, however, to make sure, now rose, and going to the steward's
+door listened intently, when the heavy breathing of the man convinced
+him that his present slumber was no exception to the rule.</p>
+
+<p>In the middle of the state-room the dark schemer paused, glancing up
+at the companionway. The spray occasionally entering this in drops,
+would give him an excuse for closing the slide, so that he could hear
+if any person should attempt to enter during the performance of his
+fearful work.</p>
+
+<p>Then Brand asked himself what he should do after committing the deed.</p>
+
+<p>Investigation would follow, and there were many ways in which he might
+be discovered.</p>
+
+<p>"Curses upon it! I had not thought of that," muttered the wretch,
+fairly grinding his teeth.</p>
+
+<p>He went back to his berth, not to sleep, but to endeavor to plan a
+safer scheme!</p>
+
+<p>It seemed as if the evil one favored him!</p>
+
+<p>At six bells&mdash;two hours after ten o'clock&mdash;while the captain and first
+mate slept profoundly in their respective apartments, adjoining the
+steward's, Brand heard a noise, and cautiously peering through his
+door saw Mr. Manton, half dressed, about to go on deck, as was often
+his custom, to take a mouthful of fresh air.</p>
+
+<p>He locked his door carefully after him; then ascended the companion.</p>
+
+<p>Brand waited a few minutes, then one moment exulting, and the next
+shuddering at the thought of the deed contemplated, he cautiously made
+his way on deck.</p>
+
+<p>The rascal had carefully considered the purpose in view. He felt
+certain that no man aboard but himself, knew of the fortune carried by
+Mr. Manton in his chest. The passenger was not at all communicative,
+while the captain and his first and second officers were. Therefore,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span>
+had they known of the box of money, they would have talked enough
+about it for all hands to become in a short time, posted on the
+subject.</p>
+
+<p>Brand's first step, on reaching the deck, was to ascertain the
+relative position of the officer of the watch, the passenger and the
+man at the wheel.</p>
+
+<p>The latter, located near the steerage, was looking sharply at the
+compass, as it was his duty to do, while the officer of the watch had
+gone amidships, where he stood leaning over the rail, evidently in a
+reverie. As to the passenger, he had moved far off, and was leaning
+across the bulwarks astern, the better to get the benefit of the fresh
+breeze then blowing square into his face.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, then," thought Brand, drawing from his breast pocket a small,
+sharp dirk.</p>
+
+<p>Noiselessly as a snake, he stole behind the passenger, then, starting
+up and throwing a quick glance round him to make sure that everything
+was still favorable, he drew off to stab Mr. Manton in the back.</p>
+
+<p>Chance willed that the latter should turn at this critical instant.</p>
+
+<p>Involuntarily he seized the ruffian's wrist, and being a resolute man,
+grappled him by the throat with the other hand.</p>
+
+<p>Fearful that the man would sing out, which he certainly would have
+done at once but for a cold lately contracted in the throat, Brand
+suddenly pressed this whole tremendous weight against the passenger,
+throwing him backward head over heels across the bulwarks into the sea.</p>
+
+<p>A splash&mdash;a gurgling cry&mdash;a hand thrown up above the dark water!</p>
+
+<p>Then no sound was to be heard save the ordinary noises of a vessel
+booming along with the wind and waves roaring, and yards, masts and
+timbers creaking.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a><br /><br />
+
+THE BOX.</h2>
+
+
+<p>After committing this dark deed, Brand, crouching in the shadow of the
+bulwarks, waited to make sure that the splash had not been heard by
+any other than himself.</p>
+
+<p>Assured of this in a few moments, the third officer crawled back to
+the companionway and descended as cautiously as he had come.</p>
+
+<p>Entering the state room, he made his way to Manton's door, determined
+as soon as possible, to possess himself of the treasure.</p>
+
+<p>Procuring a bunch of skeleton keys, which he always carried with him,
+he endeavored to unlock the door.</p>
+
+<p>Vain the effort; not one of the keys would answer.</p>
+
+<p>The rascal then drew forth his penknife, and with some trouble
+contrived at last to pick the lock.</p>
+
+<p>Entering and carefully shutting the door, he advanced to the chest,
+which he soon opened with the key belonging to it, found hanging up
+near the head of the berth Manton had occupied.</p>
+
+<p>He drew forth the box, his eyes snapping with greed, his fingers
+itching to handle the glittering contents. The box was heavy, being
+made of iron and rather large, measuring about a foot in breadth and
+length.</p>
+
+<p>An exultant grin crossed the man's face, giving to it an expression
+perfectly hideous, as, carefully closing the chest and locking it, he
+made his way back to his own apartment with the treasure box.</p>
+
+<p>Arrived there, he held the box up before him, and examined it on all
+sides, but could discover no way to open it.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," he muttered, "I see how it is. The box has a secret spring,
+which I must find before I can get at the treasure. A blasted fine way
+of savin' money. I'd like to feast my eyes upon them shiners again,
+but guess I'll wait until I get housed before I do so, as one never
+knows who be a-watchin' him, and my bein' discovered a-counting these
+pieces, might lead to unpleasant questioning."</p>
+
+<p>He deposited the box in his own chest, upon which he sat down, after
+locking it.</p>
+
+<p>He had obtained what he coveted, but somehow it did not bring him the
+expected satisfaction.</p>
+
+<p>The gurgling cry of Mr. Manton kept sounding in his ears with a
+pertinacity truly appalling! The weird eyes of the man, gleaming and
+rolling in his head, also haunted the fellow's mind!</p>
+
+<p>He rose, sat down again&mdash;then rose a second time, and threw himself
+upon his berth, trying to sleep.</p>
+
+<p>After awhile he fell into a feverish slumber, and dreamed he saw the
+drowned victim come up, looking white and cadaverous, with clothes and
+hair dripping, hanging suspended right over his head!</p>
+
+<p>In his terror he uttered a hoarse shriek, which not only waked him,
+but also the captain, who came rushing to his door, asking him what
+was the matter:</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing&mdash;a nightmare I s'pose!" answered Brand, with a forced laugh.</p>
+
+<p>The captain, satisfied, returned to his berth and slept again.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, however, could not sleep. He was on deck before morning, when,
+with an involuntary shudder, he glanced astern, through the flying
+rack and scud of a gale which was rising.</p>
+
+<p>Far in the distance he then beheld a bright light&mdash;a red, lurid glare,
+apparently shooting up from the sea.</p>
+
+<p>It was a volcano, which for years had not burned, but was breaking out
+afresh on one of the Esmedura Islands.</p>
+
+<p>Brand thought it was a ship on fire.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"We'd better veer round, then," remarked the officer of the watch.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, no!" Brand exclaimed, involuntarily.</p>
+
+<p>The vision of Manton's dead body, which might be discovered floating
+upon the water, rose before his mind.</p>
+
+<p>The second officer informed the captain about the light, when, using
+his night-glass, the skipper soon ascertained and explained the cause
+of the fire.</p>
+
+<p>Brand breathed a sigh of relief.</p>
+
+<p>When morning came, Manton was missed at breakfast. Having always found
+him punctual, the captain was alarmed. He went to the room and opened
+the door when no answer was returned to his summons, to find the old
+man missing.</p>
+
+<p>Search was made&mdash;of course in vain&mdash;Brand apparently the most zealous
+of all in his efforts to find the missing one.</p>
+
+<p>"He's gone, shipmates, it's my opinion, where's neither weepin' nor
+whaling," said a voice behind Brand, while he was looking in the hold.</p>
+
+<p>The third officer turned to behold Tom Turk, a queer old tar, with
+enormous head and body, and short, thick legs.</p>
+
+<p>Brand looked at him, keenly.</p>
+
+<p>"What did you say?" he inquired, sharply.</p>
+
+<p>"It's plain English, ain't it?" said Turk, rolling his quid round and
+round: "there's neither weepin nor whalin' in t'other land. The old
+man to my thinkin', was a good sort o' chap what has gone, sir, where
+p'raps neither you nor I will go, sir, seein' as we've our bad p'ints!"</p>
+
+<p>Brand eyed the speaker steadily, and was satisfied that he knew
+nothing of the dark deed committed.</p>
+
+<p>Meantime the search was continued, until it was concluded that the old
+man, whose habit of rousing up at eight was well known, had fallen
+overboard.</p>
+
+<p>Several months later the vessel arrived at New York Harbor.</p>
+
+<p>Scarcely was she anchored when a boat containing, besides<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> the rowers,
+a female and a young man, was seen pulling towards her.</p>
+
+<p>The boat was soon alongside, when the young man&mdash;a tall, fine looking
+fellow, sprang out to assist the lady at up the gangway. She was a
+beautiful girl, with brown hair flowing in curls over her shoulders, a
+white rose-tinted skin, large, intelligent blue eyes and a form full
+rounded grace.</p>
+
+<p>The moment she reached the deck, she glanced eagerly round her.</p>
+
+<p>"Where is he? Where is Mr. Manton, my father, sir?" she said,
+addressing the captain.</p>
+
+<p>The latter's countenance fell; in a few words he explained.</p>
+
+<p>It was a terrible shock to the girl. Pale as death she staggered, and
+would have fallen but for the support of her companion's arm.</p>
+
+<p>When she could stand alone, he inquired all the particulars of the
+captain, who promptly gave what information he could.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you certain he was lost?" inquired the young man; "was there no
+way in which he might have saved himself?"</p>
+
+<p>"I fear not," was the reply. "We must have been two miles from land at
+the time."</p>
+
+<p>"Papa was an excellent swimmer," faltered the young girl. "He might
+have reached the land."</p>
+
+<p>The captain, however, shook his head, saying he felt quite certain
+that his passenger was not saved.</p>
+
+<p>Further remarks were exchanged, when the captain added that the
+passenger's chest, unmolested, was in the cabin as it had been left.</p>
+
+<p>At this, Brand, who stood not far off, turned aside his head and felt
+uneasy.</p>
+
+<p>What more probable than that Manton had written to his daughter,
+telling her about the box with him. Just where he kept it, and how
+much it contained.</p>
+
+<p>If that were so, however, it was evident that at present<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> all
+considerations were drowned in the grief and excitement the girl felt
+at the sudden news of her parent's loss.</p>
+
+<p>With a mute but expressive look, she turned towards the young man,
+her companion, who at once helped her down the gangway, telling the
+captain that the chest would be sent for.</p>
+
+<p>"Good riddance!" thought Brand; "I must get away from this craft as
+soon as I can."</p>
+
+<p>Next day he applied for his discharge, which the captain granted. An
+hour later, Brand and the chest were lodged at a seaman's boarding
+house in &mdash;&mdash; street.</p>
+
+<p>Carefully locking his door and pulling down the window curtains, the
+third officer drew the iron box from the chest. After a long search
+he found the secret spring, which proved to be one of the small brass
+nails with which the box was studded.</p>
+
+<p>Trembling with greedy expectation, he pressed against it, when the lid
+flew open.</p>
+
+<p>Then a strange cry burst from his lips.</p>
+
+<p>The box was empty!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></h2>
+
+
+<p>For several moments the man continued staring at the empty box, wholly
+unable to account for the singular discovery.</p>
+
+<p>Then he sat down and ruminated. No living soul aboard the vessel had
+known of his possessing the box, therefore he was certain that the
+money could not have been extracted after he obtained it.</p>
+
+<p>The only inference was that the money was not in the box when he took
+it.</p>
+
+<p>Where then was it?</p>
+
+<p>Vainly the man puzzled his brains: he could arrive at no definite
+conclusion.</p>
+
+<p>Weeks passed.</p>
+
+<p>Manton's chest must by this time, have been received and opened by his
+daughter. Brand had seen several of the ship's officers, but it was
+evident they had not heard of Manton's daughter missing anything from
+the chest.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, therefore, breathed easy on this score, believing that, after
+all, the passenger had not written a word to his daughter about the
+box.</p>
+
+<p>Two weeks later, by recommendation of Captain Roberts, who had found
+Brand to be an excellent seaman, the latter obtained command of a ship
+called the <em>Quadrant</em>, bound to Australia and the East Indies.</p>
+
+<p>While Brand was preparing his vessel for sea, he had a visit from the
+owner.</p>
+
+<p>"Captain," said the latter, "you will cruise awhile off the islands,
+in the neighborhood of Australia, and visit some of them before going
+into Sydney."</p>
+
+<p>"What for?" inquired Brand.</p>
+
+<p>The order had really been an unpleasant one to him, as if brought
+afresh to his imagination, the drowned body<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> of his victim, Mr.
+Manton, floating about on the water.</p>
+
+<p>"Because," answered the owner, "the daughter of that passenger aboard
+the <em>Maxwell</em>, Mr. Manton, cannot be persuaded that her father was
+really lost. She is anxious to investigate the matter; to search all
+the islands she can, especially that one upon which was seen the
+volcano!"</p>
+
+<p>Objections rose to Brand's white lips; but he dared not give them
+utterance, fearful of exciting suspicion.</p>
+
+<p>"The lady," continued the owner, "will be accompanied by a young
+man&mdash;her affianced, who has been in the United States navy, and
+is a good sailor, from whom, in case of emergency, you may derive
+assistance. He is one of my clerks; a worthy young man, whom I hope
+you will treat with all due courtesy."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, sir," answered Brand, who could be pleasant enough when he
+chose.</p>
+
+<p>Next day he went about shipping his crew, among whom was old Tom Turk.</p>
+
+<p>Brand admired the latter's skill in seamanship, and this was his only
+reason for taking him, as in every other respect he disliked him.</p>
+
+<p>The vessel ready a fortnight later, got under weigh, and was soon
+plunging her bows into the dark waters of the Atlantic.</p>
+
+<p>On the quarter deck, by the side of Mary Manton, stood Harry
+Granville, her lover, endeavoring to cheer her spirits, which had
+drooped ever since the fearful news of her father's disappearance from
+the <em>Maxwell</em>.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, superintending the work aboard the vessel, watched the lovers
+askance. The presence of the daughter of the very man he had pushed
+overboard, made him feel uneasy.</p>
+
+<p>Every time he encountered the great, earnest blue eyes, it seemed to
+him as if they could see, away down into his soul, the dark secret he
+intended to carry with him to his grave!</p>
+
+<p>Favored by fair winds the vessel, in a few months arrived in the
+latitude where the tragedy had taken place.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Here is where the passenger fell overboard!" said Brand, addressing
+Harry Grenville, one evening, just after sundown.</p>
+
+<p>The young man went into the cabin, whence he soon reappeared with
+Mary, whose eyes were suffused with tears, while she gazed earnestly
+upon the water, as if there hoping to see the form of her parent
+reappear.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, walking his quarter-deck, kept his eyes steadily averted from
+her face.</p>
+
+<p>Gradually darkness stole round the vessel, when, far ahead, a bright,
+lurid light broke upon the vision of Mary Manton.</p>
+
+<p>"What is that?" she inquired of her lover.</p>
+
+<p>He informed her that it was a volcano.</p>
+
+<p>"Then that is the volcanic island where we are to search," said Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," answered Harry, "but you must not hope to discover anything.
+From this point no man could hardly hope to swim to that island."</p>
+
+<p>Mary sighed heavily.</p>
+
+<p>At the same moment, she noticed that her lover's head was inclined
+sideways.</p>
+
+<p>She was then sensible of a distant humming, roaring noise, growing
+louder and louder!</p>
+
+<p>"It is the volcano, is it not?" she inquired.</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered Harry, "it is a storm coming up."</p>
+
+<p>He sprang to the companion and glanced at the barometer, which,
+however, for some reason, had fallen but little.</p>
+
+<p>"The instrument must be out of repair," said Harry.</p>
+
+<p>Then he stepped to the captain's side, and questioned him when he was
+informed that the barometer was injured.</p>
+
+<p>"I need no such toy," continued Brand, "to tell me when a storm is
+a-comin' up! I've heard the wind pipe too often for that."</p>
+
+<p>"We are going to have a hard blow, pretty soon," said Harry&mdash;"don't
+you hear?"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"That's the volcano, youngster!" answered Brand gruffly.</p>
+
+<p>"You are mistaken."</p>
+
+<p>"Peers I know my business!"</p>
+
+<p>"I am sure it is the gale we hear. You would do well to take in sail."</p>
+
+<p>"I hope I'm master abroad my own craft," said Brand, sneering.</p>
+
+<p>"We will leave it to some of your oldest seaman," said Glenville,
+wishing to avoid a quarrel, if possible.</p>
+
+<p>Several of the old tars, among them Turk, were called up. They agreed
+with Glenville.</p>
+
+<p>"I've heerd the roarin' of a volcanic, before now," said Turk, "which,
+beggin' pardon, sir, is no more like a gale a-comin' up than this is
+like the thump of a handspike," taking out his quid and throwing it
+violently to the deck.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, however, skillful seaman though he was, refused to be
+convinced, until suddenly he beheld driving down upon him from
+windward, a long line of white water, showing like a wall through the
+gloom.</p>
+
+<p>Then the unmistakable notes of the tempest were heard by all aboard.</p>
+
+<p>"Go below," said Harry to his fair companion.</p>
+
+<p>She obeyed trembling; at the same moment, with a whis and a rush, the
+storm was heard sweeping along towards the vessel.</p>
+
+<p>"Hands! by halliards! clew up everything lively there! Mind tacks and
+sheets," screamed Brand, in a voice like the scream of a wild beast.</p>
+
+<p>Top-gallant sails, topsail, foresail and mainsail were soon clewed up,
+and the seamen's forms were distinctly seen running up through the
+gloom.</p>
+
+<p>Too late! While the poor fellows were yet upon the yards, the storm,
+with the din of a thousand furies, struck the devoted ship.</p>
+
+<p>At first nothing could be seen or heard, save the rush and the roar of
+the tempest.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The spray shrouded the ship as in a white cloud, flying all round
+her, blinding and bewildering the men, while the roar of the sea, the
+creaking, snapping and straining of yards and masts, the creaking
+of the timbers, the cannon-like report of the sails, slatting all
+over the vessel, with the whipping about of ropes, tacks and sheets,
+created a din such as only the sailor, caught unawares in a storm, can
+realize.</p>
+
+<p>Vainly Brand, claining to a rope near the mizzenmast, endeavored to
+make himself heard; his voice was as a mere whisper in contrast with
+the shrieking and howling of the storm.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile far down, with her rail buried, the ship tore away through
+the mad waters, swift as a thunderbolt, pitching meanwhile with a
+violence which threw several men off the yard into the white and black
+mist of spray and storm, bubbling, boiling and rolling beneath.</p>
+
+<p>Harry Glenville had sprung aloft to cheer and encourage the men.</p>
+
+<p>Vainly endeavoring to make himself heard, he was suddenly thrown from
+his position, and must have gone overboard but for his catching the
+backstay and by this reaching the deck.</p>
+
+<p>No need now of men to pull the sails. With a sharp tearing sound,
+like the blasts from a thousand bass trumpets, every strip of canvass
+aboard the vessel was torn to shreds and carried far off into the rack
+and scud.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after there was a crash, when down came the fore and main
+topmasts, falling over the side, and dragging the ship down, so that
+half of her decks were buried, while the seas continually broke over
+the other part.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes Brand, with the help of his speaking trumpet, was
+enabled to make himself heard by shrieking into the very ears of the
+men.</p>
+
+<p>"Clear the wreck!" was his first order, which Tom Turk at once sprang
+to obey, axe in hand.</p>
+
+<p>Harry Glenville, similarly provided, was at the side of the old tar,
+to whom he had taken quite a fancy, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> who he had reason to believe,
+appreciated and was glad of his notice.</p>
+
+<p>The two soon gaining the wreck, went to work, having previously
+fastened ropes round their middles to prevent themselves from being
+washed overboard.</p>
+
+<p>With a few blows they renewed the encumbrances, when the vessel
+partially righted.</p>
+
+<p>The wind was now blowing a perfect tornado, keeping the spray down
+almost upon the surface of the sea, which was nearly as flat as a
+floor.</p>
+
+<p>The ship also feeling this pressure, instead of now rolling and
+plunging, was forced down into the stormy sea almost to the middle of
+her bulwarks, while her bows were completely buried.</p>
+
+<p>Harry had taken off the rope, and was about returning aft, when the
+water forward swept by an erratic movement of the ship, caught him and
+carried him from his feet!</p>
+
+<p>Like a shot he was whirled over the bulwarks, when he caught a small,
+rotten piece of rope hanging from the shrouds.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, who was not far off, might easily have saved him by springing
+and grasping his hand.</p>
+
+<p>For reasons which may be imagined, he resolved to leave the man to his
+fate!</p>
+
+<p>The rope being, as stated, a rotten one, broke!</p>
+
+<p>"My God! he is gone!" shrieked the hypocritical captain.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a><br /><br />
+
+LASHED AND ADRIFT.</h2>
+
+
+<p>"Guess not!" answered the voice of old Tom Turk, "he's as safe as a
+marlinespike in a rack!"</p>
+
+<p>So saying, the old fellow by a dextrious movement, threw a bowline
+hitch he had quickly formed at the end of a rope, over the young man's
+head, and drew him safely aboard.</p>
+
+<p>Mary, who, hearing of her lover's peril, had ventured on deck in spite
+of the storm, sprang towards him.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, now, lass!" exclaimed Turk, "mustn't be in too much of a
+hurry to go, as there's a mighty danger of our all goin' before long.
+Bless your pretty eyes! that's what I call a collapse!" as Mary
+impulsively threw her arms around her lover's neck, in her joy at his
+safety.</p>
+
+<p>On went the vessel, booming, crashing, thundering on her course, with
+all her timbers quivering, as if about to fly apart.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Harry!" exclaimed Mary, "will this storm ever be over!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes! be not afraid!" he answered, as he helped her into the cabin.</p>
+
+<p>There he beheld a sight which was truly appalling. The water was
+washing and swashing about the cabin floor up to his very knees, while
+articles of furniture were floating about like so many chips!</p>
+
+<p>The young man conducted the girl back again, and having safely secured
+her to the mizzenmast, by means of a rope, he went over to the captain.</p>
+
+<p>"Your ship has sprung a leak!"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"What?" exclaimed Brand, almost bounding off his feet.</p>
+
+<p>Harry repeated the information, when Brand, peering into the cabin,
+discovered that he had spoken correctly.</p>
+
+<p>The vessel, it was evident, had sprung a leak somewhere beneath the
+counter.</p>
+
+<p>Pumps were immediately rigged, and their dismal clanging was ere long
+heard like a knell through the storm.</p>
+
+<p>The carpenter being sent below, half an hour later, reported the water
+gaining.</p>
+
+<p>Brand stared at him half stupefied.</p>
+
+<p>Then, with eyes rolling wildly in his head, he shrieked out:</p>
+
+<p>"I might have known I'd have no luck in these accursed waters!"</p>
+
+<p>He drew back, shuddering from head to foot. The blue eyes of Mary
+Manton were turned full upon his dark, distorted face!</p>
+
+<p>"Why?" inquired a voice at his elbow, when, turning he beheld Harry
+Glenville.</p>
+
+<p>He gave the young man a black look! then uttered a horrible oath!</p>
+
+<p>"Blast you, young eavesdropper, are you a-goin' to follow me about
+like a spy?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't understand! You talk foolishly!" said Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"Do I?" inquired Brand, with a sneer, apparently recovering his
+calmness all of a sudden. "Well, I'll tell you what I meant. I meant
+on account of the infernal storms one often meets with in these
+latitudes. It matters little, however, we are all doomed to Davy Jones
+now, unless we can get off in the boats!"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, the boats are probably our only recourse!" answered Harry,
+with great coolness.</p>
+
+<p>Brand admired him in spite of himself.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, now, blast it! it seems to me you take matters easy, youngster!"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"This is not the first storm I've seen!" answered Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"No! but when you know that it's p'raps to be your last, one would
+think you'd feel uneasy, to say the least."</p>
+
+<p>"A difference in temperaments," answered the other; "but come! don't
+you think we'd better be getting the boats ready? The lashings are
+loose and they'll soon be adrift, if we don't hurry."</p>
+
+<p>"Ho, ho! so you're getting anxious, after all, my young shaver!"</p>
+
+<p>"Not in the least for myself," answered Harry contemptuously, "but
+there is another in my charge."</p>
+
+<p>As the young man spoke, the ship suddenly fell off, when, with a crash
+and a roar like a thunderbolt, a huge cataract of water was borne
+directly across the vessel, carrying away the wheelhouse with the man
+at the helm, the caboose, a part of the forecastle, and last, but by
+far not least, all the boats, which, as Harry had stated, were become
+loosened in their lashings.</p>
+
+<p>This catastrophe held every man mute after he had saved himself from
+going overboard.</p>
+
+<p>White and dumb the sailors saw the last means of their leaving the
+doomed ship borne away from them.</p>
+
+<p>"It's all up with us!" screamed Brand&mdash;the first to break the silence.</p>
+
+<p>"We are lost! we cannot be saved! Is it not so?" cried Mary, clinging
+to the arm of her lover.</p>
+
+<p>"There is no telling!" he answered; "but hope for the best."</p>
+
+<p>Just then the ship falling off yet further, headed directly for that
+great mass of red lurid light, gleaming like a bonfire of demons
+through the bleak darkness of the night and the storm.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, there's the volcano," cried Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, how like a beacon of hope it seems!" exclaimed Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, a hell-beacon!" growled the captain, as he passed into the cabin.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>What business had he in the cabin at such a moment, when his ship was
+going down into the dark waters!</p>
+
+<p>Rum!</p>
+
+<p>He would drink, drink, drink, drowning the dragon of conscience which,
+in this dread moment, seemed gnawing at his very vitals.</p>
+
+<p>Up to his waist in water, he found the swimming chests containing his
+grog, and breaking it open, poured the fiery contents of one of the
+bottles down his throat.</p>
+
+<p>The next moment he felt a rope drawing tightly round his breast
+beneath the armpits, became aware then of being hauled up through the
+companionway, while the voice of old Tom Turk rang in his ears:</p>
+
+<p>"Hold there, Cap! Blast me, sir, but this ain't a square above-board
+bizness, do you see&mdash;a drinkin' of grog when there's peril! How do
+you know, but some of t'others aboard would like a few tauts, when
+opportunity drifts to em."</p>
+
+<p>The captain would have responded the minute he was hauled up, with a
+blow of the fist, or at least an oath but for the terrible catastrophe
+which now seemed impending.</p>
+
+<p>Humming, gurgling and roaring, a strange noise, growing louder every
+moment, was heard in the hold.</p>
+
+<p>"God help us all!" screamed the carpenter; "no more use at them pumps.
+What you hear is the water surgin' into the hold."</p>
+
+<p>Mary clung closely to her lover, while the men with axes at once went
+to work, chopping down pieces of timber for the purpose of forming a
+raft.</p>
+
+<p>"How far should you judge we are from yonder island!" said Harry, now
+pointing to the red gleam which seemed to send a track of lurid fire
+shooting through the darkness.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," answered Tom Turk, "it's hard tellin' at night though I'm
+shouldn't say we're more than a league from it. It's symbological,"
+continued Turk, gloomily crossing his arms over his breast, "to many
+of us as shall go below instead of aloft."</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I dare say you have sinned as well as others, you old rascal!" cried
+Brand, fiercely addressing the speaker.</p>
+
+<p>"There's no denying that," answered Tom; "I have sinned when I was
+a little chip, but not since the days o' my apple steelin', from
+orchards and such like. Ever since, I have behaved myself like a
+martyr, confinin' myself to but eights tauts of grog at a time&mdash;when I
+could get it, that is; which ain't under present state of affairs."</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the men hurried to construct the raft, which was at last
+completed in a clumsy manner, owing to the hurried nature of the work.</p>
+
+<p>It was high time it was finished, for every part of the craft except a
+dry spot on the quarterdeck, was now buried, the water reaching half
+way up the stumps of the shattered masts.</p>
+
+<p>The raft was secured alongside, after which Harry helped Mary to the
+floating platform, taking care to lash her securely to the timbers.</p>
+
+<p>In a minute all hands were upon the raft, and Brand was about severing
+the rope with his knife, when, with a sudden lurch, down went the ship
+dragging the floating platform with it.</p>
+
+<p>The men drifted off into sea! but Mary being lashed to the raft went
+down with it!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a><br /><br />
+
+THE ISLAND.</h2>
+
+
+<p>As the young girl disappeared beneath the dark waters, two persons
+dove after her, determined to accomplish her rescue or perish in the
+attempt.</p>
+
+<p>Those two were Harry Glenville and old Tom Turk.</p>
+
+<p>Could they reach the girl and bring her to the surface, they might
+easily manage to lash her to some one of the many planks and spars
+floating around them, and faintly revealed in the lurid gleam
+streaming along the waters from the volcano, now less than two miles
+distant.</p>
+
+<p>Down under the sea, Turk and his friend finally came upon the girl,
+when, with one blow of his knife, hold ready in his right hand, Harry
+severed the rope holding Mary to the raft.</p>
+
+<p>Now, however, he felt the force of the downward suction of the doomed
+ship, and was unable to ascend with his burden to the surface of the
+sea.</p>
+
+<p>In this situation the young man preserved his presence of mind,
+holding to Mary with a firm grasp, his right arm round her waist,
+while with the other he paddled under water, hoping soon to get out of
+range of the suction force dragging him down.</p>
+
+<p>In about a minute, he became aware that he was ascending with great
+rapidity, and then comprehended that the whirlpool formed by the
+sinking craft had subsided, shooting him and his precious charge
+upward with the bubble caused by the collapsing of the waters.</p>
+
+<p>He was soon at the surface of the sea, to behold his shipmates all
+around him clinging to spars and fragments.</p>
+
+<p>He swam to a spar near him, and, with the ropes dangling<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> therefrom,
+lashed the girl to it; then looked down upon her white, upturned face,
+closed eyes and drooping hair, almost fearing that she was dead!</p>
+
+<p>Far along the waters the light of the volcano, streaming luridly,
+illumined that pale face and shining hair with unearthly radiance.</p>
+
+<p>"Mary, speak to me!" exclaimed the young man. "Tell me that you are
+alive&mdash;that you hear me calling you!"</p>
+
+<p>Vain the supplication. Her closed lips remained mute, the eyes were
+not opened, the sad pallor of the face remained unchanged.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly he became aware of a noise like a porpoise blowing, and
+turning, beheld Tom Turk, who had just risen alongside of him,
+clinging to the same spar to which he hung.</p>
+
+<p>"Phew, bless my eyes!" ejaculated the old sailor, "this is sartinly
+a most uncomfortable siterwation for them as has always sarved their
+captins faithful."</p>
+
+<p>Then he looked closely at the young girl.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't be afraid," he exclaimed, "the gal is all right. That waxy
+look, I'm sartin, ain't from death. She'll git over it! I never saw
+one of the female sect in this siterwation afore, except once off the
+Cape of Good Hope where I was wrecked in the bark <em>Tempest</em>. The poor
+creatur' was in the water tied to the bottom of a boat a whole day,
+but the water bein' warm, as it is here, she got over her hardship,
+and I believe is now livin' parfectly healthy with a famerly of small
+children."</p>
+
+<p>"It seems to me, Turk," said Harry, suddenly, "that we are receding
+from the volcanic inland; instead of approaching it."</p>
+
+<p>"I was a-thinkin' of that same," answered Turk; "in fact the wind has
+hauled round a little, and is now a-blowin' from the island, instead
+of towards it."</p>
+
+<p>This troubled the young man much. He now had little hope, in fact, of
+Mary's being saved.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, through the din of the storm, the voices of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> Turk's
+shipmates were now and then heard, as they drifted along, attached to
+their respective spars.</p>
+
+<p>With the strange coolness of seamen in the most perilous situations,
+many of these men even ventured so far as to laugh and crack jokes as
+they were tossed about on that stormy ocean; so true it is that "Jack
+never despairs while there is a plank under him."</p>
+
+<p>Gradually the voices became more detached as the poor fellows were
+separated further and further from each other by the intervening seas,
+perhaps never again to meet on earth!</p>
+
+<p>Mary Manton now opened her eyes. The plank to which she was attached
+had by this time drifted out of range of the stream of light, but
+Harry and Turk could see the gleam of those bright orbs through the
+darkness.</p>
+
+<p>"Why! where am I? Harry! Harry! where are you?" exclaimed the poor
+girl, while shudder after shudder convulsed her frame.</p>
+
+<p>"I am here, Mary!" he answered. "Cheer up! You are with friends. We
+may, in time, succeed in reaching land."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I am so glad you are safe!" she exclaimed, impulsively, resting
+her bright head on his shoulder. "Do you think we are far from land?"</p>
+
+<p>"I hope not," he answered. Then, raising himself halfway out of water,
+and glancing far ahead through the gloom. "God be praised! I think I
+see land, now! at all events there are breakers."</p>
+
+<p>Turk looked in the indicated direction, to behold a long line of white
+water gleaming through the darkness.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay! ay!" he shouted, in a ringing voice, "there is land, sure enough.
+Cheer up, lass, we are near land after all."</p>
+
+<p>"I am afraid our shipmates will not succeed in reaching it," said
+Harry, "as they must be far to leeward of us by this time."</p>
+
+<p>"There's no tellin'," answered Turk; "but I'm afraid not. I hope,
+hows'ever, the poor lads will be picked up,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> between this and
+to-morrow night, by some passing craft."</p>
+
+<p>All night long the three were borne on, at the mercy of winds and
+waves, nearer and nearer towards the line of white water.</p>
+
+<p>The sufferings of poor Mary were meanwhile intense, and were fully
+appreciated by the two men, notwithstanding the girl's efforts to hide
+her pain and seem cheerful.</p>
+
+<p>Poor child! drenched through and through, cold and feverish by turns,
+with a terrible pain in her head, and half smothered by the seas
+continually breaking over her, no wonder that she suffered!</p>
+
+<p>Almost unconscious when the gray dawn stole upon the waters, she heard
+the ringing tones of Harry Glenville, breaking like music upon her
+half-bewildered senses.</p>
+
+<p>"Land O! right ahead!"</p>
+
+<p>Then Harry, loosening her lashings so that she could turn her head,
+pointed out to her a lofty cape, covered with shrubbery, beneath which
+was a beach covered with beautiful cocoanut trees, now waving wildly
+in the gale!</p>
+
+<p>"Thank God!" she murmured, and endeavored to smile.</p>
+
+<p>The effort, however, was too much. With a faint but glad cry, she fell
+back, half fainting, upon her lover's shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>The drifting spar was now close upon the reef, scarcely five fathoms
+ahead.</p>
+
+<p>In less than half an hour it struck against one of the rocks, when
+Harry and Turk, loosening their fair charge from the spar, surveyed
+the water between the reef and the island.</p>
+
+<p>Concluding that it was shallow enough to enable them to wade, they
+made their way toward the beach, carrying the girl between them.</p>
+
+<p>Soon landing, they found a clear stream, in the heart of a breadfruit
+thicket, with a bank of soft turf upon which they laid the young girl.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Then Turk, with a knowing wink, drew from his pocket a small flask,
+containing a red liquid.</p>
+
+<p>"Though temperance!" said he, "although I ain't never signed no
+pledge, still I will indulge in a draught of this, by way of
+celebratin' our wonderful preservation!"</p>
+
+<p>Before drinking, the old tar put the neck of the bottle between the
+lips of the young girl, pouring some of the brandy down her throat.</p>
+
+<p>The effect was instantaneous; color came to her cheeks, and she opened
+her beautiful blue eyes, which were turned upon her lover before she
+spoke.</p>
+
+<p>"Harry! Where are we now? Are you perfectly safe&mdash;uninjured&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," interrupted Turk; "that's the way with her sect, always
+a-thinkin' of t'others before themselves."</p>
+
+<p>"I am perfectly well, and uninjured," answered Harry, as he helped
+Mary to her feet. "Come, Turk," he added, to the old sailor, "let us
+get some kind of a shelter up for this poor child!"</p>
+
+<p>A fire was first kindled, dry wood having been found in a hollow
+behind some stones. Then Harry procured a log and made a good seat for
+the girl before the fire, that she might dry her saturated garments.</p>
+
+<p>"This is comfortable," said Turk, as he again raised his flask to his
+lips; "here we are all out of them perils which&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Harry quietly seized his arm.</p>
+
+<p>"Turk," said he, "we may need that brandy. I will buy it of you."</p>
+
+<p>At this the movements of the old tar were peculiar.</p>
+
+<p>He put the flask down on a flat rock; then he spread his legs apart
+like a pair of compasses, and thrust both hands in his pockets,
+looking at his friend with eyebrows elevated almost to the top of his
+forehead.</p>
+
+<p>"This," said he, slowly, "is an insultin' proposition. Avast! avast!
+about buyin' my grog! D'ye think I would sell it, if it'll be of any
+use to the gal? No; she is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> perfectly welcome to that and to a gallon,
+had I as much in my possession."</p>
+
+<p>"Nay, Harry," said Mary sweetly, noticing the wistful glances the old
+tar cast at the bottle, even while delivering his magnanimous speech.</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Turk shall keep his liquor. I will not need it! See, I am quite
+strong!" and she rose briskly to her feet.</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Turk," muttered the old sailor, "that Mr. which I ain't heard for
+many a year, sounds mighty queer. It's too respectful to sich an old
+hulk as me, Miss. Please drop it and call me plain Tom Turk."</p>
+
+<p>"Tom Turk it shall be, then," answered the young girl.</p>
+
+<p>As she spoke, there was a rustling in the shrubbery near the fire.</p>
+
+<p>"Savages!" gasped Mary; "let us fly."</p>
+
+<p>She shrank back, when parting the bushes a familiar form emerged to
+view.</p>
+
+<p>It was Captain Brand.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a><br /><br />
+
+THE VISION.</h2>
+
+
+<p>"You here!" exclaimed Harry, starting back.</p>
+
+<p>"And why not?" inquired Brand, with a sinister smile, "haven't I as
+good a right to be saved as yourself?"</p>
+
+<p>"Certainly, and I am glad you have saved yourself. Still your
+appearance surprised me a little, as I had thought that no persons
+except ourselves, had succeeded in reaching this island from the
+wreck."</p>
+
+<p>"It was a narrow escape for me," answered Brand; "the current which
+runs round the extremity of this island, caught me, and I would have
+been whirled past the land, do you see, but for my catching the spur
+of a rock by which I just succeeded in drawing myself ashore."</p>
+
+<p>"Bad eggs always float," said Turk, making a grimace.</p>
+
+<p>"What mean you, you rascal?" cried Brand; "are you regrettin' my
+escape?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not exactly, still I'll own I'd rather some of t'others had been
+saved and you have gone instead."</p>
+
+<p>"Blast you for an unmannerly old dog," shouted Brand; "I've half a
+mind to give you a taste of a rope's end. Just remember you are under
+my orders, now, as you were aboard ship."</p>
+
+<p>"I differ with ye there," answered outspoken Turk; "so much in fact,
+that if you should try to rope's end me, I should have to keel haul
+you."</p>
+
+<p>And Turk, as he spoke, showed a formidable looking fist, hairy and
+covered with protuberances like those one see on the knots of an oak.</p>
+
+<p>Brand's eye flashed fire, and he made a step forward.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Then he controlled himself, muttering something in an inaudible voice.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, the eyes of Mary were turned upon the intruder with a
+mingled expression of fear and dislike.</p>
+
+<p>There was evidently in those eyes some startling resemblance which
+made the captain feel very uneasy, for he half turned his head, while
+a ghastly hue overspread his face.</p>
+
+<p>"So," said Harry, breaking the awkward silence, "we did not reach our
+destination, the volcanic isle, after all."</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered Brand, gloomily.</p>
+
+<p>"Can we not get to it from here?" inquired Mary, eagerly; "I know not
+why, but I feel as if we should there find my poor, lost papa!"</p>
+
+<p>"Never," thought Brand; "your papa has been food for fishes long
+before now."</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes they were at work erecting bowers.</p>
+
+<p>Turk was moving away, with Brand about to follow him, when, turning
+and catching a sudden glance at the captain, he snatched up his bottle
+and pocketed it.</p>
+
+<p>"You need not be afraid," said the skipper, with a sneer; "I have
+a supply of gin of my own," showing a big black bottle, partially
+protruding from the inside pocket of his jacket.</p>
+
+<p>Turk pulled Harry's sleeve.</p>
+
+<p>"The captain's gin," he whispered, "better than this ere brandy of
+mine, would make an excellent cosmopolite for the gal in case of
+sickness."</p>
+
+<p>"You may keep your brandy if you wish," answered Harry, sternly.</p>
+
+<p>At this reproof, old Turk colored and scratched his head like a
+schoolboy detected in some grave offence.</p>
+
+<p>Then he ran forward, and grasped the young man's hand.</p>
+
+<p>"I wouldn't taste a drop of my grog for the world, since the gal may
+want it. Still do ye see, human natur' is human natur', and I'm bound
+to say that I have been selfish in this matter, to the great sorrer of
+Tom Turk."</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Two bowers were soon erected of twigs and leaves; one for the
+accommodation of the men, the other for Mary.</p>
+
+<p>With their jackets and a multitude of dried leaves, the men formed a
+pleasant little retreat for the young girl, who thanked them for their
+pains.</p>
+
+<p>Towards sundown the gale abated. The men took advantage of this to
+construct, with some fragments of the wreck drifted ashore, a raft,
+upon which they paddled out to the reef, where several barrels and
+boxes from the wrecked vessel had drifted. These were found to contain
+hard bread and salt beef, enough to last them for several weeks.</p>
+
+<p>With some difficulty they got the valuable articles over the reef,
+and they were paddling them to land, when they saw Mary, whom they
+had left upon the beach, beckoning to them with an air of fear and
+excitement.</p>
+
+<p>"We had better let the provision go," said Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"No!" exclaimed Brand, "I am captain here. The gal has probably got
+scared at nothing."</p>
+
+<p>"Come, Turk!" said Harry, "if this fellow don't choose to follow us,
+we will leave him."</p>
+
+<p>So saying, the young man plunged into the water, closely followed by
+the old tar, greatly to the indignation of Brand, who, clenching his
+fists, muttered to himself:</p>
+
+<p>"I will be even with them, yet."</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the beach now being but twenty yards distant from the raft,
+Harry and his friend were soon ashore.</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps I was mistaken," said Mary, as she fled to her lover's side,
+"but I feel quite certain I saw the head of a savage, protruding over
+the shrubbery near my bower," pointing as she spoke, towards a clump
+of bushes about forty yards from the sylvan shelter.</p>
+
+<p>Instantly Harry bounded toward the spot, armed with a stout club
+picked up from the ground.</p>
+
+<p>Turk was about following, when a thought seemed to strike him. He
+retraced his step, and, taking from his<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> pocket his bottle of grog,
+rolled it up in a green breadfruit leaf, and presented it to Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"Here, lass!" said he, "please take charge of this and&mdash;" here a
+suppressed sob escaped the old fellow, "if I never return to claim it,
+keep it as a testamentary of affection from Tom Turk."</p>
+
+<p>Before the girl could reply, he was off after Harry, who, by this
+time, was close upon the clump of shrubbery.</p>
+
+<p>The young man looked all around him, but could see neither sign nor
+trace of a savage.</p>
+
+<p>Concluding the girl's fancy had deceived her, both men returned to
+assure her that such was the case. Mary, however, looked doubtful.</p>
+
+<p>"It may have been fancy," she said, "but somehow I hardly think it
+was."</p>
+
+<p>Harry endeavoured to quiet her fears, and was finally successful.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile Turk was noticed to behave in a singular manner. He
+would walk all round the girl, looking at her, now and then, in a
+significant manner winking first with one eye and then the other.</p>
+
+<p>Annoyed, Harry at length asked him what he wanted.</p>
+
+<p>"Beg pardon, Miss," he stammered "but if you please, that bottle of
+grog!"</p>
+
+<p>Mary blushed, and thrusting her hand in the pocket of her dress,
+pulled forth the flask, which she at once presented to the old sailor.</p>
+
+<p>"Thank ye, Miss," said he, "it shall be preserved for your benefit."</p>
+
+<p>So saying he pocketed the flask, and waded off to the raft to help get
+the box and barrel ashore.</p>
+
+<p>This was soon done.</p>
+
+<p>"We had better stand watch, to-night," said Harry, when the articles
+were brought to the shelter.</p>
+
+<p>"Wherefore?" queried Brand.</p>
+
+<p>"Because Miss Manton will feel much easier, if we do."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! very well, you can stand watch if you like, but I don't care to
+lose my sleep for nothing."</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Night soon closed round the party.</p>
+
+<p>Harry took the first watch, while Turk rolled up like a ball, lay
+cuddled in a corner of the hut.</p>
+
+<p>The storm having now subsided, the sea was almost calm. There was a
+full moon, but the clouds passing along over the sky, in detached
+masses, frequently veiled it.</p>
+
+<p>Harry was pacing his beat, not far from the shrubbery in which Mary
+had fancied she saw the savage, when he suddenly paused, with his ear
+inclined to one side.</p>
+
+<p>Steps, mingled with the murmur of voices, were audible, apparently
+approaching the hut!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a><br /><br />
+
+THE ATTACK.</h2>
+
+
+<p>To waken Turk and Brand was the work of a moment. Both sprang up to
+hear Harry's explanation.</p>
+
+<p>"We have no arms!" said Brand, "and so we had better be scuddin' off
+as soon as possible!"</p>
+
+<p>Turk thrust his hand in his pocket, and pulling forth his flask of
+grog, eyed it wistfully and anxiously.</p>
+
+<p>"Sooner than this should fall in the hands of them savages," he
+exclaimed, "I had better put it, do you see where by rights it
+belongs, meanin' the stomach of Tom Turk!"</p>
+
+<p>Up went the bottle, and the old tar seemed about drinking, when it
+struck him that the liquor might, after all,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> come in use for Mary, in
+case they should contrive to make their escape. With a heavy sigh he
+thrust the bottle back into his pocket.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the steps drew nearer.</p>
+
+<p>Harry waked Mary, and at once escorted her to the raft. Not a moment
+too soon, for, with a sudden yell, a large party of fierce-looking
+islanders, tattooed from head to foot, and looming up like demons in
+the faint radiance of the moon, burst forth from a clump of shrubbery,
+about fifty yards distant.</p>
+
+<p>Waving war clubs and spears, while their long hair streamed in
+red, fiery clouds down their backs and shoulders, the wild fellows
+certainly formed a hideous spectacle!</p>
+
+<p>Before the raft could be unfastened, a shower of spears came whizzing
+round the heads of the little party.</p>
+
+<p>"Shove off! shove off!" screamed Brand, as he seized the raft-pole to
+push the floating platform away from the beach.</p>
+
+<p>"Not yet!" cried Mary, noticing that her lover, who had paused to
+collect the jackets left in the huts, and also a few of the biscuits,
+was not upon the raft.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment the young man came panting to the beach.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, however, not heeding the girl's exclamation was about shoving
+off, when Turk caught his arm.</p>
+
+<p>"Avast there, captain! Don't be in too much of a hurry!"</p>
+
+<p>Enraged, the latter glared upon the speaker, but this was no time for
+quarreling.</p>
+
+<p>Harry now sprang from the raft. At the same moment two of the savages,
+ahead of their companions, arriving, seized the rope attached to the
+floating platform, which they endeavored to pull ashore.</p>
+
+<p>To prevent their doing so, Harry stepped to the edge of the raft, and
+with the pole endeavored to strike them on the head.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>One of them seizing the pole, gave it a sudden jerk, thus pulling the
+young man off into the water!</p>
+
+<p>With a fierce yell, they then pounced upon him, dragging him to the
+beach!</p>
+
+<p>Feeling that there was not a moment to lose, the young man, by a
+sudden movement, disengaged himself from their clutches; then, picking
+up a spear, drove it through the body of one who had lifted his
+war-club to beat out the sailor's brains!</p>
+
+<p>The other now aimed at Harry's head a furious blow, which must have
+killed him, had it taken effect.</p>
+
+<p>Not so, however, for old Tom Turk, seeing his friend's peril, had
+sprang ashore, and picked up another spear, which he thrust through
+the back of the native!</p>
+
+<p>The scream of the dark-skinned fellow, as, throwing up his arms, he
+fell backward, rang down the sky with startling distinctness, while
+his friends, hearing that scream, and eager for vengeance, came
+dashing on, yelling like a pack of wild hyenas!</p>
+
+<p>With a single bound through the water, Turk and Harry now gained the
+raft, and were soon helping Brand, who had not even left his place,
+push the floating platform out to sea.</p>
+
+<p>Luckily there was an outer current tending towards the reef, and which
+drew the raft rapidly along towards the rocks. This soon was reached,
+while the baffled yells of the savages continued pealing along the
+waters.</p>
+
+<p>As the raft was drawn through an opening in the reef, and the party
+put out to sea, Turk again drew forth his beloved grog, and eyed it
+wistfully.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, bless your eyes!" said he, "you are too good to grease the
+gullets of them blueskins."</p>
+
+<p>"Put up your grog, Turk," said Harry, "we have more important matters
+to think of."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," said Brand, gruffly, "we've to think that we may be food for
+fishes!"</p>
+
+<p>"Do you not believe we can reach the volcanic island, now?" inquired
+Mary, as she glanced towards the red light, gleaming, far away, along
+the waters.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"It's hard tellin'," answered Brand. "If there's no heavy sea and we
+can make head against the southern tendency of the current, we may
+contrive to reach the island."</p>
+
+<p>With their poles which were not flat enough for paddles, the party
+made slow progress.</p>
+
+<p>An hour had passed, when, suddenly, Mary pointed far astern towards a
+long, dark object, apparently shooting out from the shore.</p>
+
+<p>"What is that?"</p>
+
+<p>"A canoe, by &mdash;&mdash;!" ejaculated Brand. "We may as well give up, now!"</p>
+
+<p>"No!" exclaimed Harry, resolutely. "We will not give up! If I mistake
+not," he added, pointing towards a dark mass, floating through the air
+to windward of them, "there is a fog coming up! This will screen us
+from our pursuers!"</p>
+
+<p>"I am glad of that," said Mary, thankfully.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm not so sure it will screen us!" said Brand, "them savages are
+cunnin' rascals!"</p>
+
+<p>"Where there's hope," remarked Turk, "there's no use of throwin'
+clouds over the same."</p>
+
+<p>The fog came fast, and finally thickening around the party, they
+seemed enclosed in a wall of darkness.</p>
+
+<p>"Hark!" said Harry, suddenly, as the dip of the canoe's paddles were
+heard. "We must get the raft round, and try another course!"</p>
+
+<p>This, with some difficulty was done, when the clumsy vessel was urged
+along to the southward.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, then, still as mice!" said Harry.</p>
+
+<p>He was obeyed, those on the raft scarcely breathing.</p>
+
+<p>A moment later something dark, indistinctly seen, was observed gliding
+along past the raft and within twenty fathoms of it!</p>
+
+<p>It was the canoe!</p>
+
+<p>The weary hours of night wore away.</p>
+
+<p>Poor Mary had slept but little, although Turk and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> Harry had made her
+a comfortable couch with their jackets.</p>
+
+<p>Now, as the gray dawn stole upon the waters, the young girl looked
+round her with a weary sigh.</p>
+
+<p>The fog had cleared, the faint rays of the sun were beginning to tinge
+the east, but, far and wide, nothing but sky and water were visible.</p>
+
+<p>Sky and water, and nothing aboard the raft&mdash;not even a morsel of bread
+or a drop of fresh water.</p>
+
+<p>Already the girl began to feel the cravings of thirst. With powerful
+effort, she endeavored to forget that she felt this want, but in vain.</p>
+
+<p>The day wore away, the sun went down, night began to settle upon the
+waters.</p>
+
+<p>The men strained their eyes vainly for land or sail.</p>
+
+<p>Next morning the sufferings of all from thirst were intense. Brand,
+pulling forth his bottle of gin, drank deeply, not offering a drop to
+the rest.</p>
+
+<p>Then Turk presented his grog to Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"Give some to the poor lass!"</p>
+
+<p>Harry did so. She tasted a few drops, but could not be prevailed upon
+to take more.</p>
+
+<p>Turk looked wistfully at the flask, then thrusting it back, muttered:</p>
+
+<p>"No&mdash;no! it must all be saved for that poor little girl, God bless her
+eyes!"</p>
+
+<p>One&mdash;two&mdash;three days passed. Still adrift on the wilderness of ocean.
+No sail&mdash;no land&mdash;no fresh water.</p>
+
+<p>God help the castaways!</p>
+
+<p>Brand was almost mad. His eyes gleamed like a tiger's&mdash;he gnashed his
+teeth!</p>
+
+<p>Harry, too, was scarcely sane! Turk alone remained cool and careful,
+although his sufferings were terrible.</p>
+
+<p>And Mary?</p>
+
+<p>Alas! poor girl&mdash;the flush on her sunken cheek burned deep and
+red&mdash;her eyes were feverish&mdash;her panting breath came thick and
+fast&mdash;she was too weak to sit up.</p>
+
+<p>There was no more liquor in Turk's flask. He had given all&mdash;every drop
+to the young girl.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>So there they all were, still drifting along, a burning sun over their
+heads, the water almost steaming around them.</p>
+
+<p>Gradually a sickly, yellowish mist went over the sun.</p>
+
+<p>Harry watched it a moment, then sprang to his feet, shrieking out:</p>
+
+<p>"Land, oh!"</p>
+
+<p>"Where? where?" queried Brand wildly.</p>
+
+<p>It was pointed out to him, all present saw it now.</p>
+
+<p>There was surely a misty line&mdash;a headland, extending away to the south
+and west.</p>
+
+<p>"God be praised," murmured Mary, faintly; "oh Harry! Harry! we shall
+get some fresh water now, and some beautiful fruit!"</p>
+
+<p>The poor creature smacked her lips and clapped her hands as the spoke.</p>
+
+<p>How tediously slow were the movements of the raft.</p>
+
+<p>On it went, however, apparently nearing the land every moment.</p>
+
+<p>At length it seemed scarcely a mile distant.</p>
+
+<p>"We will soon be there, now," exclaimed Mary.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly a wail went up from the raft, a long, mournful wail&mdash;a half
+shriek of astonishment, and bitter disappointment.</p>
+
+<p>The supposed land had suddenly vanished&mdash;blown away by a mere puff of
+air.</p>
+
+<p>Alas! it was nothing but a fog bank!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a><br /><br />
+
+DRIFTING ON.</h2>
+
+
+<p>As the delusive fog was swept away before the breeze, Brand uttered a
+howl, and throwing himself down, dashed his head against one of the
+planks of the raft.</p>
+
+<p>"Eat&mdash;drink! I must have something! Come, it is time!"</p>
+
+<p>And he drew forth a clasp knife, eyeing Mary at the same moment with a
+wolfish gleam in the eyes not to be mistaken.</p>
+
+<p>The bare thought seemed to inspire Harry with a rage almost demoniacal.</p>
+
+<p>He threw himself upon the man, wrenching the knife from his grasp, and
+hurling it into the sea.</p>
+
+<p>Then he caught the captain by the throat, and seemed on the point of
+hurling him overboard.</p>
+
+<p>Turk, however, interfered.</p>
+
+<p>"That work won't do, lad! You'd be sorry for it when you got over sich
+feelin's as at present agitates you. Let him alone, sir. We'll all
+have sufferin' enough yet, I'll warrant ye!"</p>
+
+<p>Thus prevailed upon, not only by the old sailor but by the mingled
+pleadings of Mary, Harry relaxed his hold of the fellow, who, with a
+baffled howl, sank down, glaring at the water, as if hoping to see his
+knife again rise to the surface.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile a fresh breeze now came along, wrinkling the water, and
+falling upon the heated brows and parched lips of the raft's people,
+inspiring sensations of relief.</p>
+
+<p>Harry took off his outside shirt, and with one of the raft poles, thus
+formed a sail.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"A queer piece of canvass, sartinly," said Tom Turk, mournfully; "but
+as there's a to'gallant sail, we may as well have a topsail, do you
+see?"</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he took off his shirt, which was also put upon the pole.</p>
+
+<p>The impetus thus given to the raft can be hardly credited.</p>
+
+<p>Away it went, rippling the water, at the rate of about three knots.</p>
+
+<p>It was nearly sundown, when Tom Turk suddenly balancing himself upon
+his toes, was heard singing out:</p>
+
+<p>"Land, oh!"</p>
+
+<p>"Another delusion," bitterly exclaimed Harry, not even attempting to
+rise from his position by Mary's side.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm sartin, this time!" exclaimed the old sailor; "fog never looks
+like them black things thereaway," pointing westward.</p>
+
+<p>Harry and Brand were up in a moment, to discover that the old tar had
+indeed spoken truth.</p>
+
+<p>Far away a number of rocks were seen, protruding from the sea.</p>
+
+<p>"Better no land at all than that," growled Brand, in a disappointed
+voice. "We'll find no water there."</p>
+
+<p>On went the raft, and in due time the rocks were gained. They were
+found to be about ten in number, and to rise several feet above the
+surface of the sea.</p>
+
+<p>Brand was the first to spring ashore. Rushing forward, he was suddenly
+seen to throw himself down.</p>
+
+<p>Harry and Turk were soon by his side, to perceive that he had found,
+in a hollow of one of the rocks, a quantity of water, evidently lodged
+there by a recent waterspout, and prevented from drying up by the
+shadow from an overhanging cliff.</p>
+
+<p>It seemed as if the captain would never get his fill.</p>
+
+<p>He drank and drank, drawing in the water with a noise like that of a
+horse at a trough.</p>
+
+<p>At last he rose.</p>
+
+<p>There was a gallon and a half of water still in the rocky basin.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>What a contrast now was presented between the conduct of Brand and
+that of his shipmates. Turk filled his flask with the pure element,
+and presented it to Harry, who at once passed it to Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"Drink first!" said the poor girl.</p>
+
+<p>Finding, however, that she could not prevail upon him to do so, Mary
+at length drank her fill.</p>
+
+<p>The effect was magical. Her eyes brightened&mdash;the feverish hue seemed
+to leave her cheek&mdash;she breathed a grateful sigh of relief.</p>
+
+<p>At the basin, Turk would not drink until his companion had first done
+so.</p>
+
+<p>When all had partaken, there was still a quart of water left.</p>
+
+<p>Turk went to the raft, and, procuring his flask, in which there still
+remained a few drops, he filled it from the hollow, and returning,
+presented it to Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"This is for you, my lass," said he.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, Brand filled his bottle, holding about twice as much as
+Turk's.</p>
+
+<p>Neither Harry nor the old seaman said anything; but they exchanged
+glances, which said plainly:</p>
+
+<p>"When we want water for the girl, we will know where to get it."</p>
+
+<p>Walking about the rocks, Harry suddenly uttered a glad cry.</p>
+
+<p>In some crevices among the rocks, he beheld a number of fat-looking
+fish.</p>
+
+<p>"It seems as if heaven has sent these especially for our benefit, at
+the right time," said the young man, joyfully, as Turk came to his
+side.</p>
+
+<p>The old tar, however, looked sober.</p>
+
+<p>"It is easy enough," said he, "tellin' how them fish came here."</p>
+
+<p>"I don't understand you."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then, I'll tell you. These rocks, is covered up at high tide.
+That is how them fish came to be left here!"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"We have our raft," said Harry, joyfully, "so that if the rocks do
+overflow, we may thus get more fish!"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, it's all right, so long as the raft holds together," answered
+Turk, "which I'm mighty afraid, won't be long," pointing at the
+lashings holding the timbers together.</p>
+
+<p>These lashings were, in fact, much worn; some of them could not long
+be made use of.</p>
+
+<p>"We must try to fix the raft," said Harry, "I dare say we can contrive
+it so that we may keep afloat."</p>
+
+<p>From the raft the hungry men soon turned their attention to the fish.</p>
+
+<p>These were cooked with a couple of planks&mdash;there were plenty to
+spare&mdash;torn from the raft and split up against the jagged edges of
+the rocks, some of the fragments to be afterwards cut by Turk's
+pocketknife, and lighted by matches which, sailor-like, the old tar
+always carried with him in a small tin box, that they might be kept
+dry.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, Brand, while taking no part in these preparations, sat like
+a hungry tiger eyeing the cooked fish.</p>
+
+<p>A portion was given to him; in fact, the whole party made a hearty and
+palatable meal.</p>
+
+<p>Now, Mary, her wants having been relieved, again spoke of the volcanic
+island.</p>
+
+<p>"I so wish we could fall in with some sail, which would take us
+there," said she. "Oh, if I could only see my dear papa!"</p>
+
+<p>Brand shrugged his shoulders.</p>
+
+<p>"Hark!" he suddenly screamed, as the night shadows gathered, "I
+fancied I heard a gurgling sound!"</p>
+
+<p>Neither of the rest had heard anything.</p>
+
+<p>"P'raps it was the wash of the waves against the rock," said Brand.</p>
+
+<p>Next morning the whole party rose after a slight rest&mdash;the men having
+stood watch&mdash;to perceive that the water had risen nearly to the top of
+the first rock.</p>
+
+<p>"The rock will soon be flooded," remarked Harry.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, so I'm afraid," said Turk. "We had better try to make the
+raft stronger."</p>
+
+<p>Unfortunately, the men having no rope with them, succeeded but poorly.</p>
+
+<p>"Truth is," said Turk, aside to his friend, "I wouldn't trust
+ourselves two days on them planks!"</p>
+
+<p>At this time the party stood upon one of the rocks.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly Mary pointed down at the water, through which, all around
+their position, a number of dark-looking fins now were seen, moving
+hither and thither.</p>
+
+<p>"What are those things?" she inquired.</p>
+
+<p>"Sharks!" answered Harry and Turk, as they simultaneously drew the
+young girl upon the raft.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a><br /><br />
+
+DRIVEN AWAY.</h2>
+
+
+<p>The water kept rising higher.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, the sharks swam all round the rocks, and the raft, now and
+then leaping forth, as if to clutch at the party.</p>
+
+<p>The sight of these ugly-looking creatures, with their long heads,
+sharp fins, teeth, and dull, bloodshot eyes, inspired Mary with the
+most disagreeable sensations.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Come!" said she, "let us leave this fearful place!"</p>
+
+<p>Turk shook his head.</p>
+
+<p>"It is our only salvation, Miss, I'm afraid."</p>
+
+<p>"Not much of a salvation, either," said Brand, pointing down at
+several of the ferocious creatures, which had begun to gnaw at the
+lashings of the raft.</p>
+
+<p>Vainly the men endeavored to drive them away; they clung with steady
+tenacity to the lashings, biting with demon-like intelligence at the
+rope strands, as if aware that the severing of these would put the
+party in their power.</p>
+
+<p>Finally the seamen were obliged to get off the raft on the rocks, and
+draw the planks after them, as the only means of pulling the lashings
+away from the teeth of the troublesome monsters.</p>
+
+<p>The water, however, kept rising, so that it was necessary to get away
+as soon as possible.</p>
+
+<p>The men did their best to strengthen the planks, then once more
+launched their raft, actually driven away by the sharks.</p>
+
+<p>The tendency of the current and the wind now was to the westward.</p>
+
+<p>"At such a rate," said Turk, "shouldn't wonder if we find ourselves,
+before two days, on the volcanic island."</p>
+
+<p>For this island the party had looked every day, while they were
+afloat; but, for some reason or other, since the night of their first
+floating away from the island, they had seen nothing of the smoke or
+fire of the burning crater.</p>
+
+<p>The seamen had attributed this fact to the murky atmosphere westward,
+shrouding the island from their view, while the raft had meanwhile
+been carried further and further from it by the tide.</p>
+
+<p>When night came, after their leaving the rock, the bearings of which
+they endeavored to keep in mind, they again looked for the light of
+the volcano. The atmosphere, however, not having yet cleared, they
+could see no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> sign of it. Hoping that the current would continue in
+this direction and carry them to the island, they watched the west,
+keenly yet vainly for a sign of the shore.</p>
+
+<p>Mary slept little that night. In the morning Harry pointed out to her,
+far away, the land, evidently that which they were anxious to reach,
+looming up, the mist having cleared.</p>
+
+<p>That it was the wished-for shore was made evident by a column of
+smoke, rising up from the summit of one of the lofty island peaks.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you think we will reach it?" the young girl inquired.</p>
+
+<p>"I think so; if the set of the current does not change to the south,"
+answered Harry.</p>
+
+<p>He was right; before night the party were close upon the island shore.</p>
+
+<p>Mary's eyes lighted up with joy. Worn though she was by hardship and
+suffering, she could yet feel a thrill of eager, pleasant expectation,
+as she gazed at the beautiful shores of this island.</p>
+
+<p>Scarcely a mile in extent, and not more than half that in breadth, the
+shores teemed with the most luxuriant vegetation.</p>
+
+<p>There were seen tall cocoanuts waving upon a bright, pebbly beach,
+rocks covered with flowers and vines, cascades flashing and gleaming
+as they glittered in the sunlight, and the broad waters of silver
+streams, gliding along through mossy grounds.</p>
+
+<p>"Beautiful," said Mary, clapping her hands. "Papa! papa! are you
+there?"</p>
+
+<p>She spoke half plaintively, half joyfully, clasping her hands like a
+little child.</p>
+
+<p>Brand turned aside his head. Hardened as he was, the voice went
+straight to his ruffian heart, and he felt at that moment as if he
+would give worlds had he not committed the fearful crime which, after
+all, had been perpetrated for nothing.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile Turk stood gazing steadily towards one of the island bays.</p>
+
+<p>"If I ain't mistaken," said he, "there's an old wreck of some kind
+there!"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," cried Harry; "I see it&mdash;the wreck of a schooner, if we may
+judge by the two stumps of her masts."</p>
+
+<p>It was almost sundown before the raft touched upon the beach.</p>
+
+<p>"We will commence our search for traces of your father," said Harry to
+Mary, after all had refreshed themselves with luxurious bananas and
+the remains of their fish, "by visiting that old wreck. If your parent
+be here, he probably has visited the hulk, and perhaps left some sign
+of his presence; a pipe, matches or something of that sort."</p>
+
+<p>"Who knows," said Mary, "but he has taken up his quarters there."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm afraid you are too hopeful, lass," said old Tom Turk, "'specially
+as it was believed by all aboard the <em>Maxwell</em> that the poor old man
+was drowned after he fell overboard."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said Brand, shuddering; "I for one believe he was drowned."</p>
+
+<p>"I will go with you to the wreck," said Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"No," replied Harry, "it will be too much for you."</p>
+
+<p>The young girl, however, insisting, the whole party started for the
+bay, which they could see from their position.</p>
+
+<p>A short walk brought them to the wreck.</p>
+
+<p>It was a schooner, and as had been supposed, with its two masts broken
+short off near the deck.</p>
+
+<p>It lay almost upon its beam ends, firmly wedged in between two rocks.</p>
+
+<p>By mounting a small, flat rock near the larboard gunwale, the party
+easily got aboard. Having done so, they entered the cabin. It was
+devoid of all articles of furniture,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> these probably having been taken
+away by some of the Indian visitors at the island.</p>
+
+<p>A candle, however, with an old piece of a clay pipe, a few nails, and
+an empty box, were found.</p>
+
+<p>Turk took the candle, and endeavored to light it. This was done with
+some difficulty, after which the party passed into the hold. Here,
+saturated with salt water, which had broken in through the bottom of
+the schooner, were seen several coils of old rope and a few empty
+barrels.</p>
+
+<p>"All of which," philosophized Turk, "will come in good use, 'specially
+if we can find some nails."</p>
+
+<p>After a long search, he came upon a bag of rusty nails, lying upon one
+of the beams.</p>
+
+<p>"With these," said Turk, "we can manage to make a boat, leastways a
+good raft."</p>
+
+<p>The flickering candle shed lurid light upon the old, creaking beams
+of the schooner, as the party vainly searched the hold for signs of
+Mary's father.</p>
+
+<p>"Thought it would be of no use," said Turk; "Poor old man, he was
+drowned, you may be sartin."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, papa! papa! would that I could find him!" wailed Mary, mournfully.</p>
+
+<p>Brand shuddered, as he always did, when the girl's father was
+mentioned.</p>
+
+<p>Seating himself on a detached coil of rigging, with his back turned to
+the rest of the party, he suddenly fancied he felt a strange, creeping
+sensation stealing over his body; a feeling, as if a multitude of
+worms, were crawling up his back.</p>
+
+<p>Instinctively he turned half round, to see his companions, already
+leaving the hold, passing into the cabin.</p>
+
+<p>Some strange instinct prompted him to turn yet further round, when he
+beheld a sight which for some moments kept him motionless, unable to
+utter a word.</p>
+
+<p>In the faint light of the candle, streaming into the hold, he saw a
+long, lean neck, surmounted by a face as bloodless and apparently
+almost transparent, with hollow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> cheeks and protruding eyes, lifted
+above a barrel at the other side of the hold.</p>
+
+<p>A strange looking face it was; a face of unearthly transparency,
+apparently quivering like a vapor, while his eyes&mdash;those great,
+staring eyes, were fixed strangely upon the captain.</p>
+
+<p>The latter, as mentioned, could not utter a word. To him the
+apparition was doubly terrible, as it was that of the man whom he had
+pushed overboard from the <em>Maxwell</em>.</p>
+
+<p>Yes, there it was, sure enough, the face of the unfortunate passenger,
+William Manton.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a><br /><br />
+
+HAUNTED.</h2>
+
+
+<p>As Brand, like one spell-bound, continued staring at the strange
+vision, he beheld the lean throat quivering, and heard issuing
+therefrom a gurgling cry exactly like that on the fatal night.</p>
+
+<p>It was a horrible sound, especially to Brand, who, with one hoarse
+scream, bounded backward on beholding the apparition suddenly vanish,
+as if melting away in the air.</p>
+
+<p>At the noise made by Brand, Turk, followed by Harry, rushed back into
+the hold.</p>
+
+<p>"What is the matter?"</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing," gasped Brand; "nothing at all."</p>
+
+<p>There were big drops of sweat upon his brow, his eyes protruded, while
+great, purple rings spread around them.</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing," said Turk; "ay, ay, now, but there must be something the
+matter with ye, Cap. D'ye feel hungry?"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Perceiving that he must make some excuse, Brand puzzled himself trying
+to think of some plausible one.</p>
+
+<p>"The fact is," said he, "I believe what we've gone through has
+unstrung my nerves. I thought I felt a snake around my legs, when it
+was nothing but a coil of rope."</p>
+
+<p>His auditors believed him all the more readily that they had by this
+time concluded that the man, like most all thoroughly selfish people,
+was a coward.</p>
+
+<p>In a short time they were out of the schooner, when Brand, who had
+previously lagged, was now the foremost.</p>
+
+<p>In a short time they reached a level piece of turf about one hundred
+yards from the wreck.</p>
+
+<p>This they concluded would be a good halting place, at least for the
+present, and so they commenced the work of erecting shelters.</p>
+
+<p>This was soon done, after which they threw themselves down to rest,
+Mary, as on the other island, occupying a bower apart from the others.</p>
+
+<p>The young girl slept but little that night. When she did full asleep,
+her slumber was troubled with disagreeable dreams. The roaring of the
+volcano whose red gleam could be seen far up through the shrubbery,
+shooting from one of the island peaks, mingled with her fancies, and
+seemed the report of countless volleys of musketry.</p>
+
+<p>At morn, after partaking of a frugal breakfast, the party consulted as
+to their next course.</p>
+
+<p>Turk wanted to commence at once upon his boat, Brand, sullen,
+glowering and silent, seemed inclined to do nothing, while Mary and
+Glenville concluded to walk off by themselves to explore the island.</p>
+
+<p>Striking through the shrubbery, the young people soon found themselves
+at the foot of the peak on which was the volcano.</p>
+
+<p>They could see the smoke and the flashes of fire shooting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> up, could
+also feel the ground shake under them, as if the flames were careering
+beneath their very feet. Watching the volcano awhile, they moved on.</p>
+
+<p>"Let us explore the island thoroughly," said Mary, "we may yet come
+upon some trace of my parent."</p>
+
+<p>"Why is it, Mary," inquired Harry, "that you seem so confident on this
+subject?"</p>
+
+<p>"My father," answered the young girl, "was an excellent swimmer. I
+have heard him say he once swam across the East River, New York, while
+a boy.</p>
+
+<p>"Then again the captain informed me that, in falling overboard, it was
+found that my parent had carried away with him a plank, which, from
+carelessness, had been left hanging loosely over the stern. Now what
+more likely than that with the help of the plank, and this island but
+two miles to leeward, he should succeed in reaching it?"</p>
+
+<p>Harry shook his head.</p>
+
+<p>"Of course," said he, "such things have happened, but I have no idea
+that your father reached the island."</p>
+
+<p>For several hours the two walked over the isle, which they found to
+be a beautiful place. There were flowers of almost every hue, clear,
+purling streams, rocks, caverns and cascades, while through the green
+shrubbery the banana and the breadfruit were visible.</p>
+
+<p>The wanderers, however, came upon no traces of Mr. Manton, and Harry
+could see that his companion's hopes in this respect were almost
+extinguished.</p>
+
+<p>Returning to the spot where the shelters were located, they found Turk
+already at work upon his boat, assisted by Brand.</p>
+
+<p>"You are making good progress," remarked Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," answered Turk, "there's no chance for laziness, now. The
+sooner we leave this island the better, accordin' to my notion."</p>
+
+<p>The old tar spoke solemnly.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay," said Captain Brand, "that's my opinion. Hark! did ye hear that?"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>A roaring, rumbling sound was heard, right under their feet; the
+ground trembled violently.</p>
+
+<p>"It is the subterranean fire of that volcano," said Harry. "I hardly
+think there is much danger."</p>
+
+<p>He said this to quiet the fears of Mary, who turned pale and looked
+anxious.</p>
+
+<p>"To my notion," said Turk, "it's devils a-lightin' their brimstone
+right under us, hopin' in that way to catch us. It's plain they're
+after some one among us, which I may premise by sayin' ain't me nor
+Harry, nor this young lass."</p>
+
+<p>Brand frowned darkly.</p>
+
+<p>"How know you that I'm not as good as the rest of you," said he.</p>
+
+<p>"Honestly speakin', Cap, I don't think you are," exclaimed the old
+tar, bluntly.</p>
+
+<p>"I've always led a good life," said Brand, shunning the great blue
+eyes of Mary.</p>
+
+<p>There was a rumble like thunder under ground, then a report like the
+discharge of musketry.</p>
+
+<p>"The devils is a-firin' off their muskets to celebrate that lie of
+yours, Cap," remarked Turk, as he turned to his work.</p>
+
+<p>The party now felt anxious. The noises under ground continued, the
+island shook, while increased volumes of fire shot up from the
+volcanic peak.</p>
+
+<p>Harry now assisted Turk in his work on the boat. There had been found
+that morning in the schooner an old hatchet with which Turk had
+knocked away a large quantity of timber from the wreck to be conveyed
+to the spot where he intended erecting his boat.</p>
+
+<p>Working all day, the men made good progress.</p>
+
+<p>Brand worked as hard as the rest. It was not the danger from the
+volcano alone that urged him on in his efforts, but the continual
+harassing fear, of again beholding that fearful apparition of his
+drownded victim.</p>
+
+<p>At night the aspect of the volcano was terrific. There were the lurid
+flames, apparently shooting to the very<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> skies, while whole showers
+of sparks were thrown out in fiery flakes that filled all the air,
+floating along like millions of fireflies over the sea, in the water
+of which the were reflected.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the shocks became every moment more frequent, the ground
+shaking as if beneath the tramp of armed horsemen.</p>
+
+<p>Harry had advanced into the thicket a short distance, when he became
+aware of a hissing sound, as if thousands of serpents were around him.</p>
+
+<p>At the same moment, a broad, bright stream of something flashed up
+before him, apparently descending towards him with great rapidity.</p>
+
+<p>Now he comprehended that it was a stream of lava, thrown from the
+volcanic crater, and rushing down the side of the steep cliff.</p>
+
+<p>In fact he had not time to reach the spot where he had left his
+companions, when it came hissing and rushing into the thicket, which
+he had just left.</p>
+
+<p>All night a careful watch was kept, the raft with additional timbers
+secured to it being in readiness for the party to leave at a moment's
+notice.</p>
+
+<p>Nothing more than the shocks, with the fall of additional lava
+occurred, however, to disturb the party.</p>
+
+<p>"I doubt if anything serious happens, after all," said Harry.</p>
+
+<p>Turk pointed to a couple of fissures in the side of the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>"That looks bad," said he; "in my opinion, this island goes in less
+than forty-eight hours."</p>
+
+<p>Good progress was made on the boat this day.</p>
+
+<p>At night watching the volcano, Mary suddenly uttered a wild cry, and
+pointed up towards an overhanging rock beneath the crater.</p>
+
+<p>"What is it?" was the question.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know," said Mary, shuddering, "but just now I am certain I
+saw a form appear, and then suddenly vanish upon that shelf of rock."</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Are you sure?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes."</p>
+
+<p>Turk looked solemn; Brand turned deadly pale.</p>
+
+<p>"It must have been a spirit," said the old tar; "some imp after you,
+Cap," he added, looking straight at Brand.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, a spirit," muttered the captain, his teeth chattering.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a><br /><br />
+
+ON THE LEDGE.</h2>
+
+
+<p>"This must be looked into," said Harry, resolutely. "Who will go with
+me to the ledge?"</p>
+
+<p>"No&mdash;no&mdash;do not go," pleaded Mary, "see how the fire rages! The peak
+may explode before you come down, and you be swallowed up in the
+flames!"</p>
+
+<p>Harry however was determined to go.</p>
+
+<p>"If nobody will go with me," said he, "I will go alone."</p>
+
+<p>Mary advanced to his side.</p>
+
+<p>"I will go with you," said she; "if you are to perish, I will die with
+you."</p>
+
+<p>The young man, however, would not permit the girl to accompany him.</p>
+
+<p>"If what was seen was mortal," said Turk, "why, then, I'd go with you;
+but I don't care to have anything to do with spirits and sich like,
+which can give you a poke in the stomach, do you see, and yet you not
+be able to square off to 'em."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well, then, I go alone," said Harry, as he sprang away.</p>
+
+<p>He had not reached the foot of the cliff, when he felt a hand on his
+arm, and turned to behold Turk.</p>
+
+<p>"Fact is," said the latter, "I won't see ye go alone, but if there's
+any fightin' to do with ghosts, you mustn't expect me to help you, for
+when I aim at a nose, I like to hit it, which is impossible with the
+noses of goblins and sich like, as your fist will go right through
+'em."</p>
+
+<p>The two soon were at the foot of the cliff, which both<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> now commenced
+to ascend. As they advanced, the rumbling beneath them seemed to
+increase, shaking the cliff to its foundation.</p>
+
+<p>At length they arrived near the ledge, where the heat was almost
+unbearable. On one side of them there was a wide cleft, in which a
+line of fire was seen, glowing like a red hot iron. The slightest
+mis-step on the part of the adventurers in their endeavors to reach
+the ledge, must precipitate them into the cleft.</p>
+
+<p>To get to their destination, they must move along a narrow ridge not
+more than two inches wide, with nothing at the side of the rock to
+clutch except a slightly rugged surface which must afford them a very
+insecure hold.</p>
+
+<p>"This is dang'rous traveling," remarked Turk, "worse than walkin' on a
+railroad track over a rottin bridge."</p>
+
+<p>The two kept on, carefully making progress, until finally they were
+close to the ledge, upon which a sudden spring carried them.</p>
+
+<p>Winding round the cliff, they could now see another ledge, but no sign
+of the strange figure. They clambered the rocky surface, exploring it
+on all sides, but saw no sign of what they were after.</p>
+
+<p>"To my notion," said Turk, "that goblin has gone down to take a
+siesta, do you see, preparatory to comin' up agin, which, I take it,
+is a good hint fur us to make leg-bail."</p>
+
+<p>"What is this?" inquired Harry suddenly, stooping and picking up a
+singular object.</p>
+
+<p>It was a cocoanut branch twisted into an odd shape, bearing some
+resemblance to a pronged fork.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, now, there's the pitchfork for sartin!" exclaimed Turk; "that
+goblin has left his instrumental be&mdash;behind him, and we may yet come
+upon his tail!"</p>
+
+<p>"Hark, Turk," said Harry, somewhat sternly, "you must not talk in
+that way. This is in fact, no time for joking. See there," pointing
+above them as he spoke, to where lurid flames were shooting out from
+crevices in the rock, thus preventing their ascent.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Gazing below them they beheld the dark tops of the trees, far beneath.</p>
+
+<p>There was no means by which they could reach the ground.</p>
+
+<p>The flames meanwhile burning brighter and longer, every moment, until
+finally they scorched the flesh of the two men, whose situation from
+the intense heat, was becoming intolerable.</p>
+
+<p>For a moment they stood looking at each other, puzzled to know what to
+do.</p>
+
+<p>Then a sudden thought flashed across Harry's mind.</p>
+
+<p>"There are coils of rope in the schooner," said he; "we can start from
+here to Brand, who, probably, is watching us, telling him to bring up
+and lower to us one of those coils of rope."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, if he ain't afraid," answered Turk.</p>
+
+<p>The two men shouting with united voices, pronounced the captain's name.</p>
+
+<p>"Halloa!" was the response.</p>
+
+<p>"We cannot get back the way we came. Bring us a rope from the
+schooner's wreck, and lower it to us."</p>
+
+<p>Brand shuddered and turned pale.</p>
+
+<p>Mary, who was near, besought him to hurry.</p>
+
+<p>"No," he answered, in husky voice, "I do not care to go aboard that
+schooner!"</p>
+
+<p>"Then I will go!" cried Mary, and away she went.</p>
+
+<p>Bad as he was, Brand was yet man enough not to permit this girl to
+undertake such a difficult task.</p>
+
+<p>He sprang after her, and soon boarding the schooner, advanced with
+lighted candle into the hold, casting fearful glances around him.</p>
+
+<p>He saw nothing, however, to excite alarm, and so seizing a small coil,
+he emerged with it on deck.</p>
+
+<p>He was about climbing over the bulwarks, when, chancing to turn his
+head towards the schooner's bows, he fancied he saw the phantom face
+of the drowned passenger as it was hastily withdrawn!</p>
+
+<p>"P'shaw, this is mere imagination," muttered the captain,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> as he
+sprung over the rail to the beach, where he found Mary anxiously
+waiting for him.</p>
+
+<p>"Quick! make haste!" exclaimed the young girl.</p>
+
+<p>It almost seemed to Brand, as he encountered the gaze of those wild
+eyes, that he beheld a second phantom, so alike were the eyes of
+father and daughter.</p>
+
+<p>Throwing the coil over his shoulders, he hurried along to the cliff
+and commenced the ascent, followed by Mary, who, in her anxiety for
+her lover's safety, would almost have followed the man into the very
+flames.</p>
+
+<p>In a short time they were at a point, whence the rope might be lowered
+to the two imperiled men upon the ledge.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, therefore, uncoiling the line, lowered the end to them at a
+point where the flames could not come into contact with it, fastening
+the other part to a spur.</p>
+
+<p>It was evident, however, that the two must make good speed, else the
+strands would become so weakened by the heat that there would be
+danger of their giving way.</p>
+
+<p>The two men found the rope, where they lowered it over the edge of the
+rocky shelf, long enough to reach to the ground, about one hundred and
+fifty feet beneath them.</p>
+
+<p>Then Turk commenced the descent, succeeding in reaching the ground
+safely.</p>
+
+<p>By this time the strands were so weakened that Brand was obliged to
+haul the rope up, to prevent its parting, and secure another turn
+around the rocky spur.</p>
+
+<p>Then Harry, grasping the lower part, commenced to descend. He had got
+within about one hundred and twenty feet of the ground and within a
+few feet of the top of one of the trees, when from the branches, the
+captain, whose position afforded him a good view of the trees revealed
+in the volcano's lurid light, uttered a sudden wild cry, that rang
+above the din of the roaring fire.</p>
+
+<p>Protruding from the foliage of the tree, towards which Harry was being
+lowered, the man beheld the long, lean<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> neck and ghastly countenance
+of the apparition he so dreaded.</p>
+
+<p>So great was the effect of this vision upon him that he let go the
+rope which descended swift as a shot.</p>
+
+<p>Where now was Harry Glenville?</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a><br /><br />
+
+CAPTURED.</h2>
+
+
+<p>Mary, shrieking, peered far over the edge of the rock, vainly looking
+for her lover.</p>
+
+<p>"Killed! killed!" she wailed, wringing her hands. "My God, he is
+dashed to pieces on the ground, by your letting go of the rope!"</p>
+
+<p>"I?" exclaimed the captain, looking wild and half bewildered.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, God! it is so!"</p>
+
+<p>The vision had by this time vanished. Partially recovering his
+self-possession, the captain hurried down the steep cliff, following
+Mary, who, like a maniac, ran on.</p>
+
+<p>She soon gained the foot of the precipice, and was hurrying along in
+the direction where she expected to find the remains of her lover all
+mangled from his fall of sixty feet, when suddenly, she felt some
+person grasp her arm, and turning, beheld Brand.</p>
+
+<p>"Let me go! Why hold me?" screamed the young girl, wildly.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"See, there!" he answered, pointing towards the beach, "that is the
+reason!"</p>
+
+<p>Looking in the indicated direction, she beheld, in the lurid glare of
+the volcanic fire, a long canoe, by the beach.</p>
+
+<p>Evidently it was the same which had pursued them on that day when the
+two warriors were slain.</p>
+
+<p>Bent on vengeance, the islanders had not yet given up the pursuit, but
+had searched for the fugitives ever since, at last coming upon their
+traces.</p>
+
+<p>Now the forms of the fierce men were seen advancing swiftly in single
+file up the beach, on a course, which, had Mary kept on, must have
+brought her into contact with them.</p>
+
+<p>"Never mind," she exclaimed; "let me go to his body! What care I if
+they do kill me, so long as I get a glimpse of his form?"</p>
+
+<p>Brand, however, held her firmly.</p>
+
+<p>He felt that he should at least partially atone for his crime by
+saving the daughter of the man he had sent to his death.</p>
+
+<p>"Come! come with me! This is madness."</p>
+
+<p>Mary struggled in vain. Brand drew her along with him into the shadow
+of a small cavern in the foot of the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>"Hark!" he said, "you must not cry out."</p>
+
+<p>Attracted probably by her cries, several natives soon presented
+themselves at the entrance of the cavern.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, being unarmed, could do nothing. Several spears were pointed at
+his heart and that of his companion.</p>
+
+<p>An islander&mdash;a huge fellow with great rings tattooed like bracelets
+all over both his arms; evidently a chief, interposed.</p>
+
+<p>"No strike!" he exclaimed, in broken English, "this's too much quick
+death. Best take and chokee slow."</p>
+
+<p>"What do you mean?" inquired Brand.</p>
+
+<p>"Cussem Americanon!" said the chief, fiercely, "kill one two me men!
+Mus' pay for dat."</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"You are mistaken," answered Brand; "I never killed a man. It wasn't
+me."</p>
+
+<p>"All same you with," answered the islander. "Ho! ho! never get way
+from me&mdash;me got long canoe."</p>
+
+<p>The two were dragged to the beach, bound with strong wythes, and were
+made to sit down upon the sand.</p>
+
+<p>Then a brief conversation was held, after which, the chief said
+something to several of his men.</p>
+
+<p>Away they went, climbing up a tree, and procuring several branches.</p>
+
+<p>These they brought to the chief, who, passing them round the neck of
+the prisoners so tightly that both were nearly throttled, then turned
+again and spoke to his people.</p>
+
+<p>Instantly the latter, seizing the two, dragged them up to their necks
+into the water, where they were firmly held with the incoming seas
+continually breaking over their heads.</p>
+
+<p>A slow, torturing method this to make way with prisoners. It is
+however resorted to by many of the South Sea Island tribes.</p>
+
+<p>At first the victim easily manages to catch his breath between
+whiles. Gradually, however, this becoming harder, and the difficulty
+increasing every moment, the wretches are eventually strangled to
+death.</p>
+
+<p>Poor Mary! The hardships and excitement she had lately undergone were
+of themselves sufficient to deprive an ordinary woman of her strength.
+This young girl, however, had an excellent constitution and, when
+occasion required, a strong will. Now the intensity of her anguish
+regarding her lover had so worked upon her, that, with this new
+torture before her, she became unconscious.</p>
+
+<p>Heedless of this, however, the native having charge of her, still held
+her upright in the water, until the chief again interfered.</p>
+
+<p>"Makee muchee now long," said he.</p>
+
+<p>The two were drawn out to the beach, Brand, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> being informed
+that the disagreeable ceremony would before morning, be repeated,
+until he was drownee, drownee, drownee.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after Mary came to her senses. At first somewhat bewildered, she
+soon remembered all.</p>
+
+<p>"Dead! dead!" she moaned, "he is dead."</p>
+
+<p>The natives heeded not her sufferings. On the contrary, they seemed to
+gloat over her distress.</p>
+
+<p>An hour wore on when the prisoners were again led into water, the seas
+breaking high, continually went over their heads.</p>
+
+<p>Mary soon drew her breath with difficulty&mdash;her brain went round and
+round, she felt that she was dying.</p>
+
+<p>In fact, life must have deserted her in a few minutes, but for a
+singular interposition, the phantom-like figure which has been
+mentioned, appearing suddenly on the branch of a tree and waving its
+arms to the natives in a frantic manner.</p>
+
+<p>"Berch, hounds and dogs!" it exclaimed in hollow voice; "what would ye
+do. I forbid this work. Terrible misfortune will attend ye, if ye keep
+on thus persecuting those prisoners."</p>
+
+<p>Brand, hearing that voice, turned his head.</p>
+
+<p>As he did so, the form suddenly vanished.</p>
+
+<p>The natives stood looking at each other in surprise. Brand noticing
+their astonishment, thought he might turn it to good account.</p>
+
+<p>No other consideration but that of saving his life could have tempted
+him to speak of the vision of the murdered passenger to a living soul.</p>
+
+<p>"Indians," said he, "I would at once speak to your chief."</p>
+
+<p>The men who held him understood him sufficiently to make known his
+request to their leader, who, forthwith, appeared floundering through
+the water.</p>
+
+<p>"What want? Speak quick!"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then," said Brand, shuddering, "he whom you<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> saw just now among
+the trees, was no mortal vision. It is a phantom!"</p>
+
+<p>"How know you that?"</p>
+
+<p>"If the chief will take me a little ways off I will tell him," said
+Brand, not caring to have the young girl hear what he intended to say.</p>
+
+<p>The chief did as requested, when Brand explained, saying that the
+phantom was that of a passenger who had accidentally fallen overboard
+from a vessel aboard which he (Brand), was third officer.</p>
+
+<p>The superstitious natives are prone to believe weird stories, and the
+chief was no exception to the rule.</p>
+
+<p>To his awe-stricken followers he at once explained what he had
+learned, when it was unanimously agreed that the lives of the two
+prisoners should be spared, at least for the present.</p>
+
+<p>No good, the natives all agreed, could come of their disobeying the
+injunctions of a spirit.</p>
+
+<p>Mary and Brand were therefore taken and seated near a bright fire,
+which had been kindled for comfort by their enemies.</p>
+
+<p>They were treated to cooked breadfruit, cocoanut sauce, and other
+delicacies of the South Sea Islanders. Brand ate heartily, but poor
+Mary, almost maddened by her grief, would not even look at what was
+proffered her.</p>
+
+<p>"Harry is dead! dead!" was the continual cry of her anguished soul.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the whole island was rocking like a floating ship. Showers
+of fire, roaring thunder, flew from the volcanic peak.</p>
+
+<p>The natives looked at each other. Presently the chief spoke.</p>
+
+<p>"The islee will be swallowed in fire," said he; "the spirit which
+spoke, did not tell right. It is a bad spirit, which Islander must not
+mind. It said if Islander spare white men's life, no harm come. See!
+here is harm. The island will be lost before Islander can find all
+their foes."</p>
+
+<p>Such was the purport of the chief's words, uttered<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> however, in a more
+incomprehensible manner than we have shown.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," continued the speaker, "so we say we must killee! killee,"
+pointing at the two prisoners; "must killee quickee, no slow now."</p>
+
+<p>He held a brief consultation with some of his men, four of whom now
+advanced toward the girl and Brand, each of which was lifted between a
+couple.</p>
+
+<p>"Quickee&mdash;go!" screamed the chief, when each of the pair, with their
+burdens commenced rapidly scaling the sides of the steep ascent.</p>
+
+<p>Good need it now seemed, was there of their making swift speed.</p>
+
+<p>They kept on with all possible dispatch, eventually pausing upon a
+lofty spire, far up on the very top of the mountain.</p>
+
+<p>This spur, rising to a height of about forty feet from the edge of
+the volcanic crater, overlooked the chasm of fire, which, like the
+infernal lake itself, lay at its base, shooting its forked tongues of
+roaring, hissing flame high in air!</p>
+
+<p>And now the prisoners comprehended the fate intended for them, for the
+natives driving them to and fro, preparing to fling them into that
+lurid, roaring, crackling sea of fire!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a><br /><br />
+
+WALLED IN.</h2>
+
+
+<p>To repeat a previous question.</p>
+
+<p>Where now was Harry Glenville?</p>
+
+<p>On feeling himself descending, after Brand let go of the rope to which
+he was clinging, the young man, instinctively throwing out his arms,
+was fortunate enough to grasp the branch of the tree through which his
+falling form was crashing.</p>
+
+<p>To this branch he clung, swinging a hundred feet above the ground.</p>
+
+<p>Every moment he expected that the branch, which was a slender one, and
+which he held near the extremity, would part. He could hear it crack,
+every time he swung.</p>
+
+<p>Above him, faintly revealed in the lurid light, he could meanwhile
+see a larger and stronger branch, which he hoped he might, by a
+sudden upward stretching of an arm, succeed in grasping. Still there
+was danger that he might miss his grasp, when he would certainly be
+precipitated upon the ground below.</p>
+
+<p>Still considering whether or not to make the attempt, he suddenly
+heard the cheery voice of Tom Turk:</p>
+
+<p>"Hold on hard, lad, and I'll be up there to help ye, in the tyin' of a
+square knot!"</p>
+
+<p>"Make haste!" exclaimed Harry, "as I expect, every minute, that the
+branch I hold will give way."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay. Keep up a good heart. My climbin' days ain't quite over yet!"</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke, Turk commenced rapidly ascending the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> tree, running up
+the trunk with the squirrel-like dexterity of a true sailor.</p>
+
+<p>He had with him the end of the fallen rope, thrown over his shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>In a short time, he was upon the brunch, just above the swinging form
+of his friend.</p>
+
+<p>The latter's weight had nearly parted the branch, strips of which were
+already beginning to peel off.</p>
+
+<p>"Make haste, Turk!" repeated the young man.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, lad! here's the rope!" cried Turk, lowering to his friend the
+end, to which he had fastened a bowline hitch; "jest slip that over
+your head, and under one of your arms, and I'll have ye up in half a
+minute."</p>
+
+<p>Harry promptly complied, not a moment too soon, for with a crash, the
+branch now gave way.</p>
+
+<p>The young man would have gone with it, in spite of the bowline hitch,
+which he had not yet been able to properly secure, but for his
+throwing up both hands and grasping the rope.</p>
+
+<p>Turk, who had taken a turn round the upper branch, was thus enabled to
+draw him safely up.</p>
+
+<p>In a few seconds both men were on the ground, about to move in the
+direction of the base of the cliff to meet Mary and Brand, when they
+beheld the forms of the natives, stealing along from their canoe.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, now!" whispered Turk, "this is calamitous."</p>
+
+<p>"We must save Mary at all hazards," exclaimed Harry, impulsively, as
+he bounded forward.</p>
+
+<p>"S&mdash;sh!" whispered Turk, "jest see there! They have got the poor gal
+and that Brand already," pointing to the natives, lugging of their
+prisoners.</p>
+
+<p>Harry would have sprang onward unarmed as he was, to attack the two
+savages, but for the cooler and more prudent Turk.</p>
+
+<p>"Hold!" he whispered, grasping his friend's jacket, "can't do anything
+in a hurry, which do you see, will salle all."</p>
+
+<p>Even as he spoke, another party of savages were observed, approaching
+them.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Now, then, fur scuddin!" said Turk, "no use stayin' here to be
+speared to death, which is a most uncomfortable way of dyin',
+'specially when you are afterwards b'iled in a pot for the blueskins'
+dinner."</p>
+
+<p>He drew the young man along to a clump of bushes near the base of an
+enormous tree.</p>
+
+<p>"I've sighted this tree before," said he, "which I know is holler.
+It's big enough to hold you and me. Afterwards we can see to the gal,
+if there's any way to save her, whereas if we should try now, we'd
+only be killed, which sartinly would be a poor way for keepin' the
+lass."</p>
+
+<p>Harry saw the sense of this remark at once. With the old seaman, he
+crouched in the bushes.</p>
+
+<p>"Well have to get into the tree, mole fashion," said Turk, "see'n' as
+the hole leading to the inside of it, is scooped out underneath."</p>
+
+<p>So saying he displaced some bushes, and bade his friend crawl into the
+aperture thus revealed.</p>
+
+<p>Harry did so, and was soon followed by Turk.</p>
+
+<p>In the hollow tree, the two now glanced up, to see through an opening
+in the trunk, broken half way off, the lurid gleam of the volcanic
+fire.</p>
+
+<p>"Here we are, moles as is moles!" exclaimed Turk.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the shouts of the savages, who, it was evident, had now
+come upon the footprints of the two seamen on the ground, were heard
+outside of the tree.</p>
+
+<p>"They will of course discover us, after all!" said Harry, "and we will
+have to die. Better to have fallen in defense of Mary."</p>
+
+<p>Turk scratched his head. By the red gleam, shooting down into the
+hollow, Harry could see a troubled expression upon the old seaman's
+face.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," he muttered, at length, "the Turks never was good at
+strategic p'nts. I had a grandfather, who, to save himself from a mad
+bull, throwed himself, in tryin' to leap over it, partly upon the
+creatur's horns, which,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> penetratin' the seat of his breeches, held
+him expended in that way until he was relieved by friends!"</p>
+
+<p>The old tar had scarcely thus delivered himself, when, chancing to
+glance down, he beheld the tattooed face of a savage, thrust under the
+trunk of the tree, peering up at him.</p>
+
+<p>Before he could utter a word, however, the face was withdrawn.</p>
+
+<p>Next moment a sound, as of men busy at work piling something around
+the tree, was heard.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after all was still.</p>
+
+<p>The two men held a consultation. Doubtless the savages were somewhere
+not far off, waiting for them to emerge.</p>
+
+<p>Nevertheless, they determined to make an attempt to escape from their
+present retreat.</p>
+
+<p>Turk was the first to stoop for the purpose of passing out, when an
+exclamation broke from his lips.</p>
+
+<p>"What's the matter?" inquired Harry.</p>
+
+<p>"Matter enough!" was the reply; "we are walled in with arth so that we
+can't get out!"</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a><br /><br />
+
+IN THE TREE.</h2>
+
+
+<p>For a moment the two stood eyeing each other, with looks of dismay.</p>
+
+<p>"Can't we burrow our way out?" queried the young man.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm afraid not. Them rascals knowed what they were doin' when they
+fastened us up. In my opinion, we are to be left in this hollow tree
+to be swallered up with the island when it goes!"</p>
+
+<p>Harry glanced up. The opening in the top of the trunk was about
+fifteen feet above them. There was no way for them to reach it!</p>
+
+<p>The young man bowed his face on his hand.</p>
+
+<p>"I would have been willing&mdash;would have cheerfully died," said he,
+"in helping poor Mary; but to perish far away from that girl without
+having lifted a hand in her defense is very mortifying!"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," said Turk, "and this is a lesson to me never to give advice
+in the futur'&mdash;if there be any futur' left for me on this arth! I'm as
+sorry as you can be, that I got you to give up follerin' the lass at
+once!"</p>
+
+<p>For several moments the two men stood, glancing up through the opening
+in the trunk, which being directly beneath the volcano, afforded them
+a good view of it.</p>
+
+<p>The huge crater was spouting showers of flame and sparks, which seemed
+to increase in quantity every moment.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the roaring noise of the subterranean fires was becoming
+louder. The ground shook with the thunder in its bosom, until the very
+tree in which the two men were ensconced began to tremble.</p>
+
+<p>"The 'castrophy' must soon take place!" exclaimed Turk; "wish you'd
+l'arn me to say a few prayers before we are swallered up! That is,"
+continued the old tar, "I did l'arn my catechism, once upon a time,
+but it's so long ago that the idee has been blowed out of my head by
+the squalls and gales I've weathered, do you see!"</p>
+
+<p>Harry answered not. His mind was full of bitter reflections, in the
+midst of which his Mary, suffering in the hands of the savages,
+occupied a prominent part.</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps we may burrow out of this!" he exclaimed, at length, "at all
+events, let us try!"</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he stooped, and went to work with hands and nails.</p>
+
+<p>He made some progress, but he had not dug a foot, when his hands came
+into contact with a hard substance, which resisted all his efforts to
+move it.</p>
+
+<p>It was a heavy stone, almost a rock in size, which had been shoved
+against the opening.</p>
+
+<p>"No hope!" he said, despairingly.</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke, a wild yell was heard without, followed by the noise of
+approaching steps.</p>
+
+<p>The steps drew nearer; there was a halt made alongside the tree, then
+followed a noise of dry branches being dragged along and piled round
+the trunk.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay! ay!" exclaimed Turk, aghast, "them heathens ain't even goin' to
+give us a chance to die in them underground flames, but is agoing to
+pile faggots and burn us at once."</p>
+
+<p>Harry shuddered.</p>
+
+<p>Then the thought occurred to him that perhaps Mary had perished in a
+similar manner.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes the crackling of flames, betokened that the old tar
+had guessed aright.</p>
+
+<p>The fire was wreathing and twining around the trunk<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> of the tree, the
+inside of which was every moment growing hotter.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," moaned Turk, despondingly, "we are all a-goin' to be baked
+alive, as if we were two clams instead of humanized bein's!"</p>
+
+<p>Hotter became the seamen's narrow quarters every moment. Tongues of
+flames were now seen creeping through crevices in the trunk.</p>
+
+<p>The sap oozed with a hiss like a serpent's, while the smoke entering
+the hollow, almost suffocated the occupants.</p>
+
+<p>Heated, almost blinded, their flesh scorched, the sufferings of the
+twain were becoming fearful.</p>
+
+<p>In the lurid glare each could see the eyeballs of the other rolling
+wildly in his head, and hear his panting breath drawn with difficulty.</p>
+
+<p>"This is intolerable!" gasped Harry; "would that the rascals would
+spear us, and thus at once put an end to our torment."</p>
+
+<p>There seemed, however, no probability of their doing this.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile there were none of the manifestations of exultation and
+triumph peculiar to the North American savages.</p>
+
+<p>Nothing was to be heard above the din of the roaring and crackling
+flames, save a low, guttural croaking of quiet satisfaction, such as
+might have been uttered over chunks of roast beef cooking on a spit.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," muttered Turk, who for some time had been dancing up and
+down with pain, "I feel as if the gravy was already a-oozing out of my
+body."</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke, he chanced to glance upward, when he was startled by
+the apparition of a face, half concealed by a great green leaf,
+(protruding downward from under an old cap) thrust through the opening
+in the top of the trunk, while the rest of the body was screened by
+the thick branches around it.</p>
+
+<p>"Hist! Stand by! I'll save you both if I can!" said<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> the stranger in a
+shrill, penetrating whisper, "on one condition!"</p>
+
+<p>For several moments the two men were so surprised that they could only
+stand motionless, looking up at the intruding face, without uttering a
+word.</p>
+
+<p>Harry was the first to speak.</p>
+
+<p>"Who are you! How came you there?"</p>
+
+<p>"It don't matter. I am only half human, at any rate. On one condition
+I said I'd save you."</p>
+
+<p>"Name it, name it, my man!" cried Turk, "and you'll see how quick we'll
+comply. But I'd think the savages would see you up there?"</p>
+
+<p>"No; the branches and leaves are too thick. The leaf over my face
+hides it from them while my body is in shadow."</p>
+
+<p>"Name that ere condition of yours then, quick!" exclaimed Turk.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, it is that you save my money!"</p>
+
+<p>"Your money?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes I cannot get to it now. I beg you will save me my precious money."</p>
+
+<p>"Where is it!" inquired Turk, "if you'll jist tell me that p'raps I
+can&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"It's in a little cleft in the right side of the trunk in a bag. You
+may feel it by putting your hand there. Oh! my money&mdash;my precious
+money! that must not be sacrificed!"</p>
+
+<p>Turk felt along the trunk until finally his hand struck a deep cleft
+notched in the wood, when he felt the bag and drew it forth.</p>
+
+<p>It emitted a clinking sound.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, that's it!" whispered the stranger; "now unfasten the cord
+from it, and throw the end up to me, when I will draw you safely out
+of the hollow!"</p>
+
+<p>Turk instantly proceeded to do as directed. Unwinding the cord which,
+though small in thickness, was as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> tough as a clothes-line, he was
+glad to perceive that it was long enough to reach to the top of the
+trunk.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, in spite of his sufferings, he could not forbear peeping
+into the bag, which, he at once perceived was full of shining pieces
+of gold.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV.</a><br /><br />
+
+OUT OF THE TREE.</h2>
+
+
+<p>"What avail is all this?" said Harry; "it is likely the savages have
+already heard our conversation. Besides, they will certainly see us,
+when we are drawn up out of the top of the trunk."</p>
+
+<p>"It ain't likely they've heard us," said Turk, "as there's sich an
+infernal din with the roarin' of the fire here and the volcano above;
+but as to their seein' us, I dare say that may happen."</p>
+
+<p>"Throw me the cord&mdash;quick!" cried the stranger, "and let me haul you
+up here with my precious gold!"</p>
+
+<p>Turk threw the end of the cord.</p>
+
+<p>"You may go first," said Harry to the old tar.</p>
+
+<p>"Not a bit of it, lad!" answered Turk; "I ain't one of that sort, do
+ye see! There's no hurry for me. Your life is more valuable than that
+of sich an old lubber as your humble servant, Tom Turk."</p>
+
+<p>Harry, however was firm.</p>
+
+<p>He fastened the end of the line quickly under the armpits of the
+sailor, and ordered the stranger to haul away.</p>
+
+<p>Assisted by his own efforts and by the pulls from the man above, Turk
+soon was drawn through the opening.</p>
+
+<p>Then a savage yell proclaimed that he was seen, and the trick to
+effect of his release discovered by the natives.</p>
+
+<p>"Quick, my lad!" shouted Turk, throwing down the line to his friend,
+as several spears whizzed round his head.</p>
+
+<p>"Give me my gold!" almost shrieked the stranger, as he snatched the
+bag from the old seaman's pocket, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> thrust it into his own, "and
+stand by to follow me, if you'd escape the natives."</p>
+
+<p>"Jist hold on a minnit!" said Turk, clutching the man by the arm;
+"I don't know who you be; whether you be humanized or t'otherwise,
+but one thing is sartin, it's playin' us a very scaly trick fur you
+a-tryin' to get off, when you know that the life of a feller creatur'
+is still to be saved."</p>
+
+<p>"Quick then, quick!" screamed the stranger, "don't you perceive that
+the natives are going to fling more spears?"</p>
+
+<p>"They can't hurt ye, if you ain't human," said Turk&mdash;then he added,
+eyeing the stranger curiously, "if you have what's tarmed a caudal
+canpendage, that is a tail, do you see, as all non-human bein's has, I
+wish you'd show it, so that I may know whose acquaintance I have the
+honor of makin."</p>
+
+<p>"Whiz! whiz! buz-z-z!" came more spears, passing within a few inches
+of the speaker's head.</p>
+
+<p>While talking, Turk had not neglected his friend, who by this time had
+passed the line round his breast and given the word to haul.</p>
+
+<p>The two pairs of arms soon had him up, when turning, the stranger was
+seen running along a branch extending from the burning tree to another.</p>
+
+<p>"There goes either the devil or a spook!" said Turk; "it's the
+queerest creatur' I ever saw, thinkin' of its gold under sarcumstances
+like the present."</p>
+
+<p>"Follow me, follow me, if you would escape," the man was now heard
+screaming out at the top of his voice.</p>
+
+<p>The seamen obeyed, gliding after the figure, which seemed to dart
+along with the speed of a squirrel.</p>
+
+<p>Having gained the other tree, the strange guide descended half way,
+then, by a drooping branch, swung himself quickly to the ground.</p>
+
+<p>Harry and his friend followed, the twain being pursued by the savages.</p>
+
+<p>Every nook and corner seemed familiar to the leader.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>On he went, dashing away with a speed which rapidly widened the
+distance between him and his followers.</p>
+
+<p>By powerful efforts, however, the two men continued to keep in sight.</p>
+
+<p>Finally Harry paused. The steps of the savages were heard crashing
+along but a short distance behind him.</p>
+
+<p>"Come on!" cried Turk, seizing the other's arm.</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered the latter, "the man is evidently carrying us further
+and further from Mary. For my part, I shall endeavor to ascertain the
+fate of the girl, if I die for it."</p>
+
+<p>All efforts of his friend to persuade him to keep on proved unavailing.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, one thing is sartin," said the old tar, "where you go, there,
+sir, Tom Turk, who never yet deserted a chum, goes too!"</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you," answered Glenville, squeezing the arm of his friend.</p>
+
+<p>Stepping to one side, and crouching in the shrubbery, Turk persuaded
+Harry to do the same.</p>
+
+<p>At this time, these two men were concealed from the savages by a high
+rock, round the angle of which they had passed.</p>
+
+<p>The natives, when they made the turn, believing that the two had kept
+on, continued the pursuit in a straight line, seeing the form of the
+strange guide, faintly visible in the far distance.</p>
+
+<p>When the savages had passed, making straight for the burning peak,
+Harry and his companion rose.</p>
+
+<p>"Which way now?" inquired Turk.</p>
+
+<p>"Towards the beach. There we may find Mary, either dead or alive, as
+there, it would seem, the greater number of the savages are gathered."</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly, they moved toward the beach, cautiously keeping in the
+shadow of the shrubbery, when they finally found themselves within
+about fifteen feet of a spot occupied by a dozen warriors, all of
+whom stood upright,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> their glances bent upon the steep sides of the
+volcanic cliff.</p>
+
+<p>"What is that?" inquired Harry, suddenly, trembling in every limb.</p>
+
+<p>"There are savages speeding up the cliff, and if I mistake not, I
+just saw the gleam of a light dress, as if the rascals were bearing a
+female between them."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," said Turk. "I saw it too, and it was sartinly a most
+melancholy sight."</p>
+
+<p>"That woman that we saw could of course be none other than Mary
+Manton," said Harry. "Come, we will at least die fighting for the
+girl."</p>
+
+<p>Before his friend could say a word, he was speeding along toward the
+cliff, still keeping in the shadow of the shrubbery, so that the
+natives could not see him.</p>
+
+<p>Now he and his companion eventually arrived at the base of the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>The natives in pursuit of the guide had, of course got there before
+them, and were now seen speeding up the steep ascent in hot pursuit of
+the strange man.</p>
+
+<p>"Come," said Harry; "come!"</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke, he sped straight up the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," muttered Turk, as he panted for breath, "this is hot work for
+sich old timbers as I be. The lad won't give me a chance to breathe.
+I may as well make up my mind to go to etarnity, the road to which
+is where we are now goin'; so I'll jist make one chaw of this plug,"
+pulling from his pocket a great piece of tobacco, the whole of which
+he at once thrust into his right cheek.</p>
+
+<p>On he went, until suddenly he uttered a loud cry, as Harry disappeared
+from his sight.</p>
+
+<p>Believing that the young man had fallen into some one of the deep
+chasms with which the cliff abounded, he hurried on, and was somewhat
+relieved to perceive that the object of his fears had merely fallen
+into a small rocky pit, with the exception of a few slight bruises,
+hurting himself but little.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Springing into the pit, the old tar assisted his prostrate friend to
+his feet.</p>
+
+<p>At the same moment, clapping his hand to his brow, and uttering a wild
+cry, the young man pointed far above him.</p>
+
+<p>Gazing in the indicated direction, Turk uttered a sort of despairing
+grunt, and sat down on a flat, protruding shelf of rock, as if
+completely overcome at the spectacle which now met his gaze.</p>
+
+<p>This spectacle, which has already been described, was none other
+than that of the young girl and Captain Brand, far above the
+two adventurers, distinctly revealed in the lurid gleam of the
+fire-spouting crater, being swung back and forth for a fling into the
+red-flaming jaw of the horrible chasm!</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI.</a><br /><br />
+
+THE FIRE-CHASM.</h2>
+
+
+<p>The fearful situation in which she now found herself was enough to
+appal a stouter hear than that of Mary Manton.</p>
+
+<p>Poor girl! after all the hardships she had undergone, to find herself
+about to meet such a frightful doom, was, indeed, a trying ordeal for
+her delicate nerves.</p>
+
+<p>Shriek after shriek passing her lips, mingled with the hoarsest cries
+of Captain Brand, and the triumphant screams of the savages, who,
+their forms and faces lighted by the volcanic fire, might well have
+been compared to the demons of the infernal regions!</p>
+
+<p>Twenty times at least, as if to torture them by the fearful suspense,
+the natives swung their victims before they made the final one to
+throw them into the yawning chasm!</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, Turk and his friend had started afresh, and were fast
+scaling the sides of the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>The mountain was now fairly reeling with the inner convulsions. The
+lava had swollen on one side to a broad stream, rushing, hissing and
+streaming down the side of the steep cliff.</p>
+
+<p>In fact the two men as they mounted, were constantly obliged to dodge
+to one side, to escape contact with some of the diverging rivulets.</p>
+
+<p>On they went, now tottering on the verge of some deep gorge, and now
+scaling a narrow passage between enormous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> rocks, which reeled as if
+about to fall upon and crush them.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the air was full of strange noises.</p>
+
+<p>Hissing, roaring and booming, the report of bursting deluges of fire
+came out from the bosom of the mountain.</p>
+
+<p>The fire spread fast&mdash;the sky itself seemed aflame with the warning of
+impending destruction.</p>
+
+<p>"This is sartinly the most excitin' moment in my life," said Turk, who
+now gasped at every step. "I'm afraid that even when we git up to the
+summit where that poor gal is, there won't be any strength left in my
+bones to help the poor creature!"</p>
+
+<p>"Come on!" answered Harry, in ringing tones. "On! on!"</p>
+
+<p>And on they went, scaling the burning mountain with almost incredible
+speed.</p>
+
+<p>At one time the view of the forms upon the summit was hidden by an
+intruding rock.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you see her, now?" Harry anxiously inquired.</p>
+
+<p>"No!" answered Turk, as he vainly endeavored to catch a glimpse of the
+fire-lighted forms.</p>
+
+<p>"Alas! It was a bad day for poor Mary, when she set out in search of
+her lost father," exclaimed Harry; "poor girl! brave girl!"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, and a wild-goose chase, it has proved so far, and will prove a
+wild-gooser before its over."</p>
+
+<p>Continuing on, the two men finally came to a point, where two paths,
+diverging between high rocks, met their gaze.</p>
+
+<p>They were undecided which of these to take.</p>
+
+<p>"My God! the girl will meet her fate, before we can get to her!"
+exclaimed Harry, as he dashed into the path on the right. "Come on,
+Turk! This path ascends and must be the right one, as the other seems
+to incline!"</p>
+
+<p>Turk shook his head.</p>
+
+<p>"P'raps you're right, and p'raps not!" he said. "If it hadn't been for
+them lava-streams, we might have kept<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> straight ahead, and been at the
+end of our cruise in more senses than one, before the present moment."</p>
+
+<p>The two kept on, but the further they went, the more puzzled they
+became, as the path they pursued soon led them among a perfect
+labyrinth of rocks, some of them overarched so that, with the
+exception of a lurid gleam of light, here and there, they were left in
+total darkness.</p>
+
+<p>The labyrinth became more difficult.</p>
+
+<p>Tangled bushes, vines, shrubs, and the roots of decayed trees impeded
+their way every moment.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the agony of the young man, searching hither and thither for
+some way out of his difficulty, was terrible. The sweat came out upon
+his brow, his veins seemed on fire with feverish excitement.</p>
+
+<p>He knew all the time he was thus searching that Mary's doom must soon
+be sealed, if already she had not been hurled into the whirlpool of
+fire!</p>
+
+<p>Turk also vainly exerted himself; but the more the two endeavored
+to find a way out of the labyrinth, the more hopelessly they became
+entangled.</p>
+
+<p>At length they found themselves at the mouth of a cavern. The floor
+of this cave seemed to extend downward, while far ahead of them, they
+beheld the fiery gleam of the volcano.</p>
+
+<p>"This is our way," shouted Turk. "Come, lad, come!"</p>
+
+<p>He dove into the cavern, followed by his friend, both believing that
+when they should arrive at the terminus of this sloping tunnel, they
+would find a way to the top of the cliff!</p>
+
+<p>Encouraged by this hope, Harry sped on with a swiftness, which soon
+carried him far beyond his friend.</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes he had gained the further end of the cavern, when
+Turk heard his wild despairing cry ringing out like that of a wounded
+wolf.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment he was by the young man, who pointed upward.</p>
+
+<p>When Turk also perceived that they had made their<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> way to this point,
+only to be aggravated by another sight of the tatooed forms of the
+savages and their intended victims, so far above them that they could
+not hope to reach the spot.</p>
+
+<p>In fact they now found themselves in one of those deep gorges, whose
+sides were too steep to be ascended, but which commanded a view of the
+raging fire.</p>
+
+<p>Yes, there was the girl and Brand, still being swung hither and
+thither that their torments might yet be prolonged.</p>
+
+<p>The sight almost drove Harry mad. He clenched his fists, and
+compressed his lips, as if, by the exertion of a strong will alone, he
+hoped to prevent the accomplishment of the fearful deed.</p>
+
+<p>As to Turk, he danced about in his excitement performing a sort of
+fantastic hornpipe, while all the time the tears streamed down his
+wrinkled cheeks.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," he moaned, "it is too bad. If I could lay down my life a
+thousand times for that poor gal, God knows I would willingly do it."</p>
+
+<p>The scream of the imperiled one now rang down the cliff penetrating
+the hearts of the two men like a knife.</p>
+
+<p>"Good God!" cried Harry; "oh, Turk! Turk! let us see if we cannot yet
+get to her, before the demons do their foul work."</p>
+
+<p>The increased thunder of the volcano seemed to mock his voice. The air
+and sky reddened by the lurid gleam, seemed filled with a crimson mist
+rolling in clouds round the swaying forms, and shrouding them from
+sight.</p>
+
+<p>As Harry spoke, Turk pressed his forehead against the rocky side of
+the gorge, while he pointed upward at the girl, whose hair, catching
+the red gleam, seemed another shower of fire.</p>
+
+<p>"No use, Harry. See, they are giving the last swing! I know by the
+voice of that native who has jist howled out the order."</p>
+
+<p>In fact so shrill and piercing and savage was the islander's cry that
+its import could not well be mistaken.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Like the croaking shriek of a ravenous sea-bird, it came grating down
+the sides of the rock.</p>
+
+<p>"My God! there she goes!" screamed Harry; "Mary! Mary!"</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII.</a><br /><br />
+
+UNEXPECTED.</h2>
+
+
+<p>With that cry from Harry Glenville was mingled the despairing scream
+of the young girl.</p>
+
+<p>The two savages holding her, had swung her forward with great impetus
+to fling her into the red gulf, when a wild form suddenly came
+bounding forward from the summit of an overhanging rock, snatched the
+girl from their arms and made off with her with deer-like speed.</p>
+
+<p>To explain this, it must be remembered that the gaze of all the
+savages present, had been concentrated upon the two intended victims,
+so that they had known nothing of the approach of the intruder, who,
+it need scarcely be told, was the singular island guide.</p>
+
+<p>This person, probably from his greater familiarity with the mountain
+paths, had distanced his pursuers who, like Harry Glenville and Turk,
+soon became puzzled as to their course, and thus lost track of the
+fugitive.</p>
+
+<p>Coming upon the fearful scene near the fire chasm, the strong man had
+found it easy to leap from his position, snatch the girl from the
+already relaxed grasp of her tormentors, and make considerable headway
+before the natives could recover sufficiently from their surprise to
+start in pursuit.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>So astonished were all that the two who held Captain Brand, allowed
+the latter to disengage himself from their grasp and make off at a
+speed accelerated to almost incredible swiftness by his fears.</p>
+
+<p>The course taken by Brand led him at right angles with that followed
+by the stranger, so that the pursuers were obliged to separate.</p>
+
+<p>This separation gave the fugitives an advantage, especially the
+strange guide, who seemed familiar with every nook and corner of the
+mountain.</p>
+
+<p>On he went, seeming to carry his burden with a strength probably
+caused by some powerful excitement, although his gray hair, streaming
+back from under the broad leaf, partially concealing his face,
+proclaimed his advanced years.</p>
+
+<p>Finally, however, he began to stagger beneath his burden, which, it
+was evident, was too much for him.</p>
+
+<p>Seemingly bent, however, upon gaining some particular point, he kept
+on until he came to a small, dark hollow, between a number of jagged
+rocks, where he crawled therein.</p>
+
+<p>"Hist!" he muttered, as the young girl opened her mouth, apparently on
+the point of speaking. "Not a word! I have my money! money! money!" he
+added, in the same penetrating whisper, as he thrust his hand in his
+pocket and felt the jingling bag.</p>
+
+<p>The man had been mistaken about Mary's wishing to speak.</p>
+
+<p>The poor girl's eyes were closed, her cheek as white as marble. She
+had fainted at the moment when the natives were at the point of
+flinging her to her destruction.</p>
+
+<p>Seemingly unaware of this circumstance, her preserver, crouching down
+without again looking at her, listened intently, probably for the
+steps of his pursuers.</p>
+
+<p>These steps, drawing nearer, finally went past.</p>
+
+<p>The fugitive had served the natives a trick. Unseen by them, owing to
+an intruding point of rock, when he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> crawled into the small cave, they
+had passed him, believing he had gone on, far ahead.</p>
+
+<p>He waited full a quarter of an hour, then, emerging, continued on.</p>
+
+<p>At a place where two narrow paths diverged, he came upon Brand,
+crouching in the angle of a rock.</p>
+
+<p>Here the light was indistinct.</p>
+
+<p>"Who are you who have saved this girl?" inquired the captain, coming
+forward.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't question me," answered the other, "but help me with this girl."</p>
+
+<p>Brand started as suddenly. Then, recovering his self-possession,
+although trembling in every limb, he complied with the request.</p>
+
+<p>"My money&mdash;my money&mdash;ha! ha! I <em>have that</em> safe!" muttered the
+stranger, as they proceeded.</p>
+
+<p>"Your <em>what</em>?" gasped Brand, fairly turning as white as the senseless
+girl.</p>
+
+<p>"My money," was the answer&mdash;"all safe!"</p>
+
+<p>On they went, following a path which led them by the tunnel through
+which Harry and Turk had previously passed, from which they were
+emerging at this very moment.</p>
+
+<p>Brand started back.</p>
+
+<p>"You safe?" he exclaimed, staring at Harry, as if at a ghost.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay," answered the young man.</p>
+
+<p>Then he sprang to the side of the unconscious girl, peering down upon
+her still face.</p>
+
+<p>"Not dead! not dead!" he cried, wildly.</p>
+
+<p>Even as he spoke, the girl opened her eyes.</p>
+
+<p>In the faint light they gleamed like stars, as they fell upon her
+lover's face.</p>
+
+<p>"Harry!" she exclaimed.</p>
+
+<p>In an instant she was on her feet, supported by her friends until she
+had fully regained her balance.</p>
+
+<p>Then explanations followed.</p>
+
+<p>"And who, my friend, are you who have thus benefitted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> us?" inquired
+Harry, now turning to grasp the hand of the stranger.</p>
+
+<p>The latter, however, was nowhere to be seen.</p>
+
+<p>"That chap I should sartinly take for the devil, do you see, if it
+'twan't that I couldn't neither see his caudal cumpendage, nor account
+for his savin' the gal, which no devil, I take it, would have done."</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, words may not express the joy of the lovers at their
+reunion. Mary had firmly believed that Harry was dashed to pieces when
+Brand let go of the rope.</p>
+
+<p>Alluding to this, Turk now said:</p>
+
+<p>"How came you to do sich a trick, captain?"</p>
+
+<p>The latter turned aside his head, trembling like an aspen as he
+recalled to mind the apparition he had seen among the trees.</p>
+
+<p>"Accidents will happen," he said, in a husky voice.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," continued Turk, "now that we have so far got clear of them
+infarnal blackskins, I trust and hope that we may contrive to get away
+from the island without seein' 'em, or, at any rate, before we are
+swallowed up in fire!"</p>
+
+<p>At that moment, far ahead of them, they beheld the stranger, his face
+still screened by the broad leaf, beckoning to them.</p>
+
+<p>So he had not deserted them, after all.</p>
+
+<p>"We'd better follow him," said Turk, "as he seems to know every part
+of this island. To my thinkin', he'll get us out of this scrape, if
+it's possible to get out!"</p>
+
+<p>The advice was followed.</p>
+
+<p>The strange guide led the party along the narrow path with great
+celerity, until they finally arrived at the foot of the cliff.</p>
+
+<p>By this time the whole island presented an appearance at once, wild
+and fearful.</p>
+
+<p>The showers of fire from the mountain were increased ten-fold; the
+island rocked like a cradle. Every part of it seemed lighted with a
+ghastly radiance. A red mist hovered over it rolling along, volume
+upon volume.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Near the beach the water was seen breaking into thousands of bubbles,
+while further beyond it was dashed to a foam.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the noises of shock following shock were become terrific.</p>
+
+<p>A whole pack of artillery seemed to burst and boom, volley upon
+volley, beneath the quaking soil!</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly there was a shock as of many thunderbolts, from the direction
+of the mountain, which was now seen split, apparently from top to
+bottom, into a great chasm, from which in great quantities burst forth
+streams of lava and long forked tongues of lurid flame.</p>
+
+<p>The island was now as light as day. Far and near objects could be
+plainly distinguished, while overhead showers of flying sparks almost
+obscured the sky!</p>
+
+<p>In the red glare, the forms of savages were now seen making all haste
+to descend the tottering cliff!</p>
+
+<p>Appalled by the impending fate of the island, all the natives who had
+been left below, were seen at a distance beckoning to their companions
+to make haste.</p>
+
+<p>The white people now were nearer the canoe than the savages themselves.</p>
+
+<p>"Come!" screamed the guide, as he made towards the light vessel.
+"Come!"</p>
+
+<p>He beckoned, as he spoke, to the young girl and the seamen, all of
+whom made haste to follow him.</p>
+
+<p>The savages below, now, for the first time, caught sight of the white
+party, and made for them with great swiftness, yelling and brandishing
+their spears.</p>
+
+<p>"There's sartinly no time to lose," exclaimed Turk, as he assisted his
+friend to help Mary along; "if them blackskins get at us now, they'll
+make sure work of it by pinning us to the ground."</p>
+
+<p>The party hurried on.</p>
+
+<p>They reached the canoe, while the islanders were yet forty yards
+distant, when, springing in, all the men seized paddles and went to
+work.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Spear after spear was hurled at them before they had gone more than a
+few fathoms from the beach.</p>
+
+<p>One of these missiles severed a lock from Mary's head, another grazed
+the shoulder of her lover.</p>
+
+<p>"Quick!" shrieked Turk, "if we don't get away from here in a minute,
+we'll all be swallered in fire and water!"</p>
+
+<p>This, in fact, seemed evident. The bubbles increased on the surface.
+The surges rolled wildly, swaying hither and thither&mdash;the booming
+thunder underground was become deafening.</p>
+
+<p>Glancing towards the islanders, these unfortunates were seen running
+towards the raft, and then flocking up on it with all possible
+dispatch, while filling the air with dismal, howling cries.</p>
+
+<p>"God help the poor wretches!" cried Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"Paddle ahead, paddle for life!" screamed Turk, as the cliff, with a
+din as if the very earth were being rent in twain, tumbled to pieces,
+rock upon rock, apparently drowned in a sea of fire, amid which the
+forms of the doomed natives on the cliff were also seen to disappear.
+Sky air and sea looked as if aflame.</p>
+
+<p>The whole universe seemed to rock and tremble.</p>
+
+<p>The crimson waves rose high around the frail canoe; while the raft
+nearer to the beach, was at once engulphed with its living freight.</p>
+
+<p>"God help us!" cried Mary.</p>
+
+<p>"We are lost!" shouted Brand, shutting out the fearful aspect of sea
+and heaven, by putting a hand to his eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Hush!" said Harry, sternly, "I trust we may escape."</p>
+
+<p>All round the island the waves were now seen trembling in great
+colliding, clashing walls of hissing boiling water.</p>
+
+<p>From these walls streams of fire, like lightning flashes, shot
+continually upward.</p>
+
+<p>The air was still full of flying sparks, and of lava stones which
+dropped in showers into the water.</p>
+
+<p>For full half an hour the commotion continued, when,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> suddenly, the
+doomed island disappeared forever, while the agitated waves continued
+to bubble and boil long afterwards, over the spot where it had existed.</p>
+
+<p>Gradually the fearful red lustre of sky and sea died away. A gloom,
+appalling from its strange suddenness, fell upon the sea.</p>
+
+<p>The canoe with its occupants floated in darkness upon the agitated
+waters.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="chap" />
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII.</a><br /><br />
+
+CONCLUSION.</h2>
+
+
+<p>The men in the canoe continued paddling ahead. There was no sleep for
+any of the occupants during that night.</p>
+
+<p>When daylight stole upon the sea they looked toward the spot, far
+astern, where the island had been but where there was nothing now to
+mark the spot except a mass of agitated waters, gradually subsiding.</p>
+
+<p>Straight and tall, at the stern of the canoe, sat the stranger guide,
+he whose features had previously been hidden and the breadfruit leaf,
+now thrust aside.</p>
+
+<p>Brand, who had been gazing toward the place he occupied, ever since
+the day began to break, now was visibly agitated. He trembled all
+over, while his face was perfectly ghastly.</p>
+
+<p>As the light increased, and the stranger's features became yet more
+distinct, the captain uttered a wild cry, and while his eyes rolled
+wildly in his head, sat as if transfixed to his thwart still gazing
+upon the man before him.</p>
+
+<p>A moment he remained thus, then fell senseless upon his face.</p>
+
+<p>Mary, who had hitherto been gazing away toward the west, turned at the
+cry Brand uttered, and seemed for a moment, like one spellbound as her
+gaze fell upon the stranger's face.</p>
+
+<p>Then her eyes lighted up her whole countenance a gleam with joy.</p>
+
+<p>"My father!" she exclaimed, "father! father! Oh! thank God, I have
+found him at last!"</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Stretching forth her arms, she moved towards the guide, who, however,
+still sat looking at her half wonderingly and half pityingly, without
+seeming to recognize her.</p>
+
+<p>Mary, however, knew him well. She could not mistake those familiar
+features, and the fact of his not seeming to recognize her, seemed to
+inspire her with the deepest grief.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, papa! papa! Look! behold! Here is your daughter! I am Mary, papa!
+Don't you know me?"</p>
+
+<p>An expression of partial intelligence came to the man's eyes, then
+passed like a gleam of sunlight obliterated by the shadow of a cloud.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, now!" exclaimed Tom Turk as he gazed at the man, "this is too
+bad! I know ye well enough as the passenger once aboard the <em>Maxwell</em>,
+and who was supposed to be lost; the father of this lass. It's mighty
+strange you don't know your own child."</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Manton," exclaimed Harry, stepping forward, and grasping the hand
+of him he addressed, "this is a great, great pleasure! Thank God we
+have found you at last, alive and well! Do not, I beg of you, afflict
+your daughter longer by playing off this joke upon her!"</p>
+
+<p>"Joke! joke!" said Mr. Manton, running a hand through his gray hair
+and looking up in a bewildered manner, "I don't understand you! Ha!
+ha! it's all safe, my money!" he added, "all safe! safe!"</p>
+
+<p>Harry looked sorrowfully at the speaker.</p>
+
+<p>Glances of intelligence were exchanged between him and Turk.</p>
+
+<p>Even Mary could no longer doubt the fearful truth, which had gradually
+been forcing itself upon her mind.</p>
+
+<p>Her father was insane!</p>
+
+<p>She flung herself at his feet&mdash;she grasped both his hands, and kissed
+them again and again&mdash;then burst into tears, sobbing as if her heart
+would break, at the vacant stare, which was the only response to her
+manifestations.</p>
+
+<p>Harry endeavored to soothe her.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I am confident," said he, "that your father is not a confirmed
+lunatic. He may be restored to his reason, if care be taken. I have
+seen worse cases than this cured."</p>
+
+<p>So excited were Harry and his friends over the discovery they had
+made, that, although the singular emotion of Brand had not escaped
+their attention, yet they had not noticed his being unconscious.</p>
+
+<p>Now, however, Turk perceived it.</p>
+
+<p>"A strange affair, this," said he; "had old Nick himself come to claim
+the captain, he couldn't have acted queerer than he has at the sight
+of Mr. Manton!"</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes, the captain recovered, staring wildly around him,
+until his eye was caught by the spectacle of the old man astern, when
+he started back with an affrighted cry.</p>
+
+<p>"It is real flesh and blood, then," he exclaimed.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, of course, Cap," answered Turk, "you don't suppose, I hope,
+that we'd take a ghost passenger!"</p>
+
+<p>"Real flesh and blood," continued Brand, an expression of relief
+passing over his face, as he noticed the vacant stare of Mr. Manton,
+showing that the latter did not recognize him. "I am glad of it&mdash;ay,
+very glad. So he was not lost overboard, after all!"</p>
+
+<p>"It seems not!" said Turk; "but I shouldn't have thought the discovery
+would have set you off into a faintin' fit?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, you see," said Brand, with a forced laugh, "the fact is I am a
+little superstitious&mdash;always was!"</p>
+
+<p>This explanation hardly seemed to satisfy the old sailor, who shook
+his head without saying a word.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, the canoe, still urged along by Turk's paddle, was gliding
+through the blue waters, now just beginning to catch the tinge of the
+coming sunlight.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly the old sailor, who had long been gazing far away towards the
+west, sprung to his feet, screaming out! "Sail O!" with all his might.</p>
+
+<p>"It's the same craft I saw t'other night from the cliff!" said he; "I
+didn't say anything about it, as I wasn't sure<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> it was a sail in the
+imperfect light, and didn't want to awake false hopes."</p>
+
+<p>Harry Glenville now seizing his paddle, assisted Turk.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile Brand, with an old handkerchief, continued to raise a
+signal, which it was soon evident, was seen by the vessel.</p>
+
+<p>Previously standing away towards the southward, she now was seen to
+come 'round, bowling along, close hauled towards the canoe.</p>
+
+<p>This at last was reached, and the occupants picked up, to learn they
+were aboard the ship <em>Empire</em>, of New York, homeward bound.</p>
+
+<p>Every kind attention was bestowed upon the castaways, who, on their
+arrival home, a few months after, published a letter of thanks to the
+good skipper.</p>
+
+<p>Mary took her father to a little cottage she occupied with an aunt.</p>
+
+<p>A celebrated physician, accustomed to lunatic cases was called.</p>
+
+<p>He pronounced Mr. Manton's case, a curable one, and, in the course of
+a year proved it so, by restoring the old man fully to his reason.</p>
+
+<p>Words may not express the joy of Mary, who had awaited this happy
+moment to become the wife of Harry Glenville.</p>
+
+<p>The old man was present at the wedding, in which he took the interest
+natural to the father of the bride.</p>
+
+<p>On the very night of the ceremony, the old man, who had not previously
+touched upon that 'dark affair' aboard the <em>Maxwell</em>, was able to
+reveal events, so as to go into a full explanation.</p>
+
+<p>He stated that, after being knocked overboard by Brand, he threw out
+his arms, clutching the plank which had fallen with him, and which,
+thanks to his being a good swimmer and to a favorable current, enabled
+him to drift down upon the volcanic island.</p>
+
+<p>The hardship and excitement undergone, however, that night, so worked
+upon his brain, that he was affected with a fever which lasted a
+couple of days.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>After that all was a blank to Mr. Manton. He could not remember what
+took place from that time to the present.</p>
+
+<p>Although insane, however, the man's instinct, or some other cause, had
+prompted him to stow his money away in the hollow tree.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," said Harry, "it was evidently to obtain your money that that
+wretch Brand threw you overboard!"</p>
+
+<p>"Of course," answered Manton. "But the rascal was nicely foiled, for,
+as it happened, it was always my custom, when I stepped on deck to put
+my money in the canvas bag, and thrust it into my pocket!</p>
+
+<p>"This carefulness of mine may be understood, when I inform you that I
+intended every cent of that money for my darling child, to whom I now
+present it with great joy at being able to place her above want during
+her lifetime!"</p>
+
+<p>We have little to add.</p>
+
+<p>After Manton's explanation, Brand was sought for, but could not be
+found, as he had cleared off to parts unknown.</p>
+
+<p>He was never again heard of, if we except a rumor, that he had been
+lost at sea!</p>
+
+<p>Tom Turk was favorably recommended to the ship owners by Harry
+Glenville, who was thus enabled to procure him a vessel.</p>
+
+<p>The old fellow followed the sea until he was seventy years of age,
+when he settled down in an old cottage on the outskirts of New York,
+within a mile of the residence of Harry Glenville and his beautiful
+bride.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Manton still lives; in fact his native air has seemed to agree
+with him. He is nearly as straight as ever, while, in spite of his
+gray hairs, his cheek glows with the ruddy hue of health!</p>
+
+<p>Often on still summer nights, with his grandchildren at his knee, he
+relates the story of the wicked Brand, who, for his many crimes, and
+especially for his dark attempt to take a human life, was long spoken
+of by sea men as the Demon Cruiser.</p>
+
+
+<p class="center">THE END.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="full" />
+<h2><a name="BEADLES_FRONTIER_SERIES" id="BEADLES_FRONTIER_SERIES">BEADLE'S FRONTIER SERIES</a></h2>
+
+
+<ul class="list">
+<li class="ifrst">1. The Shawnee's Foe.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">2. The Young Mountaineer.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">3. Wild Jim.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">4. Hawk-Eye, the Hunter.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">5. The Boy Guide.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">6. War Tiger of the Modocs.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">7. The Red Modocs.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">8. Iron Hand.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">9. Shadow Bill, the Scout.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">10. Wapawkaneta, or the Rangers of the Oneida.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">11. Davy Crockett's Boy Hunter.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">12. The Forest Avenger.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">13. Old Jack's Frontier Cabin.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">14. On the Deep.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">15. Sharp Snout.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">16. The Mountain Demon.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">17. Wild Tom of Wyoming.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">18. The Brave Boy Hunters of Kentucky.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">19. The Fearless Ranger.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">20. The Haunted Trapper.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">21. Madman of the Colorado.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">22. The Panther Demon.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">23. Slashaway, the Fearless.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">24. Pine Tree Jack.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">25. Indian Jim.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">26. Navajo Nick.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">27. The Tuscarora's Vow.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">28. Deadwood Dick, Jr.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">29. A New York Boy Among the Indians.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">30. Deadwood Dick's Big Deal.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">31. Hank, the Guide.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">32. Deadwood Dick's Dozen.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">33. Squatty Dick.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">34. The Hunter's Secret.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">35. The Woman Trapper.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">36. The Chief of the Miami.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">37. Gunpowder Jim.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">38. Mad Anthony's Captain.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">39. The Ranger Boy's Career.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">40. Old Nick of the Swamp.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">41. The Shadow Scout.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">42. Lantern-Jawed Bob.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">43. The Masked Hunter.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">44. Brimstone Jake.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">45. The Irish Hunter.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">46. Dave Bunker.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">47. The Shawnee Witch.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">48. Big Brave.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">49. Spider-Legs.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">50. Harry Hardskull.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">51. Madman of the Oconto.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">52. Slim Jim.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">53. Tiger-Eye.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">54. The Red Star of the Seminoles.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">55. Trapper Joe.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">56. The Indian Queen's Revenge.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">57. Eagle-Eyed Zeke.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">58. Scar-Cheek, the Wild Half-Breed.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">59. Red Men of the Woods.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">60. Tuscaloosa Sam.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">61. The Bully of the Woods.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">62. The Trapper's Bride.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">63. Red Rattlesnake, The Pawnee.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">64. The Scout of Tippecanoe.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">65. Old Kit, The Scout.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">66. The Boy Scouts.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">67. Hiding Tom.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">68. Roving Dick, Hunter.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">69. Hickory Jack.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">70. Mad Mike.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">71. Snake-Eye.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">72. Big-Hearted Joe.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">73. The Blazing Arrow.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">74. The Hunter Scouts.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">75. The Scout of Long Island.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">76. Turkey-Foot.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">77. The Death Rangers.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">78. Bullet Head.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">79. The Indian Spirit.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">80. The Twin Trappers.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">81. Lightfoot the Scout.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">82. Grim Dick.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">83. The Wooden-Legged Spy.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">84. The Silent Trapper.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">85. Ugly Ike.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">86. Fire Cloud.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">87. Hank Jasper.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">88. The Scout of the Sciota.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">89. Black Samson.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">90. Billy Bowlegs.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">91. The Bloody Footprint.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">92. Marksman the Hunter.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">93. The Demon Cruiser.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">94. Hunters and Redskins.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">95. Panther Jack.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">96. Old Zeke.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">97. The Panther Paleface.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">98. The Scout of the St. Lawrence.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">99. Bloody Brook.</li>
+
+<li class="ilist">100. Long Bob of Kentucky.</li>
+</ul>
+
+<p class="center"><small>THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. Cleveland. U. S. A.</small></p>
+
+
+
+<hr class="full" />
+<p class="transnote"><b>Transcriber's Notes</b><br /><br />
+
+
+The Table of Contents has been added by the transcriber and it is
+placed in the public domain. Minor punctuation errors have been
+silently corrected.<br /><br />
+
+Page <a href="#Page_12">12</a>: Changed "birth" to "berth."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: He went back to his birth, not to sleep,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_19">19</a>: Changed "Sidney," to "Sydney."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: visit some of them before going into Sidney.")</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_21">21</a>: Changed "steped" to "stepped."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Then he steped to the captain's side,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_23">23</a>: Retained "claining," but possibly meant "clinging."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Vainly Brand, claining to a rope near the mizzenmast,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_23">23</a>: Changed "sevaral" to "several."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: a violence which threw sevaral men off the yard)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_25">25</a>: Retained "dextrious", but probably meant "dexterous."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: the old fellow by a dextrious movement,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_30">30</a>: Changed "swarm" to "swam."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: He swarm to a spar near him, and, with the ropes)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_38">38</a>: Changed "accomodation" to "accommodation."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: one for the accomodation of the men,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_40">40</a>: Changed "apparrently" to "apparently."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: were audible, apparrently approaching the hut!)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_42">42</a>: Retained "from," but probably meant "for."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Harry now sprang from the raft.)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_47">47</a>: Changed "ripling" to "rippling."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Away it went, ripling the water,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_53">53</a>: Changed "rock," to "rocks."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: firmly wedged in between two rock,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_55">55</a>: Changed "strangly" to "strangely."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: staring eyes, were fixed strangly upon the captain.)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_59">59</a>: Changed "decending" to "descending."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: apparently decending towards him with great rapidity.)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_59">59</a>: Changed "aditional" to "additional."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: with the fall of aditional lava occurred,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_62">62</a>: Changed "in" to "is."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">("This in dang'rous traveling," remarked Turk,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_63">63</a>: Removed duplicate "it."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: the drowned passenger as it it was hastily withdrawn!)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_68">68</a>: Changed "rembered" to "remembered."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: bewildered, she soon rembered all.)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_68">68</a>: Changed "headed" to "heeded."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: The natives headed not her sufferings.)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_69">69</a>: Changed "superstious" to "superstitious."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: The superstious natives are prone to believe weird stories,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_69">69</a>: Changed "eat" to "ate."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: Brand eat heartily, but poor Mary, almost maddened)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_70">70</a>: Changed "evntually" to "eventually."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: all possible dispatch, evntually pausing upon a lofty spire,)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_70">70</a>: Changed "hight" to "height."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: This spur, rising to a hight of about forty feet)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_73">73</a>: Changed "peal" to "peel."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: strips of which were already beginning to peal off.)</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_73">73</a>: "salle" for "sally," is best guess for unclear word,
+meaning to rush out, assault.<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: do anything in a hurry, which do you see, will salle all.")</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_78">78</a>: Changed "conditon" to "condition."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: "Name that ere conditon of yours then, quick!")</span><br />
+<br />
+Page <a href="#Page_85">85</a>: Retained "hear" typo, but possibly "heart" or "head."<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">(Orig: was enough to appal a stouter hear than that of Mary)</span><br />
+</p>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Demon Cruiser, by R. L. Wheeler
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+</pre>
+
+</body>
+</html>
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-The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Demon Cruiser, by R. L. Wheeler

-

-This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most

-other parts of the world 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.  If you are not located in the United States, you'll have

-to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.

-

-Title: The Demon Cruiser

-

-Author: R. L. Wheeler

-

-Release Date: December 20, 2015 [EBook #50723]

-

-Language: English

-

-Character set encoding: ASCII

-

-*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DEMON CRUISER ***

-

-

-

-

-Produced by Greg Weeks, Diane Monico, and the Online

-Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-THE DEMON CRUISER.

-

-BY

-R. L. WHEELER.

-

-_Copyright, 1909, by James Sullivan._

-

-_All Rights Reserved._

-

-

-Published by

-THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK COMPANY

-Cleveland, Ohio, U. S. A.

-

-(Printed in the United States of America)

-

-

-

-

-TABLE OF CONTENTS

-

-

-CHAPTER                                            PAGE

-

-I.      A Dark Deed                                   9

-

-II.     The Box                                      14

-

-III.                                                 19

-

-IV.     Lashed and Adrift                            25

-

-V.      The Island                                   30

-

-VI.     The Vision                                   36

-

-VII.    The Attack                                   40

-

-VIII.   Drifting On                                  46

-

-IX.     Driven Away                                  50

-

-X.      Haunted                                      55

-

-XI.     On the Ledge                                 61

-

-XII.    Captured                                     65

-

-XIII.   Walled In                                    71

-

-XIV.    In the Tree                                  75

-

-XV.     Out of the Tree                              80

-

-XVI.    The Fire-Chasm                               85

-

-XVII.   Unexpected                                   89

-

-XVIII.  Conclusion                                   96

-

-

-

-

-THE DEMON CRUISER.

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER I.

-

-A DARK DEED.

-

-

-The ship _Maxwell_, Captain Roberts, homeward bound from Australia to

-New York, was bowling along upon her course under full sail.

-

-It was a dark night, unrelieved save by the phosphor gleam of the seas

-around the vessel, and the light of the two lanterns hung up in the

-fore and mizzen rigging.

-

-The _Maxwell_ had one passenger--a gentleman named William Manton,

-who, having accumulated a fortune at Australia, was now returning

-to the United States, where his wife had died during his absence,

-but where he expected to find his daughter, Mary, and a young man of

-nineteen years old, living with an aunt in New York.

-

-In an iron box the passenger carried his fortune--gold pieces,

-amounting in all to five hundred thousand dollars.

-

-He kept the box locked up in his chest, which was provided with a

-patent lock, so arranged that it could not possibly be opened without

-a great deal of noise.

-

-Occasionally Mr. Manton would go to this chest, and, taking out his

-money, look at it to see that all was safe. He was by no means either

-greedy or miserly; but he felt very anxious and careful about this

-money intended for his beloved child. That his death was not many

-years distant, he felt sure, as he had long suffered from an incurable

-complaint of the liver.

-

-This might be detected now in his sallow skin, sunken cheeks, and

-hollow eyes, as in his room he bent over his box--counting the bright,

-yellow pieces of gold.

-

-In every other respect, Mr. Manton was a fine looking old gentleman,

-being broad-shouldered and strong, with long arms, erect form, and

-piercing glance.

-

-There was upon his face, at present, a look of intense satisfaction,

-as coin after coin, in hard, shining pieces passed through his hands.

-

-"Ay," he muttered at length, "my girl will never be poor!"

-

-As he spoke, a sudden chill passed through the old man's frame; a

-shudder as if an ice-bolt had come in contact with his body.

-

-He could not divine the cause; but, had he taken pains to glance

-quickly behind him, up at a small opening in his door, he would have

-known that it was the magnetism of the pair of evil-looking eyes there

-which had chilled his blood.

-

-The eyes belonged to a rough, square, dark-skinned face, the owner of

-which was the third mate, Mr. Brand--a man of Portuguese extraction,

-whom the captain had shipped at Australia, to take the place of his

-other third officer, lost overboard in a gale.

-

-Brand was an excellent sailor, but a reckless, good-for-nothing fellow

-at heart; a cruel, bloody-thirsty wretch, who had committed almost

-every crime one can imagine, except murder!

-

-Still it was evident the man had a conscience, as he would sometimes

-get to thinking of the evil course he had pursued, and resolve to

-reform.

-

-Alas! for reformation! rum was his God, and in this he would soon

-drown all his better feelings, and keep getting worse and hardened

-until he grew to be a perfect devil!

-

-Captain Roberts had known nothing of this when he shipped the third

-mate, who could play the hypocrite to perfection when he pleased.

-The fellow drank his rum in the privacy of his own apartment, and

-took good care never to appear on deck intoxicated, for Roberts was

-a stern, resolute, temperate man, who would never have forgiven his

-second officer for being drunk on duty.

-

-It was now Brand's watch below. In his apartment he had heard the

-click of Mr. Manton's chest-lock; a noise which had saluted his ears,

-since leaving Australia more than once. Determined to ascertain the

-cause, he had emerged from his room in his stocking feet, and made his

-way to Manton's door as shown.

-

-As he watched the old man counting his money; as he saw the glitter of

-those bright pieces, his mouth fairly watered, and a fearful purpose

-began to gather strength at his heart.

-

-Having seen Manton return the little box to his chest, the third mate

-stole back to his berth, and lay a long time awake, endeavoring to

-plan a scheme for obtaining the money.

-

-"Wouldn't like to take the old gent's life," he muttered; "and

-won't--no I won't; for bad as Dick Brand is, he has never yet

-murdered."

-

-The more he thought, however, the less fearful became the idea of

-murder.

-

-The gold--the broad glittering pieces of bright gold, threw a glimmer

-over the dark suggestion creeping into and gaining force over his mind!

-

-Clink! clink! clink!

-

-He imagined he could still hear the noise of the pieces lightly

-striking against each other, as when the old man counted them!

-

-The sweat came out upon his brow; he felt feverish and restless to

-commence the work now, to at once possess himself by a bold stroke, of

-the treasure!

-

-There were no persons in the cabin but Mr. Manton, himself, and the

-steward, the captain, with the first and second officers being on

-deck, and not apt to come below until two bells--ten o'clock, which

-was yet an hour distant. The steward slept away off at the further end

-of the cabin, and being a sound sleeper, there was no danger of his

-waking from any noise less than that of a thunderbolt.

-

-Brand, however, to make sure, now rose, and going to the steward's

-door listened intently, when the heavy breathing of the man convinced

-him that his present slumber was no exception to the rule.

-

-In the middle of the state-room the dark schemer paused, glancing up

-at the companionway. The spray occasionally entering this in drops,

-would give him an excuse for closing the slide, so that he could hear

-if any person should attempt to enter during the performance of his

-fearful work.

-

-Then Brand asked himself what he should do after committing the deed.

-

-Investigation would follow, and there were many ways in which he might

-be discovered.

-

-"Curses upon it! I had not thought of that," muttered the wretch,

-fairly grinding his teeth.

-

-He went back to his berth, not to sleep, but to endeavor to plan a

-safer scheme!

-

-It seemed as if the evil one favored him!

-

-At six bells--two hours after ten o'clock--while the captain and first

-mate slept profoundly in their respective apartments, adjoining the

-steward's, Brand heard a noise, and cautiously peering through his

-door saw Mr. Manton, half dressed, about to go on deck, as was often

-his custom, to take a mouthful of fresh air.

-

-He locked his door carefully after him; then ascended the companion.

-

-Brand waited a few minutes, then one moment exulting, and the next

-shuddering at the thought of the deed contemplated, he cautiously made

-his way on deck.

-

-The rascal had carefully considered the purpose in view. He felt

-certain that no man aboard but himself, knew of the fortune carried by

-Mr. Manton in his chest. The passenger was not at all communicative,

-while the captain and his first and second officers were. Therefore,

-had they known of the box of money, they would have talked enough

-about it for all hands to become in a short time, posted on the

-subject.

-

-Brand's first step, on reaching the deck, was to ascertain the

-relative position of the officer of the watch, the passenger and the

-man at the wheel.

-

-The latter, located near the steerage, was looking sharply at the

-compass, as it was his duty to do, while the officer of the watch had

-gone amidships, where he stood leaning over the rail, evidently in a

-reverie. As to the passenger, he had moved far off, and was leaning

-across the bulwarks astern, the better to get the benefit of the fresh

-breeze then blowing square into his face.

-

-"Now, then," thought Brand, drawing from his breast pocket a small,

-sharp dirk.

-

-Noiselessly as a snake, he stole behind the passenger, then, starting

-up and throwing a quick glance round him to make sure that everything

-was still favorable, he drew off to stab Mr. Manton in the back.

-

-Chance willed that the latter should turn at this critical instant.

-

-Involuntarily he seized the ruffian's wrist, and being a resolute man,

-grappled him by the throat with the other hand.

-

-Fearful that the man would sing out, which he certainly would have

-done at once but for a cold lately contracted in the throat, Brand

-suddenly pressed this whole tremendous weight against the passenger,

-throwing him backward head over heels across the bulwarks into the sea.

-

-A splash--a gurgling cry--a hand thrown up above the dark water!

-

-Then no sound was to be heard save the ordinary noises of a vessel

-booming along with the wind and waves roaring, and yards, masts and

-timbers creaking.

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER II.

-

-THE BOX.

-

-

-After committing this dark deed, Brand, crouching in the shadow of the

-bulwarks, waited to make sure that the splash had not been heard by

-any other than himself.

-

-Assured of this in a few moments, the third officer crawled back to

-the companionway and descended as cautiously as he had come.

-

-Entering the state room, he made his way to Manton's door, determined

-as soon as possible, to possess himself of the treasure.

-

-Procuring a bunch of skeleton keys, which he always carried with him,

-he endeavored to unlock the door.

-

-Vain the effort; not one of the keys would answer.

-

-The rascal then drew forth his penknife, and with some trouble

-contrived at last to pick the lock.

-

-Entering and carefully shutting the door, he advanced to the chest,

-which he soon opened with the key belonging to it, found hanging up

-near the head of the berth Manton had occupied.

-

-He drew forth the box, his eyes snapping with greed, his fingers

-itching to handle the glittering contents. The box was heavy, being

-made of iron and rather large, measuring about a foot in breadth and

-length.

-

-An exultant grin crossed the man's face, giving to it an expression

-perfectly hideous, as, carefully closing the chest and locking it, he

-made his way back to his own apartment with the treasure box.

-

-Arrived there, he held the box up before him, and examined it on all

-sides, but could discover no way to open it.

-

-"Ay, ay," he muttered, "I see how it is. The box has a secret spring,

-which I must find before I can get at the treasure. A blasted fine way

-of savin' money. I'd like to feast my eyes upon them shiners again,

-but guess I'll wait until I get housed before I do so, as one never

-knows who be a-watchin' him, and my bein' discovered a-counting these

-pieces, might lead to unpleasant questioning."

-

-He deposited the box in his own chest, upon which he sat down, after

-locking it.

-

-He had obtained what he coveted, but somehow it did not bring him the

-expected satisfaction.

-

-The gurgling cry of Mr. Manton kept sounding in his ears with a

-pertinacity truly appalling! The weird eyes of the man, gleaming and

-rolling in his head, also haunted the fellow's mind!

-

-He rose, sat down again--then rose a second time, and threw himself

-upon his berth, trying to sleep.

-

-After awhile he fell into a feverish slumber, and dreamed he saw the

-drowned victim come up, looking white and cadaverous, with clothes and

-hair dripping, hanging suspended right over his head!

-

-In his terror he uttered a hoarse shriek, which not only waked him,

-but also the captain, who came rushing to his door, asking him what

-was the matter:

-

-"Nothing--a nightmare I s'pose!" answered Brand, with a forced laugh.

-

-The captain, satisfied, returned to his berth and slept again.

-

-Brand, however, could not sleep. He was on deck before morning, when,

-with an involuntary shudder, he glanced astern, through the flying

-rack and scud of a gale which was rising.

-

-Far in the distance he then beheld a bright light--a red, lurid glare,

-apparently shooting up from the sea.

-

-It was a volcano, which for years had not burned, but was breaking out

-afresh on one of the Esmedura Islands.

-

-Brand thought it was a ship on fire.

-

-"We'd better veer round, then," remarked the officer of the watch.

-

-"Oh, no!" Brand exclaimed, involuntarily.

-

-The vision of Manton's dead body, which might be discovered floating

-upon the water, rose before his mind.

-

-The second officer informed the captain about the light, when, using

-his night-glass, the skipper soon ascertained and explained the cause

-of the fire.

-

-Brand breathed a sigh of relief.

-

-When morning came, Manton was missed at breakfast. Having always found

-him punctual, the captain was alarmed. He went to the room and opened

-the door when no answer was returned to his summons, to find the old

-man missing.

-

-Search was made--of course in vain--Brand apparently the most zealous

-of all in his efforts to find the missing one.

-

-"He's gone, shipmates, it's my opinion, where's neither weepin' nor

-whaling," said a voice behind Brand, while he was looking in the hold.

-

-The third officer turned to behold Tom Turk, a queer old tar, with

-enormous head and body, and short, thick legs.

-

-Brand looked at him, keenly.

-

-"What did you say?" he inquired, sharply.

-

-"It's plain English, ain't it?" said Turk, rolling his quid round and

-round: "there's neither weepin nor whalin' in t'other land. The old

-man to my thinkin', was a good sort o' chap what has gone, sir, where

-p'raps neither you nor I will go, sir, seein' as we've our bad p'ints!"

-

-Brand eyed the speaker steadily, and was satisfied that he knew

-nothing of the dark deed committed.

-

-Meantime the search was continued, until it was concluded that the old

-man, whose habit of rousing up at eight was well known, had fallen

-overboard.

-

-Several months later the vessel arrived at New York Harbor.

-

-Scarcely was she anchored when a boat containing, besides the rowers,

-a female and a young man, was seen pulling towards her.

-

-The boat was soon alongside, when the young man--a tall, fine looking

-fellow, sprang out to assist the lady at up the gangway. She was a

-beautiful girl, with brown hair flowing in curls over her shoulders, a

-white rose-tinted skin, large, intelligent blue eyes and a form full

-rounded grace.

-

-The moment she reached the deck, she glanced eagerly round her.

-

-"Where is he? Where is Mr. Manton, my father, sir?" she said,

-addressing the captain.

-

-The latter's countenance fell; in a few words he explained.

-

-It was a terrible shock to the girl. Pale as death she staggered, and

-would have fallen but for the support of her companion's arm.

-

-When she could stand alone, he inquired all the particulars of the

-captain, who promptly gave what information he could.

-

-"Are you certain he was lost?" inquired the young man; "was there no

-way in which he might have saved himself?"

-

-"I fear not," was the reply. "We must have been two miles from land at

-the time."

-

-"Papa was an excellent swimmer," faltered the young girl. "He might

-have reached the land."

-

-The captain, however, shook his head, saying he felt quite certain

-that his passenger was not saved.

-

-Further remarks were exchanged, when the captain added that the

-passenger's chest, unmolested, was in the cabin as it had been left.

-

-At this, Brand, who stood not far off, turned aside his head and felt

-uneasy.

-

-What more probable than that Manton had written to his daughter,

-telling her about the box with him. Just where he kept it, and how

-much it contained.

-

-If that were so, however, it was evident that at present all

-considerations were drowned in the grief and excitement the girl felt

-at the sudden news of her parent's loss.

-

-With a mute but expressive look, she turned towards the young man,

-her companion, who at once helped her down the gangway, telling the

-captain that the chest would be sent for.

-

-"Good riddance!" thought Brand; "I must get away from this craft as

-soon as I can."

-

-Next day he applied for his discharge, which the captain granted. An

-hour later, Brand and the chest were lodged at a seaman's boarding

-house in ---- street.

-

-Carefully locking his door and pulling down the window curtains, the

-third officer drew the iron box from the chest. After a long search

-he found the secret spring, which proved to be one of the small brass

-nails with which the box was studded.

-

-Trembling with greedy expectation, he pressed against it, when the lid

-flew open.

-

-Then a strange cry burst from his lips.

-

-The box was empty!

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER III.

-

-

-For several moments the man continued staring at the empty box, wholly

-unable to account for the singular discovery.

-

-Then he sat down and ruminated. No living soul aboard the vessel had

-known of his possessing the box, therefore he was certain that the

-money could not have been extracted after he obtained it.

-

-The only inference was that the money was not in the box when he took

-it.

-

-Where then was it?

-

-Vainly the man puzzled his brains: he could arrive at no definite

-conclusion.

-

-Weeks passed.

-

-Manton's chest must by this time, have been received and opened by his

-daughter. Brand had seen several of the ship's officers, but it was

-evident they had not heard of Manton's daughter missing anything from

-the chest.

-

-Brand, therefore, breathed easy on this score, believing that, after

-all, the passenger had not written a word to his daughter about the

-box.

-

-Two weeks later, by recommendation of Captain Roberts, who had found

-Brand to be an excellent seaman, the latter obtained command of a ship

-called the _Quadrant_, bound to Australia and the East Indies.

-

-While Brand was preparing his vessel for sea, he had a visit from the

-owner.

-

-"Captain," said the latter, "you will cruise awhile off the islands,

-in the neighborhood of Australia, and visit some of them before going

-into Sydney."

-

-"What for?" inquired Brand.

-

-The order had really been an unpleasant one to him, as if brought

-afresh to his imagination, the drowned body of his victim, Mr.

-Manton, floating about on the water.

-

-"Because," answered the owner, "the daughter of that passenger aboard

-the _Maxwell_, Mr. Manton, cannot be persuaded that her father was

-really lost. She is anxious to investigate the matter; to search all

-the islands she can, especially that one upon which was seen the

-volcano!"

-

-Objections rose to Brand's white lips; but he dared not give them

-utterance, fearful of exciting suspicion.

-

-"The lady," continued the owner, "will be accompanied by a young

-man--her affianced, who has been in the United States navy, and

-is a good sailor, from whom, in case of emergency, you may derive

-assistance. He is one of my clerks; a worthy young man, whom I hope

-you will treat with all due courtesy."

-

-"Ay, ay, sir," answered Brand, who could be pleasant enough when he

-chose.

-

-Next day he went about shipping his crew, among whom was old Tom Turk.

-

-Brand admired the latter's skill in seamanship, and this was his only

-reason for taking him, as in every other respect he disliked him.

-

-The vessel ready a fortnight later, got under weigh, and was soon

-plunging her bows into the dark waters of the Atlantic.

-

-On the quarter deck, by the side of Mary Manton, stood Harry

-Granville, her lover, endeavoring to cheer her spirits, which had

-drooped ever since the fearful news of her father's disappearance from

-the _Maxwell_.

-

-Brand, superintending the work aboard the vessel, watched the lovers

-askance. The presence of the daughter of the very man he had pushed

-overboard, made him feel uneasy.

-

-Every time he encountered the great, earnest blue eyes, it seemed to

-him as if they could see, away down into his soul, the dark secret he

-intended to carry with him to his grave!

-

-Favored by fair winds the vessel, in a few months arrived in the

-latitude where the tragedy had taken place.

-

-"Here is where the passenger fell overboard!" said Brand, addressing

-Harry Grenville, one evening, just after sundown.

-

-The young man went into the cabin, whence he soon reappeared with

-Mary, whose eyes were suffused with tears, while she gazed earnestly

-upon the water, as if there hoping to see the form of her parent

-reappear.

-

-Brand, walking his quarter-deck, kept his eyes steadily averted from

-her face.

-

-Gradually darkness stole round the vessel, when, far ahead, a bright,

-lurid light broke upon the vision of Mary Manton.

-

-"What is that?" she inquired of her lover.

-

-He informed her that it was a volcano.

-

-"Then that is the volcanic island where we are to search," said Mary.

-

-"Yes," answered Harry, "but you must not hope to discover anything.

-From this point no man could hardly hope to swim to that island."

-

-Mary sighed heavily.

-

-At the same moment, she noticed that her lover's head was inclined

-sideways.

-

-She was then sensible of a distant humming, roaring noise, growing

-louder and louder!

-

-"It is the volcano, is it not?" she inquired.

-

-"No," answered Harry, "it is a storm coming up."

-

-He sprang to the companion and glanced at the barometer, which,

-however, for some reason, had fallen but little.

-

-"The instrument must be out of repair," said Harry.

-

-Then he stepped to the captain's side, and questioned him when he was

-informed that the barometer was injured.

-

-"I need no such toy," continued Brand, "to tell me when a storm is

-a-comin' up! I've heard the wind pipe too often for that."

-

-"We are going to have a hard blow, pretty soon," said Harry--"don't

-you hear?"

-

-"That's the volcano, youngster!" answered Brand gruffly.

-

-"You are mistaken."

-

-"Peers I know my business!"

-

-"I am sure it is the gale we hear. You would do well to take in sail."

-

-"I hope I'm master abroad my own craft," said Brand, sneering.

-

-"We will leave it to some of your oldest seaman," said Glenville,

-wishing to avoid a quarrel, if possible.

-

-Several of the old tars, among them Turk, were called up. They agreed

-with Glenville.

-

-"I've heerd the roarin' of a volcanic, before now," said Turk, "which,

-beggin' pardon, sir, is no more like a gale a-comin' up than this is

-like the thump of a handspike," taking out his quid and throwing it

-violently to the deck.

-

-Brand, however, skillful seaman though he was, refused to be

-convinced, until suddenly he beheld driving down upon him from

-windward, a long line of white water, showing like a wall through the

-gloom.

-

-Then the unmistakable notes of the tempest were heard by all aboard.

-

-"Go below," said Harry to his fair companion.

-

-She obeyed trembling; at the same moment, with a whis and a rush, the

-storm was heard sweeping along towards the vessel.

-

-"Hands! by halliards! clew up everything lively there! Mind tacks and

-sheets," screamed Brand, in a voice like the scream of a wild beast.

-

-Top-gallant sails, topsail, foresail and mainsail were soon clewed up,

-and the seamen's forms were distinctly seen running up through the

-gloom.

-

-Too late! While the poor fellows were yet upon the yards, the storm,

-with the din of a thousand furies, struck the devoted ship.

-

-At first nothing could be seen or heard, save the rush and the roar of

-the tempest.

-

-The spray shrouded the ship as in a white cloud, flying all round

-her, blinding and bewildering the men, while the roar of the sea, the

-creaking, snapping and straining of yards and masts, the creaking

-of the timbers, the cannon-like report of the sails, slatting all

-over the vessel, with the whipping about of ropes, tacks and sheets,

-created a din such as only the sailor, caught unawares in a storm, can

-realize.

-

-Vainly Brand, claining to a rope near the mizzenmast, endeavored to

-make himself heard; his voice was as a mere whisper in contrast with

-the shrieking and howling of the storm.

-

-Meanwhile far down, with her rail buried, the ship tore away through

-the mad waters, swift as a thunderbolt, pitching meanwhile with a

-violence which threw several men off the yard into the white and black

-mist of spray and storm, bubbling, boiling and rolling beneath.

-

-Harry Glenville had sprung aloft to cheer and encourage the men.

-

-Vainly endeavoring to make himself heard, he was suddenly thrown from

-his position, and must have gone overboard but for his catching the

-backstay and by this reaching the deck.

-

-No need now of men to pull the sails. With a sharp tearing sound,

-like the blasts from a thousand bass trumpets, every strip of canvass

-aboard the vessel was torn to shreds and carried far off into the rack

-and scud.

-

-Soon after there was a crash, when down came the fore and main

-topmasts, falling over the side, and dragging the ship down, so that

-half of her decks were buried, while the seas continually broke over

-the other part.

-

-In a few minutes Brand, with the help of his speaking trumpet, was

-enabled to make himself heard by shrieking into the very ears of the

-men.

-

-"Clear the wreck!" was his first order, which Tom Turk at once sprang

-to obey, axe in hand.

-

-Harry Glenville, similarly provided, was at the side of the old tar,

-to whom he had taken quite a fancy, and who he had reason to believe,

-appreciated and was glad of his notice.

-

-The two soon gaining the wreck, went to work, having previously

-fastened ropes round their middles to prevent themselves from being

-washed overboard.

-

-With a few blows they renewed the encumbrances, when the vessel

-partially righted.

-

-The wind was now blowing a perfect tornado, keeping the spray down

-almost upon the surface of the sea, which was nearly as flat as a

-floor.

-

-The ship also feeling this pressure, instead of now rolling and

-plunging, was forced down into the stormy sea almost to the middle of

-her bulwarks, while her bows were completely buried.

-

-Harry had taken off the rope, and was about returning aft, when the

-water forward swept by an erratic movement of the ship, caught him and

-carried him from his feet!

-

-Like a shot he was whirled over the bulwarks, when he caught a small,

-rotten piece of rope hanging from the shrouds.

-

-Brand, who was not far off, might easily have saved him by springing

-and grasping his hand.

-

-For reasons which may be imagined, he resolved to leave the man to his

-fate!

-

-The rope being, as stated, a rotten one, broke!

-

-"My God! he is gone!" shrieked the hypocritical captain.

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER IV.

-

-LASHED AND ADRIFT.

-

-

-"Guess not!" answered the voice of old Tom Turk, "he's as safe as a

-marlinespike in a rack!"

-

-So saying, the old fellow by a dextrious movement, threw a bowline

-hitch he had quickly formed at the end of a rope, over the young man's

-head, and drew him safely aboard.

-

-Mary, who, hearing of her lover's peril, had ventured on deck in spite

-of the storm, sprang towards him.

-

-"Ay, ay, now, lass!" exclaimed Turk, "mustn't be in too much of a

-hurry to go, as there's a mighty danger of our all goin' before long.

-Bless your pretty eyes! that's what I call a collapse!" as Mary

-impulsively threw her arms around her lover's neck, in her joy at his

-safety.

-

-On went the vessel, booming, crashing, thundering on her course, with

-all her timbers quivering, as if about to fly apart.

-

-"Oh, Harry!" exclaimed Mary, "will this storm ever be over!"

-

-"Yes! be not afraid!" he answered, as he helped her into the cabin.

-

-There he beheld a sight which was truly appalling. The water was

-washing and swashing about the cabin floor up to his very knees, while

-articles of furniture were floating about like so many chips!

-

-The young man conducted the girl back again, and having safely secured

-her to the mizzenmast, by means of a rope, he went over to the captain.

-

-"Your ship has sprung a leak!"

-

-"What?" exclaimed Brand, almost bounding off his feet.

-

-Harry repeated the information, when Brand, peering into the cabin,

-discovered that he had spoken correctly.

-

-The vessel, it was evident, had sprung a leak somewhere beneath the

-counter.

-

-Pumps were immediately rigged, and their dismal clanging was ere long

-heard like a knell through the storm.

-

-The carpenter being sent below, half an hour later, reported the water

-gaining.

-

-Brand stared at him half stupefied.

-

-Then, with eyes rolling wildly in his head, he shrieked out:

-

-"I might have known I'd have no luck in these accursed waters!"

-

-He drew back, shuddering from head to foot. The blue eyes of Mary

-Manton were turned full upon his dark, distorted face!

-

-"Why?" inquired a voice at his elbow, when, turning he beheld Harry

-Glenville.

-

-He gave the young man a black look! then uttered a horrible oath!

-

-"Blast you, young eavesdropper, are you a-goin' to follow me about

-like a spy?"

-

-"I don't understand! You talk foolishly!" said Harry.

-

-"Do I?" inquired Brand, with a sneer, apparently recovering his

-calmness all of a sudden. "Well, I'll tell you what I meant. I meant

-on account of the infernal storms one often meets with in these

-latitudes. It matters little, however, we are all doomed to Davy Jones

-now, unless we can get off in the boats!"

-

-"Ay, ay, the boats are probably our only recourse!" answered Harry,

-with great coolness.

-

-Brand admired him in spite of himself.

-

-"Why, now, blast it! it seems to me you take matters easy, youngster!"

-

-"This is not the first storm I've seen!" answered Harry.

-

-"No! but when you know that it's p'raps to be your last, one would

-think you'd feel uneasy, to say the least."

-

-"A difference in temperaments," answered the other; "but come! don't

-you think we'd better be getting the boats ready? The lashings are

-loose and they'll soon be adrift, if we don't hurry."

-

-"Ho, ho! so you're getting anxious, after all, my young shaver!"

-

-"Not in the least for myself," answered Harry contemptuously, "but

-there is another in my charge."

-

-As the young man spoke, the ship suddenly fell off, when, with a crash

-and a roar like a thunderbolt, a huge cataract of water was borne

-directly across the vessel, carrying away the wheelhouse with the man

-at the helm, the caboose, a part of the forecastle, and last, but by

-far not least, all the boats, which, as Harry had stated, were become

-loosened in their lashings.

-

-This catastrophe held every man mute after he had saved himself from

-going overboard.

-

-White and dumb the sailors saw the last means of their leaving the

-doomed ship borne away from them.

-

-"It's all up with us!" screamed Brand--the first to break the silence.

-

-"We are lost! we cannot be saved! Is it not so?" cried Mary, clinging

-to the arm of her lover.

-

-"There is no telling!" he answered; "but hope for the best."

-

-Just then the ship falling off yet further, headed directly for that

-great mass of red lurid light, gleaming like a bonfire of demons

-through the bleak darkness of the night and the storm.

-

-"Ay, ay, there's the volcano," cried Harry.

-

-"Yes, how like a beacon of hope it seems!" exclaimed Mary.

-

-"Ay, a hell-beacon!" growled the captain, as he passed into the cabin.

-

-What business had he in the cabin at such a moment, when his ship was

-going down into the dark waters!

-

-Rum!

-

-He would drink, drink, drink, drowning the dragon of conscience which,

-in this dread moment, seemed gnawing at his very vitals.

-

-Up to his waist in water, he found the swimming chests containing his

-grog, and breaking it open, poured the fiery contents of one of the

-bottles down his throat.

-

-The next moment he felt a rope drawing tightly round his breast

-beneath the armpits, became aware then of being hauled up through the

-companionway, while the voice of old Tom Turk rang in his ears:

-

-"Hold there, Cap! Blast me, sir, but this ain't a square above-board

-bizness, do you see--a drinkin' of grog when there's peril! How do

-you know, but some of t'others aboard would like a few tauts, when

-opportunity drifts to em."

-

-The captain would have responded the minute he was hauled up, with a

-blow of the fist, or at least an oath but for the terrible catastrophe

-which now seemed impending.

-

-Humming, gurgling and roaring, a strange noise, growing louder every

-moment, was heard in the hold.

-

-"God help us all!" screamed the carpenter; "no more use at them pumps.

-What you hear is the water surgin' into the hold."

-

-Mary clung closely to her lover, while the men with axes at once went

-to work, chopping down pieces of timber for the purpose of forming a

-raft.

-

-"How far should you judge we are from yonder island!" said Harry, now

-pointing to the red gleam which seemed to send a track of lurid fire

-shooting through the darkness.

-

-"Well," answered Tom Turk, "it's hard tellin' at night though I'm

-shouldn't say we're more than a league from it. It's symbological,"

-continued Turk, gloomily crossing his arms over his breast, "to many

-of us as shall go below instead of aloft."

-

-"I dare say you have sinned as well as others, you old rascal!" cried

-Brand, fiercely addressing the speaker.

-

-"There's no denying that," answered Tom; "I have sinned when I was

-a little chip, but not since the days o' my apple steelin', from

-orchards and such like. Ever since, I have behaved myself like a

-martyr, confinin' myself to but eights tauts of grog at a time--when I

-could get it, that is; which ain't under present state of affairs."

-

-Meanwhile the men hurried to construct the raft, which was at last

-completed in a clumsy manner, owing to the hurried nature of the work.

-

-It was high time it was finished, for every part of the craft except a

-dry spot on the quarterdeck, was now buried, the water reaching half

-way up the stumps of the shattered masts.

-

-The raft was secured alongside, after which Harry helped Mary to the

-floating platform, taking care to lash her securely to the timbers.

-

-In a minute all hands were upon the raft, and Brand was about severing

-the rope with his knife, when, with a sudden lurch, down went the ship

-dragging the floating platform with it.

-

-The men drifted off into sea! but Mary being lashed to the raft went

-down with it!

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER V.

-

-THE ISLAND.

-

-

-As the young girl disappeared beneath the dark waters, two persons

-dove after her, determined to accomplish her rescue or perish in the

-attempt.

-

-Those two were Harry Glenville and old Tom Turk.

-

-Could they reach the girl and bring her to the surface, they might

-easily manage to lash her to some one of the many planks and spars

-floating around them, and faintly revealed in the lurid gleam

-streaming along the waters from the volcano, now less than two miles

-distant.

-

-Down under the sea, Turk and his friend finally came upon the girl,

-when, with one blow of his knife, hold ready in his right hand, Harry

-severed the rope holding Mary to the raft.

-

-Now, however, he felt the force of the downward suction of the doomed

-ship, and was unable to ascend with his burden to the surface of the

-sea.

-

-In this situation the young man preserved his presence of mind,

-holding to Mary with a firm grasp, his right arm round her waist,

-while with the other he paddled under water, hoping soon to get out of

-range of the suction force dragging him down.

-

-In about a minute, he became aware that he was ascending with great

-rapidity, and then comprehended that the whirlpool formed by the

-sinking craft had subsided, shooting him and his precious charge

-upward with the bubble caused by the collapsing of the waters.

-

-He was soon at the surface of the sea, to behold his shipmates all

-around him clinging to spars and fragments.

-

-He swam to a spar near him, and, with the ropes dangling therefrom,

-lashed the girl to it; then looked down upon her white, upturned face,

-closed eyes and drooping hair, almost fearing that she was dead!

-

-Far along the waters the light of the volcano, streaming luridly,

-illumined that pale face and shining hair with unearthly radiance.

-

-"Mary, speak to me!" exclaimed the young man. "Tell me that you are

-alive--that you hear me calling you!"

-

-Vain the supplication. Her closed lips remained mute, the eyes were

-not opened, the sad pallor of the face remained unchanged.

-

-Suddenly he became aware of a noise like a porpoise blowing, and

-turning, beheld Tom Turk, who had just risen alongside of him,

-clinging to the same spar to which he hung.

-

-"Phew, bless my eyes!" ejaculated the old sailor, "this is sartinly

-a most uncomfortable siterwation for them as has always sarved their

-captins faithful."

-

-Then he looked closely at the young girl.

-

-"Don't be afraid," he exclaimed, "the gal is all right. That waxy

-look, I'm sartin, ain't from death. She'll git over it! I never saw

-one of the female sect in this siterwation afore, except once off the

-Cape of Good Hope where I was wrecked in the bark _Tempest_. The poor

-creatur' was in the water tied to the bottom of a boat a whole day,

-but the water bein' warm, as it is here, she got over her hardship,

-and I believe is now livin' parfectly healthy with a famerly of small

-children."

-

-"It seems to me, Turk," said Harry, suddenly, "that we are receding

-from the volcanic inland; instead of approaching it."

-

-"I was a-thinkin' of that same," answered Turk; "in fact the wind has

-hauled round a little, and is now a-blowin' from the island, instead

-of towards it."

-

-This troubled the young man much. He now had little hope, in fact, of

-Mary's being saved.

-

-Meanwhile, through the din of the storm, the voices of Turk's

-shipmates were now and then heard, as they drifted along, attached to

-their respective spars.

-

-With the strange coolness of seamen in the most perilous situations,

-many of these men even ventured so far as to laugh and crack jokes as

-they were tossed about on that stormy ocean; so true it is that "Jack

-never despairs while there is a plank under him."

-

-Gradually the voices became more detached as the poor fellows were

-separated further and further from each other by the intervening seas,

-perhaps never again to meet on earth!

-

-Mary Manton now opened her eyes. The plank to which she was attached

-had by this time drifted out of range of the stream of light, but

-Harry and Turk could see the gleam of those bright orbs through the

-darkness.

-

-"Why! where am I? Harry! Harry! where are you?" exclaimed the poor

-girl, while shudder after shudder convulsed her frame.

-

-"I am here, Mary!" he answered. "Cheer up! You are with friends. We

-may, in time, succeed in reaching land."

-

-"Oh, I am so glad you are safe!" she exclaimed, impulsively, resting

-her bright head on his shoulder. "Do you think we are far from land?"

-

-"I hope not," he answered. Then, raising himself halfway out of water,

-and glancing far ahead through the gloom. "God be praised! I think I

-see land, now! at all events there are breakers."

-

-Turk looked in the indicated direction, to behold a long line of white

-water gleaming through the darkness.

-

-"Ay! ay!" he shouted, in a ringing voice, "there is land, sure enough.

-Cheer up, lass, we are near land after all."

-

-"I am afraid our shipmates will not succeed in reaching it," said

-Harry, "as they must be far to leeward of us by this time."

-

-"There's no tellin'," answered Turk; "but I'm afraid not. I hope,

-hows'ever, the poor lads will be picked up, between this and

-to-morrow night, by some passing craft."

-

-All night long the three were borne on, at the mercy of winds and

-waves, nearer and nearer towards the line of white water.

-

-The sufferings of poor Mary were meanwhile intense, and were fully

-appreciated by the two men, notwithstanding the girl's efforts to hide

-her pain and seem cheerful.

-

-Poor child! drenched through and through, cold and feverish by turns,

-with a terrible pain in her head, and half smothered by the seas

-continually breaking over her, no wonder that she suffered!

-

-Almost unconscious when the gray dawn stole upon the waters, she heard

-the ringing tones of Harry Glenville, breaking like music upon her

-half-bewildered senses.

-

-"Land O! right ahead!"

-

-Then Harry, loosening her lashings so that she could turn her head,

-pointed out to her a lofty cape, covered with shrubbery, beneath which

-was a beach covered with beautiful cocoanut trees, now waving wildly

-in the gale!

-

-"Thank God!" she murmured, and endeavored to smile.

-

-The effort, however, was too much. With a faint but glad cry, she fell

-back, half fainting, upon her lover's shoulder.

-

-The drifting spar was now close upon the reef, scarcely five fathoms

-ahead.

-

-In less than half an hour it struck against one of the rocks, when

-Harry and Turk, loosening their fair charge from the spar, surveyed

-the water between the reef and the island.

-

-Concluding that it was shallow enough to enable them to wade, they

-made their way toward the beach, carrying the girl between them.

-

-Soon landing, they found a clear stream, in the heart of a breadfruit

-thicket, with a bank of soft turf upon which they laid the young girl.

-

-Then Turk, with a knowing wink, drew from his pocket a small flask,

-containing a red liquid.

-

-"Though temperance!" said he, "although I ain't never signed no

-pledge, still I will indulge in a draught of this, by way of

-celebratin' our wonderful preservation!"

-

-Before drinking, the old tar put the neck of the bottle between the

-lips of the young girl, pouring some of the brandy down her throat.

-

-The effect was instantaneous; color came to her cheeks, and she opened

-her beautiful blue eyes, which were turned upon her lover before she

-spoke.

-

-"Harry! Where are we now? Are you perfectly safe--uninjured--"

-

-"Ay, ay," interrupted Turk; "that's the way with her sect, always

-a-thinkin' of t'others before themselves."

-

-"I am perfectly well, and uninjured," answered Harry, as he helped

-Mary to her feet. "Come, Turk," he added, to the old sailor, "let us

-get some kind of a shelter up for this poor child!"

-

-A fire was first kindled, dry wood having been found in a hollow

-behind some stones. Then Harry procured a log and made a good seat for

-the girl before the fire, that she might dry her saturated garments.

-

-"This is comfortable," said Turk, as he again raised his flask to his

-lips; "here we are all out of them perils which--"

-

-Harry quietly seized his arm.

-

-"Turk," said he, "we may need that brandy. I will buy it of you."

-

-At this the movements of the old tar were peculiar.

-

-He put the flask down on a flat rock; then he spread his legs apart

-like a pair of compasses, and thrust both hands in his pockets,

-looking at his friend with eyebrows elevated almost to the top of his

-forehead.

-

-"This," said he, slowly, "is an insultin' proposition. Avast! avast!

-about buyin' my grog! D'ye think I would sell it, if it'll be of any

-use to the gal? No; she is perfectly welcome to that and to a gallon,

-had I as much in my possession."

-

-"Nay, Harry," said Mary sweetly, noticing the wistful glances the old

-tar cast at the bottle, even while delivering his magnanimous speech.

-

-"Mr. Turk shall keep his liquor. I will not need it! See, I am quite

-strong!" and she rose briskly to her feet.

-

-"Mr. Turk," muttered the old sailor, "that Mr. which I ain't heard for

-many a year, sounds mighty queer. It's too respectful to sich an old

-hulk as me, Miss. Please drop it and call me plain Tom Turk."

-

-"Tom Turk it shall be, then," answered the young girl.

-

-As she spoke, there was a rustling in the shrubbery near the fire.

-

-"Savages!" gasped Mary; "let us fly."

-

-She shrank back, when parting the bushes a familiar form emerged to

-view.

-

-It was Captain Brand.

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER VI.

-

-THE VISION.

-

-

-"You here!" exclaimed Harry, starting back.

-

-"And why not?" inquired Brand, with a sinister smile, "haven't I as

-good a right to be saved as yourself?"

-

-"Certainly, and I am glad you have saved yourself. Still your

-appearance surprised me a little, as I had thought that no persons

-except ourselves, had succeeded in reaching this island from the

-wreck."

-

-"It was a narrow escape for me," answered Brand; "the current which

-runs round the extremity of this island, caught me, and I would have

-been whirled past the land, do you see, but for my catching the spur

-of a rock by which I just succeeded in drawing myself ashore."

-

-"Bad eggs always float," said Turk, making a grimace.

-

-"What mean you, you rascal?" cried Brand; "are you regrettin' my

-escape?"

-

-"Not exactly, still I'll own I'd rather some of t'others had been

-saved and you have gone instead."

-

-"Blast you for an unmannerly old dog," shouted Brand; "I've half a

-mind to give you a taste of a rope's end. Just remember you are under

-my orders, now, as you were aboard ship."

-

-"I differ with ye there," answered outspoken Turk; "so much in fact,

-that if you should try to rope's end me, I should have to keel haul

-you."

-

-And Turk, as he spoke, showed a formidable looking fist, hairy and

-covered with protuberances like those one see on the knots of an oak.

-

-Brand's eye flashed fire, and he made a step forward.

-

-Then he controlled himself, muttering something in an inaudible voice.

-

-Meanwhile, the eyes of Mary were turned upon the intruder with a

-mingled expression of fear and dislike.

-

-There was evidently in those eyes some startling resemblance which

-made the captain feel very uneasy, for he half turned his head, while

-a ghastly hue overspread his face.

-

-"So," said Harry, breaking the awkward silence, "we did not reach our

-destination, the volcanic isle, after all."

-

-"No," answered Brand, gloomily.

-

-"Can we not get to it from here?" inquired Mary, eagerly; "I know not

-why, but I feel as if we should there find my poor, lost papa!"

-

-"Never," thought Brand; "your papa has been food for fishes long

-before now."

-

-In a few minutes they were at work erecting bowers.

-

-Turk was moving away, with Brand about to follow him, when, turning

-and catching a sudden glance at the captain, he snatched up his bottle

-and pocketed it.

-

-"You need not be afraid," said the skipper, with a sneer; "I have

-a supply of gin of my own," showing a big black bottle, partially

-protruding from the inside pocket of his jacket.

-

-Turk pulled Harry's sleeve.

-

-"The captain's gin," he whispered, "better than this ere brandy of

-mine, would make an excellent cosmopolite for the gal in case of

-sickness."

-

-"You may keep your brandy if you wish," answered Harry, sternly.

-

-At this reproof, old Turk colored and scratched his head like a

-schoolboy detected in some grave offence.

-

-Then he ran forward, and grasped the young man's hand.

-

-"I wouldn't taste a drop of my grog for the world, since the gal may

-want it. Still do ye see, human natur' is human natur', and I'm bound

-to say that I have been selfish in this matter, to the great sorrer of

-Tom Turk."

-

-Two bowers were soon erected of twigs and leaves; one for the

-accommodation of the men, the other for Mary.

-

-With their jackets and a multitude of dried leaves, the men formed a

-pleasant little retreat for the young girl, who thanked them for their

-pains.

-

-Towards sundown the gale abated. The men took advantage of this to

-construct, with some fragments of the wreck drifted ashore, a raft,

-upon which they paddled out to the reef, where several barrels and

-boxes from the wrecked vessel had drifted. These were found to contain

-hard bread and salt beef, enough to last them for several weeks.

-

-With some difficulty they got the valuable articles over the reef,

-and they were paddling them to land, when they saw Mary, whom they

-had left upon the beach, beckoning to them with an air of fear and

-excitement.

-

-"We had better let the provision go," said Harry.

-

-"No!" exclaimed Brand, "I am captain here. The gal has probably got

-scared at nothing."

-

-"Come, Turk!" said Harry, "if this fellow don't choose to follow us,

-we will leave him."

-

-So saying, the young man plunged into the water, closely followed by

-the old tar, greatly to the indignation of Brand, who, clenching his

-fists, muttered to himself:

-

-"I will be even with them, yet."

-

-Meanwhile the beach now being but twenty yards distant from the raft,

-Harry and his friend were soon ashore.

-

-"Perhaps I was mistaken," said Mary, as she fled to her lover's side,

-"but I feel quite certain I saw the head of a savage, protruding over

-the shrubbery near my bower," pointing as she spoke, towards a clump

-of bushes about forty yards from the sylvan shelter.

-

-Instantly Harry bounded toward the spot, armed with a stout club

-picked up from the ground.

-

-Turk was about following, when a thought seemed to strike him. He

-retraced his step, and, taking from his pocket his bottle of grog,

-rolled it up in a green breadfruit leaf, and presented it to Mary.

-

-"Here, lass!" said he, "please take charge of this and--" here a

-suppressed sob escaped the old fellow, "if I never return to claim it,

-keep it as a testamentary of affection from Tom Turk."

-

-Before the girl could reply, he was off after Harry, who, by this

-time, was close upon the clump of shrubbery.

-

-The young man looked all around him, but could see neither sign nor

-trace of a savage.

-

-Concluding the girl's fancy had deceived her, both men returned to

-assure her that such was the case. Mary, however, looked doubtful.

-

-"It may have been fancy," she said, "but somehow I hardly think it

-was."

-

-Harry endeavoured to quiet her fears, and was finally successful.

-

-Meanwhile Turk was noticed to behave in a singular manner. He

-would walk all round the girl, looking at her, now and then, in a

-significant manner winking first with one eye and then the other.

-

-Annoyed, Harry at length asked him what he wanted.

-

-"Beg pardon, Miss," he stammered "but if you please, that bottle of

-grog!"

-

-Mary blushed, and thrusting her hand in the pocket of her dress,

-pulled forth the flask, which she at once presented to the old sailor.

-

-"Thank ye, Miss," said he, "it shall be preserved for your benefit."

-

-So saying he pocketed the flask, and waded off to the raft to help get

-the box and barrel ashore.

-

-This was soon done.

-

-"We had better stand watch, to-night," said Harry, when the articles

-were brought to the shelter.

-

-"Wherefore?" queried Brand.

-

-"Because Miss Manton will feel much easier, if we do."

-

-"Oh! very well, you can stand watch if you like, but I don't care to

-lose my sleep for nothing."

-

-Night soon closed round the party.

-

-Harry took the first watch, while Turk rolled up like a ball, lay

-cuddled in a corner of the hut.

-

-The storm having now subsided, the sea was almost calm. There was a

-full moon, but the clouds passing along over the sky, in detached

-masses, frequently veiled it.

-

-Harry was pacing his beat, not far from the shrubbery in which Mary

-had fancied she saw the savage, when he suddenly paused, with his ear

-inclined to one side.

-

-Steps, mingled with the murmur of voices, were audible, apparently

-approaching the hut!

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER VII.

-

-THE ATTACK.

-

-

-To waken Turk and Brand was the work of a moment. Both sprang up to

-hear Harry's explanation.

-

-"We have no arms!" said Brand, "and so we had better be scuddin' off

-as soon as possible!"

-

-Turk thrust his hand in his pocket, and pulling forth his flask of

-grog, eyed it wistfully and anxiously.

-

-"Sooner than this should fall in the hands of them savages," he

-exclaimed, "I had better put it, do you see where by rights it

-belongs, meanin' the stomach of Tom Turk!"

-

-Up went the bottle, and the old tar seemed about drinking, when it

-struck him that the liquor might, after all, come in use for Mary, in

-case they should contrive to make their escape. With a heavy sigh he

-thrust the bottle back into his pocket.

-

-Meanwhile the steps drew nearer.

-

-Harry waked Mary, and at once escorted her to the raft. Not a moment

-too soon, for, with a sudden yell, a large party of fierce-looking

-islanders, tattooed from head to foot, and looming up like demons in

-the faint radiance of the moon, burst forth from a clump of shrubbery,

-about fifty yards distant.

-

-Waving war clubs and spears, while their long hair streamed in

-red, fiery clouds down their backs and shoulders, the wild fellows

-certainly formed a hideous spectacle!

-

-Before the raft could be unfastened, a shower of spears came whizzing

-round the heads of the little party.

-

-"Shove off! shove off!" screamed Brand, as he seized the raft-pole to

-push the floating platform away from the beach.

-

-"Not yet!" cried Mary, noticing that her lover, who had paused to

-collect the jackets left in the huts, and also a few of the biscuits,

-was not upon the raft.

-

-In a moment the young man came panting to the beach.

-

-Brand, however, not heeding the girl's exclamation was about shoving

-off, when Turk caught his arm.

-

-"Avast there, captain! Don't be in too much of a hurry!"

-

-Enraged, the latter glared upon the speaker, but this was no time for

-quarreling.

-

-Harry now sprang from the raft. At the same moment two of the savages,

-ahead of their companions, arriving, seized the rope attached to the

-floating platform, which they endeavored to pull ashore.

-

-To prevent their doing so, Harry stepped to the edge of the raft, and

-with the pole endeavored to strike them on the head.

-

-One of them seizing the pole, gave it a sudden jerk, thus pulling the

-young man off into the water!

-

-With a fierce yell, they then pounced upon him, dragging him to the

-beach!

-

-Feeling that there was not a moment to lose, the young man, by a

-sudden movement, disengaged himself from their clutches; then, picking

-up a spear, drove it through the body of one who had lifted his

-war-club to beat out the sailor's brains!

-

-The other now aimed at Harry's head a furious blow, which must have

-killed him, had it taken effect.

-

-Not so, however, for old Tom Turk, seeing his friend's peril, had

-sprang ashore, and picked up another spear, which he thrust through

-the back of the native!

-

-The scream of the dark-skinned fellow, as, throwing up his arms, he

-fell backward, rang down the sky with startling distinctness, while

-his friends, hearing that scream, and eager for vengeance, came

-dashing on, yelling like a pack of wild hyenas!

-

-With a single bound through the water, Turk and Harry now gained the

-raft, and were soon helping Brand, who had not even left his place,

-push the floating platform out to sea.

-

-Luckily there was an outer current tending towards the reef, and which

-drew the raft rapidly along towards the rocks. This soon was reached,

-while the baffled yells of the savages continued pealing along the

-waters.

-

-As the raft was drawn through an opening in the reef, and the party

-put out to sea, Turk again drew forth his beloved grog, and eyed it

-wistfully.

-

-"Ay, ay, bless your eyes!" said he, "you are too good to grease the

-gullets of them blueskins."

-

-"Put up your grog, Turk," said Harry, "we have more important matters

-to think of."

-

-"Ay, ay," said Brand, gruffly, "we've to think that we may be food for

-fishes!"

-

-"Do you not believe we can reach the volcanic island, now?" inquired

-Mary, as she glanced towards the red light, gleaming, far away, along

-the waters.

-

-"It's hard tellin'," answered Brand. "If there's no heavy sea and we

-can make head against the southern tendency of the current, we may

-contrive to reach the island."

-

-With their poles which were not flat enough for paddles, the party

-made slow progress.

-

-An hour had passed, when, suddenly, Mary pointed far astern towards a

-long, dark object, apparently shooting out from the shore.

-

-"What is that?"

-

-"A canoe, by ----!" ejaculated Brand. "We may as well give up, now!"

-

-"No!" exclaimed Harry, resolutely. "We will not give up! If I mistake

-not," he added, pointing towards a dark mass, floating through the air

-to windward of them, "there is a fog coming up! This will screen us

-from our pursuers!"

-

-"I am glad of that," said Mary, thankfully.

-

-"I'm not so sure it will screen us!" said Brand, "them savages are

-cunnin' rascals!"

-

-"Where there's hope," remarked Turk, "there's no use of throwin'

-clouds over the same."

-

-The fog came fast, and finally thickening around the party, they

-seemed enclosed in a wall of darkness.

-

-"Hark!" said Harry, suddenly, as the dip of the canoe's paddles were

-heard. "We must get the raft round, and try another course!"

-

-This, with some difficulty was done, when the clumsy vessel was urged

-along to the southward.

-

-"Now, then, still as mice!" said Harry.

-

-He was obeyed, those on the raft scarcely breathing.

-

-A moment later something dark, indistinctly seen, was observed gliding

-along past the raft and within twenty fathoms of it!

-

-It was the canoe!

-

-The weary hours of night wore away.

-

-Poor Mary had slept but little, although Turk and Harry had made her

-a comfortable couch with their jackets.

-

-Now, as the gray dawn stole upon the waters, the young girl looked

-round her with a weary sigh.

-

-The fog had cleared, the faint rays of the sun were beginning to tinge

-the east, but, far and wide, nothing but sky and water were visible.

-

-Sky and water, and nothing aboard the raft--not even a morsel of bread

-or a drop of fresh water.

-

-Already the girl began to feel the cravings of thirst. With powerful

-effort, she endeavored to forget that she felt this want, but in vain.

-

-The day wore away, the sun went down, night began to settle upon the

-waters.

-

-The men strained their eyes vainly for land or sail.

-

-Next morning the sufferings of all from thirst were intense. Brand,

-pulling forth his bottle of gin, drank deeply, not offering a drop to

-the rest.

-

-Then Turk presented his grog to Harry.

-

-"Give some to the poor lass!"

-

-Harry did so. She tasted a few drops, but could not be prevailed upon

-to take more.

-

-Turk looked wistfully at the flask, then thrusting it back, muttered:

-

-"No--no! it must all be saved for that poor little girl, God bless her

-eyes!"

-

-One--two--three days passed. Still adrift on the wilderness of ocean.

-No sail--no land--no fresh water.

-

-God help the castaways!

-

-Brand was almost mad. His eyes gleamed like a tiger's--he gnashed his

-teeth!

-

-Harry, too, was scarcely sane! Turk alone remained cool and careful,

-although his sufferings were terrible.

-

-And Mary?

-

-Alas! poor girl--the flush on her sunken cheek burned deep and

-red--her eyes were feverish--her panting breath came thick and

-fast--she was too weak to sit up.

-

-There was no more liquor in Turk's flask. He had given all--every drop

-to the young girl.

-

-So there they all were, still drifting along, a burning sun over their

-heads, the water almost steaming around them.

-

-Gradually a sickly, yellowish mist went over the sun.

-

-Harry watched it a moment, then sprang to his feet, shrieking out:

-

-"Land, oh!"

-

-"Where? where?" queried Brand wildly.

-

-It was pointed out to him, all present saw it now.

-

-There was surely a misty line--a headland, extending away to the south

-and west.

-

-"God be praised," murmured Mary, faintly; "oh Harry! Harry! we shall

-get some fresh water now, and some beautiful fruit!"

-

-The poor creature smacked her lips and clapped her hands as the spoke.

-

-How tediously slow were the movements of the raft.

-

-On it went, however, apparently nearing the land every moment.

-

-At length it seemed scarcely a mile distant.

-

-"We will soon be there, now," exclaimed Mary.

-

-Suddenly a wail went up from the raft, a long, mournful wail--a half

-shriek of astonishment, and bitter disappointment.

-

-The supposed land had suddenly vanished--blown away by a mere puff of

-air.

-

-Alas! it was nothing but a fog bank!

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER VIII.

-

-DRIFTING ON.

-

-

-As the delusive fog was swept away before the breeze, Brand uttered a

-howl, and throwing himself down, dashed his head against one of the

-planks of the raft.

-

-"Eat--drink! I must have something! Come, it is time!"

-

-And he drew forth a clasp knife, eyeing Mary at the same moment with a

-wolfish gleam in the eyes not to be mistaken.

-

-The bare thought seemed to inspire Harry with a rage almost demoniacal.

-

-He threw himself upon the man, wrenching the knife from his grasp, and

-hurling it into the sea.

-

-Then he caught the captain by the throat, and seemed on the point of

-hurling him overboard.

-

-Turk, however, interfered.

-

-"That work won't do, lad! You'd be sorry for it when you got over sich

-feelin's as at present agitates you. Let him alone, sir. We'll all

-have sufferin' enough yet, I'll warrant ye!"

-

-Thus prevailed upon, not only by the old sailor but by the mingled

-pleadings of Mary, Harry relaxed his hold of the fellow, who, with a

-baffled howl, sank down, glaring at the water, as if hoping to see his

-knife again rise to the surface.

-

-Meanwhile a fresh breeze now came along, wrinkling the water, and

-falling upon the heated brows and parched lips of the raft's people,

-inspiring sensations of relief.

-

-Harry took off his outside shirt, and with one of the raft poles, thus

-formed a sail.

-

-"A queer piece of canvass, sartinly," said Tom Turk, mournfully; "but

-as there's a to'gallant sail, we may as well have a topsail, do you

-see?"

-

-So saying, he took off his shirt, which was also put upon the pole.

-

-The impetus thus given to the raft can be hardly credited.

-

-Away it went, rippling the water, at the rate of about three knots.

-

-It was nearly sundown, when Tom Turk suddenly balancing himself upon

-his toes, was heard singing out:

-

-"Land, oh!"

-

-"Another delusion," bitterly exclaimed Harry, not even attempting to

-rise from his position by Mary's side.

-

-"I'm sartin, this time!" exclaimed the old sailor; "fog never looks

-like them black things thereaway," pointing westward.

-

-Harry and Brand were up in a moment, to discover that the old tar had

-indeed spoken truth.

-

-Far away a number of rocks were seen, protruding from the sea.

-

-"Better no land at all than that," growled Brand, in a disappointed

-voice. "We'll find no water there."

-

-On went the raft, and in due time the rocks were gained. They were

-found to be about ten in number, and to rise several feet above the

-surface of the sea.

-

-Brand was the first to spring ashore. Rushing forward, he was suddenly

-seen to throw himself down.

-

-Harry and Turk were soon by his side, to perceive that he had found,

-in a hollow of one of the rocks, a quantity of water, evidently lodged

-there by a recent waterspout, and prevented from drying up by the

-shadow from an overhanging cliff.

-

-It seemed as if the captain would never get his fill.

-

-He drank and drank, drawing in the water with a noise like that of a

-horse at a trough.

-

-At last he rose.

-

-There was a gallon and a half of water still in the rocky basin.

-

-What a contrast now was presented between the conduct of Brand and

-that of his shipmates. Turk filled his flask with the pure element,

-and presented it to Harry, who at once passed it to Mary.

-

-"Drink first!" said the poor girl.

-

-Finding, however, that she could not prevail upon him to do so, Mary

-at length drank her fill.

-

-The effect was magical. Her eyes brightened--the feverish hue seemed

-to leave her cheek--she breathed a grateful sigh of relief.

-

-At the basin, Turk would not drink until his companion had first done

-so.

-

-When all had partaken, there was still a quart of water left.

-

-Turk went to the raft, and, procuring his flask, in which there still

-remained a few drops, he filled it from the hollow, and returning,

-presented it to Mary.

-

-"This is for you, my lass," said he.

-

-Meanwhile, Brand filled his bottle, holding about twice as much as

-Turk's.

-

-Neither Harry nor the old seaman said anything; but they exchanged

-glances, which said plainly:

-

-"When we want water for the girl, we will know where to get it."

-

-Walking about the rocks, Harry suddenly uttered a glad cry.

-

-In some crevices among the rocks, he beheld a number of fat-looking

-fish.

-

-"It seems as if heaven has sent these especially for our benefit, at

-the right time," said the young man, joyfully, as Turk came to his

-side.

-

-The old tar, however, looked sober.

-

-"It is easy enough," said he, "tellin' how them fish came here."

-

-"I don't understand you."

-

-"Well, then, I'll tell you. These rocks, is covered up at high tide.

-That is how them fish came to be left here!"

-

-"We have our raft," said Harry, joyfully, "so that if the rocks do

-overflow, we may thus get more fish!"

-

-"Ay, ay, it's all right, so long as the raft holds together," answered

-Turk, "which I'm mighty afraid, won't be long," pointing at the

-lashings holding the timbers together.

-

-These lashings were, in fact, much worn; some of them could not long

-be made use of.

-

-"We must try to fix the raft," said Harry, "I dare say we can contrive

-it so that we may keep afloat."

-

-From the raft the hungry men soon turned their attention to the fish.

-

-These were cooked with a couple of planks--there were plenty to

-spare--torn from the raft and split up against the jagged edges of

-the rocks, some of the fragments to be afterwards cut by Turk's

-pocketknife, and lighted by matches which, sailor-like, the old tar

-always carried with him in a small tin box, that they might be kept

-dry.

-

-Meanwhile, Brand, while taking no part in these preparations, sat like

-a hungry tiger eyeing the cooked fish.

-

-A portion was given to him; in fact, the whole party made a hearty and

-palatable meal.

-

-Now, Mary, her wants having been relieved, again spoke of the volcanic

-island.

-

-"I so wish we could fall in with some sail, which would take us

-there," said she. "Oh, if I could only see my dear papa!"

-

-Brand shrugged his shoulders.

-

-"Hark!" he suddenly screamed, as the night shadows gathered, "I

-fancied I heard a gurgling sound!"

-

-Neither of the rest had heard anything.

-

-"P'raps it was the wash of the waves against the rock," said Brand.

-

-Next morning the whole party rose after a slight rest--the men having

-stood watch--to perceive that the water had risen nearly to the top of

-the first rock.

-

-"The rock will soon be flooded," remarked Harry.

-

-"Ay, ay, so I'm afraid," said Turk. "We had better try to make the

-raft stronger."

-

-Unfortunately, the men having no rope with them, succeeded but poorly.

-

-"Truth is," said Turk, aside to his friend, "I wouldn't trust

-ourselves two days on them planks!"

-

-At this time the party stood upon one of the rocks.

-

-Suddenly Mary pointed down at the water, through which, all around

-their position, a number of dark-looking fins now were seen, moving

-hither and thither.

-

-"What are those things?" she inquired.

-

-"Sharks!" answered Harry and Turk, as they simultaneously drew the

-young girl upon the raft.

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER IX.

-

-DRIVEN AWAY.

-

-

-The water kept rising higher.

-

-Meanwhile, the sharks swam all round the rocks, and the raft, now and

-then leaping forth, as if to clutch at the party.

-

-The sight of these ugly-looking creatures, with their long heads,

-sharp fins, teeth, and dull, bloodshot eyes, inspired Mary with the

-most disagreeable sensations.

-

-"Come!" said she, "let us leave this fearful place!"

-

-Turk shook his head.

-

-"It is our only salvation, Miss, I'm afraid."

-

-"Not much of a salvation, either," said Brand, pointing down at

-several of the ferocious creatures, which had begun to gnaw at the

-lashings of the raft.

-

-Vainly the men endeavored to drive them away; they clung with steady

-tenacity to the lashings, biting with demon-like intelligence at the

-rope strands, as if aware that the severing of these would put the

-party in their power.

-

-Finally the seamen were obliged to get off the raft on the rocks, and

-draw the planks after them, as the only means of pulling the lashings

-away from the teeth of the troublesome monsters.

-

-The water, however, kept rising, so that it was necessary to get away

-as soon as possible.

-

-The men did their best to strengthen the planks, then once more

-launched their raft, actually driven away by the sharks.

-

-The tendency of the current and the wind now was to the westward.

-

-"At such a rate," said Turk, "shouldn't wonder if we find ourselves,

-before two days, on the volcanic island."

-

-For this island the party had looked every day, while they were

-afloat; but, for some reason or other, since the night of their first

-floating away from the island, they had seen nothing of the smoke or

-fire of the burning crater.

-

-The seamen had attributed this fact to the murky atmosphere westward,

-shrouding the island from their view, while the raft had meanwhile

-been carried further and further from it by the tide.

-

-When night came, after their leaving the rock, the bearings of which

-they endeavored to keep in mind, they again looked for the light of

-the volcano. The atmosphere, however, not having yet cleared, they

-could see no sign of it. Hoping that the current would continue in

-this direction and carry them to the island, they watched the west,

-keenly yet vainly for a sign of the shore.

-

-Mary slept little that night. In the morning Harry pointed out to her,

-far away, the land, evidently that which they were anxious to reach,

-looming up, the mist having cleared.

-

-That it was the wished-for shore was made evident by a column of

-smoke, rising up from the summit of one of the lofty island peaks.

-

-"Do you think we will reach it?" the young girl inquired.

-

-"I think so; if the set of the current does not change to the south,"

-answered Harry.

-

-He was right; before night the party were close upon the island shore.

-

-Mary's eyes lighted up with joy. Worn though she was by hardship and

-suffering, she could yet feel a thrill of eager, pleasant expectation,

-as she gazed at the beautiful shores of this island.

-

-Scarcely a mile in extent, and not more than half that in breadth, the

-shores teemed with the most luxuriant vegetation.

-

-There were seen tall cocoanuts waving upon a bright, pebbly beach,

-rocks covered with flowers and vines, cascades flashing and gleaming

-as they glittered in the sunlight, and the broad waters of silver

-streams, gliding along through mossy grounds.

-

-"Beautiful," said Mary, clapping her hands. "Papa! papa! are you

-there?"

-

-She spoke half plaintively, half joyfully, clasping her hands like a

-little child.

-

-Brand turned aside his head. Hardened as he was, the voice went

-straight to his ruffian heart, and he felt at that moment as if he

-would give worlds had he not committed the fearful crime which, after

-all, had been perpetrated for nothing.

-

-Meanwhile Turk stood gazing steadily towards one of the island bays.

-

-"If I ain't mistaken," said he, "there's an old wreck of some kind

-there!"

-

-"Ay, ay," cried Harry; "I see it--the wreck of a schooner, if we may

-judge by the two stumps of her masts."

-

-It was almost sundown before the raft touched upon the beach.

-

-"We will commence our search for traces of your father," said Harry to

-Mary, after all had refreshed themselves with luxurious bananas and

-the remains of their fish, "by visiting that old wreck. If your parent

-be here, he probably has visited the hulk, and perhaps left some sign

-of his presence; a pipe, matches or something of that sort."

-

-"Who knows," said Mary, "but he has taken up his quarters there."

-

-"I'm afraid you are too hopeful, lass," said old Tom Turk, "'specially

-as it was believed by all aboard the _Maxwell_ that the poor old man

-was drowned after he fell overboard."

-

-"Yes," said Brand, shuddering; "I for one believe he was drowned."

-

-"I will go with you to the wreck," said Mary.

-

-"No," replied Harry, "it will be too much for you."

-

-The young girl, however, insisting, the whole party started for the

-bay, which they could see from their position.

-

-A short walk brought them to the wreck.

-

-It was a schooner, and as had been supposed, with its two masts broken

-short off near the deck.

-

-It lay almost upon its beam ends, firmly wedged in between two rocks.

-

-By mounting a small, flat rock near the larboard gunwale, the party

-easily got aboard. Having done so, they entered the cabin. It was

-devoid of all articles of furniture, these probably having been taken

-away by some of the Indian visitors at the island.

-

-A candle, however, with an old piece of a clay pipe, a few nails, and

-an empty box, were found.

-

-Turk took the candle, and endeavored to light it. This was done with

-some difficulty, after which the party passed into the hold. Here,

-saturated with salt water, which had broken in through the bottom of

-the schooner, were seen several coils of old rope and a few empty

-barrels.

-

-"All of which," philosophized Turk, "will come in good use, 'specially

-if we can find some nails."

-

-After a long search, he came upon a bag of rusty nails, lying upon one

-of the beams.

-

-"With these," said Turk, "we can manage to make a boat, leastways a

-good raft."

-

-The flickering candle shed lurid light upon the old, creaking beams

-of the schooner, as the party vainly searched the hold for signs of

-Mary's father.

-

-"Thought it would be of no use," said Turk; "Poor old man, he was

-drowned, you may be sartin."

-

-"Oh, papa! papa! would that I could find him!" wailed Mary, mournfully.

-

-Brand shuddered, as he always did, when the girl's father was

-mentioned.

-

-Seating himself on a detached coil of rigging, with his back turned to

-the rest of the party, he suddenly fancied he felt a strange, creeping

-sensation stealing over his body; a feeling, as if a multitude of

-worms, were crawling up his back.

-

-Instinctively he turned half round, to see his companions, already

-leaving the hold, passing into the cabin.

-

-Some strange instinct prompted him to turn yet further round, when he

-beheld a sight which for some moments kept him motionless, unable to

-utter a word.

-

-In the faint light of the candle, streaming into the hold, he saw a

-long, lean neck, surmounted by a face as bloodless and apparently

-almost transparent, with hollow cheeks and protruding eyes, lifted

-above a barrel at the other side of the hold.

-

-A strange looking face it was; a face of unearthly transparency,

-apparently quivering like a vapor, while his eyes--those great,

-staring eyes, were fixed strangely upon the captain.

-

-The latter, as mentioned, could not utter a word. To him the

-apparition was doubly terrible, as it was that of the man whom he had

-pushed overboard from the _Maxwell_.

-

-Yes, there it was, sure enough, the face of the unfortunate passenger,

-William Manton.

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER X.

-

-HAUNTED.

-

-

-As Brand, like one spell-bound, continued staring at the strange

-vision, he beheld the lean throat quivering, and heard issuing

-therefrom a gurgling cry exactly like that on the fatal night.

-

-It was a horrible sound, especially to Brand, who, with one hoarse

-scream, bounded backward on beholding the apparition suddenly vanish,

-as if melting away in the air.

-

-At the noise made by Brand, Turk, followed by Harry, rushed back into

-the hold.

-

-"What is the matter?"

-

-"Nothing," gasped Brand; "nothing at all."

-

-There were big drops of sweat upon his brow, his eyes protruded, while

-great, purple rings spread around them.

-

-"Nothing," said Turk; "ay, ay, now, but there must be something the

-matter with ye, Cap. D'ye feel hungry?"

-

-Perceiving that he must make some excuse, Brand puzzled himself trying

-to think of some plausible one.

-

-"The fact is," said he, "I believe what we've gone through has

-unstrung my nerves. I thought I felt a snake around my legs, when it

-was nothing but a coil of rope."

-

-His auditors believed him all the more readily that they had by this

-time concluded that the man, like most all thoroughly selfish people,

-was a coward.

-

-In a short time they were out of the schooner, when Brand, who had

-previously lagged, was now the foremost.

-

-In a short time they reached a level piece of turf about one hundred

-yards from the wreck.

-

-This they concluded would be a good halting place, at least for the

-present, and so they commenced the work of erecting shelters.

-

-This was soon done, after which they threw themselves down to rest,

-Mary, as on the other island, occupying a bower apart from the others.

-

-The young girl slept but little that night. When she did full asleep,

-her slumber was troubled with disagreeable dreams. The roaring of the

-volcano whose red gleam could be seen far up through the shrubbery,

-shooting from one of the island peaks, mingled with her fancies, and

-seemed the report of countless volleys of musketry.

-

-At morn, after partaking of a frugal breakfast, the party consulted as

-to their next course.

-

-Turk wanted to commence at once upon his boat, Brand, sullen,

-glowering and silent, seemed inclined to do nothing, while Mary and

-Glenville concluded to walk off by themselves to explore the island.

-

-Striking through the shrubbery, the young people soon found themselves

-at the foot of the peak on which was the volcano.

-

-They could see the smoke and the flashes of fire shooting up, could

-also feel the ground shake under them, as if the flames were careering

-beneath their very feet. Watching the volcano awhile, they moved on.

-

-"Let us explore the island thoroughly," said Mary, "we may yet come

-upon some trace of my parent."

-

-"Why is it, Mary," inquired Harry, "that you seem so confident on this

-subject?"

-

-"My father," answered the young girl, "was an excellent swimmer. I

-have heard him say he once swam across the East River, New York, while

-a boy.

-

-"Then again the captain informed me that, in falling overboard, it was

-found that my parent had carried away with him a plank, which, from

-carelessness, had been left hanging loosely over the stern. Now what

-more likely than that with the help of the plank, and this island but

-two miles to leeward, he should succeed in reaching it?"

-

-Harry shook his head.

-

-"Of course," said he, "such things have happened, but I have no idea

-that your father reached the island."

-

-For several hours the two walked over the isle, which they found to

-be a beautiful place. There were flowers of almost every hue, clear,

-purling streams, rocks, caverns and cascades, while through the green

-shrubbery the banana and the breadfruit were visible.

-

-The wanderers, however, came upon no traces of Mr. Manton, and Harry

-could see that his companion's hopes in this respect were almost

-extinguished.

-

-Returning to the spot where the shelters were located, they found Turk

-already at work upon his boat, assisted by Brand.

-

-"You are making good progress," remarked Harry.

-

-"Ay, ay," answered Turk, "there's no chance for laziness, now. The

-sooner we leave this island the better, accordin' to my notion."

-

-The old tar spoke solemnly.

-

-"Ay," said Captain Brand, "that's my opinion. Hark! did ye hear that?"

-

-A roaring, rumbling sound was heard, right under their feet; the

-ground trembled violently.

-

-"It is the subterranean fire of that volcano," said Harry. "I hardly

-think there is much danger."

-

-He said this to quiet the fears of Mary, who turned pale and looked

-anxious.

-

-"To my notion," said Turk, "it's devils a-lightin' their brimstone

-right under us, hopin' in that way to catch us. It's plain they're

-after some one among us, which I may premise by sayin' ain't me nor

-Harry, nor this young lass."

-

-Brand frowned darkly.

-

-"How know you that I'm not as good as the rest of you," said he.

-

-"Honestly speakin', Cap, I don't think you are," exclaimed the old

-tar, bluntly.

-

-"I've always led a good life," said Brand, shunning the great blue

-eyes of Mary.

-

-There was a rumble like thunder under ground, then a report like the

-discharge of musketry.

-

-"The devils is a-firin' off their muskets to celebrate that lie of

-yours, Cap," remarked Turk, as he turned to his work.

-

-The party now felt anxious. The noises under ground continued, the

-island shook, while increased volumes of fire shot up from the

-volcanic peak.

-

-Harry now assisted Turk in his work on the boat. There had been found

-that morning in the schooner an old hatchet with which Turk had

-knocked away a large quantity of timber from the wreck to be conveyed

-to the spot where he intended erecting his boat.

-

-Working all day, the men made good progress.

-

-Brand worked as hard as the rest. It was not the danger from the

-volcano alone that urged him on in his efforts, but the continual

-harassing fear, of again beholding that fearful apparition of his

-drownded victim.

-

-At night the aspect of the volcano was terrific. There were the lurid

-flames, apparently shooting to the very skies, while whole showers

-of sparks were thrown out in fiery flakes that filled all the air,

-floating along like millions of fireflies over the sea, in the water

-of which the were reflected.

-

-Meanwhile the shocks became every moment more frequent, the ground

-shaking as if beneath the tramp of armed horsemen.

-

-Harry had advanced into the thicket a short distance, when he became

-aware of a hissing sound, as if thousands of serpents were around him.

-

-At the same moment, a broad, bright stream of something flashed up

-before him, apparently descending towards him with great rapidity.

-

-Now he comprehended that it was a stream of lava, thrown from the

-volcanic crater, and rushing down the side of the steep cliff.

-

-In fact he had not time to reach the spot where he had left his

-companions, when it came hissing and rushing into the thicket, which

-he had just left.

-

-All night a careful watch was kept, the raft with additional timbers

-secured to it being in readiness for the party to leave at a moment's

-notice.

-

-Nothing more than the shocks, with the fall of additional lava

-occurred, however, to disturb the party.

-

-"I doubt if anything serious happens, after all," said Harry.

-

-Turk pointed to a couple of fissures in the side of the cliff.

-

-"That looks bad," said he; "in my opinion, this island goes in less

-than forty-eight hours."

-

-Good progress was made on the boat this day.

-

-At night watching the volcano, Mary suddenly uttered a wild cry, and

-pointed up towards an overhanging rock beneath the crater.

-

-"What is it?" was the question.

-

-"I don't know," said Mary, shuddering, "but just now I am certain I

-saw a form appear, and then suddenly vanish upon that shelf of rock."

-

-"Are you sure?"

-

-"Yes."

-

-Turk looked solemn; Brand turned deadly pale.

-

-"It must have been a spirit," said the old tar; "some imp after you,

-Cap," he added, looking straight at Brand.

-

-"Ay, a spirit," muttered the captain, his teeth chattering.

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER XI.

-

-ON THE LEDGE.

-

-

-"This must be looked into," said Harry, resolutely. "Who will go with

-me to the ledge?"

-

-"No--no--do not go," pleaded Mary, "see how the fire rages! The peak

-may explode before you come down, and you be swallowed up in the

-flames!"

-

-Harry however was determined to go.

-

-"If nobody will go with me," said he, "I will go alone."

-

-Mary advanced to his side.

-

-"I will go with you," said she; "if you are to perish, I will die with

-you."

-

-The young man, however, would not permit the girl to accompany him.

-

-"If what was seen was mortal," said Turk, "why, then, I'd go with you;

-but I don't care to have anything to do with spirits and sich like,

-which can give you a poke in the stomach, do you see, and yet you not

-be able to square off to 'em."

-

-"Very well, then, I go alone," said Harry, as he sprang away.

-

-He had not reached the foot of the cliff, when he felt a hand on his

-arm, and turned to behold Turk.

-

-"Fact is," said the latter, "I won't see ye go alone, but if there's

-any fightin' to do with ghosts, you mustn't expect me to help you, for

-when I aim at a nose, I like to hit it, which is impossible with the

-noses of goblins and sich like, as your fist will go right through

-'em."

-

-The two soon were at the foot of the cliff, which both now commenced

-to ascend. As they advanced, the rumbling beneath them seemed to

-increase, shaking the cliff to its foundation.

-

-At length they arrived near the ledge, where the heat was almost

-unbearable. On one side of them there was a wide cleft, in which a

-line of fire was seen, glowing like a red hot iron. The slightest

-mis-step on the part of the adventurers in their endeavors to reach

-the ledge, must precipitate them into the cleft.

-

-To get to their destination, they must move along a narrow ridge not

-more than two inches wide, with nothing at the side of the rock to

-clutch except a slightly rugged surface which must afford them a very

-insecure hold.

-

-"This is dang'rous traveling," remarked Turk, "worse than walkin' on a

-railroad track over a rottin bridge."

-

-The two kept on, carefully making progress, until finally they were

-close to the ledge, upon which a sudden spring carried them.

-

-Winding round the cliff, they could now see another ledge, but no sign

-of the strange figure. They clambered the rocky surface, exploring it

-on all sides, but saw no sign of what they were after.

-

-"To my notion," said Turk, "that goblin has gone down to take a

-siesta, do you see, preparatory to comin' up agin, which, I take it,

-is a good hint fur us to make leg-bail."

-

-"What is this?" inquired Harry suddenly, stooping and picking up a

-singular object.

-

-It was a cocoanut branch twisted into an odd shape, bearing some

-resemblance to a pronged fork.

-

-"Ay, ay, now, there's the pitchfork for sartin!" exclaimed Turk; "that

-goblin has left his instrumental be--behind him, and we may yet come

-upon his tail!"

-

-"Hark, Turk," said Harry, somewhat sternly, "you must not talk in

-that way. This is in fact, no time for joking. See there," pointing

-above them as he spoke, to where lurid flames were shooting out from

-crevices in the rock, thus preventing their ascent.

-

-Gazing below them they beheld the dark tops of the trees, far beneath.

-

-There was no means by which they could reach the ground.

-

-The flames meanwhile burning brighter and longer, every moment, until

-finally they scorched the flesh of the two men, whose situation from

-the intense heat, was becoming intolerable.

-

-For a moment they stood looking at each other, puzzled to know what to

-do.

-

-Then a sudden thought flashed across Harry's mind.

-

-"There are coils of rope in the schooner," said he; "we can start from

-here to Brand, who, probably, is watching us, telling him to bring up

-and lower to us one of those coils of rope."

-

-"Ay, ay, if he ain't afraid," answered Turk.

-

-The two men shouting with united voices, pronounced the captain's name.

-

-"Halloa!" was the response.

-

-"We cannot get back the way we came. Bring us a rope from the

-schooner's wreck, and lower it to us."

-

-Brand shuddered and turned pale.

-

-Mary, who was near, besought him to hurry.

-

-"No," he answered, in husky voice, "I do not care to go aboard that

-schooner!"

-

-"Then I will go!" cried Mary, and away she went.

-

-Bad as he was, Brand was yet man enough not to permit this girl to

-undertake such a difficult task.

-

-He sprang after her, and soon boarding the schooner, advanced with

-lighted candle into the hold, casting fearful glances around him.

-

-He saw nothing, however, to excite alarm, and so seizing a small coil,

-he emerged with it on deck.

-

-He was about climbing over the bulwarks, when, chancing to turn his

-head towards the schooner's bows, he fancied he saw the phantom face

-of the drowned passenger as it was hastily withdrawn!

-

-"P'shaw, this is mere imagination," muttered the captain, as he

-sprung over the rail to the beach, where he found Mary anxiously

-waiting for him.

-

-"Quick! make haste!" exclaimed the young girl.

-

-It almost seemed to Brand, as he encountered the gaze of those wild

-eyes, that he beheld a second phantom, so alike were the eyes of

-father and daughter.

-

-Throwing the coil over his shoulders, he hurried along to the cliff

-and commenced the ascent, followed by Mary, who, in her anxiety for

-her lover's safety, would almost have followed the man into the very

-flames.

-

-In a short time they were at a point, whence the rope might be lowered

-to the two imperiled men upon the ledge.

-

-Brand, therefore, uncoiling the line, lowered the end to them at a

-point where the flames could not come into contact with it, fastening

-the other part to a spur.

-

-It was evident, however, that the two must make good speed, else the

-strands would become so weakened by the heat that there would be

-danger of their giving way.

-

-The two men found the rope, where they lowered it over the edge of the

-rocky shelf, long enough to reach to the ground, about one hundred and

-fifty feet beneath them.

-

-Then Turk commenced the descent, succeeding in reaching the ground

-safely.

-

-By this time the strands were so weakened that Brand was obliged to

-haul the rope up, to prevent its parting, and secure another turn

-around the rocky spur.

-

-Then Harry, grasping the lower part, commenced to descend. He had got

-within about one hundred and twenty feet of the ground and within a

-few feet of the top of one of the trees, when from the branches, the

-captain, whose position afforded him a good view of the trees revealed

-in the volcano's lurid light, uttered a sudden wild cry, that rang

-above the din of the roaring fire.

-

-Protruding from the foliage of the tree, towards which Harry was being

-lowered, the man beheld the long, lean neck and ghastly countenance

-of the apparition he so dreaded.

-

-So great was the effect of this vision upon him that he let go the

-rope which descended swift as a shot.

-

-Where now was Harry Glenville?

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER XII.

-

-CAPTURED.

-

-

-Mary, shrieking, peered far over the edge of the rock, vainly looking

-for her lover.

-

-"Killed! killed!" she wailed, wringing her hands. "My God, he is

-dashed to pieces on the ground, by your letting go of the rope!"

-

-"I?" exclaimed the captain, looking wild and half bewildered.

-

-"Ay, God! it is so!"

-

-The vision had by this time vanished. Partially recovering his

-self-possession, the captain hurried down the steep cliff, following

-Mary, who, like a maniac, ran on.

-

-She soon gained the foot of the precipice, and was hurrying along in

-the direction where she expected to find the remains of her lover all

-mangled from his fall of sixty feet, when suddenly, she felt some

-person grasp her arm, and turning, beheld Brand.

-

-"Let me go! Why hold me?" screamed the young girl, wildly.

-

-"See, there!" he answered, pointing towards the beach, "that is the

-reason!"

-

-Looking in the indicated direction, she beheld, in the lurid glare of

-the volcanic fire, a long canoe, by the beach.

-

-Evidently it was the same which had pursued them on that day when the

-two warriors were slain.

-

-Bent on vengeance, the islanders had not yet given up the pursuit, but

-had searched for the fugitives ever since, at last coming upon their

-traces.

-

-Now the forms of the fierce men were seen advancing swiftly in single

-file up the beach, on a course, which, had Mary kept on, must have

-brought her into contact with them.

-

-"Never mind," she exclaimed; "let me go to his body! What care I if

-they do kill me, so long as I get a glimpse of his form?"

-

-Brand, however, held her firmly.

-

-He felt that he should at least partially atone for his crime by

-saving the daughter of the man he had sent to his death.

-

-"Come! come with me! This is madness."

-

-Mary struggled in vain. Brand drew her along with him into the shadow

-of a small cavern in the foot of the cliff.

-

-"Hark!" he said, "you must not cry out."

-

-Attracted probably by her cries, several natives soon presented

-themselves at the entrance of the cavern.

-

-Brand, being unarmed, could do nothing. Several spears were pointed at

-his heart and that of his companion.

-

-An islander--a huge fellow with great rings tattooed like bracelets

-all over both his arms; evidently a chief, interposed.

-

-"No strike!" he exclaimed, in broken English, "this's too much quick

-death. Best take and chokee slow."

-

-"What do you mean?" inquired Brand.

-

-"Cussem Americanon!" said the chief, fiercely, "kill one two me men!

-Mus' pay for dat."

-

-"You are mistaken," answered Brand; "I never killed a man. It wasn't

-me."

-

-"All same you with," answered the islander. "Ho! ho! never get way

-from me--me got long canoe."

-

-The two were dragged to the beach, bound with strong wythes, and were

-made to sit down upon the sand.

-

-Then a brief conversation was held, after which, the chief said

-something to several of his men.

-

-Away they went, climbing up a tree, and procuring several branches.

-

-These they brought to the chief, who, passing them round the neck of

-the prisoners so tightly that both were nearly throttled, then turned

-again and spoke to his people.

-

-Instantly the latter, seizing the two, dragged them up to their necks

-into the water, where they were firmly held with the incoming seas

-continually breaking over their heads.

-

-A slow, torturing method this to make way with prisoners. It is

-however resorted to by many of the South Sea Island tribes.

-

-At first the victim easily manages to catch his breath between

-whiles. Gradually, however, this becoming harder, and the difficulty

-increasing every moment, the wretches are eventually strangled to

-death.

-

-Poor Mary! The hardships and excitement she had lately undergone were

-of themselves sufficient to deprive an ordinary woman of her strength.

-This young girl, however, had an excellent constitution and, when

-occasion required, a strong will. Now the intensity of her anguish

-regarding her lover had so worked upon her, that, with this new

-torture before her, she became unconscious.

-

-Heedless of this, however, the native having charge of her, still held

-her upright in the water, until the chief again interfered.

-

-"Makee muchee now long," said he.

-

-The two were drawn out to the beach, Brand, however, being informed

-that the disagreeable ceremony would before morning, be repeated,

-until he was drownee, drownee, drownee.

-

-Soon after Mary came to her senses. At first somewhat bewildered, she

-soon remembered all.

-

-"Dead! dead!" she moaned, "he is dead."

-

-The natives heeded not her sufferings. On the contrary, they seemed to

-gloat over her distress.

-

-An hour wore on when the prisoners were again led into water, the seas

-breaking high, continually went over their heads.

-

-Mary soon drew her breath with difficulty--her brain went round and

-round, she felt that she was dying.

-

-In fact, life must have deserted her in a few minutes, but for a

-singular interposition, the phantom-like figure which has been

-mentioned, appearing suddenly on the branch of a tree and waving its

-arms to the natives in a frantic manner.

-

-"Berch, hounds and dogs!" it exclaimed in hollow voice; "what would ye

-do. I forbid this work. Terrible misfortune will attend ye, if ye keep

-on thus persecuting those prisoners."

-

-Brand, hearing that voice, turned his head.

-

-As he did so, the form suddenly vanished.

-

-The natives stood looking at each other in surprise. Brand noticing

-their astonishment, thought he might turn it to good account.

-

-No other consideration but that of saving his life could have tempted

-him to speak of the vision of the murdered passenger to a living soul.

-

-"Indians," said he, "I would at once speak to your chief."

-

-The men who held him understood him sufficiently to make known his

-request to their leader, who, forthwith, appeared floundering through

-the water.

-

-"What want? Speak quick!"

-

-"Well, then," said Brand, shuddering, "he whom you saw just now among

-the trees, was no mortal vision. It is a phantom!"

-

-"How know you that?"

-

-"If the chief will take me a little ways off I will tell him," said

-Brand, not caring to have the young girl hear what he intended to say.

-

-The chief did as requested, when Brand explained, saying that the

-phantom was that of a passenger who had accidentally fallen overboard

-from a vessel aboard which he (Brand), was third officer.

-

-The superstitious natives are prone to believe weird stories, and the

-chief was no exception to the rule.

-

-To his awe-stricken followers he at once explained what he had

-learned, when it was unanimously agreed that the lives of the two

-prisoners should be spared, at least for the present.

-

-No good, the natives all agreed, could come of their disobeying the

-injunctions of a spirit.

-

-Mary and Brand were therefore taken and seated near a bright fire,

-which had been kindled for comfort by their enemies.

-

-They were treated to cooked breadfruit, cocoanut sauce, and other

-delicacies of the South Sea Islanders. Brand ate heartily, but poor

-Mary, almost maddened by her grief, would not even look at what was

-proffered her.

-

-"Harry is dead! dead!" was the continual cry of her anguished soul.

-

-Meanwhile the whole island was rocking like a floating ship. Showers

-of fire, roaring thunder, flew from the volcanic peak.

-

-The natives looked at each other. Presently the chief spoke.

-

-"The islee will be swallowed in fire," said he; "the spirit which

-spoke, did not tell right. It is a bad spirit, which Islander must not

-mind. It said if Islander spare white men's life, no harm come. See!

-here is harm. The island will be lost before Islander can find all

-their foes."

-

-Such was the purport of the chief's words, uttered however, in a more

-incomprehensible manner than we have shown.

-

-"Yes," continued the speaker, "so we say we must killee! killee,"

-pointing at the two prisoners; "must killee quickee, no slow now."

-

-He held a brief consultation with some of his men, four of whom now

-advanced toward the girl and Brand, each of which was lifted between a

-couple.

-

-"Quickee--go!" screamed the chief, when each of the pair, with their

-burdens commenced rapidly scaling the sides of the steep ascent.

-

-Good need it now seemed, was there of their making swift speed.

-

-They kept on with all possible dispatch, eventually pausing upon a

-lofty spire, far up on the very top of the mountain.

-

-This spur, rising to a height of about forty feet from the edge of

-the volcanic crater, overlooked the chasm of fire, which, like the

-infernal lake itself, lay at its base, shooting its forked tongues of

-roaring, hissing flame high in air!

-

-And now the prisoners comprehended the fate intended for them, for the

-natives driving them to and fro, preparing to fling them into that

-lurid, roaring, crackling sea of fire!

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER XIII.

-

-WALLED IN.

-

-

-To repeat a previous question.

-

-Where now was Harry Glenville?

-

-On feeling himself descending, after Brand let go of the rope to which

-he was clinging, the young man, instinctively throwing out his arms,

-was fortunate enough to grasp the branch of the tree through which his

-falling form was crashing.

-

-To this branch he clung, swinging a hundred feet above the ground.

-

-Every moment he expected that the branch, which was a slender one, and

-which he held near the extremity, would part. He could hear it crack,

-every time he swung.

-

-Above him, faintly revealed in the lurid light, he could meanwhile

-see a larger and stronger branch, which he hoped he might, by a

-sudden upward stretching of an arm, succeed in grasping. Still there

-was danger that he might miss his grasp, when he would certainly be

-precipitated upon the ground below.

-

-Still considering whether or not to make the attempt, he suddenly

-heard the cheery voice of Tom Turk:

-

-"Hold on hard, lad, and I'll be up there to help ye, in the tyin' of a

-square knot!"

-

-"Make haste!" exclaimed Harry, "as I expect, every minute, that the

-branch I hold will give way."

-

-"Ay, ay. Keep up a good heart. My climbin' days ain't quite over yet!"

-

-As he spoke, Turk commenced rapidly ascending the tree, running up

-the trunk with the squirrel-like dexterity of a true sailor.

-

-He had with him the end of the fallen rope, thrown over his shoulder.

-

-In a short time, he was upon the brunch, just above the swinging form

-of his friend.

-

-The latter's weight had nearly parted the branch, strips of which were

-already beginning to peel off.

-

-"Make haste, Turk!" repeated the young man.

-

-"Ay, ay, lad! here's the rope!" cried Turk, lowering to his friend the

-end, to which he had fastened a bowline hitch; "jest slip that over

-your head, and under one of your arms, and I'll have ye up in half a

-minute."

-

-Harry promptly complied, not a moment too soon, for with a crash, the

-branch now gave way.

-

-The young man would have gone with it, in spite of the bowline hitch,

-which he had not yet been able to properly secure, but for his

-throwing up both hands and grasping the rope.

-

-Turk, who had taken a turn round the upper branch, was thus enabled to

-draw him safely up.

-

-In a few seconds both men were on the ground, about to move in the

-direction of the base of the cliff to meet Mary and Brand, when they

-beheld the forms of the natives, stealing along from their canoe.

-

-"Ay, ay, now!" whispered Turk, "this is calamitous."

-

-"We must save Mary at all hazards," exclaimed Harry, impulsively, as

-he bounded forward.

-

-"S--sh!" whispered Turk, "jest see there! They have got the poor gal

-and that Brand already," pointing to the natives, lugging of their

-prisoners.

-

-Harry would have sprang onward unarmed as he was, to attack the two

-savages, but for the cooler and more prudent Turk.

-

-"Hold!" he whispered, grasping his friend's jacket, "can't do anything

-in a hurry, which do you see, will salle all."

-

-Even as he spoke, another party of savages were observed, approaching

-them.

-

-"Now, then, fur scuddin!" said Turk, "no use stayin' here to be

-speared to death, which is a most uncomfortable way of dyin',

-'specially when you are afterwards b'iled in a pot for the blueskins'

-dinner."

-

-He drew the young man along to a clump of bushes near the base of an

-enormous tree.

-

-"I've sighted this tree before," said he, "which I know is holler.

-It's big enough to hold you and me. Afterwards we can see to the gal,

-if there's any way to save her, whereas if we should try now, we'd

-only be killed, which sartinly would be a poor way for keepin' the

-lass."

-

-Harry saw the sense of this remark at once. With the old seaman, he

-crouched in the bushes.

-

-"Well have to get into the tree, mole fashion," said Turk, "see'n' as

-the hole leading to the inside of it, is scooped out underneath."

-

-So saying he displaced some bushes, and bade his friend crawl into the

-aperture thus revealed.

-

-Harry did so, and was soon followed by Turk.

-

-In the hollow tree, the two now glanced up, to see through an opening

-in the trunk, broken half way off, the lurid gleam of the volcanic

-fire.

-

-"Here we are, moles as is moles!" exclaimed Turk.

-

-Meanwhile the shouts of the savages, who, it was evident, had now

-come upon the footprints of the two seamen on the ground, were heard

-outside of the tree.

-

-"They will of course discover us, after all!" said Harry, "and we will

-have to die. Better to have fallen in defense of Mary."

-

-Turk scratched his head. By the red gleam, shooting down into the

-hollow, Harry could see a troubled expression upon the old seaman's

-face.

-

-"Ay, ay," he muttered, at length, "the Turks never was good at

-strategic p'nts. I had a grandfather, who, to save himself from a mad

-bull, throwed himself, in tryin' to leap over it, partly upon the

-creatur's horns, which, penetratin' the seat of his breeches, held

-him expended in that way until he was relieved by friends!"

-

-The old tar had scarcely thus delivered himself, when, chancing to

-glance down, he beheld the tattooed face of a savage, thrust under the

-trunk of the tree, peering up at him.

-

-Before he could utter a word, however, the face was withdrawn.

-

-Next moment a sound, as of men busy at work piling something around

-the tree, was heard.

-

-Soon after all was still.

-

-The two men held a consultation. Doubtless the savages were somewhere

-not far off, waiting for them to emerge.

-

-Nevertheless, they determined to make an attempt to escape from their

-present retreat.

-

-Turk was the first to stoop for the purpose of passing out, when an

-exclamation broke from his lips.

-

-"What's the matter?" inquired Harry.

-

-"Matter enough!" was the reply; "we are walled in with arth so that we

-can't get out!"

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER XIV.

-

-IN THE TREE.

-

-

-For a moment the two stood eyeing each other, with looks of dismay.

-

-"Can't we burrow our way out?" queried the young man.

-

-"I'm afraid not. Them rascals knowed what they were doin' when they

-fastened us up. In my opinion, we are to be left in this hollow tree

-to be swallered up with the island when it goes!"

-

-Harry glanced up. The opening in the top of the trunk was about

-fifteen feet above them. There was no way for them to reach it!

-

-The young man bowed his face on his hand.

-

-"I would have been willing--would have cheerfully died," said he,

-"in helping poor Mary; but to perish far away from that girl without

-having lifted a hand in her defense is very mortifying!"

-

-"Ay, ay," said Turk, "and this is a lesson to me never to give advice

-in the futur'--if there be any futur' left for me on this arth! I'm as

-sorry as you can be, that I got you to give up follerin' the lass at

-once!"

-

-For several moments the two men stood, glancing up through the opening

-in the trunk, which being directly beneath the volcano, afforded them

-a good view of it.

-

-The huge crater was spouting showers of flame and sparks, which seemed

-to increase in quantity every moment.

-

-Meanwhile the roaring noise of the subterranean fires was becoming

-louder. The ground shook with the thunder in its bosom, until the very

-tree in which the two men were ensconced began to tremble.

-

-"The 'castrophy' must soon take place!" exclaimed Turk; "wish you'd

-l'arn me to say a few prayers before we are swallered up! That is,"

-continued the old tar, "I did l'arn my catechism, once upon a time,

-but it's so long ago that the idee has been blowed out of my head by

-the squalls and gales I've weathered, do you see!"

-

-Harry answered not. His mind was full of bitter reflections, in the

-midst of which his Mary, suffering in the hands of the savages,

-occupied a prominent part.

-

-"Perhaps we may burrow out of this!" he exclaimed, at length, "at all

-events, let us try!"

-

-So saying, he stooped, and went to work with hands and nails.

-

-He made some progress, but he had not dug a foot, when his hands came

-into contact with a hard substance, which resisted all his efforts to

-move it.

-

-It was a heavy stone, almost a rock in size, which had been shoved

-against the opening.

-

-"No hope!" he said, despairingly.

-

-As he spoke, a wild yell was heard without, followed by the noise of

-approaching steps.

-

-The steps drew nearer; there was a halt made alongside the tree, then

-followed a noise of dry branches being dragged along and piled round

-the trunk.

-

-"Ay! ay!" exclaimed Turk, aghast, "them heathens ain't even goin' to

-give us a chance to die in them underground flames, but is agoing to

-pile faggots and burn us at once."

-

-Harry shuddered.

-

-Then the thought occurred to him that perhaps Mary had perished in a

-similar manner.

-

-In a few minutes the crackling of flames, betokened that the old tar

-had guessed aright.

-

-The fire was wreathing and twining around the trunk of the tree, the

-inside of which was every moment growing hotter.

-

-"Ay, ay," moaned Turk, despondingly, "we are all a-goin' to be baked

-alive, as if we were two clams instead of humanized bein's!"

-

-Hotter became the seamen's narrow quarters every moment. Tongues of

-flames were now seen creeping through crevices in the trunk.

-

-The sap oozed with a hiss like a serpent's, while the smoke entering

-the hollow, almost suffocated the occupants.

-

-Heated, almost blinded, their flesh scorched, the sufferings of the

-twain were becoming fearful.

-

-In the lurid glare each could see the eyeballs of the other rolling

-wildly in his head, and hear his panting breath drawn with difficulty.

-

-"This is intolerable!" gasped Harry; "would that the rascals would

-spear us, and thus at once put an end to our torment."

-

-There seemed, however, no probability of their doing this.

-

-Meanwhile there were none of the manifestations of exultation and

-triumph peculiar to the North American savages.

-

-Nothing was to be heard above the din of the roaring and crackling

-flames, save a low, guttural croaking of quiet satisfaction, such as

-might have been uttered over chunks of roast beef cooking on a spit.

-

-"Ay, ay," muttered Turk, who for some time had been dancing up and

-down with pain, "I feel as if the gravy was already a-oozing out of my

-body."

-

-As he spoke, he chanced to glance upward, when he was startled by

-the apparition of a face, half concealed by a great green leaf,

-(protruding downward from under an old cap) thrust through the opening

-in the top of the trunk, while the rest of the body was screened by

-the thick branches around it.

-

-"Hist! Stand by! I'll save you both if I can!" said the stranger in a

-shrill, penetrating whisper, "on one condition!"

-

-For several moments the two men were so surprised that they could only

-stand motionless, looking up at the intruding face, without uttering a

-word.

-

-Harry was the first to speak.

-

-"Who are you! How came you there?"

-

-"It don't matter. I am only half human, at any rate. On one condition

-I said I'd save you."

-

-"Name it, name it, my man!" cried Turk, "and you'll see how quick we'll

-comply. But I'd think the savages would see you up there?"

-

-"No; the branches and leaves are too thick. The leaf over my face

-hides it from them while my body is in shadow."

-

-"Name that ere condition of yours then, quick!" exclaimed Turk.

-

-"Well, it is that you save my money!"

-

-"Your money?"

-

-"Yes I cannot get to it now. I beg you will save me my precious money."

-

-"Where is it!" inquired Turk, "if you'll jist tell me that p'raps I

-can----"

-

-"It's in a little cleft in the right side of the trunk in a bag. You

-may feel it by putting your hand there. Oh! my money--my precious

-money! that must not be sacrificed!"

-

-Turk felt along the trunk until finally his hand struck a deep cleft

-notched in the wood, when he felt the bag and drew it forth.

-

-It emitted a clinking sound.

-

-"Ay, ay, that's it!" whispered the stranger; "now unfasten the cord

-from it, and throw the end up to me, when I will draw you safely out

-of the hollow!"

-

-Turk instantly proceeded to do as directed. Unwinding the cord which,

-though small in thickness, was as tough as a clothes-line, he was

-glad to perceive that it was long enough to reach to the top of the

-trunk.

-

-Meanwhile, in spite of his sufferings, he could not forbear peeping

-into the bag, which, he at once perceived was full of shining pieces

-of gold.

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER XV.

-

-OUT OF THE TREE.

-

-

-"What avail is all this?" said Harry; "it is likely the savages have

-already heard our conversation. Besides, they will certainly see us,

-when we are drawn up out of the top of the trunk."

-

-"It ain't likely they've heard us," said Turk, "as there's sich an

-infernal din with the roarin' of the fire here and the volcano above;

-but as to their seein' us, I dare say that may happen."

-

-"Throw me the cord--quick!" cried the stranger, "and let me haul you

-up here with my precious gold!"

-

-Turk threw the end of the cord.

-

-"You may go first," said Harry to the old tar.

-

-"Not a bit of it, lad!" answered Turk; "I ain't one of that sort, do

-ye see! There's no hurry for me. Your life is more valuable than that

-of sich an old lubber as your humble servant, Tom Turk."

-

-Harry, however was firm.

-

-He fastened the end of the line quickly under the armpits of the

-sailor, and ordered the stranger to haul away.

-

-Assisted by his own efforts and by the pulls from the man above, Turk

-soon was drawn through the opening.

-

-Then a savage yell proclaimed that he was seen, and the trick to

-effect of his release discovered by the natives.

-

-"Quick, my lad!" shouted Turk, throwing down the line to his friend,

-as several spears whizzed round his head.

-

-"Give me my gold!" almost shrieked the stranger, as he snatched the

-bag from the old seaman's pocket, and thrust it into his own, "and

-stand by to follow me, if you'd escape the natives."

-

-"Jist hold on a minnit!" said Turk, clutching the man by the arm;

-"I don't know who you be; whether you be humanized or t'otherwise,

-but one thing is sartin, it's playin' us a very scaly trick fur you

-a-tryin' to get off, when you know that the life of a feller creatur'

-is still to be saved."

-

-"Quick then, quick!" screamed the stranger, "don't you perceive that

-the natives are going to fling more spears?"

-

-"They can't hurt ye, if you ain't human," said Turk--then he added,

-eyeing the stranger curiously, "if you have what's tarmed a caudal

-canpendage, that is a tail, do you see, as all non-human bein's has, I

-wish you'd show it, so that I may know whose acquaintance I have the

-honor of makin."

-

-"Whiz! whiz! buz-z-z!" came more spears, passing within a few inches

-of the speaker's head.

-

-While talking, Turk had not neglected his friend, who by this time had

-passed the line round his breast and given the word to haul.

-

-The two pairs of arms soon had him up, when turning, the stranger was

-seen running along a branch extending from the burning tree to another.

-

-"There goes either the devil or a spook!" said Turk; "it's the

-queerest creatur' I ever saw, thinkin' of its gold under sarcumstances

-like the present."

-

-"Follow me, follow me, if you would escape," the man was now heard

-screaming out at the top of his voice.

-

-The seamen obeyed, gliding after the figure, which seemed to dart

-along with the speed of a squirrel.

-

-Having gained the other tree, the strange guide descended half way,

-then, by a drooping branch, swung himself quickly to the ground.

-

-Harry and his friend followed, the twain being pursued by the savages.

-

-Every nook and corner seemed familiar to the leader.

-

-On he went, dashing away with a speed which rapidly widened the

-distance between him and his followers.

-

-By powerful efforts, however, the two men continued to keep in sight.

-

-Finally Harry paused. The steps of the savages were heard crashing

-along but a short distance behind him.

-

-"Come on!" cried Turk, seizing the other's arm.

-

-"No," answered the latter, "the man is evidently carrying us further

-and further from Mary. For my part, I shall endeavor to ascertain the

-fate of the girl, if I die for it."

-

-All efforts of his friend to persuade him to keep on proved unavailing.

-

-"Well, one thing is sartin," said the old tar, "where you go, there,

-sir, Tom Turk, who never yet deserted a chum, goes too!"

-

-"Thank you," answered Glenville, squeezing the arm of his friend.

-

-Stepping to one side, and crouching in the shrubbery, Turk persuaded

-Harry to do the same.

-

-At this time, these two men were concealed from the savages by a high

-rock, round the angle of which they had passed.

-

-The natives, when they made the turn, believing that the two had kept

-on, continued the pursuit in a straight line, seeing the form of the

-strange guide, faintly visible in the far distance.

-

-When the savages had passed, making straight for the burning peak,

-Harry and his companion rose.

-

-"Which way now?" inquired Turk.

-

-"Towards the beach. There we may find Mary, either dead or alive, as

-there, it would seem, the greater number of the savages are gathered."

-

-Accordingly, they moved toward the beach, cautiously keeping in the

-shadow of the shrubbery, when they finally found themselves within

-about fifteen feet of a spot occupied by a dozen warriors, all of

-whom stood upright, their glances bent upon the steep sides of the

-volcanic cliff.

-

-"What is that?" inquired Harry, suddenly, trembling in every limb.

-

-"There are savages speeding up the cliff, and if I mistake not, I

-just saw the gleam of a light dress, as if the rascals were bearing a

-female between them."

-

-"Ay, ay," said Turk. "I saw it too, and it was sartinly a most

-melancholy sight."

-

-"That woman that we saw could of course be none other than Mary

-Manton," said Harry. "Come, we will at least die fighting for the

-girl."

-

-Before his friend could say a word, he was speeding along toward the

-cliff, still keeping in the shadow of the shrubbery, so that the

-natives could not see him.

-

-Now he and his companion eventually arrived at the base of the cliff.

-

-The natives in pursuit of the guide had, of course got there before

-them, and were now seen speeding up the steep ascent in hot pursuit of

-the strange man.

-

-"Come," said Harry; "come!"

-

-As he spoke, he sped straight up the cliff.

-

-"Well," muttered Turk, as he panted for breath, "this is hot work for

-sich old timbers as I be. The lad won't give me a chance to breathe.

-I may as well make up my mind to go to etarnity, the road to which

-is where we are now goin'; so I'll jist make one chaw of this plug,"

-pulling from his pocket a great piece of tobacco, the whole of which

-he at once thrust into his right cheek.

-

-On he went, until suddenly he uttered a loud cry, as Harry disappeared

-from his sight.

-

-Believing that the young man had fallen into some one of the deep

-chasms with which the cliff abounded, he hurried on, and was somewhat

-relieved to perceive that the object of his fears had merely fallen

-into a small rocky pit, with the exception of a few slight bruises,

-hurting himself but little.

-

-Springing into the pit, the old tar assisted his prostrate friend to

-his feet.

-

-At the same moment, clapping his hand to his brow, and uttering a wild

-cry, the young man pointed far above him.

-

-Gazing in the indicated direction, Turk uttered a sort of despairing

-grunt, and sat down on a flat, protruding shelf of rock, as if

-completely overcome at the spectacle which now met his gaze.

-

-This spectacle, which has already been described, was none other

-than that of the young girl and Captain Brand, far above the

-two adventurers, distinctly revealed in the lurid gleam of the

-fire-spouting crater, being swung back and forth for a fling into the

-red-flaming jaw of the horrible chasm!

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER XVI.

-

-THE FIRE-CHASM.

-

-

-The fearful situation in which she now found herself was enough to

-appal a stouter hear than that of Mary Manton.

-

-Poor girl! after all the hardships she had undergone, to find herself

-about to meet such a frightful doom, was, indeed, a trying ordeal for

-her delicate nerves.

-

-Shriek after shriek passing her lips, mingled with the hoarsest cries

-of Captain Brand, and the triumphant screams of the savages, who,

-their forms and faces lighted by the volcanic fire, might well have

-been compared to the demons of the infernal regions!

-

-Twenty times at least, as if to torture them by the fearful suspense,

-the natives swung their victims before they made the final one to

-throw them into the yawning chasm!

-

-Meanwhile, Turk and his friend had started afresh, and were fast

-scaling the sides of the cliff.

-

-The mountain was now fairly reeling with the inner convulsions. The

-lava had swollen on one side to a broad stream, rushing, hissing and

-streaming down the side of the steep cliff.

-

-In fact the two men as they mounted, were constantly obliged to dodge

-to one side, to escape contact with some of the diverging rivulets.

-

-On they went, now tottering on the verge of some deep gorge, and now

-scaling a narrow passage between enormous rocks, which reeled as if

-about to fall upon and crush them.

-

-Meanwhile the air was full of strange noises.

-

-Hissing, roaring and booming, the report of bursting deluges of fire

-came out from the bosom of the mountain.

-

-The fire spread fast--the sky itself seemed aflame with the warning of

-impending destruction.

-

-"This is sartinly the most excitin' moment in my life," said Turk, who

-now gasped at every step. "I'm afraid that even when we git up to the

-summit where that poor gal is, there won't be any strength left in my

-bones to help the poor creature!"

-

-"Come on!" answered Harry, in ringing tones. "On! on!"

-

-And on they went, scaling the burning mountain with almost incredible

-speed.

-

-At one time the view of the forms upon the summit was hidden by an

-intruding rock.

-

-"Do you see her, now?" Harry anxiously inquired.

-

-"No!" answered Turk, as he vainly endeavored to catch a glimpse of the

-fire-lighted forms.

-

-"Alas! It was a bad day for poor Mary, when she set out in search of

-her lost father," exclaimed Harry; "poor girl! brave girl!"

-

-"Ay, and a wild-goose chase, it has proved so far, and will prove a

-wild-gooser before its over."

-

-Continuing on, the two men finally came to a point, where two paths,

-diverging between high rocks, met their gaze.

-

-They were undecided which of these to take.

-

-"My God! the girl will meet her fate, before we can get to her!"

-exclaimed Harry, as he dashed into the path on the right. "Come on,

-Turk! This path ascends and must be the right one, as the other seems

-to incline!"

-

-Turk shook his head.

-

-"P'raps you're right, and p'raps not!" he said. "If it hadn't been for

-them lava-streams, we might have kept straight ahead, and been at the

-end of our cruise in more senses than one, before the present moment."

-

-The two kept on, but the further they went, the more puzzled they

-became, as the path they pursued soon led them among a perfect

-labyrinth of rocks, some of them overarched so that, with the

-exception of a lurid gleam of light, here and there, they were left in

-total darkness.

-

-The labyrinth became more difficult.

-

-Tangled bushes, vines, shrubs, and the roots of decayed trees impeded

-their way every moment.

-

-Meanwhile the agony of the young man, searching hither and thither for

-some way out of his difficulty, was terrible. The sweat came out upon

-his brow, his veins seemed on fire with feverish excitement.

-

-He knew all the time he was thus searching that Mary's doom must soon

-be sealed, if already she had not been hurled into the whirlpool of

-fire!

-

-Turk also vainly exerted himself; but the more the two endeavored

-to find a way out of the labyrinth, the more hopelessly they became

-entangled.

-

-At length they found themselves at the mouth of a cavern. The floor

-of this cave seemed to extend downward, while far ahead of them, they

-beheld the fiery gleam of the volcano.

-

-"This is our way," shouted Turk. "Come, lad, come!"

-

-He dove into the cavern, followed by his friend, both believing that

-when they should arrive at the terminus of this sloping tunnel, they

-would find a way to the top of the cliff!

-

-Encouraged by this hope, Harry sped on with a swiftness, which soon

-carried him far beyond his friend.

-

-In a few minutes he had gained the further end of the cavern, when

-Turk heard his wild despairing cry ringing out like that of a wounded

-wolf.

-

-In a moment he was by the young man, who pointed upward.

-

-When Turk also perceived that they had made their way to this point,

-only to be aggravated by another sight of the tatooed forms of the

-savages and their intended victims, so far above them that they could

-not hope to reach the spot.

-

-In fact they now found themselves in one of those deep gorges, whose

-sides were too steep to be ascended, but which commanded a view of the

-raging fire.

-

-Yes, there was the girl and Brand, still being swung hither and

-thither that their torments might yet be prolonged.

-

-The sight almost drove Harry mad. He clenched his fists, and

-compressed his lips, as if, by the exertion of a strong will alone, he

-hoped to prevent the accomplishment of the fearful deed.

-

-As to Turk, he danced about in his excitement performing a sort of

-fantastic hornpipe, while all the time the tears streamed down his

-wrinkled cheeks.

-

-"Ay, ay," he moaned, "it is too bad. If I could lay down my life a

-thousand times for that poor gal, God knows I would willingly do it."

-

-The scream of the imperiled one now rang down the cliff penetrating

-the hearts of the two men like a knife.

-

-"Good God!" cried Harry; "oh, Turk! Turk! let us see if we cannot yet

-get to her, before the demons do their foul work."

-

-The increased thunder of the volcano seemed to mock his voice. The air

-and sky reddened by the lurid gleam, seemed filled with a crimson mist

-rolling in clouds round the swaying forms, and shrouding them from

-sight.

-

-As Harry spoke, Turk pressed his forehead against the rocky side of

-the gorge, while he pointed upward at the girl, whose hair, catching

-the red gleam, seemed another shower of fire.

-

-"No use, Harry. See, they are giving the last swing! I know by the

-voice of that native who has jist howled out the order."

-

-In fact so shrill and piercing and savage was the islander's cry that

-its import could not well be mistaken.

-

-Like the croaking shriek of a ravenous sea-bird, it came grating down

-the sides of the rock.

-

-"My God! there she goes!" screamed Harry; "Mary! Mary!"

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER XVII.

-

-UNEXPECTED.

-

-

-With that cry from Harry Glenville was mingled the despairing scream

-of the young girl.

-

-The two savages holding her, had swung her forward with great impetus

-to fling her into the red gulf, when a wild form suddenly came

-bounding forward from the summit of an overhanging rock, snatched the

-girl from their arms and made off with her with deer-like speed.

-

-To explain this, it must be remembered that the gaze of all the

-savages present, had been concentrated upon the two intended victims,

-so that they had known nothing of the approach of the intruder, who,

-it need scarcely be told, was the singular island guide.

-

-This person, probably from his greater familiarity with the mountain

-paths, had distanced his pursuers who, like Harry Glenville and Turk,

-soon became puzzled as to their course, and thus lost track of the

-fugitive.

-

-Coming upon the fearful scene near the fire chasm, the strong man had

-found it easy to leap from his position, snatch the girl from the

-already relaxed grasp of her tormentors, and make considerable headway

-before the natives could recover sufficiently from their surprise to

-start in pursuit.

-

-So astonished were all that the two who held Captain Brand, allowed

-the latter to disengage himself from their grasp and make off at a

-speed accelerated to almost incredible swiftness by his fears.

-

-The course taken by Brand led him at right angles with that followed

-by the stranger, so that the pursuers were obliged to separate.

-

-This separation gave the fugitives an advantage, especially the

-strange guide, who seemed familiar with every nook and corner of the

-mountain.

-

-On he went, seeming to carry his burden with a strength probably

-caused by some powerful excitement, although his gray hair, streaming

-back from under the broad leaf, partially concealing his face,

-proclaimed his advanced years.

-

-Finally, however, he began to stagger beneath his burden, which, it

-was evident, was too much for him.

-

-Seemingly bent, however, upon gaining some particular point, he kept

-on until he came to a small, dark hollow, between a number of jagged

-rocks, where he crawled therein.

-

-"Hist!" he muttered, as the young girl opened her mouth, apparently on

-the point of speaking. "Not a word! I have my money! money! money!" he

-added, in the same penetrating whisper, as he thrust his hand in his

-pocket and felt the jingling bag.

-

-The man had been mistaken about Mary's wishing to speak.

-

-The poor girl's eyes were closed, her cheek as white as marble. She

-had fainted at the moment when the natives were at the point of

-flinging her to her destruction.

-

-Seemingly unaware of this circumstance, her preserver, crouching down

-without again looking at her, listened intently, probably for the

-steps of his pursuers.

-

-These steps, drawing nearer, finally went past.

-

-The fugitive had served the natives a trick. Unseen by them, owing to

-an intruding point of rock, when he crawled into the small cave, they

-had passed him, believing he had gone on, far ahead.

-

-He waited full a quarter of an hour, then, emerging, continued on.

-

-At a place where two narrow paths diverged, he came upon Brand,

-crouching in the angle of a rock.

-

-Here the light was indistinct.

-

-"Who are you who have saved this girl?" inquired the captain, coming

-forward.

-

-"Don't question me," answered the other, "but help me with this girl."

-

-Brand started as suddenly. Then, recovering his self-possession,

-although trembling in every limb, he complied with the request.

-

-"My money--my money--ha! ha! I _have that_ safe!" muttered the

-stranger, as they proceeded.

-

-"Your _what_?" gasped Brand, fairly turning as white as the senseless

-girl.

-

-"My money," was the answer--"all safe!"

-

-On they went, following a path which led them by the tunnel through

-which Harry and Turk had previously passed, from which they were

-emerging at this very moment.

-

-Brand started back.

-

-"You safe?" he exclaimed, staring at Harry, as if at a ghost.

-

-"Ay," answered the young man.

-

-Then he sprang to the side of the unconscious girl, peering down upon

-her still face.

-

-"Not dead! not dead!" he cried, wildly.

-

-Even as he spoke, the girl opened her eyes.

-

-In the faint light they gleamed like stars, as they fell upon her

-lover's face.

-

-"Harry!" she exclaimed.

-

-In an instant she was on her feet, supported by her friends until she

-had fully regained her balance.

-

-Then explanations followed.

-

-"And who, my friend, are you who have thus benefitted us?" inquired

-Harry, now turning to grasp the hand of the stranger.

-

-The latter, however, was nowhere to be seen.

-

-"That chap I should sartinly take for the devil, do you see, if it

-'twan't that I couldn't neither see his caudal cumpendage, nor account

-for his savin' the gal, which no devil, I take it, would have done."

-

-Meanwhile, words may not express the joy of the lovers at their

-reunion. Mary had firmly believed that Harry was dashed to pieces when

-Brand let go of the rope.

-

-Alluding to this, Turk now said:

-

-"How came you to do sich a trick, captain?"

-

-The latter turned aside his head, trembling like an aspen as he

-recalled to mind the apparition he had seen among the trees.

-

-"Accidents will happen," he said, in a husky voice.

-

-"Well," continued Turk, "now that we have so far got clear of them

-infarnal blackskins, I trust and hope that we may contrive to get away

-from the island without seein' 'em, or, at any rate, before we are

-swallowed up in fire!"

-

-At that moment, far ahead of them, they beheld the stranger, his face

-still screened by the broad leaf, beckoning to them.

-

-So he had not deserted them, after all.

-

-"We'd better follow him," said Turk, "as he seems to know every part

-of this island. To my thinkin', he'll get us out of this scrape, if

-it's possible to get out!"

-

-The advice was followed.

-

-The strange guide led the party along the narrow path with great

-celerity, until they finally arrived at the foot of the cliff.

-

-By this time the whole island presented an appearance at once, wild

-and fearful.

-

-The showers of fire from the mountain were increased ten-fold; the

-island rocked like a cradle. Every part of it seemed lighted with a

-ghastly radiance. A red mist hovered over it rolling along, volume

-upon volume.

-

-Near the beach the water was seen breaking into thousands of bubbles,

-while further beyond it was dashed to a foam.

-

-Meanwhile the noises of shock following shock were become terrific.

-

-A whole pack of artillery seemed to burst and boom, volley upon

-volley, beneath the quaking soil!

-

-Suddenly there was a shock as of many thunderbolts, from the direction

-of the mountain, which was now seen split, apparently from top to

-bottom, into a great chasm, from which in great quantities burst forth

-streams of lava and long forked tongues of lurid flame.

-

-The island was now as light as day. Far and near objects could be

-plainly distinguished, while overhead showers of flying sparks almost

-obscured the sky!

-

-In the red glare, the forms of savages were now seen making all haste

-to descend the tottering cliff!

-

-Appalled by the impending fate of the island, all the natives who had

-been left below, were seen at a distance beckoning to their companions

-to make haste.

-

-The white people now were nearer the canoe than the savages themselves.

-

-"Come!" screamed the guide, as he made towards the light vessel.

-"Come!"

-

-He beckoned, as he spoke, to the young girl and the seamen, all of

-whom made haste to follow him.

-

-The savages below, now, for the first time, caught sight of the white

-party, and made for them with great swiftness, yelling and brandishing

-their spears.

-

-"There's sartinly no time to lose," exclaimed Turk, as he assisted his

-friend to help Mary along; "if them blackskins get at us now, they'll

-make sure work of it by pinning us to the ground."

-

-The party hurried on.

-

-They reached the canoe, while the islanders were yet forty yards

-distant, when, springing in, all the men seized paddles and went to

-work.

-

-Spear after spear was hurled at them before they had gone more than a

-few fathoms from the beach.

-

-One of these missiles severed a lock from Mary's head, another grazed

-the shoulder of her lover.

-

-"Quick!" shrieked Turk, "if we don't get away from here in a minute,

-we'll all be swallered in fire and water!"

-

-This, in fact, seemed evident. The bubbles increased on the surface.

-The surges rolled wildly, swaying hither and thither--the booming

-thunder underground was become deafening.

-

-Glancing towards the islanders, these unfortunates were seen running

-towards the raft, and then flocking up on it with all possible

-dispatch, while filling the air with dismal, howling cries.

-

-"God help the poor wretches!" cried Mary.

-

-"Paddle ahead, paddle for life!" screamed Turk, as the cliff, with a

-din as if the very earth were being rent in twain, tumbled to pieces,

-rock upon rock, apparently drowned in a sea of fire, amid which the

-forms of the doomed natives on the cliff were also seen to disappear.

-Sky air and sea looked as if aflame.

-

-The whole universe seemed to rock and tremble.

-

-The crimson waves rose high around the frail canoe; while the raft

-nearer to the beach, was at once engulphed with its living freight.

-

-"God help us!" cried Mary.

-

-"We are lost!" shouted Brand, shutting out the fearful aspect of sea

-and heaven, by putting a hand to his eyes.

-

-"Hush!" said Harry, sternly, "I trust we may escape."

-

-All round the island the waves were now seen trembling in great

-colliding, clashing walls of hissing boiling water.

-

-From these walls streams of fire, like lightning flashes, shot

-continually upward.

-

-The air was still full of flying sparks, and of lava stones which

-dropped in showers into the water.

-

-For full half an hour the commotion continued, when, suddenly, the

-doomed island disappeared forever, while the agitated waves continued

-to bubble and boil long afterwards, over the spot where it had existed.

-

-Gradually the fearful red lustre of sky and sea died away. A gloom,

-appalling from its strange suddenness, fell upon the sea.

-

-The canoe with its occupants floated in darkness upon the agitated

-waters.

-

-

-

-

-CHAPTER XVIII.

-

-CONCLUSION.

-

-

-The men in the canoe continued paddling ahead. There was no sleep for

-any of the occupants during that night.

-

-When daylight stole upon the sea they looked toward the spot, far

-astern, where the island had been but where there was nothing now to

-mark the spot except a mass of agitated waters, gradually subsiding.

-

-Straight and tall, at the stern of the canoe, sat the stranger guide,

-he whose features had previously been hidden and the breadfruit leaf,

-now thrust aside.

-

-Brand, who had been gazing toward the place he occupied, ever since

-the day began to break, now was visibly agitated. He trembled all

-over, while his face was perfectly ghastly.

-

-As the light increased, and the stranger's features became yet more

-distinct, the captain uttered a wild cry, and while his eyes rolled

-wildly in his head, sat as if transfixed to his thwart still gazing

-upon the man before him.

-

-A moment he remained thus, then fell senseless upon his face.

-

-Mary, who had hitherto been gazing away toward the west, turned at the

-cry Brand uttered, and seemed for a moment, like one spellbound as her

-gaze fell upon the stranger's face.

-

-Then her eyes lighted up her whole countenance a gleam with joy.

-

-"My father!" she exclaimed, "father! father! Oh! thank God, I have

-found him at last!"

-

-Stretching forth her arms, she moved towards the guide, who, however,

-still sat looking at her half wonderingly and half pityingly, without

-seeming to recognize her.

-

-Mary, however, knew him well. She could not mistake those familiar

-features, and the fact of his not seeming to recognize her, seemed to

-inspire her with the deepest grief.

-

-"Oh, papa! papa! Look! behold! Here is your daughter! I am Mary, papa!

-Don't you know me?"

-

-An expression of partial intelligence came to the man's eyes, then

-passed like a gleam of sunlight obliterated by the shadow of a cloud.

-

-"Ay, ay, now!" exclaimed Tom Turk as he gazed at the man, "this is too

-bad! I know ye well enough as the passenger once aboard the _Maxwell_,

-and who was supposed to be lost; the father of this lass. It's mighty

-strange you don't know your own child."

-

-"Mr. Manton," exclaimed Harry, stepping forward, and grasping the hand

-of him he addressed, "this is a great, great pleasure! Thank God we

-have found you at last, alive and well! Do not, I beg of you, afflict

-your daughter longer by playing off this joke upon her!"

-

-"Joke! joke!" said Mr. Manton, running a hand through his gray hair

-and looking up in a bewildered manner, "I don't understand you! Ha!

-ha! it's all safe, my money!" he added, "all safe! safe!"

-

-Harry looked sorrowfully at the speaker.

-

-Glances of intelligence were exchanged between him and Turk.

-

-Even Mary could no longer doubt the fearful truth, which had gradually

-been forcing itself upon her mind.

-

-Her father was insane!

-

-She flung herself at his feet--she grasped both his hands, and kissed

-them again and again--then burst into tears, sobbing as if her heart

-would break, at the vacant stare, which was the only response to her

-manifestations.

-

-Harry endeavored to soothe her.

-

-"I am confident," said he, "that your father is not a confirmed

-lunatic. He may be restored to his reason, if care be taken. I have

-seen worse cases than this cured."

-

-So excited were Harry and his friends over the discovery they had

-made, that, although the singular emotion of Brand had not escaped

-their attention, yet they had not noticed his being unconscious.

-

-Now, however, Turk perceived it.

-

-"A strange affair, this," said he; "had old Nick himself come to claim

-the captain, he couldn't have acted queerer than he has at the sight

-of Mr. Manton!"

-

-In a few minutes, the captain recovered, staring wildly around him,

-until his eye was caught by the spectacle of the old man astern, when

-he started back with an affrighted cry.

-

-"It is real flesh and blood, then," he exclaimed.

-

-"Why, of course, Cap," answered Turk, "you don't suppose, I hope,

-that we'd take a ghost passenger!"

-

-"Real flesh and blood," continued Brand, an expression of relief

-passing over his face, as he noticed the vacant stare of Mr. Manton,

-showing that the latter did not recognize him. "I am glad of it--ay,

-very glad. So he was not lost overboard, after all!"

-

-"It seems not!" said Turk; "but I shouldn't have thought the discovery

-would have set you off into a faintin' fit?"

-

-"Well, you see," said Brand, with a forced laugh, "the fact is I am a

-little superstitious--always was!"

-

-This explanation hardly seemed to satisfy the old sailor, who shook

-his head without saying a word.

-

-Meanwhile, the canoe, still urged along by Turk's paddle, was gliding

-through the blue waters, now just beginning to catch the tinge of the

-coming sunlight.

-

-Suddenly the old sailor, who had long been gazing far away towards the

-west, sprung to his feet, screaming out! "Sail O!" with all his might.

-

-"It's the same craft I saw t'other night from the cliff!" said he; "I

-didn't say anything about it, as I wasn't sure it was a sail in the

-imperfect light, and didn't want to awake false hopes."

-

-Harry Glenville now seizing his paddle, assisted Turk.

-

-Meanwhile Brand, with an old handkerchief, continued to raise a

-signal, which it was soon evident, was seen by the vessel.

-

-Previously standing away towards the southward, she now was seen to

-come 'round, bowling along, close hauled towards the canoe.

-

-This at last was reached, and the occupants picked up, to learn they

-were aboard the ship _Empire_, of New York, homeward bound.

-

-Every kind attention was bestowed upon the castaways, who, on their

-arrival home, a few months after, published a letter of thanks to the

-good skipper.

-

-Mary took her father to a little cottage she occupied with an aunt.

-

-A celebrated physician, accustomed to lunatic cases was called.

-

-He pronounced Mr. Manton's case, a curable one, and, in the course of

-a year proved it so, by restoring the old man fully to his reason.

-

-Words may not express the joy of Mary, who had awaited this happy

-moment to become the wife of Harry Glenville.

-

-The old man was present at the wedding, in which he took the interest

-natural to the father of the bride.

-

-On the very night of the ceremony, the old man, who had not previously

-touched upon that 'dark affair' aboard the _Maxwell_, was able to

-reveal events, so as to go into a full explanation.

-

-He stated that, after being knocked overboard by Brand, he threw out

-his arms, clutching the plank which had fallen with him, and which,

-thanks to his being a good swimmer and to a favorable current, enabled

-him to drift down upon the volcanic island.

-

-The hardship and excitement undergone, however, that night, so worked

-upon his brain, that he was affected with a fever which lasted a

-couple of days.

-

-After that all was a blank to Mr. Manton. He could not remember what

-took place from that time to the present.

-

-Although insane, however, the man's instinct, or some other cause, had

-prompted him to stow his money away in the hollow tree.

-

-"Ay, ay," said Harry, "it was evidently to obtain your money that that

-wretch Brand threw you overboard!"

-

-"Of course," answered Manton. "But the rascal was nicely foiled, for,

-as it happened, it was always my custom, when I stepped on deck to put

-my money in the canvas bag, and thrust it into my pocket!

-

-"This carefulness of mine may be understood, when I inform you that I

-intended every cent of that money for my darling child, to whom I now

-present it with great joy at being able to place her above want during

-her lifetime!"

-

-We have little to add.

-

-After Manton's explanation, Brand was sought for, but could not be

-found, as he had cleared off to parts unknown.

-

-He was never again heard of, if we except a rumor, that he had been

-lost at sea!

-

-Tom Turk was favorably recommended to the ship owners by Harry

-Glenville, who was thus enabled to procure him a vessel.

-

-The old fellow followed the sea until he was seventy years of age,

-when he settled down in an old cottage on the outskirts of New York,

-within a mile of the residence of Harry Glenville and his beautiful

-bride.

-

-Mr. Manton still lives; in fact his native air has seemed to agree

-with him. He is nearly as straight as ever, while, in spite of his

-gray hairs, his cheek glows with the ruddy hue of health!

-

-Often on still summer nights, with his grandchildren at his knee, he

-relates the story of the wicked Brand, who, for his many crimes, and

-especially for his dark attempt to take a human life, was long spoken

-of by sea men as the Demon Cruiser.

-

-

-THE END.

-

-

-       *       *       *       *       *

-

-

-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 Oconto.

-

-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.

-

-

-       *       *       *       *       *

-

-

-Transcriber's Notes

-

-

-The Table of Contents has been added by the transcriber and it is

-placed in the public domain. Minor punctuation errors have been

-silently corrected.

-

-Page 12: Changed "birth" to "berth."

-  (Orig: He went back to his birth, not to sleep,)

-

-Page 19: Changed "Sidney," to "Sydney."

-  (Orig: visit some of them before going into Sidney.")

-

-Page 21: Changed "steped" to "stepped."

-  (Orig: Then he steped to the captain's side,)

-

-Page 23: Retained "claining," but possibly meant "clinging."

-  (Orig: Vainly Brand, claining to a rope near the mizzenmast,)

-

-Page 23: Changed "sevaral" to "several."

-  (Orig: a violence which threw sevaral men off the yard)

-

-Page 25: Retained "dextrious", but probably meant "dexterous."

-  (Orig: the old fellow by a dextrious movement,)

-

-Page 30: Changed "swarm" to "swam."

-  (Orig: He swarm to a spar near him, and, with the ropes)

-

-Page 38: Changed "accomodation" to "accommodation."

-  (Orig: one for the accomodation of the men,)

-

-Page 40: Changed "apparrently" to "apparently."

-  (Orig: were audible, apparrently approaching the hut!)

-

-Page 42: Retained "from," but probably meant "for."

-  (Orig: Harry now sprang from the raft.)

-

-Page 47: Changed "ripling" to "rippling."

-  (Orig: Away it went, ripling the water,)

-

-Page 53: Changed "rock," to "rocks."

-  (Orig: firmly wedged in between two rock,)

-

-Page 55: Changed "strangly" to "strangely."

-  (Orig: staring eyes, were fixed strangly upon the captain.)

-

-Page 59: Changed "decending" to "descending."

-  (Orig: apparently decending towards him with great rapidity.)

-

-Page 59: Changed "aditional" to "additional."

-  (Orig: with the fall of aditional lava occurred,)

-

-Page 62: Changed "in" to "is."

-  (Orig: "This in dang'rous traveling," remarked Turk,)

-

-Page 63: Removed duplicate "it."

-  (Orig: the drowned passenger as it it was hastily withdrawn!)

-

-Page 68: Changed "rembered" to "remembered."

-  (Orig: bewildered, she soon rembered all.)

-

-Page 68: Changed "headed" to "heeded."

-  (Orig: The natives headed not her sufferings.)

-

-Page 69: Changed "superstious" to "superstitious."

-  (Orig: The superstious natives are prone to believe weird stories,)

-

-Page 69: Changed "eat" to "ate."

-  (Orig: Brand eat heartily, but poor Mary, almost maddened)

-

-Page 70: Changed "evntually" to "eventually."

-  (Orig: all possible dispatch, evntually pausing upon a lofty spire,)

-

-Page 70: Changed "hight" to "height."

-  (Orig: This spur, rising to a hight of about forty feet)

-

-Page 73: Changed "peal" to "peel."

-  (Orig: strips of which were already beginning to peal off.)

-

-Page 73: "salle" for "sally," is best guess for unclear word,

-meaning to rush out, assault.

-  (Orig: do anything in a hurry, which do you see, will salle all.")

-

-Page 78: Changed "conditon" to "condition."

-  (Orig: "Name that ere conditon of yours then, quick!")

-

-Page 85: Retained "hear" typo, but possibly "heart" or "head."

-  (Orig: was enough to appal a stouter hear than that of Mary)

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Demon Cruiser, by R. L. Wheeler
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most
+other parts of the world 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.  If you are not located in the United States, you'll have
+to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook.
+
+Title: The Demon Cruiser
+
+Author: R. L. Wheeler
+
+Release Date: December 20, 2015 [EBook #50723]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DEMON CRUISER ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Greg Weeks, Diane Monico, and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE DEMON CRUISER.
+
+BY
+R. L. WHEELER.
+
+_Copyright, 1909, by James Sullivan._
+
+_All Rights Reserved._
+
+
+Published by
+THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK COMPANY
+Cleveland, Ohio, U. S. A.
+
+(Printed in the United States of America)
+
+
+
+
+TABLE OF CONTENTS
+
+
+CHAPTER                                            PAGE
+
+I.      A Dark Deed                                   9
+
+II.     The Box                                      14
+
+III.                                                 19
+
+IV.     Lashed and Adrift                            25
+
+V.      The Island                                   30
+
+VI.     The Vision                                   36
+
+VII.    The Attack                                   40
+
+VIII.   Drifting On                                  46
+
+IX.     Driven Away                                  50
+
+X.      Haunted                                      55
+
+XI.     On the Ledge                                 61
+
+XII.    Captured                                     65
+
+XIII.   Walled In                                    71
+
+XIV.    In the Tree                                  75
+
+XV.     Out of the Tree                              80
+
+XVI.    The Fire-Chasm                               85
+
+XVII.   Unexpected                                   89
+
+XVIII.  Conclusion                                   96
+
+
+
+
+THE DEMON CRUISER.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+A DARK DEED.
+
+
+The ship _Maxwell_, Captain Roberts, homeward bound from Australia to
+New York, was bowling along upon her course under full sail.
+
+It was a dark night, unrelieved save by the phosphor gleam of the seas
+around the vessel, and the light of the two lanterns hung up in the
+fore and mizzen rigging.
+
+The _Maxwell_ had one passenger--a gentleman named William Manton,
+who, having accumulated a fortune at Australia, was now returning
+to the United States, where his wife had died during his absence,
+but where he expected to find his daughter, Mary, and a young man of
+nineteen years old, living with an aunt in New York.
+
+In an iron box the passenger carried his fortune--gold pieces,
+amounting in all to five hundred thousand dollars.
+
+He kept the box locked up in his chest, which was provided with a
+patent lock, so arranged that it could not possibly be opened without
+a great deal of noise.
+
+Occasionally Mr. Manton would go to this chest, and, taking out his
+money, look at it to see that all was safe. He was by no means either
+greedy or miserly; but he felt very anxious and careful about this
+money intended for his beloved child. That his death was not many
+years distant, he felt sure, as he had long suffered from an incurable
+complaint of the liver.
+
+This might be detected now in his sallow skin, sunken cheeks, and
+hollow eyes, as in his room he bent over his box--counting the bright,
+yellow pieces of gold.
+
+In every other respect, Mr. Manton was a fine looking old gentleman,
+being broad-shouldered and strong, with long arms, erect form, and
+piercing glance.
+
+There was upon his face, at present, a look of intense satisfaction,
+as coin after coin, in hard, shining pieces passed through his hands.
+
+"Ay," he muttered at length, "my girl will never be poor!"
+
+As he spoke, a sudden chill passed through the old man's frame; a
+shudder as if an ice-bolt had come in contact with his body.
+
+He could not divine the cause; but, had he taken pains to glance
+quickly behind him, up at a small opening in his door, he would have
+known that it was the magnetism of the pair of evil-looking eyes there
+which had chilled his blood.
+
+The eyes belonged to a rough, square, dark-skinned face, the owner of
+which was the third mate, Mr. Brand--a man of Portuguese extraction,
+whom the captain had shipped at Australia, to take the place of his
+other third officer, lost overboard in a gale.
+
+Brand was an excellent sailor, but a reckless, good-for-nothing fellow
+at heart; a cruel, bloody-thirsty wretch, who had committed almost
+every crime one can imagine, except murder!
+
+Still it was evident the man had a conscience, as he would sometimes
+get to thinking of the evil course he had pursued, and resolve to
+reform.
+
+Alas! for reformation! rum was his God, and in this he would soon
+drown all his better feelings, and keep getting worse and hardened
+until he grew to be a perfect devil!
+
+Captain Roberts had known nothing of this when he shipped the third
+mate, who could play the hypocrite to perfection when he pleased.
+The fellow drank his rum in the privacy of his own apartment, and
+took good care never to appear on deck intoxicated, for Roberts was
+a stern, resolute, temperate man, who would never have forgiven his
+second officer for being drunk on duty.
+
+It was now Brand's watch below. In his apartment he had heard the
+click of Mr. Manton's chest-lock; a noise which had saluted his ears,
+since leaving Australia more than once. Determined to ascertain the
+cause, he had emerged from his room in his stocking feet, and made his
+way to Manton's door as shown.
+
+As he watched the old man counting his money; as he saw the glitter of
+those bright pieces, his mouth fairly watered, and a fearful purpose
+began to gather strength at his heart.
+
+Having seen Manton return the little box to his chest, the third mate
+stole back to his berth, and lay a long time awake, endeavoring to
+plan a scheme for obtaining the money.
+
+"Wouldn't like to take the old gent's life," he muttered; "and
+won't--no I won't; for bad as Dick Brand is, he has never yet
+murdered."
+
+The more he thought, however, the less fearful became the idea of
+murder.
+
+The gold--the broad glittering pieces of bright gold, threw a glimmer
+over the dark suggestion creeping into and gaining force over his mind!
+
+Clink! clink! clink!
+
+He imagined he could still hear the noise of the pieces lightly
+striking against each other, as when the old man counted them!
+
+The sweat came out upon his brow; he felt feverish and restless to
+commence the work now, to at once possess himself by a bold stroke, of
+the treasure!
+
+There were no persons in the cabin but Mr. Manton, himself, and the
+steward, the captain, with the first and second officers being on
+deck, and not apt to come below until two bells--ten o'clock, which
+was yet an hour distant. The steward slept away off at the further end
+of the cabin, and being a sound sleeper, there was no danger of his
+waking from any noise less than that of a thunderbolt.
+
+Brand, however, to make sure, now rose, and going to the steward's
+door listened intently, when the heavy breathing of the man convinced
+him that his present slumber was no exception to the rule.
+
+In the middle of the state-room the dark schemer paused, glancing up
+at the companionway. The spray occasionally entering this in drops,
+would give him an excuse for closing the slide, so that he could hear
+if any person should attempt to enter during the performance of his
+fearful work.
+
+Then Brand asked himself what he should do after committing the deed.
+
+Investigation would follow, and there were many ways in which he might
+be discovered.
+
+"Curses upon it! I had not thought of that," muttered the wretch,
+fairly grinding his teeth.
+
+He went back to his berth, not to sleep, but to endeavor to plan a
+safer scheme!
+
+It seemed as if the evil one favored him!
+
+At six bells--two hours after ten o'clock--while the captain and first
+mate slept profoundly in their respective apartments, adjoining the
+steward's, Brand heard a noise, and cautiously peering through his
+door saw Mr. Manton, half dressed, about to go on deck, as was often
+his custom, to take a mouthful of fresh air.
+
+He locked his door carefully after him; then ascended the companion.
+
+Brand waited a few minutes, then one moment exulting, and the next
+shuddering at the thought of the deed contemplated, he cautiously made
+his way on deck.
+
+The rascal had carefully considered the purpose in view. He felt
+certain that no man aboard but himself, knew of the fortune carried by
+Mr. Manton in his chest. The passenger was not at all communicative,
+while the captain and his first and second officers were. Therefore,
+had they known of the box of money, they would have talked enough
+about it for all hands to become in a short time, posted on the
+subject.
+
+Brand's first step, on reaching the deck, was to ascertain the
+relative position of the officer of the watch, the passenger and the
+man at the wheel.
+
+The latter, located near the steerage, was looking sharply at the
+compass, as it was his duty to do, while the officer of the watch had
+gone amidships, where he stood leaning over the rail, evidently in a
+reverie. As to the passenger, he had moved far off, and was leaning
+across the bulwarks astern, the better to get the benefit of the fresh
+breeze then blowing square into his face.
+
+"Now, then," thought Brand, drawing from his breast pocket a small,
+sharp dirk.
+
+Noiselessly as a snake, he stole behind the passenger, then, starting
+up and throwing a quick glance round him to make sure that everything
+was still favorable, he drew off to stab Mr. Manton in the back.
+
+Chance willed that the latter should turn at this critical instant.
+
+Involuntarily he seized the ruffian's wrist, and being a resolute man,
+grappled him by the throat with the other hand.
+
+Fearful that the man would sing out, which he certainly would have
+done at once but for a cold lately contracted in the throat, Brand
+suddenly pressed this whole tremendous weight against the passenger,
+throwing him backward head over heels across the bulwarks into the sea.
+
+A splash--a gurgling cry--a hand thrown up above the dark water!
+
+Then no sound was to be heard save the ordinary noises of a vessel
+booming along with the wind and waves roaring, and yards, masts and
+timbers creaking.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+THE BOX.
+
+
+After committing this dark deed, Brand, crouching in the shadow of the
+bulwarks, waited to make sure that the splash had not been heard by
+any other than himself.
+
+Assured of this in a few moments, the third officer crawled back to
+the companionway and descended as cautiously as he had come.
+
+Entering the state room, he made his way to Manton's door, determined
+as soon as possible, to possess himself of the treasure.
+
+Procuring a bunch of skeleton keys, which he always carried with him,
+he endeavored to unlock the door.
+
+Vain the effort; not one of the keys would answer.
+
+The rascal then drew forth his penknife, and with some trouble
+contrived at last to pick the lock.
+
+Entering and carefully shutting the door, he advanced to the chest,
+which he soon opened with the key belonging to it, found hanging up
+near the head of the berth Manton had occupied.
+
+He drew forth the box, his eyes snapping with greed, his fingers
+itching to handle the glittering contents. The box was heavy, being
+made of iron and rather large, measuring about a foot in breadth and
+length.
+
+An exultant grin crossed the man's face, giving to it an expression
+perfectly hideous, as, carefully closing the chest and locking it, he
+made his way back to his own apartment with the treasure box.
+
+Arrived there, he held the box up before him, and examined it on all
+sides, but could discover no way to open it.
+
+"Ay, ay," he muttered, "I see how it is. The box has a secret spring,
+which I must find before I can get at the treasure. A blasted fine way
+of savin' money. I'd like to feast my eyes upon them shiners again,
+but guess I'll wait until I get housed before I do so, as one never
+knows who be a-watchin' him, and my bein' discovered a-counting these
+pieces, might lead to unpleasant questioning."
+
+He deposited the box in his own chest, upon which he sat down, after
+locking it.
+
+He had obtained what he coveted, but somehow it did not bring him the
+expected satisfaction.
+
+The gurgling cry of Mr. Manton kept sounding in his ears with a
+pertinacity truly appalling! The weird eyes of the man, gleaming and
+rolling in his head, also haunted the fellow's mind!
+
+He rose, sat down again--then rose a second time, and threw himself
+upon his berth, trying to sleep.
+
+After awhile he fell into a feverish slumber, and dreamed he saw the
+drowned victim come up, looking white and cadaverous, with clothes and
+hair dripping, hanging suspended right over his head!
+
+In his terror he uttered a hoarse shriek, which not only waked him,
+but also the captain, who came rushing to his door, asking him what
+was the matter:
+
+"Nothing--a nightmare I s'pose!" answered Brand, with a forced laugh.
+
+The captain, satisfied, returned to his berth and slept again.
+
+Brand, however, could not sleep. He was on deck before morning, when,
+with an involuntary shudder, he glanced astern, through the flying
+rack and scud of a gale which was rising.
+
+Far in the distance he then beheld a bright light--a red, lurid glare,
+apparently shooting up from the sea.
+
+It was a volcano, which for years had not burned, but was breaking out
+afresh on one of the Esmedura Islands.
+
+Brand thought it was a ship on fire.
+
+"We'd better veer round, then," remarked the officer of the watch.
+
+"Oh, no!" Brand exclaimed, involuntarily.
+
+The vision of Manton's dead body, which might be discovered floating
+upon the water, rose before his mind.
+
+The second officer informed the captain about the light, when, using
+his night-glass, the skipper soon ascertained and explained the cause
+of the fire.
+
+Brand breathed a sigh of relief.
+
+When morning came, Manton was missed at breakfast. Having always found
+him punctual, the captain was alarmed. He went to the room and opened
+the door when no answer was returned to his summons, to find the old
+man missing.
+
+Search was made--of course in vain--Brand apparently the most zealous
+of all in his efforts to find the missing one.
+
+"He's gone, shipmates, it's my opinion, where's neither weepin' nor
+whaling," said a voice behind Brand, while he was looking in the hold.
+
+The third officer turned to behold Tom Turk, a queer old tar, with
+enormous head and body, and short, thick legs.
+
+Brand looked at him, keenly.
+
+"What did you say?" he inquired, sharply.
+
+"It's plain English, ain't it?" said Turk, rolling his quid round and
+round: "there's neither weepin nor whalin' in t'other land. The old
+man to my thinkin', was a good sort o' chap what has gone, sir, where
+p'raps neither you nor I will go, sir, seein' as we've our bad p'ints!"
+
+Brand eyed the speaker steadily, and was satisfied that he knew
+nothing of the dark deed committed.
+
+Meantime the search was continued, until it was concluded that the old
+man, whose habit of rousing up at eight was well known, had fallen
+overboard.
+
+Several months later the vessel arrived at New York Harbor.
+
+Scarcely was she anchored when a boat containing, besides the rowers,
+a female and a young man, was seen pulling towards her.
+
+The boat was soon alongside, when the young man--a tall, fine looking
+fellow, sprang out to assist the lady at up the gangway. She was a
+beautiful girl, with brown hair flowing in curls over her shoulders, a
+white rose-tinted skin, large, intelligent blue eyes and a form full
+rounded grace.
+
+The moment she reached the deck, she glanced eagerly round her.
+
+"Where is he? Where is Mr. Manton, my father, sir?" she said,
+addressing the captain.
+
+The latter's countenance fell; in a few words he explained.
+
+It was a terrible shock to the girl. Pale as death she staggered, and
+would have fallen but for the support of her companion's arm.
+
+When she could stand alone, he inquired all the particulars of the
+captain, who promptly gave what information he could.
+
+"Are you certain he was lost?" inquired the young man; "was there no
+way in which he might have saved himself?"
+
+"I fear not," was the reply. "We must have been two miles from land at
+the time."
+
+"Papa was an excellent swimmer," faltered the young girl. "He might
+have reached the land."
+
+The captain, however, shook his head, saying he felt quite certain
+that his passenger was not saved.
+
+Further remarks were exchanged, when the captain added that the
+passenger's chest, unmolested, was in the cabin as it had been left.
+
+At this, Brand, who stood not far off, turned aside his head and felt
+uneasy.
+
+What more probable than that Manton had written to his daughter,
+telling her about the box with him. Just where he kept it, and how
+much it contained.
+
+If that were so, however, it was evident that at present all
+considerations were drowned in the grief and excitement the girl felt
+at the sudden news of her parent's loss.
+
+With a mute but expressive look, she turned towards the young man,
+her companion, who at once helped her down the gangway, telling the
+captain that the chest would be sent for.
+
+"Good riddance!" thought Brand; "I must get away from this craft as
+soon as I can."
+
+Next day he applied for his discharge, which the captain granted. An
+hour later, Brand and the chest were lodged at a seaman's boarding
+house in ---- street.
+
+Carefully locking his door and pulling down the window curtains, the
+third officer drew the iron box from the chest. After a long search
+he found the secret spring, which proved to be one of the small brass
+nails with which the box was studded.
+
+Trembling with greedy expectation, he pressed against it, when the lid
+flew open.
+
+Then a strange cry burst from his lips.
+
+The box was empty!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+
+For several moments the man continued staring at the empty box, wholly
+unable to account for the singular discovery.
+
+Then he sat down and ruminated. No living soul aboard the vessel had
+known of his possessing the box, therefore he was certain that the
+money could not have been extracted after he obtained it.
+
+The only inference was that the money was not in the box when he took
+it.
+
+Where then was it?
+
+Vainly the man puzzled his brains: he could arrive at no definite
+conclusion.
+
+Weeks passed.
+
+Manton's chest must by this time, have been received and opened by his
+daughter. Brand had seen several of the ship's officers, but it was
+evident they had not heard of Manton's daughter missing anything from
+the chest.
+
+Brand, therefore, breathed easy on this score, believing that, after
+all, the passenger had not written a word to his daughter about the
+box.
+
+Two weeks later, by recommendation of Captain Roberts, who had found
+Brand to be an excellent seaman, the latter obtained command of a ship
+called the _Quadrant_, bound to Australia and the East Indies.
+
+While Brand was preparing his vessel for sea, he had a visit from the
+owner.
+
+"Captain," said the latter, "you will cruise awhile off the islands,
+in the neighborhood of Australia, and visit some of them before going
+into Sydney."
+
+"What for?" inquired Brand.
+
+The order had really been an unpleasant one to him, as if brought
+afresh to his imagination, the drowned body of his victim, Mr.
+Manton, floating about on the water.
+
+"Because," answered the owner, "the daughter of that passenger aboard
+the _Maxwell_, Mr. Manton, cannot be persuaded that her father was
+really lost. She is anxious to investigate the matter; to search all
+the islands she can, especially that one upon which was seen the
+volcano!"
+
+Objections rose to Brand's white lips; but he dared not give them
+utterance, fearful of exciting suspicion.
+
+"The lady," continued the owner, "will be accompanied by a young
+man--her affianced, who has been in the United States navy, and
+is a good sailor, from whom, in case of emergency, you may derive
+assistance. He is one of my clerks; a worthy young man, whom I hope
+you will treat with all due courtesy."
+
+"Ay, ay, sir," answered Brand, who could be pleasant enough when he
+chose.
+
+Next day he went about shipping his crew, among whom was old Tom Turk.
+
+Brand admired the latter's skill in seamanship, and this was his only
+reason for taking him, as in every other respect he disliked him.
+
+The vessel ready a fortnight later, got under weigh, and was soon
+plunging her bows into the dark waters of the Atlantic.
+
+On the quarter deck, by the side of Mary Manton, stood Harry
+Granville, her lover, endeavoring to cheer her spirits, which had
+drooped ever since the fearful news of her father's disappearance from
+the _Maxwell_.
+
+Brand, superintending the work aboard the vessel, watched the lovers
+askance. The presence of the daughter of the very man he had pushed
+overboard, made him feel uneasy.
+
+Every time he encountered the great, earnest blue eyes, it seemed to
+him as if they could see, away down into his soul, the dark secret he
+intended to carry with him to his grave!
+
+Favored by fair winds the vessel, in a few months arrived in the
+latitude where the tragedy had taken place.
+
+"Here is where the passenger fell overboard!" said Brand, addressing
+Harry Grenville, one evening, just after sundown.
+
+The young man went into the cabin, whence he soon reappeared with
+Mary, whose eyes were suffused with tears, while she gazed earnestly
+upon the water, as if there hoping to see the form of her parent
+reappear.
+
+Brand, walking his quarter-deck, kept his eyes steadily averted from
+her face.
+
+Gradually darkness stole round the vessel, when, far ahead, a bright,
+lurid light broke upon the vision of Mary Manton.
+
+"What is that?" she inquired of her lover.
+
+He informed her that it was a volcano.
+
+"Then that is the volcanic island where we are to search," said Mary.
+
+"Yes," answered Harry, "but you must not hope to discover anything.
+From this point no man could hardly hope to swim to that island."
+
+Mary sighed heavily.
+
+At the same moment, she noticed that her lover's head was inclined
+sideways.
+
+She was then sensible of a distant humming, roaring noise, growing
+louder and louder!
+
+"It is the volcano, is it not?" she inquired.
+
+"No," answered Harry, "it is a storm coming up."
+
+He sprang to the companion and glanced at the barometer, which,
+however, for some reason, had fallen but little.
+
+"The instrument must be out of repair," said Harry.
+
+Then he stepped to the captain's side, and questioned him when he was
+informed that the barometer was injured.
+
+"I need no such toy," continued Brand, "to tell me when a storm is
+a-comin' up! I've heard the wind pipe too often for that."
+
+"We are going to have a hard blow, pretty soon," said Harry--"don't
+you hear?"
+
+"That's the volcano, youngster!" answered Brand gruffly.
+
+"You are mistaken."
+
+"Peers I know my business!"
+
+"I am sure it is the gale we hear. You would do well to take in sail."
+
+"I hope I'm master abroad my own craft," said Brand, sneering.
+
+"We will leave it to some of your oldest seaman," said Glenville,
+wishing to avoid a quarrel, if possible.
+
+Several of the old tars, among them Turk, were called up. They agreed
+with Glenville.
+
+"I've heerd the roarin' of a volcanic, before now," said Turk, "which,
+beggin' pardon, sir, is no more like a gale a-comin' up than this is
+like the thump of a handspike," taking out his quid and throwing it
+violently to the deck.
+
+Brand, however, skillful seaman though he was, refused to be
+convinced, until suddenly he beheld driving down upon him from
+windward, a long line of white water, showing like a wall through the
+gloom.
+
+Then the unmistakable notes of the tempest were heard by all aboard.
+
+"Go below," said Harry to his fair companion.
+
+She obeyed trembling; at the same moment, with a whis and a rush, the
+storm was heard sweeping along towards the vessel.
+
+"Hands! by halliards! clew up everything lively there! Mind tacks and
+sheets," screamed Brand, in a voice like the scream of a wild beast.
+
+Top-gallant sails, topsail, foresail and mainsail were soon clewed up,
+and the seamen's forms were distinctly seen running up through the
+gloom.
+
+Too late! While the poor fellows were yet upon the yards, the storm,
+with the din of a thousand furies, struck the devoted ship.
+
+At first nothing could be seen or heard, save the rush and the roar of
+the tempest.
+
+The spray shrouded the ship as in a white cloud, flying all round
+her, blinding and bewildering the men, while the roar of the sea, the
+creaking, snapping and straining of yards and masts, the creaking
+of the timbers, the cannon-like report of the sails, slatting all
+over the vessel, with the whipping about of ropes, tacks and sheets,
+created a din such as only the sailor, caught unawares in a storm, can
+realize.
+
+Vainly Brand, claining to a rope near the mizzenmast, endeavored to
+make himself heard; his voice was as a mere whisper in contrast with
+the shrieking and howling of the storm.
+
+Meanwhile far down, with her rail buried, the ship tore away through
+the mad waters, swift as a thunderbolt, pitching meanwhile with a
+violence which threw several men off the yard into the white and black
+mist of spray and storm, bubbling, boiling and rolling beneath.
+
+Harry Glenville had sprung aloft to cheer and encourage the men.
+
+Vainly endeavoring to make himself heard, he was suddenly thrown from
+his position, and must have gone overboard but for his catching the
+backstay and by this reaching the deck.
+
+No need now of men to pull the sails. With a sharp tearing sound,
+like the blasts from a thousand bass trumpets, every strip of canvass
+aboard the vessel was torn to shreds and carried far off into the rack
+and scud.
+
+Soon after there was a crash, when down came the fore and main
+topmasts, falling over the side, and dragging the ship down, so that
+half of her decks were buried, while the seas continually broke over
+the other part.
+
+In a few minutes Brand, with the help of his speaking trumpet, was
+enabled to make himself heard by shrieking into the very ears of the
+men.
+
+"Clear the wreck!" was his first order, which Tom Turk at once sprang
+to obey, axe in hand.
+
+Harry Glenville, similarly provided, was at the side of the old tar,
+to whom he had taken quite a fancy, and who he had reason to believe,
+appreciated and was glad of his notice.
+
+The two soon gaining the wreck, went to work, having previously
+fastened ropes round their middles to prevent themselves from being
+washed overboard.
+
+With a few blows they renewed the encumbrances, when the vessel
+partially righted.
+
+The wind was now blowing a perfect tornado, keeping the spray down
+almost upon the surface of the sea, which was nearly as flat as a
+floor.
+
+The ship also feeling this pressure, instead of now rolling and
+plunging, was forced down into the stormy sea almost to the middle of
+her bulwarks, while her bows were completely buried.
+
+Harry had taken off the rope, and was about returning aft, when the
+water forward swept by an erratic movement of the ship, caught him and
+carried him from his feet!
+
+Like a shot he was whirled over the bulwarks, when he caught a small,
+rotten piece of rope hanging from the shrouds.
+
+Brand, who was not far off, might easily have saved him by springing
+and grasping his hand.
+
+For reasons which may be imagined, he resolved to leave the man to his
+fate!
+
+The rope being, as stated, a rotten one, broke!
+
+"My God! he is gone!" shrieked the hypocritical captain.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+LASHED AND ADRIFT.
+
+
+"Guess not!" answered the voice of old Tom Turk, "he's as safe as a
+marlinespike in a rack!"
+
+So saying, the old fellow by a dextrious movement, threw a bowline
+hitch he had quickly formed at the end of a rope, over the young man's
+head, and drew him safely aboard.
+
+Mary, who, hearing of her lover's peril, had ventured on deck in spite
+of the storm, sprang towards him.
+
+"Ay, ay, now, lass!" exclaimed Turk, "mustn't be in too much of a
+hurry to go, as there's a mighty danger of our all goin' before long.
+Bless your pretty eyes! that's what I call a collapse!" as Mary
+impulsively threw her arms around her lover's neck, in her joy at his
+safety.
+
+On went the vessel, booming, crashing, thundering on her course, with
+all her timbers quivering, as if about to fly apart.
+
+"Oh, Harry!" exclaimed Mary, "will this storm ever be over!"
+
+"Yes! be not afraid!" he answered, as he helped her into the cabin.
+
+There he beheld a sight which was truly appalling. The water was
+washing and swashing about the cabin floor up to his very knees, while
+articles of furniture were floating about like so many chips!
+
+The young man conducted the girl back again, and having safely secured
+her to the mizzenmast, by means of a rope, he went over to the captain.
+
+"Your ship has sprung a leak!"
+
+"What?" exclaimed Brand, almost bounding off his feet.
+
+Harry repeated the information, when Brand, peering into the cabin,
+discovered that he had spoken correctly.
+
+The vessel, it was evident, had sprung a leak somewhere beneath the
+counter.
+
+Pumps were immediately rigged, and their dismal clanging was ere long
+heard like a knell through the storm.
+
+The carpenter being sent below, half an hour later, reported the water
+gaining.
+
+Brand stared at him half stupefied.
+
+Then, with eyes rolling wildly in his head, he shrieked out:
+
+"I might have known I'd have no luck in these accursed waters!"
+
+He drew back, shuddering from head to foot. The blue eyes of Mary
+Manton were turned full upon his dark, distorted face!
+
+"Why?" inquired a voice at his elbow, when, turning he beheld Harry
+Glenville.
+
+He gave the young man a black look! then uttered a horrible oath!
+
+"Blast you, young eavesdropper, are you a-goin' to follow me about
+like a spy?"
+
+"I don't understand! You talk foolishly!" said Harry.
+
+"Do I?" inquired Brand, with a sneer, apparently recovering his
+calmness all of a sudden. "Well, I'll tell you what I meant. I meant
+on account of the infernal storms one often meets with in these
+latitudes. It matters little, however, we are all doomed to Davy Jones
+now, unless we can get off in the boats!"
+
+"Ay, ay, the boats are probably our only recourse!" answered Harry,
+with great coolness.
+
+Brand admired him in spite of himself.
+
+"Why, now, blast it! it seems to me you take matters easy, youngster!"
+
+"This is not the first storm I've seen!" answered Harry.
+
+"No! but when you know that it's p'raps to be your last, one would
+think you'd feel uneasy, to say the least."
+
+"A difference in temperaments," answered the other; "but come! don't
+you think we'd better be getting the boats ready? The lashings are
+loose and they'll soon be adrift, if we don't hurry."
+
+"Ho, ho! so you're getting anxious, after all, my young shaver!"
+
+"Not in the least for myself," answered Harry contemptuously, "but
+there is another in my charge."
+
+As the young man spoke, the ship suddenly fell off, when, with a crash
+and a roar like a thunderbolt, a huge cataract of water was borne
+directly across the vessel, carrying away the wheelhouse with the man
+at the helm, the caboose, a part of the forecastle, and last, but by
+far not least, all the boats, which, as Harry had stated, were become
+loosened in their lashings.
+
+This catastrophe held every man mute after he had saved himself from
+going overboard.
+
+White and dumb the sailors saw the last means of their leaving the
+doomed ship borne away from them.
+
+"It's all up with us!" screamed Brand--the first to break the silence.
+
+"We are lost! we cannot be saved! Is it not so?" cried Mary, clinging
+to the arm of her lover.
+
+"There is no telling!" he answered; "but hope for the best."
+
+Just then the ship falling off yet further, headed directly for that
+great mass of red lurid light, gleaming like a bonfire of demons
+through the bleak darkness of the night and the storm.
+
+"Ay, ay, there's the volcano," cried Harry.
+
+"Yes, how like a beacon of hope it seems!" exclaimed Mary.
+
+"Ay, a hell-beacon!" growled the captain, as he passed into the cabin.
+
+What business had he in the cabin at such a moment, when his ship was
+going down into the dark waters!
+
+Rum!
+
+He would drink, drink, drink, drowning the dragon of conscience which,
+in this dread moment, seemed gnawing at his very vitals.
+
+Up to his waist in water, he found the swimming chests containing his
+grog, and breaking it open, poured the fiery contents of one of the
+bottles down his throat.
+
+The next moment he felt a rope drawing tightly round his breast
+beneath the armpits, became aware then of being hauled up through the
+companionway, while the voice of old Tom Turk rang in his ears:
+
+"Hold there, Cap! Blast me, sir, but this ain't a square above-board
+bizness, do you see--a drinkin' of grog when there's peril! How do
+you know, but some of t'others aboard would like a few tauts, when
+opportunity drifts to em."
+
+The captain would have responded the minute he was hauled up, with a
+blow of the fist, or at least an oath but for the terrible catastrophe
+which now seemed impending.
+
+Humming, gurgling and roaring, a strange noise, growing louder every
+moment, was heard in the hold.
+
+"God help us all!" screamed the carpenter; "no more use at them pumps.
+What you hear is the water surgin' into the hold."
+
+Mary clung closely to her lover, while the men with axes at once went
+to work, chopping down pieces of timber for the purpose of forming a
+raft.
+
+"How far should you judge we are from yonder island!" said Harry, now
+pointing to the red gleam which seemed to send a track of lurid fire
+shooting through the darkness.
+
+"Well," answered Tom Turk, "it's hard tellin' at night though I'm
+shouldn't say we're more than a league from it. It's symbological,"
+continued Turk, gloomily crossing his arms over his breast, "to many
+of us as shall go below instead of aloft."
+
+"I dare say you have sinned as well as others, you old rascal!" cried
+Brand, fiercely addressing the speaker.
+
+"There's no denying that," answered Tom; "I have sinned when I was
+a little chip, but not since the days o' my apple steelin', from
+orchards and such like. Ever since, I have behaved myself like a
+martyr, confinin' myself to but eights tauts of grog at a time--when I
+could get it, that is; which ain't under present state of affairs."
+
+Meanwhile the men hurried to construct the raft, which was at last
+completed in a clumsy manner, owing to the hurried nature of the work.
+
+It was high time it was finished, for every part of the craft except a
+dry spot on the quarterdeck, was now buried, the water reaching half
+way up the stumps of the shattered masts.
+
+The raft was secured alongside, after which Harry helped Mary to the
+floating platform, taking care to lash her securely to the timbers.
+
+In a minute all hands were upon the raft, and Brand was about severing
+the rope with his knife, when, with a sudden lurch, down went the ship
+dragging the floating platform with it.
+
+The men drifted off into sea! but Mary being lashed to the raft went
+down with it!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+THE ISLAND.
+
+
+As the young girl disappeared beneath the dark waters, two persons
+dove after her, determined to accomplish her rescue or perish in the
+attempt.
+
+Those two were Harry Glenville and old Tom Turk.
+
+Could they reach the girl and bring her to the surface, they might
+easily manage to lash her to some one of the many planks and spars
+floating around them, and faintly revealed in the lurid gleam
+streaming along the waters from the volcano, now less than two miles
+distant.
+
+Down under the sea, Turk and his friend finally came upon the girl,
+when, with one blow of his knife, hold ready in his right hand, Harry
+severed the rope holding Mary to the raft.
+
+Now, however, he felt the force of the downward suction of the doomed
+ship, and was unable to ascend with his burden to the surface of the
+sea.
+
+In this situation the young man preserved his presence of mind,
+holding to Mary with a firm grasp, his right arm round her waist,
+while with the other he paddled under water, hoping soon to get out of
+range of the suction force dragging him down.
+
+In about a minute, he became aware that he was ascending with great
+rapidity, and then comprehended that the whirlpool formed by the
+sinking craft had subsided, shooting him and his precious charge
+upward with the bubble caused by the collapsing of the waters.
+
+He was soon at the surface of the sea, to behold his shipmates all
+around him clinging to spars and fragments.
+
+He swam to a spar near him, and, with the ropes dangling therefrom,
+lashed the girl to it; then looked down upon her white, upturned face,
+closed eyes and drooping hair, almost fearing that she was dead!
+
+Far along the waters the light of the volcano, streaming luridly,
+illumined that pale face and shining hair with unearthly radiance.
+
+"Mary, speak to me!" exclaimed the young man. "Tell me that you are
+alive--that you hear me calling you!"
+
+Vain the supplication. Her closed lips remained mute, the eyes were
+not opened, the sad pallor of the face remained unchanged.
+
+Suddenly he became aware of a noise like a porpoise blowing, and
+turning, beheld Tom Turk, who had just risen alongside of him,
+clinging to the same spar to which he hung.
+
+"Phew, bless my eyes!" ejaculated the old sailor, "this is sartinly
+a most uncomfortable siterwation for them as has always sarved their
+captins faithful."
+
+Then he looked closely at the young girl.
+
+"Don't be afraid," he exclaimed, "the gal is all right. That waxy
+look, I'm sartin, ain't from death. She'll git over it! I never saw
+one of the female sect in this siterwation afore, except once off the
+Cape of Good Hope where I was wrecked in the bark _Tempest_. The poor
+creatur' was in the water tied to the bottom of a boat a whole day,
+but the water bein' warm, as it is here, she got over her hardship,
+and I believe is now livin' parfectly healthy with a famerly of small
+children."
+
+"It seems to me, Turk," said Harry, suddenly, "that we are receding
+from the volcanic inland; instead of approaching it."
+
+"I was a-thinkin' of that same," answered Turk; "in fact the wind has
+hauled round a little, and is now a-blowin' from the island, instead
+of towards it."
+
+This troubled the young man much. He now had little hope, in fact, of
+Mary's being saved.
+
+Meanwhile, through the din of the storm, the voices of Turk's
+shipmates were now and then heard, as they drifted along, attached to
+their respective spars.
+
+With the strange coolness of seamen in the most perilous situations,
+many of these men even ventured so far as to laugh and crack jokes as
+they were tossed about on that stormy ocean; so true it is that "Jack
+never despairs while there is a plank under him."
+
+Gradually the voices became more detached as the poor fellows were
+separated further and further from each other by the intervening seas,
+perhaps never again to meet on earth!
+
+Mary Manton now opened her eyes. The plank to which she was attached
+had by this time drifted out of range of the stream of light, but
+Harry and Turk could see the gleam of those bright orbs through the
+darkness.
+
+"Why! where am I? Harry! Harry! where are you?" exclaimed the poor
+girl, while shudder after shudder convulsed her frame.
+
+"I am here, Mary!" he answered. "Cheer up! You are with friends. We
+may, in time, succeed in reaching land."
+
+"Oh, I am so glad you are safe!" she exclaimed, impulsively, resting
+her bright head on his shoulder. "Do you think we are far from land?"
+
+"I hope not," he answered. Then, raising himself halfway out of water,
+and glancing far ahead through the gloom. "God be praised! I think I
+see land, now! at all events there are breakers."
+
+Turk looked in the indicated direction, to behold a long line of white
+water gleaming through the darkness.
+
+"Ay! ay!" he shouted, in a ringing voice, "there is land, sure enough.
+Cheer up, lass, we are near land after all."
+
+"I am afraid our shipmates will not succeed in reaching it," said
+Harry, "as they must be far to leeward of us by this time."
+
+"There's no tellin'," answered Turk; "but I'm afraid not. I hope,
+hows'ever, the poor lads will be picked up, between this and
+to-morrow night, by some passing craft."
+
+All night long the three were borne on, at the mercy of winds and
+waves, nearer and nearer towards the line of white water.
+
+The sufferings of poor Mary were meanwhile intense, and were fully
+appreciated by the two men, notwithstanding the girl's efforts to hide
+her pain and seem cheerful.
+
+Poor child! drenched through and through, cold and feverish by turns,
+with a terrible pain in her head, and half smothered by the seas
+continually breaking over her, no wonder that she suffered!
+
+Almost unconscious when the gray dawn stole upon the waters, she heard
+the ringing tones of Harry Glenville, breaking like music upon her
+half-bewildered senses.
+
+"Land O! right ahead!"
+
+Then Harry, loosening her lashings so that she could turn her head,
+pointed out to her a lofty cape, covered with shrubbery, beneath which
+was a beach covered with beautiful cocoanut trees, now waving wildly
+in the gale!
+
+"Thank God!" she murmured, and endeavored to smile.
+
+The effort, however, was too much. With a faint but glad cry, she fell
+back, half fainting, upon her lover's shoulder.
+
+The drifting spar was now close upon the reef, scarcely five fathoms
+ahead.
+
+In less than half an hour it struck against one of the rocks, when
+Harry and Turk, loosening their fair charge from the spar, surveyed
+the water between the reef and the island.
+
+Concluding that it was shallow enough to enable them to wade, they
+made their way toward the beach, carrying the girl between them.
+
+Soon landing, they found a clear stream, in the heart of a breadfruit
+thicket, with a bank of soft turf upon which they laid the young girl.
+
+Then Turk, with a knowing wink, drew from his pocket a small flask,
+containing a red liquid.
+
+"Though temperance!" said he, "although I ain't never signed no
+pledge, still I will indulge in a draught of this, by way of
+celebratin' our wonderful preservation!"
+
+Before drinking, the old tar put the neck of the bottle between the
+lips of the young girl, pouring some of the brandy down her throat.
+
+The effect was instantaneous; color came to her cheeks, and she opened
+her beautiful blue eyes, which were turned upon her lover before she
+spoke.
+
+"Harry! Where are we now? Are you perfectly safe--uninjured--"
+
+"Ay, ay," interrupted Turk; "that's the way with her sect, always
+a-thinkin' of t'others before themselves."
+
+"I am perfectly well, and uninjured," answered Harry, as he helped
+Mary to her feet. "Come, Turk," he added, to the old sailor, "let us
+get some kind of a shelter up for this poor child!"
+
+A fire was first kindled, dry wood having been found in a hollow
+behind some stones. Then Harry procured a log and made a good seat for
+the girl before the fire, that she might dry her saturated garments.
+
+"This is comfortable," said Turk, as he again raised his flask to his
+lips; "here we are all out of them perils which--"
+
+Harry quietly seized his arm.
+
+"Turk," said he, "we may need that brandy. I will buy it of you."
+
+At this the movements of the old tar were peculiar.
+
+He put the flask down on a flat rock; then he spread his legs apart
+like a pair of compasses, and thrust both hands in his pockets,
+looking at his friend with eyebrows elevated almost to the top of his
+forehead.
+
+"This," said he, slowly, "is an insultin' proposition. Avast! avast!
+about buyin' my grog! D'ye think I would sell it, if it'll be of any
+use to the gal? No; she is perfectly welcome to that and to a gallon,
+had I as much in my possession."
+
+"Nay, Harry," said Mary sweetly, noticing the wistful glances the old
+tar cast at the bottle, even while delivering his magnanimous speech.
+
+"Mr. Turk shall keep his liquor. I will not need it! See, I am quite
+strong!" and she rose briskly to her feet.
+
+"Mr. Turk," muttered the old sailor, "that Mr. which I ain't heard for
+many a year, sounds mighty queer. It's too respectful to sich an old
+hulk as me, Miss. Please drop it and call me plain Tom Turk."
+
+"Tom Turk it shall be, then," answered the young girl.
+
+As she spoke, there was a rustling in the shrubbery near the fire.
+
+"Savages!" gasped Mary; "let us fly."
+
+She shrank back, when parting the bushes a familiar form emerged to
+view.
+
+It was Captain Brand.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+THE VISION.
+
+
+"You here!" exclaimed Harry, starting back.
+
+"And why not?" inquired Brand, with a sinister smile, "haven't I as
+good a right to be saved as yourself?"
+
+"Certainly, and I am glad you have saved yourself. Still your
+appearance surprised me a little, as I had thought that no persons
+except ourselves, had succeeded in reaching this island from the
+wreck."
+
+"It was a narrow escape for me," answered Brand; "the current which
+runs round the extremity of this island, caught me, and I would have
+been whirled past the land, do you see, but for my catching the spur
+of a rock by which I just succeeded in drawing myself ashore."
+
+"Bad eggs always float," said Turk, making a grimace.
+
+"What mean you, you rascal?" cried Brand; "are you regrettin' my
+escape?"
+
+"Not exactly, still I'll own I'd rather some of t'others had been
+saved and you have gone instead."
+
+"Blast you for an unmannerly old dog," shouted Brand; "I've half a
+mind to give you a taste of a rope's end. Just remember you are under
+my orders, now, as you were aboard ship."
+
+"I differ with ye there," answered outspoken Turk; "so much in fact,
+that if you should try to rope's end me, I should have to keel haul
+you."
+
+And Turk, as he spoke, showed a formidable looking fist, hairy and
+covered with protuberances like those one see on the knots of an oak.
+
+Brand's eye flashed fire, and he made a step forward.
+
+Then he controlled himself, muttering something in an inaudible voice.
+
+Meanwhile, the eyes of Mary were turned upon the intruder with a
+mingled expression of fear and dislike.
+
+There was evidently in those eyes some startling resemblance which
+made the captain feel very uneasy, for he half turned his head, while
+a ghastly hue overspread his face.
+
+"So," said Harry, breaking the awkward silence, "we did not reach our
+destination, the volcanic isle, after all."
+
+"No," answered Brand, gloomily.
+
+"Can we not get to it from here?" inquired Mary, eagerly; "I know not
+why, but I feel as if we should there find my poor, lost papa!"
+
+"Never," thought Brand; "your papa has been food for fishes long
+before now."
+
+In a few minutes they were at work erecting bowers.
+
+Turk was moving away, with Brand about to follow him, when, turning
+and catching a sudden glance at the captain, he snatched up his bottle
+and pocketed it.
+
+"You need not be afraid," said the skipper, with a sneer; "I have
+a supply of gin of my own," showing a big black bottle, partially
+protruding from the inside pocket of his jacket.
+
+Turk pulled Harry's sleeve.
+
+"The captain's gin," he whispered, "better than this ere brandy of
+mine, would make an excellent cosmopolite for the gal in case of
+sickness."
+
+"You may keep your brandy if you wish," answered Harry, sternly.
+
+At this reproof, old Turk colored and scratched his head like a
+schoolboy detected in some grave offence.
+
+Then he ran forward, and grasped the young man's hand.
+
+"I wouldn't taste a drop of my grog for the world, since the gal may
+want it. Still do ye see, human natur' is human natur', and I'm bound
+to say that I have been selfish in this matter, to the great sorrer of
+Tom Turk."
+
+Two bowers were soon erected of twigs and leaves; one for the
+accommodation of the men, the other for Mary.
+
+With their jackets and a multitude of dried leaves, the men formed a
+pleasant little retreat for the young girl, who thanked them for their
+pains.
+
+Towards sundown the gale abated. The men took advantage of this to
+construct, with some fragments of the wreck drifted ashore, a raft,
+upon which they paddled out to the reef, where several barrels and
+boxes from the wrecked vessel had drifted. These were found to contain
+hard bread and salt beef, enough to last them for several weeks.
+
+With some difficulty they got the valuable articles over the reef,
+and they were paddling them to land, when they saw Mary, whom they
+had left upon the beach, beckoning to them with an air of fear and
+excitement.
+
+"We had better let the provision go," said Harry.
+
+"No!" exclaimed Brand, "I am captain here. The gal has probably got
+scared at nothing."
+
+"Come, Turk!" said Harry, "if this fellow don't choose to follow us,
+we will leave him."
+
+So saying, the young man plunged into the water, closely followed by
+the old tar, greatly to the indignation of Brand, who, clenching his
+fists, muttered to himself:
+
+"I will be even with them, yet."
+
+Meanwhile the beach now being but twenty yards distant from the raft,
+Harry and his friend were soon ashore.
+
+"Perhaps I was mistaken," said Mary, as she fled to her lover's side,
+"but I feel quite certain I saw the head of a savage, protruding over
+the shrubbery near my bower," pointing as she spoke, towards a clump
+of bushes about forty yards from the sylvan shelter.
+
+Instantly Harry bounded toward the spot, armed with a stout club
+picked up from the ground.
+
+Turk was about following, when a thought seemed to strike him. He
+retraced his step, and, taking from his pocket his bottle of grog,
+rolled it up in a green breadfruit leaf, and presented it to Mary.
+
+"Here, lass!" said he, "please take charge of this and--" here a
+suppressed sob escaped the old fellow, "if I never return to claim it,
+keep it as a testamentary of affection from Tom Turk."
+
+Before the girl could reply, he was off after Harry, who, by this
+time, was close upon the clump of shrubbery.
+
+The young man looked all around him, but could see neither sign nor
+trace of a savage.
+
+Concluding the girl's fancy had deceived her, both men returned to
+assure her that such was the case. Mary, however, looked doubtful.
+
+"It may have been fancy," she said, "but somehow I hardly think it
+was."
+
+Harry endeavoured to quiet her fears, and was finally successful.
+
+Meanwhile Turk was noticed to behave in a singular manner. He
+would walk all round the girl, looking at her, now and then, in a
+significant manner winking first with one eye and then the other.
+
+Annoyed, Harry at length asked him what he wanted.
+
+"Beg pardon, Miss," he stammered "but if you please, that bottle of
+grog!"
+
+Mary blushed, and thrusting her hand in the pocket of her dress,
+pulled forth the flask, which she at once presented to the old sailor.
+
+"Thank ye, Miss," said he, "it shall be preserved for your benefit."
+
+So saying he pocketed the flask, and waded off to the raft to help get
+the box and barrel ashore.
+
+This was soon done.
+
+"We had better stand watch, to-night," said Harry, when the articles
+were brought to the shelter.
+
+"Wherefore?" queried Brand.
+
+"Because Miss Manton will feel much easier, if we do."
+
+"Oh! very well, you can stand watch if you like, but I don't care to
+lose my sleep for nothing."
+
+Night soon closed round the party.
+
+Harry took the first watch, while Turk rolled up like a ball, lay
+cuddled in a corner of the hut.
+
+The storm having now subsided, the sea was almost calm. There was a
+full moon, but the clouds passing along over the sky, in detached
+masses, frequently veiled it.
+
+Harry was pacing his beat, not far from the shrubbery in which Mary
+had fancied she saw the savage, when he suddenly paused, with his ear
+inclined to one side.
+
+Steps, mingled with the murmur of voices, were audible, apparently
+approaching the hut!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+THE ATTACK.
+
+
+To waken Turk and Brand was the work of a moment. Both sprang up to
+hear Harry's explanation.
+
+"We have no arms!" said Brand, "and so we had better be scuddin' off
+as soon as possible!"
+
+Turk thrust his hand in his pocket, and pulling forth his flask of
+grog, eyed it wistfully and anxiously.
+
+"Sooner than this should fall in the hands of them savages," he
+exclaimed, "I had better put it, do you see where by rights it
+belongs, meanin' the stomach of Tom Turk!"
+
+Up went the bottle, and the old tar seemed about drinking, when it
+struck him that the liquor might, after all, come in use for Mary, in
+case they should contrive to make their escape. With a heavy sigh he
+thrust the bottle back into his pocket.
+
+Meanwhile the steps drew nearer.
+
+Harry waked Mary, and at once escorted her to the raft. Not a moment
+too soon, for, with a sudden yell, a large party of fierce-looking
+islanders, tattooed from head to foot, and looming up like demons in
+the faint radiance of the moon, burst forth from a clump of shrubbery,
+about fifty yards distant.
+
+Waving war clubs and spears, while their long hair streamed in
+red, fiery clouds down their backs and shoulders, the wild fellows
+certainly formed a hideous spectacle!
+
+Before the raft could be unfastened, a shower of spears came whizzing
+round the heads of the little party.
+
+"Shove off! shove off!" screamed Brand, as he seized the raft-pole to
+push the floating platform away from the beach.
+
+"Not yet!" cried Mary, noticing that her lover, who had paused to
+collect the jackets left in the huts, and also a few of the biscuits,
+was not upon the raft.
+
+In a moment the young man came panting to the beach.
+
+Brand, however, not heeding the girl's exclamation was about shoving
+off, when Turk caught his arm.
+
+"Avast there, captain! Don't be in too much of a hurry!"
+
+Enraged, the latter glared upon the speaker, but this was no time for
+quarreling.
+
+Harry now sprang from the raft. At the same moment two of the savages,
+ahead of their companions, arriving, seized the rope attached to the
+floating platform, which they endeavored to pull ashore.
+
+To prevent their doing so, Harry stepped to the edge of the raft, and
+with the pole endeavored to strike them on the head.
+
+One of them seizing the pole, gave it a sudden jerk, thus pulling the
+young man off into the water!
+
+With a fierce yell, they then pounced upon him, dragging him to the
+beach!
+
+Feeling that there was not a moment to lose, the young man, by a
+sudden movement, disengaged himself from their clutches; then, picking
+up a spear, drove it through the body of one who had lifted his
+war-club to beat out the sailor's brains!
+
+The other now aimed at Harry's head a furious blow, which must have
+killed him, had it taken effect.
+
+Not so, however, for old Tom Turk, seeing his friend's peril, had
+sprang ashore, and picked up another spear, which he thrust through
+the back of the native!
+
+The scream of the dark-skinned fellow, as, throwing up his arms, he
+fell backward, rang down the sky with startling distinctness, while
+his friends, hearing that scream, and eager for vengeance, came
+dashing on, yelling like a pack of wild hyenas!
+
+With a single bound through the water, Turk and Harry now gained the
+raft, and were soon helping Brand, who had not even left his place,
+push the floating platform out to sea.
+
+Luckily there was an outer current tending towards the reef, and which
+drew the raft rapidly along towards the rocks. This soon was reached,
+while the baffled yells of the savages continued pealing along the
+waters.
+
+As the raft was drawn through an opening in the reef, and the party
+put out to sea, Turk again drew forth his beloved grog, and eyed it
+wistfully.
+
+"Ay, ay, bless your eyes!" said he, "you are too good to grease the
+gullets of them blueskins."
+
+"Put up your grog, Turk," said Harry, "we have more important matters
+to think of."
+
+"Ay, ay," said Brand, gruffly, "we've to think that we may be food for
+fishes!"
+
+"Do you not believe we can reach the volcanic island, now?" inquired
+Mary, as she glanced towards the red light, gleaming, far away, along
+the waters.
+
+"It's hard tellin'," answered Brand. "If there's no heavy sea and we
+can make head against the southern tendency of the current, we may
+contrive to reach the island."
+
+With their poles which were not flat enough for paddles, the party
+made slow progress.
+
+An hour had passed, when, suddenly, Mary pointed far astern towards a
+long, dark object, apparently shooting out from the shore.
+
+"What is that?"
+
+"A canoe, by ----!" ejaculated Brand. "We may as well give up, now!"
+
+"No!" exclaimed Harry, resolutely. "We will not give up! If I mistake
+not," he added, pointing towards a dark mass, floating through the air
+to windward of them, "there is a fog coming up! This will screen us
+from our pursuers!"
+
+"I am glad of that," said Mary, thankfully.
+
+"I'm not so sure it will screen us!" said Brand, "them savages are
+cunnin' rascals!"
+
+"Where there's hope," remarked Turk, "there's no use of throwin'
+clouds over the same."
+
+The fog came fast, and finally thickening around the party, they
+seemed enclosed in a wall of darkness.
+
+"Hark!" said Harry, suddenly, as the dip of the canoe's paddles were
+heard. "We must get the raft round, and try another course!"
+
+This, with some difficulty was done, when the clumsy vessel was urged
+along to the southward.
+
+"Now, then, still as mice!" said Harry.
+
+He was obeyed, those on the raft scarcely breathing.
+
+A moment later something dark, indistinctly seen, was observed gliding
+along past the raft and within twenty fathoms of it!
+
+It was the canoe!
+
+The weary hours of night wore away.
+
+Poor Mary had slept but little, although Turk and Harry had made her
+a comfortable couch with their jackets.
+
+Now, as the gray dawn stole upon the waters, the young girl looked
+round her with a weary sigh.
+
+The fog had cleared, the faint rays of the sun were beginning to tinge
+the east, but, far and wide, nothing but sky and water were visible.
+
+Sky and water, and nothing aboard the raft--not even a morsel of bread
+or a drop of fresh water.
+
+Already the girl began to feel the cravings of thirst. With powerful
+effort, she endeavored to forget that she felt this want, but in vain.
+
+The day wore away, the sun went down, night began to settle upon the
+waters.
+
+The men strained their eyes vainly for land or sail.
+
+Next morning the sufferings of all from thirst were intense. Brand,
+pulling forth his bottle of gin, drank deeply, not offering a drop to
+the rest.
+
+Then Turk presented his grog to Harry.
+
+"Give some to the poor lass!"
+
+Harry did so. She tasted a few drops, but could not be prevailed upon
+to take more.
+
+Turk looked wistfully at the flask, then thrusting it back, muttered:
+
+"No--no! it must all be saved for that poor little girl, God bless her
+eyes!"
+
+One--two--three days passed. Still adrift on the wilderness of ocean.
+No sail--no land--no fresh water.
+
+God help the castaways!
+
+Brand was almost mad. His eyes gleamed like a tiger's--he gnashed his
+teeth!
+
+Harry, too, was scarcely sane! Turk alone remained cool and careful,
+although his sufferings were terrible.
+
+And Mary?
+
+Alas! poor girl--the flush on her sunken cheek burned deep and
+red--her eyes were feverish--her panting breath came thick and
+fast--she was too weak to sit up.
+
+There was no more liquor in Turk's flask. He had given all--every drop
+to the young girl.
+
+So there they all were, still drifting along, a burning sun over their
+heads, the water almost steaming around them.
+
+Gradually a sickly, yellowish mist went over the sun.
+
+Harry watched it a moment, then sprang to his feet, shrieking out:
+
+"Land, oh!"
+
+"Where? where?" queried Brand wildly.
+
+It was pointed out to him, all present saw it now.
+
+There was surely a misty line--a headland, extending away to the south
+and west.
+
+"God be praised," murmured Mary, faintly; "oh Harry! Harry! we shall
+get some fresh water now, and some beautiful fruit!"
+
+The poor creature smacked her lips and clapped her hands as the spoke.
+
+How tediously slow were the movements of the raft.
+
+On it went, however, apparently nearing the land every moment.
+
+At length it seemed scarcely a mile distant.
+
+"We will soon be there, now," exclaimed Mary.
+
+Suddenly a wail went up from the raft, a long, mournful wail--a half
+shriek of astonishment, and bitter disappointment.
+
+The supposed land had suddenly vanished--blown away by a mere puff of
+air.
+
+Alas! it was nothing but a fog bank!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII.
+
+DRIFTING ON.
+
+
+As the delusive fog was swept away before the breeze, Brand uttered a
+howl, and throwing himself down, dashed his head against one of the
+planks of the raft.
+
+"Eat--drink! I must have something! Come, it is time!"
+
+And he drew forth a clasp knife, eyeing Mary at the same moment with a
+wolfish gleam in the eyes not to be mistaken.
+
+The bare thought seemed to inspire Harry with a rage almost demoniacal.
+
+He threw himself upon the man, wrenching the knife from his grasp, and
+hurling it into the sea.
+
+Then he caught the captain by the throat, and seemed on the point of
+hurling him overboard.
+
+Turk, however, interfered.
+
+"That work won't do, lad! You'd be sorry for it when you got over sich
+feelin's as at present agitates you. Let him alone, sir. We'll all
+have sufferin' enough yet, I'll warrant ye!"
+
+Thus prevailed upon, not only by the old sailor but by the mingled
+pleadings of Mary, Harry relaxed his hold of the fellow, who, with a
+baffled howl, sank down, glaring at the water, as if hoping to see his
+knife again rise to the surface.
+
+Meanwhile a fresh breeze now came along, wrinkling the water, and
+falling upon the heated brows and parched lips of the raft's people,
+inspiring sensations of relief.
+
+Harry took off his outside shirt, and with one of the raft poles, thus
+formed a sail.
+
+"A queer piece of canvass, sartinly," said Tom Turk, mournfully; "but
+as there's a to'gallant sail, we may as well have a topsail, do you
+see?"
+
+So saying, he took off his shirt, which was also put upon the pole.
+
+The impetus thus given to the raft can be hardly credited.
+
+Away it went, rippling the water, at the rate of about three knots.
+
+It was nearly sundown, when Tom Turk suddenly balancing himself upon
+his toes, was heard singing out:
+
+"Land, oh!"
+
+"Another delusion," bitterly exclaimed Harry, not even attempting to
+rise from his position by Mary's side.
+
+"I'm sartin, this time!" exclaimed the old sailor; "fog never looks
+like them black things thereaway," pointing westward.
+
+Harry and Brand were up in a moment, to discover that the old tar had
+indeed spoken truth.
+
+Far away a number of rocks were seen, protruding from the sea.
+
+"Better no land at all than that," growled Brand, in a disappointed
+voice. "We'll find no water there."
+
+On went the raft, and in due time the rocks were gained. They were
+found to be about ten in number, and to rise several feet above the
+surface of the sea.
+
+Brand was the first to spring ashore. Rushing forward, he was suddenly
+seen to throw himself down.
+
+Harry and Turk were soon by his side, to perceive that he had found,
+in a hollow of one of the rocks, a quantity of water, evidently lodged
+there by a recent waterspout, and prevented from drying up by the
+shadow from an overhanging cliff.
+
+It seemed as if the captain would never get his fill.
+
+He drank and drank, drawing in the water with a noise like that of a
+horse at a trough.
+
+At last he rose.
+
+There was a gallon and a half of water still in the rocky basin.
+
+What a contrast now was presented between the conduct of Brand and
+that of his shipmates. Turk filled his flask with the pure element,
+and presented it to Harry, who at once passed it to Mary.
+
+"Drink first!" said the poor girl.
+
+Finding, however, that she could not prevail upon him to do so, Mary
+at length drank her fill.
+
+The effect was magical. Her eyes brightened--the feverish hue seemed
+to leave her cheek--she breathed a grateful sigh of relief.
+
+At the basin, Turk would not drink until his companion had first done
+so.
+
+When all had partaken, there was still a quart of water left.
+
+Turk went to the raft, and, procuring his flask, in which there still
+remained a few drops, he filled it from the hollow, and returning,
+presented it to Mary.
+
+"This is for you, my lass," said he.
+
+Meanwhile, Brand filled his bottle, holding about twice as much as
+Turk's.
+
+Neither Harry nor the old seaman said anything; but they exchanged
+glances, which said plainly:
+
+"When we want water for the girl, we will know where to get it."
+
+Walking about the rocks, Harry suddenly uttered a glad cry.
+
+In some crevices among the rocks, he beheld a number of fat-looking
+fish.
+
+"It seems as if heaven has sent these especially for our benefit, at
+the right time," said the young man, joyfully, as Turk came to his
+side.
+
+The old tar, however, looked sober.
+
+"It is easy enough," said he, "tellin' how them fish came here."
+
+"I don't understand you."
+
+"Well, then, I'll tell you. These rocks, is covered up at high tide.
+That is how them fish came to be left here!"
+
+"We have our raft," said Harry, joyfully, "so that if the rocks do
+overflow, we may thus get more fish!"
+
+"Ay, ay, it's all right, so long as the raft holds together," answered
+Turk, "which I'm mighty afraid, won't be long," pointing at the
+lashings holding the timbers together.
+
+These lashings were, in fact, much worn; some of them could not long
+be made use of.
+
+"We must try to fix the raft," said Harry, "I dare say we can contrive
+it so that we may keep afloat."
+
+From the raft the hungry men soon turned their attention to the fish.
+
+These were cooked with a couple of planks--there were plenty to
+spare--torn from the raft and split up against the jagged edges of
+the rocks, some of the fragments to be afterwards cut by Turk's
+pocketknife, and lighted by matches which, sailor-like, the old tar
+always carried with him in a small tin box, that they might be kept
+dry.
+
+Meanwhile, Brand, while taking no part in these preparations, sat like
+a hungry tiger eyeing the cooked fish.
+
+A portion was given to him; in fact, the whole party made a hearty and
+palatable meal.
+
+Now, Mary, her wants having been relieved, again spoke of the volcanic
+island.
+
+"I so wish we could fall in with some sail, which would take us
+there," said she. "Oh, if I could only see my dear papa!"
+
+Brand shrugged his shoulders.
+
+"Hark!" he suddenly screamed, as the night shadows gathered, "I
+fancied I heard a gurgling sound!"
+
+Neither of the rest had heard anything.
+
+"P'raps it was the wash of the waves against the rock," said Brand.
+
+Next morning the whole party rose after a slight rest--the men having
+stood watch--to perceive that the water had risen nearly to the top of
+the first rock.
+
+"The rock will soon be flooded," remarked Harry.
+
+"Ay, ay, so I'm afraid," said Turk. "We had better try to make the
+raft stronger."
+
+Unfortunately, the men having no rope with them, succeeded but poorly.
+
+"Truth is," said Turk, aside to his friend, "I wouldn't trust
+ourselves two days on them planks!"
+
+At this time the party stood upon one of the rocks.
+
+Suddenly Mary pointed down at the water, through which, all around
+their position, a number of dark-looking fins now were seen, moving
+hither and thither.
+
+"What are those things?" she inquired.
+
+"Sharks!" answered Harry and Turk, as they simultaneously drew the
+young girl upon the raft.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX.
+
+DRIVEN AWAY.
+
+
+The water kept rising higher.
+
+Meanwhile, the sharks swam all round the rocks, and the raft, now and
+then leaping forth, as if to clutch at the party.
+
+The sight of these ugly-looking creatures, with their long heads,
+sharp fins, teeth, and dull, bloodshot eyes, inspired Mary with the
+most disagreeable sensations.
+
+"Come!" said she, "let us leave this fearful place!"
+
+Turk shook his head.
+
+"It is our only salvation, Miss, I'm afraid."
+
+"Not much of a salvation, either," said Brand, pointing down at
+several of the ferocious creatures, which had begun to gnaw at the
+lashings of the raft.
+
+Vainly the men endeavored to drive them away; they clung with steady
+tenacity to the lashings, biting with demon-like intelligence at the
+rope strands, as if aware that the severing of these would put the
+party in their power.
+
+Finally the seamen were obliged to get off the raft on the rocks, and
+draw the planks after them, as the only means of pulling the lashings
+away from the teeth of the troublesome monsters.
+
+The water, however, kept rising, so that it was necessary to get away
+as soon as possible.
+
+The men did their best to strengthen the planks, then once more
+launched their raft, actually driven away by the sharks.
+
+The tendency of the current and the wind now was to the westward.
+
+"At such a rate," said Turk, "shouldn't wonder if we find ourselves,
+before two days, on the volcanic island."
+
+For this island the party had looked every day, while they were
+afloat; but, for some reason or other, since the night of their first
+floating away from the island, they had seen nothing of the smoke or
+fire of the burning crater.
+
+The seamen had attributed this fact to the murky atmosphere westward,
+shrouding the island from their view, while the raft had meanwhile
+been carried further and further from it by the tide.
+
+When night came, after their leaving the rock, the bearings of which
+they endeavored to keep in mind, they again looked for the light of
+the volcano. The atmosphere, however, not having yet cleared, they
+could see no sign of it. Hoping that the current would continue in
+this direction and carry them to the island, they watched the west,
+keenly yet vainly for a sign of the shore.
+
+Mary slept little that night. In the morning Harry pointed out to her,
+far away, the land, evidently that which they were anxious to reach,
+looming up, the mist having cleared.
+
+That it was the wished-for shore was made evident by a column of
+smoke, rising up from the summit of one of the lofty island peaks.
+
+"Do you think we will reach it?" the young girl inquired.
+
+"I think so; if the set of the current does not change to the south,"
+answered Harry.
+
+He was right; before night the party were close upon the island shore.
+
+Mary's eyes lighted up with joy. Worn though she was by hardship and
+suffering, she could yet feel a thrill of eager, pleasant expectation,
+as she gazed at the beautiful shores of this island.
+
+Scarcely a mile in extent, and not more than half that in breadth, the
+shores teemed with the most luxuriant vegetation.
+
+There were seen tall cocoanuts waving upon a bright, pebbly beach,
+rocks covered with flowers and vines, cascades flashing and gleaming
+as they glittered in the sunlight, and the broad waters of silver
+streams, gliding along through mossy grounds.
+
+"Beautiful," said Mary, clapping her hands. "Papa! papa! are you
+there?"
+
+She spoke half plaintively, half joyfully, clasping her hands like a
+little child.
+
+Brand turned aside his head. Hardened as he was, the voice went
+straight to his ruffian heart, and he felt at that moment as if he
+would give worlds had he not committed the fearful crime which, after
+all, had been perpetrated for nothing.
+
+Meanwhile Turk stood gazing steadily towards one of the island bays.
+
+"If I ain't mistaken," said he, "there's an old wreck of some kind
+there!"
+
+"Ay, ay," cried Harry; "I see it--the wreck of a schooner, if we may
+judge by the two stumps of her masts."
+
+It was almost sundown before the raft touched upon the beach.
+
+"We will commence our search for traces of your father," said Harry to
+Mary, after all had refreshed themselves with luxurious bananas and
+the remains of their fish, "by visiting that old wreck. If your parent
+be here, he probably has visited the hulk, and perhaps left some sign
+of his presence; a pipe, matches or something of that sort."
+
+"Who knows," said Mary, "but he has taken up his quarters there."
+
+"I'm afraid you are too hopeful, lass," said old Tom Turk, "'specially
+as it was believed by all aboard the _Maxwell_ that the poor old man
+was drowned after he fell overboard."
+
+"Yes," said Brand, shuddering; "I for one believe he was drowned."
+
+"I will go with you to the wreck," said Mary.
+
+"No," replied Harry, "it will be too much for you."
+
+The young girl, however, insisting, the whole party started for the
+bay, which they could see from their position.
+
+A short walk brought them to the wreck.
+
+It was a schooner, and as had been supposed, with its two masts broken
+short off near the deck.
+
+It lay almost upon its beam ends, firmly wedged in between two rocks.
+
+By mounting a small, flat rock near the larboard gunwale, the party
+easily got aboard. Having done so, they entered the cabin. It was
+devoid of all articles of furniture, these probably having been taken
+away by some of the Indian visitors at the island.
+
+A candle, however, with an old piece of a clay pipe, a few nails, and
+an empty box, were found.
+
+Turk took the candle, and endeavored to light it. This was done with
+some difficulty, after which the party passed into the hold. Here,
+saturated with salt water, which had broken in through the bottom of
+the schooner, were seen several coils of old rope and a few empty
+barrels.
+
+"All of which," philosophized Turk, "will come in good use, 'specially
+if we can find some nails."
+
+After a long search, he came upon a bag of rusty nails, lying upon one
+of the beams.
+
+"With these," said Turk, "we can manage to make a boat, leastways a
+good raft."
+
+The flickering candle shed lurid light upon the old, creaking beams
+of the schooner, as the party vainly searched the hold for signs of
+Mary's father.
+
+"Thought it would be of no use," said Turk; "Poor old man, he was
+drowned, you may be sartin."
+
+"Oh, papa! papa! would that I could find him!" wailed Mary, mournfully.
+
+Brand shuddered, as he always did, when the girl's father was
+mentioned.
+
+Seating himself on a detached coil of rigging, with his back turned to
+the rest of the party, he suddenly fancied he felt a strange, creeping
+sensation stealing over his body; a feeling, as if a multitude of
+worms, were crawling up his back.
+
+Instinctively he turned half round, to see his companions, already
+leaving the hold, passing into the cabin.
+
+Some strange instinct prompted him to turn yet further round, when he
+beheld a sight which for some moments kept him motionless, unable to
+utter a word.
+
+In the faint light of the candle, streaming into the hold, he saw a
+long, lean neck, surmounted by a face as bloodless and apparently
+almost transparent, with hollow cheeks and protruding eyes, lifted
+above a barrel at the other side of the hold.
+
+A strange looking face it was; a face of unearthly transparency,
+apparently quivering like a vapor, while his eyes--those great,
+staring eyes, were fixed strangely upon the captain.
+
+The latter, as mentioned, could not utter a word. To him the
+apparition was doubly terrible, as it was that of the man whom he had
+pushed overboard from the _Maxwell_.
+
+Yes, there it was, sure enough, the face of the unfortunate passenger,
+William Manton.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X.
+
+HAUNTED.
+
+
+As Brand, like one spell-bound, continued staring at the strange
+vision, he beheld the lean throat quivering, and heard issuing
+therefrom a gurgling cry exactly like that on the fatal night.
+
+It was a horrible sound, especially to Brand, who, with one hoarse
+scream, bounded backward on beholding the apparition suddenly vanish,
+as if melting away in the air.
+
+At the noise made by Brand, Turk, followed by Harry, rushed back into
+the hold.
+
+"What is the matter?"
+
+"Nothing," gasped Brand; "nothing at all."
+
+There were big drops of sweat upon his brow, his eyes protruded, while
+great, purple rings spread around them.
+
+"Nothing," said Turk; "ay, ay, now, but there must be something the
+matter with ye, Cap. D'ye feel hungry?"
+
+Perceiving that he must make some excuse, Brand puzzled himself trying
+to think of some plausible one.
+
+"The fact is," said he, "I believe what we've gone through has
+unstrung my nerves. I thought I felt a snake around my legs, when it
+was nothing but a coil of rope."
+
+His auditors believed him all the more readily that they had by this
+time concluded that the man, like most all thoroughly selfish people,
+was a coward.
+
+In a short time they were out of the schooner, when Brand, who had
+previously lagged, was now the foremost.
+
+In a short time they reached a level piece of turf about one hundred
+yards from the wreck.
+
+This they concluded would be a good halting place, at least for the
+present, and so they commenced the work of erecting shelters.
+
+This was soon done, after which they threw themselves down to rest,
+Mary, as on the other island, occupying a bower apart from the others.
+
+The young girl slept but little that night. When she did full asleep,
+her slumber was troubled with disagreeable dreams. The roaring of the
+volcano whose red gleam could be seen far up through the shrubbery,
+shooting from one of the island peaks, mingled with her fancies, and
+seemed the report of countless volleys of musketry.
+
+At morn, after partaking of a frugal breakfast, the party consulted as
+to their next course.
+
+Turk wanted to commence at once upon his boat, Brand, sullen,
+glowering and silent, seemed inclined to do nothing, while Mary and
+Glenville concluded to walk off by themselves to explore the island.
+
+Striking through the shrubbery, the young people soon found themselves
+at the foot of the peak on which was the volcano.
+
+They could see the smoke and the flashes of fire shooting up, could
+also feel the ground shake under them, as if the flames were careering
+beneath their very feet. Watching the volcano awhile, they moved on.
+
+"Let us explore the island thoroughly," said Mary, "we may yet come
+upon some trace of my parent."
+
+"Why is it, Mary," inquired Harry, "that you seem so confident on this
+subject?"
+
+"My father," answered the young girl, "was an excellent swimmer. I
+have heard him say he once swam across the East River, New York, while
+a boy.
+
+"Then again the captain informed me that, in falling overboard, it was
+found that my parent had carried away with him a plank, which, from
+carelessness, had been left hanging loosely over the stern. Now what
+more likely than that with the help of the plank, and this island but
+two miles to leeward, he should succeed in reaching it?"
+
+Harry shook his head.
+
+"Of course," said he, "such things have happened, but I have no idea
+that your father reached the island."
+
+For several hours the two walked over the isle, which they found to
+be a beautiful place. There were flowers of almost every hue, clear,
+purling streams, rocks, caverns and cascades, while through the green
+shrubbery the banana and the breadfruit were visible.
+
+The wanderers, however, came upon no traces of Mr. Manton, and Harry
+could see that his companion's hopes in this respect were almost
+extinguished.
+
+Returning to the spot where the shelters were located, they found Turk
+already at work upon his boat, assisted by Brand.
+
+"You are making good progress," remarked Harry.
+
+"Ay, ay," answered Turk, "there's no chance for laziness, now. The
+sooner we leave this island the better, accordin' to my notion."
+
+The old tar spoke solemnly.
+
+"Ay," said Captain Brand, "that's my opinion. Hark! did ye hear that?"
+
+A roaring, rumbling sound was heard, right under their feet; the
+ground trembled violently.
+
+"It is the subterranean fire of that volcano," said Harry. "I hardly
+think there is much danger."
+
+He said this to quiet the fears of Mary, who turned pale and looked
+anxious.
+
+"To my notion," said Turk, "it's devils a-lightin' their brimstone
+right under us, hopin' in that way to catch us. It's plain they're
+after some one among us, which I may premise by sayin' ain't me nor
+Harry, nor this young lass."
+
+Brand frowned darkly.
+
+"How know you that I'm not as good as the rest of you," said he.
+
+"Honestly speakin', Cap, I don't think you are," exclaimed the old
+tar, bluntly.
+
+"I've always led a good life," said Brand, shunning the great blue
+eyes of Mary.
+
+There was a rumble like thunder under ground, then a report like the
+discharge of musketry.
+
+"The devils is a-firin' off their muskets to celebrate that lie of
+yours, Cap," remarked Turk, as he turned to his work.
+
+The party now felt anxious. The noises under ground continued, the
+island shook, while increased volumes of fire shot up from the
+volcanic peak.
+
+Harry now assisted Turk in his work on the boat. There had been found
+that morning in the schooner an old hatchet with which Turk had
+knocked away a large quantity of timber from the wreck to be conveyed
+to the spot where he intended erecting his boat.
+
+Working all day, the men made good progress.
+
+Brand worked as hard as the rest. It was not the danger from the
+volcano alone that urged him on in his efforts, but the continual
+harassing fear, of again beholding that fearful apparition of his
+drownded victim.
+
+At night the aspect of the volcano was terrific. There were the lurid
+flames, apparently shooting to the very skies, while whole showers
+of sparks were thrown out in fiery flakes that filled all the air,
+floating along like millions of fireflies over the sea, in the water
+of which the were reflected.
+
+Meanwhile the shocks became every moment more frequent, the ground
+shaking as if beneath the tramp of armed horsemen.
+
+Harry had advanced into the thicket a short distance, when he became
+aware of a hissing sound, as if thousands of serpents were around him.
+
+At the same moment, a broad, bright stream of something flashed up
+before him, apparently descending towards him with great rapidity.
+
+Now he comprehended that it was a stream of lava, thrown from the
+volcanic crater, and rushing down the side of the steep cliff.
+
+In fact he had not time to reach the spot where he had left his
+companions, when it came hissing and rushing into the thicket, which
+he had just left.
+
+All night a careful watch was kept, the raft with additional timbers
+secured to it being in readiness for the party to leave at a moment's
+notice.
+
+Nothing more than the shocks, with the fall of additional lava
+occurred, however, to disturb the party.
+
+"I doubt if anything serious happens, after all," said Harry.
+
+Turk pointed to a couple of fissures in the side of the cliff.
+
+"That looks bad," said he; "in my opinion, this island goes in less
+than forty-eight hours."
+
+Good progress was made on the boat this day.
+
+At night watching the volcano, Mary suddenly uttered a wild cry, and
+pointed up towards an overhanging rock beneath the crater.
+
+"What is it?" was the question.
+
+"I don't know," said Mary, shuddering, "but just now I am certain I
+saw a form appear, and then suddenly vanish upon that shelf of rock."
+
+"Are you sure?"
+
+"Yes."
+
+Turk looked solemn; Brand turned deadly pale.
+
+"It must have been a spirit," said the old tar; "some imp after you,
+Cap," he added, looking straight at Brand.
+
+"Ay, a spirit," muttered the captain, his teeth chattering.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI.
+
+ON THE LEDGE.
+
+
+"This must be looked into," said Harry, resolutely. "Who will go with
+me to the ledge?"
+
+"No--no--do not go," pleaded Mary, "see how the fire rages! The peak
+may explode before you come down, and you be swallowed up in the
+flames!"
+
+Harry however was determined to go.
+
+"If nobody will go with me," said he, "I will go alone."
+
+Mary advanced to his side.
+
+"I will go with you," said she; "if you are to perish, I will die with
+you."
+
+The young man, however, would not permit the girl to accompany him.
+
+"If what was seen was mortal," said Turk, "why, then, I'd go with you;
+but I don't care to have anything to do with spirits and sich like,
+which can give you a poke in the stomach, do you see, and yet you not
+be able to square off to 'em."
+
+"Very well, then, I go alone," said Harry, as he sprang away.
+
+He had not reached the foot of the cliff, when he felt a hand on his
+arm, and turned to behold Turk.
+
+"Fact is," said the latter, "I won't see ye go alone, but if there's
+any fightin' to do with ghosts, you mustn't expect me to help you, for
+when I aim at a nose, I like to hit it, which is impossible with the
+noses of goblins and sich like, as your fist will go right through
+'em."
+
+The two soon were at the foot of the cliff, which both now commenced
+to ascend. As they advanced, the rumbling beneath them seemed to
+increase, shaking the cliff to its foundation.
+
+At length they arrived near the ledge, where the heat was almost
+unbearable. On one side of them there was a wide cleft, in which a
+line of fire was seen, glowing like a red hot iron. The slightest
+mis-step on the part of the adventurers in their endeavors to reach
+the ledge, must precipitate them into the cleft.
+
+To get to their destination, they must move along a narrow ridge not
+more than two inches wide, with nothing at the side of the rock to
+clutch except a slightly rugged surface which must afford them a very
+insecure hold.
+
+"This is dang'rous traveling," remarked Turk, "worse than walkin' on a
+railroad track over a rottin bridge."
+
+The two kept on, carefully making progress, until finally they were
+close to the ledge, upon which a sudden spring carried them.
+
+Winding round the cliff, they could now see another ledge, but no sign
+of the strange figure. They clambered the rocky surface, exploring it
+on all sides, but saw no sign of what they were after.
+
+"To my notion," said Turk, "that goblin has gone down to take a
+siesta, do you see, preparatory to comin' up agin, which, I take it,
+is a good hint fur us to make leg-bail."
+
+"What is this?" inquired Harry suddenly, stooping and picking up a
+singular object.
+
+It was a cocoanut branch twisted into an odd shape, bearing some
+resemblance to a pronged fork.
+
+"Ay, ay, now, there's the pitchfork for sartin!" exclaimed Turk; "that
+goblin has left his instrumental be--behind him, and we may yet come
+upon his tail!"
+
+"Hark, Turk," said Harry, somewhat sternly, "you must not talk in
+that way. This is in fact, no time for joking. See there," pointing
+above them as he spoke, to where lurid flames were shooting out from
+crevices in the rock, thus preventing their ascent.
+
+Gazing below them they beheld the dark tops of the trees, far beneath.
+
+There was no means by which they could reach the ground.
+
+The flames meanwhile burning brighter and longer, every moment, until
+finally they scorched the flesh of the two men, whose situation from
+the intense heat, was becoming intolerable.
+
+For a moment they stood looking at each other, puzzled to know what to
+do.
+
+Then a sudden thought flashed across Harry's mind.
+
+"There are coils of rope in the schooner," said he; "we can start from
+here to Brand, who, probably, is watching us, telling him to bring up
+and lower to us one of those coils of rope."
+
+"Ay, ay, if he ain't afraid," answered Turk.
+
+The two men shouting with united voices, pronounced the captain's name.
+
+"Halloa!" was the response.
+
+"We cannot get back the way we came. Bring us a rope from the
+schooner's wreck, and lower it to us."
+
+Brand shuddered and turned pale.
+
+Mary, who was near, besought him to hurry.
+
+"No," he answered, in husky voice, "I do not care to go aboard that
+schooner!"
+
+"Then I will go!" cried Mary, and away she went.
+
+Bad as he was, Brand was yet man enough not to permit this girl to
+undertake such a difficult task.
+
+He sprang after her, and soon boarding the schooner, advanced with
+lighted candle into the hold, casting fearful glances around him.
+
+He saw nothing, however, to excite alarm, and so seizing a small coil,
+he emerged with it on deck.
+
+He was about climbing over the bulwarks, when, chancing to turn his
+head towards the schooner's bows, he fancied he saw the phantom face
+of the drowned passenger as it was hastily withdrawn!
+
+"P'shaw, this is mere imagination," muttered the captain, as he
+sprung over the rail to the beach, where he found Mary anxiously
+waiting for him.
+
+"Quick! make haste!" exclaimed the young girl.
+
+It almost seemed to Brand, as he encountered the gaze of those wild
+eyes, that he beheld a second phantom, so alike were the eyes of
+father and daughter.
+
+Throwing the coil over his shoulders, he hurried along to the cliff
+and commenced the ascent, followed by Mary, who, in her anxiety for
+her lover's safety, would almost have followed the man into the very
+flames.
+
+In a short time they were at a point, whence the rope might be lowered
+to the two imperiled men upon the ledge.
+
+Brand, therefore, uncoiling the line, lowered the end to them at a
+point where the flames could not come into contact with it, fastening
+the other part to a spur.
+
+It was evident, however, that the two must make good speed, else the
+strands would become so weakened by the heat that there would be
+danger of their giving way.
+
+The two men found the rope, where they lowered it over the edge of the
+rocky shelf, long enough to reach to the ground, about one hundred and
+fifty feet beneath them.
+
+Then Turk commenced the descent, succeeding in reaching the ground
+safely.
+
+By this time the strands were so weakened that Brand was obliged to
+haul the rope up, to prevent its parting, and secure another turn
+around the rocky spur.
+
+Then Harry, grasping the lower part, commenced to descend. He had got
+within about one hundred and twenty feet of the ground and within a
+few feet of the top of one of the trees, when from the branches, the
+captain, whose position afforded him a good view of the trees revealed
+in the volcano's lurid light, uttered a sudden wild cry, that rang
+above the din of the roaring fire.
+
+Protruding from the foliage of the tree, towards which Harry was being
+lowered, the man beheld the long, lean neck and ghastly countenance
+of the apparition he so dreaded.
+
+So great was the effect of this vision upon him that he let go the
+rope which descended swift as a shot.
+
+Where now was Harry Glenville?
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII.
+
+CAPTURED.
+
+
+Mary, shrieking, peered far over the edge of the rock, vainly looking
+for her lover.
+
+"Killed! killed!" she wailed, wringing her hands. "My God, he is
+dashed to pieces on the ground, by your letting go of the rope!"
+
+"I?" exclaimed the captain, looking wild and half bewildered.
+
+"Ay, God! it is so!"
+
+The vision had by this time vanished. Partially recovering his
+self-possession, the captain hurried down the steep cliff, following
+Mary, who, like a maniac, ran on.
+
+She soon gained the foot of the precipice, and was hurrying along in
+the direction where she expected to find the remains of her lover all
+mangled from his fall of sixty feet, when suddenly, she felt some
+person grasp her arm, and turning, beheld Brand.
+
+"Let me go! Why hold me?" screamed the young girl, wildly.
+
+"See, there!" he answered, pointing towards the beach, "that is the
+reason!"
+
+Looking in the indicated direction, she beheld, in the lurid glare of
+the volcanic fire, a long canoe, by the beach.
+
+Evidently it was the same which had pursued them on that day when the
+two warriors were slain.
+
+Bent on vengeance, the islanders had not yet given up the pursuit, but
+had searched for the fugitives ever since, at last coming upon their
+traces.
+
+Now the forms of the fierce men were seen advancing swiftly in single
+file up the beach, on a course, which, had Mary kept on, must have
+brought her into contact with them.
+
+"Never mind," she exclaimed; "let me go to his body! What care I if
+they do kill me, so long as I get a glimpse of his form?"
+
+Brand, however, held her firmly.
+
+He felt that he should at least partially atone for his crime by
+saving the daughter of the man he had sent to his death.
+
+"Come! come with me! This is madness."
+
+Mary struggled in vain. Brand drew her along with him into the shadow
+of a small cavern in the foot of the cliff.
+
+"Hark!" he said, "you must not cry out."
+
+Attracted probably by her cries, several natives soon presented
+themselves at the entrance of the cavern.
+
+Brand, being unarmed, could do nothing. Several spears were pointed at
+his heart and that of his companion.
+
+An islander--a huge fellow with great rings tattooed like bracelets
+all over both his arms; evidently a chief, interposed.
+
+"No strike!" he exclaimed, in broken English, "this's too much quick
+death. Best take and chokee slow."
+
+"What do you mean?" inquired Brand.
+
+"Cussem Americanon!" said the chief, fiercely, "kill one two me men!
+Mus' pay for dat."
+
+"You are mistaken," answered Brand; "I never killed a man. It wasn't
+me."
+
+"All same you with," answered the islander. "Ho! ho! never get way
+from me--me got long canoe."
+
+The two were dragged to the beach, bound with strong wythes, and were
+made to sit down upon the sand.
+
+Then a brief conversation was held, after which, the chief said
+something to several of his men.
+
+Away they went, climbing up a tree, and procuring several branches.
+
+These they brought to the chief, who, passing them round the neck of
+the prisoners so tightly that both were nearly throttled, then turned
+again and spoke to his people.
+
+Instantly the latter, seizing the two, dragged them up to their necks
+into the water, where they were firmly held with the incoming seas
+continually breaking over their heads.
+
+A slow, torturing method this to make way with prisoners. It is
+however resorted to by many of the South Sea Island tribes.
+
+At first the victim easily manages to catch his breath between
+whiles. Gradually, however, this becoming harder, and the difficulty
+increasing every moment, the wretches are eventually strangled to
+death.
+
+Poor Mary! The hardships and excitement she had lately undergone were
+of themselves sufficient to deprive an ordinary woman of her strength.
+This young girl, however, had an excellent constitution and, when
+occasion required, a strong will. Now the intensity of her anguish
+regarding her lover had so worked upon her, that, with this new
+torture before her, she became unconscious.
+
+Heedless of this, however, the native having charge of her, still held
+her upright in the water, until the chief again interfered.
+
+"Makee muchee now long," said he.
+
+The two were drawn out to the beach, Brand, however, being informed
+that the disagreeable ceremony would before morning, be repeated,
+until he was drownee, drownee, drownee.
+
+Soon after Mary came to her senses. At first somewhat bewildered, she
+soon remembered all.
+
+"Dead! dead!" she moaned, "he is dead."
+
+The natives heeded not her sufferings. On the contrary, they seemed to
+gloat over her distress.
+
+An hour wore on when the prisoners were again led into water, the seas
+breaking high, continually went over their heads.
+
+Mary soon drew her breath with difficulty--her brain went round and
+round, she felt that she was dying.
+
+In fact, life must have deserted her in a few minutes, but for a
+singular interposition, the phantom-like figure which has been
+mentioned, appearing suddenly on the branch of a tree and waving its
+arms to the natives in a frantic manner.
+
+"Berch, hounds and dogs!" it exclaimed in hollow voice; "what would ye
+do. I forbid this work. Terrible misfortune will attend ye, if ye keep
+on thus persecuting those prisoners."
+
+Brand, hearing that voice, turned his head.
+
+As he did so, the form suddenly vanished.
+
+The natives stood looking at each other in surprise. Brand noticing
+their astonishment, thought he might turn it to good account.
+
+No other consideration but that of saving his life could have tempted
+him to speak of the vision of the murdered passenger to a living soul.
+
+"Indians," said he, "I would at once speak to your chief."
+
+The men who held him understood him sufficiently to make known his
+request to their leader, who, forthwith, appeared floundering through
+the water.
+
+"What want? Speak quick!"
+
+"Well, then," said Brand, shuddering, "he whom you saw just now among
+the trees, was no mortal vision. It is a phantom!"
+
+"How know you that?"
+
+"If the chief will take me a little ways off I will tell him," said
+Brand, not caring to have the young girl hear what he intended to say.
+
+The chief did as requested, when Brand explained, saying that the
+phantom was that of a passenger who had accidentally fallen overboard
+from a vessel aboard which he (Brand), was third officer.
+
+The superstitious natives are prone to believe weird stories, and the
+chief was no exception to the rule.
+
+To his awe-stricken followers he at once explained what he had
+learned, when it was unanimously agreed that the lives of the two
+prisoners should be spared, at least for the present.
+
+No good, the natives all agreed, could come of their disobeying the
+injunctions of a spirit.
+
+Mary and Brand were therefore taken and seated near a bright fire,
+which had been kindled for comfort by their enemies.
+
+They were treated to cooked breadfruit, cocoanut sauce, and other
+delicacies of the South Sea Islanders. Brand ate heartily, but poor
+Mary, almost maddened by her grief, would not even look at what was
+proffered her.
+
+"Harry is dead! dead!" was the continual cry of her anguished soul.
+
+Meanwhile the whole island was rocking like a floating ship. Showers
+of fire, roaring thunder, flew from the volcanic peak.
+
+The natives looked at each other. Presently the chief spoke.
+
+"The islee will be swallowed in fire," said he; "the spirit which
+spoke, did not tell right. It is a bad spirit, which Islander must not
+mind. It said if Islander spare white men's life, no harm come. See!
+here is harm. The island will be lost before Islander can find all
+their foes."
+
+Such was the purport of the chief's words, uttered however, in a more
+incomprehensible manner than we have shown.
+
+"Yes," continued the speaker, "so we say we must killee! killee,"
+pointing at the two prisoners; "must killee quickee, no slow now."
+
+He held a brief consultation with some of his men, four of whom now
+advanced toward the girl and Brand, each of which was lifted between a
+couple.
+
+"Quickee--go!" screamed the chief, when each of the pair, with their
+burdens commenced rapidly scaling the sides of the steep ascent.
+
+Good need it now seemed, was there of their making swift speed.
+
+They kept on with all possible dispatch, eventually pausing upon a
+lofty spire, far up on the very top of the mountain.
+
+This spur, rising to a height of about forty feet from the edge of
+the volcanic crater, overlooked the chasm of fire, which, like the
+infernal lake itself, lay at its base, shooting its forked tongues of
+roaring, hissing flame high in air!
+
+And now the prisoners comprehended the fate intended for them, for the
+natives driving them to and fro, preparing to fling them into that
+lurid, roaring, crackling sea of fire!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII.
+
+WALLED IN.
+
+
+To repeat a previous question.
+
+Where now was Harry Glenville?
+
+On feeling himself descending, after Brand let go of the rope to which
+he was clinging, the young man, instinctively throwing out his arms,
+was fortunate enough to grasp the branch of the tree through which his
+falling form was crashing.
+
+To this branch he clung, swinging a hundred feet above the ground.
+
+Every moment he expected that the branch, which was a slender one, and
+which he held near the extremity, would part. He could hear it crack,
+every time he swung.
+
+Above him, faintly revealed in the lurid light, he could meanwhile
+see a larger and stronger branch, which he hoped he might, by a
+sudden upward stretching of an arm, succeed in grasping. Still there
+was danger that he might miss his grasp, when he would certainly be
+precipitated upon the ground below.
+
+Still considering whether or not to make the attempt, he suddenly
+heard the cheery voice of Tom Turk:
+
+"Hold on hard, lad, and I'll be up there to help ye, in the tyin' of a
+square knot!"
+
+"Make haste!" exclaimed Harry, "as I expect, every minute, that the
+branch I hold will give way."
+
+"Ay, ay. Keep up a good heart. My climbin' days ain't quite over yet!"
+
+As he spoke, Turk commenced rapidly ascending the tree, running up
+the trunk with the squirrel-like dexterity of a true sailor.
+
+He had with him the end of the fallen rope, thrown over his shoulder.
+
+In a short time, he was upon the brunch, just above the swinging form
+of his friend.
+
+The latter's weight had nearly parted the branch, strips of which were
+already beginning to peel off.
+
+"Make haste, Turk!" repeated the young man.
+
+"Ay, ay, lad! here's the rope!" cried Turk, lowering to his friend the
+end, to which he had fastened a bowline hitch; "jest slip that over
+your head, and under one of your arms, and I'll have ye up in half a
+minute."
+
+Harry promptly complied, not a moment too soon, for with a crash, the
+branch now gave way.
+
+The young man would have gone with it, in spite of the bowline hitch,
+which he had not yet been able to properly secure, but for his
+throwing up both hands and grasping the rope.
+
+Turk, who had taken a turn round the upper branch, was thus enabled to
+draw him safely up.
+
+In a few seconds both men were on the ground, about to move in the
+direction of the base of the cliff to meet Mary and Brand, when they
+beheld the forms of the natives, stealing along from their canoe.
+
+"Ay, ay, now!" whispered Turk, "this is calamitous."
+
+"We must save Mary at all hazards," exclaimed Harry, impulsively, as
+he bounded forward.
+
+"S--sh!" whispered Turk, "jest see there! They have got the poor gal
+and that Brand already," pointing to the natives, lugging of their
+prisoners.
+
+Harry would have sprang onward unarmed as he was, to attack the two
+savages, but for the cooler and more prudent Turk.
+
+"Hold!" he whispered, grasping his friend's jacket, "can't do anything
+in a hurry, which do you see, will salle all."
+
+Even as he spoke, another party of savages were observed, approaching
+them.
+
+"Now, then, fur scuddin!" said Turk, "no use stayin' here to be
+speared to death, which is a most uncomfortable way of dyin',
+'specially when you are afterwards b'iled in a pot for the blueskins'
+dinner."
+
+He drew the young man along to a clump of bushes near the base of an
+enormous tree.
+
+"I've sighted this tree before," said he, "which I know is holler.
+It's big enough to hold you and me. Afterwards we can see to the gal,
+if there's any way to save her, whereas if we should try now, we'd
+only be killed, which sartinly would be a poor way for keepin' the
+lass."
+
+Harry saw the sense of this remark at once. With the old seaman, he
+crouched in the bushes.
+
+"Well have to get into the tree, mole fashion," said Turk, "see'n' as
+the hole leading to the inside of it, is scooped out underneath."
+
+So saying he displaced some bushes, and bade his friend crawl into the
+aperture thus revealed.
+
+Harry did so, and was soon followed by Turk.
+
+In the hollow tree, the two now glanced up, to see through an opening
+in the trunk, broken half way off, the lurid gleam of the volcanic
+fire.
+
+"Here we are, moles as is moles!" exclaimed Turk.
+
+Meanwhile the shouts of the savages, who, it was evident, had now
+come upon the footprints of the two seamen on the ground, were heard
+outside of the tree.
+
+"They will of course discover us, after all!" said Harry, "and we will
+have to die. Better to have fallen in defense of Mary."
+
+Turk scratched his head. By the red gleam, shooting down into the
+hollow, Harry could see a troubled expression upon the old seaman's
+face.
+
+"Ay, ay," he muttered, at length, "the Turks never was good at
+strategic p'nts. I had a grandfather, who, to save himself from a mad
+bull, throwed himself, in tryin' to leap over it, partly upon the
+creatur's horns, which, penetratin' the seat of his breeches, held
+him expended in that way until he was relieved by friends!"
+
+The old tar had scarcely thus delivered himself, when, chancing to
+glance down, he beheld the tattooed face of a savage, thrust under the
+trunk of the tree, peering up at him.
+
+Before he could utter a word, however, the face was withdrawn.
+
+Next moment a sound, as of men busy at work piling something around
+the tree, was heard.
+
+Soon after all was still.
+
+The two men held a consultation. Doubtless the savages were somewhere
+not far off, waiting for them to emerge.
+
+Nevertheless, they determined to make an attempt to escape from their
+present retreat.
+
+Turk was the first to stoop for the purpose of passing out, when an
+exclamation broke from his lips.
+
+"What's the matter?" inquired Harry.
+
+"Matter enough!" was the reply; "we are walled in with arth so that we
+can't get out!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV.
+
+IN THE TREE.
+
+
+For a moment the two stood eyeing each other, with looks of dismay.
+
+"Can't we burrow our way out?" queried the young man.
+
+"I'm afraid not. Them rascals knowed what they were doin' when they
+fastened us up. In my opinion, we are to be left in this hollow tree
+to be swallered up with the island when it goes!"
+
+Harry glanced up. The opening in the top of the trunk was about
+fifteen feet above them. There was no way for them to reach it!
+
+The young man bowed his face on his hand.
+
+"I would have been willing--would have cheerfully died," said he,
+"in helping poor Mary; but to perish far away from that girl without
+having lifted a hand in her defense is very mortifying!"
+
+"Ay, ay," said Turk, "and this is a lesson to me never to give advice
+in the futur'--if there be any futur' left for me on this arth! I'm as
+sorry as you can be, that I got you to give up follerin' the lass at
+once!"
+
+For several moments the two men stood, glancing up through the opening
+in the trunk, which being directly beneath the volcano, afforded them
+a good view of it.
+
+The huge crater was spouting showers of flame and sparks, which seemed
+to increase in quantity every moment.
+
+Meanwhile the roaring noise of the subterranean fires was becoming
+louder. The ground shook with the thunder in its bosom, until the very
+tree in which the two men were ensconced began to tremble.
+
+"The 'castrophy' must soon take place!" exclaimed Turk; "wish you'd
+l'arn me to say a few prayers before we are swallered up! That is,"
+continued the old tar, "I did l'arn my catechism, once upon a time,
+but it's so long ago that the idee has been blowed out of my head by
+the squalls and gales I've weathered, do you see!"
+
+Harry answered not. His mind was full of bitter reflections, in the
+midst of which his Mary, suffering in the hands of the savages,
+occupied a prominent part.
+
+"Perhaps we may burrow out of this!" he exclaimed, at length, "at all
+events, let us try!"
+
+So saying, he stooped, and went to work with hands and nails.
+
+He made some progress, but he had not dug a foot, when his hands came
+into contact with a hard substance, which resisted all his efforts to
+move it.
+
+It was a heavy stone, almost a rock in size, which had been shoved
+against the opening.
+
+"No hope!" he said, despairingly.
+
+As he spoke, a wild yell was heard without, followed by the noise of
+approaching steps.
+
+The steps drew nearer; there was a halt made alongside the tree, then
+followed a noise of dry branches being dragged along and piled round
+the trunk.
+
+"Ay! ay!" exclaimed Turk, aghast, "them heathens ain't even goin' to
+give us a chance to die in them underground flames, but is agoing to
+pile faggots and burn us at once."
+
+Harry shuddered.
+
+Then the thought occurred to him that perhaps Mary had perished in a
+similar manner.
+
+In a few minutes the crackling of flames, betokened that the old tar
+had guessed aright.
+
+The fire was wreathing and twining around the trunk of the tree, the
+inside of which was every moment growing hotter.
+
+"Ay, ay," moaned Turk, despondingly, "we are all a-goin' to be baked
+alive, as if we were two clams instead of humanized bein's!"
+
+Hotter became the seamen's narrow quarters every moment. Tongues of
+flames were now seen creeping through crevices in the trunk.
+
+The sap oozed with a hiss like a serpent's, while the smoke entering
+the hollow, almost suffocated the occupants.
+
+Heated, almost blinded, their flesh scorched, the sufferings of the
+twain were becoming fearful.
+
+In the lurid glare each could see the eyeballs of the other rolling
+wildly in his head, and hear his panting breath drawn with difficulty.
+
+"This is intolerable!" gasped Harry; "would that the rascals would
+spear us, and thus at once put an end to our torment."
+
+There seemed, however, no probability of their doing this.
+
+Meanwhile there were none of the manifestations of exultation and
+triumph peculiar to the North American savages.
+
+Nothing was to be heard above the din of the roaring and crackling
+flames, save a low, guttural croaking of quiet satisfaction, such as
+might have been uttered over chunks of roast beef cooking on a spit.
+
+"Ay, ay," muttered Turk, who for some time had been dancing up and
+down with pain, "I feel as if the gravy was already a-oozing out of my
+body."
+
+As he spoke, he chanced to glance upward, when he was startled by
+the apparition of a face, half concealed by a great green leaf,
+(protruding downward from under an old cap) thrust through the opening
+in the top of the trunk, while the rest of the body was screened by
+the thick branches around it.
+
+"Hist! Stand by! I'll save you both if I can!" said the stranger in a
+shrill, penetrating whisper, "on one condition!"
+
+For several moments the two men were so surprised that they could only
+stand motionless, looking up at the intruding face, without uttering a
+word.
+
+Harry was the first to speak.
+
+"Who are you! How came you there?"
+
+"It don't matter. I am only half human, at any rate. On one condition
+I said I'd save you."
+
+"Name it, name it, my man!" cried Turk, "and you'll see how quick we'll
+comply. But I'd think the savages would see you up there?"
+
+"No; the branches and leaves are too thick. The leaf over my face
+hides it from them while my body is in shadow."
+
+"Name that ere condition of yours then, quick!" exclaimed Turk.
+
+"Well, it is that you save my money!"
+
+"Your money?"
+
+"Yes I cannot get to it now. I beg you will save me my precious money."
+
+"Where is it!" inquired Turk, "if you'll jist tell me that p'raps I
+can----"
+
+"It's in a little cleft in the right side of the trunk in a bag. You
+may feel it by putting your hand there. Oh! my money--my precious
+money! that must not be sacrificed!"
+
+Turk felt along the trunk until finally his hand struck a deep cleft
+notched in the wood, when he felt the bag and drew it forth.
+
+It emitted a clinking sound.
+
+"Ay, ay, that's it!" whispered the stranger; "now unfasten the cord
+from it, and throw the end up to me, when I will draw you safely out
+of the hollow!"
+
+Turk instantly proceeded to do as directed. Unwinding the cord which,
+though small in thickness, was as tough as a clothes-line, he was
+glad to perceive that it was long enough to reach to the top of the
+trunk.
+
+Meanwhile, in spite of his sufferings, he could not forbear peeping
+into the bag, which, he at once perceived was full of shining pieces
+of gold.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV.
+
+OUT OF THE TREE.
+
+
+"What avail is all this?" said Harry; "it is likely the savages have
+already heard our conversation. Besides, they will certainly see us,
+when we are drawn up out of the top of the trunk."
+
+"It ain't likely they've heard us," said Turk, "as there's sich an
+infernal din with the roarin' of the fire here and the volcano above;
+but as to their seein' us, I dare say that may happen."
+
+"Throw me the cord--quick!" cried the stranger, "and let me haul you
+up here with my precious gold!"
+
+Turk threw the end of the cord.
+
+"You may go first," said Harry to the old tar.
+
+"Not a bit of it, lad!" answered Turk; "I ain't one of that sort, do
+ye see! There's no hurry for me. Your life is more valuable than that
+of sich an old lubber as your humble servant, Tom Turk."
+
+Harry, however was firm.
+
+He fastened the end of the line quickly under the armpits of the
+sailor, and ordered the stranger to haul away.
+
+Assisted by his own efforts and by the pulls from the man above, Turk
+soon was drawn through the opening.
+
+Then a savage yell proclaimed that he was seen, and the trick to
+effect of his release discovered by the natives.
+
+"Quick, my lad!" shouted Turk, throwing down the line to his friend,
+as several spears whizzed round his head.
+
+"Give me my gold!" almost shrieked the stranger, as he snatched the
+bag from the old seaman's pocket, and thrust it into his own, "and
+stand by to follow me, if you'd escape the natives."
+
+"Jist hold on a minnit!" said Turk, clutching the man by the arm;
+"I don't know who you be; whether you be humanized or t'otherwise,
+but one thing is sartin, it's playin' us a very scaly trick fur you
+a-tryin' to get off, when you know that the life of a feller creatur'
+is still to be saved."
+
+"Quick then, quick!" screamed the stranger, "don't you perceive that
+the natives are going to fling more spears?"
+
+"They can't hurt ye, if you ain't human," said Turk--then he added,
+eyeing the stranger curiously, "if you have what's tarmed a caudal
+canpendage, that is a tail, do you see, as all non-human bein's has, I
+wish you'd show it, so that I may know whose acquaintance I have the
+honor of makin."
+
+"Whiz! whiz! buz-z-z!" came more spears, passing within a few inches
+of the speaker's head.
+
+While talking, Turk had not neglected his friend, who by this time had
+passed the line round his breast and given the word to haul.
+
+The two pairs of arms soon had him up, when turning, the stranger was
+seen running along a branch extending from the burning tree to another.
+
+"There goes either the devil or a spook!" said Turk; "it's the
+queerest creatur' I ever saw, thinkin' of its gold under sarcumstances
+like the present."
+
+"Follow me, follow me, if you would escape," the man was now heard
+screaming out at the top of his voice.
+
+The seamen obeyed, gliding after the figure, which seemed to dart
+along with the speed of a squirrel.
+
+Having gained the other tree, the strange guide descended half way,
+then, by a drooping branch, swung himself quickly to the ground.
+
+Harry and his friend followed, the twain being pursued by the savages.
+
+Every nook and corner seemed familiar to the leader.
+
+On he went, dashing away with a speed which rapidly widened the
+distance between him and his followers.
+
+By powerful efforts, however, the two men continued to keep in sight.
+
+Finally Harry paused. The steps of the savages were heard crashing
+along but a short distance behind him.
+
+"Come on!" cried Turk, seizing the other's arm.
+
+"No," answered the latter, "the man is evidently carrying us further
+and further from Mary. For my part, I shall endeavor to ascertain the
+fate of the girl, if I die for it."
+
+All efforts of his friend to persuade him to keep on proved unavailing.
+
+"Well, one thing is sartin," said the old tar, "where you go, there,
+sir, Tom Turk, who never yet deserted a chum, goes too!"
+
+"Thank you," answered Glenville, squeezing the arm of his friend.
+
+Stepping to one side, and crouching in the shrubbery, Turk persuaded
+Harry to do the same.
+
+At this time, these two men were concealed from the savages by a high
+rock, round the angle of which they had passed.
+
+The natives, when they made the turn, believing that the two had kept
+on, continued the pursuit in a straight line, seeing the form of the
+strange guide, faintly visible in the far distance.
+
+When the savages had passed, making straight for the burning peak,
+Harry and his companion rose.
+
+"Which way now?" inquired Turk.
+
+"Towards the beach. There we may find Mary, either dead or alive, as
+there, it would seem, the greater number of the savages are gathered."
+
+Accordingly, they moved toward the beach, cautiously keeping in the
+shadow of the shrubbery, when they finally found themselves within
+about fifteen feet of a spot occupied by a dozen warriors, all of
+whom stood upright, their glances bent upon the steep sides of the
+volcanic cliff.
+
+"What is that?" inquired Harry, suddenly, trembling in every limb.
+
+"There are savages speeding up the cliff, and if I mistake not, I
+just saw the gleam of a light dress, as if the rascals were bearing a
+female between them."
+
+"Ay, ay," said Turk. "I saw it too, and it was sartinly a most
+melancholy sight."
+
+"That woman that we saw could of course be none other than Mary
+Manton," said Harry. "Come, we will at least die fighting for the
+girl."
+
+Before his friend could say a word, he was speeding along toward the
+cliff, still keeping in the shadow of the shrubbery, so that the
+natives could not see him.
+
+Now he and his companion eventually arrived at the base of the cliff.
+
+The natives in pursuit of the guide had, of course got there before
+them, and were now seen speeding up the steep ascent in hot pursuit of
+the strange man.
+
+"Come," said Harry; "come!"
+
+As he spoke, he sped straight up the cliff.
+
+"Well," muttered Turk, as he panted for breath, "this is hot work for
+sich old timbers as I be. The lad won't give me a chance to breathe.
+I may as well make up my mind to go to etarnity, the road to which
+is where we are now goin'; so I'll jist make one chaw of this plug,"
+pulling from his pocket a great piece of tobacco, the whole of which
+he at once thrust into his right cheek.
+
+On he went, until suddenly he uttered a loud cry, as Harry disappeared
+from his sight.
+
+Believing that the young man had fallen into some one of the deep
+chasms with which the cliff abounded, he hurried on, and was somewhat
+relieved to perceive that the object of his fears had merely fallen
+into a small rocky pit, with the exception of a few slight bruises,
+hurting himself but little.
+
+Springing into the pit, the old tar assisted his prostrate friend to
+his feet.
+
+At the same moment, clapping his hand to his brow, and uttering a wild
+cry, the young man pointed far above him.
+
+Gazing in the indicated direction, Turk uttered a sort of despairing
+grunt, and sat down on a flat, protruding shelf of rock, as if
+completely overcome at the spectacle which now met his gaze.
+
+This spectacle, which has already been described, was none other
+than that of the young girl and Captain Brand, far above the
+two adventurers, distinctly revealed in the lurid gleam of the
+fire-spouting crater, being swung back and forth for a fling into the
+red-flaming jaw of the horrible chasm!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI.
+
+THE FIRE-CHASM.
+
+
+The fearful situation in which she now found herself was enough to
+appal a stouter hear than that of Mary Manton.
+
+Poor girl! after all the hardships she had undergone, to find herself
+about to meet such a frightful doom, was, indeed, a trying ordeal for
+her delicate nerves.
+
+Shriek after shriek passing her lips, mingled with the hoarsest cries
+of Captain Brand, and the triumphant screams of the savages, who,
+their forms and faces lighted by the volcanic fire, might well have
+been compared to the demons of the infernal regions!
+
+Twenty times at least, as if to torture them by the fearful suspense,
+the natives swung their victims before they made the final one to
+throw them into the yawning chasm!
+
+Meanwhile, Turk and his friend had started afresh, and were fast
+scaling the sides of the cliff.
+
+The mountain was now fairly reeling with the inner convulsions. The
+lava had swollen on one side to a broad stream, rushing, hissing and
+streaming down the side of the steep cliff.
+
+In fact the two men as they mounted, were constantly obliged to dodge
+to one side, to escape contact with some of the diverging rivulets.
+
+On they went, now tottering on the verge of some deep gorge, and now
+scaling a narrow passage between enormous rocks, which reeled as if
+about to fall upon and crush them.
+
+Meanwhile the air was full of strange noises.
+
+Hissing, roaring and booming, the report of bursting deluges of fire
+came out from the bosom of the mountain.
+
+The fire spread fast--the sky itself seemed aflame with the warning of
+impending destruction.
+
+"This is sartinly the most excitin' moment in my life," said Turk, who
+now gasped at every step. "I'm afraid that even when we git up to the
+summit where that poor gal is, there won't be any strength left in my
+bones to help the poor creature!"
+
+"Come on!" answered Harry, in ringing tones. "On! on!"
+
+And on they went, scaling the burning mountain with almost incredible
+speed.
+
+At one time the view of the forms upon the summit was hidden by an
+intruding rock.
+
+"Do you see her, now?" Harry anxiously inquired.
+
+"No!" answered Turk, as he vainly endeavored to catch a glimpse of the
+fire-lighted forms.
+
+"Alas! It was a bad day for poor Mary, when she set out in search of
+her lost father," exclaimed Harry; "poor girl! brave girl!"
+
+"Ay, and a wild-goose chase, it has proved so far, and will prove a
+wild-gooser before its over."
+
+Continuing on, the two men finally came to a point, where two paths,
+diverging between high rocks, met their gaze.
+
+They were undecided which of these to take.
+
+"My God! the girl will meet her fate, before we can get to her!"
+exclaimed Harry, as he dashed into the path on the right. "Come on,
+Turk! This path ascends and must be the right one, as the other seems
+to incline!"
+
+Turk shook his head.
+
+"P'raps you're right, and p'raps not!" he said. "If it hadn't been for
+them lava-streams, we might have kept straight ahead, and been at the
+end of our cruise in more senses than one, before the present moment."
+
+The two kept on, but the further they went, the more puzzled they
+became, as the path they pursued soon led them among a perfect
+labyrinth of rocks, some of them overarched so that, with the
+exception of a lurid gleam of light, here and there, they were left in
+total darkness.
+
+The labyrinth became more difficult.
+
+Tangled bushes, vines, shrubs, and the roots of decayed trees impeded
+their way every moment.
+
+Meanwhile the agony of the young man, searching hither and thither for
+some way out of his difficulty, was terrible. The sweat came out upon
+his brow, his veins seemed on fire with feverish excitement.
+
+He knew all the time he was thus searching that Mary's doom must soon
+be sealed, if already she had not been hurled into the whirlpool of
+fire!
+
+Turk also vainly exerted himself; but the more the two endeavored
+to find a way out of the labyrinth, the more hopelessly they became
+entangled.
+
+At length they found themselves at the mouth of a cavern. The floor
+of this cave seemed to extend downward, while far ahead of them, they
+beheld the fiery gleam of the volcano.
+
+"This is our way," shouted Turk. "Come, lad, come!"
+
+He dove into the cavern, followed by his friend, both believing that
+when they should arrive at the terminus of this sloping tunnel, they
+would find a way to the top of the cliff!
+
+Encouraged by this hope, Harry sped on with a swiftness, which soon
+carried him far beyond his friend.
+
+In a few minutes he had gained the further end of the cavern, when
+Turk heard his wild despairing cry ringing out like that of a wounded
+wolf.
+
+In a moment he was by the young man, who pointed upward.
+
+When Turk also perceived that they had made their way to this point,
+only to be aggravated by another sight of the tatooed forms of the
+savages and their intended victims, so far above them that they could
+not hope to reach the spot.
+
+In fact they now found themselves in one of those deep gorges, whose
+sides were too steep to be ascended, but which commanded a view of the
+raging fire.
+
+Yes, there was the girl and Brand, still being swung hither and
+thither that their torments might yet be prolonged.
+
+The sight almost drove Harry mad. He clenched his fists, and
+compressed his lips, as if, by the exertion of a strong will alone, he
+hoped to prevent the accomplishment of the fearful deed.
+
+As to Turk, he danced about in his excitement performing a sort of
+fantastic hornpipe, while all the time the tears streamed down his
+wrinkled cheeks.
+
+"Ay, ay," he moaned, "it is too bad. If I could lay down my life a
+thousand times for that poor gal, God knows I would willingly do it."
+
+The scream of the imperiled one now rang down the cliff penetrating
+the hearts of the two men like a knife.
+
+"Good God!" cried Harry; "oh, Turk! Turk! let us see if we cannot yet
+get to her, before the demons do their foul work."
+
+The increased thunder of the volcano seemed to mock his voice. The air
+and sky reddened by the lurid gleam, seemed filled with a crimson mist
+rolling in clouds round the swaying forms, and shrouding them from
+sight.
+
+As Harry spoke, Turk pressed his forehead against the rocky side of
+the gorge, while he pointed upward at the girl, whose hair, catching
+the red gleam, seemed another shower of fire.
+
+"No use, Harry. See, they are giving the last swing! I know by the
+voice of that native who has jist howled out the order."
+
+In fact so shrill and piercing and savage was the islander's cry that
+its import could not well be mistaken.
+
+Like the croaking shriek of a ravenous sea-bird, it came grating down
+the sides of the rock.
+
+"My God! there she goes!" screamed Harry; "Mary! Mary!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII.
+
+UNEXPECTED.
+
+
+With that cry from Harry Glenville was mingled the despairing scream
+of the young girl.
+
+The two savages holding her, had swung her forward with great impetus
+to fling her into the red gulf, when a wild form suddenly came
+bounding forward from the summit of an overhanging rock, snatched the
+girl from their arms and made off with her with deer-like speed.
+
+To explain this, it must be remembered that the gaze of all the
+savages present, had been concentrated upon the two intended victims,
+so that they had known nothing of the approach of the intruder, who,
+it need scarcely be told, was the singular island guide.
+
+This person, probably from his greater familiarity with the mountain
+paths, had distanced his pursuers who, like Harry Glenville and Turk,
+soon became puzzled as to their course, and thus lost track of the
+fugitive.
+
+Coming upon the fearful scene near the fire chasm, the strong man had
+found it easy to leap from his position, snatch the girl from the
+already relaxed grasp of her tormentors, and make considerable headway
+before the natives could recover sufficiently from their surprise to
+start in pursuit.
+
+So astonished were all that the two who held Captain Brand, allowed
+the latter to disengage himself from their grasp and make off at a
+speed accelerated to almost incredible swiftness by his fears.
+
+The course taken by Brand led him at right angles with that followed
+by the stranger, so that the pursuers were obliged to separate.
+
+This separation gave the fugitives an advantage, especially the
+strange guide, who seemed familiar with every nook and corner of the
+mountain.
+
+On he went, seeming to carry his burden with a strength probably
+caused by some powerful excitement, although his gray hair, streaming
+back from under the broad leaf, partially concealing his face,
+proclaimed his advanced years.
+
+Finally, however, he began to stagger beneath his burden, which, it
+was evident, was too much for him.
+
+Seemingly bent, however, upon gaining some particular point, he kept
+on until he came to a small, dark hollow, between a number of jagged
+rocks, where he crawled therein.
+
+"Hist!" he muttered, as the young girl opened her mouth, apparently on
+the point of speaking. "Not a word! I have my money! money! money!" he
+added, in the same penetrating whisper, as he thrust his hand in his
+pocket and felt the jingling bag.
+
+The man had been mistaken about Mary's wishing to speak.
+
+The poor girl's eyes were closed, her cheek as white as marble. She
+had fainted at the moment when the natives were at the point of
+flinging her to her destruction.
+
+Seemingly unaware of this circumstance, her preserver, crouching down
+without again looking at her, listened intently, probably for the
+steps of his pursuers.
+
+These steps, drawing nearer, finally went past.
+
+The fugitive had served the natives a trick. Unseen by them, owing to
+an intruding point of rock, when he crawled into the small cave, they
+had passed him, believing he had gone on, far ahead.
+
+He waited full a quarter of an hour, then, emerging, continued on.
+
+At a place where two narrow paths diverged, he came upon Brand,
+crouching in the angle of a rock.
+
+Here the light was indistinct.
+
+"Who are you who have saved this girl?" inquired the captain, coming
+forward.
+
+"Don't question me," answered the other, "but help me with this girl."
+
+Brand started as suddenly. Then, recovering his self-possession,
+although trembling in every limb, he complied with the request.
+
+"My money--my money--ha! ha! I _have that_ safe!" muttered the
+stranger, as they proceeded.
+
+"Your _what_?" gasped Brand, fairly turning as white as the senseless
+girl.
+
+"My money," was the answer--"all safe!"
+
+On they went, following a path which led them by the tunnel through
+which Harry and Turk had previously passed, from which they were
+emerging at this very moment.
+
+Brand started back.
+
+"You safe?" he exclaimed, staring at Harry, as if at a ghost.
+
+"Ay," answered the young man.
+
+Then he sprang to the side of the unconscious girl, peering down upon
+her still face.
+
+"Not dead! not dead!" he cried, wildly.
+
+Even as he spoke, the girl opened her eyes.
+
+In the faint light they gleamed like stars, as they fell upon her
+lover's face.
+
+"Harry!" she exclaimed.
+
+In an instant she was on her feet, supported by her friends until she
+had fully regained her balance.
+
+Then explanations followed.
+
+"And who, my friend, are you who have thus benefitted us?" inquired
+Harry, now turning to grasp the hand of the stranger.
+
+The latter, however, was nowhere to be seen.
+
+"That chap I should sartinly take for the devil, do you see, if it
+'twan't that I couldn't neither see his caudal cumpendage, nor account
+for his savin' the gal, which no devil, I take it, would have done."
+
+Meanwhile, words may not express the joy of the lovers at their
+reunion. Mary had firmly believed that Harry was dashed to pieces when
+Brand let go of the rope.
+
+Alluding to this, Turk now said:
+
+"How came you to do sich a trick, captain?"
+
+The latter turned aside his head, trembling like an aspen as he
+recalled to mind the apparition he had seen among the trees.
+
+"Accidents will happen," he said, in a husky voice.
+
+"Well," continued Turk, "now that we have so far got clear of them
+infarnal blackskins, I trust and hope that we may contrive to get away
+from the island without seein' 'em, or, at any rate, before we are
+swallowed up in fire!"
+
+At that moment, far ahead of them, they beheld the stranger, his face
+still screened by the broad leaf, beckoning to them.
+
+So he had not deserted them, after all.
+
+"We'd better follow him," said Turk, "as he seems to know every part
+of this island. To my thinkin', he'll get us out of this scrape, if
+it's possible to get out!"
+
+The advice was followed.
+
+The strange guide led the party along the narrow path with great
+celerity, until they finally arrived at the foot of the cliff.
+
+By this time the whole island presented an appearance at once, wild
+and fearful.
+
+The showers of fire from the mountain were increased ten-fold; the
+island rocked like a cradle. Every part of it seemed lighted with a
+ghastly radiance. A red mist hovered over it rolling along, volume
+upon volume.
+
+Near the beach the water was seen breaking into thousands of bubbles,
+while further beyond it was dashed to a foam.
+
+Meanwhile the noises of shock following shock were become terrific.
+
+A whole pack of artillery seemed to burst and boom, volley upon
+volley, beneath the quaking soil!
+
+Suddenly there was a shock as of many thunderbolts, from the direction
+of the mountain, which was now seen split, apparently from top to
+bottom, into a great chasm, from which in great quantities burst forth
+streams of lava and long forked tongues of lurid flame.
+
+The island was now as light as day. Far and near objects could be
+plainly distinguished, while overhead showers of flying sparks almost
+obscured the sky!
+
+In the red glare, the forms of savages were now seen making all haste
+to descend the tottering cliff!
+
+Appalled by the impending fate of the island, all the natives who had
+been left below, were seen at a distance beckoning to their companions
+to make haste.
+
+The white people now were nearer the canoe than the savages themselves.
+
+"Come!" screamed the guide, as he made towards the light vessel.
+"Come!"
+
+He beckoned, as he spoke, to the young girl and the seamen, all of
+whom made haste to follow him.
+
+The savages below, now, for the first time, caught sight of the white
+party, and made for them with great swiftness, yelling and brandishing
+their spears.
+
+"There's sartinly no time to lose," exclaimed Turk, as he assisted his
+friend to help Mary along; "if them blackskins get at us now, they'll
+make sure work of it by pinning us to the ground."
+
+The party hurried on.
+
+They reached the canoe, while the islanders were yet forty yards
+distant, when, springing in, all the men seized paddles and went to
+work.
+
+Spear after spear was hurled at them before they had gone more than a
+few fathoms from the beach.
+
+One of these missiles severed a lock from Mary's head, another grazed
+the shoulder of her lover.
+
+"Quick!" shrieked Turk, "if we don't get away from here in a minute,
+we'll all be swallered in fire and water!"
+
+This, in fact, seemed evident. The bubbles increased on the surface.
+The surges rolled wildly, swaying hither and thither--the booming
+thunder underground was become deafening.
+
+Glancing towards the islanders, these unfortunates were seen running
+towards the raft, and then flocking up on it with all possible
+dispatch, while filling the air with dismal, howling cries.
+
+"God help the poor wretches!" cried Mary.
+
+"Paddle ahead, paddle for life!" screamed Turk, as the cliff, with a
+din as if the very earth were being rent in twain, tumbled to pieces,
+rock upon rock, apparently drowned in a sea of fire, amid which the
+forms of the doomed natives on the cliff were also seen to disappear.
+Sky air and sea looked as if aflame.
+
+The whole universe seemed to rock and tremble.
+
+The crimson waves rose high around the frail canoe; while the raft
+nearer to the beach, was at once engulphed with its living freight.
+
+"God help us!" cried Mary.
+
+"We are lost!" shouted Brand, shutting out the fearful aspect of sea
+and heaven, by putting a hand to his eyes.
+
+"Hush!" said Harry, sternly, "I trust we may escape."
+
+All round the island the waves were now seen trembling in great
+colliding, clashing walls of hissing boiling water.
+
+From these walls streams of fire, like lightning flashes, shot
+continually upward.
+
+The air was still full of flying sparks, and of lava stones which
+dropped in showers into the water.
+
+For full half an hour the commotion continued, when, suddenly, the
+doomed island disappeared forever, while the agitated waves continued
+to bubble and boil long afterwards, over the spot where it had existed.
+
+Gradually the fearful red lustre of sky and sea died away. A gloom,
+appalling from its strange suddenness, fell upon the sea.
+
+The canoe with its occupants floated in darkness upon the agitated
+waters.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII.
+
+CONCLUSION.
+
+
+The men in the canoe continued paddling ahead. There was no sleep for
+any of the occupants during that night.
+
+When daylight stole upon the sea they looked toward the spot, far
+astern, where the island had been but where there was nothing now to
+mark the spot except a mass of agitated waters, gradually subsiding.
+
+Straight and tall, at the stern of the canoe, sat the stranger guide,
+he whose features had previously been hidden and the breadfruit leaf,
+now thrust aside.
+
+Brand, who had been gazing toward the place he occupied, ever since
+the day began to break, now was visibly agitated. He trembled all
+over, while his face was perfectly ghastly.
+
+As the light increased, and the stranger's features became yet more
+distinct, the captain uttered a wild cry, and while his eyes rolled
+wildly in his head, sat as if transfixed to his thwart still gazing
+upon the man before him.
+
+A moment he remained thus, then fell senseless upon his face.
+
+Mary, who had hitherto been gazing away toward the west, turned at the
+cry Brand uttered, and seemed for a moment, like one spellbound as her
+gaze fell upon the stranger's face.
+
+Then her eyes lighted up her whole countenance a gleam with joy.
+
+"My father!" she exclaimed, "father! father! Oh! thank God, I have
+found him at last!"
+
+Stretching forth her arms, she moved towards the guide, who, however,
+still sat looking at her half wonderingly and half pityingly, without
+seeming to recognize her.
+
+Mary, however, knew him well. She could not mistake those familiar
+features, and the fact of his not seeming to recognize her, seemed to
+inspire her with the deepest grief.
+
+"Oh, papa! papa! Look! behold! Here is your daughter! I am Mary, papa!
+Don't you know me?"
+
+An expression of partial intelligence came to the man's eyes, then
+passed like a gleam of sunlight obliterated by the shadow of a cloud.
+
+"Ay, ay, now!" exclaimed Tom Turk as he gazed at the man, "this is too
+bad! I know ye well enough as the passenger once aboard the _Maxwell_,
+and who was supposed to be lost; the father of this lass. It's mighty
+strange you don't know your own child."
+
+"Mr. Manton," exclaimed Harry, stepping forward, and grasping the hand
+of him he addressed, "this is a great, great pleasure! Thank God we
+have found you at last, alive and well! Do not, I beg of you, afflict
+your daughter longer by playing off this joke upon her!"
+
+"Joke! joke!" said Mr. Manton, running a hand through his gray hair
+and looking up in a bewildered manner, "I don't understand you! Ha!
+ha! it's all safe, my money!" he added, "all safe! safe!"
+
+Harry looked sorrowfully at the speaker.
+
+Glances of intelligence were exchanged between him and Turk.
+
+Even Mary could no longer doubt the fearful truth, which had gradually
+been forcing itself upon her mind.
+
+Her father was insane!
+
+She flung herself at his feet--she grasped both his hands, and kissed
+them again and again--then burst into tears, sobbing as if her heart
+would break, at the vacant stare, which was the only response to her
+manifestations.
+
+Harry endeavored to soothe her.
+
+"I am confident," said he, "that your father is not a confirmed
+lunatic. He may be restored to his reason, if care be taken. I have
+seen worse cases than this cured."
+
+So excited were Harry and his friends over the discovery they had
+made, that, although the singular emotion of Brand had not escaped
+their attention, yet they had not noticed his being unconscious.
+
+Now, however, Turk perceived it.
+
+"A strange affair, this," said he; "had old Nick himself come to claim
+the captain, he couldn't have acted queerer than he has at the sight
+of Mr. Manton!"
+
+In a few minutes, the captain recovered, staring wildly around him,
+until his eye was caught by the spectacle of the old man astern, when
+he started back with an affrighted cry.
+
+"It is real flesh and blood, then," he exclaimed.
+
+"Why, of course, Cap," answered Turk, "you don't suppose, I hope,
+that we'd take a ghost passenger!"
+
+"Real flesh and blood," continued Brand, an expression of relief
+passing over his face, as he noticed the vacant stare of Mr. Manton,
+showing that the latter did not recognize him. "I am glad of it--ay,
+very glad. So he was not lost overboard, after all!"
+
+"It seems not!" said Turk; "but I shouldn't have thought the discovery
+would have set you off into a faintin' fit?"
+
+"Well, you see," said Brand, with a forced laugh, "the fact is I am a
+little superstitious--always was!"
+
+This explanation hardly seemed to satisfy the old sailor, who shook
+his head without saying a word.
+
+Meanwhile, the canoe, still urged along by Turk's paddle, was gliding
+through the blue waters, now just beginning to catch the tinge of the
+coming sunlight.
+
+Suddenly the old sailor, who had long been gazing far away towards the
+west, sprung to his feet, screaming out! "Sail O!" with all his might.
+
+"It's the same craft I saw t'other night from the cliff!" said he; "I
+didn't say anything about it, as I wasn't sure it was a sail in the
+imperfect light, and didn't want to awake false hopes."
+
+Harry Glenville now seizing his paddle, assisted Turk.
+
+Meanwhile Brand, with an old handkerchief, continued to raise a
+signal, which it was soon evident, was seen by the vessel.
+
+Previously standing away towards the southward, she now was seen to
+come 'round, bowling along, close hauled towards the canoe.
+
+This at last was reached, and the occupants picked up, to learn they
+were aboard the ship _Empire_, of New York, homeward bound.
+
+Every kind attention was bestowed upon the castaways, who, on their
+arrival home, a few months after, published a letter of thanks to the
+good skipper.
+
+Mary took her father to a little cottage she occupied with an aunt.
+
+A celebrated physician, accustomed to lunatic cases was called.
+
+He pronounced Mr. Manton's case, a curable one, and, in the course of
+a year proved it so, by restoring the old man fully to his reason.
+
+Words may not express the joy of Mary, who had awaited this happy
+moment to become the wife of Harry Glenville.
+
+The old man was present at the wedding, in which he took the interest
+natural to the father of the bride.
+
+On the very night of the ceremony, the old man, who had not previously
+touched upon that 'dark affair' aboard the _Maxwell_, was able to
+reveal events, so as to go into a full explanation.
+
+He stated that, after being knocked overboard by Brand, he threw out
+his arms, clutching the plank which had fallen with him, and which,
+thanks to his being a good swimmer and to a favorable current, enabled
+him to drift down upon the volcanic island.
+
+The hardship and excitement undergone, however, that night, so worked
+upon his brain, that he was affected with a fever which lasted a
+couple of days.
+
+After that all was a blank to Mr. Manton. He could not remember what
+took place from that time to the present.
+
+Although insane, however, the man's instinct, or some other cause, had
+prompted him to stow his money away in the hollow tree.
+
+"Ay, ay," said Harry, "it was evidently to obtain your money that that
+wretch Brand threw you overboard!"
+
+"Of course," answered Manton. "But the rascal was nicely foiled, for,
+as it happened, it was always my custom, when I stepped on deck to put
+my money in the canvas bag, and thrust it into my pocket!
+
+"This carefulness of mine may be understood, when I inform you that I
+intended every cent of that money for my darling child, to whom I now
+present it with great joy at being able to place her above want during
+her lifetime!"
+
+We have little to add.
+
+After Manton's explanation, Brand was sought for, but could not be
+found, as he had cleared off to parts unknown.
+
+He was never again heard of, if we except a rumor, that he had been
+lost at sea!
+
+Tom Turk was favorably recommended to the ship owners by Harry
+Glenville, who was thus enabled to procure him a vessel.
+
+The old fellow followed the sea until he was seventy years of age,
+when he settled down in an old cottage on the outskirts of New York,
+within a mile of the residence of Harry Glenville and his beautiful
+bride.
+
+Mr. Manton still lives; in fact his native air has seemed to agree
+with him. He is nearly as straight as ever, while, in spite of his
+gray hairs, his cheek glows with the ruddy hue of health!
+
+Often on still summer nights, with his grandchildren at his knee, he
+relates the story of the wicked Brand, who, for his many crimes, and
+especially for his dark attempt to take a human life, was long spoken
+of by sea men as the Demon Cruiser.
+
+
+THE END.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+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 Oconto.
+
+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.
+
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+Transcriber's Notes
+
+
+The Table of Contents has been added by the transcriber and it is
+placed in the public domain. Minor punctuation errors have been
+silently corrected.
+
+Page 12: Changed "birth" to "berth."
+  (Orig: He went back to his birth, not to sleep,)
+
+Page 19: Changed "Sidney," to "Sydney."
+  (Orig: visit some of them before going into Sidney.")
+
+Page 21: Changed "steped" to "stepped."
+  (Orig: Then he steped to the captain's side,)
+
+Page 23: Retained "claining," but possibly meant "clinging."
+  (Orig: Vainly Brand, claining to a rope near the mizzenmast,)
+
+Page 23: Changed "sevaral" to "several."
+  (Orig: a violence which threw sevaral men off the yard)
+
+Page 25: Retained "dextrious", but probably meant "dexterous."
+  (Orig: the old fellow by a dextrious movement,)
+
+Page 30: Changed "swarm" to "swam."
+  (Orig: He swarm to a spar near him, and, with the ropes)
+
+Page 38: Changed "accomodation" to "accommodation."
+  (Orig: one for the accomodation of the men,)
+
+Page 40: Changed "apparrently" to "apparently."
+  (Orig: were audible, apparrently approaching the hut!)
+
+Page 42: Retained "from," but probably meant "for."
+  (Orig: Harry now sprang from the raft.)
+
+Page 47: Changed "ripling" to "rippling."
+  (Orig: Away it went, ripling the water,)
+
+Page 53: Changed "rock," to "rocks."
+  (Orig: firmly wedged in between two rock,)
+
+Page 55: Changed "strangly" to "strangely."
+  (Orig: staring eyes, were fixed strangly upon the captain.)
+
+Page 59: Changed "decending" to "descending."
+  (Orig: apparently decending towards him with great rapidity.)
+
+Page 59: Changed "aditional" to "additional."
+  (Orig: with the fall of aditional lava occurred,)
+
+Page 62: Changed "in" to "is."
+  (Orig: "This in dang'rous traveling," remarked Turk,)
+
+Page 63: Removed duplicate "it."
+  (Orig: the drowned passenger as it it was hastily withdrawn!)
+
+Page 68: Changed "rembered" to "remembered."
+  (Orig: bewildered, she soon rembered all.)
+
+Page 68: Changed "headed" to "heeded."
+  (Orig: The natives headed not her sufferings.)
+
+Page 69: Changed "superstious" to "superstitious."
+  (Orig: The superstious natives are prone to believe weird stories,)
+
+Page 69: Changed "eat" to "ate."
+  (Orig: Brand eat heartily, but poor Mary, almost maddened)
+
+Page 70: Changed "evntually" to "eventually."
+  (Orig: all possible dispatch, evntually pausing upon a lofty spire,)
+
+Page 70: Changed "hight" to "height."
+  (Orig: This spur, rising to a hight of about forty feet)
+
+Page 73: Changed "peal" to "peel."
+  (Orig: strips of which were already beginning to peal off.)
+
+Page 73: "salle" for "sally," is best guess for unclear word,
+meaning to rush out, assault.
+  (Orig: do anything in a hurry, which do you see, will salle all.")
+
+Page 78: Changed "conditon" to "condition."
+  (Orig: "Name that ere conditon of yours then, quick!")
+
+Page 85: Retained "hear" typo, but possibly "heart" or "head."
+  (Orig: was enough to appal a stouter hear than that of Mary)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Demon Cruiser, by R. L. Wheeler
+
+*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE DEMON CRUISER ***
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