BOOKS JUST PUBLISHED. 
 
 "AFTER LONG YEARS." 
 
 By MRS. MACKENZIE DANIELS. 
 
 "SKATING ON THIN ICE." 
 
 By the Author of " Eeca Gakland," 
 
 "PHILIP LISLE." 
 By the Author of " The Two Households." 
 
 'THE SCHOOLMASTER OF ALTON." 
 By the Author of " The Dull Stone House."
 
 "IL PELLEGRTNO." 
 
 By captain J, W. CLAYTON. 
 
 "SNOWED UP." 
 
 By MRS. OCTAVIUS FRIERE OWEN. 
 
 "YESTERDAY AND TO-DAY." 
 
 By CYRUS REDDING. 
 
 "A COUNTRY VISIT." 
 
 By the Author of "Constance Dale." 
 
 "TRIED AND TRUE." 
 
 By ALTON CLYDE. 
 
 "THE FIRST TEMPTATION." 
 
 Translated from the German by MRS. W. WILDE.
 
 THE 
 
 PIRATES OF "THE FOAM." 
 
 A NOVEL. 
 
 BT 
 
 C. F. AKMSTRONG, Esq., 
 
 AUTHOR OP 
 
 ' The Two Midshipmen," " The Frigate and the Logger," " The Cruise 
 of the Daring," "The Lily of Devon," &c. 
 
 IN THREE VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. L 
 
 T. CAUTLEY NEWBY, PUBLISHEB, 
 
 30, WELBECK STREET, CAVENDISH SQUARE. 
 
 1863. 
 
 [the eight of teanslation is keseeved.]
 
 ^a3 
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 (.-> 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 4 
 
 ~Mr. Skelton was sitting in his parlour with 
 his wife and two daughters, when a letter, 
 bearing the Rarasgate post mark, was placed 
 -in his hands. Hurriedly breaking the seal 
 5 and reading a line or two, he turned alter- 
 ed nately pale and red, exclaiming, "Dead! — 
 ^how sudden !" 
 ^ " Dead !" repeated Mrs. Skelton, startled. 
 
 " Dear me ! who is dead, John?" 
 4 " Why, Mrs. Morton, of Ramsgate," replied 
 -:^ the schoolmaster, in a very serious accent, 
 ^ changing to a tone of vexation as he added, 
 
 VOL. I. B
 
 Z THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " and within a fortnight of the next quarter's 
 payment becoming due." 
 
 The lady looked sad, as she said feelingly, 
 " Poor Arthur will feel this sudden bereave- 
 ment deeply. What will he do?" 
 
 " That's exactly what I want to know," 
 answered the husband, sharply. " I wonder 
 if she has made a will, and has left anything 
 to this castaway." 
 
 Mrs. Skelton's countenance was sorrowful 
 as she murmured, " Poor young man ; I trust 
 he will be provided with a situation at all 
 events." 
 
 " Fiddlestick !" muttered the husband ; 
 " let us think of ourselves, not of that proud 
 upstart, who will find his level now. But I 
 shall be in time for the one o'clock train. Lucky 
 it is vacation. I will start at once for Rams- 
 gate. Mrs. Morton has been dead nearly a 
 week. When you see young Bolton just tell 
 him the old woman is no more ; you can con- 
 tinue to be civil to him till I hear or see how 
 the land lies." And off went the schoolmaster.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. O 
 
 " What can papa mean ?" exclaimed Anne 
 Skelton to her thoughtful mother. " Surely 
 he does not intend to be unkind to Arthur." 
 
 "Why, my dear," replied the mother, 
 evasively, " what can your father do ? We 
 are far from rich. You cannot expect him to 
 support Arthur Bolton ?" 
 
 "No, mamma," returned the young girl 
 almost reproachfully ; " but he could show 
 that he felt for his unprotected situation. He 
 is quite fit to take the usher's vacant place. 
 You know papa is anxiously looking for one 
 to replace young Mr. Gleg — " 
 
 " Unfortunately, my dear child, your papa 
 has a great dislike to Mr. Bolton. Why, I 
 cannot surmise, for the young man is endowed 
 with fine talents, and is kind and attentive to 
 everyone." 
 
 During this conversation between mother 
 and daughter, Arthur Bolton was in the 
 garden assisting John Burton, the gardener, 
 to fasten up plants, and trim and arrange 
 
 B -S
 
 4 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 Miss Anne Skelton's own especial flower- 
 garden. 
 
 Whilst thus employed, intent on pleasing 
 one who for many years had been to him as 
 a most cherished sister, and unconscious of 
 the great change impending, we will intro- 
 duce our hero more fully to the reader, and 
 explain why, at twenty, he was still studying 
 in Mr. Skelton's school, and also tell why, 
 with all his indefatigable industry, high prin- 
 ciples, and submission to just discipline, he 
 was an object of dislike to the gentleman who 
 was hailed as master by a large number of 
 pupils. 
 
 When Arthur, at the age of nine, was 
 placed as pupil with Mr. Skelton, that gentle- 
 man regarded him as an orphan of good 
 family, the protege of a widow lady, a rela- 
 tive, whose name was Morton, reputed rich, 
 and who resided at Eamsgate. Of her wishes 
 there could be no doubt, for she paid most 
 liberally for the child's education each quarter 
 in advance, though she never saw him.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. O 
 
 After a few months, rumour carried some 
 report into the school, and Mr. Skelton, who 
 worshipped wealth and power, and hated 
 everything plebeian, questioned his pupil, and 
 was disgusted to discover that he knew no- 
 thing respecting his parents, and had no recol- 
 lection of any home but that of a shrimp- 
 catcher, whose daughter had shown him the 
 care and affection of a mother, and whose 
 name he bore. He had been placed in that 
 humble home by Mrs. Morton, who had saved 
 him from drowning on the beach, and whose 
 age prevented any scandal being attached to 
 her charitable action. Beyond the mere act 
 of saving the child's life, and the certainty 
 that its infancy and early childhood were fos- 
 tered and properly attended to, she seemed to 
 ignore his existence, till suddenly she remem- 
 bered, that having performed an act of Chris- 
 tian kindness towards the little foundling, 
 duties were entailed which she resolved to 
 fulfil. The first was to give him a good edu-
 
 b THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 cation ; and liberal payment was offered Mr. 
 Skelton to make the boy clever. Kindness 
 with learnino; mio;ht also have been advan- 
 tageously bargained for, but Mrs. Morton 
 knew nothing of kindness, and gave no ap- 
 parent thought to what the poor helpless child 
 might suffer in leaving his humble home to go 
 among associates of a grade superior to that 
 he had hitherto been accustomed to. 
 
 Fortunately he had been well trained. If 
 he had been treated as a little prince in the 
 shrimp- catcher's cottage, he had been taught 
 self-denial, and to feel for those around him. 
 His manners, if wanting in polish, were with- 
 out vulgarity, and very soon he won his way 
 to the affection of his young companions, 
 though he made no progress in gaining an in- 
 terest in Mr. Skelton's heart. That gentle- 
 man, with his predilection for birth and sta- 
 tion, was jealous that a nameless castaway 
 should distance more high-born competitors. 
 In the school-room little Bolton, as he was
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. i 
 
 at first styled, studied steadily, was so atten- 
 tive to rules, that the master had but few 
 opportunities of punishing. 
 
 In the early part of his career at school, 
 our young hero formed a strict friendship 
 with a lad named Hugh Dormer, the son of a 
 Hampshire baronet, and this friendship pre- 
 sented a great barrier against any unjust 
 attack from the master, who saw his despised 
 pupil climb every impediment thrown in his 
 way, in his great thirst for knowledge, and 
 advance in the love and esteem of all save 
 himself. Some indeed would sometimes, in 
 the heat of passion or envy, call him a shrimp, 
 and then the indignant boy would prove he 
 was about the worst kind of shrimp they ever 
 handled, and discovered his claws had 
 more of the lobster in tlieir grip than the 
 shrimp. 
 
 Little in reality did Arthur Bolton care, 
 either for the sneers of the mean-spirited few, 
 or the unjust dislike of Mr. Skelton ; the 
 greater number of his companions loved him,
 
 8 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 and Mrs. Skelton had compassion on the 
 orphan, and strove to be a mother in attention 
 and affection. Her children were first his 
 playfellows in the holidays, afterwards his 
 companions, and by little kindnesses atoned 
 for the conduct of the father, and thus ren- 
 dered his life not unhappy, if deprived of all 
 those ties so delightful to the young, viz., the 
 loving smile of a mother, — a father's glance 
 of proud satisfaction, as the hard-earned prize- 
 book is given to his hand, — a sister's kiss of 
 congratulation, — a brother's warm grasp. To 
 all these feelings Arthur Bolton was an alien, 
 but he steadily pursued his course of study, 
 and had his reward in the consciousness of his 
 own talents. 
 
 The greatest sorrow during these years was 
 the departure of Hugh Dormer from school; 
 a departure soothed by promises of enduring 
 affection and a constant correspondence, and 
 the hope of future intercourse. 
 
 Two years before this tale commences, Mr, 
 Skelton was informed that his despised pupil
 
 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 9 
 
 would, as soon as possible, be placed in a 
 government office, and the young man was 
 requested to prepare himself for its duties. 
 These duties were not defined, but Arthur 
 wanted no incentive to study, wiiich formed 
 his only occupation, almost his only amuse- 
 ment. He should be placed in the world, he 
 was told — to rise, to shine. To make a posi- 
 tion in that world he knew depended on him- 
 self ; and with a strong resolution, aided by 
 health and spirit, he resolved to attain his 
 wish. The contempt of Mr. Skelton — his 
 lonely situation — the various little trials and 
 disagreeables in his life — were unnoticed, 
 almost unheeded ; the coming struggle was 
 coolly thought of; all was merged in future 
 success, which must be gained by knowledge 
 — experience, only time could give — but 
 Arthur resolved to go to the battle of existence 
 armed at all points — prepared for any emer- 
 gency. He was now in his twentieth year, 
 and the battle was about to begin. 
 
 As Mrs. Skelton and her daughter Anne 
 
 B 5
 
 10 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 entered the garden, Arthur Bolton put down 
 his spade, and advanced to meet them ; he 
 thought both were looking serious, if not sad, 
 so much so that he said, for he greatly es- 
 teemed Mrs. Skelton, 
 
 " I hope nothing unpleasant has occurred, 
 Mrs. Skelton." 
 
 " In truth, Arthur," returned the lady, " I 
 am very sad, and it is on your account. Mr. 
 Skelton has just heard that your kind pro- 
 tectress, Mrs. Morton, has died suddenly." 
 
 " Indeed !" exclaimed Arthur, with visible 
 emotion. " Poor, dear lady ; this is sad in- 
 telligence. To her I owe life, and next to 
 life, the education that will, I trust, enable 
 me honestly to pursue my career through 
 life." 
 
 " I trust so, indeed," said Mrs. Skelton with 
 a sigh, as she thought how he would have to 
 struggle with the world. " No doubt," she 
 added, " Mrs. Morton has left some will or 
 document stating her wishes respecting you." 
 " If I never receive more than the blessing
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 11 
 
 of education her noble Heart lias bestowed 
 upon me, I shall honor her generosity to the 
 last hour of my life," answered Arthur em- 
 phatically. 
 
 Conversing on this sad and unexpected 
 event, they left the garden and walked to- 
 wards the house. Anne expressing all her 
 kind, gentle heart dictated, to soothe and 
 calm the emotion Arthur Bolton evidently 
 experienced. 
 
 Mr. Skelton returned late the following 
 night; all were anxious for his arrival, but 
 Arthur had retired to his chamber, perfectly 
 aware how much the schoolmaster disliked 
 him, and had made up his mind to leave his 
 house at a moment's notice. 
 
 Mrs. Skelton was waiting up for her hus- 
 band, who looked, when he came in, agitated 
 and annoyed. 
 
 " This is a bad business for Bolton," he 
 exclaimed, throwing himself into a chair as 
 his wife mixed a tumbler of negus for him. 
 " We must get rid of him as soon as possible ;
 
 12 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 it won't do to have to feed a great overgrown 
 youth without the smallest chance of being re- 
 paid ; he has not a fraction to look forward 
 to." 
 
 " Good heavens ! — how distressing," re- 
 sponded Mrs. Skelton, feelingly. 
 
 " Distressing, indeed !" snappishly returned 
 her husband ; " distressing to us, I think, if I 
 had not secured payment in advance." 
 
 " But did Mrs. Morton die without a will, 
 without any document, settling — " 
 
 "Tut! settling, indeed," interrupted Mr. 
 Skelton, " she has not left a shilling ; her 
 income of seven hundred a-year was derived 
 from an annuity which reverts to a younger 
 brother, no one ever heard of till after her 
 death ; and this brother turns out to be 
 Sir Richard Morton, of Morton Manor, 
 Derbyshire, a liarsh, haughty, aristocratic- 
 looking personage, who was telegraphed for 
 by a solicitor of Eamsgate ; he was aware 
 who she was at all events." 
 
 " Was this baronet in Ramsgate when you
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 13 
 
 arrived?" questioned Mrs. Skelton, greatly- 
 surprised. 
 
 " No ; he arrived late last night, and I had 
 an interview with him this morning. I was 
 received with haughty coldness, and when I 
 mentioned that I had a pupil in my academy, 
 for whom the late Mrs. Morton paid, he in- 
 terrupted me sharply, saying, ' I am aware of 
 that circumstance, sir. But I have nothing 
 to do with my late sister's eccentric acts. I 
 find your demands in full are paid up to the 
 first of next month ; therefore, you, sir, can 
 have no claim upon my late sister, or on me ; 
 and as to the youth brought up so hand- 
 somely through her eccentric charity, he may 
 think himself (the child probably of some 
 cunning vagrant) , extremely fortunate in hav- 
 ing received an education.' 
 
 " ' Then I am to conclude. Sir Richard 
 Morton, that you refuse to contribute any 
 further to his maintenance or education ?' 
 
 " ' Certainly ; if he is industrious, and has 
 benefited by your instruction, I consider any
 
 14 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 further help unnecessary,' and with a cold, 
 haughty bow from Sir Eichard, our interview 
 ended." 
 
 " What a proud, unfeeling man," said Mrs. 
 Skelton, disgusted. 
 
 *' Nevertheless," returned the schoolmaster, 
 coldly, " he was quite right. Bolton must 
 fight his own way in the world, so away from 
 here he goes to-morrow. That old fool, Mrs. 
 Morton, I heard, was to be put into a leaden 
 coffin and carried into Derbyshire to be buried 
 in the family vault." 
 
 " How very strange that Mrs. Morton 
 should be sister to a baronet, when no one in 
 Eamsgate knew anything about it till after 
 her death." 
 
 " There is some mystery about the old lady, 
 certainly — family difierences, probably. How- 
 ever there is no mystery respecting her and 
 this Bolton ; she was more than fifty years 
 old when she snatched the bundle in which 
 the child was wrapt out of the sea, just as the 
 tide was carrying it away — an action wit-
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 15 
 
 nessed by more than twenty persons. Now let 
 us to bed ; to-morrow I will let Bolton know 
 that he must seek a home elsewhere, for here 
 he shall not stay twenty-four hours — a child 
 of shame no doubt." 
 
 " Oh, Charles," said Mrs. Skelton, re- 
 proachfully, " do not add insult to un- 
 merited misfortune. Arthur Bolton will make 
 his way in the world, depend on it." 
 
 " Then the sooner he sets about it the bet- 
 ter," observed the husband with a sneer. 
 
 Arthur Bolton passed a restless night ; he 
 felt sincerely grieved at the death of his 
 benefactress. He also very well imagined 
 that if left helpless and unprovided for, his 
 residence under Mr. Skelton's roof, which 
 then sheltered him, was at an end ; he 
 possessed a few pounds, saved from the 
 generous allowance Mrs. IMorton had made 
 him the last four years ; this would carry 
 him to London, and keep him for a month 
 till he procured employment. He would 
 write to Hugh Dormer, who lie felt sure
 
 16 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 through his father's interest would be able to 
 obtain him a Government situation. 
 
 The next day, immediately after breakfast, 
 Mr. Skelton requested his pupil to attend him 
 in his study. 
 
 Mr. Skelton, besides being mean and 
 avaricious, was a harsh, unkind man by 
 nature, and he delighted in humbling anyone 
 he disliked. 
 
 As Arthur entered the study, the master of 
 the house looked up from his desk, at which 
 he was sitting, and let his keen, malicious 
 grey eyes rest upon the fine intellectual 
 features of his pupil, 
 
 " I have to tell you, Mr. Bolton, that Mrs. 
 Morton has died without making any pro- 
 vision for you, whatever. Her brother. Sir 
 Eichard Morton, a Derbyshire baronet, with 
 whom I had an interview, declares he knew 
 nothing about you ; that his sister's eccentric 
 conduct in petting up a child, brutally ex- 
 posed by some tramp — " 
 
 "Take care, sir," interrupted Arthur, his
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 17 
 
 dark eyes flaslimg, and stepping close up to 
 the startled schoolmaster, "how you add m- 
 sult to meanness. If the brother of my kind 
 benefactress uttered the words you now make 
 use of, his title to be called a gentleman is 
 slight indeed; if you possessed any human 
 feeling in your breast, you would have scorned 
 to repeat such words. Whatever my birth may 
 be, neither y ou nor the baronet can know any- 
 thing about it. You have been well paid for my 
 tuition up to this hour, and I now leave your 
 house, trusting it may never again be my 
 misfortune to cross your path in my journey 
 through life ;" and casting upon the abashed 
 preceptor a look of scorn, the young man 
 turned upon his heel and left the room. 
 
 Livid with rage, Mr. Skelton sprang from 
 his seat and turned into the parlour, where his 
 wife and daughter were sitting. " There's a 
 young vagrant — a perfect firebrand. I am 
 not sure tliat my life is not in danger. I 
 always said he was a disgrace to my estab- 
 lishment."
 
 18 THE PIKATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 Mrs. Skelton looked confounded. Anne 
 and her sister frightened. Nevertheless Anne 
 rose up and quitted the room; there were 
 tears in the affectionate girl's eyes, for she knew 
 in her heart that Arthur, unless undeservedly 
 treated or provoked, would never have uttered 
 a word to insult or irritate her father. 
 
 " What has caused your anger, my dear ?" 
 asked Mrs. Skelton in a soothing tone. 
 "What did you say to Arthur?" 
 
 " Say to the cur !" repeated the furious 
 schoolmaster ; "I only repeated what Sir 
 Eichard said. That he was not going to ex- 
 tend his charity to the child of a tramp or 
 vagrant." 
 
 " Oh, heavens ! you did not surely say 
 those words, Charles," exclaimed the wife, a 
 tear stealing down her cheek. 
 
 "Come, none of this trash," rejoined Mr. 
 Skelton, savagely ; " I'm not going to be 
 bullied by a mere boy, and twitted by my 
 wife, and all because the fellow has a fine 
 figure and a handsome face. Where is your
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 19 
 
 sister gone^ miss," he added, turning to 
 Emily ; "go and call her back directly. No 
 one in my house shall bid the young scamp 
 farewell," 
 
 Whilst Emily was absent in search of her 
 sister, Mrs. Skelton did all she could, exert- 
 ing her utmost eloquence, to quell her hus- 
 band's passion and prevent his doing so harsh 
 and cruel an act as driving young Bolton 
 from their house, but all in vain ; his only 
 answer was — " Out of my house he shall go, 
 and that before night." 
 
 After half-an-hour Emily returned to the 
 room, her face and eyes red from weeping. 
 
 " Where is your sister, miss ?" exclaimed 
 her father. 
 
 " She has gone to her room, papa, and 
 Arthur Bolton has left. John Burton has 
 taken his things in the wheel-barrow to the 
 station." 
 
 " The old scoundrel !" exclaimed Mr. 
 Skelton, " to leave my work and use my
 
 20 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 wheel-barrow without my permission; he 
 shall not be paid for this day's work, and it's 
 doubtful if ever he gets another here again." 
 
 There was quite a commotion in the 
 schoolmaster's house that day. The servants 
 cared little for their master's anger, and 
 shewed how sorry they were for the departed 
 handsome pupil, who was loved and admired 
 by many in Canterbury besides the inmates 
 of Skelton Academy. 
 
 Previous to his departure, Anne contrived 
 to see him for a few minutes, giving him a 
 letter from her mother, telling him to take 
 great care of it, and expressing how deeply 
 they deplored the unhappy deprivation that 
 occasioned the interview with her father and 
 its results. 
 
 It was not without emotion that Arthur 
 kissed Anne's cheek, and bade her farewell, 
 wished her every happiness, and entreated 
 her to tell her mother his strong feeling of 
 affection and gratitude to her for years of uni-
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 21 
 
 form kindness and attention. Thus he left the 
 house — his home for the last nine years, little 
 conjecturing the struggle in which he must 
 take his part — the strange events, in which 
 he must become an actor.
 
 22 THE PIKATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Arthur Bolton, after quitting Skelton 
 Academy, proceeded to tlie Eailway Station 
 and took a second class ticket for London. 
 
 The train was soon seen approaching, and 
 on reaching the platform, he entered an 
 empty box, to be at liberty to give free vent 
 to his thoughts ; but just as the train was 
 moving, a man threw open the door, and had 
 just time to take his place as the carriages 
 moved on. 
 
 " Gad, T was nearly too late," said the 
 stranger, seating himself opposite the young 
 man, who looked up at his companion, 
 and wished him away. He was not much
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 23 
 
 attracted by his appearance, though he was 
 respectably dressed. He appeared about 
 thu'ty-five or six years of age, and carried a 
 small leathern case in his hand, which he 
 placed carefully beside him, and after a few 
 minutes' silence commenced a conversation, 
 saying : — 
 
 " Pray, sir, are you bound for the great 
 city?" 
 
 " Yes," returned our hero, " I am. " 
 
 " Well acquainted with town, sir ?" 
 
 " T cannot say that I am," returned Arthur. 
 
 " Neither am I, sir," observed the stranger, 
 " but I dare say you have heard of the great 
 establishment of Rimmell, the perfumer." 
 
 " I have used his soap, certainly, and very 
 good soap it is," replied Arthur. 
 
 "Well, sir," continued the stranger, in a 
 tone of great confidence. " I will tell you my 
 business in town." 
 
 Our hero did not want to know his busi- 
 ness, but before he could make any observa- 
 tion to that effect, his companion went on :
 
 24 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 *' I have invented one of tlie most delicious 
 perfumes, and I feel satisfied, when brought out 
 under Eimmell's name and patronage, it will 
 make my fortune ; but pardon me ; you shall 
 judge," and producing a carefully-folded 
 packet from his breast pocket, he unrolled and 
 exposed to view a small bottle. Taking out 
 the stopper, he held it towards Arthur 
 Bolton's nose, in a manner that he could 
 scarcely avoid drawing in the perfume ; the 
 moment he did so, he fell back a little 
 bewildered ; the man with the perfume again 
 held the bottle close to his nostrils, and in a 
 moment he became insensible. 
 
 " Ah," said the stranger, corking the bottle 
 quietly, "he is a strong youth," and he began 
 to carefully inspect our hero's pockets ; he 
 drew out his purse, just cast a look into it, 
 and transferred it to his own keeping; he 
 then took several other articles, and was on 
 the point of searching an inner breast pocket, 
 in which was Anne Skelton's letter, when the 
 whistle sounded, the steam was turned off.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 25 
 
 and the train, reduced in speed, proceeded 
 along the platform of station. 
 
 " Ah, so soon," said the man, " three or four 
 minutes more would have answered better; 
 as it is, I have left him no tin," and opening 
 the door he jumped out just as the train 
 stopped. 
 
 Arthur looked as if he were in a deep 
 sleep ; the fact was, he had had administered 
 a dose of powerful chloroform. No one 
 entered the carriage at this station, and the 
 train rolled on — the slight concussion of the 
 carriages in getting into motion caused our 
 hero to lose his upright position ; this roused 
 him — he opened his eyes, felt dizzy and con- 
 fused, and his recollections mystified, but with 
 a great effort he shook this feeling off, and 
 rapidly recovered his senses. 
 
 " I have been the dupe of that villain of a 
 pretended perfumer," he muttered as he per- 
 ceived that he was alone in the carriage, " and 
 no doubt he has robbed me, and got out 
 whilst I lay insensible." 
 
 VOL. I. C
 
 26 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 A feeling of dismay pervaded liis mind ; lie 
 put his hand into his pocket — every fraction 
 he possessed in the world was gone, even his 
 keys. " Ah/' said he, " how fortunate my 
 packing up my gold watch and chain (the 
 gift of Hugh Dormer's father, when he saved 
 his schoolfellow's life), it is worth fifty 
 guineas. I can get a supply upon that ; but 
 to arrive in London without a single shilling 
 to defray the most trifling expense, is em- 
 barrassing." It was night when the train 
 
 drew up at the platform of station. 
 
 The place was crowded. Approaching the 
 luggage van, which the porters were rapidly 
 unloading, he examined the trunks, valisses, 
 portmanteaus, and all the parcels of luggage 
 thrown out on the platform. At length, the 
 van was emptied. Still Arthur Bolton saw 
 none of his luggage — consisting of two 
 trunks. 
 
 '' I do not see my luggage," he remarked to 
 the porters. 
 
 " Where from, sir?" demanded the porter.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 27 
 
 " Canterbury," returned our liero anxiously. 
 
 " This is all the luggage that came from 
 that station," said the porter. 
 
 The guard coming up enquired civilly : 
 
 '' Have you lost anything, sir?" 
 
 " Yes,'' returned Bolton ; " my two trunks 
 are not here, and I saw them myself put in at 
 the Canterbury station." 
 
 " What name, sir ?" asked the guard, look- 
 ing at the luggage left on the platform. 
 
 " Arthur Bolton, London." 
 
 The guard started and looked vexed. 
 
 " I fear you have been robbed, sir," he 
 said. " I remember very well a person got 
 
 out at station, and ordered the 
 
 porter to take out his trunks ; he would pro- 
 ceed no further, though he had a ticket for 
 London, going at the same time to the ticket 
 porter, and adding ' my business can be done 
 here. You will find my luggage labelled 
 Mr. A. Bolton, London.* The porter took out 
 the luggage. I was passing by at the time, 
 
 and saw the two trunks taken up and placed 
 
 c 2
 
 28 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 on a truck, but I had no idea there was any- 
 thing wrong." 
 
 '' The rascal !" said our hero, with a flush 
 on his cheek at being so easily plundered. 
 
 *' You had better see our superintendent, 
 sir," said a policeman standing by — " acting 
 promptly may recover them. He is in his 
 private office ; you can see him now." 
 
 " Thank vou " returned our hero : " I will 
 take your advice." 
 
 The policeman led the way off the platform, 
 and along a row of offices, and pushed open 
 a door, saying : " first door to the right, sir. 
 Mr. Baldwin is our superintendent's name." 
 
 On entering the room Arthur beheld a 
 middle-aged gentleman sitting at a table, 
 busily examining a large bundle of papers ; as 
 he raised his head a side door opened, and a 
 youth entered the room, giving the superinten- 
 dent a slip of paper : " Telegraph message, sir." 
 
 IMr. Bakhvin ran his eyes over the paper ; 
 and then looking up at our hero, said, " What 
 can I do, sir, for you ?"
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 29 
 
 Arthur stated his case briefly, but clearly. 
 The superintendent smiled, and looking again 
 at the paper, said, " I congratulate you, Mr. 
 Bolton ; your luggage is recovered and is 
 now safe under the charge of one of my offi- 
 cers at . I am sorry to say that the 
 
 rascals that were so nearly getting off with it, 
 have as yet escaped. Of course I have no 
 particulars ; this message merely says, " Lug- 
 gage marked, A. Bolton, London — supposed 
 stolen — sale under my charge — thief escaped 
 — passenger, no doubt, in last train." 
 
 " So, you see, young gentleman, no time 
 has been lost. Still," continued the super- 
 intendent, " I wish to ask you a few ques- 
 tions ; therefore, be so kind as to sit down. 
 I will have your luggage here to-morrow 
 morning." 
 
 " I am greatly obliged to your officer for 
 his promptness in detecting the rascal that so 
 skilfully plundered me," replied our hero ; 
 " like you, sir, I think there is a great deal of
 
 30 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 obscurity about the robbery ; for bow the 
 fellow knew my name, puzzles me." 
 
 " Oh ; I think I can guess that," said Mr. 
 Baldwin. " We have to do with so many of 
 these kind of affairs, that our wits are always 
 on the alert. That fellow, no doubt, was 
 looking for some one to prey upon, and whilst 
 on the platform, observed you putting your 
 luggage in the train and remarked the name ; 
 saw you enter an empty carriage, and planned 
 his scheme on the moment. But I have to 
 beg of you to let me know a few particulars 
 respecting yourself, which, you will see, is 
 quite necessary before I can deliver the trunks 
 to you to-morrow." 
 
 " Certainly, any question you please to 
 put," said our hero, " I will answer as far 
 as I possibly can." 
 
 " I am quite satisfied from your appearance 
 and manner, Mr. Bolton," said the superin- 
 tendent, " that there is no deception whatever 
 in yoiu' statement ; but I wish, if possible, to
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 31 
 
 trace tliat fellow that plundered you of your 
 purse, &c. It strikes me, the more I think 
 of it, that something was premeditated against 
 you, even before you made your appearance 
 on the platform at Canterbury, for your being 
 alone in the carriage was a mere chance. 
 Where, may I ask, did you come from to 
 Canterbury ?" 
 
 " Only from Mr. Skelton's academy," 
 said Arthur. "Ah!" he added, " I forgot," 
 and putting his hand into his breast pocket, 
 he pulled out the letter given him by Anne 
 Skelton, and which most fortunately escaped 
 the thief. " This letter no doubt will prove my 
 identity to you, sir," and he broke the seal. 
 As he unfolded it, he perceived it contained a 
 locket and a bank note for twenty pounds. 
 The colour flew to his cheeks and temples ; 
 putting the note and locket in his pocket, 
 whilst his voice trembled with emotion, he 
 said, turning to Mr. Baldwin, who was look- 
 ing into the youth's face, watching its vary- 
 ing expression, " This letter, thank goodness.
 
 32 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 escaped the thief;" and holding it over to the 
 superintendent, he shewed him that it began, 
 *' My dear Arthur," and was signed, " Anne 
 Skelton." 
 
 Mr. Baldwin merely cast his eyes upon the 
 signature, took down Mr. Skelton's address, 
 and then said, " I am exceedingly glad that 
 the letter and its contents escaped that rascal. 
 Now leave me your address in Town, in case 
 we catch this fellow and his associates ; and 
 to-morrow I have no doubt I shall be able to 
 let you know now Sergeant Maul regained 
 your luggage." 
 
 " Could you recommend me a quiet, reason- 
 able hotel, Mr. Baldwin. I shall feel greatly 
 obliged, as I am a perfect stranger in Lon- 
 don." 
 
 *' I am glad you asked me," answered Mr. 
 Baldwin ; and taking up a sheet of paper, he 
 wrote a few lines, and signed it ; directing it 
 to ' Mrs. Hartley, Crown Hotel, Cavendish 
 Square.' " There, Mr. Bolton, go there. The 
 landlady is my aunt. She will take all pos-
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 33 
 
 sible care of you, and not tax your purse too 
 much. Oh, by the bye, you were robbed of 
 your purse, and it's not likely you will get 
 your note changed this time of the night ; you 
 will want to pay a cab and porter ; let me 
 furnish you with a little change till I see you 
 to-morrow, say twelve o'clock ; I shall be 
 here." 
 
 Thanking the really kind-hearted superin- 
 tendent, Arthur left the office, and calling a 
 cab, outside the Station, he told him to drive 
 him to the Crown Hotel, Cavendish Square. 
 
 On arriving, he entered a very nice, quiet, 
 private hotel, and seeing an elderly woman 
 and two young females in the bar, he gave 
 Mr. Baldwin's note to the elderly woman, 
 who having read it, said : 
 
 " Ah, so my nephew sent you to me, young 
 
 gentleman, and says you have been robbed of 
 
 your luggage, but luckily it will be recovered. 
 
 Ah, he is a very smart man, is Mr. Baldwin, 
 
 and you may depend I will make anyone 
 
 comfortable he recommends." She then 
 
 c 5
 
 34 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM, 
 
 shewed liim into tlie coffee room, saying slie 
 would send liim tea, &c., in a few minutes. 
 
 " Come," thought our hero to himself, " I 
 am, thank goodness, out of this my first scrape 
 in my struggle through life. Thanks to dear, 
 kind-hearted Anne," and finding himself 
 alone, he took out her letter, and eagerly per- 
 used it. 
 
 " My Dear Arthur, 
 
 " Do not fear to make use of the 
 bank note enclosed ; it is a trifling gift from 
 my dear mother. The moment she heard of 
 Mrs. Morton's death, she said to me : ' It is 
 very possible, Anne, that Arthur may have 
 to seek and make his own way in the world, 
 if so, he cannot be burdened with gold, poor 
 fellow. Enclose this note in a letter, and ex- 
 press to him my kind feelings and wishes for 
 his welfare and his happiness, and that a mer- 
 ciful Providence may assist his honest 
 endeavours.' And now, dear brother, for such 
 I shall always consider you (for have we not
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 35 
 
 grown up from clilldhood together) ; use this 
 little sum without scruple, for it is my 
 mother's own money, part of a legacy from 
 a dear sister. And now farewell, accept the 
 enclosed locket from your affectionate and 
 loving sister, and dear friend, 
 
 "Anne Skelton." 
 
 " Yes, dear Anne, T will use this money," 
 soliloquised Arthur ; " because I know what 
 you say is truth ; and I trust in God, the 
 time may come when T can repay both the 
 money and the affection that caused its be- 
 stowal." 
 
 The next day, at 12 o'clock, he was on the 
 
 platform of the station, and proceeded 
 
 to the superintendent's office. Mr. Baldwin 
 received him very kindly, and stated that his 
 trunks had arrived. " I will tell you how it 
 happened that the thieves failed in their at- 
 tempt to rob them of their contents : 
 
 " It chanced, just after the departure of the 
 train from station, that Sergeant Maul, a
 
 36 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 very keen, observing officer, who was walking 
 up at the time to the platform from the goods 
 station, saw two men crossing the line to 
 a by-lane on the other side. One was wheel- 
 ing a barrow, with something in it. This is 
 not allowed, because down that lane there is 
 a small ale-house which bears a very bad re- 
 pute, and by order of the Company the gate 
 of passage across the line has been taken 
 away. Sergeant Maul called out to them, and 
 walked on towards them. One of the men 
 looked round, and then hastened on, crossed 
 the railway and proceeded rapidly down the 
 lane ; the other man was getting the barrow 
 over the rails when the sergeant overtook him, 
 calling out : " I say, my man, you know this 
 is not allowed. You can read the notice that 
 IS up. 
 
 " No, indeed I cannot," returned the man. 
 
 " Whose luggage is this, and where are you 
 taking it to ?" questioned Maul. 
 
 " To the Eailway Tavern down the lane, 
 sir."
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 37 
 
 " But whose luggage is it?" continued the 
 sergeant ; seeing that it could scarcely belong 
 to the class of people frequenting the little 
 ale-house. The man seemed confused, and 
 was trying, the sergeant perceived, to get a 
 glimpse of the labels on the trunks. 
 
 So catching the man by the arm, he said 
 coolly : 
 
 " Come, take this luggage back to the station; 
 I don't know you ; there's something wrong 
 here. If I am wrong, I will pay you for your 
 double labour ; but this luggage shall not go, 
 till I see or hear who is the owner." 
 
 " Curse me, if I take it ; you may do it 
 yourself," said the man, and he walked off, 
 jumped over the rails, and ran down the lane. 
 
 The sergeant looked round for some one 
 to take charge of the luggage, that he might 
 pursue the man, but no one was sufficiently 
 near, so he quietly took up the barrow, and 
 wheeled it to the station, and sent one of the 
 policeman on duty to see who was at the Kail- 
 way-tavern. Just at that moment a guard of
 
 38 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 tlie train, wlio had stopped at tlie station, and 
 the very man you spoke to about your lug- 
 gage came up, and looking at the labels on 
 the trunks, said : 
 
 " Why, these are the very trunks the gen- 
 tleman from Canterbury was robbed of." 
 
 " That's lucky," said Sergeant Maul. " Just 
 telegraph to our superintendent that the lug- 
 gage is safe, and 111 go and have a look after 
 these gentry." 
 
 " Thus by a mere chance, Mr. Bolton, your 
 trunks were recovered ; for if they had reached 
 the Railway-tavern, you may be sure they 
 would instantly have been rifled. However, 
 Sergeant Maul could gain no trace of the par- 
 ties. He found only an old woman and a 
 girl, in the tavern ; the old woman either deaf, 
 or pretending to be so, and the young one 
 saucy." 
 
 Arthur Bolton returned Mr. Baldwin his 
 sincere thanks for his kindness, and wished to 
 send a donation to Sergeant Maul, but the 
 Superintendent would permit only the ex-
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 39 
 
 pense of telegraph, &c., to be paid, and tlien 
 tliej parted, mutually pleased witli each other, 
 Mr. Baldwin promising to call and see him at 
 the hotel in the evening, as he wished to have 
 half-an-hour's conversation with him, when he 
 had time. 
 
 Arthur, quite elated at his good fortune, re- 
 turned to the hotel with his recovered trunks ; 
 and that evening wrote a long letter to Hugh 
 Dormer, giving him all the news of himself, 
 and telling him he was just beginning his 
 trials. 
 
 Till he received an answer to his letter, he 
 resolved to remain quiet and not seek for any 
 situation. He had plenty to amuse his mind, 
 in visiting the various sights the mighty 
 Babylon afforded. 
 
 He also wrote a long and affectionate letter 
 to Anne Skelton, enclosing one for her mother, 
 sending both under cover to his old favourite 
 and humble friend John Burton, to whom he 
 sent a post office order for a sovereign ; for 
 John had promised to deliver carefully any
 
 40 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 letters Arthur might write to the ladies of the 
 Skelton family. 
 
 One evening Mr. Baldwin came to see him ; 
 they supped together with the landlady and 
 her two pretty nieces ; the former had taken a 
 great liking to her lodger, and as the old lady 
 was pleased with him, it may be presumed the 
 young ladies were so also. 
 
 When the gentlemen were alone discussing 
 a bottle of Port, Mr. Baldwin began the con- 
 versation, saying : 
 
 '' I have received a letter from Mr. Skelton, 
 to whom I wrote, for I confess there is some 
 mystery, more than mere robbing, in the ex- 
 tracting of your money and stealing your 
 trunks. Mr. Skelton' s letter is a miserable 
 production, a compound of meanness, selfish- 
 ness, and pomposity. He states that he was 
 imposed upon, and received you into his 
 academy as a pupil, supposing you to be the 
 protege of a wealthy lady, and of respectable 
 birth." 
 
 Arthur colored slightly, but remained quite
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 41 
 
 calm. Mr. Baldwin laid his hand kindly on 
 his shoulder, saying : 
 
 " I think I can judge your disposition, and 
 I venture thus to make free with you, feeling 
 for you, I assure you, a sincere esteem. I am 
 actuated by motives I cannot now exactly 
 explain ; but I think you knew a Mr. Jack- 
 son of Canterbury, a gentleman of indepen- 
 dent means, did you not ?" 
 
 " Oh, yes," replied our hero, a little sur- 
 prised ; " he had a nephew at Mr. Skelton's, 
 and he himself often passed an evening at our 
 academy. I used to play chess with him ; he 
 
 was a member of the chess club, and 
 
 often invited me to his house, and a kind 
 amiable family he had. He is a retired mer- 
 chant." 
 
 "Exactly," said Mr. Baldwin. "How 
 strange things happen ; he is a very old friend 
 of mine ; we passed years of our early life to- 
 gether ; we were clerks in the same counting- 
 house. Now it is very odd, but I actually 
 knew you before I saw you. I constantly
 
 42 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 correspond witli my old friend ; I am a chess 
 player myself, and a member of tlie same 
 club. In one of bis letters lately be said, re- 
 ferring to a matcb between our club and tbe 
 Maidstone : ' I know a fine young man at our 
 academy here who would beat your best man 
 all to chalks, he's got a check mate that would 
 puzzle your wits. Next time you come this 
 way I'll introduce him to you, he's as fine a 
 young fellow as ever you saw.' Now I see," 
 added Mr. Baldwin, with a smile, " that the 
 world has not contaminated you, for you 
 blush like a girl of sixteen. But I have lost 
 sight of Mr. Skelton and his letter. In it he 
 said you had left his house after grievously 
 insulting him, and that he wished never to 
 hear your name mentioned ; in fact, that you 
 had no name, for you were picked up on the 
 sands at Kamsgate by a foolish old woman, 
 who, when she died, neither mentioned your 
 name nor left you a shilling ; and her brother, 
 Sir Richard Morton, grossly insulted him, be- 
 cause he ventured to speak of you to him.
 
 THE FIRATES OF THE FOAM. 43 
 
 tlimking he might pay the quarter due for your 
 board and education. This and a good deal more 
 formed the subject of his letter. Now, in my 
 vocation as superintendent of police, many 
 strange events come to my knowledge. I 
 wish you to let me hear all you know of your- 
 self, especially as to dates." 
 
 " I will willingly, my dear sir," said our hero, 
 " give you all the particulars of my short life, 
 and such dates as I may be able to recollect. 
 But allow me first to observe that Mr. Skelton 
 has made a most incorrect statement. There 
 was not a fraction due at the time of my 
 noble-hearted benefactress' death. She paid 
 Mr. Skelton £80 a year quarterly, and in ad- 
 vance, and she died a few days or weeks 
 before the expiration of the quarter, already 
 paid. Instead of insulting him, he meanly 
 made use of terms, such as ' child of a va- 
 grant or tramp,' shielding himself under the 
 pretence that Sir Richard Morton had used 
 those terms in speaking of me. I quitted his 
 house on the instant in disgust, but, let me
 
 44 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 add, that during the years I spent under his 
 roof nothing could exceed the kindness or at- 
 tention that I received from Mrs. Skelton and 
 her amiable daughters." 
 
 Mr. Baldwin shook our hero by the hand, 
 saying warmly : 
 
 *' I believe every word you utter, and I say 
 you acted perfectly right. Although it is 
 getting somewhat late, just answer me a few 
 questions, for I am about to leave town for 
 some days ; when I come back I hope to in- 
 troduce you to my wife and family ; they live 
 at Brompton. In the first place, have you 
 any recollection of the year in which you 
 were picked up on the sands in Margate?" 
 
 " Oh, yes," returned Arthur. " I was 
 placed to nurse with one of the kindest- 
 hearted women in the world, though of humble 
 birth and station. Mary Bolton was her name ; 
 she was the grandchild of an old shrimp 
 catcher ; her husband was a sailor. She was 
 as fond of me as of her own son, and used to 
 say that she was sure that I was the son of a
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 45 
 
 gentleman. She made me go to school in 
 Broadstah's when five years old. Her old 
 grandfather, however, would always have me 
 out with him in his sailing boat; in fact before 
 I was eight years old I could swim and dive 
 like a duck, and manage any kind of boat. 
 When Mrs. Morton sent me to Mr. Skelton's 
 Mary Bolton gave me a little book, in which 
 was written the day of the week, the month, 
 and year in which I was picked up, and also 
 stated what I had on, which in truth only 
 consisted of a shirt without mark of any kind. 
 I have the book in my trunk, but the date is 
 Tuesday, the 14th of August, 1826." 
 
 Mr. Baldwin wrote that down in his memo- 
 randum book, and then asked whether Mary 
 Bolton was still alive, and where she re- 
 sided. 
 
 " Oh, far away from here," replied our 
 hero. " Four years after my leaving her she 
 came to take leave of me. Her old grand- 
 father was dead, and she and her husband 
 were going to Australia, and there they went.
 
 46 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 She promised to write to me, and cried 
 bitterly when she bade me farewell, but I 
 have never had a line from her since her de- 
 parture." 
 
 " Well, my young friend, I must bid you 
 farewell now," said Mr. Baldwin. '' Do not 
 engage in any situation till I come back, in a 
 week at farthest. I have a good deal of in- 
 terest one way or another, so take a little time 
 before you decide on a profession," and shak- 
 ing our hero most kindly by the hand, Mr. 
 Baldwin departed.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 47 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 On returning to dinner at the hotel, on the 
 sixth day of his residence, the waiter handed 
 Arthur a letter ; the first glance showed him 
 it was not the long-expected one from his old 
 schoolfellow, Hugh Dormer. It was directed 
 Mr. Arthur Bolton, Crown Hotel, Cavendish 
 Square, and had no post mark. Breaking the 
 seal he began reading, wondering who his 
 correspondent could be, and almost imme- 
 diately his attention became engaged by the 
 following contents : 
 
 " Sir, 
 
 '' Circumstances have made me 
 acquainted with several important matters
 
 48 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 connected wltli your blrtli. I can account to 
 you why you were left on tlie sands in 
 Eamsgate, in the year 1826, and the true 
 reason why you were adopted by the late Mrs. 
 Morton. If, therefore, you will grant me an 
 interview, it will be for your advantage, but I 
 am not going to do you this service for 
 nothing ; if I gain your position and fortune, 
 I shall expect to be rewarded ; not till then, 
 for I know when you left Skelton School you 
 had but very little money, and that was stolen 
 from you. If you will call this evening, at 
 seven o'clock, at No. 4, Bridge Street, near 
 Thames Street, I will give you every satisfac- 
 tion, and make it worth your while to engage 
 to pay me One Thousand Pounds when you 
 come into possession of a property now held 
 by the very person that caused you to be ex- 
 posed on the sands. 
 
 " Your humble servant, 
 
 " George Eeynolds." 
 
 " I do not know what to think of this,"
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 49 
 
 thought our hero, as he perused the letter a 
 second time ! " Whoever the writer is, he 
 certainly has gained some very accurate 
 knowledge of my early life. It can do no 
 harm to hear what he says." 
 
 As the waiter was taking away the dinner, 
 Arthur inquired his way to Bridge Street, 
 near Thames Street. 
 
 " Oh, it's a long distance — almost as far as 
 the Tower. You must first go to London 
 Bridge, and then anyone will show you the 
 way. It is a bad neighbourhood, sir." 
 
 " Who brought the letter you gave me, 
 James?" 
 
 " A boy, sir." 
 
 Shortly after five o'clock our young hero 
 started from the hotel and made his way to 
 London Bridge, taking only a few shillings 
 in his pocket, and leaving his watch in his 
 portmanteau. Having adapted these cautious 
 measures, and feeling secure since he had 
 nothino- of value about him, he entered Brido;e 
 Street, just as it was getting dusk, on a rather 
 
 VOL. I. D
 
 50 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 gloomy evening, in tlie latter end of Septem- 
 ber, and found himself in a poor, narrow, and 
 thinly-inliabited street, consisting principally 
 of old dilapidated warehouses, the backs of 
 which opened on the Thames: there were 
 very few people passing, but Number Four was 
 soon found, being large and lofty, with the 
 upper windows half smashed ia, whilst the 
 lower, with their dirty shutters up, looked as 
 if they and the door of entrance had not re- 
 ceived a brush of paint for half a century. 
 
 " Well," muttered our hero, " this is cer- 
 tainly not an inviting locality, but since I am 
 here, I will even try and get in ;" and taking 
 hold of an old piece of iron that served for a 
 bell handle, he rung. After the delay of a 
 few minutes he heard a bolt drawn back, and 
 then the door was partly opened, and a 
 woman's head, with a very dirty crop of un- 
 combed hair, and a remarkably filthy cap, 
 presented itself. 
 
 " "Well," said she, looking up at her visitor, 
 " what's the matter?"
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 51 
 
 " Not much," returned our hero, by no 
 means captivated Avith the head or the cap. 
 " I came here to inqmre after a person cal- 
 ling himself George Eeynolds." 
 
 " Oh, all right ; show the gentleman in," 
 uttered a voice from the inside. 
 
 Thus addressed, the woman opened the 
 door a little wider, and Arthur entered a 
 large hall. The door was closed by the 
 female with a bang, leaving him in the dark. 
 Not a ray of light could be seen, but before 
 he had time for a moment's thought or to 
 repent his rashness in coming, he felt his arms 
 seized from behind, and himself impelled for- 
 ward. But Arthur was by no means in- 
 clined to submit to any such mode of treat- 
 ment ; he knew by the grip on his arms that 
 it was not the grasp of the female, so with a 
 violent jerk he freed his arms and grasped 
 some male figure by the throat, exclaiming : 
 " Rascal ! what is all this for ?" 
 
 " Hit him over the head, Jem, or this devil 
 
 D 2 
 
 UNIVlRSITY of ILLINOISr 
 LIBRARY
 
 52 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 will choke me," exclaimed the man our hero 
 held. 
 
 A flash of light was thrown on the scene 
 from a lantern, and the entrapped young man 
 was seized by another assailant, whom he re- 
 ceived with a violent blow on the face, but 
 the same instant a stunnino; blow on the head 
 from some loaded instrument laid him sense- 
 less on the floor. 
 
 How long our hero lay in that state he 
 could not say ; but when he opened his eyes, 
 and had in some slight degree recovered from 
 the confusion of his ideas, he perceived that 
 he was stretched upon an old mattress, laid 
 upon benches, and in attempting to move, 
 discovered that his legs and arms were bound j 
 he looked round his prison, and at once per- 
 ceived that he was not alone. Directly facing 
 him were two men seated at an old kitchen 
 table, who were conversing eagerly ; a 
 tallow candle throwing but a faint light 
 on their faces and over the dilapidated 
 room, the walls of which were soaking 
 
 I
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 53 
 
 with moisture. Artliur Bolton, without 
 having his recollection perfectly restored, 
 gazed at these two men, who were drinking 
 out of mugs some mixture from a large black 
 bottle on the table ; a loaf of bread and a 
 large lump of beef on a plate appeared to 
 comprise their supper. 
 
 On attentively regarding the men, he re- 
 cognized in one of them the person of the cele- 
 brated perfumer. The other was a very power- 
 ful-looking fellow, with strongly marked 
 features, but very coarse ; he was attired as a 
 seaman, and had one of his eyes swollen and 
 half closed — the effects of the blow he had 
 received in the scufSe. These worthies con- 
 versed in a very low tone till, turning round, 
 our hero caused the bench to creak, and 
 then both looked up and over at their pri- 
 soner. 
 
 " Ah," said the man with the black eye, 
 " I thought my young cove would not be long 
 before he'd wake up ; though, blow me, if he 
 hasn't bunged up my eye and no mistake."
 
 54 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " Yes," returned the other, who was a 
 middle-sized slight man, " and deuced near 
 throttling me ; he's mighty pugnacious." The 
 speaker got up, and taking a knife from the 
 table came over to our hero, and very quietly 
 cut the cord that bound his hands, saying, 
 " there, now you will be more comfortable ; 
 you brought this treatment on yourself. Only 
 be quiet, and you will come to no harm ; but 
 be rough, and you'll get rough treatment." 
 
 Arthur Bolton made no immediate reply, 
 but stooping down cast loose the cord that 
 held his legs ; as he did so the ci-devant per- 
 fumer pulled out a four-barrelled revolver 
 from his pocket, and stepped back a pace, 
 saying, " Faith, my lad, you take it coolly ; 
 but don't tempt my barkers." 
 
 His companion at the table, who was help- 
 ing himself to the whiskey in the black bot- 
 tle, said, " Let him be, George ; he is not 
 quite such a fool as to get his brains blown 
 out." 
 
 Arthur stood up and looked at the two
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 55 
 
 men attentively. We have stated that he 
 was remarkably strong and active, and accus- 
 tomed to all kinds of athletic exercises, in 
 which few could excel him ; though gentle 
 and kind in disposition, he was most resolute 
 when attacked, and utterly fearless. He 
 would not have hesitated to have grappled 
 both men, had they been without fire-arms, 
 and would have felt confident of success ; but 
 one holding a revolver and the other a long 
 sharp-pointed knife, were antagonists deserv- 
 ing of consideration. He put his hand to the 
 back of his head, as he sat down, and per- 
 ceived that all the harm he had received was 
 a pretty considerable bump, that might have 
 puzzled phrenologists. 
 
 " Now," he commenced, looking the ex- 
 perfumer steadily in the face, " what are your 
 motives in treating me in this way ? What 
 do you expect to get ? I recognise you. You 
 are the man that used the chloroform in the 
 railway carriage, and afterwards attempted to
 
 56 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 rob me of ray luggage ; in tliis tlieft, how- 
 ever, you failed." 
 
 " Yes," returned the man, sitting down and 
 helping himself to whiskey, whilst keeping 
 his revolver by his hand — " Yes, you are 
 quite right, I am the inventor of the magnifi- 
 cent perfume ; you see it was. too powerful for 
 you to — " 
 
 " ComOj none of your jaw, George. We 
 didn't come here to be spinning yarns," in- 
 terrupted the other. " The tide's rising." 
 
 " All right, Jem," answered George ; " I 
 only meant to convince this young man that 
 we are acting for his good." 
 
 " Good !" repeated Arthur, " do you call 
 knocking me over like a bullock acting for 
 my good ? Come, be quick ; let me hear 
 what you want. I have no more plunder for 
 you, if that's your object." 
 
 " No ; I am not seeking plunder ; I know 
 very well that you are cleaned out, though 
 you did get your luggage back, through the
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 57 
 
 bungling of tlie rascal I employed. Now I 
 tell you what's wanted of you. Your friends 
 want you to leave this country, and I and 
 others are employed to put you afloat. If you 
 are only quiet and manageable, no hurt will 
 come to you, but — " and the man spoke and 
 looked savagely at his victim — "but if you 
 give us trouble and attempt resistance, I'll 
 use this weapon," and he cocked the revolver, 
 " and bury your body in the vaults of this 
 old house." 
 
 " You infernal rascal," exclaimed Arthur, 
 passionately, " if you had not that weapon in 
 your hands I would knock your rascally head 
 against the wall." 
 
 " Yes, I know that," replied the other 
 coolly, " and no mistake. Just tell me, will 
 you give us your word of honour not to offer 
 any resistance, and we will neither bind nor 
 hurt you, but take you quickly to your des- 
 tination." 
 
 *' No, I will not pass my word to such ras- 
 cals," said Arthur, fiercely, and he turned 
 
 D 5
 
 58 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 to look for some kind of weapon, but both 
 men riislied at liim, seized him, and Reynolds 
 placed the muzzle of the pistol close to his 
 temple, and swore a fearful oath that at the 
 first struggle he would pull the trigger. 
 
 Arthur, though angry, was calm, and felt 
 sure the villain uttered no mere threat ; so he 
 yielded to necessity. 
 
 " There," said the man called Jem, putting 
 a pair of handcuffs on his prisoner's hands, 
 " let us have no more jaw or bother; you 
 shouldn't have let him free, George ; if you 
 really want to get rid of him, let us pitch him 
 into the river, and not go blazing away with 
 pistols and making a noise. The boat is at 
 the steps now." 
 
 Having secured his hands, they not only 
 put a gag into his mouth, but fastened a cloth 
 over his eyes, and then made him sit down 
 for a moment ; then each taking him by the 
 arm led him from the room, one of the men 
 calling out : 
 
 " Bet, hold the light, you lazy baggage.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 59 
 
 I've left you whiskey enough to make you 
 sleep for a week." 
 
 Though unable to utter a word, the captive 
 could think ; and strange to say he felt a sin- 
 gular sensation of satisfaction come over him, 
 notwithstanding the pain of the gag. Even 
 in his then strange and doubtful position, it 
 struck him that he could be no nameless out- 
 cast, or why should anyone trouble about him, 
 and seek to drive him from his native land, 
 unless some weighty reasons existed for doing 
 so. Some one must have urgent motives for 
 such conduct, and he resolved to take events 
 quietly, and trust in Providence and his own 
 exertions to unravel the mystery. 
 
 The fresh breeze blowing in his face, as he 
 was led along, convinced him he was going 
 towards the river, and soon he heard the 
 sound of many voices, and the noise of mov- 
 ing oars, &c., in a boat ; and then a louder 
 voice said : 
 
 " Come, be quick, men, the tide's falling." 
 
 "Aye, aye," returned the man Jem, "here
 
 60 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 we are, all right ;" and then they led him 
 down some steps and laid him in the bottom 
 of the boat, suffering considerable pain from 
 the bandage across his mouth, but resolved to 
 be quiet and watch. 
 
 The men siezed their oars, and after a few 
 whispered words, the boat was pushed off and 
 pulled rapidly down the river. 
 
 " I think you might take the gag from his 
 mouth," said a strange voice, " and let him 
 have the use of his peepers. The mad fit is 
 off him bv this time." 
 
 Our hero knew not what to make of these 
 words ; but he felt the blade of a knife press 
 against his cheek, and the gag fell to the bot- 
 tom of the boat. Then the handkerchief was 
 removed, and as he sat up on the stern sheets 
 he perceived the boat was pulled by four 
 men, and on each side of him sat Eeynolds 
 and the man Jem — the latter steering. 
 
 " Utter one word," whispered Reynolds, 
 " and I use my revolver." 
 
 Had Arthur's hands been free, his answer
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 61 
 
 would have sent Eeynolds into tlie river. It 
 was blowing fresh, and a rather thick fog lay 
 upon the stream, so as to hide the shore on 
 each side. It was also very dark. 
 
 As they progressed steadily down the river, 
 when they neared a vessel or were hailed, 
 Arthur felt the muzzle of the revolver pressed 
 close to his head by Eeynolds. 
 
 In this manner they proceeded some five or 
 six miles, and then the man in the bows stood 
 up, and opening a dark lantern showed a red 
 light, which shone brightly on the water for 
 some distance. Almost immediately after, a 
 vivid red light was seen a short distance 
 ahead. 
 
 " All right," cried the man steering, " give 
 way, my lads, we are close aboard," and a few 
 seconds after the boat shot up along side a 
 very large brig. 
 
 *' All right," exclaimed a voice from the 
 deck, swinging a lantern over the side and 
 then a rope ladder. 
 
 "Now jump up, Mr. Bolton," said Eey-
 
 62 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 nolds, in a respectful voice. " I am glad to 
 see you so quiet," and he slipped the hand- 
 cuffs from his wrists. 
 
 Bolton would have turned and seized Rey- 
 nolds by the throat, but the four men in the 
 boat suddenly caught him in their arms and 
 landed him on the deck. 
 
 " Now hand up Mr. Bolton's traps — and be 
 quick, there is no time to lose, the tide has 
 turned this hour," said a voice from the 
 deck. 
 
 Our hero eyed the speaker by the light of 
 the ship's lantern. The captain of the brig, 
 for such he was, also keenly scanned our 
 hero's countenance, and then sung out 
 " steward." 
 
 " Here, sir," replied a small, slight, re- 
 spectable looking man, coming forward. 
 
 " Just show Mr. Bolton his berth, and if he 
 requires anything pray get it for him imme- 
 diately." 
 
 Though rather astounded by the manner 
 and the words of the captain, Arthur was not
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 63 
 
 going to be carried away from his native land 
 without making another effort to regain his 
 liberty. 
 
 " Are you the captain of this vessel, sir?" 
 he said, addressing the quiet gentlemanly man 
 giving orders to his men. 
 
 " Yes, Mr. Bolton, I am," he replied, calmly 
 and courteously. 
 
 "Well then, sir, may I ask why such vio- 
 lence was used to bring me on board, and 
 why I am to be detained here ?" 
 
 " All right now, sir," exclaimed a voice 
 from the boat below, as a great sea chest 
 was hauled up and placed upon the deck. 
 
 "All right," answered the captain. 
 
 " Good night, sir," called out the voice of 
 Reynolds, " a quick and pleasant voyage to 
 you." 
 
 The oars fell upon the water, and the boat 
 pulled rapidly away, whilst some of the crew 
 of the brig began to heave at the capstan, 
 others letting fall the topsails. 
 
 " My dear sir," said the captain, turning to
 
 64 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 our astonished hero, "just follow the steward 
 into the cabin ; we shall have plenty of time 
 to-morrow to converse on any subject you 
 like. Now I must see to the navigation of my 
 ship." 
 
 " But really, sir," remonstrated our hero, 
 getting angry, and feeling his face flush with 
 vexation, " this is a monstrous proceeding all 
 together. I am entrapped by two ruffians, 
 gagged, bound, and brought by brute force 
 on board this vessel ; and you, the captain of 
 a British ship, receive me from the hands of 
 those ruffians, thus leaguing yourself with 
 scoundrels and subjecting yourself to severe 
 penalties and punishment for illegally detain- 
 ing me, in order to convey me I know not 
 where." 
 
 " I am bound to Jamaica, Mr. Bolton," re- 
 turned the captain, quietly. " What is done 
 is done ; a voyage to Jamaica cannot injure 
 you. You are my passenger, and will be 
 treated as such, though I beg you to take 
 things quietly. To-morrow, as T said before,
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 65 
 
 we will talk this affair over. I am galng to 
 take up passengers at Ramsgate." 
 
 " Ramsgate !" repeated our hero, involun- 
 tarily. 
 
 " Ah ! you remember Ramsgate," said the 
 captain, with a start. 
 
 " Yes, I should think I do. I was left an 
 infant to perish in the sands there, and — " 
 
 " Ah, by Jove ! it is tlie fact then," said 
 the captain, hurriedly, and turning away be 
 called to his mate and gave some orders, for 
 the anchor was up. 
 
 The unwilling passenger was left standing, 
 bis mind In a state of bewildered confusion, 
 till roused by feeling some one touch his shoul- 
 der. Looking round he beheld the little stew- 
 ard with a lantern in his hand. 
 
 "Will you please to come below, sir?" he 
 said, stepping back a pace or two. 
 
 "Well, upon my honour," observed Ar- 
 thur, balf angry, half amused, " all tbis is 
 Very extraordinary. However, we shall see 
 what occurs to-morrow," and placing his
 
 66 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 hand on the steward's shoulder, he added, 
 " very well, show me my berth, my good 
 friend." 
 
 The man led the way down the companion 
 into the very large and handsomely fitted up 
 cabin of the brig, lighted by a handsome 
 swinging lamp. Opening a door the steward 
 passed into a neatly fitted up private cabin, 
 and lighting a lamp said, holding the door in 
 his hand : 
 
 '^ Do you wish for anything to drink, Mr. 
 Bolton?" 
 
 " Yes," returned our hero, '' I will take a 
 glass of brandy and water, and I should like 
 to wash my hands and face. Those ruffians 
 used their gag mercilessly, and my wrists are 
 cut by their handcuffs." 
 
 " Good God !" exclaimed the little steward, 
 turning pale, " were you so badly used as all 
 that?" and then he took up a can and poured 
 some water into a basin, conveniently placed 
 in a corner of the cabin. 
 
 " What do you mean by saying, ' were you
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 6T 
 
 as badly used as all that ?' " inquired our 
 hero. " I hope you do not imagine that I am 
 a madman ?" and in spite of his vexation he 
 burst into a laugh. 
 
 Arthur Bolton might laugh, and they say 
 laughing is contagious, but the little steward on 
 the contrary turned pale, and looked startled, 
 but did not answer the question, though he 
 watched the young man closely as he bathed 
 his mouth, washed his face and temples and the 
 back of his head, which had bled a little, and 
 then stripping himself very quietly got into 
 his berth ; and, such is youth, in ten minutes 
 was fast asleep.
 
 68 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 When our hero awoke in the morning at a 
 late hour, he judged by the motion of the 
 vessel that they were out of the river. His 
 sleep had refreshed both body and mind, and 
 as he calmly revolved the events of the past 
 night and viewed his present situation, the 
 prospect did not appear so gloomy. True, he 
 was taken by force from England, but had he 
 remained what would have been his fate ? 
 Daily drudgery as a clerk, years of toil to go 
 through ere promotion would place him in a 
 situation to enjoy domestic happiness. Pas- 
 sion must be subdued, feelings curbed, con- 
 stant self-denial exercised ; he must become a
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 69 
 
 machine, wound up for duty in the morning, 
 to relax at night only when too tired for en- 
 joyment. 
 
 How could he, with eyes dazzled by long 
 rows of figures, and a head aching from cal- 
 culations, entries, invoices, and discounts, sit 
 to his beloved books and studies? No, he 
 liked a life of excitement, and he might per- 
 haps enter the merchant service and see 
 other countries. He resolved to be cheerful, 
 and not, if he could possibly avoid it, ques- 
 tion or rebel, but submit. 
 
 With this resolve he jumped up as the 
 steward entered the cabin, and looking into 
 his face the little man said : 
 
 " You have had a long sleep, sir, and it has 
 done you good. I suppose you can eat some 
 breakfast now ?" 
 
 " Yes, I will thank you for a cup of coffee, 
 or anything that is ready," replied Arthur ; 
 " whereabouts are we now, for I know we 
 have run out of the river?" 
 
 " You are right, Mister Bolton," replied
 
 70 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 tlie steward ; " we are nearly off Eamsgate, 
 with a fresh breeze on our quarter." 
 
 " Ah, Ramsgate !" repeated Arthur, with a 
 thoughtful expression of countenance, " a 
 place I have not seen for twelve years. I 
 must have a look at the spot where my infant 
 life was so nearly terminated." 
 
 " Humph !" muttered the steward, and then 
 in a low voice added, " He will have another 
 attack, I fear ; he's a powerful youth, so I'll 
 get out of the way." 
 
 The young man did not hear the words, but 
 the exit of the steward was so sudden that he 
 looked after him in surprise. 
 
 As he finished dressing he heard the cap- 
 tain's voice, as he came out from the main 
 cabin, and the next moment he threw open 
 the door of the steward's berth, and seeing 
 Arthur dressed, he said : 
 
 " Good morning, Mr. Bolton ; you and I 
 have had a good nap ; will you come to break- 
 fast ■? By the bye, here is the key of your sea 
 chest. You will, I dare say, find some gar-
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 71 
 
 merits there better suited for a ship's deck and 
 a long voyage than those you have on." 
 
 " Thank you," answered our hero, very 
 quietly taking the key ; " I will very willingly 
 join you at breakfast, but the steward tells rae 
 we are off Eamso;ate, and I should like to have 
 a look at the old place before we run it out of 
 sight." 
 
 " Oh, you can eat your breakfast first," re- 
 marked Captain Courtney, looking into his 
 face with a scrutinizing glance, " we are lying 
 to off Ramsgate, and shall probably do so till 
 evening, as I take up some people here." 
 
 " Oh, very well, then I will eat my break- 
 fast first," and Arthur followed Captain 
 Courtney into the cabin. 
 
 It was excedingly roomy and handsome, 
 tastefully fitted up, with two private cabins 
 for passengers leading from it. 
 
 A substantial breakfast was on the table, 
 and Arthur, notwithstanding his strange situa- 
 tion, and the cruel treatment he had received 
 the night before, did ample justice to it.
 
 72 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " By the bye," said Captain Courtney, 
 " you do not seem troubled by sea sickness. 
 There is not much motion to be sure for a 
 seaman to perceive, but quite enough to 
 upset a landsman's good temper and feed- 
 ing." 
 
 " I never was sea sick," said Arthur ; " I 
 commenced my acquaintance with salt water 
 very early. My first immersion nearly cost 
 me my life. My next acquaintance with 
 it was from the deck of a shrimp boat. I 
 then learned to swim and dive like a duck. 
 So in the five or six early years of my life I 
 got remarkably well seasoned, and certainly 
 feel no sort of inclination to be sick." 
 
 Whilst he was speaking he was very scien- 
 tifically carving a roast fowl, a leg and wing 
 of which he transferred to his own plate, with 
 a fair allowance of ham, the captain all the 
 time leaning his two elbows on the table, 
 with his knife and fork suspended from both, 
 and his eyes fixed upon him. Our hero, with- 
 out taking the slightest notice of the captain's
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 73 
 
 fixed attention, continued to demolish his 
 eatables with great relish. 
 
 " Ha !" said Captain Courtney, drawing his 
 breath, " devilish extraordinary !" and then 
 he attacked his plate of cold beef with deter- 
 mined energy. 
 
 Arthur appeared unconscious of the scrutiny 
 of the captain, but he had his own thoughts, 
 and when he had finished his fowl he turned 
 to his companion, and very qujetly said : 
 
 " Pray, Captain Courtney, in what light 
 am I considered on board this vessel ? Am I 
 a passenger, or am I to w^ork as a sailor, or 
 otherwise, for from the strano;e manner in 
 which I was brought here, I might be induced 
 to believe I am considered as a lunatic, or 
 half madman." 
 
 Captain Courtney immediately said, his 
 bronzed countenance showing a flush on its 
 surface : 
 
 " You are a passenger, Mr. Bolton, to Ja- 
 maica, and your passage money, a handsome 
 sum, has been paid. Once in Jamaica, you 
 
 VOL. I. E
 
 74 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 are perfectly at liberty to quit my ship. In- 
 deed I am led to understand that you will find 
 full instructions how to act, in a letter in your 
 sea-chest. You have, I confess, knocked me 
 into a heap. I'm like a ship in irons, all adrift* 
 I should have given you one of the berths in 
 this cabin ; but — but — you see — in the first 
 place, I have a lady and her two fair daugh- 
 ters and servants, as passengers, going out to 
 Jamaica ; they have taken my private cabin 
 and berths ; so you will not be so very 
 lonely. I trust this voyage will completely 
 restore you ; I know your friends are most 
 anxious it should." 
 
 Still further mystified, Arthur rose, and 
 taking the Captain by the hand said : 
 
 " I thank you, at all events, for your kind- 
 ness and good wishes. I feel no dislike 
 whatever to this voyage; on the contrary, it 
 suits my inclination and wishes ; for I have 
 neither relations nor friends nor profession, nor 
 means of support, beyond a small sum of 
 money, which with my luggage is left at the
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 75 
 
 Crown Hotel, where my extraordinary disap- 
 pearance will create both anxiety and inquiry. 
 This voyage and what it may lead to, I may 
 call a fortunate event ; but why such ex- 
 ceeding cruelty and brutality were made use 
 of to bring me on board this vessel, amazes 
 me; and one of your own crew actually 
 wanted to take my life." 
 
 " One of my crew !" exclaimed the skipper, 
 looking rather serious ; " you must mistake ; 
 I certainly sent my jolly-boat and four hands 
 to St. Catherine's dock by agreement ; but 
 these men are ordinary seamen, all old hands. 
 Do you know the man who threatened you ? 
 Did you hear him called by name ?" 
 
 "Yes, Captain, I did; his name was Jem 
 Hopsley." 
 
 "Ah," said the Captain, "I thought he 
 
 could not be amongst my crew ; that Hopeley, 
 
 and a man called Reynolds, were the two men 
 
 who had the charge of you, but neither of 
 
 them are on board this vessel now." 
 
 At that moment a voice down the com- 
 
 E 2
 
 76 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 panion hailed the Captain, saying a shore 
 boat was alongside, and a person in her 
 wanted to see him. 
 
 "Well, Mr. Bolton," said the skipper, 
 shaking his hand heartily, " be of good 
 heart, this voyage at your age can do 
 you no harm ; I'm somewhat puzzled and 
 mystified, I confess. I am paid, however, 
 handsomely for your voyage out, and I pro- 
 mise you if we reach Jamaica and you do not 
 like to remain there, you shall return to old 
 England with me, free of all expense — so now 
 make yourself happy. I like you. Go and ex- 
 amine your chest and rig yourself ship-shape. 
 By Jove, I'll make a thorough sailor of you 
 before this voyage is over." Thus speaking, 
 Captain Courtney hurried on deck. 
 
 Arthur felt pleased. " After all," thought 
 he to himself — " if I were requested to select 
 a profession, I would say, let me try a sea- 
 faring life for a couple of years ; anything 
 sooner than standing behind a counter, or 
 leaning over a desk, for twelve hours in the
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 77 
 
 day. I think Captain Courtney Las been 
 deceived, and lie is beginning to think so too. 
 There is one thing I am truly glad of, and that 
 is that I am not on board the same ship with 
 that ruffian Jem Hopeley. It is also very 
 clear to me that there must be some powerful 
 reason for wishing me to be carried from the 
 soil of England into so distant a land as the 
 West Indies." 
 
 He then proceeded to his cabin, and ex- 
 amined the chest. On its lid was painted, in 
 white letters — " Mr. Artliur Bolton, ship 
 ' Foam.' " 
 
 Opening the box, he perceived it contained 
 a tolerably large collection of garments. On 
 the top of them lay a letter, directed to him- 
 self. With no little curiosity he broke the 
 seal, and opening it, read as follows : — 
 
 " You are now placed, Arthur 
 Bolton, in a situation that may lead to for- 
 tune — do not, from wilfulness, or from wrong
 
 78 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 conceptions, cast away a certain good to 
 struggle witli fortune, unassisted. 
 
 " At the bottom of your sea-cliest you will 
 find a letter directed to Mr. Henderson, Ja- 
 maica. He is one of the richest British mer- 
 chants there. You have had an excellent 
 education, therefore you will be appointed to 
 a situation in his service, at a good salary, 
 which will rapidly increase if your talents and 
 industry render you deserving of promotion. 
 Thus, in a few years, you may attain inde- 
 pendence. What had you to expect if you 
 remained in England ? — A frightful struggle, 
 unassisted and friendless — therefore take the 
 advice now given you — be patient and hope- 
 ful. Let Captain Courtney imagine you are 
 a passenger confided to his care for certain 
 reasons, and under certain circumstances, and 
 make no effort to undeceive him. He is hand- 
 somely paid, and is a man of well-known 
 kindness as a seaman, and a skilful navi- 
 gator. At any time you can return to Eng-
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 79 
 
 land, bat I emphatically recommend you not 
 to do so till your fortune is made. In your 
 chest you will find an ample outfit of clothes, 
 and a cheque upon a mercantile house in 
 Jamaica in a purse. 
 
 " I now conclude, and sign myself, what- 
 ever you may think to the contrary, 
 
 '' Your firm friend, 
 
 u " 
 
 "Well," exclaimed Arthur, as he finished 
 the letter, " I am more puzzled now than 
 ever. I am apparently placed in the road to 
 fortune, well provided, an introduction to a 
 wealthy merchant in Jamaica, a cheque for 
 an unknown sum, my passage paid. What 
 on earth could I desire more ? But if all this 
 had been offered me by a stranger openly, I 
 would have said he was one of the most 
 generous of mortals, and I would have grate- 
 fully thanked and blessed him for his gene- 
 rosity. Instead of being so treated, I am first 
 robbed by a rascally pretended perfumer, then
 
 80 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 enticed into a low locality, brutally treated by 
 two ruffians, tli rough the very rascal who first 
 robbed me, and brought aboard this brig in a 
 cruel manner, and passed upon her captain no 
 doubt as a person of weak intellect, sometimes 
 so deranged as to require a gag and a straight 
 waistcoat. Now this treatment is scarcely to 
 be borne with patience. No doubt if I showed 
 this letter to the captain, and explained cir- 
 cumstances as they occurred, he would per- 
 mit me to land, and I might return to London. 
 Well, suppose I were once more at the Crown 
 Hotel, what could I do? My friend and school- 
 fellow is evidently abroad. How thus un- 
 assisted can I hope to prosper. My mind is 
 made up. I shall go with the stream, though 
 I confess I would sacrifice anything to gain 
 the slightest clue to my infant history. I 
 should like to belong to some one, no matter 
 bow humble or poor; but I have not even a 
 name." 
 
 He paused ; his cheek became flushed, and 
 he felt a sensation of sadness stealing over
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 81 
 
 him ; with an effort lie shook it off and then 
 continued the examination of his chest. He 
 found a sailor's jacket, heavy pea coat for 
 bad weather, and a few light garments of all 
 sorts for hot climates. Nothing was omitted 
 necessary for a young gentleman's outfit, 
 even suj)posing he belonged to parents of high 
 respectability, for everything in the chest was 
 of the best quality. A large pocket book lay 
 at the bottom, in opening it he found the let- 
 ter addressed to Mr. Henderson, with a large 
 seal with simply the initial letters, C. B. A 
 purse, containing the cheque, which he per- 
 ceived was for a hundred pounds, payable to 
 Arthur Bolton, only. 
 
 " Well, all this is very strange ; there must 
 be some powerful reason for thus bestowing 
 on a nameless castaway so fine a chance of 
 fortune." 
 
 Attiring himself in a simple jacket and 
 
 trowsers, which fitted him as if his measure 
 
 had been taken, and in which his tall, fine 
 
 figure looked to great advantage, he ascended 
 
 E 5
 
 82 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 upon deck, tlie vessel for tlie last lialf-liour or 
 so lying as if in a mill-pond. 
 
 On gaining tlie deck, lie beheld a very ani- 
 mated and beautiful scene. 
 
 The " Foam" was lying-to under her top- 
 sails only, her fore-topsail aback, and her 
 mainsail hauled up, and only one gib set. 
 The " Foam" was a clipper ship, remarkably 
 long, though with fine beam ; her masts were 
 very tawt, and raked aft, more like a clipper 
 schooner than a brig. They were scarcely 
 two miles from Eamsgate pier. The wind 
 was blowing off the shore, nor. nor. east, and 
 the flood tide had ceased and the ebb com- 
 menced, which rendered the water smooth, 
 though the wind was very fresh, with a fine 
 clear sky. 
 
 Numbers of vessels and steamers were to 
 be seen on every side, some making for the 
 Thames, others leaving it. Some vessels of 
 war were making sail from the Downs, taking 
 advantage of such a fine breeze down Channel. 
 Some were tacking into Eamsgate, and some
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 83 
 
 running out. It was a lively, animated scene, 
 and one so faithfully represented by tlie pencil 
 of Turner. 
 
 The shore boat, with two persons in the 
 stern sheets, had just left the brig. Captain 
 Courtney waving his hat to them, and they 
 returning the compliment. 
 
 Arthur's eyes immediately sought the well- 
 remembered cliff, where the old shrimper's 
 cottage once stood, but it was no longer there. 
 A very pretty villa had replaced the humble 
 cottage, and the little garden, some twenty 
 yards square, was converted into a platform, 
 on which a tall rigged mast was erected, and 
 on which flags were hoisted on certain occa- 
 sions by the owner, a retired naval officer, 
 who had purchased the piece of land after the 
 death of the old shrimper, and erected a hand- 
 some marine villa upon it. 
 
 " We are losing a fine spanking breeze, Mr. 
 Bolton," said the Captain of the Foam, joining 
 our hero on the deck. " This wind would drive 
 us down Channel at the rate of ten knots."
 
 84 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 U\r, 
 
 You will not be detained long, I suppose," 
 answered our hero. ''It certainly is a fine 
 breeze for clearing the Channel." 
 
 " Why, no, I hope not ; though ladies are 
 rather slow in their movements. Mrs. March- 
 mont and her two daughters are going out 
 to join Mr. Marchmont, a very wealthy mer- 
 chant, who has lived in Jamaica for many 
 years. Mrs. Marchmont is of a very aristo- 
 cratic family, and her daughters, born and 
 educated in England, I am told are very beau- 
 tiful girls." 
 
 " Do you know much about Ramsgate, 
 Captain Courtney ?" questioned our hero. 
 
 " I cannot say that I do, though my wife 
 and family are natives of yonder town. Tlie 
 boat you saw leaving the ship carried my 
 wife's brother, who is a large ship builder and 
 owner. Eamsgate is a pleasant place for a 
 retired seaman ; always something to be seen 
 pleasing to a seaman's eye." 
 
 " Do you know who built yonder marine villa, 
 with the flag flying over the little battery?"
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 85 
 
 " Oil, yes," returned the Captain, turning 
 his glass upon it. " An ohl post captain 
 bought the land, about as much as the main- 
 sail of a three-decker would cover. The old 
 commodore, you see, has mounted two eight- 
 pounders on his little platform, and blazes 
 away on every Eoyal birthday or naval vic- 
 tory." 
 
 " Many an hour, Captain Courtney," said 
 Arthur Bolton, to the attentive captain, " have 
 I spent on the spot where that battery is 
 erected ; at that time only a very humble cot- 
 tage was there, with a few yards of garden, 
 excavated out of the cliff, haviiTg a zigzag 
 path leading down to the sands ; and on those 
 sands I was left, to be washed away by the re- 
 ceding tide. At that time, too, an old water- 
 course made its way to the beach. I see no 
 such stream now." 
 
 Captain Courtney looked seriously into 
 the fine, handsome, intellectual features of the 
 young man beside him, who was thinking, 
 " Why was I, a helpless infant, cast into the
 
 86 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 tide's way, to be drowned like a blind kitten ? 
 Was I tlie child of shame or of crime, that 
 such means were taken to destroy my infant 
 life." 
 
 '' You, certainly, Mr. Bolton," remarked 
 the captain, very thoughtfully, " seem to know 
 every inch of the spot before us ; it is very 
 Strang s. If this be a delusion, it is very like 
 reality." 
 
 " It is no dream or hallucination. Captain 
 Courtney, but truth. Moreover, I will tell 
 you a fact you may have heard from your 
 brother-in-law. I was about eight years old 
 when a fine ship ran ashore in a dense fog, 
 under the cliff where stood the shrimp catcher's 
 cottage. She had scarcely run aground when 
 the wind shifted into the north-east and blew 
 a perfect hurricane." 
 
 " Why, bless my soul !" interrupted Capt. 
 Courtney, " you are speaking of the barq[ue 
 called the ' Brothers,' which was built and 
 owned by my brother-in-law. The shift of 
 wind saved the craft, and she was got off
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 87 
 
 safelj the following spring-tide. You quite 
 bewilder me ; all you have stated proves to 
 me that I have been imposed upon, and that 
 the story of your being picked up on the 
 sands and adopted by an old lad}i named 
 Morton, is fact, and not a delusion of your 
 own brain. But here is the steam tug coming. 
 Now, in my opinion, you had better go out 
 with me to Jamaica. I have no clue to give 
 you, to enable you to discover the gentleman 
 who actually persuaded me that you were his 
 only son, unhappily labouring under a me- 
 lancholy delusion, from the period of your 
 recovery from a fever, whilst in a school in 
 Canterbury. lie said the delusion no doubt 
 arose from being in the same room with a 
 school-fellow, to whom you were much at- 
 tached, and who was, in fact, the boy picked 
 up on the sands. You were both ill, your 
 pretended father said, at the same time, and 
 the physicians who were consulted said it 
 was a strange hallucination ; that no doubt 
 you fancied yourself your comrade, and that
 
 88 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 the delusion would pass off with change of 
 scene and occupation. We will talk over 
 this matter again." 
 
 That Arthur Bolton was amazed, we need 
 hardly say. That there was an object in all 
 this well and cleverly arranged deception, he 
 could not doubt. But he banished further 
 thought upon the subject, and turned his at- 
 tention to the steam tug, which rapidly ap- 
 proached, bringing the passengers. 
 
 Presently it came alongside, and the gang- 
 way being opened, the ladies could step on 
 board without any apparent difficulty. 
 
 "I fear. Captain," said a tall, elegant look- 
 ing woman, not more than forty, throwing 
 back her veil, " that we have kept you longer 
 than you liked, with this fine wind blowing. 
 But you know, I daresay, that we women 
 are very tedious in packing up our finery." 
 
 The captain assured his fair passengers that 
 the delay was not of the slightest consequence ; 
 he was too happy in having such passengers 
 to heed any delay.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 89 
 
 Arthur Bolton stood at a little distance, 
 regarding the party getting on board with 
 some curiosity : he observed that Mrs. ]\Iarch- 
 mont was a very elegant and graceful wo- 
 man, and that her two daughters were very 
 beautiful, especially the youngest — a graceful, 
 lively girl, not more than seventeen years old, 
 the eldest probably being nineteen. Two 
 female servants, one a staid matron, the other 
 a very pretty girl, about the age of the 
 youngest sit:ter. A gentlemanly looking man 
 about forty also stepped on deck. 
 
 After a vast heap of luggage and baggage, 
 including a piano and harp, having been put 
 on board, and all preliminaries being settled, 
 the steam tug cast off, the roar of her steam 
 ceased, and the topsails of the brig braced 
 round. The two vessels separated, the tug- 
 returning to the harbour, and the " Foam," 
 like a steed released from the bit, dashing 
 through the sparkling waters, with a nine 
 knot breeze filling her lofty canvass. 
 
 The ladies having gone below with the gen-
 
 90 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 tleman to arrange their luggage and settle 
 their cabins, our hero walked forward to look 
 at the crew of the Foam, which consisted of 
 eleven men and two boys, two mates in- 
 cluded. 
 
 The mates were tall men in the prime of 
 life, swartliy and fierce looking, with un- 
 shaven beards, and necks like buffaloes. As 
 he passed one of them the man looked very 
 hard indeed into our hero's face, his large, 
 fierce, dark eyes fixed full upon him. Our 
 hero started, for his first impression was that 
 he saw Jim Hopeley, the ruffian who assisted 
 Eeynolds in bringing him on board ; he was 
 wonderfully like, but a second glance satisfied 
 him that he was mistaken. The sailor before 
 him was marked by the small-pox, Hopeley 
 was not. 
 
 " Do you think, young man, you ever saw 
 me before ?" said the man, staring impudently 
 into Arthur Bolton's face, and leaning his 
 huge hand on his hip. 
 
 Our hero was surprised at the man's tone,
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 91 
 
 whicli was almost insolent, but lie merely an- 
 swered : 
 
 " I tliouglit so when I first saw you, but my 
 tliinking so is no reason you should be inso- 
 lent," and without waiting for a reply he 
 moved on towards the stern of the brig. 
 
 He heard the man swear and mutter some- 
 thing, but did not hear the words. He 
 never saw a worse set of men, as far as looks 
 Avent, than the crew of the Foam ; one of the 
 boys, an Irish lad about seventeen, looked a 
 fine, clean, lively lad, but the other appeared 
 sickly. 
 
 Meeting Captain Courtney, he said : "I 
 have been taking a look over the vessel, and 
 a glance at your crew." 
 
 *' And I dare say," answered tlie captain, 
 Avith a smile, "like myself, you do not much 
 admire them, though they are good sailors 
 everyone ; but they are a rough lot. I did 
 not select them, my owners did. I found them 
 on board when I arrived to take the command, 
 and was assured they were first-rate seamen.
 
 92 THE PIKATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 My two mates are powerful fellows, at all 
 events." 
 
 " Yes, they are," returned our hero, " what 
 are their names?" 
 
 '"' John Jackson," said the captain, " is first 
 mate, William Saunders second. Tiiat's a 
 fine boy, Joseph Malone, I will put him to 
 attend in the cabin. By the way, I have got 
 another passenger, but only as far as Madeira, 
 a naval surgeon, a native of Kamsgate. My 
 brother-in-law begged me to give' him a pas- 
 sage ; he is a very gentlemanly man. Tell 
 me, how do you like the ladies ? You must 
 take care of your heart, Mr. Bolton. By 
 Jove ! the mother and dauo^hters are remark- 
 ably handsome, one of the girls positively 
 lovely. You will have to guard your heart 
 well; women are dangerous creatures on board 
 ship." 
 
 '^ There is no fear of a nameless outcast," 
 observed Bolton, " troubling himself with 
 affairs of the heart to make his fate more 
 miserable."
 
 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 93 
 
 *' Come, come," replied Captain Courtney, 
 kindly laying his hand on his shoulder, " you 
 must make a name, and be prouder of it than 
 if it was bestowed by the loftiest ancestry." 
 
 " You are right. Captain Courtney," cried 
 Arthur, speaking cheerfully. " I sometimes 
 give way to despondency, but not often ; the 
 bright side of the picture is the fairest to gaze 
 at." 
 
 Just then the male passenger came upon 
 (Teck, and Captain Courtney introduced our 
 hero to him. He gave a slight start and 
 looked a little surprised when he heard the 
 name of Bolton, but immediately the captain 
 turned to give some direction to the man at 
 the wheel, he entered into conversation with 
 our hero, pleasantly and with animation. 
 
 " Is this your first voyage, Mr. Bolton ?" 
 inquired the surgeon ; " I see you seem per- 
 fectly indifferent to the motion of the vessel." 
 
 " Yes, my first voyage certainly," returned 
 our hero, " out of sight of the shores of old 
 England. But I am accustomed to the sea,
 
 94 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 having passed some years of my life knocking 
 about this very shore we are leaving." 
 
 '' You have a fine fast craft under you," 
 said Mr. Cunningham, " and her commander, 
 by all accounts, a most kind-hearted man. I 
 almost regret quitting this vessel at Madeira, 
 for, to judge by the appearance of our fair 
 compagnons de voyage^ time will pass plea- 
 santly." 
 
 Captain Courtney now summoned the two 
 gentlemen to dinner. It wanted an hour to 
 sunset, and though the Foam was running 
 before a strong breeze there was scarcely any 
 motion. 
 
 On entering the cabin. Captain Courtney 
 introduced all his passengers to one another. 
 Mrs. Marchmont was very gracious, looked 
 evidentl}^ with surprise at Arthur, who took 
 his seat next the youngest daughter, whose 
 name was Alice; the eldest was called Eliza. 
 
 There was a most excellent dinner put 
 upon the table, well cooked and served. 
 Joe, the Irish lad, and the steward attended.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 95 
 
 " I am quite pleased," observed Captain 
 Courtney, " to see that none of my passengers 
 appear to feel any inconvenience from the 
 motion of the vessel. I was afraid the young 
 ladies, not being seasoned — " 
 
 " Oh, then you are quite out, Captain 
 Courtney," interrupted Alice Marchmont, 
 laughing. " If you think to save your pro- 
 visions, you are mistaken. I made two 
 voyages to Dublin with my sister last year, 
 in the Adelaide steamei', and for three days 
 it blew, the captain said, the heaviest gale he 
 had experienced for years, with what all the 
 sailors called a tremendous sea. Neither my 
 sister nor myself had even a head-ache ; so 
 woe betide your good things, if you reckon on 
 our absence from meals during bad weather." 
 
 " I am rejoiced to hear you say so. Miss 
 Alice," said the captain, with a smile. 
 " Nothing annoys me more than to see 
 my passengers suffer. Mr. Bolton, will you 
 be so good as to help your fair neighbour to 
 a glass of sherry?"
 
 96 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 The conversation after the removal of the 
 dinner became general, and though all were 
 previously strangers to each other, time 
 passed exceedingly pleasantly. 
 
 To some observation of Arthur Bolton'si 
 Miss Alice Marchmont said, letting her 
 beautiful eyes rest upon his for an instant : 
 
 " Then you never were in Jamaica ; like 
 ourselves — that is my sister and self — all will 
 be new to you. Mamma has visited it thrice, 
 and about the time we sliall arrive, the island 
 will be very healthy." 
 
 " Do you know anyone in the island, Mr. 
 Bolton?" inquired Mrs. Marchmont, whilst 
 the surgeon and Captain Courtney had a de- 
 bate about the merits and sailing qualities of 
 a ship of war both knew. 
 
 " Not a soul, Madam," returned our hero. 
 " I have a letter of introduction to a merchant 
 of the name of Henderson, residing at Kings- 
 town." 
 
 '' Oh !" cried Mrs. Marchmont — " I know 
 Mr. Henderson and his charming family quite
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM, 97 
 
 intimately ; he is one of the first merchants 
 on the island, and has a most extensive planta- 
 tion adjoining my husband's; they are very 
 old friends." 
 
 " I should very much like," said Alice 
 Marchmont to her sister, " to take a turn on 
 deck, to see the sun go down and have one 
 more glimpse of old England; to-morrow 
 morning probably it may be scarcely visible." 
 
 " You will be close in shore to-morrow 
 morning," returned Captain Courtney, turn- 
 ing round. " I touch at Falmouth, to put 
 letters ashore ; so if you wish to write a few 
 lines to friends, to let them know you have 
 got so far in safety, you can do so." 
 
 " I shall gladly avail myself of the oppor- 
 tunity," said Mrs. Marchmont and her daugh- 
 ters ; " and now let us go for a turn on deck." 
 
 Whilst the captain and surgeon continued 
 their conversation and finished their wine, 
 our hero accompanied the ladies on deck. 
 
 The sun had just dipped half its glorious 
 orb in the western wave — there was a bright 
 
 VOL. I. p
 
 98 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 clear sky, without even a speck to dim its 
 setting glories — they were passing through 
 the straits of Dover, not more than three 
 miles from the shore. 
 
 "What a beautiful scene," said Miss 
 Marchmont to her mother. *' What variety I 
 and what animation !" 
 
 The waters were covered with crafts of 
 every description, steamers, ships, boats, 
 yachts, vessels of war, some scudding before 
 the breeze, others sailing under reduced can- 
 vass, working to the eastward and plunging 
 into the short seas, which dashed the white 
 foam over their bows. 
 
 The Foam ran past every vessel they came 
 up with, her motion steady and easy, her 
 great beam giving her great stability. Whilst 
 those upon deck were enjoying the beauty of 
 the scene around them — seen to advantage on 
 an unusually fine evening, the captain and 
 surgeon remained conversing earnestly below. 
 To the subject of their conversation we must 
 refer our readers in our next chapter.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 99 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 " May I ask you a question or two, Captain 
 Courtney?" said Mr. Cunningham to the com- 
 mander of the " Foam," as they sat finishing 
 their wine, after the departure of the ladies on 
 deck. " I refer to that remarkably fine young 
 man, Mr. Bolton. I am not actuated by mere 
 curiosity, I assure you ; but when you intro- 
 duced him, I was struck by his name. Not 
 that Bolton is at all an uncommon! one — but 
 recent circumstances with reference to that 
 name, struck a chord in my memory — and 
 the appearance and manner, and some words 
 he chanced to drop in conversation, have in- 
 terested me greatly." 
 
 " He is certainly a most promising and pre- 
 
 F 2
 
 100 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 possessing young man," returned the Captain, 
 " and already I take a gTeat interest in him ; 
 not only from the strange manner I have be- 
 come acquainted with him, but from his own 
 open, fine spirit and disposition." 
 
 " May I ask what is his Christian name ?" 
 
 '' Arthur." 
 
 " So far that corresponds," returned Mr. 
 Cunningham, with animation. " So does his 
 age. Now can you tell me, without breaking 
 any confidence, did he ever speak to you 
 about his early life ? Was his childhood passed 
 in Ramsgate? Or do you know was he 
 ever at school at Canterbury ?" 
 
 " By Jove, you have awakened my curiosity 
 now, Mr. Cunningham, and as the young man 
 has not the slightest reserve or wish to hide 
 his early history, but on the contrary, speaks 
 openly of the events of his childhood, and of 
 his having been picked up on the sands at 
 Eamsgate, and his adoption by an old and 
 noble-hearted woman, residing there, of the 
 name of Morton — "
 
 THE PIKATES OF THE FOAM. 101 
 
 "All, exactly," said the surgeon, filling liis 
 glass. " I am quite right. Now then, Captain 
 Courtney, if we are not interrupted, 1 will 
 give you a brief account of my acquaintance 
 with the name of Bolton, and what I state to 
 you I will also state to Mr. Bolton, for it may 
 materially affect his after destiny : — 
 
 "About six or eight weeks ago I came to 
 E-amsgate on family matters; I am a native 
 of that town. One morning I was passing 
 along Bay-view Terrace, when a young woman, 
 pale, and apparently terrified, rushed down 
 the steps from a house door, exclaiming — ^ Oh, 
 my God, my mistress is in a frightful fit,' and 
 she ran on to seek a doctor — 
 
 " Thinking I might be of assistance till a 
 doctor was procured — and I knew that there 
 was not one very near — I hastened up the 
 steps and entered the hall. Hearing a voice 
 of lamentation in a room above, I ascended 
 the stairs, and, guided by the sound, entered a 
 drawing-room, and beheld an old lady, strug- 
 gling in a severe fit, on the floor, and an
 
 102 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 elderly attendant clapping her hands, and ut- 
 tering sundry ejaculations. I palled out a 
 lancet — I always carry one — bared the old 
 lady's arm, and told the woman to get a basin 
 and hold the arm — 
 
 " ' Oh, my God! I can't, sir,' she exclaimed. 
 ' I can't bear the sight of blood ; I'll go for 
 assistance,' and the stupid fool rushed from 
 the room. However, I seized a vase on the 
 table with flowers, threw them out and opened 
 a vein. All of a sudden the old lady ceased 
 to struggle, opened her eyes, and fixed them 
 full upon me. 
 
 " ' I am dying,' she said with an effort. 
 * Listen, whoever you are.' I did listen, 
 struck with the anxious, agonized expression 
 of the old dame's features. Heaving a deep 
 sigh, she continued, in a low intensely earnest 
 voice : — 
 
 " ' In Canterbury school there is ayoung man 
 — he's twenty years old.' She paused, I saw the 
 fit was coming again. She grasped my hand, 
 and raising her head she gasped out — ' His
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 103 
 
 name is Artliur Bolton ; lie is my nephew, the 
 son of — ' the head fell back, the eyes closed, 
 and a .shudder shook her whole frame. At 
 that moment Dr. Hart entered the room, with 
 the two servants and an assistant. He was 
 the old lady's medical attendant, I knew him 
 very well, so delivered up to him the case of 
 the lady, who soon went into a second 
 fit. 
 
 " I did not think a great deal of the broken 
 sentences she had uttered. I did not exactly 
 imagine she would die just then, so I went 
 about my own affairs. When I returned home 
 in the evening, my sister said : 
 
 " ' Poor old Mrs. Morton is dead ; she had 
 another terrible fit, and died in it.' 
 
 "'Who is Mrs. Morton?' I questioned, 
 thinking of what had occurred in the morning. 
 
 " ' She was a very respectable old lady,' re- 
 turned my sister, ' and in very comfortable 
 circumstances, who has resided here for more 
 than twenty years.' 
 
 " ' Any children or relatives ?'
 
 104 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " ' None tliat ever T heard of; she was very 
 charitable, but did some strange eccentric 
 acts.' 
 
 " ' You are sure she never had or has a 
 nephew ? She spoke to me about a nephew, 
 and tokl me he is at a school in Canterbury, 
 and that his name is Arthur Bolton.' 
 
 " ' Oh/ returned my sister, ' she Avas no doubt 
 raving about that child she picked up some 
 19 or 20 years ago, on the sands. Ah, that 
 was one of her eccentric acts. She put the 
 child to nurse at an old shrimp-catcher's cot- 
 tage, and never even, I am told, looked at 
 him from the day she saved him from being 
 carried away by the tide. Suddenly, when 
 the boy was nine years old, she had him taken 
 away and carried to a first-rate academy in 
 Canterbury, and had him educated like the 
 first gentleman's child in the land. Very 
 strange, was it not ? but it was very noble of 
 her. Who knows, after all, but that the child, 
 or rather young man, may be her nephew in 
 reality ? No doubt she has left a will, and if
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 105 
 
 she liad ample means, as you say, and if she 
 has any relatives, they will soon make their 
 appearance.' 
 
 " I had to leave that morning for London, 
 and after a few days I found I had to make a 
 voyage to Madeira. I returned to E-amsgate 
 to bid my maiden sister farewell, and then 
 your brother-in-law, an intimate friend of 
 mine, told me that in a day or two a fine brig, 
 bound to Jamaica, commanded by you, would 
 touch at Ramsgate to take in some lady pas- 
 sengers ; that you would stop at Madeira, and 
 he would get me a passage out. I was re- 
 joiced at this, so packed up and got ready. 
 In the evening I said to Martha, ' Well, Martha, 
 did any of old Mrs. Morton's relatives come 
 to her funeral?' 
 
 " ' Oh, she was not buried here. Bless you, 
 
 she turned out a great person after all. Her 
 
 brother is a rich baronet. Sir E,icliard Morton, 
 
 of Morton Hall, Derbyshire ; a fine, stately, 
 
 aristocratic gentleman ; he had the old Lidy 
 
 put into a lead coffin, and had her carried 
 
 F 5
 
 106 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 into Derbyshire to be buried in the family 
 vault.' 
 
 " ' And what became of the young man, at 
 the school in Canterbury?' 
 
 " ' Well, there are a number of reports ; in- 
 deed, I can't tell what to believe. It is said 
 the boy's school-master came to know what 
 was to be done w^ith the youth at his establish- 
 ment; that the baronet received him very 
 haughtily ; said he knew nothing about him ; 
 he was not accountable for his sister's eccen- 
 tric acts. The boy had received a most 
 expensive education ; his board and schooling 
 bill all paid in advance ; therefore the young 
 man might consider himself very fortunate, and 
 could push his way in the world as well as 
 many less fortunately endowed.' 
 
 " ' Then,' said I, ' if this Sir Pdchard Morton 
 acted in this way, and deserted his sister's 
 protege, without even providing him with 
 temporary funds, he has acted very cruelly 
 and unjustly.' 
 
 " I thought it very strange," continued Mr.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 107 
 
 Cunningliam, " for the old lady knew slie was 
 dying. She called upon God that she spoke 
 the truth ; that the young gentleman was her 
 
 nephew, and the son of . No doubt, 
 
 she meant the son of her brother, Sh' Richard 
 Morton. Now, it strikes me," added the sur- 
 geon, " that he may be the illegitimate son of 
 this Sir Richard Morton, and he wished to hide 
 the fact. Having two or three days to spare, 
 I wrote to a surgeon settled at Derby, and 
 asked hi in if he knew anything of a Sir 
 Richard Morton. 
 
 " In reply, he said : 
 
 " Sir Richard Morton was of a very old 
 Derbyshire family, a man of rank and station, 
 and much liked. That his wife was the 
 daughter of Lord Pintire, a very handsome 
 and amiable lady. Had a son about 18, and 
 two very beautiful daughters. They were 
 residing at Morton Hall. He stated he was 
 professionally employed by Sir Richard ; he 
 also informed me that the baronet had an 
 only sister, unmarried, and many years, [
 
 108 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 think nearly twenty, his senior, a most eccen- 
 tric lady, lately deceased ; he never heard of 
 any other relative. As I did not say why I 
 made the inquiries, he stated nothing further. 
 
 " This is all I know, and this much leads me 
 to suppose this young man to be his illegiti- 
 mate son, born previous to Sir Richard Mor- 
 ton's marriage with his present wife. 
 
 '' Your conclusion, Mr. Cunningham," said 
 Captain Courtney, " appears natural enough ; 
 still I do not think such to be the case. I 
 will tell you all that occurred to me, and the 
 young man will tell you his own history. Ah, 
 here come the ladies; we must leave it to 
 another time." 
 
 The wind slacking during the night, and 
 ilrawing more to the northward, the Foam 
 did not reach the entrance to Falmouth har- 
 bour till the morning of the second day after 
 leaving Ramsgate. Here Captain Courtney 
 received a considerable amount in gold, con- 
 signed to a firm in Jamaica ; letters were sent 
 ashore, and before night the vessel was again
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 109 
 
 I 
 
 under weio^li, with a lio-ht wind from the 
 east. 
 
 Mrs. Marchmont and her daughters ap- 
 peared extremely pleased with our hero's 
 manner and conversation. He had read a 
 great deal, was eminently talented, and spoke 
 well and fluently. He played chess scientifi- 
 cally ; in fact, few could check-mate him, and 
 Mrs. Marchmont and her youngest daughter 
 delighted in that fascinating game. Then the 
 harp was brought out. Alice was a delight- 
 ful performer, and Arthur, who was exceed- 
 ingly fond of music and played the flute well, 
 borrowed Captain Courtney's instrument, 
 and accompanied her. Altogether though 
 their progress was slow, owing to light and 
 trifling winds, time passed delightfully with 
 the young people. 
 
 Mr. Cunningham and our hero had a long 
 conference ; the former told his story, commu- 
 nicating the incidents just as he had done to 
 Captain Courtney. 
 
 Arthur was greatly surprised. What to
 
 110 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 suppose he knew not, but he resolved, when 
 he returned to England, to try and unravel the 
 mystery of his bh'th if possible. From Cap- 
 tain Courtney he had the following account 
 of how he came to be deceived, and to imagine 
 that he had been sent a voyage to Jamaica, 
 to be cured of a singular delusion or halluci- 
 nation. 
 
 *' The person called Reynolds, the man 
 with the magnificent perfume, when properly 
 attired, was very respectable looking. Some 
 days before the Foam sailed from the river, 
 Reynolds came aboard and requested to see 
 me ; he introduced himself as the steward of 
 a gentleman of fortune, named Bolton. One 
 of the gentleman's sons was labouring under a 
 strange delusion, fancying himself another 
 person ; but in everything else perfectly con- 
 sistent. Mr. Bolton wished to place his son 
 under my care, for a voyage to Jamaica. He 
 was willing to pay a large sum for his passage 
 out, provided I would take charge of him ; 
 appointing a meeting at the Bath Hotel, Pic-
 
 THE PIPATES OF THE FOAM. Ill 
 
 cadilly, to introduce me to Mr. Bolton and his 
 son. 
 
 " I called the next day, and on inquiring for 
 Mr. Bolton, I was sliown up into the drawing 
 room ; there I saw a most gentlemanly looking 
 man, about forty- five or forty-six years of age, 
 who, after some few questions concerning the 
 Foam and the voyage out, explained the delu- 
 sion under which his son laboured, and, 
 rino-ino; the bell, he desired the waiter who 
 answered, to tell young Mr. Bolton he was 
 wanted. The waiter returned stating that Mr. 
 Bolton and his sisters had just gone out. 
 
 " ' Two years ago,' said Mr. Bolton, address- 
 ing me, ' my son was attacked with this de- 
 lusion, after a brain fever ; he has recovered 
 perfectly his health and strength, but to 
 my intense sorrow he no longer considers 
 me his father — only his benefactor ; and thinks 
 himself a poor castaway, left on the sands at 
 Eamsgate, to be washed away by the tide. 
 He is most amiable and affectionate, highly 
 accomplished, and gentle and inoffensive.
 
 112 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 Eminent physicians advise a long voyage 
 with change of scene and occupation. I am 
 going, therefore, to consign him to the care 
 of a merchant in Jamaica, who will, to all 
 appearance, take him as a clerk and give him 
 employment. I am sorry he is not at home. 
 No one in the hotel has the slightest idea that 
 my son labours under any infirmity. He goes 
 anywhere he pleases, and is like any other 
 young man in manners and ideas. Now, 
 Captain Courtney, if you think £150 will 
 pay you for taking my son out, and see- 
 ing him consigned to the care of the gentle- 
 man I will name in a letter my son will take 
 to you, I will provide him with a chest of 
 garments, and every comfort necessary for 
 the voyage.' 
 
 " I felt quite satisfied, being handsomely 
 paid — all the passage money being my own 
 perquisites, and I bade Mr. Bolton adieu for 
 the time. 
 
 " The Foam dropped down as far as Green- 
 wich to take in some small goods and receive
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 113 
 
 my young passenger. The day before sailing 
 I received a very kind note from Mr. Bolton, 
 stating that his son would be sent aboard that 
 night, and begged me to send my boat to St. 
 Catharine's wharf ; the fact was, his physician 
 had made a last effort to overcome his delu- 
 sion, which had so excited and irritated him, 
 that he refused to go on board the Foam of 
 his own free will ; he would send his steward 
 and another person with him, and his chest 
 would be there also. Now, I firmly believe," 
 said Captain Courtney, after stating the above 
 to our hero, " that the Mr. Bolton I saw at 
 the Bath Hotel was no other than Sir Richard 
 Morton, and if I live to get back to England 
 I will find that out. There is some powerful 
 motive in Sir Richard Morton's mind for get- 
 ing you out of England." 
 
 " Probably," observed our hero, with a 
 flush on his cheek, " he wished to get rid of 
 and provide for me as an illegitimate child, 
 in a far off land." 
 
 " No, I do not think that ; Mrs. Morton, or
 
 114 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 rather Miss Morton — for she was a maiden 
 lady — declared to Mr. Cunningliam that she 
 was dying, and that she spoke God's truth, 
 saying that you were her nephew, her lawful 
 nephew. At such a moment, such assertions, 
 if untrue, are rarely made. It is possible you 
 may be Sir Richard Morton's nephew; he 
 may have had another sister or brother, though 
 Mr. Cunningham's friend at Derby knew it 
 not." 
 
 "We can only conjecture ; so for the pre- 
 sent," said Arthur Bolton, " let the subject 
 rest ; unless by any chance Mrs. Marchmont 
 might inquire who and what I am, then I 
 prefer facts to any other statement." 
 
 Two days after quitting Falmouth they en- 
 countered very bad weather, with heavy gales 
 from the westward. Captain Courtney by 
 no means admired his crew ; they were sullen, 
 and though they did their duty, evidently 
 they did it grudgingly. 
 
 Arthur had observed the conduct and man- 
 ner of the men, and particularly that of the
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 115 
 
 second mate. He caught liim often with his 
 eyes fixed upon himself with a fierce, malicious 
 expression, quite uncalled for. Being fond 
 of the sea,'he personally exerted himself, and 
 did duty often at the wheel, besides taking- 
 instructions from Captain Courtney in navi- 
 gation and all nautical matters. 
 
 One evening, Alice and her pretty attend- 
 ant, Mary, came on deck to breathe a little 
 fresh air ; the night and previous day, the 
 gale was so heavy and the sea so high, the 
 meal could not be partaken of by the ladies 
 in the chief saloon, so they confined them- 
 selves to their private state rooms. The brig 
 was under double reefed topsails, the wind 
 still a smart gale, and the sea exceedingly 
 rough, at times breaking over the fore part 
 of the vessel and deluging the decks to the 
 mainmast. 
 
 " Ah, Mr. Bolton," said Alice Marchmont, 
 holding on by the companion, and her atten- 
 dant looking very pale, " this is a grand scene, 
 though I shall not be able to bear it long ;
 
 116 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 tlie heat below is very great, so ten minutes 
 of this breeze will be a relief." 
 
 Arthur fastened the young girl's cloak about 
 her, for the gusts of wind were violent, and 
 placing a bench, secured to the deck by 
 bolts, she sat down, and desired Mary, the 
 maid, to go below and tell her eldest sister to 
 come up in her stead. The second mate, 
 Saunders, was at the wheel, steering. 
 
 As Arthur Bolton looked round, he could 
 perceive this man's eyes following all his 
 movements, at times regarding the Miss 
 Marchmonts with a strange expression of 
 countenance. 
 
 " This is a very different kind of sea. Miss 
 Alice," said our hero, " to that you witnessed 
 in the Irish Channel." 
 
 " Oh, very different indeed. Here the huge 
 waves look like mimic mountains, and roll 
 towards you as if going to overwhelm you. 
 But what is that man doing ? What a dan- 
 gerous position he is in." 
 
 Arthur turned and beheld Jackson, the first
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 117 
 
 mate, standing on the bulwarks holding the 
 fore shroud, and leaning over to catch a top- 
 sail sheet, or some rope that had broken 
 adrift. The same moment the brig gave a 
 tremendous pitch, and Jackson, either through 
 carelessness or self-confidence, lost his hold, 
 and was flung into the troubled sea to leeward. 
 
 Alice saw the accident and uttered a cry of 
 terror, but the next moment she hardly 
 breathed, felt faint and sick, for Bolton no 
 sooner saw the accident than he seized the end 
 of a long coil of rope lying on the deck, 
 kicked off his shoes, put the end of the rope 
 round his body, and leaped overboard. 
 
 The sisters were horror struck. The cry of 
 a man overboard, that cry of horror on board 
 ship, brought the captain and the surgeon on 
 deck. Seizing the wheel the captain brought 
 the brig to the wind, and threw her topsails 
 aback, and Joe Malone, with singular pre- 
 sence of mind, knotted a second coil of rope to 
 the one Arthur had seized, just as it was on 
 the point of being run out.
 
 118 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 Strange to say, Jackson, tlie mate, could 
 not swim ; but our hero being an excellent 
 swimmer, bad reached the mate as he was 
 about to sink the second time. Luckily the 
 man's senses were nearly gone, so that he 
 made no attempt to grasp his preserver, who 
 laid hold of him by the collar of his jacket 
 and held him up, and then called out, amidst 
 the roar of the gale and the splash of the 
 breaking billows, " Haul in." 
 
 The two girls stood gazing out upon the 
 scene with breathless anxiety. Alice for the 
 first time in her life felt an overpowering in- 
 terest, and a sensation unknown to herself. 
 
 " My God ! he will perish !" she exclaimed, 
 in a low voice to ]\Ir. Cunningham, as she 
 grasped his arm to steady herself. 
 
 " No, no. Please God, my dear young- 
 lady, he will be saved by that brave, gallant 
 young man. See, he holds him up !" 
 
 "All right," joyfully exclaimed the cap- 
 tain, " the rope is fast to him. Haul in gently 
 my men — haul in gently."
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 119 
 
 *' Curse lilm !" hissed a voice close to Alice 
 Marclimont's ear, " I wish Jackson could be 
 hauled in without him." 
 
 Alice trembled and looked round, but saw 
 only the back of a man, who was walking 
 rapidly forward. 
 
 " I cannot have heard ario;ht," she thouo-ht 
 to herself, as she strained her eyes, watching 
 Arthur Bolton and the mate dragged through 
 the broken seas. 
 
 " They are saved !" shouted the captain, 
 joyfully. 
 
 None of the crew echoed the cry. Alice 
 dropped Mr. Cunningham's arm. How she 
 contrived to get down the companion she 
 knew not, but she reached her own berth, and 
 threw herself agitated and trembling upon the 
 bed. In a few minutes her sister joined her. 
 
 " They are quite safe, Alice dear," she said, 
 kissing her sister's cheek. " It was a fright- 
 ful scene, too much for one so young to wit- 
 ness." 
 
 Three days after this incident the Foam
 
 120 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 anchored in Funcliale roads. Here the ladies 
 landed, Mr. Cunningham procuring* them a 
 residence for the three or four days Captain 
 Courtney intended staying. 
 
 Those three days were the happiest of 
 Arthur Bolton's life. He rambled with the 
 mother and sisters through the romantic 
 scenery of Madeira, and gathered plants and 
 flowers for their collection ; in fact, love was 
 sporting with the young hearts of Mice 
 Marchmont and our hero unknown to them- 
 selves. 
 
 The day arrived for sailing. Mr. Cunning- 
 ham had an hour's conversation with our 
 hero before the departure of the Foam. 
 
 " I shall return to England," said the sur- 
 geon, " before the autumn, where you can 
 write to me. I feel great interest in you, and 
 will do anything in my power to assist you in 
 any inquiries you may be inclined to make. 
 There is one thing strikes me as strange ; I 
 have observed it, though I did not think it 
 exactly worthy of naming. You have a bad
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 121 
 
 set of men in the Foam. Captain Courtnej 
 is aware of it, but lie cannot help himself. 
 One in particular, Saunders, the second mate, 
 seems to regard you with some kind of malice. 
 Did you ever offend the man, or see him before 
 you came on board the Foam ?" 
 
 " No," replied Arthur, " I never saw the 
 man before I met him in this vessel. But 
 T have observed his sinister looks." 
 
 " Keep a strict eye on that man, I fear he 
 means mischief. Have you remarked how 
 sullen and dogged the first mate has been 
 since you saved his life ; he never thanked you, 
 or expressed the least gratitude. One word 
 more — and forgive me if I trespass on the 
 privilege of so short an acquaintance — but I 
 really feel as if I had known you from your 
 childhood." 
 
 Arthur Bolton pressed the kind-hearted 
 surgeon's hand, who continued, fixing his eyes 
 upon the ingenuous countenance of his com- 
 panion. 
 
 " You have given your heart into the keep- 
 
 VOL. I. Gt
 
 122 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 ing of that young and lovely girl, Alice 
 Marchmont." 
 
 " I have never spoken one word of love," 
 replied our hero, calmly, " but 1 love her with 
 my whole soul," and his eyes sparkled, and 
 his voice trembled with emotion, as he spoke. 
 
 " I could see that, and so does her mother. 
 Now listen," continued the surgeon. " 1 have 
 told Mrs. Marchmont all about you ; omitted 
 nothing. A fond mother watches her off- 
 spring with wonderful instinct. She sees 
 what others might not see, even with the most 
 vigilant attention. Mrs. Marchmont is full 
 of the milk of human kindness. She adores 
 her children ; but she has a husband, who is 
 a kind, indulgent, and fond husband and 
 father; but he is nevertheless proud of his 
 daughters, proud of his wealth, and lives in the 
 hope that when he returns to England, in 
 two years, his daughters will form high and 
 wealthy alliances. The mother, though her- 
 self the daughter of a Baronet, and the niece 
 of an Earl, having married for love, cares
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 123 
 
 only for the happiness of her children. 
 Strange to say, the ehlest has given her heart 
 to a young of&cer, a lieutenant in an infantry 
 regiment of the name of Danvers, but who 
 does not possess a shilling beyond his pay. 
 His regiment is under orders for Jamaica. 
 They have plighted their troth, and the mother 
 says she has nothing to say against their love, 
 for the young man is of good family, hand- 
 some, high-spirited, and amiable. And 
 now, supposing her beloved Alice, se- 
 cretly the pride of her heart, should feel a 
 prepossession in your favour, and the father 
 remain opposed to your union, what pros- 
 pect of future happiness have you in nourish- 
 ing the passion you now feel?" 
 
 " You are quite right, my dear sir. I shall 
 guard well my actions and my attentions 
 during the remainder of the voyage. I would 
 bear any sufferings myself to shield her 
 gentle heart fi'om a single pang." 
 
 The Foam sailed with a fair breeze, and 
 
 G 2
 
 12 i THE PIPvATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 soon the lovely, but beautiful, little Island of 
 Madeira was lost in the distance. 
 
 After leaving the Island the conduct of the 
 crew became almost unbearable; they would 
 only obey, wath any degree of willingness, 
 the First Mate. Captain Courtney was 
 forced to use harsh measures, and for mu- 
 tinous behaviour he put the second mate in 
 irons for twenty-four hours, and at another 
 time two of the men underwent the same 
 punishment. 
 
 Heavy weather came on, and so mutinous 
 w^ere all hands, that Captain Courtney, our 
 hero, and the little Steward, always kept 
 arms at hand. Not to alarm his female pas- 
 sengers, the conduct of the crew was kept 
 secret ; but the two girls were quick of pene- 
 tration, and they perceived that the govern- 
 ment of the vessel was not going on smoothly, 
 though they would not alarm their mother by 
 stating what they observed.
 
 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 125 
 
 CHAPTER VJ. 
 
 "With a favourable wind, tlie Foam was, on 
 the ninth day after leaving Madeira, drawing 
 near her destination. The crew worked 
 better, and Captain Courtney hoped to finish 
 his voyage without any further disturbance. 
 Sitting; one nio-ht after the ladies had retired 
 to the Captain's private cabin, our hero and 
 the Skipper were enjoying a bottle of Madeira 
 and the Captain his pipe, when a sudden 
 crash was heard, followed by a wild shriek ; 
 the next moment the trampling of feet was 
 heard, and as the Captain and Arthur Bolton 
 sprang to their feet, the cabin door was 
 violently burst open, and Bill Saunders, with
 
 126 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 a drawn cutlass in one hand and a pistol In 
 tlie other, rushed in, followed by several of the 
 men, who came crowding down the stairs 
 armed with knives and hatchets. 
 
 The occupiers of the cabin rushed to seize 
 the revolvers hanging up by the side of the 
 couch, but before the Skipper could move a 
 step Bill Saunders seized him by the throat, 
 at the same time firing his pistol full in the 
 face of Arthur Bolton, the powder half- 
 blinding him, but fortunately the ball only 
 just grazed his forehead ; two of the men then 
 tried to kill him with their knives, as Saunders 
 dragged the unfortunate captain from the 
 cabin; but Jackson, the first mate, thrust 
 them aside, swearing with a frightful oath — 
 saying, " Let him be, anyhow, a life for a 
 life," and suddenly grasping our hero round 
 the waist, he and another man, after a des- 
 perate struggle, thrust him back into the 
 cabin, one of the crew striking him over Jack- 
 son's shoulder with a heavy marlin spike, 
 which knocked him, partly stunned, on the
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 127 
 
 floor. The door was then shut and locked 
 outside — meanwhile the other ruffians had 
 dragged Captain Courtnej on deck, having 
 previously disposed of the unfortunate steward. 
 
 Rousing himself from the stupor caused by 
 the blow of the marlin spike, and wiping the 
 blood from his face and eyes, our hero groped 
 about till he found the captain's revolver; 
 then with a blow or two of his foot he dashed 
 open the cabin door and rushed upon deck, 
 determined to die in defence of the captain, 
 but before he reached the deck the ill-fated 
 Captain Courtney, with an exulting yell from 
 the mutineers, had been cast overboard, and 
 the murderers were proceeding forward when 
 Arthur, a revolver in each hand, appeared 
 before them. 
 
 " Cuthim down!" roared Saunders, flourish- 
 ing his cutlass. 
 
 Our hero fired, and Saunders fell, but al- 
 most immediately regained his feet, and stag- 
 gered up against the companion. The other 
 men threw themselves upon our hero, and but
 
 128 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 for Jackson his death would have been inevit- 
 able. He beat the men off, saying : 
 
 " I told you I have bargained for his life — 
 let him be, or by " 
 
 After a struggle, however, they disarmed 
 him, and then Jackson said : 
 
 " If you are wise go below, and tell the 
 women they will not be hurt if they keep 
 quiet. If you sacrifice your life by opposing 
 us it will be worse for them." 
 
 He ended by pushing Arthur down the 
 companion, ordering his companions to put 
 on the slide and batten him down. 
 
 Horrified and appalled, Arthur sat down 
 on the stairs and buried his face in his hands. 
 The fate of the captain and steward was 
 dreadful, but he must think how best to save 
 the lives of the helpless women, whose cries 
 and lamentations reached his ears. 
 
 " This is horrible — horrible !" he exclaimed 
 aloud. '■'' My God ! if these demons drink, 
 woe to the unprotected women." 
 
 This' thought roused him from his stupor.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 129 
 
 He saw there was a liglit in the steward's 
 pantry, and descending the stairs he looked 
 in and perceived that it had been ransacked, 
 and the wine and spirits carried awaj, and 
 decanters and glasses all smashed, the cut- 
 lasses and pistols all gone. Taking the light 
 he proceeded to the chief cabin, the doors of 
 which were locked, with the key on the out- 
 side. He heard the sounds of voices within, 
 and he knocked, saying : 
 
 " It is I, Arthur Bolton, who knocks." 
 A wild cry of joy was heard within, and 
 the pile of tables and furniture which the ter- 
 rified females had raised against the door, 
 hoping that such frail articles could prevent 
 the murderers from entering, was removed. 
 The women had been spared, but how long 
 that mercy would be extended to them was a 
 question none could answer. 
 
 When the door was opened Arthur entered, 
 forgetting that his face, neck, and garments 
 were covered with blood. An exclamation of 
 
 G 5
 
 130 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 dismay and terror escaped all present. But 
 Alice betrayed the secret feelings of Her heart ; 
 she turned very pale, and sank half fainting 
 beside her mother, upon whom the elder 
 sister and Mrs. Morris, her own personal at- 
 tendant, were bestowing their attention. The 
 sight of Arthur Bolton roused Mrs. IMarch- 
 mont into action ; a gleam of hope shot 
 through her mind ; she had thouo-ht him mur- 
 
 O 7 O 
 
 dered, but he was alive, and to him they could 
 look for protection. 
 
 Mary Pearson, the young attendant of the 
 daughters, a devoted and high spirited girl, 
 was again beginning to pile the furniture 
 against the door, but our hero stopped her, 
 saying it could not be of the slightest avail if 
 they had a wall of iron there, as the cabin was 
 accessible from the skylight above. 
 
 "Oh! Mr. Bolton," cried Mary, "wash 
 the blood from your face and neck, it makes 
 us all shudder." 
 
 '•' I trust you are not seriously hurt, Mr. Bol-
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 131 
 
 ton," exclaimed Mrs. Marclimont, anxiously, 
 as he turned round to leave the cabin to do as 
 Mary Pearson requested. 
 
 " No, Mrs. Marchmont, not much ; I will 
 return in a few minutes." 
 
 Entering the steward's cabin he washed his 
 face and neck ; he then changed his coat in 
 his own cabin, and putting a brace of loaded 
 revolvers in his breast pocket returned to the 
 main cabin, where could be heard the sounds 
 of footsteps on deck, and even the voices of 
 the mutineers as if in angry contention. 
 
 '^ I wish," he thought, " they would quarrel 
 and fight ; we might then be able to defend 
 ourselves against the survivors." 
 
 Alice Marchmont shuddered as she looked 
 up into the face of our hero, and saw the 
 wound upon his forehead. Alice was far from 
 being a weak-minded, or even a timid girl. 
 Death she could meet with resignation, but 
 there was soniething appalling in their present 
 situation that awed the spirit and mind of a
 
 132 THE riEATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 woman ; there was, apparently, no help but 
 in God ! 
 
 Arthur sat clown beside the mother, whose 
 tears were falling fast. He took her hand, 
 and kissing it with the devotion of a son, said : 
 
 " Courage, dear lady, courage ! Hope never 
 dies in the human heart, and the Almighty 
 will yet deliver you and your beloved children 
 from this horrible peril. Whilst life is left 
 me no hand shall injure any here." 
 
 " Alas ! my dear Mr. Bolton, what can one 
 brave spirit do against the many ; why we 
 have been spared, even till now, amazes me. 
 I heard one villain say, as they dragged the 
 poor Captain up the stairs — 'Kill him; knock 
 him on the head.' ' No, no,' said another 
 wretch, with a fearful laugh — ' Let us pitch 
 him over-board — he swims like a duck — he'll 
 have plenty of room.' Ah ! my God ! I shall 
 never forget our horror last night when we 
 were roused by the crash of breaking in a 
 door, followed by a shriek of pain from the
 
 tHE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 133 
 
 unfortunate steward. We hurried on some 
 clothes, and then Mary began piling the things 
 against the door. We listened to the struggle 
 in your cabin — heard your voice and the 
 pistol shot." The mother looked at Alice as 
 she continued — " We thought you were killed 
 or wounded, and we could do nothing to help 
 or save you — expecting every moment to see 
 the door dashed open, for we at once guessed 
 that the crew of the brig had mutinied." 
 
 " What an hour of fearfid suspense you 
 must have passed," observed our hero. " I 
 think and trust the villains will commit no 
 further outrage ; they evidently have muti- 
 nied for the sake of the large amount of gold 
 and bullion in this vessel, and will probably 
 run ashore upon some part of the American 
 coast — divide their booty — and escape into 
 the interior. This is mere supposition, but it 
 appears likely." 
 
 " But how were you saved ?" said Alice 
 anxiously. " Or were the men ignorant of 
 your being alive ?"
 
 134 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " Oil, tliey know I am alive," returned our 
 hero, looking affectionately into the pale fea- 
 tures of the young girl. " They would cer- 
 tainly have killed me but for the interference 
 of the man Jackson, the first mate, whom I 
 saved from drowning. He swore they should 
 not harm me. He is evidently the leader, and 
 the others fear him ; otherwise that terrible 
 ruffian Saunders, who is the most powerful 
 man I ever saw, and who seems to have a 
 particular hatred to me, would decidedly have 
 slain me. I shot at the wretch, and hoped I 
 had killed him, but I only slightly stunned 
 him, the ball glancing along his temples." 
 
 " God protect us! our only hope is in Him," 
 sighed Mrs. Marchmont. 
 
 " Oh, Mr. Bolton," said Alice, with a firm, 
 steady voice — " Give me a pistol, I will die 
 before any one of those wretches shall lay a 
 hand on me." 
 
 " They must kill me first," returned Arthur, 
 " but I still hope that they will confine them- 
 selves to sharing the gold on board. They
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 135 
 
 may possibly put us Into a boat, when in sight 
 of land." 
 
 " That would be a blessing, to being obliged 
 to remain on board at their mercy," said Mrs. 
 Marchmont. " If they get at the spirits our 
 doom Is sealed." 
 
 " There are two nine-gallon casks of spirits 
 under the floor of the steward's pantry," said 
 our hero — " I will go this moment and let it 
 all run off." 
 
 " Do not attempt it, Mr. Bolton," pleaded 
 Alice — " in their frenzy of disappointment 
 they would assuredly destroy you." 
 
 " Alice is right," said the mother, thought- 
 fully. " Hark ! there Is a strong breeze 
 nsmg. 
 
 " I thought," cried Arthur, '* the sky looked 
 very threatening. I would advise, dear 
 madam, that you and the young ladies should 
 take a few hours' rest. There is no Immediate 
 prospect of further mischief, for it is decidedly 
 coming on to blow a gale, and that will keep 
 all hands employed. I will keep watch here."
 
 136 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 After some few more words on a subject 
 so important to all, the mother and daughters, 
 with sad hearts, retired to their private 
 cabins. 
 
 "Do, Mr. Bolton," said Mary Pearson, 
 " give me a loaded pistol. I am not afraid ; 
 and I will help you if necessary, and risk 
 my life cheerfully for my young ladies." 
 
 " You are a good, brave girl, Mary, and I 
 will get all the arms I can find in the poor 
 Captain's cabin. I know there are two or 
 three brace of small pistols in one of the chests. 
 But, Lark ! the gale is increasing. I will try 
 and get on deck." 
 
 Placing his pistols in his pea-coat, which 
 he put on, he proceeded up the cabin stairs, 
 and then paused to listen. The wind blew in 
 fearful gusts, and the sea was rapidly rising. 
 He could hear Jackson's voice calling out to 
 the men to come aft, and cursing them for 
 drunken rascals. " If you don't secure this 
 mainsail it will be split to ribbons." 
 
 The roar of the sudden storm through the
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 137 
 
 rigging and sails, was like thunder, every mo- 
 ment adding to its violence, dashing the sea 
 ftmously over the decks, whilst the intense 
 darkness augmented the danger. By the 
 noise and thundering reports, our hero judged 
 the great mainsail had broken loose. Deter- 
 mined to see what was going on, Arthur 
 placed his shoulder against the companion 
 door, and with a strong and resolute push 
 burst it open, and stepping out, stood upon 
 the deck. The scene was startling; the wind 
 blew a perfect hurricane, sending the spray 
 over the brig in unceasing showers ; whilst 
 the breaking billows at times flooded the deck. 
 Caught under a press of sail, with half the 
 crew intoxicated, and the rest little better, the 
 ship was near foundering in the furious hur- 
 ricane that had so suddenly burst upon them. 
 The mainsail was split in two, the fore-top- 
 mast had been carried away under the top- 
 gallant cross-trees; the fore and main topsail 
 were split, and the jib flying in ribbons. 
 The sky was obscured by a dense mass of
 
 138 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 black clouds, and as our liero came on deck, 
 flash after flash of lightning illumined the 
 storm-tossed deep ; whilst the peals of thunder 
 that followed each flash sounded like the 
 crash of doom. 
 
 Several of the crew lay helplessly drunk in 
 the lee scuppers ; Jackson and two of the 
 men were dragging down the mainsail, and 
 Saunders, with two others and one of the boys, 
 trying to hrail up the main topsail. At that 
 moment tlie electric fluid struck the foremast, 
 and a storm-gust, appalling in its violence, 
 and shifting several points, struck the brig — 
 away went the foremast, and then followed the 
 mainmast ; the next instant the whole was 
 swept over the side, crashing the bulwarks, 
 and sweeping every soul on deck over the side 
 into the foaming deep. 
 
 Bolton, by a miraculous effort, escaped the 
 crash of the masts ; but being struck by one 
 of the yards, he was hurled against the com- 
 panion, which being shivered by the yards 
 into pieces, dashed him down the stairs, com-
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 139 
 
 pletely insensible, bruised and bleeding it is 
 true, but preserved from the fate of the muti- 
 neers. 
 
 As he recovered recollection and opened his 
 eyes, he found he was lying on the floor of 
 the cabin, the vessel rolling fearfully and the 
 sea sweeping over her, and at times a quantity 
 of water poured with violence down the cabin 
 stairs, flooding the passage, the pantry, and 
 captain's cabin. The main cabin was reached 
 by a couple of steps, which saved it from the 
 rush of the sea down the stairs. It was day- 
 light, but the skylight being partially covered 
 by a tarpaulin lashed over, rendered objects 
 indistinct. His eyes first rested upon the pale, 
 terrified face of Alice, who was kneeling by 
 his side and holding a cup to his lips, and near 
 him, bathing his temples, was Mary Pearson. 
 Mrs. Marchmont, her eldest daughter, and her 
 own attendant were holding on to the sofa in 
 a state of terror; the tables and chairs now 
 dashed against the sides of the cabin ;, 
 and at every roll or pitch the unfortunate brig
 
 140 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 gave the passengers wltli difficulty kept their 
 feet. The thunder still roared over head, but 
 more distant ; but the gusts of wind were still 
 terrific. 
 
 " Ah, thank God ;" murmured Alice, in her 
 gentle voice, " he is alive ;" and the tears she 
 could not control rolled down her cheeks. 
 
 Arthur raised himself on his elbow, and with 
 a look of devotion and love into Alice's sweet 
 face said : 
 
 " Thank God ! you are now in His hands 
 alone. Every soul on board this vessel, except 
 poor Joe the sick lad, has been washed over- 
 board." 
 
 Mrs. Marchmont shuddered, but her old 
 and faithful attendant exclaimed, clasping her 
 hands : — 
 
 " The Lord be thanked ; those brutal mur- 
 derers have only met the doom they richly 
 deserved !" 
 
 " We were driven from our couches," ob- 
 served Mrs. Marchmont, tears of thankfulness 
 running down her cheeks ; "by the fearful
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 141 
 
 pitching of the ship ; and then came that fright- 
 ful crash, we thought the vessel had struck, 
 and that all was over ; then we heard some- 
 thing driven down the companion stairs, and 
 hurled against the cabin-door with violence. 
 Marj ran to see what it was, and opening the 
 door she gave a great cry of fear, for she 
 saw it was you ; she thought they had 
 murdered you, and thrown you down the 
 stairs. ]\Iy two daughters and Mary lifted 
 you in here — and then we saw you were not 
 dead, but only insensible. But, Mr. Bolton, 
 how were the mutineers all carried off the 
 
 ship r 
 
 " By the mast s and yards sweeping the 
 deck," said Arthur, "and carrying away the 
 boats and every possible thing that obstructed 
 their progress ; the vessel was struck by the 
 lightning, and it is a mercy of Providence 
 that the squall, or rather tempest, carried 
 away mast, rigging, &c. The deluge of rain 
 will, no doubt, shift the wind and lull the 
 hurricane."
 
 142 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " You must be terribly hurt and bruised/* 
 observed Alice, anxiously, seeing by the ex- 
 pression of our hero's features that he suffered 
 considerable pain. 
 
 " Bruised and sore I am, Miss Alice ; but, 
 thank God, no bones are broken; in a little 
 while I shall be able to go on deck, and see in 
 what condition the hurricane has left us." 
 
 After a short rest Arthur proceeded to his 
 own cabin, changed his garments, and as well as 
 he could, attended to his own hurts, for there was 
 scarcely a part of his body that was not sorely 
 bruised. A glass of brandy, however, taken 
 internally, and cold water, the only outward 
 remedy he could apply, relieved him greatly ; 
 whilst as he made his hasty toilette he listened 
 to the rain as it came down in tremendous tor- 
 rents. Then the wind began gradually to lull, 
 though the violence of the sea continued with 
 but little diminution. He was particularly 
 anxious to reach the fore-cabin, where Joe their 
 favourite attendant had been lying ill for 
 several days past.
 
 THE PIKATES OF THE FOAM. 143 
 
 Entering the cabin, he found Mary Pearson 
 endeavouring to light the fire in the stove, in 
 order to make her mistress some coffee, and 
 on inquiring for the ladies was told that, being 
 quite overcome with fatigue and anxiety, they 
 had retired to rest. After assisting Mary to 
 get a few requisites from the steward's pantry, 
 Arthur went on deck. The rain was still 
 falling heavily, and a thick heavy atmosphere 
 lay upon the surface of the troubled ocean ; 
 the brig was a perfect wreck ; the masts had 
 broken off by the deck, and, when swept over 
 the side, had carried away every plank and 
 stanchion. On the lee side of the vessel there 
 was not a vestige of anything left, beyond short 
 pieces of shrouds, the anchors, and the stump 
 of the bowsprit ; the wheel was dashed to 
 pieces, also the handsome binnacle; luckily 
 the skylight had escaped, the companion hav- 
 ing borne the brunt of the shock. 
 
 As he stood gazing along the deck of the 
 ship, he suddenly beheld an object rise up 
 on the lee side, and to his amazement he saw
 
 144 THE PIRATES OP THE FOAM. 
 
 it was a man. iVstonisliment held liiin spell- 
 bound, whilst the half-drowned creature raised 
 himself, seemingly terribly exhausted, over 
 the shattered bulwark, and then fell over on 
 the deck. By the size of the body, Arthur 
 Bolton conjectured it was either Jackson or 
 Saunders ; but the long dark hair hung mat- 
 ted and dripping over the face, and as the 
 brig rolled tremendously, and immense waves 
 rushed across the deck, it was not easy to go 
 forward. Nevertheless, anxious to ascertain 
 who it was that had contrived to save him- 
 self, probably by clinging to some rope or 
 spar, he watched for an opportunity to cross 
 the deck, and as he did so the figure raised 
 itself up, and dashing back the tangled mass 
 of hair which had concealed the face, revealed 
 the features of Bill Saunders, the second mate. 
 He glared wildly at Artliur, who was unarmed. 
 Strong, active, and powerful as Bolton was, 
 victory in a contest with so Herculean a man 
 as Saunders would be doubtful. Still, he 
 advanced ; but Saunders, holding up his
 
 THE riKATES OF THE FOAM. 145 
 
 clenched hand, with a frightful imprecation, 
 said: 
 
 "Ha! you see I'm alive, and likely to cut 
 your throat yet;" and turning round just as 
 the forehatch was gently lifted up, he tore it 
 off, and, with a shove of his foot beat down 
 the lad Joe, who was making an effort to get 
 out, leaped into the cabin after him, cursing 
 and abusing him fearfully. 
 
 The cry of pain uttered by Joe irritated 
 Arthur ; but to attempt to descend while 
 Saunders was waitino; for him, was too ha- 
 zardous. So, instantly returning to the cabin, 
 he took one of his revolvers, put on a fresh 
 cap, and hurried across the brig to the fore- 
 hatch. He paused, hearing the voice of the 
 villain, Saunders, uttering threats and impre- 
 cations, and Joseph imploring his pity. 
 
 " You have already beat me till my body 
 is covered with sores," said the lad. 
 
 " Yes, you whelp. You wanted to betray 
 us 5 curse ye. I'll make a jelly of you if you 
 
 VOL. I. H
 
 146 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 don't do as I bid you. Only wait till I gain 
 strength, after hanging on for hours under 
 water, and I'll cut that fellow Bolton's throat; 
 he shan't live to inform on me." 
 
 " You murderous villain," cried our hero, 
 " let that boy come up ;" and stooping over 
 the hatch, he could just see that Saunders 
 had removed the steps, and that he stood hold- 
 ing a long pointed knife ; a candle was burn- 
 ing on a locker, and crouching in a corner, 
 was the lad Joseph. 
 
 " Ah, you come down, only let me get my 
 hand on your throat, I'll make short work of 
 you. You nearly did for me some hours 
 back, but I'll pay you off." 
 
 "You infernal murderer, I should be justi- 
 fied in blowing your brains out where you 
 stand," and he held the pistol pointed at him. 
 " Put the steps up, Joseph, and if Saunders 
 lays a finger on you I'll shoot him, as sure as 
 he stands there." 
 
 Saunders showered a torrent of abuse at
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 147 
 
 our hero and Joseph, but the pistol followed 
 him wherever he turned. Joseph put up the 
 ladder, and joyously rushed up. 
 
 " Now, hark ye," said Saunders, choking 
 with passion. " You have the best of it. You 
 are a coward ; but I'll live to trample on you 
 and cut your throat afterwards. Fasten that 
 hatch on," and he swore a terrible oath, "and 
 I'll fire the ship ; there are five barrels of 
 gunpowder the other side of this bulkhead ; 
 if you don't let me have provisions and drink, 
 I'll fire the ship, and send you all to " 
 
 " I should be justified in killing this 
 murderer," thought our hero ; " still I cannot 
 bring myself to do it till he attacks me ; I 
 cannot shoot him a& he stands. We must only 
 carefully watch him, till we are seen by some 
 passing ship. When this weather clears we 
 shall be seen at once ; besides we cannot be 
 far from land." 
 
 A Avild mocking laugh came up from the 
 
 forehatch, and then Saunders' head appeared 
 
 over the combings — " Oh, you'll watch me, 
 
 H 2,
 
 148 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 will you ? You think you'll hand me over to 
 be hung in chains ? Ho, ho, ho ! we shall 
 see. I'll watch you ; and woe to you if I 
 catch you sleeping. I'll cut the throat of 
 every woman aboard." Exasperated, our 
 hero raised his pistol, but Saunders disap- 
 peared below. 
 
 "Bedad, why didn't you shoot him, sir?" 
 said Joe. " I can hardly stand from the beat- 
 ing the villain gave me." 
 
 '' We all thought you were ill, Joe, and 
 many nice things were sent from the cabin for 
 you." 
 
 " I was not ill at all, sir, except fr'om the 
 beatings they gave me. That villain Saunders 
 held my mouth to drown my cries, and kept 
 a knife to my throat besides. I found out the 
 plot, sir. They intended, after they had mur- 
 dered the Captain, the Steward, and you, sir, 
 to run the ship on the Musquito coast, toss up 
 for the unfortunate ladies, and then go with 
 the gold into the wild country on that coast, 
 and get amongst the Mexicans. But they are
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 149 
 
 are all drowned, sir, except tliis terrible 
 Saunders, the worst of them all." 
 
 "The wretches deserved a far worse death, 
 Joe," returned our hero. " We shall have to 
 keep a sharp look out on that villain Saunders, 
 till we fall in with some craft, which we 
 must do when this weather clears. But come 
 below, Joe, the cabin must be put in 
 order. The fearful death of our kind-hearted 
 commander has had an awful effect upon the 
 females ; we were too careless in our watch 
 upon them." 
 
 As they descended into the cabin they met 
 Mary Pearson, who exclaimed : 
 
 " Oh, sir ! my mistress and the young ladies 
 are again alarmed. One of the murderers has 
 been saved," 
 
 " Yes, Mary, the greatest villain of them 
 all has contrived to save himself by holding 
 on to some ropes or spar fast to the vessel, but 
 one ruffian, let him be ever so powerful, is 
 easily dealt with."
 
 150 THE PIKATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " How singular," observed Mrs. Marcli- 
 mont, " that this man should have been pre- 
 served, and all the rest, with the exception of 
 the poor boy, who I feel satisfied had no hand 
 in the mutiny, should be drowned." 
 
 " Joseph says he had no hand or share in 
 the mutiny." 
 
 " [ am so glad he is able to leave his sick 
 bed," said Miss Marchmont, " we missed him 
 very much. He will be a great assistance to 
 you, Mr. Bolton. Alice tells us that the fog 
 is very thick ; she could not see, she said, one 
 hundred yards from the ship." 
 
 " It may clear up by sunset," replied Ar- 
 thur, " and I sincerely trust it will, for we 
 are nothing more than a mere log on the 
 water, quite at the mercy of whatever wind 
 may blow. I do not think that we can be 
 more than a day's run from the land, but 
 where that land lies I cannot yet say." 
 
 " What a dreadful fate our poor captain has 
 met," observed Mrs. Marchmont, "What a
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 151 
 
 tale for lils poor dear wife and children to 
 hear. Oh, my God ! the memory of this 
 voyage will cling to me for life." 
 
 Thus conversing all were busily engaged in 
 restorinor the cabin to some kind of order. The 
 broken table, chairs, and other articles were 
 removed, and Joe, who knew where all the 
 provisions and articles in use for the cabin 
 were stowed, was very busy in preparing, 
 with Mary Pearson's assistance, some food 
 for the ladies. 
 
 The caboose on deck was carried away, so 
 that everything they required must be cooked 
 in the cabin. But Mrs. Marchmont entreated 
 our hero not to trouble himself about them, 
 anything with a cup of tea — a biscuit — would 
 keep them well enough till some vessel came 
 in sight. In fact, Mr. Bolton was very little 
 able to exert himself, for though he was silent 
 on the subject he was severely hurt, though 
 several times he caught Alice's eyes fixed 
 anxiously upon him when he unconsciously
 
 152 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 betrayed signs of pain in moving any- 
 thing. 
 
 "Mr. Bolton," said Alice, "you must be 
 very careful ; that is a horrible man whose life 
 is saved." 
 
 "But how did you know he was saved 
 before I came back to the cabin to tell you, 
 Miss Alice r 
 
 " When you went on deck," replied the 
 young girl, with a little increase of colour, 
 " I had a great desire to see how our poor ship 
 looked. So I got up the stairs and held on by 
 the broken companion, and, looking after you 
 as you made the dangerous passage across, I 
 beheld, to my utter amazement and terror, the 
 huo-e fifrure of a man rise over the side and 
 fall apparently exhausted on the deck. When 
 he regained his feet and looked at you I re- 
 cognised him at once. I have often noticed 
 that man's malicious looks and manner, and 
 never passed near him, strange to say, 
 without a shudder."
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 153 
 
 *' Do not be uneasy, Miss Alice, about him ; 
 he is comparatively harmless. Wretch as he 
 is I cannot shoot him, in cold blood, but the 
 first time he attempts any annoyance he is 
 doomed to die a death far too honourable for a 
 cowardly murderer like him." 
 
 H 5
 
 154 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Arthur Bolton's feelings were a strange 
 mixture as he paced the deck of the dismasted 
 Foam, of which he was now commander ; 
 whilst Joe — the injm-ed Joe — comprised his 
 crew. Proud of being the sole protector of 
 five females he certainly felt ; liis resolution 
 to take them in safety to the father and hus- 
 band was firm and strong — firm and strong 
 as his love for the fair Alice. Peril had forged 
 a link to connect these two young beings ; 
 and though no words of love had been uttered, 
 each knew the sentiments of the other. The 
 mother looked on without disapproval, and 
 surely the father would let services rendered,
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 155 
 
 and the happiness of a child, weigh down the 
 scale balanced only by ambition. These hopes 
 came bright and cheering to the anxious 
 walker on that deck, strengthening his reso- 
 lution, rising up to lighten his responsibilities. 
 Difficulties surrounded him, but beyond was 
 a bright reward, to be his when those diffi- 
 culties had been trampled down ; each one 
 subdued would bring him nearer the desired 
 haven. It is true he stood on a dark abyss, 
 filled with dangers that at any step might 
 cause destruction ; but the landscape was 
 bright beyond, and could only be reached by 
 passing through the perils. Alone he would 
 calmly have encountered all ; but others de- 
 pended on him and his exertions for their 
 safety, and he well might be somewhat ap- 
 palled at the labyrinth he had to thread. But 
 it must be done. The first struggle had come, 
 and he would be the victor. With the smile 
 of anticipated triumph on his lip, he ceased 
 his walk, and, seating himself on the stump of 
 the mainmast, watched the increasing dark-
 
 156 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 ness, listened to the mournful slglilng of the 
 breeze, as it swept over the mastless hull, as 
 if in mockery of its helplessness, till a dreamy 
 insensibility to surrounding objects gradually 
 came over him, from which he was aroused 
 by an exclamation of alarm from the com- 
 panion stairs, and the voice of Alice bidding 
 him be on his guard. Looking round, he 
 saw Saunders stealthily approaching, his un- 
 sheathed knife in his hand. Another moment 
 and he would have sprung upon his intended 
 victim. 
 
 " Ha ! detestable villain !" cried Arthur 
 Bolton, drawing his revolver and cocking it, 
 *' did you think to commit another murder?" 
 
 *' Yes," answered the infuriated mate, "yes, 
 curse you, I would have had my knife in 
 your throat now but for that love-sick girl. 
 Curse ye both. Fire, if you want to kill 
 me ; but if you miss me — " and he laughed 
 in hideous mockery, as he stood within six 
 paces of our hero, glaring at him with sa- 
 vage ferocity, but not moving a step. Bolton
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 157 
 
 lowered his pistol. " I miglit," lie thought, 
 " miss ; and I am not strong enough now for 
 a personal contest with that giant ruffian." 
 
 Joe, hearing Alice's cry of alarm, came 
 running up from the cabin, and held his pis- 
 tol in his hand, ready to aid our hero. 
 
 " You won't fire then," retorted Saunders, 
 mockingly. " Well, I tell you what. I'll 
 murder you, or die in the struggle. Don't 
 think I am going to wait till some ship over- 
 hauls us ; before twenty-four hours are over, 
 you or I will die ;" and deliberately turning 
 round, he walked back to the fore cabin and 
 went below. 
 
 "Oh, sir,why did you not shoot the villain," 
 said Joe, " or let me ?" 
 
 " His punishment will come," replied Ar- 
 thur, more indignant at the insulting words 
 addressed to Alice than at the intended attack 
 on himself. 
 
 " If my right arm was only well, so that I 
 had my usual strength, I would try that 
 wretch's power, and master him ; but I must
 
 158 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 run no hazard, nor must I risk the safety of 
 Mrs. Marchmont and her daughters." 
 
 On joining the ladies at the evening meal 
 prepared by Mary and Joe, Alice met him 
 with her usual sweet smile of welcome, say- 
 ing : " You must not, Mr. Bolton, sit dream- 
 ing on deck, with such a wretch watching 
 you as Saunders. We all admire you for 
 resisting the impulse you must naturally feel, 
 to shoot him; still, it is better, if possible, 
 not to have even that wretch's blood on your 
 hands, unless in a positive struggle for life." 
 
 "I think Alice is right, Mr. Bolton," ob- 
 served Mrs. Marchmont, sadly. 
 
 " Well, I differ with you both," cried Miss 
 Marchmont. " I do not advocate the shed- 
 ding even of that monster's blood. Still, so 
 many lives are at stake, so much of danger 
 to others exists, whilst he remains alive, 
 that, the first opportunity, if he attacks you, 
 or even threatens, I would not spare him 
 were I in your place." 
 
 " He would not be alive now. Miss March-
 
 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 159 
 
 mont," said our hero, with a flush upon his 
 cheek, " but from the fact that I have little 
 or no power in my right arm ; the blow I 
 received — " 
 
 " Ah !" interrupted Alice, speaking with 
 sweet emotion, " I thought something was 
 the matter with your arm by the manner 
 you used your hand. Why have you 
 suffered so long without letting Mathews 
 see it ? there is an excellent medicine chest 
 on board, and she is a very clever nurse." 
 
 " It will be better in a day or two," 
 said our hero, " now I have Joe's assistance ; 
 but you see a pistol may miss, and, if it did, 
 that man would overpower me, and you would 
 be left at his mercy." 
 
 " That is too true, indeed," returned Miss 
 Marchmont, sadly, " and I beg your pardon 
 for giving an opinion. We know your reso- 
 lution and courage, when you risked your life 
 to save our lamented captain's. We may en- 
 treat you, however, to be constantly on your
 
 160 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 guard ; for that man will watch like a lynx 
 to take your life." 
 
 That night, it was agreed that our hero 
 should keep the first watch ; Joe, the second, 
 whilst he rested on the sofa in the cabin. The 
 next day perhaps the weather would be clear, 
 and some ship come in sight and release them 
 from their painful situation. 
 
 Joe went to sleep in the steward's berth, 
 and Arthur proceeded to his watch on deck, 
 vainly trying to discern some object in the 
 dense fog that covered the water through 
 which the hull of the brig was sailing at the 
 rate of three knots per hour. 
 
 His watch expired, Joe got up, and our 
 hero, who had in reality not rested since the 
 murder of Captain Courtney, lay down, and 
 was in a sound sleep in a few minutes. Joe 
 unfortunately felt so intensely drowsy from 
 weakness that he could not keep his eyes open. 
 There was a light in the cabin, and Mary 
 Pearson, who strongly suspected Joe's capa-
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 161 
 
 bllitles of being a good watcliman, crept softly 
 out of her young mistress's state room and en- 
 tered the main cabin. As she expected, our 
 hero was sound asleep, and Joe in the same 
 state. 
 
 " My young mistress was right," thought 
 Mary, " but I will let them both sleep. That 
 wretch Saunders cannot come in without dis- 
 placing the furniture," so ^Tary sat down and 
 watched. 
 
 After a time she fancied she heard a slight 
 soimd above. She listened ; Bolton lay directly 
 under the skylight. Her eyes presently be- 
 came fixed upon the grating, she herself was 
 seated in the obscurity of the cabin, the lamp 
 throwing but a faint light beneath ; and that 
 light fell full upon our hero's upturned face. 
 His throat was bare, and his right arm hang- 
 ing over the sofa. Presently Mary beheld the 
 grating slide slowly back, and then the point of 
 a sharp knife protruded through the aperture. 
 She sprang like a startled doe from her seat, 
 seized Arthur Bolton by the arm, and dragged
 
 162 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 him on to the floor of the cabin just as the 
 knife, fastened to a strong staff, was fl riven 
 by a powerful hand from above into the sofa. 
 
 A volley of curses followed the failure 
 just as our hero recovered his feet, and he and 
 Joe seized their pistols. 
 
 One word from Mary explained. 
 
 " Then I will spare the wretch no longer," 
 said Arthur, and taking away the fastenings of 
 the door, pistol in hand, he rushed upon deck, 
 merely saying to Mary : " Do not disturb the 
 ladies — I owe you a life — I will never forget 
 it." 
 
 But when our hero reached the deck 
 Saunders had disappeared below in the fore- 
 cabin. As Arthur was in the act of springing 
 down, Joe caught him by the coat : 
 
 " Don't, sir, don't ; before you could see him 
 he would stick you with that knife ; there's 
 no light below." 
 
 " Then put on the hatch, and let us keep 
 the villain down." 
 
 "Ob, do!" roared Saunders, "I'd like to
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 163 
 
 see you do it. I will fire the ship in five 
 minutes, and — " 
 
 But Arthur Bolton considered this but an 
 empty threat, and without more words he and 
 Joe put on the hatch, and placed the strong 
 iron bar across it — Saunders foaming and 
 raging below like a maniac, uttering the most 
 fearful threats. 
 
 " He's sure to fire the vessel, sir," said 
 Joe. 
 
 ^' The villain has not the slightest ambition 
 for a firey martyrdom," replied Arthur ; "but 
 I will take it off in the morning, and if the 
 wretch comes up and menaces me, I will shoot 
 him !" 
 
 No more rest for the young man, who con- 
 tinued to watch the falling breeze, and the 
 gradual calming of the sea, till daylight. 
 
 At breakfast he found the family below, 
 who all looked pale and anxious ; Mrs. March- 
 mont had heard the noise on deck, and 
 thought also that she distinguished the voice 
 of Saunders.
 
 164 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 Alice gazed anxiously in Arthur's face, 
 who smiling at her in return said : 
 
 " Suppose you were to come on deck, Mrs. 
 Marchmont, and the young ladies also ; a 
 little fresh air would do you good. I have 
 that villain Saunders fastened down in the 
 fore-cabin." 
 
 " Then something did happen during last 
 night !" exclaimed both the sisters. 
 
 " Now it is over T may tell you ; I owe my 
 life to Mary Pearson's watchfulness." 
 
 Alice shuddered, and he went on and told 
 the particulars of the occurrence ; and looking 
 at the sofa on which he had been lying the pre- 
 vious night, a deep rent was observable where 
 the knife had penetrated. 
 
 " Oh, God, help us !" exclaimed Mrs. 
 Marchmont, becoming fearfully pale. " Had 
 that wretch succeeded we should have been 
 lost." 
 
 Joe's voice from above calling out: 
 
 "We are near land, bedad, I hear 
 breakers," caused Arthur to rush upon deck,
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 165 
 
 and all in the cabin hastened to follow with 
 intense anxiety, to know their fate. 
 
 The sound of breakers was distinctly heard 
 to the right ; but immediately after, the same 
 sound was heard to the left denoting the 
 nearness to land, but the water looked deep 
 and green ; nothing could be distinguished 
 through the fog. Anxious and excited, each 
 
 t 
 
 of the six beings on the deck of the vessel 
 gazed around to discover something to show 
 them where they were, or give some sign to 
 guide them in their movements. 
 
 The sound of the surf was on every side, 
 but strange to say, as the brig moved slowly on 
 with a strong current more than with the light 
 wind that blew, the ground swell became less, 
 and in half-an-hour there was scarcely any 
 swell at all, whilst the sea gently breaking on 
 rocks sounded behind them. 
 
 " We must be entering some sheltered bay 
 or river," said our hero, watching Saunders, 
 who during the night had contrived to break 
 the iron-band fastening the hatch, and had
 
 166 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 coolly taken his seat on the conbings, gazing 
 earnestly around on every side, as if seeking 
 his opportunity for vengeance. 
 
 " Land !" exclaimed Alice, and almost at 
 the same moment the brig took the ground 
 with a gentle shock ; when through the mists 
 and fog they could make out land on both 
 sides of them. 
 
 " Where are we, I wonder," cried the 
 ladies, astonished at the little motion of the 
 vessel as the gentle ground-swell ran past 
 them, and broke upon a sandy beach some 
 three hundred yards off. 
 
 "We will go below," observed Mrs. March- 
 mont, " and pack up some things ; but do 
 you, Mr. Bolton and Joe, keep a careful 
 watch upon that man ; he is glaring at us like 
 a wild beast." 
 
 It was nearly three o'clock. 
 
 Arthur Bolton after the retirement of the 
 ladies kept an anxious watch upon Saunders, 
 and also upon the land, wondering where 
 they could possibly have run ashore, whether
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 167 
 
 upon tlie main land or an island, and whether 
 when the mist should clear away the situation 
 of the vessel would be seen by persons ashore. 
 
 Joe had gone below to assist, an d get some 
 things ready, when Saunders getting up 
 walked coolly along the deck till he reached 
 within five or six yards of our hero, who with 
 his pistol cocked kept his attention fixed upon 
 the villain, determined to shoot him the mo- 
 ment he attempted the slightest advance fur- 
 ther towards him. Saunders stood with his 
 arms folded, looking, with a terrible expres- 
 sion on his massive features, at his opponent. 
 
 " I tell you what, Arthur Bolton, as you 
 call yourself," he began, " though that's not 
 your name, the best thing you can do is to let 
 bygones be bygones, and become friends. 
 There's gold enough in this ship to make us 
 both rich. You may take that young girl you 
 hanker after, and — " 
 
 " Villain !" exclaimed our hero, enraged 
 that the ruffian should so coolly make such an 
 infamous proposition to him. Raising his
 
 168 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 pistol, he added : " Go forward then. Why 
 I do not shoot you, murderer as you are, 
 puzzles me !" 
 
 " Then here goes, curse you !" exclaimed 
 the seaman, with a ferocious cry or howl of 
 rage, as he sprang with one bound upon Ar-' 
 thur. 
 
 The young man was prepared, and levelling 
 the pistol within a yard of his head he pulled 
 the trigger. The hammer fell upon the cap, 
 but no explosion followed. He had neglected 
 to put a fresh cap on for the last two days, 
 and the damp fog had destroyed the powder. 
 
 With a yell of exultation Saunders threw 
 out his arms, but quick as thought our hero 
 grasped the barrel and struck his enemy direct 
 in the right eye, destroying the sight for 
 ever. Nevertheless, with a horrible oath, re- 
 gardless of his torture, he grasped Bolton with 
 his left arm and tore his bowie knife from his 
 breast. By this time the noise and wild yell 
 of Saunders startled those in the cabin, and 
 all rushed up the cabin stairs, Joe cocking his
 
 THE PIKATES OF THE FOAM. 169 
 
 pistol and Mary Pearson seizing a knife. As 
 they reached the deck Alice Marchmont, who 
 was first, beheld the termination of a horrible 
 struggle, for at that moment Arthur Bolton, 
 making a super-human effort, after receiving 
 two or three stabs from the knife, hurled his 
 half blinded antagonist from him, and with 
 such force that he rolled over the Unprotected 
 side of the brig into the sea, whilst our hero 
 sank, apparently insensible and utterly ex- 
 hausted by the effort, prostrate on the deck. 
 
 Alice did not attempt to control her emo- 
 tion, and with a cry of grief and despair that 
 struck a chill to the heart, she threw herself 
 beside him she loved so well. She saw his 
 face and neck covered with the blood from 
 Saunders' wounds, and she thought him slain. 
 Mrs. Marchmont thought so too, as she knelt 
 beside her daughter and raised his head. 
 
 But Arthur was only overcome by the 
 frightful struggle he had had. He heard 
 Alice's sobs, and instantly raising himself he 
 caught the fair hand that wiped the blood 
 
 YOL. I. I
 
 170 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 from his face, and kissing it said, heedless of 
 her mother's presence : 
 
 " I am not hurt, dear Alice ; I would risk 
 a thousand deaths for this moment of happi- 
 ness !" Continuing, as he raised himself up, 
 " I heard a pistol fired — I heard it, though al- 
 most insensible. Where is Saunders?" 
 
 " I fired at the villain, sir," said Joe, " but 
 missed him. He has swam ashore, and gone 
 out of sight in the fog." 
 
 " My dear madam," said Arthur, address- 
 ing Mrs. Marchmont, and taking the tumbler 
 of wine Mary Pearson had brought him, " I 
 regret to have caused you such terror. My 
 pistol missed fire, and that wretch nearly 
 overpowered me, for my right arm is still 
 weak. But the horror of your situation, should 
 he kill me, gave me strength I could not 
 otherwise have possessed." 
 
 " Oh, thank Heaven !" said Mrs. March- 
 mont, " you have escaped. I really thought 
 the blood that disfigured your face was your 
 own. What a providential escape we have
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 171 
 
 all had. How much we owe you, a debt that 
 can never be repaid !" 
 
 " It has been paid a hundred fold," replied 
 our hero, with a look of fond affection at 
 Alice, who still pale as death, timidly stood 
 resting against the companion. 
 
 "I understand you, Mr. Bolton," returned 
 the mother, with a kind and affectionate look 
 and accent. " T have not been blind to your 
 mutual attachment ; it has my approval at all 
 events, but another time we will talk of this. 
 Do pray go and get the wounds you have re- 
 ceived dressed by Mrs. Mathews." 
 
 " Oh ! they are nothing," answered our 
 hero, giving Alice a look of intense happi- 
 ness, whilst the young girl said, in her gentle 
 sweet voice : 
 
 "Oh! do as mama wishes. Your jacket is 
 cut in several places, and even now you are 
 bleeding from the arm," and she shuddered 
 as she beheld the stains on the deck from two 
 rather deep gashes in the arm, and one in the 
 neck. 
 
 I -J
 
 172 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 Alice, wlien she entered tlie cabin witli her 
 mother, threw herself into her arms and wept 
 unrestrainedly. 
 
 The fond parent kissed her child's cheek, 
 and seeing how over-strained her nerves and 
 feelings were, how much she had suffered 
 from the dreadful night when Capt. Courtney 
 and the Steward had been so cruelly mur- 
 dered, she strove all in her power to soothe 
 and console her. 
 
 " You are not angry then, dear Mother — 
 that — that" — and she buried her burning 
 cheeks in her mother's embrace. 
 
 The mother understood her fully. " No, 
 my beloved child, I am not, for I understand 
 your feelings. It could scarcely be other- 
 wise. Your brave preserver deserves your 
 love, and I trust in God, when we are all re- 
 stored to your dear father's arms, that he as 
 well as myself will approve ot the brave 
 young man to whom you have disposed of 
 your affectionate and loving heart." 
 
 Whilst mother and daughter were thus
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 173 
 
 communing, Arthur, convinced of Alice's 
 love, and of lier mother's approval, was under- 
 going, at the hands of the skilful Mrs. Ma- 
 thews, a rather painful operation with the 
 most stoical indifference. His thoughts were 
 of Alice, and Mrs. Mathews looked up several 
 times into his face, wondering to see how 
 coolly he took her proceedings — for one wound 
 was a deep one, and by some means a piece 
 of cloth had been drawn into the cut made by 
 the knife, and the gash in his neck had to be 
 sown up. 
 
 " The Lord bless us ! Sir," said Mrs. Ma- 
 thews, as she finished. " You had a Avonder- 
 ful escape. If the knife had not struck this 
 button on your collar first, and turned aside, 
 it would have gone into your neck up to the 
 hilt. Bless us ! what a frightful wretch that 
 man is." 
 
 " Yes, Mrs. Mathews, he is indeed ; I only 
 wish I had shot him. My own negligence 
 might have cost us all dear — I shudder to 
 think of it."
 
 174 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " Well, it is to be hoped we are rid of him 
 now, sir; he will not attempt to come on board 
 again, I think." 
 
 " If he does, Mrs. Mathews, I must be more 
 careful of my fire-arms." 
 
 On entering the cabin, our hero found that 
 Joe had managed to get up a tolerable repast. 
 The brig sat perfectly upright. Mrs. March- 
 mont and her daughters, considerably relieved 
 from the fact of having escaped two terrible 
 misfortunes — the relief from Saunders and the 
 escape from shipwreck — were all three atten- 
 tively studying a large chart of the West 
 Indies, but turned as Arthur entered, and 
 looked anxiously into his face, and made 
 many enquiries concerning his wounds. 
 
 Alice's beautiful eyes met his, and a flush 
 came over her pale cheek, but the expression 
 of her sweet features shewed him how happy 
 she felt at seeing him so well after his terrible 
 struggle for life. 
 
 He sat down beside Alice, who said — " We 
 are looking over this map ; mamma fancies
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 175 
 
 that we may be stranded somewliere on tins 
 line of coast," — laying lier finger on the chart. 
 *' It's called the Musquito Coast." 
 
 " I have been thinking the same," replied 
 Arthur. " I know we were, when we lost our 
 poor captain, more to the westward of Ja- 
 maica than he intended. ^Ye have certainly 
 got into some sheltered estuary, or wide 
 river, and I see several large rivers marked on 
 the chart, and numerous islands off the Mus- 
 quito coast." 
 
 " My husband," observed Mrs. Marchmont, 
 *' has been twice to Bluefields, on the Mus- 
 quito coast, and I remember his giving me a 
 long account of it. He told me that it is 
 chiefly inhabited by negroes and Indian tribes ; 
 some fierce and wicked, others kind and hos- 
 pitable, but the negroes are a sad wicked, 
 drunken race. This Musquito coast is also in- 
 fested with Mexican desperadoes, half savages 
 and bandits; deserters from the Mexican navy 
 and army. Altogether, if we are on the 
 Musquito coast, our situation is not the most
 
 176 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 agreeable, but if we can get to Bluefields, we 
 sliall be safe, as there is always an English 
 resident there, who has communication with 
 Jamaica." 
 
 '' I will now go on deck," said our hero, 
 " it is so intensely warm here, and see if the 
 fog is clearing." 
 
 " We will go with you," cried the two 
 sisters. " We are so anxious to see what kind 
 of a place we are cast upon." 
 
 On ascending to the deck they perceived 
 that the sea breeze which had risen was 
 rapidly dispersing the fog, and that the sun 
 was setting brilliantly. 
 
 '' Oh, it is clearing delightfully," cried 
 Alice ; " look, Mr. Bolton, I see a great 
 wooded hill rising out of the mist, to our right." 
 
 " But you must not call me Mr. Bolton, 
 now, dear Alice," whispered our hero, con- 
 triving to gain possession of the little hand, 
 that trembled in his. 
 
 " Well, I think," answered the young girl, 
 with a sweet smile, " I may call you Arthur."
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 177 
 
 A pressure of that hand was a sufficient 
 answer, as Miss Marchmont, with a quiet 
 smile turned to them, saying : — 
 
 '' Now that you have established an amic- 
 able arrangement, which I think very justifi- 
 able, and one I will myself adopt, just look 
 round, Arthur, and tell us what you think of 
 this beautiful bay. We have not long to look 
 at it, for the sun is setting, and you know in 
 the tropics we have no twilight." 
 
 Our hero, delighted with the kind, sisterly 
 familiarity of Miss Marchmont, turned his at- 
 tention to the surrounding scenery. The brig 
 had drifted full three or four miles from the 
 spot where she first took the ground. As the 
 fog cleared off the waters the party on deck 
 were surprised at the scene before them. They 
 were stranded about three hundred yards off 
 a bold bluff headland, crowned with timber, 
 whilst the water was covered with Innu- 
 merable birds. Ducks, teal, and Immense 
 flocks of the white ibis ; the river or estuary 
 
 was full three miles wide ; the opposite shore 
 
 I 5
 
 178 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 appeared flat and marshy, and covered witTi 
 the luxuriant growth of a tropical climate. 
 They could not see the sea, for another abrupt 
 headland blocked up the view. The tide had 
 turned, and was running down rapidly. 
 
 Our hero did not know that this tide was 
 the last of a remarkably high spring tide, and 
 that the "Foam," now hard and fast, would 
 not float again for a fortnight, if then. 
 
 He made Joe sound with some twine, and 
 then calculated that the bri<T would have 
 
 O 
 
 six or seven feet of water round her at low 
 water. 
 
 " I scarcely think," observed Alice, " that 
 there are any natives along this wild shore, 
 or we should have been s^en. Where can 
 that horrid man, Saunders, have gone ?" 
 
 " Where we first struck," said Bolton, " was 
 on a sandy shore, and he got safely to land, 
 for Joe saw him wade on to the dry sands, 
 and then lost sight of him in the fog. I am 
 certainly inclined to think we must be up one 
 of the rivers on the IMusquito coast. This brig
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 179 
 
 has a most valuable cargo, besides a large 
 amount in gold and silver. If assistance 
 could be procured from Bluefields, slie could 
 be got off quite safely, and ber cargo preserved 
 from plunderers." 
 
 " Alas ! poor Captain Courtney," said 
 Alice, with deep feeling, " What a fate was 
 his ; and the poor ship he was so proud of, 
 what a wreck it is here ! Can we be extri- 
 cated from our present situation, Arthur?" 
 
 " Oh, it would not be difi&cult, if materials 
 could be procured from Bluefields, to rig up 
 jury masts, and with a few hands, to run us 
 safely to Jamaica." 
 
 The sun had set in all the glories of a tro- 
 pical climate, and soon the whole scene be- 
 came lost to view in the gloom of night ; there 
 was no moon, but the stars shone with sur- 
 passing brilliancy. 
 
 "■ Ours is a very strange situation, Arthur," 
 remarked Alice, as her sister descended into 
 the cabin ; '' thus stranded and helpless on an 
 unknown shore ; hundreds of miles, perhaps.
 
 180 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 from Christian help, surrounded, maybe, with 
 savage tribes of Indians." 
 
 " And yet, my own Alice," returned her 
 lover, " I never before felt so happy. God 
 has protected us, and shielded us amidst fearful 
 perils, and let us trust that the same divine 
 eye watches over us still." 
 
 " You are right, Arthur," answered Alice, 
 in a low voice, " I feel no fear, but I can 
 never forget the peril we have gone through. 
 Come, let us join mamma." 
 
 Pressing the gentle girl to his heart, and 
 kissing her fair brow with a pure and holy 
 love, he said : — 
 
 " My life, Alice shall be devoted to you ; to 
 save that gentle heart one pang, I would 
 suffer a thousand deaths." 
 
 That night our hero kept watch on the deck 
 of the "Foam," his worst enemies were the 
 mosquitoes, and they were in truth an enemy 
 not to be despised. As the night set in, the 
 calls of innumerable aquatic birds, the plung- 
 ing of some huge animals in the water, the
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 181 
 
 howling of various others on shore, formed 
 altogether a medley of sounds far from har- 
 monious. The deck of the " Foam " was bj 
 no means a place where a lover could enjoy a 
 delicious reverie, therefore, leaving Arthur 
 Bolton to continue his lonely watch, we beg 
 our readers to excuse our return to the shores 
 of Old England in the next chapter.
 
 182 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 CHAPTER Vlir. 
 
 Within a few miles of tlie village of Chats- 
 worth, and the banks of the Derwent, stands 
 the fine old family mansion of Sir Richard 
 Morton. The baronet was a married man, 
 with a family consisting of one son, and two 
 daughters. 
 
 Morton Chase was a fine and picturesque 
 property, extending for three miles along the 
 banks of the Derwent. The mansion, though 
 of considerable extent, retained, at the period 
 of this narrative, but little of its original 
 Elizabethan form, each different owner having 
 pulled down or added, according to the taste 
 of the time, or his own peculiar fancy. 
 
 Sir Richard ]\Iorton's estates were totally
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 183 
 
 unencumbered, producing a rental of nearly 
 eight thousand a year. Lady Morton was a 
 handsome, amiable woman, greatly attached 
 to her husband, and devoted to her children. 
 She was the youngest daughter of a high pa- 
 trician family, and possessed a handsome for- 
 tune in her own right. 
 
 The heir to the estates, a fine, spirited 
 youth, of about eighteen or nineteen, was at 
 Oxford ; the daughters, of the respective 
 ages of fifteen and seventeen, were both hand- 
 some and accomplished. 
 
 Sir Eichard himself was a tall, noble-looking 
 man, prepossessing in manner, and well edu- 
 cated ; but at times subject to moments of 
 profound gloom and disquietude, which sur- 
 prised his family, and pained his affectionate 
 wife, who could discover no reason for these 
 frequently recurring fits of despondency. 
 
 In his youth he was said to have lived a 
 wild, irregular life ; but from the period of 
 his marriage with the Honourable Miss Dacre, 
 his conduct underwent a complete change. It
 
 184 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 Is during one of tliese times of depression, and 
 about four days after the departure of tlie 
 "Foam" from E-amsgate liarbour, that Sir 
 Elchard comes as an actor on the stage of our 
 life drama, the scene the library at Morton 
 Hall, where the master was seated at a table, 
 reading a letter, the contents of which seemed 
 to add to the dejected expression of his coun- 
 tenance, and to plunge him Into deep thought, 
 from which he was aroused by a slight knock 
 at the door, followed by the entrance of his 
 own personal attendant, saying — 
 
 " There Is a man In the hall. Sir Elchard, 
 who desires to see you. He said you would 
 grant his request Instantly, If you read this 
 paper." 
 
 Sir Elchard opened the folded paper pre- 
 sented to him, slightly changed colour, and 
 then said — 
 
 " Show the man In, Wilkinson ; I know 
 the Individual. I promised to get him a si- 
 tuation." 
 
 The man was shortly after shewn into the
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 185 
 
 library, and Wilkinson liavino; retired and 
 closed tlie door, the baronet looked up, and 
 regarded tlie stranger with a somewhat 
 troubled look. We need not describe the new 
 comer, we have met him before, in the train, 
 when he introduced himself to Arthur Bolton 
 as the inventor of a new perfume. 
 
 " I expected to have heard from you two 
 days ago," remarked the baronet, first break- 
 ing the silence that followed his scrutiny, 
 " what has caused the delay ? why come your- 
 self? is anything wrong ?" 
 
 George Reynolds, the ci-devant perfumer, 
 cast a strangle look of mino;led cunnino; and 
 dissimulation at the baronet, and after a short 
 hesitation, replied — • 
 
 " No, Sir Richard, there is nothing wrong : 
 the vessel has sailed, and the young man has 
 sailed in her ; but there was some difficulty in 
 getting him on board. We had to use force, 
 but Captain Courtney, believing the story of 
 the delusion, thought us quite justified in our 
 conduct."
 
 186 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " I am sorry for the violence," said Sir 
 Ricliard, " though. I wished him out of the 
 kingdom for a time. I think I have placed 
 him where his talents will win him fortune. 
 It is not the young man's fault that he was 
 born out of the pale of matrimony. Your 
 father acted an incomprehensible part in 
 placing him where he did." 
 
 "Well, Sir Eichard," returned Eeynolds, 
 " I have heard my father say that he did not 
 know that the charitable Mrs. Morton, of 
 Eamsgate, was your sister. But I am think- 
 ing, Sir Eichard, you are somewhat mistaken 
 when you say that your son was born out of 
 the pale of matrimony, which is, I suppose, 
 that you consider him illegitimate." 
 
 " What do you mean, man ?" exclaimed the 
 baronet, turning deadly pale. " What are 
 you up to now ? some fresh scheme of extor- 
 tion and villany." 
 
 A dark frown gathered on the man's face, 
 as the baronet uttered those words, and he 
 sulkily answered —
 
 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 187 
 
 " It is time, Sir Eichard Morton, that we 
 sboulcl more fuUj imderstand each other — " 
 
 " Speak out then, and to the purpose," 
 fiercely interrupted the Baronet ; "let me 
 hear what you mean, and from what motive 
 you are playing this deceptive game." 
 
 " Well, Sir Richard, you shall understand 
 my motive. What I am going to tell you 
 may astonish and annoy you, and you may 
 not believe me, but I have about me abundant 
 proof of its truth. When you. Sir Richard, 
 went through the ceremony of marriage with 
 Grace Manning, you positively believed that 
 the man, Jay Pearson, was an abandoned 
 profligate, and not a clergyman, and therefore 
 that the ceremony was a mere nothing, 
 whereas, Jay Pearson was, beyond a doubt, a 
 real clergyman, and at that very period 
 
 actually curate of S . That this man 
 
 was a disgrace to his cloth no one can doubt. 
 He deceived my father as well as you, and 
 he was afterwards found out and disgraced,
 
 188 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 and fled from England to avoid tlie doom of 
 a forger." 
 
 " Villain !" interrupted tlie Baronet, half 
 suffocated with rage and amazement. "What 
 infernal project can be in your head to induce, 
 you to utter so monstrous a falsehood, when 
 you must know that Grace Manning died 
 nearly two years previous to my marriage 
 with the present Lady Morton." 
 
 "No, Sir Richard," returned George 
 Reynolds — or, rather, George Mason, which 
 was his real name — " No ; I can prove it. 
 Grace Manning, or rather" — and he looked 
 the Baronet, who was exceedingly pale, 
 steadily in the face, " the real Lady Morton 
 did not die; my sister, who wonderfully 
 resembled her, did die at that time, and it 
 was she you saw in her coffin. Grace Man- 
 ning lay for four days in a kind of trance, 
 and did not recover her reason for many 
 months after." 
 
 Whilst George Mason was speaking, the
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 189 
 
 Baronet's eyes never left his face, he gazed 
 at him like one stupified. But suddenly his 
 eyes flashed, his cheeks flushed with passion 
 as he exclaimed — 
 
 " And, so wretch, you and your father have 
 been concoctino; a frio-htful o-ame of double 
 villany. You say Grace Manning is alive. 
 "Where is she ? Where is Jay Pearson ?" 
 
 " Jay Pearson is dead ; died in Delawar. 
 Your first wife is with my father and family. 
 I have Jay Pearson's confession, signed and 
 witnessed by two most respectable citizens 
 of Delawar." 
 
 " Villain ! I will see your proofs," and 
 with a sudden spring the Baronet caught the 
 startled George Mason by the throat, half 
 strangling him. " Now, reptile, shew me 
 your proofs," almost shouted the excited 
 Sir Pilchard. 
 
 George Mason, a man of ungovernable 
 passion when roused, struggled desperately. 
 He became livid with rage. "Proofs," he 
 gasped out, "here," and thrusting his hand
 
 190 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 into Ills breast, he suddenly drew a bowie 
 knife from its sheath and struck Sir Richard 
 a violent blow on the chest. 
 
 With a stifled gasp and groan, the Baronet 
 drew back, staggered, and then fell, apparently 
 dead, into the arm-chair, before his grasp 
 relaxed ; .Reynolds's waistcoat had given way 
 and a small bundle of papers had fallen upon 
 the floor. Aghast at his own act, Reynolds 
 did not perceive the fate of the papers, as he 
 made a grasp at the Baronet to save him from 
 falling heavily on the floor. 
 
 The look of the man, who believed himself 
 a murderer, was horrible, as he stood gazing 
 at his victim. The perspiration poured down 
 the assassin's cheeks; but after a moment here- 
 covered, and casting his glance over the table, 
 instantly perceived a bundle of bank notes 
 lying with a weight upon them, and beside 
 them, the Baronet's jewelled watch. The 
 notes he seized and thrust into his breast, 
 buttoning his coat, and then, seizing his hat, 
 he dropped the knife by the Baronet's hand,
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 191 
 
 muttering, " It may be tliought he killed 
 himself." Then, opening the door, he stepped 
 out into the long corridor leading from the 
 library to the hall. By the time he reached 
 the hall he had regained his composure ; just 
 then, two young ladies were crossing the hall, 
 having just entered from the lawn. Reynolds 
 held his hat in his hand, and as he passed 
 them he bowed very low so as to hide his 
 features. The young ladies were Sir Ilichard's 
 daughters. They looked surprised, seeing a 
 stranger leaving from that part of the house, 
 where their father's library and study was ; 
 but they passed on up the great staircase. 
 The porter, however, said to Eeynolds, as he 
 was hurrying out — 
 
 " Is there anyone with Sir Richard at pre- 
 sent !" 
 
 " No," returned Eeynolds, in a sort of husky 
 voice; then hastened through the door down 
 the long flight of steps, and almost ran 
 towards the lodge gate. 
 
 " What the deuce is the matter with that
 
 192 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 fellow," tliouglit the porter, as lie closed tlie 
 door and rang his bell ; " he looks as pale as 
 a ghost, and walks as if doing it for a wager." 
 One of the footmen answered the porter's 
 bell — " Tell my Lady that Sir Eichard is now 
 disengaged," said the porter; "the man w^ho 
 was with him has left." 
 
 About a mile from Morton Chase stood 
 one of those small beer- houses frequently 
 met with by the side of a rather frequented 
 bye path leading from the main road to a 
 bridg;e that crossed the Derwent. At a 
 hundred or two yards from this ale-house 
 were scattered ten or twelve labourers' 
 cottages, the inhabitants of which frequently 
 of an evening indulged in a pipe and a glass 
 of beer; sometimes, indeed, the number of 
 glasses taken of an evening sadly interfered 
 with the good wife's menage for the ensuing 
 week, as the beer had to be paid for — no 
 scoring in chalk being alloAved. 
 
 Sitting on a bench smoking a pipe, and at 
 times dipping into a quart mug of ale, on the
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 193 
 
 inorning of wliicli I write, was a tall, strong 
 man, habited as a sailor. There was no one 
 in the house at this time but the landlady and 
 a young girl, both of them occupied washing 
 in a huge trough, and occasionally looking 
 out of the window at the sailor, who proved 
 himself to be George Reynolds's confederate 
 in the house in Bridge Street, who, having 
 finished his beer, rose, and sauntered up the 
 lane towards the road that led to Sir Eichard 
 Morton's mansion. 
 
 Now Jem Saunders, with all his acuteness, 
 did not perceive that two men were quietly 
 watching his movements from behind a hedge, 
 not fifty yards from the alehouse ; nor was he 
 aware that as soon as he moved up the lane, 
 one of the men said to the other — 
 
 " He is going to meet his confederate, Rey- 
 nolds, alias Mason. You see, Dick, if we had 
 secured him, the alarm might have spread, 
 and the other chap, who is the chief object of 
 our capture, might get ofp. Now, I wonder 
 is it to Sir Eichard Morten's he is gone? T 
 
 VOL. I. K
 
 194 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 can't tliink what such a rascal can have to 
 say to such a gentleman as the baronet." 
 
 " Well, Jim, it is odd if it is to his house 
 he's gone, and I am sure it is, for the man I 
 questioned said ' he see'd him,' and he des- 
 cribed him exactly, ' go up to the lodge gate,' 
 and there's no other mansion or house near 
 that he could go to ; and what brings him 
 down here I can't think." 
 
 " No, nor I, Dick ; but it is quite certain 
 we have tracked the right men as carried off 
 that young Mr. Bolton ; whether they killed 
 him, or what they did with him, who can 
 say ; but before night we shall have them." 
 
 " That fello ^, Saunders, is a mortal strong 
 chap," observed the man called Dick; "he 
 won't give in without a struggle, I guess.'' 
 
 " Ah !" said the other, '' a brace of barkers 
 within an inch of his head will cool his cou- 
 rage. Now, do you, Dick, go along that great 
 field, and keep that 'ere chap in sight, whilst 
 I keep my eyes on this pot-house ; for there 
 may be more ways than one to the baronet's
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 195 
 
 mansion, and the fellow's been gone two or 
 more hours, I calculate, from the time you 
 accosted the workman ; that half-hour's delaj 
 at Redhill put us out, or we should have 
 nabbed them both in this pot-house this morn- 
 ing." 
 
 Richard Blewit, the name of one of the 
 detectives, then proceeded along the field, 
 keeping a thick thorn hedge between him and 
 his intended prize. 
 
 Thomas Chalders took out a short pipe, 
 struck a light, began smoking, and resting his 
 back against the hedge, fell into a reverie. 
 
 An hour passed over, when he was roused 
 by the return of his comrade. 
 
 " Well, it is very odd," said Eichard Ble- 
 wit. " I see no sign of Reynolds returning 
 from the baronet's. This fellow Saunders is 
 coming back to the pot-house ; I heard him 
 PTOwlino* and swearino; loud enouo-h for me to 
 hear him, that his comrade was cursed long, 
 and he'd see him hano-ed if he'd wait much 
 
 longer." 
 
 K 2
 
 196 THE PIEATES OF TUB FOAM. 
 
 " Well the fact is, then," said Thomas 
 Chalclers, " we must be stirring. Let us se- 
 cure Saunders, and handcuff him ; I will then 
 leave him in your charge, and I'll at once 
 proceed to the baronet's, and learn what's be- 
 come of Eeynolds, if we cannot squeeze that 
 information out of Saunders." 
 
 Both men looked to their pistols and their 
 staves ; they were in plain clothes, and 
 both were Very powerful determined men. 
 
 They watched till they saw Saunders enter 
 the little beer-house, and then making a cir- 
 cuit, one entered the front door, whilst the 
 other went round to the back. 
 
 Thomas Chalders was first in the room, 
 which served for kitchen and drinking room. 
 Saunders was sitting at a table, preparing to 
 demolish a large plateful of eggs and bacon, 
 which the young woman had just placed 
 before him, the old woman continuing the 
 process of washing. 
 
 Saunders sprang to his feet — for persons 
 in his situation ha^e an instinctive knowledge,
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 197 
 
 no matter how disguised a police officer may 
 be, of their dreaded eneaiy — and gazed at 
 Chalders with a fierce, savage glance, placing 
 his hand in his breast pocket. Just then the 
 other policeman entered, and Saunders saw 
 that he was trapped. 
 
 "Don't be a fool," said Chalders, seeing 
 him draw his hand from his pocket with a 
 pistol in it, " you are in for a trifle, attempt to 
 take life, and you'll hang." 
 
 With a ferocious lauo;h and a frio;htful 
 curse, Saunders fired full at Chalders' s breast, 
 and the next instant, amidst the screams of 
 the women, he sprang through the window, 
 smashing the frame, glass, &c., into a thousand 
 atoms. 
 
 Police officers ought to have charmed lives, 
 and, indeed, it frequently appears as if they 
 had. The moment Saunders lifted his pistol 
 to fire, Chalders made a spring, but, fortu- 
 nately for him, slipped on the flags, falling on 
 his face just as the trigger was pulled. Richard 
 Blewit rushed out, and threw himself
 
 198 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 upon Saunders, whose foot striking a 
 wooden bar outside the window, caused him 
 to fall violently on the ground, and before 
 he could rise, his face cut and bleeding from 
 the glass, Blewit threw himself upon him. 
 The next instant Chalders, with his nose 
 double the proper size, and his neckcloth 
 stained with the crimson fluid from that 
 rather prominent feature of his face, which 
 had come in contact with the edge of the 
 table, joined him, and after a fierce struggle, 
 which irrevocably ruined for that season the 
 little flower patch under the window, secured 
 and handcuffed their prey ; whilst the women, 
 perfectly bewildered, rushed out at the back 
 of the house, and made the best of their way 
 to the nearest cottages, all the females and 
 urchins belonging to them rushing out at the 
 uproar they made. 
 
 "What a cursed fool you have made of 
 yourself," said Chalders, as he and his com- 
 rade followed Saunders into the house and 
 into the kitchen.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 199 
 
 " Why, cnrse you," returned Saunders, 
 looking at his smashed pLate and the eggs and 
 bacon strewed about the floor — " Could not 
 you wait till a fellow swallowed his dinner — 
 what do you want with me ?" 
 
 " Oh, you will find that out time enough ; 
 there's the warrant for your apprehension — 
 you're James Saunders, you do not deny that, 
 I suppose?" 
 
 By this time the two women had returned, 
 several labourers from the field had collected, 
 and a dozen or more of women and girls from 
 the houses. 
 
 " Send one of these boys," said Chalders, 
 addressing Blewit, " to Chatsworth for a couple 
 of constables. Keep your eye on your pri- 
 soner ; I must be off to the Baronet and see 
 aftev this Eeynolds, or we shall lose him." 
 So saying Chalders made his way through the 
 crowd, telling them they were police officers 
 that had captured a man who had been guilty 
 of several crimes ; told them to go back to 
 their houses and be quiet. He then gave a
 
 200 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 boy a sliilllng to shew him the way to Sir 
 Richard Morton's. 
 
 Thomas Chalders reached the front of the 
 Baronet's mansion about the very period that 
 the tragical event recorded in our last chapter, 
 occurred. He paused at the lodge gates, 
 which were closed, and then pulled the bell. 
 A woman with a baby in her arras, and two 
 small children holding on by her apron, made 
 her appearance, opening a small iron gate to 
 admit the stranger, 
 
 "Pray, missus," asked Chalders, "Would 
 you be so good as to tell me, did you see a 
 man (describing Reynolds, alias Mason, very 
 accurately indeed,) go up to the house about — 
 let me see, — nearly two hours ago." 
 
 " Yes, sure," returned the woman, " I did 
 see a man, he's just like the person you de- 
 scribe, but he has not returned ; not this way 
 at least." 
 
 " Ah!" said Chalders, " there's another way 
 then from the house, without passing this 
 lodire ?"
 
 'the pirates of the foam. 201 
 
 " Wlij yes, there is of course through the 
 Park, but then no strangers go that way ; 
 only the family and their visitors drive 
 through the Park." 
 
 Just then Chalders perceived, coming 
 hastily down the avenue, a man, who, though 
 he was running, looked every moment behind 
 him. 
 
 " That's my man," said he, in a tone that 
 startled the woman. 
 
 "Close your gate," he continued, "lam 
 a police-officer, and the man coming this way 
 irom the house I am going to take into cus- 
 tody." 
 
 " The Lord save us !" exclaimed the woman, 
 "what's the matter?" and she hurriedly 
 closed the gate and rushed into the lodge ; 
 the baby screaming, and the two children 
 roarino; at beino; left with such haste. 
 
 Chalders stood just inside the door, and the 
 
 next instant George Mason made for the gate, 
 
 his hand was on the key, when Chalders sprung 
 
 out, but quick and active as he was, and sure 
 
 K 5
 
 202 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 of his man, Mason was more active, for 
 as the police-officer made a grasp at him, he 
 ducked his head and plunged between the legs 
 of his enemy, throwing him over himself upon 
 the walk. In an instant both regained their 
 feet, but light and exceedingly active, and 
 having life at stake, Mason went away at full 
 speed in the direction of the Park, with Chal- 
 ders full chase after him. As they started off, to 
 the wonder and amazement of the gate-keeper's 
 wife, and became lost to view in the thick 
 shrubbery on each side of the lawn, a gentle- 
 man came cantering up to the gate. The 
 woman ran to open the lodge gate, saying — 
 " I beg pardon. Doctor Sharp, but indeed 
 somehow something has stopped me all day in 
 opening the gates, and now this minute I've 
 been frightened out of my wits." 
 
 "What has frightened you, Mrs. Vickers, 
 you look pale," said surgeon Sharp, riding 
 through. " Is Sir Eichard at home ? I want 
 to see him directly." 
 
 " Yes, Doctor, he is sure to be, for no one
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 203 
 
 has passed tlie gates to-day but that policeman 
 and the man he is runnino; after." 
 
 CD 
 
 " What policeman ? What's going on — a 
 poacher, eh ?" enquired the doctor checking 
 his horse. But before the woman could replj, 
 galloping was heard, and the next instant a 
 groom came cantering up to the gate, but 
 seeing the doctor, stopped, saying in an agi- 
 tated voice : 
 
 " Quick, sir. Thank God you are here ! T 
 was going for you. The master is, I fear, 
 dead." 
 
 The gate keeper screamed with fright, 
 whilst the doctor, without asking a question, 
 galloped furiously up the avenue. 
 
 In the meantime Chalders, annoyed at 
 being again baf&ed, pursued the fugitive 
 through the shrubbery. He had his pistol 
 cocked, determined to bring him down if he 
 could get within a sure distance ; but Mason 
 ran for his life, and gradually distanced his 
 pursuer, dodging in and out between the trees 
 to avoid being shot at. He had no idea, how-
 
 204 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 ever, liow to get out of tlie grounds, for tlie 
 river, hroacl and deep, lay on one side, and tlie 
 open lawn on tlie other. Still lie ran on, and 
 fortunately for liim, not in view of any of tlie 
 domestics about the house. Chalders, to his 
 intense vexation, perceived he did not gain 
 on his intended victim, so resolved on a shot 
 the first time he got a clear view of him ; 
 about twenty yards ofP, he fired. It was not 
 a bad shot, for it knocked off Mason's hat, 
 who only ran on the faster, and Chalders, 
 who was a stout man, was getting blown. 
 
 They had gained the park, and Mason him- 
 self was beginning to slacken his speed when 
 he beheld a lio-ht skifi", used bv the inmates 
 of Morton Chase for crossing the river or fish- 
 ing, fastened to a post on the river's bank. 
 With an exclamation of joy, the fugitive 
 reached the boat, cast off the chain, and 
 snatching up a boat hook, pushed off into the 
 stream, and then taking an oar began to scull 
 towards the opposite bank. 
 
 Chalders stamped and swore with rage and
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAIM. 205 
 
 vexation ; lie was beat. In vain he loaded 
 and again fired liis pistol ; Mason was 
 beyond his reach. There was no bridge, he 
 knew, on either side for several miles, and 
 the nearest ferry was three. The fugitive 
 reached the other bank in five minutes, leaped 
 out, and fastened the boat, that it might not 
 drift witli the wind back to his enemy (for it 
 blew pretty strong from his side of the stream) ; 
 this done, he pursued his way across the 
 country, broken in spirit and crushed by re- 
 morse, for bad and wicked as he was, 
 he never contemplated' the crime he 
 thought he had committed ; but a slave to 
 passion, and exasperated at the apparent 
 failure of his scheme (and for the moment 
 imagining Sir Richard really intended to choke 
 him), he, in his fury, struck the baronet with 
 the bowie knife he always carried concealed 
 in his breast, and which opened with a spring. 
 Chalders, chagrined and annoyed, returned 
 slowly to the lodge gate, where he found Mrs. 
 Vickers, crying.
 
 206 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " Oil, Mr. Policeman !" she exclaimed, the 
 moment she saw him, " Here's terrible news." 
 
 " Why, what's the matter here ?" exclaimed 
 the detective, wiping the moisture from his 
 dripping brows. 
 
 " Oh, the master. Sir Eichard, is dead I 
 fear, has killed himself with a great knife." 
 
 The policeman started, exclaiming, " Good 
 God ! that man I pursued has murdered him; 
 T have no doubt of it ;" and without a word 
 more he hurried off to the mansion, where he 
 found the whole household in awful confusion 
 and consternation. Having made himself 
 known to the butler, he learned all the parti- 
 culars. Lady Morton, it appeared, had en- 
 tered the library after the departure of Mason, 
 and on beholding the horrible spectacle of 
 her husband lying insensible, with a pool 
 of blood, and the knife on the floor beside 
 him, uttered a fearful shriek, and fell prostrate 
 on the carpet. The shriek roused everyone 
 in the mansion, and a terrible scene ensued, 
 in the midst of which, most providentially,
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 207 
 
 Surgeon Sliarpe galloped up to the door; and 
 pushing aside the crowd of horrified and stu- 
 pified gazers, reached the side of the baronet, 
 whom he had instantly placed on the bed in 
 the nearest room, and examining his wound 
 pronounced him not dead, and proceeded to 
 stop the flow of blood. There being an ex- 
 cellent medicine chest in the house, he at 
 once administered remedies to Lady Morton, 
 who went from one hysterical fit into another, 
 whilst her daughters, in their state of distrac- 
 tion, could be of little service. 
 
 At this time it was thought that the baronet 
 himself had committed the rash act ; but the 
 two young ladies and the hall porter recalled 
 the circumstance of seeing a man coming from 
 the library and leaving the house as they en- 
 tered ; and they also recollected remarking to 
 one another his singular paleness and even 
 agitation ; whilst the porter stated that he 
 saw him run down the avenue, after quitting 
 the house, and looking back several times.
 
 208 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " What kind of knife was it that was 
 found ?" demanded the policeman, eagerly. 
 
 " A foreign kind of knife," said the butler. 
 " Mr. Sharpe said it was a bowie knife." 
 
 " Ah ! then by it was that man Mason 
 
 who attempted the murder," said the detec- 
 tive. " Is there any hope of saving the baro- 
 net's life r 
 
 " The doctor says he is alive, but he cannot 
 say more at present." 
 
 " Well, I failed," said the detective, " in 
 capturing the villain, but I will start after 
 him again. I have a comrade with me, and 
 I do not think he will escape out of this 
 county before I lay my hand on him." 
 
 " But why," asked the butler, detaining 
 him, " why do you say so positively that the 
 man I mentioned committed the act?" 
 
 '' Because I have information that this man 
 Mason, alias Reynolds, always carries con- 
 cealed in his breast a bowie knife that opens 
 by touching a spring."
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 209 
 
 " That's precisely the kind of knife picked 
 up at my poor master's feet," said the butler, 
 " and it's one no one in the house ever saw 
 before." 
 
 " I am quite satisfied," returned Chalders, 
 " as to who committed this murder, or attempt 
 at murder. I have captured his comrade at 
 all events. He is in the care of ray chum at 
 the Ked Cow ale house, near here. I will 
 now take and lodge him in gaol, and then set 
 out in pursuit of Mason." 
 
 Chalders left and proceeded to the ale house. 
 
 But Chalders was destined to endure a se- 
 cond disappointment. As he left the Lodge 
 gates he met two or three countrymen heated 
 and excited. 
 
 " Well, what's the matter now?" said Chal- 
 ders. 
 
 " Be gummers, the chap you left at the Cow 
 be off," answered one of the men. " He 'av 
 broke your comrade's head wi' a blow of the 
 iron handcuff, and he beat us all, and got off."
 
 210 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 Clialders uttered an exclamation not very 
 complimentary to Ms hearers, and liurried on 
 to the beerhouse. There he found Blewit 
 washing the blood from a wound in the head 
 that had bled profusely ; though, luckily, it 
 was not a dang-erous cut. 
 
 By his account, Saunders, by his submissive 
 conduct and persuasive eloquence, in promis- 
 ing to reveal to him a secret respecting Mason 
 that would make his fortune, as it concerned 
 Sir Richard Morton, induced him to take ofP 
 his handcuffs, that he might eat his meal com- 
 fortably ; not having, he said, had any food 
 for twenty-four hours. Blewit laid his 
 loaded pistol on the table, and turned the 
 key of the handcuffs ; he had scarcely done 
 so before Saunders, with an imprecation, 
 dashed the irons upon his head, felling him to 
 the floor, and snatching up the pistol, set 
 everyone in the inn to flight, and, finally, 
 knocking over a countryman or two, made his 
 escape.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 211 
 
 Chalders was furious; but as soon as his 
 comrade was sufficiently recovered from tlie 
 blow, botb left the Red Cow, determined to 
 track the two ruffians till they had secured 
 them.
 
 212 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 The sixth day after the attempted assassma- 
 tion of Sir Richard Morton, the two eminent 
 physicians, who had been telegraphed for to 
 London, gave Lady Morton hopes of finally 
 saving her husband's life. They considered 
 the danger over ; but before they left they 
 strictly cautioned her ladyship not on any ac- 
 count to allow her patient to speak, excepting 
 a few sentences at a time, and by no means 
 to permit anything to excite or agitate him. 
 
 After the first terrible shock, Lady Morton 
 recovered her nerves, and, with her son and 
 daughters, were constant in their daily and 
 nightly attendance upon the invalid. She had
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 213 
 
 carefully examined the library, and was at- 
 tracted by the papers dropped by George Mason 
 in the struggle, when his vest was torn open 
 by the grasp of the baronet. She felt convinced 
 from the first that this man was the attempted 
 assassin, and that there was some cause of 
 enmity between her husband and him. 
 
 The notes were not missed, for the baronet 
 had received them that mornino; from his 
 banker in a letter, and intended remitting them 
 to the very villain that had struck him down. 
 His watch, and other valuable articles lying 
 on the table, were untouched, which proved to 
 Lady Morton that robbery was not the inten- 
 tion of the miscreant. 
 
 She took up the papers, and, without look- 
 ing at them, locked them up in her own pri- 
 vate cabinet. Though she did not examine 
 them, she was struck by the words — " The 
 confession of John Jay Pearson," written on 
 a blank sheet, containing two or three other 
 papers. 
 
 Of course the attempt to murder the baro-
 
 214 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 net, and the escape of the assassin without 
 robbery, created a great sensation and much 
 talk, not only in the baronet's household, but 
 also for many miles round, and various were 
 the surmises, but all wide of the mark. 
 
 At the expiration of a fortnight, a great 
 and beneficial change in the baronet's health 
 took place, and it became evident that he 
 would soon be able to move and to converse. 
 That night Lady Morton, for the first time, 
 retired to her own chamber. She had no in- 
 cdination to sleep, and as she sat in quiet re- 
 pose in her easy chair, she felt an intense 
 desire to look over the papers she had locked 
 up in her cabinet. 
 
 She could not resist this feelinof ; therefore, 
 
 O 7 7 
 
 unlocking her cabinet, she took them out, and 
 unfolding the wrapper, her glance rested on 
 the inner paper. On it was also written 
 " The confession of John Jay Pearson." Sur- 
 prised, but not alarmed, she read on, even to 
 the end, and then a deadly pallor and sick- 
 ness came over her, her hands trembled, and,
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 215 
 
 gasping for breath, she dropped the papers, 
 and clasping her hands in agony, cried 
 aloud, "Oh, my God! pity! mercy! — 
 my children !" and fell back upon the bed, 
 insensible. At that moment the door 
 softly opened, and a female entered the 
 room. Lady Morton's maid — for she it was 
 — advanced into the room, and the next in- 
 stant her glance fell upon her mistress, lying- 
 back upon the chair, as if dead. She was 
 about to alarm the house bv a shriek of fear, 
 when her glance fell upon the open papers at 
 her mistress's feet. Curiosity conquered 
 fear. 
 
 " She has only fainted," soliloquised Jane 
 Heathcot, drawing her breath, and gazing at 
 the papers. " There is some mystery going 
 on in this house, I am sure there is," and 
 Jane, a very shrewd and designing woman, 
 who had hitherto completely disguised her real 
 character, hastily advanced, and picked up 
 the papers, read them through, glancing every 
 moment at her mistress.
 
 216 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " All," said she, turning pale lierself with 
 astonishment, and the many thoughts that 
 r<in through her brain, " I have gained a 
 great secret. If this does not make my fortune 
 I am a fool." Dropping the papers on the 
 floor, she took some water, sprinkled her 
 mistress's face, and applied salts to her 
 nostrils. 
 
 With a heavy, prolonged sigh. Lady ]\Ior- 
 ton began slowly to recover. As her eyes 
 opened, they rested upon Jane Heathcot, her 
 personal attendant, and then a violent shudder 
 shook her whole frame. Slowly she rose up, 
 and immediately her glance was directed to 
 the floor. She saw the papers lying there. 
 Her attendant at once began with great 
 anxiety to inquire how she happened to faint 
 without having time to ring her bell, which 
 was close to her hand. 
 
 Lady Morton, who possessed, notwithstand- 
 ing her having given way at the first shock, 
 a strong and firm mind, looked Jane steadily 
 in the face, saying ;
 
 THE PIE AXES OF THE FOAM. 217 
 
 " Jane, you have read tliose papers," 
 pointing with her finger to those on the 
 floor. 
 
 Jane could not stand that cahn, searchincr 
 
 7 CD 
 
 glance; she coloured as her Lady's dark eyes 
 rested on hers, and then grew pale ; but at 
 last said : 
 
 " I did just look at them, my Lady." 
 " Well," returned Lady Morton, with a 
 sigh. " You have forfeited your integrity to 
 satisfy an idle curiosity. What those papers 
 state may or may not be truth. I suspect 
 them to be false, or the wretch who held them 
 would not have resorted to murder to gain his 
 ends. But true or false, it is my determina- 
 tion to sift the matter to its foundation. I 
 want no secrets kept, or confidantes 5 you have 
 broken my trust in you, and therefore you 
 must seek another place ; with me you cannot 
 stay. You may now retire." 
 
 Confounded and abashed, Jane withdrew 
 without a word — crestfallen — all her air-built 
 castles had vanished. She knew her mistress 
 
 VOL. I. L
 
 218 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 too well to try and attempt to gloss over her 
 act, and to express contrition. Jane had a 
 mean, vengeful disposition; the very next day 
 she packed up her trunks, and when she left, 
 to the great amazement of the several do- 
 mestics, who questioned her as to her sudden 
 departure, she said : " She would no longer 
 serve a lady who assumed the title of a 
 wife, but who was in fact only the Baronet's 
 mistress !" 
 
 This daring assertion amazed her fellow- 
 servants ; they cried shame ! She laughed 
 scornfully, merely saying — " You will see hy- 
 and-by that I am right. I know too much to 
 be retained." 
 
 The words of Jane Heathcot, strange and 
 incredible as they appeared, created a great 
 sensation amongst the domestics, but the old 
 butler, who had witnessed the marriage of his 
 master with his present Lady, declared with 
 much indignation — " That base woman shall 
 be punished for her wicked slander !" 
 
 Sir Eichard Morton was now only attended
 
 THE PIKATES OF THE FOAM. 219 
 
 by liis own physician, he coukl be lifted from 
 one bed to another, and in a few days it was 
 expected he woukl be able to sit in his easy 
 chair. During the hours of extreme illness, 
 Sir Eichard Morton did not think at all ; in 
 fact for the first two or three weeks he had 
 only a very confused recollection of anything, 
 past or present ; but as he regained strength, 
 he began to recal things to his mind, and his 
 first thought was, what had become of the 
 villain, George Mason. He soon learned that 
 he had baffled all attempts to secure him, and 
 had escaped out of the county. Then he began 
 to recal all the villain had stated to him, and 
 he shuddered when he thought it possible that 
 his words and assertions were founded on 
 facts. " And yet," he said to himself, " how 
 is it possible that Grace Manning can be alive ; 
 and, if alive, why for so many years refrain 
 from asserting her rights and the rights of her 
 son, should it be true that John Jay Pear- 
 son was in holy orders ? Ah ! my God I I 
 am justly punished. But my adored wife ! 
 
 L J,
 
 220 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 my beloved children ! Are tliey to be sacri- 
 ficed for my sins?" As he regained strength, 
 lie observed that Lady Morton looked care- 
 worn and sad. Could she possibly have gained 
 anv information of Georo-e Mason's business 
 with him? He recollected that almost at the 
 moment the assassin struck him with the 
 knife, a small parcel of papers fell from his 
 breast pocket, but insensibility followed. He 
 now asked himself, could those papers be the 
 proofs George Mason spoke of, and, if so, had 
 Lady Morton perused them ? 
 
 One evening the Baronet, feeling wonder- 
 fully better, was seated in his chair, watching 
 Lady Morton, who was near him. Long and 
 anxiously he gazed, and he could see that her 
 eyes were suffused with tears. " She knows 
 all," thought Sir Eichard, and a low groan of 
 agony escaped his lips. Lady Morton started, 
 and became even more pale, and trembled 
 as her husband laid his burning hand upon 
 hers. 
 
 " Anne," said he, his voice trembling with
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 221 
 
 deep emotion ; " you know my fatal secret ; 
 why did you not let me die?'' 
 
 The still fond and devoted woman sobbed, 
 as she laid her head upon his shoulder. " Yes," 
 she uttered, "I know all; but you did not, 
 could not have known the wrong- you com- 
 mitted." 
 
 " God bless you ! Anne, for those words ; 
 as God will judge me, I did not, neither do I 
 yet believe that I have wronged you. How 
 have you obtained this cruel intelligence?" 
 
 " From papers dropped in the library by 
 that wretch who so nearly murdered you," 
 replied Lady Morton — a ray of hope causing 
 her heart to throb. 
 
 " I am strong now, Anne ; let me see them, 
 for I still think I am the dupe of a detestable 
 villain." 
 
 Lady Morton brought the papers. The 
 Baronet calmly and carefully perused them. 
 The document purporting to be the confes- 
 sion of John Jay Pearson was a lengthy one; 
 the others were a marriage certificate signed
 
 222 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 by Jolin Jay Pearson, Sir Elcliarcl i\Iorton, 
 John Mason, and Grace j\Ianning, together 
 with a letter from John Mason, then residing 
 in Delawar. 
 
 " Now, Eichard," said Lady Morton, 
 calmly, " if this certificate is real — and 
 your first wife lives — the die is cast. ]\Iy 
 children and myself are outcasts from the 
 world." 
 
 " No, no, no," exclaimed the Baronet, in 
 intense agony of mind. " Not so ; it is im- 
 possible ; Grace Manning cannot be alive. 
 My wife she may have been — for it now 
 appears that they deceived me. I do not 
 want to shield myself from guilt. God will 
 be my judge, for I have been guilty, and the 
 errors of my youth were gi'eat. But I still 
 maintain that you, and you alone, are my 
 lawful wife. Your son, alas, will no longer 
 inherit my title and estates, if this marriage 
 certijScate is true ; the signatures are all 
 genuine — I recognise them all, — but the 
 question is — was that wretch, Jay Pearson,
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 223 
 
 in holy orders at the time ? In order that you 
 may understand the matter clearly, I will 
 relate the particulars of this crime as it really 
 was committed. I will extenuate nothing:. 
 Jay Pearson's confession is confused ; and, ob- 
 serve, he declares he saw Grace Manning alive 
 when he was on his death-bed, in Delawar, 
 and he then repents his evil acts, and, as it 
 appears, writes this confession in the presence 
 of several witnesses, and dies. Now, the 
 moment I receive strength and health, we 
 Avill go abroad ; I will leave you in any con- 
 thiental city you please, whilst I proceed to 
 America, and, in disguise, visit Delawar. 
 There is some terrible mystery in all this. 
 But that Grace Manning lives, is impossible ; 
 I saw her dead, and followed her body to 
 the grave, deeply repentant for the act I had 
 committed. Her child, however, lives." 
 
 *' And how did you dispose of the poor 
 innocent boy ? If this certificate of marriage 
 is correct, he is your lawful son and heir." 
 
 " Yes," returned Sir Eichard, " I fear he is."
 
 224 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " Do not fear it," cried Lady Morton. "Act 
 firmly and honourably. Restore him to his 
 birthright. I will be the first to welcome him, 
 and make him forget the past. Where is he ?" 
 
 Sir Eichard's conscience pricked him sorely 
 as he listened to the words uttered by his 
 noble-minded wife. He answered, however^ 
 truthfully, and told Lady Morton all. " Now," 
 he continued, " listen to me ; I cannot rest 
 till you know everything. At my father's 
 death I was very young — master of wealth 
 — wild — thoughtless, and, alas ! with very 
 little principle; my whole object in life 
 pleasure, and the gratification of my pas- 
 sions — no matter at what cost. My father's 
 agent and manager of the estate was a very 
 respectable man in manner and appearance, 
 but at heart of most extravafrant and un- 
 principled habits. He had two daughters 
 and one grown-up son ; his name was John 
 Mason ; the son, George, was a profligate, 
 reckless young man, and to a certain extent 
 I made him a sort of companion.
 
 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 225 
 
 " Jolin Mason's family resided in a large 
 house on the estate, the same now inhabited 
 by Mr. Henderson. There was a school- 
 fellow of his daughter called Grace Manning, 
 an orphan, on a visit at his house ; she was 
 young, very beautiful, well educated, and I 
 became for the time greatly attached to her ; 
 I never thoug-ht of marriasje — but Grace, 
 though she returned my passion, was virtuous ; 
 she resisted any attempt I made to persuade 
 her to be my mistress ; I confess I was infa- 
 tuated. About this time I discovered that 
 John Mason had forged my name to a docu- 
 ment. It will sufl&ce to say that he became 
 my slave to save himself. He consented to 
 procure a man who would personate a clergy- 
 man, and that the marriage ceremony should be 
 gone through between me and Miss Manning. 
 I was to give him a certain sum, to destroy 
 the forged document, and he and his family 
 were to proceed to America. He deceived 
 me. This man. Jay Pearson, that he bribed, 
 
 was, it now appears, a curate of some parish. 
 
 L 5
 
 226 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 But almost immediatelj after my marriage, 
 for some gross forgery, I believe, lie fled from 
 England ; and John Mason could never trace 
 Mm. 
 
 " Grace Mannino; never knew I had deceived 
 her. She died in giving birth to a boy ; and, 
 almost immediately after, the Ma,sons left 
 this country for America. The son, George, 
 liaving committed several crimes, had fled 
 some months before. Some time before John 
 Mason left England, he had increased his 
 family by two sons. After Grace Manning's 
 death I went abroad for twelve months ; 
 began to deeply regret my past life, and re- 
 turned to England a wiser, and, I thought 
 and hoped, a better man. 
 
 " To George Mason my infant son was en- 
 trusted, and a sum given him to place him 
 where every care would be taken of him. 
 There is much more to relate, but I can only 
 now say the object of my life will be to 
 discover the truth of this Jay Pearson's con- 
 fession. By that confession it appears he fled
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 227 
 
 to America, endured great privations and 
 hardships, and when, shaken by a mortal 
 disease, he reached Delawar, had an interview 
 with John Mason, who was living in a farm 
 near that place, and then, it appears, he 
 died." 
 
 " A ray of hope enters my breast," said 
 Lady Morton, with a sigh. " It is just pos- 
 sible this unworthy man. Jay Pearson, may 
 have been deceived on his deathbed through 
 the cunning of your former bailiff. If Grace 
 Manning was in reality your wife and lived, 
 what possible reason could Mason have 
 in keeping her existence for so many years 
 secret ?" 
 
 " You see, my dear Anne, this Jay Pearson 
 got out of the way, and carried the certificate 
 of marriage with him, and flying the country, 
 bafded all Mason's search after him, whose 
 own crimes and his son's forced them to leave 
 England also. I now really believe my mar- 
 riage with Grace Manning to be valid, but I 
 will never believe she lives. Their plot ap-
 
 228 THE piratEkS of the foam. 
 
 pears to me to be this ; knowing mj love for 
 you and our children, the Masons conceived 
 that they could extort a large sum of money 
 from me, by giving up the certificate, and 
 Pearson being dead, my first marriage could 
 thus never be proved, or the rights of our son 
 disturbed." 
 
 " Ah!" said Lady Morton, fervently, "God 
 forbid that son of mine should ever succeed 
 to an inheritance acquired by crime. No, my 
 beloved, for such you still are, and ever will 
 be, seek the truth of this strange afikir, write 
 loyour son, and restore him, not only to his 
 rights, but to that love he has been so long 
 deprived of — the love of a fond father." 
 
 " I will do so, dear Anne, so help me God ; 
 and as long as I retain your love, and find 
 that you are my lawful wife, and our children 
 legitimate, eveiy wish of my heart will be 
 gratified *, and I trust, when I make atonement 
 for the past, that God will forgive me the 
 errors of my youth." 
 
 Lady Morton conversed for some little time
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 229 
 
 longer with tlie baronet. She read over again 
 the confession of Jay Pearson, and almost 
 became convinced that he was a deceived party 
 also, and that the dead body Sir Kichard saw 
 was in reality Grace Manning's, and not Eliza 
 Mason's, as Pearson's narrative would have 
 induced the baronet to believe. 
 
 Sir Eichard began to take his wife's view 
 of the case; however, before she left him, she 
 calmed and toned down his agitation in a 
 great measure. 
 
 " You have raised a gleam of hope in my 
 heart, dear Anne," said Sir Eichard, pressing 
 his wife's hand; " I will do anything you wish, 
 act under your guidance, do everything but — 
 live without you." 
 
 With a faint smile Lady Morton kissed his 
 cheek, and bade him good night, ringing the 
 bell for his attendant. 
 
 " To-morrow," she said, as she left the room, 
 " we shall be able to talk more calmly and 
 dispassionately." 
 
 It was then about ten o'clock at night ; Lady
 
 230 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 Morton, full of thought and reflection, and 
 trusting to the mercy of Providence, proceeded 
 to the drawing-room, where she had left her 
 son and daughters. 
 
 As she entered, her youngest daughter, 
 Ellen, said — 
 
 " How is papa to-night? he looked so im- 
 proved this morning, that we were in hopes a 
 day or two more would enable him to join us 
 again." 
 
 " He is, thank God !" replied the mother, 
 " improving fast." 
 
 Alfred Morton laid down the book he was 
 reading, and looking over at his mother, who 
 was reclining on the sofa, said — 
 
 "Dear mother, you have knocked yourself 
 up completely." 
 
 " No, my dear boy. I only feel a little 
 lassitude from the heat of these last few 
 days ; but we are advancing into September, 
 and the cool breezes will do more to restore 
 your father than anything else." 
 
 Alfred was at this time about nineteen years
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 231 
 
 of age, tall, graceful, and manly, like Ills fa- 
 ther ; Ivind-liearted and generous in disposi- 
 tion — like his mother. His eyes and hair 
 were dark, whilst his sisters, though very 
 beautiful girls, had both blue eyes and light 
 auburn hair. Alfred had distinguished him- 
 self at Oxford ; he had acquired honours, and 
 had kept himself free from many of the follies 
 and indeed vices that characterised too many 
 of his fellow students. 
 
 The girls were educated at home, under a 
 most accomplished governess, who devoted 
 her whole time and talents to their improve- 
 ment, having masters to assist her. At the 
 time of the sad affair at Morton Manor, Miss 
 Henderson, the governess, was on a visit in 
 Yorkshire, with her family, and was not at 
 all aware of the frightful event that had so 
 nearly marred the happiness of the family 
 she was so devotedly attached to. 
 
 " I think, mama," observed Celia, the 
 eldest daughter, who was engaged in writing 
 when her mother entered the room, " now
 
 232 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 that papa is so very much recovered I may 
 write to Miss Henderson, and let her know 
 the reason you did not wish her to return just 
 yet. Her own father has been very ill she 
 says in her last letter." 
 
 " You may write to her, of course, my 
 love," replied the mother, with a suppressed 
 sigh ; " but still I would rather she did not 
 return yet. Another fortnight will make a 
 great difference." 
 
 " Do you know, dear mother," said Alfred 
 Morton, " that I find it exceedingly difficult 
 to answer the questions I am constantly asked 
 respecting the miscreant who stabbed my fa- 
 ther ? I rode over to Chatsworth this morn- 
 ing, and met Colonel Wilton and his brother, 
 who is a county magistrate. After many in- 
 quiries about my father, Mr. Wilton said — ■ 
 ' Has your father, Mr. Morton, been able to 
 throw any light upon this abominable at- 
 tempt at assassination. We have not gained 
 the slightest clue that will lead to securing 
 the villain who committed the act. We are
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 233 
 
 waiting till your father's recovery enables 
 hirn to give us some particulars as to what 
 led to such an attempt. Your father is a very 
 powerful man, and that ruffian Mason or Rey- 
 nolds is a slight small one ; so, at least, the 
 London detective, Chalders, told me.' 
 
 " 'Indeed, Mr. Wilton,' I replied, 'we are all 
 in the dark as yet. My father is still weak, 
 and we wait till his recovery is more advanced.' 
 Has my father given you any particulars, 
 mother ?" 
 
 " It is a very painful subject, Alfred," an- 
 swered Lady Morton, with a sigh ; " but as 
 far as I know, you shall hear. It appears 
 that this villain Mason is the son of a man 
 who was once your father's steward and 
 bailiff, and in whom he placed great confi- 
 dence. Many years ago he went and settled 
 somewhere in America. It was not known 
 for some time afterwards that he carried away 
 with him papers, most important ; and from 
 time to time it seems he manasred to extort 
 certain sums of money from your father, on
 
 234 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 « 
 
 the plea of restoring tlie papers, wlilcli lie 
 never did. The son George had an inter- 
 view with your father in the library, and your 
 father, finding he was trifling with him, seized 
 him by the collar, and threatened to hand 
 him over to the law for an act he committed 
 some years ago, if he did not give up the 
 papers he stated he had about him. In his 
 rage and disappointment he drew a bowie 
 knife and stabbed your father. This is the 
 true state of the case, and you may make the 
 same explanation to any inquiry made to 
 you." 
 
 " I wish to heaven that villain was taken," 
 cried Alfred Morton ; " and I cannot imagine 
 how two men so remarkable as Mason and 
 his confederate have continued to bafBe the 
 detectives." 
 
 Some four or five weeks after this conver- 
 sation, it was announced that the baronet and 
 his family were going abroad for a year or 
 two for the complete restoration of the for- 
 mer's health. Accordingly, having arranged
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 235 
 
 everything for an absence of some time, the 
 family set out on tlieir journey. On the bor- 
 ders of the Lake of Geneva, Sir Eichard 
 rented a beautiful villa residence, and there 
 he left his family, returning, after three 
 months' residence, to England, whence he 
 embarked for New York.
 
 236 THE PIKATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 We left Artliur Bolton upon tlie solitary 
 deck of the dismasted " Foam," keeping 
 watcli, during which myriads of mosquitoes 
 permitted neither rest nor thought till the re- 
 turn of daylight, when a strong wind relieved 
 him from his tormenters. Joe made his ap- 
 pearance on deck, and telling the lad to call 
 him at high water, as the wind blew down the 
 estuary, the brig would doubtlessly drift sea- 
 ward, and, if so, they had better try and get 
 an anchor overboard. All Avas quiet, the 
 ladies no doubt fast asleep in the main cabin, 
 so he turned into his own berth, and was 
 very soon insensible to everything around.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 237 
 
 He slept long and well, till the sound of 
 voices awoke him ; when, jumping up, he 
 dressed himself and hastened on deck, where 
 he found the whole party assembled, gazing 
 curiously on the striking scene before them. 
 
 He cast one look at the tide, which was 
 running out. The brig had not moved. 
 
 Greeting his fair Alice with an affectionate 
 jDressure of the hand, he said: — 
 
 " I have made a rather long sleep of it, 
 Alice ; I told Joe to call me at high water." 
 
 " Oh, Arthur, my sister and I were on 
 deck just at high water, and Joe told us the 
 tide did not near rise its height, for the brig 
 would not float by two feet ; and that, there- 
 fore, he had better let you have a good sleep. 
 To this we all agreed, so now come to breakfast. 
 But is not this a grand scene, Arthur ? so 
 wild, and yet so beautiful." 
 
 " It is a truly wild scene, dear Alice ; and 
 yet it is very singular that no signs of canoes 
 or of human beings of any kind are to be seen ; 
 we must have run upon a very deserted part,
 
 238 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 if tills is in reality what is called tlie j\Iosquito 
 Coast." 
 
 " If we have seen no natives," said Miss 
 Marchmont, " we have seen and felt mosquitoes. 
 There was no possibility of getting rid of them. 
 We must have some kind of gauze or muslin 
 across our berths; poor Mary's eyes were 
 nearly closed by their stings, and Mrs. 
 Mathews declares she was nearly smothered, 
 trying to save herself from being devoured." 
 
 " They are frightful pests," said our hero; 
 '' but they are capital companions for keeping 
 a sentinel wide awake. No fear of falling 
 asleep on deck." 
 
 " Are those beautiful white birds yonder, 
 in such flocks, the bird called the white Ibis ?" 
 asked Alice — " and what thousands of ducks." 
 
 " I should think they were, Alice ; if I had 
 a boat I should try and kill a few for our 
 use, it would be an agreeable change. You 
 are recovering your spu'its and colour," con- 
 tinued our hero, pressing the little hand he 
 held, as they descended into the cabin.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 239 
 
 " All, Artliuf, to think of the mercy of 
 providence in preserving us, when our situation 
 was so terrible — the fearful anxiety we suf- 
 fered those four days would, if they had con- 
 tinued, have nearly killed us, and the fate of 
 kind Captain Courtney oppressed us with an 
 unspeakable horror." 
 
 At breakfast, Mrs. Marchmont, whose spirits 
 had also greatly revived, had a long conver- 
 sation with our hero, on their future proceed- 
 ings. Having no boat, they could not com- 
 municate with the shore. 
 
 " But surely," said Alice, who was present, 
 " there must be natives ; we must soon be 
 seen by some passing canoe or vessel of some 
 sort. This is a large, fine river we are in." 
 
 " I agree with you, Alice," answered 
 Arthur, " some kind of craft must navigate 
 this fine stream. At all events the brig will 
 not float till the next spring tides. I could 
 easily swim to land, but from the appearance 
 of the shore on both sides, there is no sign of
 
 240 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 inhabitants ; it all looks as if left to a state of 
 nature from time immemorial." 
 
 The day passed over without any visible 
 signs of human beings on shore, and our hero 
 and Joe began to talk of building some kind 
 of craft with the hatches and spare spars in 
 the hold. They cleaned and put in good 
 order, the late Captain's double-barreled fowl- 
 ing-piece, and another excellent gun, and 
 found plenty of powder and shot. But fresh 
 provisions were becoming necessary ; the cli- 
 mate was intensely hot, and the air throughout 
 the day sultry to a degree. 
 
 Towards sunset masses of thunder-like 
 clouds rose to the eastward, wliich in reality 
 burst upon them in the early morning, with 
 the terrific fury and grandeur peculiar to tro- 
 pical climates. The thunder crashed over 
 their heads with appalling uproar, and the 
 vivid lightning seemed to play about the deck 
 of the Foam, and to linger on the anchor, and 
 to seek every nook and cranny of the ship.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 241 
 
 Then came tlie roar of the storm-gust clashmg 
 the waters of the estuary in wreaths like snow 
 drifts. Upon the bare hull of tlie brig it did 
 no mischief, she remained immovable. Be- 
 fore the sun was two hours high the storm 
 had ceased, and a brilliant, dazzling sky, 
 unobscured by a single cloud, was over 
 them. 
 
 During the height of the storm, all the 
 ladies had dressed and assembled in the cabin. 
 It was the first time the Miss Marchmonts had 
 heard or witnessed a tropical tempest, so ter- 
 rible in its violence, and so short in its dura- 
 tion. A fine refreshing breeze, after it had 
 passed, came in from the westward, and all 
 went on deck to enjoy it, after the overpower- 
 ing heat of the night. 
 
 On gaining the deck, Arthur Bolton ex- 
 claimed — " A vessel at last." Alice ran to 
 his side, and both gazed down the estuary, 
 and true enough, about five hundred yards 
 from them, lay a small schooner, of about 
 thirty tons. Arthur brouglit his glass and 
 
 VOL. I. M
 
 242 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 examined her. Her sails were all down, and 
 furled, but no one appeared on deck. ** 
 
 "She is doubtless a Spanish schooner," he 
 remarked, " and her crew are below, sleeping. 
 She must have run in here just before the 
 storm began. I see no boat in her, or towing 
 astern. Joe, bring me the gun, and I will rouse 
 them. That schooner would just do to take 
 you all to Bluefields, and their assistance 
 could be got to save the valuable cargo in this 
 brig." 
 
 " But surely, Arthur," said Alice, eagerly, 
 " vou would come with us, vou would not 
 trust us with strangers ?" . 
 
 " You know, my beloved, you are dearer 
 to me than all the treasures of a dozen ships ! 
 How we shall manage will depend on the 
 character of those in yonder schooner, and the 
 distance we are from Bluefields. All your 
 luggage and valuables, and more than £20,000 
 in gold, are in this vessel, and to leave it at 
 the mercy of plunderers would be cruel, and 
 indeed dishonourable."
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 243 
 
 " Then I will tell you what to do, — but ex- 
 cuse, dear Arthur, my giving you advice or 
 counsel, — we will all stay with you, and you 
 can employ that schooner, or the crew that is 
 in her, to go to Bluefields, or the nearest port 
 to us, and bring; back assistance. She could 
 be towed by a steamer into Bluefields, if 
 this is really the Mosquito Coast we are 
 upon." 
 
 " I will act upon your* suggestion, Alice, 
 and at once. I will rouse the crew of the 
 schooner ; they evidently do not see us, or the 
 sight of a mastless hull would have attracted 
 them," and taking the gun, he fired several 
 shots ; but not a soul ajDpeared on the deck of 
 the schooner. 
 
 Mrs. Marchmont and all the females came 
 up, wondering what tbe shots were for. 
 
 Arthur pointed to the schooner, saying, " I 
 do really think that there is not a soul on 
 board." 
 
 "Perhaps the crew have gone ashore in 
 their boat," observed Mrs. Marchmont. 
 
 M w
 
 244 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " I will swim with the current to her," ob- 
 served our hero. 
 
 " I will go with you, sir," said Joe, " for 
 if we find her deserted we can bring her along- 
 side." 
 
 " Do not run such a risk, Arthur," pleaded 
 both girls at once, Alice looking startled, ad- 
 ding — " How can you tell whether there are 
 sharks here or not?" 
 
 '' Oh, we should have seen them if there 
 had been," returned our hero. " The schooner 
 is scarcely five hundred yards off. T shall 
 certainly swim to her, but Joe can remain." 
 
 " Ko, no," cried Mrs. Marchmont. " Let 
 him go with you at all events, for you will 
 require help if you find the schooner de- 
 serted, which would be very strange. Some 
 one, at all events, must have put the anchor 
 out." 
 
 " If they are ashore, they will soon be at- 
 tracted by our getting her under weigh." 
 
 Our hero merely took off his jacket and 
 shoes, the light cotton dress he wore would be
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 245 
 
 no incumbrance, and jumping over the side, 
 swam for the schooner, followed by Joe, who 
 got down by a rope. 
 
 Alice and the rest of the little party watched 
 their progress with great anxiety ; but with 
 the tide running down to the schooner it took 
 them but a very short time to reach her. 
 Arthur got on deck, and assisted Joe, who was 
 very nearly carried past by the force of the 
 current. By this time it had become dead 
 calm, and extremely hot, with a strange bril- 
 liancy in the sky over the land. 
 
 There was not a soul on board, but every 
 evidence of there having been a crew very 
 lately. Seeing no boat along shore, our hero 
 began inspecting the craft, resolved to wait 
 till the turn of the tide should enable them to 
 get her under weigh. She was not more than 
 thirty tons, had hatchways fore and aft, and 
 a forecastle. She smelt strongly of fish, un- 
 pleasantly so. She evidently was employed 
 in the turtle fishery, for lifting one of the 
 hatches he perceived k heap of shells, and all
 
 246 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 the requisite materials for fisliing and turning 
 turtles. 
 
 " I tell you what I think, Joe," remarked 
 our hero, ••' this little schooner must have 
 drifted up here from some anchorage further 
 down, during the storm of last night. The 
 tide will turn directly ; we will drop her up 
 alongside the brig, and anchor her. That 
 will brino; her owners after her, and thus we 
 shall know correctly where we are, and, no 
 doubt, get them to go to some port and send 
 us assistance." 
 
 When the tide slacked, they proceeded to 
 get the anchor a-peak, and, having done this, 
 Joe went to take a pull at the foresail haul- 
 yards, to hoist it, for tliere was a light air in 
 their favour ; but as our hero came to lift the 
 anchor, he found it so imbedded in the mud 
 at the bottom, that their united efforts could 
 not move it. 
 
 " There's a hatchet on a bench in the fore- 
 castle," said Joe; "cut it." 
 
 " No, that would not be right, there's no
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 247 
 
 other on board ; give me that log of wood, 
 and I'll fasten it to it, and slip the cable, which 
 is a very short one." 
 
 All this time they paid no attention to the 
 peculiarity of the clouds hanging over the spot 
 where the brig lay. The sky was of singular 
 brilliancy 5 the omen of a tropical hurricane, 
 a storm-gust that so often follows a tempest 
 from one quarter by a violent rush of wind 
 from the opposite. Scarcely had they dropped 
 the cable and set the foresail, than looking 
 towards the " Foam," our hero, to his amaze- 
 ment, beheld between him and the brig a 
 vast sea-drift, like a snow wreath. 
 
 " Lower the foresail, Joe !" he shouted out, 
 "and hold on." 
 
 But before the words were spoken, the 
 storm -gust had reached them ; the foresail 
 disappeared in ribbons, and a shower of 
 spray passed over them, blinding them in its 
 fury. 
 
 Joe threw himself flat, and our hero catch- 
 ing the tiller, the schooner spun round, and
 
 248 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 dashed off before the hurricane like a scared 
 sea-bird. 
 
 The whole estuary became a sheet of foam ; 
 to have attempted to turn the schooner either 
 to port or starboard would have ensured its 
 destruction. Joe made his way aft. 
 
 " Faix, sir/' he cried out, " we shall be 
 blown on the rocky islands at the mouth of this 
 river, or out to sea." 
 
 " It may not last beyond a few hours," re- 
 plied our hero, " we can then beat back again. 
 The ladies Avill be terribly alarmed. Keep a 
 keen look out, Joe. Lie down for'ad and sing 
 out if you see rocks ; though, in truth, this 
 blinding spray blocks the view." 
 
 Joe went forward, and putting his head 
 over the bow, tried to make out where they 
 were running, with the speed of a racehorse. 
 On drove the little schooner, skimming the 
 curling waves ; the sky brilliant and clear to 
 windward, with a thick haze to seaward. In 
 less than three-quarters of an hour, they came 
 close up with the islands blockiag the mouth
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 2i9 
 
 of the estuary. Some of the highest they 
 could see, but there were ranges of rock just 
 covered by the water. Our hero anxiously 
 sought for a clear space through them. 
 
 " Starboard !" shouted Joe. 
 
 " Starboard it is !" and the schooner shot by 
 a huge black rock, covered with spray, and 
 only to be seen when close to it. 
 
 " Starboard !" again roared Joe. " Port ! 
 hard a port !" he screamed the next instant. 
 
 Tt was a marvel to see the schooner twist- 
 ing and driving through the scattered rocks, 
 one moment buried in the spray, the next 
 almost dashed against sharp-pointed rocks. 
 Joe was in a fever and hoarse, whilst on 
 drove the schooner, and destruction threatened 
 on every side. 
 
 A vast mass of rock was seen right ahead. 
 Arthur shifted his helm, another mass showed 
 on the port side, there was no help for it; he 
 steered boldly between the two, at the risk of 
 being jammed. It was an anxious moment ; 
 with a slight shock, or rather a graze to the 
 
 M 5
 
 250 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 rock on the port side, tlie schooner glided 
 through uninjured, and then the open sea was 
 before them. 
 
 Arthur, with a deep-drawn breath of relief, 
 exclaimed — 
 
 " By Jove ! Joe, that was running the 
 gauntlet with a vengeance." 
 
 Joe crossed himself, and thanked all the 
 Saints in the calendar for their escape. 
 
 Still the squall, with unabated violence, 
 drove them out to sea, till, just at sunset, it 
 ceased as suddenly as it had commenced, 
 leaving the sky to windward of a dull crimson. 
 
 The schooner, by this time, was fifteen or 
 eighteen miles from the coast, which was not 
 to be seen, for, as the wind ceased, the haze 
 gradually drew off the land and settled on the 
 sea. 
 
 After rolling uncomfortably till quite dark, 
 a light westerly breeze came on, and then 
 Arthur and Joe set the fore and aft canvas 
 of the schooner, and made a tack for the land. 
 
 Our hero was exceedingly uneasy ; he knew
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 251 
 
 how fearful must be the situation of those 
 on hoard the " Foam ;" he knew, even if the 
 breeze, which was not very favourable for 
 making the land, stood steady, they could not 
 expect to get back into the estuary before 
 morning. 
 
 "Now, Joe, search the forecastle, and see 
 if you can find any kind of garments, or food. 
 Otherwise we must fast till morning." 
 
 " Faix, it was a bad job, sir, that squall 
 didn't come ten minutes sooner; we would 
 not have let go our anchor. Be dad, sir, I'm 
 as hungry as a hawk, and, unless we can eat 
 turtle shells, I fear there's nothing here." 
 
 However, Joe found two or three canvas 
 jackets, a jar of oil, two dried fish, and about 
 two or three dozen bad biscuits. 
 
 " Try down under the hatches," said Bolton, 
 " there must be some wine ; these craft are 
 never without water and wine." 
 
 After ten minutes' search, Joe made his 
 appearance with a large jar of wine, and 
 some salt meat, and said with a glad smile —
 
 252 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " There's a small fire-place for'ad, sir, and 
 cooking pots, and otlier things, and things 
 like potatoes in the locker. I'll make a fire 
 and cook this meat." 
 
 "Just give me a pull at the wine, Joe, 
 first," said Arthur, who was steering. " I am 
 exceedingly thirsty." 
 
 Joe brought a mug, and both had a draught 
 of tolerably good wine. 
 
 " The schooner works very badly, Joe, 
 without a foresail or jib. Have a second 
 hunt under the hatches, there must be another 
 foresail or a jib or two ; there's no keeping 
 her out of the wind." 
 
 Joe lighted a candle, and searched the 
 lockers, and after an active scrutiny, found 
 some spare sails, ropes, blocks, &c. 
 
 Having picked out an old foresail, it was 
 set up, and the schooner sailed all the better 
 for it. 
 
 Joe having boiled the piece of salt meat, 
 they made their breakfast off it, with some 
 biscuits and a draught of wine, during which.
 
 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 253 
 
 a fine fresh side wind carried tliem on rapidly 
 for the land. Still, though they approached 
 within a few miles of the coast, they could 
 not recognize any opening like the mouth of 
 a large river. The land looked flat, and the 
 shore was bordered with sand hills, whilst in 
 the distance appeared a range of blue hills. 
 To the south rose a faint vapour, as if from 
 a steamer, and on the horizon, more faintly 
 seen, several vessels. 
 
 " I cannot," said our hero, uneasily, " per- 
 ceive either the rocky island or the great 
 gap between the two hills, up which the 
 river, where the brig lies, runs. We have 
 been swept away to the eastward by some 
 strong current." 
 
 " Be dad, sir, there's a boat pulling round 
 yonder point, and coming towards us." 
 
 " Ha ! so there is — haul our fore sheet in, 
 and I'll stand in for the boat *, the water, ap- 
 parently, is quite deep to the shore." 
 
 They were soon not more than a mile from 
 the shore, when, hauling the fore sheet to
 
 254 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 windward, they waited for the boat to run 
 alongside. It carried six men, dressed in 
 red shirts and red caps, no doubt Spaniards 
 or Mexicans, perhaps the owners of the 
 schooner. Arthur, though a tolerable hand 
 at French and Italian, could speak neither 
 Spanish nor Portuguese. 
 
 As the boat neared them, he perceived that 
 the men in her were a fierce, savage-looking 
 lot, with long beards and moustachios. They 
 came up to the side with great violence, and 
 jumped on deck, vociferating something in 
 Spanish, and, flourishing their long knives, 
 made a furious attack upon Arthur and 
 Joe. 
 
 A struggle ensued, in which Arthur and 
 his companion, having no weapons but two 
 turtle irons, stood at fearful odds against the 
 six Spaniards ; but providence befriended the 
 weak in the contest — Joe was knocked over- 
 board, Arthur striking the nearest of his as- 
 sailants to the deck with his iron, and follow- 
 ing him.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 255 
 
 Joe, wlio was a first-rate swimmer, diving 
 to avoid a blow made at him, struck out for 
 the shore. 
 
 Fortunately, during the fray, the schooner 
 went on the other tack, and her boat broke 
 loose, and before the crew could recover the 
 boat and put about, the fugitives struck out 
 vigorously for the shore, and shortly after- 
 wards reached the sands. 
 
 " Well, Joe," said our hero, giving himself 
 a shake, " we have had a providential escape 
 from those rascally Spaniards or Mexicans. 
 You are not much hurt, I hope?" 
 
 " Falx, sir. It was nearly up with us. I 
 got a few blows, nothing to speak of; but what 
 win we do without clothing ?" 
 
 Our hero, washing the blood from a deep 
 cut from a knife he had received, replied, 
 " We must do as the natives do till we get 
 back to the brig." 
 
 " What did they want to kill us for, sir ? 
 Maybe they thouglit we stole their craft." 
 
 " That's quite possible, Joe ; yet it did not
 
 256 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 look as if we intended keeping her, as we 
 waited for tliem. However, we had better 
 seek shelter ; this scorching sun on our bare 
 backs and heads is trying." 
 
 The men who boarded the schooner had 
 torn the red shirts from, their backs, leaving 
 them only their light cotton trowsers for 
 clothing. Having traversed the sands and 
 passed over a sand-hill, they obtained a view 
 of a rather singular and striking extent of 
 country ; and behind they beheld the schooner 
 making its way to the westward.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 257 
 
 CHAPTER XL 
 
 The progress of Arthur and Joe as they swam 
 towards the schooner was watched with anx- 
 iety by the part}?- left in the vessel — an anxiety 
 greatly relieved when they saw them climb 
 on to the deck of the schooner without acci- 
 dent ; or, as Alice feared, any pursuit by 
 sharks. They watched them haul up the 
 anchor and make all their preparations, and, 
 thus engaged, saw nothing of the coming 
 storm till it burst upon them in all its fury. 
 It was quite a marvel, as it swept over the 
 dismantled brig, that it did not hurl those 
 anxious gazers into the foaming waters. With 
 difficulty they all gained the cabin, and then 
 Alice rushed to the cabin windows to look
 
 258 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 for tlie scliooner, but the space between the 
 two vessels was a sheet of foam and .«praj. 
 
 The remainder of the day was passed m 
 restless anxiety, and when night came on, 
 and neither Arthur nor Joe appeared, not 
 one of those four lonely females closed their 
 eyes in sleep. Several times Mary, at her 
 young mistress's earnest request, stole up 
 upon deck to see if she could discover the 
 schooner ; but the little vessel continued in- 
 visible. 
 
 At daybreak, the storm having ceased, 
 Alice and Mary again went on deck. There 
 was scarcely a ripple on the broad surface of 
 the estuary ; the wind had changed, and a 
 light breeze blew in from the sea. 
 
 " Good gracious, Mary, where can Arthur 
 have been blown to ?" cried Alice, greatly 
 agitated. 
 
 " The Lord save us," suddenly exclaimed 
 Mary, after gazing around. '* Here are two 
 canoes coming down the river — filled with 
 Indians, I think."
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 259 
 
 Alice trembled as she turned to gaze at 
 two large canoes paddling towards tliera. 
 The alarm spread, and soon all the terrified 
 females were on deck. 
 
 Miss Marchmont brought the telescope, and 
 fixing it upon the canoes, cried out in an 
 alarmed voice — 
 
 " Oh God help us ! One of the canoes is 
 full of Indians, the other Europeans. 
 
 " Oh, mother," exclaimed Alice ; "if that 
 wretch, Saunders, is amongst them, we are 
 lost." 
 
 " I will kill the villain if he is," said Mary- 
 Pearson, her cheeks flushing, and, rushing 
 down the cabin stairs, she went into Arthur 
 Bolton's cabin, and secured a pistol ^vhich 
 she knew was loaded. 
 
 " That villain, Saunders, is bringing those 
 Indians to plunder tlie brig," said Miss 
 Marchmont, greatly agitated. 
 
 Tears of apprehension, almost of despair, 
 were in Mrs. Marchmont' s eyes, as she looked 
 at her daughters. Alice ran to the windows,
 
 260 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 and gazed eagerly down the stream, but no 
 sign of the presence of the schooner could be 
 discerned. 
 
 "It is no use," said Mrs. Marchmont to 
 her attendants, " to barricade the doors ; they 
 can force any defence we could make, and it 
 would only irritate an enemy, and rouse their 
 passions ; besides, the cabin can always be 
 entered through the skylight." 
 
 The approach of the canoes was watched 
 with feelino;s of alarm and dread. As Miss 
 Marchmont had said — the men in the first 
 canoe were all Indians ; the second contained 
 four Indians paddling, and five Europeans — 
 one of whom was Bill Saunders. As they 
 neared the brig the canoes separated, and 
 prepared to advance nearer, with some degree 
 of hesitation. 
 
 " Ah," said Alice, with a flush in her cheek, 
 " they think Arthur is here, and they know 
 how brave and powerful he is, and that there 
 are fire-arms in the ship. Oh, if he were, we 
 might resist them, and put them to flight."
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 261 
 
 " If I could shoot that Saunders," observed 
 Mary, "the rest might be content with plunder. 
 But what vile looking men those are in the 
 boat with Saunders." 
 
 After a short consultation, the two canoes 
 made a sudden dash at the brig, with a shout 
 of exultation ran alongside, and with a fiendish 
 yell from the Indians scrambled up upon 
 deck. 
 
 To describe the feelings of those in the 
 cabin of the Foam would be scarcely possible. 
 Only to think of their probable treatment from 
 such a wretch as Saunders was horrible. 
 There appeared no earthly chance of suc- 
 cour. 
 
 Still Mrs. Marchmont and her daughters 
 summoned up all their energies, and, with a 
 silent prayer to heaven, awaited the result. 
 Mary placed herself near her young mistress, 
 with a revolver concealed under a mantle 
 thrown over her shoulders. 
 
 Presently several heavy feet were heard 
 descending the cabin stairs, and pushing open
 
 262 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 the door, Bill Saunders, attended by two ruf- 
 fians, entered the cabin. 
 
 Saunders held a cocked pistol in one hand, 
 and a drawn cutlass in the other, looking even 
 more ferocious and horrible than u&ual. 
 Glaring around the cabin with his one blood- 
 shot eye, he seemed to seek some object upon 
 which to wreak his vengeance. 
 
 " Come," he exclaimed. " You all look 
 mighty pleased to see me; I told you I should 
 come back, and here I am. But, curse it, 
 where is my enemy, Bolton ? If you don't 
 
 say where he is hiding, then me if I 
 
 don't cut all your throats. I must have his 
 blood," and he stepped towards the table and 
 laid his hand upon it, whilst the Mexicans and 
 blacks stood eying the females with savage 
 ferocity, each as it were selecting a victim. 
 
 Mary's hand grasped the pistol convul- 
 sively, the length of the table only was 
 between her and their enemy, and she longed 
 to rid the world of such a monster. Still a 
 look at the fierce faces above paralysed her
 
 THE PIEATES OF THE FOAM. 263 
 
 arm, for if she killed Saunders those men 
 would avenge his death. 
 
 Mrs. Marchmont, although almost over- 
 powered by terror, said in a firm voice : 
 
 " Mr. Bolton is not on board this brig ; he 
 swam to a schooner that was anchored below 
 us, yesterday." 
 
 Saunders started, struck the table with a 
 frightful oath, and turning to his comrades, 
 by signs and bad Spanish, told them what 
 Mrs. Marchmont said. 
 
 " Caramba !" exclaimed the men, " why 
 lose time, make the women come on deck, the 
 sooner we get at the gold the better; the 
 schooner was a Guarda Costa probably, only 
 driven out by the gale." 
 
 Mrs. Marchmont understood what the men 
 said, and hope revived in her breast. The 
 Guarda Costa would surely return if Arthur 
 Bolton was on board. 
 
 " Curse him," cried Saunders, " is it pos- 
 sible that he has escaped me ? But I know 
 where the wind lies. I'll have a terrible re-
 
 264 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 venge. Now go on deck," he said savagely, 
 turning to the females, "if you don't want me 
 to call the sailors to pull you up." 
 
 Mary whispered in Alice's ear — ' ' Oh, miss, 
 shall I shoot that wretch ?" 
 
 " No, no, the others would in their savage 
 fury murder us all ; wait, I have a ray of 
 hope stealing over me." 
 
 As the females were hurrying up the cabin 
 stairs, the loud boom of a heavy gun struck 
 their ears. The sailors on deck uttered a 
 shout and a yell of rage, and Saunders rushed 
 past the females with a terrible blasphemy on 
 his lips. The whole party hurried on deck. 
 
 Eagerly Alice and the rest gazed down the 
 river, and beheld a rakish looking schooner 
 coming under full sail towards them, and not 
 a mile off. A prayer of thanksgiving mingled 
 with the furious curses of Saunders and the 
 Spaniards, as their eyes rested on the 
 schooner. 
 
 " The Guarda Costa !" they all exclaimed — 
 " To the boats ! or we're cauo^ht !"
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 265 
 
 The baffled Saunders stamped with rage. 
 One moment he hesitated as the rest rushed 
 to the boats, and then, with an oath, he ex- 
 claimed — " Now for my revenge !" and with 
 a bound he seized Alice Marchmont round the 
 waist, and bore her shrieking over the side. 
 Mary frantically followed ; the mother and 
 sister strove to grasp Alice's garments, but the 
 wretch who held her sprang into the large 
 canoe, and Mary Pearson, seeing she could 
 not save her mistress, flung herself after her 
 into the canoe. 
 
 " Curse the girl," said one of the Spaniards, 
 " pitch her overboard." But Alice tore her- 
 self from Saunders' grasp, and held Mary, who 
 in desperation drew the pistol and fired in 
 Saunders' face, dashing him back in the canoe, 
 blackened and scorched by the powder, but 
 untouched by the ball, which passed within a 
 hair's breadth of his temple. 
 
 One of the men lifted his cutlass to strike 
 the brave girl, as the Indians paddled off into 
 
 the deep water. But Saunders shouted out : 
 VOL. I. N
 
 266 THE PlPwATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 "Let her be — curse her — she nearly took 
 my other eye out, but I like her — she shall 
 be my second wife," — and the wretch stooped 
 and bathed his scorched face in the river. 
 
 " Caramba, the schooner's aground," ex- 
 claimed the Spaniard. " There goes a shot." 
 
 The ball from the gun struck the water 
 close by the leading canoe, which, with its 
 companion, paddled in shore, keeping the hull 
 of the brig between them and the enemy, and 
 then continued their course up the river as 
 rapidly as possible. 
 
 Mrs. Marchmont — distracted, horrified, at 
 the abduction of her daughter — went from one 
 fainting fit to another. Her daughter and 
 her attendant carried her into the cabin, and 
 laid her on her couch, using every means in 
 their power to restore her. 
 
 As soon as she revived she exclaimed : 
 
 " Oh, my God ! my child ! Oh, go see if 
 they are out of sight, and if the schooner is 
 pursuing them." 
 
 Leaving her mother to the care of Mrs.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 267 
 
 Matliews, Miss Marchmont, trembling in every 
 limb, ran on deck. The canoes had turned 
 an abrupt point, and were out of sight. The 
 schooner was aground on the bar, and her 
 crew were clewing up her sails and launching 
 a boat. 
 
 " Oh, Heavens, if they only made haste 
 Alice might be saved," cried Mrs. Marchmont. 
 " Ah ! how little Arthur knows what misery 
 is in store for him." 
 
 The Mexican schooner that had so unfor- 
 tunately taken the ground on the bar, was the 
 "Maria Gloriosa," aguarda costa, commanded 
 by Capt. Juan Castinos Valagos, and had 
 come from Micaragua on a cruize to Cape 
 Gracias. 
 
 On the day that Arthur Bolton and Joe 
 were driven out to sea by the hurricane, the 
 Maria Gloriosa was anchored in a deep bay, 
 some miles to the westward of the river where 
 the Foam lay. Just as the Guarda Costa 
 was getting under weigh, after the squall had 
 blown itself out, a canoe with a single Indian 
 
 N 2
 
 268 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 ill it paddled out to the schooner. The Indian 
 did not understand Spanish, neither did Capt. 
 Valagos understand the Indian. 
 
 *' Send the black cook here," cried the 
 Captain, " till I know what this fellow 
 wants." 
 
 The cook, a powerful negro, soon made his 
 appearance. 
 
 " Ask that rascal what he's gabbling about, 
 Cato." 
 
 The cook did as he was ordered. 
 
 " He says, sar," observed the negro, " that 
 there is the hull of a large vessel, reported to 
 be laden with valuable goods and a lot of gold, 
 lying aground in the Punza-Pulka river, and 
 that a party of Sambos, with a half-dozen 
 Mexican deserters, are gone down the river to 
 plunder her." 
 
 " How does the Indian know of this vessel ?" 
 
 Cato questioned him. 
 
 " He says, sar, that he is from Quamwatter, 
 and that he saw and heard the men speak of 
 going to plunder the ship."
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 269 
 
 " Take the fellow aboard," said the cap- 
 tain to his solitary officer, a young lieutenant, 
 " and hoist his canoe in. If the rascal is tell- 
 ing a lie, I'll strip his red hide off his back." 
 
 Whether the Indian understood the captain 
 or not, we cannot say, but instead of letting 
 himself and canoe be hoisted on board, he 
 took his paddle, and made for the shore. 
 
 *' Caramba !" exclaimed the captain, "the 
 rascal is lying. Fire a shot after him." 
 
 A man with a musket let fly at the retreat- 
 ing Indian, but missed him. 
 
 *' I should think," observed the first mate, 
 " that there was some truth in that Indian's 
 story. I cannot see any motive for a false- 
 hood." 
 
 "Well, then, up anchor and let us go and 
 see," said the captain. 
 
 And accordingly the Maria Gloriosa got 
 under weigh, with a land breeze, which, how- 
 ever, changed to a sea breeze as they reached 
 the Islands. Running between the two prin- 
 cipal ones, they very shortly after sighted the
 
 270 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 hull of the Foam, and agam In a few minutes 
 beheld the canoes pullmg ahead. 
 
 "Ah!" exclaimed the captain, " there was 
 some truth in the Indian's account. Fire one 
 of our eight-pounders ; it will frighten those 
 rascals, who are going, no doubt, to plunder 
 the wreck." 
 
 As he spoke the schooner took the ground. 
 
 The water was smooth, and just the last run 
 of the ebb ; so hauling down and furling their 
 canvas, they put out their boat, having fired a 
 shot at the retreating canoes. 
 
 As the tide made, they dropped up, and 
 then let go their anchor close to the Foam. 
 
 Captain Valagos then got into his boat, witli 
 Cato, who spoke English, as interpreter. He 
 expected to find those on board were English, 
 for, with his glass, he had seen the ladies on 
 deck, as they stood watching his movements 
 with painful curiosity. As the boat came up 
 alongside, Mrs. Marchmont said — 
 
 " Now we shall have that villain pursued." 
 
 "When Captain Valagos, therefore, entered
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 271 
 
 the cabin, both mother and daughter were 
 prepared to receive him. 
 
 The Spaniard paused, looking surprised. 
 The cabin, with its elegancies and decorations, 
 also attracted his attention. He saluted the 
 ladies in his rough manner, and said some- 
 thing in Spanish. Mrs. Marchmont under- 
 stood a little Spanish, but could not speak it 
 to be understood, therefore she replied in 
 French. Valagos shook his head and called 
 out for Cato. 
 
 " Ask those ladies," said the captain, 
 " what's the name of this vessel, where she 
 comes from, and where bound to, and what's 
 her cargo." 
 
 ^' Golly !" observed the negro, rubbing his 
 huge head. " 'Ere four questions all de same 
 time." 
 
 "Do you speak English?" asked Mrs. 
 Marchmont, addressing the black. 
 
 *' I does, Marm, speak de English ; I once 
 cook aboard man-of-war, English. I lub de 
 English."
 
 272 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 " All !" cried Mrs. Marchmont, '41ien tell 
 your captain that some Spanish deserters, and 
 Sambos, and a sailor belonging to this vessel, 
 have carried off my daughter and her maid in 
 their canoes ; but if he pursues them at once 
 they may, with God's mercy, be rescued." 
 
 Cato rubbed his woolly head, thought the 
 speech a very long one, but told the captain 
 as much of it as he could get into his head. 
 
 " Tell the lady," returned the captain, im- 
 patiently, " that I cannot pursue them up the 
 river ; there's no water for the schooner, and 
 my boat could never catch Indians in their 
 canoes. Ask her again the name of this 
 vessel, and where bound to." 
 
 Mrs. Marchmont shed tears of vexation as 
 she comprehended what the Spaniard said, 
 and saw that as far as the recovery of her 
 daughter depended on his exertion, she had 
 little to hope. She perceived also that the 
 Maria Gloriosa was not the schooner Arthur 
 Bolton had swam to. She, therefore, after 
 much delay, made Valagos acquainted with
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 273 
 
 their mlsliap, and requested to know if lie 
 would carry tliem to Bluefields, where she 
 was sure to procure help. 
 
 WhenCastinos Yalagos learned that the ship 
 was so valuable, he became deeply interested. 
 
 " I will leave six of my men in this vessel," 
 he said, " well armed, and will take you to 
 Bluefields, which is only a few hours sail from 
 this river." 
 
 " But, good God !" exclaimed the lady, 
 *' what will become of my unfortunate child?" 
 
 Cato again rubbed his woolly head, and 
 seemed to feel sorry for Mrs. Marchmont ; 
 and whilst the captain proceeded to give 
 orders to warp the schooner alongside, he 
 told Mrs. Marchmont that he knew the Sambo 
 Indians well, had been amongst them, and 
 knew their haunts. If she could prevail on 
 the captain to let him go ashore he would 
 track them and the Mexican deserters to their 
 haunts, pretend he had run away from the 
 Guarda Costa, get protection, and perhaps be 
 
 able to send a friendly Indian to Bluefields. 
 
 N 5
 
 274 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 Mrs. Marclimont eagerly grasped at this 
 proposal. Slie knew, once at Bluefields, she 
 could send word to her husband in Jamaica 
 and also employ people to follow in the track 
 the negro Cato would point out. 
 
 Captain Castinos was at first sulky, and 
 unwilling to comply with her request ; he 
 swore the negro wanted to run away ; but 
 when Mrs. Marclimont bound herself to pay 
 eight hundred dollars if the black did not 
 return in a reasonable time, he consented, and 
 Cato was equipped for his intended expedition 
 — having a small amount of dollars and gold 
 concealed about his person, so that, if neces- 
 sary, he might bribe a friendly tribe of 
 Indians to assist him. He was landed in the 
 point round which the canoes had disappeared. 
 
 The unhappy Mrs. Marchmont and her 
 sorrowing daughter embarked on board the 
 Guarda Costa, which, before sunset, had 
 passed the islands, and was standing along 
 the shore for Bluefields.
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM, 275 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Few are the attractions found on the Mus- 
 quito coast where our hero and his humble 
 companion sought shelter from the violence 
 of the Mexican desperadoes. No traveller in 
 search of the picturesque would wish to linger 
 in its precincts — whilst sailors ever shun its 
 shores. The negro race inhabiting this 
 narrow slip of land are a brutal, licentious 
 race, always at variance with the Indian tribes 
 dwelling farther inland, who are their supe- 
 riors in every respect, and who show a never- 
 ending hatred to the Sambos and the Mexican 
 deserters who there find a home, and who, 
 restrained by no law, indulge in every
 
 276 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 description of profligacy, commit tlie most 
 horrible crimes without fear of punishment, 
 and are a terror to the few vessels which 
 chance or storms may send to the coast. 
 
 The only station along the shore that could 
 boast of an English resident was Bluefields, 
 and at this place resided that mockery of 
 royalty, the Musquito King. 
 
 Our hero and Joe, who possessed, not- 
 withstanding their misfortunes, excellent 
 appetites, commenced searching for turtles' 
 eo;o^s. Havino; collected a considerable num- 
 ber, they again ascended the bank, and looked 
 down at the scene before them. Joe, who 
 was an adept at mat making, in which most 
 sailors excel, whilst his master was regarding 
 the country lying east and west of them, 
 gathered a quantity of long grass, di'ied up 
 by the scorching sun, and commenced plat- 
 ting it into a kind of covering; for their backs 
 and chests ; it was a primitive manufacture, 
 but our first parents commenced with less. 
 
 Looking from the height on which they
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 277 
 
 stood, Artlmr gazed down upon a noble slieet 
 of water — one of the great lagoons that stretch 
 along that coast communicating bj numerous 
 creek channels, with the river. This lake 
 extended two miles, and the shores on both 
 sides were thickly wooded. 
 
 " There's a thin stream of smoke coming 
 out from that tuft of trees close to that fine 
 lake, Joe," said Arthur ; " let us go towards 
 it. I am most anxious to get information how 
 to reach the river where we left the brig. 
 Imao-ine the distress of Mrs. Marchmont and 
 her daughters at our absence." 
 
 " Just put these two pieces of mat over 
 your back and chest, sir," returned Joe, pre- 
 senting two square pieces neatly plaited ; 
 "they will save you from being scorched, 
 anyhow." 
 
 " Not bad, Joe," observed Arthur, tying 
 the mats on with plaited bands. " Something 
 of the same kind for a hat will do famously, 
 for I confess the sun is hot." •
 
 278 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 Thej then proceeded towards tlie smoke, 
 Joe carrying the turtle eggs. 
 
 With a certain amount of pain, being with- 
 out either shoes or stockings, our two cast- 
 aways proceeded towards the thick tuft of 
 brushwood and trees from whence issued the 
 smoke. 
 
 Pushing their way through a mass of 
 vegetable and long grass, they soon perceived 
 an Indian hut, which had, apparently, been 
 hastily constructed, and near to which was a 
 small frail canoe, covered partly with huge 
 leaves of plants, to protect it from tlie rays of 
 the sun. 
 
 Our hero was not at all afraid of the Indian 
 tribes being hostile ; he, therefore, advanced 
 towards the entrance. As he did so — making 
 some noise by breaking the dry branches they 
 trod on — a young Indian girl, with a spear in 
 her hand, rushed out; but after casting a 
 glance at them, she seemed to recover from 
 her alarm — for she paused and looked at
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 279 
 
 them, without fear. Arthur also gazed at 
 this first specimen of the Indian race he had 
 yet beheld, and was astonished. She was 
 young, not more than seventeen, tall, and well 
 formed ; the only article of dress she wore was 
 an exceedingly short skirt, like a Highlander's 
 kilt, of red and white striped cotton, confined 
 round the hips by a very ornamental belt. 
 She had, however, moccasins on her feet, 
 lacing up to the calf of the leg. She was not 
 darker than a Creole, whilst her features 
 were positively beautiful, with hair dark as 
 the raven's wing, and confined by a narrow 
 strip of hide, ornamented with gold beads. 
 After looking at each other for a moment, 
 the young girl came close to our hero, and 
 said : — 
 
 "White man -Englis?" 
 
 " Yes," returned Arthur, surprised at the 
 young Indian uttering even those words, "we 
 are English ;" and approaching close to the 
 girl, who showed no fear, he continued : 
 " Do you speak our language ?"
 
 280 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 But slie only sliook her head. 
 
 *' Now this is very embarrassing," he ob- 
 served to Joe, who stood gazing at the Indian 
 with great curiosity. 
 
 The girl perceived that Joe carried some 
 turtle's eggs, and she made signs with her 
 hands and smiled, shewing a row of teeth like 
 ivory. Arthur Bolton determined to try what 
 he could do by signs, and intimated that he 
 was remarkably hungry and wanted to cook 
 the eggs. 
 
 The maiden at once understood him, and 
 with a light laugh she signaled them to 
 follow her into the hut, Bolton wondering 
 very much how she came to be alone. There 
 was a wood fire smouldering on the ground ; 
 the girl took a stick, raked the ashes together, 
 and blew up a good fire. 
 
 " By the powers, sir ! she's a tidy girl, and 
 has as nice a foot and leg as you would wish 
 to see on a fair day." 
 
 And Joe knelt down, saying : " Here are 
 the eggs, my little beauty. I've eat eggs
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 281 
 
 before now cooked in ashes, butfalx we don't 
 grow turtles in ould Ireland." 
 
 The gh'l laughed at Joe, took the eggs and 
 covered them up in the ashes, Arthur thank- 
 ing her with his eves. She smiled, and looked 
 pleased as she took from a peg some pieces of 
 meat that looked like dried beef. With her 
 knife she cut it into strips, and broiled them 
 over some sticks. Arthur sat down ; he was 
 unmistakeably hungry, so he helped to turn 
 the meat and take out the eggs, and roast 
 some plantains, which the girl took from a 
 heap in a corner of the hut. 
 
 When all was ready she nodded her head, 
 and when the meal was finished, seeing that 
 her guests were satisfied, made signs that she 
 was going away, and got up. They followed 
 her out of the hut to the spot where lay the 
 small canoe, covered with leaves and branches. 
 By signs she made her companions understand 
 she would come back, and then they carried 
 the canoe and placed it in the water. The
 
 282 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 
 
 girl sprang in, smiled, waved lier hand, and 
 seizing her paddle glided rapidly from the 
 shore towards the opposite coast of the la- 
 goon. 
 
 " That light bark," said our hero to Joseph, 
 *' would scarcely hold three, at least not 
 safely, to cross the lake, or I should very much 
 like to have gone with that young and in- 
 teresting Indian girl. I wonder if all her tribe 
 are as comely?" 
 
 " We had better stay here for the night at 
 all events, sir," replied Joe ; "we can't travel 
 without shoes. If I had only a knife I would 
 make a kind of a shoe out of the hide hanging 
 up in the hut ; we could keep them on with 
 thongs." 
 
 " Not a bad idea, Joe," returned Arthur, 
 who kept watching the canoe with its grace- 
 ful occupant till it disappeared round some 
 bluff on the opposite shore. 
 
 Our two solitary castaways then re- 
 turned to the hut, and feeling exceedingly
 
 THE PIRATES OF THE FOAM. 283 
 
 tired and lieavy, after all they had gone 
 through since leaving the brig, they stretched 
 themselves on the heap of dried leaves in a 
 corner of the hut, and in a moment were 
 buried in a most profound sleep. 
 
 END OF VOL. I. 
 
 T. C. Newby, 30, Welbeck Street, Cavendish Square, London.
 
 PIr, Bettibn s Ucto ^ubHraticn^. 
 
 In 3 vols. Price, Sis. 6d. 
 
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 Statuettes in Parian, Vases, and orther Ornaments. 
 
 OSLER, 45, Oxford Street, W.
 
 WILLIAM S. BURTON'S 
 
 General Furnishing Ironmongery Warehouse, 
 
 THE PERFECT SUBSTITUTE FOR SILVER. 
 
 The REAL NICKEL SILVER, Introduced more than Twenty-fiTe years ago by WILLIAM 
 S. BUBTON, when plated by the patent process of Messrs Elkington and Co., is beyond all 
 comparison the very best article, next to sterling silver, that can be employed as such, either 
 usefully or omnmentaUy, as by no possible test can it be distinguished from real silver. 
 
 A smaU useful set, guaranteed of first quality for finish and durability, as follows : — 
 
 
 12 Table Forks 
 
 12 Table Spoous 
 
 12 Dessert Forks 
 
 12 Dessert Spoons . . .. . 
 12 Tea Spoons 
 
 6 Egg Spoons, gilt bowls . 
 
 2 Sauce Ladles 
 
 1 Gravy Spoon 
 
 2 Salt Spoons, gilt bowls . 
 1 Mustard Spoon, gilt bowl 
 1 Pair of Sugar Tongs.. . 
 1 Pair of Fish Carvers.. . 
 
 1 Butter Knife 
 
 1 Soup Ladle 
 
 1 Sugar Sifter 
 
 Total .. ., 
 
 Fiddle 
 
 
 Thread 
 
 
 or 
 Old 
 
 Silver 
 
 Bead 
 Pattern. 
 
 or 
 Bruns- 
 wick 
 
 King's or 
 Lily, &«. 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 
 Pattern. 
 
 
 £ «. d. 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 £ s, d. 
 
 £ s. d. 
 
 1 13 
 
 2 
 
 2 4 
 
 2 10 
 
 1 13 
 
 2 
 
 2 4 
 
 2 10 
 
 14 
 
 1 10 
 
 1 12 
 
 1 15 
 
 1 4 
 
 1 10 
 
 1 12 
 
 1 1.5 
 
 16 
 
 10 
 
 12 
 
 1 5 
 
 10 
 
 12 
 
 12 P 
 
 13 6 
 
 6 
 
 8 
 
 8 
 
 9 
 
 6 6 
 
 9 
 
 10 
 
 11 
 
 3 4 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 4 6 
 
 1 S 
 
 2 
 
 2 
 
 2 3 
 
 2 6 
 
 3 6 
 
 3 6 
 
 4 
 
 1 4 
 
 1 10 
 
 1 10 
 
 1 10 
 
 2 6 
 
 4 
 
 5 6 
 
 6 
 
 10 
 
 12 
 
 16 
 
 17 
 
 3 3 
 
 4 6 
 
 4 6 
 
 6 
 
 9 19 9 
 
 12 9 
 
 13 9 6 
 
 14 17 3 
 
 Any Article to be had singly at the same prices. An oak chest to contain the above, and a 
 relative number of Knives, &c , £i 15s. Tea and Coffee Sets, Dish Covers, and Corner Diihes, 
 Cruet and Liqueur Frames, ice, at proportionate prices. All kinds of Ke-plating done by the 
 patent process. 
 
 CUTLERY, WARRANTED. 
 
 The most varied assortment of TABLE CUTLERT in the world, all warranted, is on sale * 
 at WILLIAM S. BURTON'S, at prices that are remunerative only because of the largeness 
 of the sales. 
 
 IVORY HANDLES. 
 
 3J-inch ivory handles 
 
 3|-mch fine ivory handles 
 
 4-inch ivory balance handles 
 
 4-inch fine ivor J handles 
 
 4-inch finest Alrican ivory handles 
 
 Ditto, with silver lerules .. 
 
 Ditto, carved handles, silver ferules 
 
 Nickel electro-silver handles, any pattern 
 Silver handles of any pattern 
 
 Bone and Horn Handles. — Knives and Forks 
 per dozen. 
 
 White bone handles 
 
 Ditto, balance handles 
 
 Black horn rimmed shoulders 
 
 Ditto, very strong riveted handles 
 
 Table 
 
 Knives per 
 
 Dozen. 
 
 s. d. 
 
 12 6 
 
 15 
 
 18 
 
 24 
 32 
 40 
 50 
 
 25 
 84 
 
 1 
 
 2l 
 
 17 
 
 12 
 
 Dessert 
 
 Knives per 
 
 Dozen. 
 
 s. d. 
 
 10 
 
 11 6 
 14 
 
 18 
 26 
 .33 
 43 
 
 19 
 51 
 
 8 6 
 17 
 14 
 
 9 
 
 Carvers 
 per 
 Pair. 
 
 s. 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 4 
 
 7 
 
 11 
 
 12 
 
 17 
 
 7 
 
 21 
 
 d. 
 
 3 
 
 3 
 
 9 
 
 3 
 
 
 
 
 
 e 
 
 6 
 
 
 2 6 
 4 6 
 4 
 
 3 
 
 The largest stock in existence of Plated Dessert Knives and Forks, in cases and otherwise, 
 and of the new Plated Fish Carvers. 
 
 WILLIAIVI S. BURTON'S 
 
 General Furnisliing Ironmongery Catalogue 
 
 MAY BE HAD GRATIS, AND FREE BY POST. 
 It contains upwards of 600 illustrations of his illimited stock of sterling silver and electro- 
 jilate, nickel silver, and Britannia metal goods, dish covers, hoUwater dishes, stoves, fenders, 
 marble chimnev pieces, kitchen ranges, lamps, gaseliers, tea trays, urns, and kettles, clocks, 
 t«He cutlery, baths, toilette ware, turnery, iron and brass bedsteads, bedding, bedroom cabinet 
 fmuiture, etc , with lists of prices, and plans of the 
 
 TWENTY LARGE SHOW-ROOMS, 
 
 At 39, Oxford Street, W. 5 1, la, 2, 3, and 4, Newman Street; 
 4, 5, and 6, Perry's Place : and 1, Kfewman Yard, London.
 
 KENNER DEENE'S 
 
 NEW NOVEL, 
 
 nOTV READir, 
 
 THE 
 
 SCHOOLMASTER OF ALTON. 
 
 BY THE AUTHOR OP 
 
 ''THE DULL STONE HOUSE," &c. 
 
 " THE SCHOOLMASTER OF AI.TON is no ordinary character, 
 nor is the author of the novel an ordinary writer, for the former is as per- 
 fectly original as is the latter's style. The work possesses all the 
 piquancy of the Sensation Novels, but none of their immoral tendencies* 
 It is unquestionably the best novel of the season, with some faults, but 
 innumerable good qualities."— ^^^/(/•eA's.
 
 ELEGANT PERSONAL REQUISITES. 
 
 Under the Patronage of 
 
 Royalty and the Aristocracy of Europe. 
 
 ROWLANDS' MACASSAR OIL. 
 
 This Elegant and Fragrant Oil possesses extraordinary properties for 
 promoting the growth, restoring, preserving, and beautifying the Human 
 Hair. Price 3s. 6d. ; 7s. ; 10s. 6d. (equal to four small) ; and 21s. per 
 Bottle. 
 
 ROWLANDS' EALTDOR. 
 
 This Oriental Botanical Preparation realizes a HEALTHY PURITY 
 of Complexion, and a softness and delicacy of skin. Soothing, cooling, 
 and purifying, it eradicates all Cutaneous Eruptions, Freckles, Tan, 
 Pimples, Spots, and Discolorations. Price 4s. 6d. and 8s. 6d. per 
 Bottle. 
 
 ROWLANDS' ODONTO, 
 
 OR PEARL DENTIFRICE. 
 
 Compounded of Oriental Ingredients — it imparts a Pearl-like white- 
 ness to the Teeth, eradicates Tartar and Spots of incipient decay, 
 strengthens the Gums, and gives a pleasing fragrance to the Breath. 
 Price 2s. 9d. per Box. 
 
 Sold hy Chemists and Perfumers. 
 Ask for " ROVtriiANDS' " Articles. 
 
 MR.*CYKUS BEDDING'S NEW WORK, 
 
 IN 3 VOLS., 
 
 "YESTERDAY 
 
 AND 
 
 TO-DAY." 
 
 Being a Sequel to '' Fifty Years' Recollections." 
 
 " For half a century and upwards Cyeus Redding- has occupied a 
 prominent place amongst men of letters, and been on terms of personal 
 intercourse with our most celebrated litterateurs and politicians. He was 
 intimately acquainted and in correspondence with Lewis, Wolcot, Topham, 
 Sheridan, Lockhart, Canning, Scott, Wilson, Hogg, Moore, Campbell, 
 Rogers, Hunt, &c., and with Cuvier, Langles, Suchet, Da Roure, Schlegel, 
 De Stael, Montemont, and other distinguished foreigners, eminent in the 
 arts, literature, aud natural philosophy."— G^o&e.
 
 n^miimi>sMmmmmm^m^mm^^&m 
 
 W''"' 
 
 UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS-URBANA 
 
 3 0112 040250158 
 
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