Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-12-30
CHAPTER II.

Maurice Lester was near the BOARD gang
way when the ship struck, having started aft to
look to the helm. The shock threw upon his
back and he tried to get up; but ere he could re-
gain his feet the food of mad waters came surg
ing over the bark, and he thrown-he knew
not where. He only knew that the flood came
that il caught him in its grasp-that it hurled
him as the gale hurls a feather-that his head
was hurt-that his body was tossed and bruised
and then the lamp of his consciousness went out.
When he came to himself it was daylight, and the
rays Of the sun we're beaming above him. At
first he did not attempt to move him. At first he
did not attempt to move. any further than simply
to assure hmse' that he was really alive and
sible but sou ght to recall the events Of the past
which he did, very clearly, up to the time when
his ship struck upon the r cks,-he could 60 no
farther. After this he ra> himself upon his
elbow, and tried to gaze about him. He found
himself upon bed of SAM, between two immense
rocks. lie had been landed there in that deep
nook, and the tide had gone out and left him. In
a little while he rose to his feet and managed to
crawl up, by the aid Of a stranded spar, over a
low part of one of the rocks.
After seeing all that was to be observed from
this point, he moved on towards where he thought
he should soonest find an open beach, for he felt
faint ami sick, and he wished 70 find help as soon
as possible After toiling over slippery, Shiny
rocks, and cruel, tearing crags, until his clothing
was all torn, and his flesh bruised ami laccratDd,
he finally reached open space among the rocks,
where many pieces Of the wreck had been lodged
and where he found the bodies of three of his men.
lie fastened to the spot where they lay-two Of
them being clasped in each others arms-but he
found no signs Of life.
With a sad, heavy heart. Lester paced On, ana
presently he found two more dead ones, anu one
of them was David Griffin, his chief mate. He
kneeled down by the officers side, and raised the
head; but it was cold and lfeess and the skull
was broken Gently he laid il back upon the
sand and then moved on again. And he saw
more dead men also Could it be possible that
he had been the only left alive
Ha i-wait-what i; this 1t moves-it has
life
CAPTAIN Lester hurried forward, as fast as his
feeble strength would permit, and found two men
lying by the side of heavy spar. One of them was
dead but the other gazed up into his commanders
face and stretched forth his hands though he
would ask for mercy. Ills name was Dick Mangle
and be had been one Of the best seaman on board
the ship.
Poor Dick" said Lester, kneeling by his side
and lifting his head. "Are you badly hurt ?"
They've done it for us :" the sailor answered,
in a weakening voice. They've killed Tom
Amt he dead ?"
II was the body of stout Tom Bricket that lay
close by, and when the captain had made himself
sure that there particle of life in it, he re-
ported the same to Dick.
" But" he added, ''what do you mean? Who
has done you harm ?!
Cling for breath.
seen whom? What do you mean p demanded
Lester, eagerly.
Dick started up to his elbow, and gazed around;
but he seemed to find nothing for which he was
looking, and he sank back again. Had he not
made this effort he might have spoken further, but
the act of rising had exhausted him, and the last
grain Of strength was leaving him.
- e.What do you mean?" cried Lester, as he saw
that the poor fellow was sinking. "Has any body
harmed you ?"
Dick managed to raise his hand to his head-to
a point above the left ear-and' as ne did So he
whispered
oLook out-they asked for the capt'n. That's
where they struck He tried to speak further,
but his voice failed him.
What could this mean? Maurice Lester started
to his feet and gazed around. Who had killed his
men,
The captain was disturbed in his meditation by
the sound OF voices not far on. and upon turning
he beheld four men coming up from the water
He who came in advance a tall, muscular
man: with gaunt, heavy frame; somewhere
about fifty OF tifty-fve years of age; and habited
in the garb of blue cloth, cut into a frock, or
shirt, v ich was secured at the waist by broad
pistol-belt.
Maurice Lester was startled when nc behed the
stalwart leader and his three rutanly companions,
and, considering all the circumstances, It is
wonder that he was startled. However, be mad
time he had fairly made out the party, they were
upon him.
"Hallo," the leader cried, as be saw our hero,
'fhere we have another" And, as he came up,
be added: "And 1 guess we've found a live one,
too,-one that knows something. Say-who are
ye?"
This last sentence was addressed to Maurice,
who quickly answered:
"My name is Lester. And now, TO be fair,
what is your name "
"Well-I guess you've heard it before. Men
call me Ryan W olfgang."
"AoLFGANG - repeated Lester with a start.
Eyes. That is my name.
Then WoLFGANG was not a myth after H. That
mysterious wreeker, whose name was source Of
terror to honest sailors, was a being OF flesh ana
blood like other men. Maurice gaIeG upon him
with wonder; and, he gazod, he felt that he
looked upon find incarnate- He had often ard
of the pirate-wrecker, and SO dark and mystic
had been the tales which the North-Sea sail
ors had told that he had been inclined to believe
that the whole theme a fabrication. Now,
however he had no more doubt, for the man be-
fore him looked as dark and bloody as were any
of the pictures he had heard drawn Of him upon
the forecastle
But our hero was not allowed much time for re-
Election. wolfgang piled him with questions, TO
all of which Lester gave straightforward answers;
well knowing that evasion would serve no practi-
cal purpose and hoping by his frankness to pro-
pitiate the merciless fead in whose unrestrained
power he knew himself 20 be.
When the wrecker chief had ellie ted all the in
formation he could, and learned with what rich
cargo the vessel was freighted, and that she had
$40, 900 in specie on board he smiled grimly, and
remarked to one Of his confederates that she would
perhaps be richer prize even than the White
Fapn had been few years before. The mention
OF the name of the Inflated ship in which Carrie
Thornton and her father were lost, gave Maurice
Lester such shock that he nearly fell to the