The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-12-31
LITERATURE.

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"seen whomY What do you mean" demanded
Lester eagerly.
Dick started up to his elbow and gazed around
but he seemed TO find nothing for which he wa
looking, aud he sank back again Had he no
made this effort he might have spoken further. bu
the act Of rising had exhausted him, and the Lac
grain OF strength was leaving him.
"Wha. do you meau!' cried Lester, as he sav
that the poor fellow was sinking. HAS anybody
harmed your
Dick managed to raise his hand to his his head
to point above the lett ear-and, Us he did so, he
whispered
"Look out--.hey asked for the cap'n. That.
but his voice failed him.
What could this mean? Maurice Lester startct
10 his feet and gaEcd around. Who had killed hi
men?
The captain was disturbed in his meditation b,
The sound Of voices not far of, aud upon turning ii,
leheld four men coming up from the water Ill
who came IN advance was tall. muscular man
with gaunt heavy frame. somewhere about fit,
or iiftyhve years of age, and habited In garb 0
blue cloth, cut into flock, or shirt, which was
uIcd AZ the waist by broad pistol belt.
Maurice Lester WAS startled when he bcheld tn,
s,awart leader ana bis three rutfianly companions
and, considering all the circumstances, it ID n
wonder that be wasstarted. However, he had no
much opportunity for reflection for, he the time h,
had fairly made ont the party, they were upoI
him.
'HaIlo.r the leader cried, as he saw our hero
sshere we have another" And, as he came up, h,
added: land guess we've found a live one, too
one thai knows something Say, who are YEP
This LAST sentence was addressed to Maurice
who quickly answered.:
my uape is Lester. And now, to be fair wha
Is your HaIneH
''Well, guess sor've heard ii before. Men cal
me Ryan No,tlang.'
"WoiieaueI repeated Lester with start
eyes, that name
Then Wo.igang was not a myth, after all. That
mysterious wrecker, hose name was source o
terror 10 honest sailors, was being Of flesh and
blood, Ike other rten Maurice gazed upon him
with worder; and, as he gazed, he felt that be
looked upon fend incarnate. He had often heard
OF the pirate wrecker, and so dark aud mystic had
been ,le tales which the North Sea sailors had told
that lie lad been inc!jredto believe that the whole
theme was q fabrication Now, however, he had
no more doubt, for tie man before him looked Is
daIg and bloody We're any OF the pictures he had
hearo drawn Of hm upon the forecastle.
Bot our hero was not allowed much time for re-
Fiction. Noltgang Piled him with questions, "a all
OF whch. Lester gave Straightforward answers, vel
knowing that evasion would serve no practical
purpose, and hoping BY mis- frankness TO propitate
the mercess fend in whose unrestrained power he
knew himself to be.
When the wrecker chief had elected all the infor-
nation he could, and learned with what rich
cargo the vessel was freIghted, aud that she had
S4u,ou IN specie on board, he smiled griMiy, add
IeIia hed to Of his coiederates that she would
perhaps be richer prize even than the White
Fawp had been a few years before. The mention
Of the pame Of the i'll fated ship in which Carrie
Thornton and her father had teen lost, gave Mau.
rice Lester such shock chat he nearly fell 10 tue
earth. lie grew deadly pale, and his frars qoi-
vereG cohv uElyey.
WHAT'S the natter said Wolrgang. You
DON'T seem 10 have much strength tettl-Brlng him
along boys, where we can doctor him.
The sinister glance which accompanied this last
remark, and the peculiar emphasis laid upon the
word doctor" tuck chill w cur heros heart
But be coud not give his own safety much though.
while lie YVES patty forced and partly carried
along after Noligeag, who strobe rapidly on for
nearly half an hour. He could think only OF the
White Fawu thar had been recked on that coast
ana Of his beloved Carrie, who had perhaps, in
company with those same mea trod tie same path
lie was now treadipg. What had been her fate?
Hac she been murdered by these wIeiches, or re-
served tor some more deplorable doom! These
thoughts filed him with unntterahle agouy,
Noligang had lpw dBa. near the water 8 edge;
aud soon coming to the mouth OF q cave he entered
H. clio Sed by tue tree iuiliahs who had charge OF
our hero. ibe bottom Of the cave slopen up~atd
from ps entrance Tor some distance, and then be-
came almost level The captive (tor suc. Maurice
Lester now felt bimseIf to be- frequeuty hit his
feet again-t what lie thought, with chill OF nor
rcr, were human bones stlewn around The cavern,
bat he could not clearly make them CUT IN the DIN
light. He also noticed that the bottom OF Che cave
was very vet, as though it had receaty been
covered with water The wrecker chiettan stop
pea, at iast near Ehat seemed the end " the cave
and making a sign TO his Followers tney Capped
nanaces the wrists ana ankles Of Maurice De
fore he had time 10 note their intention.
"Now, Captain Lester" said W0l'gang, sou
must remain in this place for shoI, season. You
are perfectly safe here. Silence! Say not word
If you atten pit TO leave this spot, YOU will be CLAIM
the moment you set foot outside the cave
Thus speaking, the chieftain ano bis follower:
silently buc rapidly withdrew. leaWog Maurice
nearly stupefed with establishment. As they pass
ed from the mouth of the cave, their feet were wet
by the rising waves. The tide was fast coming in
After short time, tie captive lookedNoout hi,t
with eyes scmew hat accustomed to the dim light
and became satisfied that what lie bad supposed t,
be human bones were really SUCH. There were
many of them. And moving among them were
huge rats, seeking ios prey The top Of the ca
vern, in some places, was bnt few feet above hi
head, and in one place he discovered small eper
ture, through which feint light struggled, and Of
going underneath il, he thought he slnelt the odo
Of vegetation and flowers.
On turning from the contemplation of this an
erture, towards the mouth of the cave, Captain Les
ter observed, with alarm. that the water was creep
ing up the sloping bottom. What If it should I'll
the cavern? All! now he could account for tn
presence there OF these human bones! They wer
the sad memorials Of other hapess prisoners VIII
had been left Ill that cave to perish by drowning!
Slowly but surely the waters crcpt along. Thu
vermin fed before them to the elevated spot oil
AhSSAA
ing water at length reached his feet
at the end Of the cave, within few feet of tn
wall, and underneath the aperture before spoken
of, was large piece Of rock some foar fe IT high
that might have ia,en from above. 10 this Mau
rice FASTENED as quickly as his manaces wenld per
nit After some exe,tion he succeeded in climb
ing to the top of IT and stood erect his head within
few inches Of the roof ofthc cavern. But he wa
not allowed to occupy this retreat alone. AS thu
water began 10 circle round its base, the rats als'
sought refuge on it in great numbers, and in vail
did Maurice try TO dislocge them with his mana
cled feet.
Soon, rs IT seemed to the captive the waite
came ripping over tie top Of the rock. He fel
its moisture upon bis feet. And still it rose slow
~ but releDtessly. it rose higher higher; and al
it rose, the rats climbed up his limbs for safety
was in vain that he brushed them off with bis fet
tered hands. They instantly returned. They
clambered UP his back-to his shou'ders--over thu
back Of his neck--to the crown Of his head; thei
clammy bodies striking chill to his very heart
And still higher the waters rose aod more thick
ly the foul vernin clustered upon the devoted cap
tive's shoulders and head, as their only places o
safety. Driven frantic at last by the horrors Of hi
situa ion he was about to plunge into the surgin,
tide and seek watery grave, when his attention
was arrested by the tread Of rapid footsteps nea
the Gnpr ture above HE head and the sOund Of ,