[Illustration: cover]
A VOYAGE WITH CAPTAIN DYNAMITE
[Illustration: Suddenly he half rose in the tossing boat and shouted to the rowers (_Page 13_)]
A VOYAGE WITH CAPTAIN DYNAMITE
BY CHARLES EDWARD RICH
[Illustration: Publishers mark]
NEW YORK A. S. BARNES & COMPANY 1907
COPYRIGHT, 1907, BY A. S. BARNES & COMPANY All rights reserved
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER PAGE
I. CAUGHT IN A GALE 1 II CARRIED AWAY TO SEA 11 III "SHE'S LIKE A WARSHIP BELOW" 24 IV. A LESSON IN PATRIOTISM 37 V. SENDING THE MESSAGE 51 VI. "VIVA, CUBA LIBRE!" 63 VII. IN THE DANGER ZONE 73 VIII. A BRUSH WITH THE GUNBOAT 86 IX. THE MIDNIGHT MESSAGE 99 X. INTO THE ENEMY'S COUNTRY 112 XI. CAPTURED BY SPANIARDS 125 XII. ON TO GOMEZ 139 XIII. HARRY REFUSES TO BETRAY CAPTAIN DYNAMITE 151 XIV. THE SECRET PASSAGE 165 XV. THE EXECUTION AT DAWN 177 XVI. THE ESCAPE 185 XVII. "YOU WILL BE SHOT AS SPIES" 198 XVIII. CAPTAIN DYNAMITE FINDS JUANITA 208 XIX. DRAWING THE NET CLOSER 218 XX. CAPTAIN DYNAMITE TO THE RESCUE 231 XXI. GENERAL SERANO MEETS CAPTAIN DYNAMITE 242 XXII. THE ESCAPE--VILLAMONTE AGAIN BEATEN 254 XXIII. BACK TO THE MARIELLA 266 XXIV. THE ESCAPE FROM THE LAGOON 275 XXV. HOME AGAIN 291
A VOYAGE WITH CAPTAIN DYNAMITE
CHAPTER I
CAUGHT IN A GALE
"Let go the jib halliards, Mason. Lay out there, Bert, and get in that slack sail. It's blowing a bit. Gee, see that bank of wind coming up."
The little pleasure boat careened and took aboard a few barrels of water as she faced a sudden puff of wind that almost put her on her beam ends. But she was a game little craft, and came back from the onslaught of the elements with a sturdiness that indicated strong timbers, and a build that was meant to cope with the sudden squalls that come out of a clear sky off the coast of Martha's Vineyard during the early autumn days.
Table of contents (by pages)
- 1: A Voyage with Captain Dynamite by Rich
- 2: Geoffrey Mason and Bertram Wilson
- 3: Carrying Bert almost completely under
- 4: When we have to sacrifice the cargo
- 5: They were thrown into the cockpit
- 6: Caught broadside on by a big wave
- 7: As soon as they were dragged aboard
- 8: After he had thrown aside his oilskins
- 9: Harry was the first to recover his composure
- 10: As they were about to jump into their bunks
- 11: Returned to the stateroom and began to dress
- 12: I hope you will enjoy your breakfast
- 13: He stepped to the cabin door and called Suarez
- 14: The steamer was comparatively small
- 15: The boys strolled leisurely aft
- 16: We may be going to Cuba or Porto Rico
- 17: There must be halliards already bent for the use of signals
- 18: Other insurrections soon sprang up among the colonists
- 19: In Weyler she thought she had found the man
- 20: With no means to feed themselves
- 21: Bert watched it with eager eyes
- 22: Although he was keen with anxiety when Bert reached him
- 23: Suarez paid no further attention to him
- 24: We must be pretty near the coast of Cuba
- 25: He wore a pair of blue pilot cloth trousers
- 26: As serious as powder and bullets can be
- 27: Don't you see old Dynamite is going to say something
- 28: I give you our toast Viva Cuba Libre
- 29: Have we struck the danger zone
- 30: Let's go down and interview our friend Sambo
- 31: Change the course two points to starboard
- 32: George Washington Jenks stepped out of his galley
- 33: Shaking his fist at the gunboat
- 34: But in direct line with the Mariella
- 35: With which she had been potting at the Mariella
- 36: He's the finest buccaneer I ever met outside of story books
- 37: I think probably you had better stick to the old Mariella
- 38: George Wash Jenks knows his duty
- 39: Within half an hour the Mariella
- 40: Gomez is now with President Betancourt at Cubitas
- 41: Ah shall sut'nly call Misser Suarez
- 42: Who had followed Suarez to the quarter deck
- 43: ' Spaniards got Missee Juanita
- 44: Captain Dynamite go to Gomez Gomez at Cubitas
- 45: You ought to know the countersign
- 46: You will have to travel fast to catch up to Dynamite though
- 47: Dat another Misser Morgan's men
- 48: Plenty of 'em 'tween here'n Cubitas
- 49: Bert was sitting up rubbing his eyes
- 50: We couldn't say we came on the Mariella
- 51: He then gave another order in Spanish
- 52: Gomez or Morgan might rescue us
- 53: The guns prodded the boys in the back again
- 54: They take Missers where they take Missee Juanita
- 55: And although Mason promptly gave the countersign
- 56: Went while George Wash Jenks was asleep
- 57: Not goin' to send George Wash Jenks back
- 58: Nothing left but to knock down the turnkey
- 59: You do not understand the need for diplomacy
- 60: Wyman looked worried and leaned forward
- 61: On the ground that I might incriminate someone else
- 62: After a few words from General Serano
- 63: He reviewed his recent examination by General Serano
- 64: As if for the repetition of the sound that had awakened him
- 65: Harry mounted the table and put his face between the bars
- 66: Is he Captain Dynamite of the Mariella
- 67: Suddenly Harry seized Bert by the arm
- 68: It was evident that only these two cells were connected
- 69: He pressed the diamond shaped stone as he spoke
- 70: The soldiers filed rapidly into the yard
- 71: He turned and walked slowly back to the jail
- 72: Wyman did not keep them waiting long
- 73: And that young woman is Miss Juanita
- 74: Wyman from the other side of the passage
- 75: When I have laid your case before General Serano
- 76: But suppose the jailor should come in
- 77: Has Miss Juanita gone to see the consul
- 78: The man turned to Serano and shook his head
- 79: General Serano spoke a few words to the interpreter
- 80: Held out Juanita's dress excitedly
- 81: Captain Dynamite had not been idle
- 82: Deploy your men in twos and advance as rapidly as you can
- 83: Said Mason as they hastened on
- 84: You will go on with an escort to the Mariella
- 85: A person wearing boy's clothes
- 86: The evidence is absolutely circumstantial
- 87: General Serano leaned forward to catch the answer
- 88: The interpreter at a sign from General Serano
- 89: I shall communicate with General Weyler at once
- 90: Wyman started back involuntarily
- 91: Can we depend upon being undisturbed
- 92: It is nonsense to expect any aid from Weyler
- 93: The consul shook his head nervously
- 94: Villamonte jabbering vehemently in Spanish the while
- 95: We might effect some compromise with Serano
- 96: Making their way back to the barracks
- 97: Can Captain Dynamite be a prisoner
- 98: Were the commander and Villamonte
- 99: Serano leaped back and for a moment seemed dazed
- 100: Serano drew out his match box and held it at arms length
- 101: Reluctantly Serano affixed his signature
- 102: Crawl to those bushes and lie low
- 103: Until it took the form of a horse and rider
- 104: Taking a few steps backward and pointing at Villamonte
- 105: Then we shall see General Gomez
- 106: As they rowed alongside of the Mariella
- 107: Ah guess ah got some suah 'nough fresh doughnuts
- 108: To which Mason listened breathlessly
- 109: Suarez cast another glance at O'Connor that seemed to say
- 110: She's a gunboat I think our old friend the Belair
- 111: And again the shores of the lagoon stood out in detail
- 112: By daybreak the Belair will move in
- 113: All grated harshly on her overwrought nerves
- 114: Tramp steamer Mariella just reported passing in
- 115: And she warmly greeted Bert and the Midget