Transcriber’s Notes:
The Table of Contents was created by the transcriber and placed in the public domain.
[Additional Transcriber’s Notes] are at the end.
CONTENTS
[Chapter II. On the Red Sea—The Deep Sea Snake—A Deadly Fight.]
[Chapter IV. Young Jack Escapes One Danger Only to Fall Into Another.]
[Chapter V. The Attack on the Calabar.]
[Chapter VI. Still the Gold Flows in.]
THE FIVE CENT
WIDE AWAKE
LIBRARY
Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y. as Second Class Matter.
No. 1334. {COMPLETE}
FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 29 West 26th St., N. Y.
New York. August 27, 1897. Issued Every Friday.
{PRICE
5 CENTS.}
Vol. II.
Entered according to the Act of Congress in the year 1897, by FRANK TOUSEY, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
Young Jack Harkaway
FIGHTING THE PIRATES
OF THE RED SEA.
By BRACEBRIDGE HEMYNG.
The cavernous jaws opened wide. There was a hissing sound like a locomotive blowing off steam. Now Harry saw his chance. He was not slow in taking it. Extracting two dynamite shells from his coat pocket, he cast them one after the other into the snake’s mouth.
Inset: Young Jack a prisoner on the Pirate Ship
The Subscription Price of the Five Cent Wide Awake Library by the year is $2.50; $1.25 per six months, post-paid. Address FRANK TOUSEY, Publisher, 29 West 26th Street, New York.
Young Jack Harkaway Fighting the Pirates of the Red Sea.
By BRACEBRIDGE HEMYNG,
Author of “Young Jack Harkaway in Arabia,” “Young Jack Harkaway in the Wilds of Siberia,” “Young Jack Harkaway in Armenia,” “Young Jack Harkaway Fighting the Slave Traders of the Soudan,” “Young Jack Harkaway in Cuba,” etc., etc.
CHAPTER I.
YOUNG JACK HARKAWAY’S FRIENDS BECOME ANXIOUS ABOUT HIM—A MYSTERIOUS MESSAGE—HARRY GIRDWOOD MEETS HUNSTON.
Harry Girdwood, Young Jack Harkaway’s old and particular chum, Mrs. Harkaway and Mole, the great professor, and Monday, the ex-prince of Limbi, were in the City of Mecca.
Young Jack had been missing for some days.
They were greatly concerned about him.
All their inquiries had failed to elicit any information respecting him.
When last seen Jack had been on his way to the holy kaiaba in Mecca, which contains the coffin and the remains of the prophet Mahomet.
Harry had been there.
He had interviews with the chief priests.
They were named Feroze and Mordecai, but both denied having seen or heard of Harkaway.
Neither did they know the name of Hunston.
They were non-communicative.
What could have become of him? The more they thought of it the more perplexed they grew.
Harry Girdwood went to the consuls, and to the Sultan. In no direction could they learn anything.
Clara, Young Jack’s wife, became quite sick, and fretted extremely.
Professor Mole and Monday made various suggestions about Young Jack’s absence.
But they did nothing to find him.
“If the truth is known,” remarked Mole, in the smoking room one evening after dinner, to Monday, Clara and Harry being up-stairs, “Young Jack has been cornered by Hunston.”
“That’s not at all unlikely, sah!” answered Monday. “It is the fate of all of us to get de push sometimes.”
“What are we going to do about it?”
“Sit still and look on. Massa Jack know his business. He come out all right.”
“That’s what you say.”
“I’se sure.”
A messenger boy attached to the caravanserai came in, and holding up a letter, spoke.
“Harkaway’s friend, Girdwood!” he exclaimed.
“That is me,” replied Harry, who had come down to smoke a cigar.
“The letter is addressed that way.”
“I’ll take it.”
He did so, and opening it, read:
“Dear Old Harry:—I am in a most confounded fix.
“In the kaiaba I met Hunston and Mordecai. They are both my enemies.
“No time to write much, but they tortured and imprisoned me. A slave got me out of the temple, and took me to the ship, Catamaran, Captain Koosh. They are all pirates.
“My life is in danger every day. I am a prisoner on the pirate ship.
“You will wonder how I send this letter.
“I had concealed my diamond ring. An Arab who waited on me was going to Mecca. I bribed him with the ring to see that you had my letter. Take a ship and come after me. The pirates will kill me soon if I don’t pay the sum they demand for ransom, and you know my obstinate disposition.
“Come to me. You, Mole, Monday and my dear wife, Clara. We are not far up the coast.
“Look out for the Catamaran, Captain Koosh, Pirate ship.”
Harry read the letter aloud.
Mole and Monday were deeply impressed.
The mystery was solved now.
“Well,” exclaimed Harry Girdwood, “we shall have to do as we are told. Jack is the leader, and we will have to follow him.”
“The first thing to do is to charter a ship,” remarked Mole.
“That’s easy done, sah,” replied Monday. “The man we go fishing with has one to hire.”
“What is it called?” asked Harry.
“The Flying Fish.”
“Good name. Push it along.”
“We will.”
“I say!” cried Harry, “will you two go and engage the ship—take her for a month. I am not particular to terms.”
“We will do it at once,” replied Mole. “I shan’t pay what they ask, but make the best bargain I can.”
“That is it!”
Monday and Mole went away to see after the ship, and Harry talked to Clara.
She was greatly concerned about her husband’s capture by the pirates of the Red Sea.
They sent for the Arab who had brought the letter.
He was a man of thirty years of age, named Kardofan.
No one could deny his intelligence.
Harry questioned him.
The pirate ship, of which Jack spoke, was the Catamaran, full rigged and well manned.
She was not always engaged in piratical business.
Her mission at present was to go up the Red Sea a few miles to a place of small importance called the Pilgrim’s Rest, and convey them to the coast near Mecca.
Although it was an insignificant town, it contained three large hotels.
Pilgrims came there waiting for a conveyance to Mecca, where they were to visit the shrine of Mahomet.
Transferring was a good business at times for Koosh and his blood-thirsty associates.
“Do you think we can catch up with the Catamaran?” asked Harry.
“Yes, sahib, no doubt about it,” replied Kardofan. “We do that easy.”
“Well, I will engage you in my service. You shall be my companion,” said Harry, “and I will be your philosopher and friend.”
“Me be the guide, massa. Show you de boat for suah.”
“Go into the saloon. There are two dollars for you. Eat and drink—enjoy yourself. I know what you niggers are, but don’t get drunk!”
“Drinkee for dry, massa,” replied Kardofan. “Me nebber drinkee for drunkee.”
“I will believe you this time, but I haven’t much confidence in you.”
“Treat me all I’m worth.”
Kardofan went away highly pleased with the present which had been given to him.
It was more than he expected.
A little money goes a long way in the East, where the natives live principally on rice.
“You intend to find my husband?” exclaimed Clara; “I shall be deeply indebted to you, Harry, if you will exert yourself and do your best.”
“Do you think I would ever desert Jack?” cried Harry. “I love him too much. We have always been dear chums, and always shall be.”
“You will save him?”
“Or perish in the attempt.”
This was enough for Clara; it strengthened and encouraged her.
She knew that she could depend on Harry Girdwood to the last moment.
“We shall have a vessel of our own,” continued Harry, “in a very short time. That will enable us to rescue Jack from the pirates of the Red Sea.”
“I hope we shall be fortunate enough to do so.”
“Rest assured of that.”
“I will, for I know I can trust in you,” replied Clara. “Jack never had a truer friend than you.”
“I have always devoted myself to him, and if I have been of use to him on certain occasions and risked anything, I am sure he would have done the same thing for me a thousand times over.”
“He has told me so again and again. You are true friends, I know.”
“Call us Damon and Pythias, Pylades and Orestes. Jack and I will never desert one another.”
The affection existing between these two was very pathetic.
Lunch was placed on the table.
Scarcely had Clara and Harry sat down, than Mole and Monday returned.
“Got such a golly ship, sah,” exclaimed Monday, excitedly.
“The Flying Fish?” asked Girdwood.
“Yes, Massa Harry, that am him.”
“Is she ready for sea?”
“She fit ter romp or jump right on.”
“That is good enough! Find Kardofan. He is our guide to Pilgrim’s Rest.”
Mole took off his straw hat and fanned himself.
“This is a welcome change,” said he. “I love the sea, and the excitement of following the pirates to rescue Jack will be a pleasant diversion.”
“Nothing to compare with it,” replied Harry.
In a few moments Kardofan came in smiling with pleasure and satisfaction.
He rubbed his stomach complacently.
“Very good feed they give here,” he remarked. “Me a judge of lobscouth and sea pie.”
“We will give you something better than that on board the Flying Fish.”
“You got that ship, sah?”
“Yes, it is mine for a time!”
“The very best schooner on the Red Sea. She beat the Catamaran in sailing.”
“I am glad to hear that,” replied Harry.
Their preparations did not take long.
They reached the coast before sundown and embarked on board the newly hired vessel.
She had a full crew on board, and was fully equipped with stores.
These were calculated to last for several weeks.
Kardofan acted as pilot.
The saloon was commodious and well ventilated with punkahs to cool the air.
This was really a valuable consideration in such a sultry climate.
There the thermometer has no respect for foreigners, and the mercury especially laughs at Europeans.
When the sun went down and the moon rose amid the twinkling stars, a cool breeze sprang up.
It was indeed welcome, for the hot air, sand-laden like a sirocco, was difficult to breathe.
Supper had been served by obsequious natives. Clara was reclining in a hammock, fanned by wind from the port-holes.
Harry was smoking and thinking. Mole and Monday were seated at a table on which was a flask of wine, but alas! no ice!
This was a luxury not to be obtained in those latitudes.
“Here we are, sah! Pass de claret!” said Monday.
“Still on deck, boy. Bring out the poker dice, and I will see if I can make a full house,” replied Mole.
The box was produced.
At that moment Kardofan entered.
There was a look of alarm on his countenance.
He approached Harry.
CHAPTER II.
ON THE RED SEA—THE DEEP SEA SNAKE—A DEADLY FIGHT.
“Hello!” cried Harry, sleepily; “what’s up now? Have they sighted the pirates?”
“Not yet, sah. She well ahead,” answered Kardofan. “It is something worse than that. Me tell you. The wind gone down. Sails flap against masts. In this bay where we are, there is a deep sea snake.”
“A sea serpent?” remarked Harry.
“Yes, sir. One of the wonders of Arabia. He comes up and pulls ships down.”
“Nonsense.”
“It is a fact, sah.”
“I won’t believe it,” Harry exclaimed, firmly.
“Jes’ you like, sah. I speakin’ de trufe,” rejoined Kardofan. “Him got a head an’ mouf like a ’pottomus, and a body, one—two hundred feet long.”
“I’d like to see this monster. If he’s good to eat we will have him for dinner.”
“Yah! Yah!”
“What you laughing at?”
“De snake more likely to eat you.”
“Will he?” asked Harry Girdwood, with a smile. “I am rather partial to eels. One rib of him, I suppose, would last a large family for a week.”
“Feed a village for de month, massa.”
“Have you seen him lately? My life is not insured; nor is the ship.”
“He’ll come up twice, jes’ ter have a look round.”
“What next?”
“De third time he hab the lot ob us. Draw us down. Swallow ship and all.”
“Can’t it be stopped?”
“White man may,” replied Kardofan; “Arab not able to do anything.”
“I will come on deck.”
Harry Girdwood followed the pilot up.
Often had he heard of sea serpents and Norway krakens, but he did not believe in their existence, although there was no reason why in any sea a huge eel might not exist and come occasionally to the surface.
There was also the octopus, the polypus, the squid with its long arms and its inky discharge.
The sea serpent, however, was a different kind of submarine reptile altogether.
If what Kardofan stated was true, there was some terrible danger in store for them.
It was moonlight.
The ship was lying idly in a small bay, not very far from Pilgrim’s Rest, where the pirate Koosh and his associates, with Young Jack Harkaway in their custody, were supposed to be hiding.
The crew were lounging about the deck; it was too warm to stay in the forecastle.
Some were lying down, others were sitting on bits of matting and smoking cheroots.
The captain and mate were below.
Harry Girdwood and Kardofan were alone on the after deck.
They had two purposes in view.
The first was to look out for the sea serpent, and the second was to rescue Young Jack Harkaway from the pirates of the Red Sea.
Harry had been experimenting lately in the construction of dynamite shells.
He had invented some of small size, but great explosive power, which could be carried in the coat pocket.
If the deep sea snake made its appearance he determined to use some of these shells upon it.
But this resolve he kept from his companion.
The latter was very voluble.
“Once,” he said, “a black serpent pull down a vessel and eat up thirteen men.”
“That must have been a long time ago,” Harry remarked, he being somewhat incredulous.
“Only last year. My brudder one ob de crew.”
The moon was nearly full.
It hung like a ball of polished silver in the Heavens.
All at once the sea became agitated; it broke into foam and a dark object rose to the surface.
This soon became clearly defined as to its outline.
It was a snake with an ugly head, the eyes being large and the mouth capacious.
It had two projecting horns and a long mane.
This enabled it to progress through the water, which it lashed with its sinuous tail.
The sea serpent, for such it was, made straight for the Flying Fish.
Kardofan was greatly astonished.
His agitation was shared by Harry.
“Look, massa!” cried the Arab. “What dis chile tell you? There is the debbil!”
“I see him.”
“He is coming straight for us. Allah be good! What shall we do?”
This was a question more easily put than answered.
The snake reared itself up, disclosing a double row of serrated teeth.
Kardofan crouched down in dismay, mingled with despair.
It was truly a terrible situation to be placed in.
Seizing the woodwork in its mouth, it tore a part of the ship’s bulwarks to splinters.
Its mane was erected, and its rage terrific to witness.
“By the beard of the prophet, we are done for!” observed Kardofan.
Harry Girdwood thought not.
He had a different opinion on the matter entirely.
The snake now bent its hideous visage toward Harry.
It really looked as if he was going to make one short, quick, sharp snap.
This would bite Harry’s head off.
Or he might swallow him whole, as the whale in the Bible did Jonah.
The cavernous jaws opened wide.
There was a hissing sound like a locomotive blowing off steam.
Now Harry saw his chance.
He was not slow in taking it.
Extracting two dynamite shells from his coat pocket, he cast them one after the other into the snake’s mouth.
“Now, you quit,” he said.
The result was immediate and tremendous.
In a moment the dynamite shells exploded, and the huge head of the sea serpent was blown to atoms.
It may be imagined that, however big a snake is, he is of no use without a head.
The long, thick body began to wriggle and twist, and turn and swirl in the sea.
“Vellee good, sahib,” cried the sailors.
Roused by the explosion they were all on their feet.
A spectacle of the decapitated sea serpent was extremely attractive to them.
A portion of its lower jaw bone had been cast on the deck near Harry.
He scrutinized it.
The teeth in the monster’s jaws were three inches long.
Mr. Mole and Monday arrived on the scene just in time to see the snake sink to the bottom.
“Golly, Mast’ Harry!” exclaimed Monday; “you kill the jabber-wock.”
“It is St. George and the Dragon over again,” remarked Mole, “although I always had my doubts respecting that legend or myth.”
He cleared his voice.
This was a sure sign that he was going to deliver a short lecture.
“Of course,” he continued, “every country has its folk lore. St. Patrick chased snakes out of Ireland, so they say, but as a matter of dry natural history fact, snakes never existed there.”
“Don’t be an iconoclast, sir, and do away with all our traditions,” said Harry.
“Wait a bit,” replied the professor; “let us go back to ancient Rome, glorious still in its ruins. The Rome of the Cæsars, the via sacra, the Colisseum of Horace, Virgil, Maecenas; not the Rome of to-day with its emasculated Corso, its——”
“Hark, back, sir,” interrupted Harry.
“Ah! yes. I was going to remark that Hercules performed a lot of extraordinary things. There was the clearing of the augean stable. That and other exploits started the Dragon and giant killing stories, but I will admit that you are a hero, because you have really slain this Ichthyosaurus beast.”
“It was not an easy thing to do,” said Harry, “but I happened to have some of my patent snake killers, and sent down his gullet a couple of dynamite scorchers, sir.”
“They do not seem to have agreed with his digestion.”
The last portion of the snake now foundered.
It went down like a shot or a stone.
“That is the funeral,” observed Harry. “I hope no member of the family will come to attend it.”
As a matter of course one snake cannot exist without another.
As one had been blown up, it was not fair to suppose that no others were at the bottom of the sea.
Their anxiety was relieved by the rising of the wind.
The sails which had been lying idle, began to fill up, and the Flying Fish forged ahead.
Night fell.
When the morning came, Harry was early on deck. He was afraid of Arabs. They are proverbially treacherous.
It was necessary to see what was going on all the time.
Kardofan was by his side as soon as he appeared.
He seldom let himself out of his sight for a moment.
“How far are we from ‘Pilgrim’s Rest’ now?” inquired Harry Girdwood.
“About twenty-five miles,” was the reply. “It is on the right hand side.”
They were steering near the land. Here and there was a glimpse of little villages, of the tall, graceful palm, and luxuriant vegetation.
In the distance, over the expanse of water to the left, they saw long lines of black smoke.
These came from steamers going to or coming from the Suez Canal.
That short cut of De Lesseps’ to the Mediterranean has made the Red Sea busy.
All at once they noticed a schooner, drifting and tossing on the waves.
Her sails were torn; there was no one at the helm.
All that could be seen were two men stretched out on the deck apparently dead.
“What do you make out of that?” inquired Harry.
“Dat’s de pirates, sah. Koosh, Kassala and the Catamaran been here sure.”
“Do they attack little ships like that?”
“Sometimes small vessels carry more money than big ones. This one been carrying fruit. Plenty money in that kind of business.”
Harry reflected.
He had asked a foolish question. As a matter of course the pirates would fly at small game.
Of what benefit would it be to them to attack ocean going steamers like those of the Orient Line, or the splendid Peninsular and Oriental?
The P. and O. boats could laugh at a pirate unless he came ironclad.
Harry ordered a boat to be lowered. It was rowed by two men. Kardofan was with it.
The sea being delightfully calm and restful, there was no difficulty in making the derelict.
They climbed on board.
Blood stained the deck in every direction. It splashed the masts; it was everywhere.
One of the two men lived—let us say breathed, for it was not much more.
He had a wound in his throat from a kreese, which is a worse weapon to be struck with than a machete.
“What has happened to you, my poor fellow?” inquired Harry, kindly.
The man looked up with lack luster eyes.
“We were seven men all told. This morning I am the only one left.”
“Who did it?”
“The pirates of the Red Sea. I had disposed of a cargo of fruit at Pilgrim’s Rest. The money was paid and on board. I sailed to get some more merchandise.”
“You were overhauled?”
“That’s it, sahib, exactly. By Allah, you have said it! Pearls of wisdom fall from your lips.”
“You flatter me, and I don’t care for that kind of thing. It may interest you, but it does not me, I can assure you; but if there is anything I can do to help you in your desperate situation, rely on me.”
“Sahib,” replied the skipper, in a melancholy tone, “you can do nothing to aid me; my race is run.”
“Poor fellow! Do you know the pirates who robbed your ship and killed your crew, wounding you to death?”
The man paused a moment.