Copji-ife-hi; 1S92, by Chas. D. Sislky &. Son. Entered as seeond-cleiss niaO matter at the New York post-office. 1. 1-BO. 28. Kef YorL lay I \m. Price 5 Cents. FARRAGUTS SCOUT RINGLETS ; oia. THE BRAND OF THE MISSISSIPPL By CAL DE CASTRO. 'VELL, VOT VOU DO ABOUDT IT?'' "THIS !" CRIED RINGLETS, AS HE SPRANG TO HIS ?EET AND GAVE THE OLD MONEY LENDER A VICIOUS KICK IN THE STOMACH. FARRAGUTS SCOL'T. FARRAGIIT'S SCOUT; — OR,— THE BRAND OF THE MISSISSIPPI. BY CAL. DK CASTRO. CHAPTER I. A DESPERATB GAME. *l"\vo young men sat at a small table in a uiagnificeiit, yet too gaudily, furnished room — the " private " parlor of one of tlie most notorious gambling "hells" in the city of New Orleans. One, a swarthj-, dissipated, white- handed chap, would be set down as a professional gambler at first glance. Tlie other was a blonde, with clear-cut, hatidoome features, and the form of an athltjte. They were engaged in a game of poker for high stakes, as could be seen by the glittering lieap of gold upon the table between them, and the innocent-appear- ing bits of pasteboard in their hands. The swarrhy man had dealt the cards, each had drawn one, and then the betting had been so fast, mad and reckless that even tlie "old timers" of the place had been attracted to the spot, and were now crowded about the table, and gazing upon the desperate play in wonder. The face of the gambler was calm, al- most indifferent, while that of his hand- some' opponent was seen to be slightly flushed, while a strange, warning gleam shoue in his eyes as he raised them to the other's face and said, as he drew a liand- I'ul of gold iind notes from his pocket and shoved them into the yellow pile between iliein: "There is your fifty, Diamond Jack, and 1 go you five hundred better!" "Thank you. Ringlets, for the favor, as it will come mighty handy after the beastly run of luck 1 liave had lately," returned the gambler, cooily. "But tliere is your live hundred, with an even thousand on top of it!" "Very well; 1 see your thousand, but that taps my pile, and I call you," and the young man's face took on an added flush of excitement, as he counted the amount out upon the table. " So you are 'busted' are you, Ring- lets? Too bad that you haven't enough to make the pile an even two thousand. or " " I vill lend de young schentlpmans de udder tousand tollars!" interrupted a voice at this moment, and a tall, cadav- erous form, clad in a suit of seedy black broadcloth, pushed its way through the eager crowd to the table, and depo&rripf^ thereon a pile of gold. " Sheeny, the money-lender!" rac round tlie crowd, wliile Ringlets crit.vl in surprise: "Do 3'ou mean that. Sheeny? 5?«.a wijl lend me the thousand?" "Yes, yet'-, i lend you der tousand tol- lars mit oudt segurity, but I gaU& on a^i de schentlemans present do wituess dct j'ou owes me de monish. Couje, pet de monish, mine scliild, und den you ba\ s me right pack mit it, tor I vos see your gards, und I pelieves j-ou vill v.-in him I" "All right then. Diamond .Vack, 1 have seen your thousand, and will go you an- other better! But remembet, I know 1 have J'OU beat, and if you ttttempt any crooked work, I warn you lO beware of the consequences, for I am a desperate man just at present, and it is make or break with me for good an^ all!" and he shoved the money-lender ^ loan into the central pile. The gambler gazed into the other's face searchingly, then a oieadly. desperate look shot into his hard, dark e\'es, as he slowly and deliberatfci/ "covered" th6 bet. "There you are. Kinglets, and what have you got?" asked the gambler. "Four kings!" anJ the blonde laid his cards down, face upward, upon the table, leaned back iu his chair, and thrust his hands into the jide pockets of his coat. " A good hand, and a hard one to beat ordinarilj', but you see I hold the four aces!" replied the gu-mbler, as he threw down his cards and. reached' for the heap of gold. "You are a liar and a cheat. Diamond Jack, and you tout h that money at your peril!" The gambler stai ted back, as though stung, at these v\ords, then a wolfish smile played about his hard mouth as he hissed: "Do you know wbat generally happens to the man that c;.^,lls Diamond Jack a cheat?" " I know that men have been murdered for telling that tru;h," was the cool re- tort. " But you can't bluff me with j-our ugly looks. L saw that other ace on tlie bottom of the deck when you dealt, and if you haven't stolen it you have a ' loaded ' sleeve!" Another smile, loore deadly than the first wjreathed thb gambler's lips, ancl tiiose in the crowd who knew him well stepped back mechanically. Then occurred something wholly un- expected. The gambler lea^red to his feet and cried: PARRAGUT'S SCOUT. *' 'ion are right, Ringlets; my sleeve is loaded " A pisttil gleamed for a single instant in his hand — then came a flash, a report, and a blue pencil of smoke from the op- pcjsite side of the table, and the gambler, Diamond Jack, leaped convulsively into the air, then fell with a crash, a crimson rivulet of blood welling slowly from a ragged hole in his throat. Kinglets leaped to his feet, a pistol grasped in one trembling hand, and bent a horrified gaze upon the stricken man at his feet. He just had time to gasp: "As God is my judge I did not kill him!'' Then a dozen da,rk browed men with knives in hand rushed at him; he was dimly conscious that a lean, yellow hand brushed the pile of gold from the table; then he felt him- self seized from behind, the sutfocating folds of some garment were drawn close about him, and he knew no more. When at last the young man regained his senses it was to find himself lying upon a soft couch in a small but luxuri- antly-furnished apartment, and — could it be? Yes, the room and all in it was moving with a peculiarly pleasant, glid- ing motion. And then he realized the situation. He was in the cabin of a river craft of some kind, probably a schooner. A dark cui'tain was drawn back near him at this moment, and two piercing eyes, surrounded by a yellow visage, peered in at him. CHAPTER II. A BASE PROPOSITIOiSr. The 5'oung man had no difficulty in recognizing the intruder. It was Sheeny, the Jew money-lender. His tall form was clad now in a soiled, and somewhat tattered silk dressing- gown, confined at the waist by a tri- coloi-ed cord, while his thin gray locks were crowned by a black skull-cap. The wretched figure of the old Jew made a strong contrast to the otherwise magnificent surroundings as he stepped into the room, with his usual cringing motion, and croaked, as Ringlets rose to a sitting posture. "Ah! mine schild, you vas all right, now, hein? Und maype you vas feel veil enough to have a talk mit your oldt uncle, hein?" and he took a seat upon the extreme edge of a chair a few paces distant. "Oh, yes, 1 think I am all right; but where am I? Can you tell me that?" '*0h, yes; I vas dells you right avay, pudy quick.'' " Well, what are you waiting for^ Why don't you tell me what vessel this is?" " So you vos dinks you vos on poatd a shib, hein?" "Of course, I know that. On a schooner. And now what is the name of the craft?" "Mine schild, I dells you de name oaf dis vessel, but must nodt be dosurbrised. Ve are at dis minut^e on ^poard der Gray Gull." • "What! The rebel smuggler, Gr?v Gull?" " No, but der Gonvederate blockade- runner, Gray Gull." "No difference, for every one knows that she was a smuggler before war was declared. But how came I on board?" "You vas brought here, mine schild." "I am not an idiot, and knew that before. But who brought me here?" "I did." "You?" "Yes, I!" " What are you driving at, old man? ! Why did you bring me on board the Gray Gull?" " Do safe you from your enemies, mine schild."' " Enemies! I have no enemies." " But Diamond Jack has friends.'' "Ha! I remember. There was afight at Fortune's. Good heaven! They do not think that I shot Diamond Jack, do they?" "They saw you do der deed, mine son." " Y'ou are lying, old man. You know, and they know, that ic was not I who fired the shot.'' "Who vas id, then?" The young mau bowed his face in his hands as if in the deepest despair. Now that the scenes of the tragedy for the first time were brought clearly before his mind's eye, he could not but too bitterly realize that his position was a desperate one. At the moment that Diamond Jack had so cleverly produced his pistol from his sleeve. Ringlets had drawn his own weapon, mechanically, to defend himself, andat the same instant a pistol had ex- ploded so near his hand that he had clearly felt the concussion; then Diamond Jack iiad fallen, a bleeding corpse at his very feet, while he knew, positively, that his own weapon ha,d remained un- exploded. Clearly, he had enemies, but he had yet to realize how powerful and deadly they could be in their tireless machina- tions. At last the young man raised his head, and the look he bent upon the old money- lender made the miser quail. •) c'» ^ FARRAGUrS SCOUT. " Do you know who fired the fatal shot?" "I— er— Gott in Himmel! Vot you means, mine schild? I knows nothings apoudt der affairs, mine sons, excebd dot dey said as how you vos killd Diamond Jack, und den I hadt von ouf my men bring you here do safe you from der gamblers!" " Your men! What men?" The old Jew changed color perceptibly. "Ah, my men — oh, yes, I see! Veil, I dinks I can safely gonfide in you der segret, for ouf gorse you villnodteif your old uncle avay, after der manner in vich he has safe you from der gamblers." "Well!" "Veil, you see, I haf shust bought der Gray Gull, und am now going do run der blockade, und sail for Cuba for a car- goes " "But I'm not going with vou!" "Hein?" " I tell you I'm going back, and the best thing you can do is to run ashoie and let me off." " Oh, mine schild, you vos forget der gamblers.'' "I forget nothing, and defy all the gamblers in Louisiana. Put me ashore, old man!" "My sons, I gan nodt do dot. Ve are now pelow der forts, und der swamps coom right oop to der river bank." " Swamps or no swamps, I'm going back. Do you know that my father was upon his death-bed when I came away?" " Yes; it was very sad. But dot vas not all." " What do you mean?" " If you vill readt dot article, mine son, you vill understand better as I gan dells you," and the Jew handed to the other a folded newspaper, and pointed to the uppermost column. The article was headed: " A Sad Affair. — A young man wan- tonly slays a companion over a game for high stakes, at the very moment that his father breathes his last, calling plain- tively for his absent and erring son. Colonel Roger Ringgold dies at the mo- ment that his son Ralph shoots Diamond Jack, the gambler." Young Ringgold, or " Ringlets " as he was better known about the city, sprung to his feet and gazed at the paper with pallid face and starting eyes. But never a word did he utter until the article was read, and he had learned that his father had indeed passed auav, after leaving his son all his vast weahh, on condition, however, that he should give up all his wild habits for a year, and bear a record, for that period, clear from the faintest tinge of dishonor; that a price was upon his own head for the killing of Diamond Jack, and, more, that he was " wanted " by the military, charged with being a spy and an informer in the in- terests of the Union cause. The old Jew watched his young com- panion witii eyes like a lynx, while the other made himself acquainted with the particulars of the newspaper article, while a strange, half triumphant smile seemed to wreathe his thin yellow lips. At last the young man had read the terrible article to the end, but he still stood gazing dumbly at the still damp sheet. " Veil, vats you dinks?" finally uttered the Jew, when his patience had become completely exhausted. "The devil! Who could have had the heart to write up that black lie?" " You vos oxcided, mine sons. Coom, loog- ad der matters reasonable. You gan nodt deny dot you vas at der For- tune's Hall, biaying vor high sdakes dis night, or dot do all appearances you shot Diamond Schack " . "Enough, old man! lam going back and face my accusers " " Dot would nefer do." "What do you mean?" " In der first blace public obinion vos against yon, as you gan see by der noos- baber article. Nodt only vos you der in- mate ouf a gambling-house at der mo- ment dot j'our fader died— dot vill dell against you, mine son " "But I had good reasons for being there — it was with my father's sanction." "Nodt only vas you dere," went on the old Jew, without appearing to notice the other's interruption, "but der milidary authoridies vos only waiting do catch you, before dey vos hang you oop by der neck oop." This was indisputable, and the young man turned his haggard face upon the Jew and asked, as a last resort: " What am I to do? By your manner T judge you have a scheme to propose." " Y^es, I haf a sqeeme do bropose, and I dinks me dot it is vour only hobe." "Well, out with it?' "Id ish dis: Farragut und his fleed ouf dwendy-fife armed shibs ouf var ish efen now abroaching der mouth ouf der rifer, mit der indendon ouf daking der Forts Shaokson and St. Phillip, und der city ouf New Orleans. Now id ish evi-; dent dot de Y'^ankee commander gan notj gid shibs ofer der bar inidoudt der heli oufabilot. Now, vat 1 haf do brobose I gif you in a nud shell. In der eyes ouf der milidary authoridies of Xiouisiana^ you vas a draider undasby You also J FARRAGUT'S SCOUT. haf, agording do your fader's vill, lost your inheritance by your act of siiootinfi: Diamond Shacli. And now, den: 1 am de execudor ouf dot vill, and if yon vill swear dot yon vill join Farragud's fleed und bedray him do der Gonvederacy by an easy means dot I vill make known do you, I vill see dot your name is glared be- fore der milidary, und dot yon goom into your fader's probertj' uiitoudt difficulty." Before the > oung man could make the indignant reply that rose to his lips, a strange event occurred. CHAPTER III. A STRAXGE STORY. " Doctor, tell me the truth. Is there any liope for me?" The.se words were spoken • by a dying man; yet the tone, though weak, was even and calm, as thoutrh the King of Terrors held no fear for the speaker. The man of medicine, as though loth to answer the gentleuian, turned his face from his patdent and began busying him- self with the several vials and bottles upon the stand close by. The sick man noted the action, and understood its purport, and an impatient scowl crowded his feverish brow. •'Come, doctor; out with it. If I can live until sinirise, well and good; but if sucli sliall not be the case I must know it at once, for I have much to do in order to leave my business in proper shape. And now, once for all: How long can I live?" Thus pinned down to a straight for- ward answer, tlie doctor made reply: "Colonel, the duty yoti oblige me to perform wrings my heart; nevertheless, my friendly interest in you and yours prompts me to warn you that if there are business matters calling for your per- sonal adjustment they should be settled within the next hour." " Ha! So short a time. But there, I'm not con) plaining, and — thank 5'ou, doctor. Now call Devon, my agent, and leave us together." A lingering clasp of the sick man's hand, which he well knew would be the last, then the doctor left the apartment. A few moments passed, then the door opened to admit a man of thirty, whose mutton-chop whiskers lent him a de- cidedly •'Englishy" appearance, and were well in keeping with his florid com- pexion, and well-knit, though rather cor- pulent figure. The man stepped quickly to the bedside, where he threw himself upon his knees and buried his face in the sheets, while strong sobs shook his frame. "There, there, Devon; don't take on so. It is what we all n;u.-t come to, and I am certain I should never be bprter prepared to meet my Maker than at this moment. Come, brace up, my man. and tell me if you have heard aught of Ralph." "N — no, sir; but I ham sure 'e his hall right, sir, hand will carry bout all "e has undertaken." "So am I, Devon. Ralph has been a wild blade, but 1 am sure his hea,rt is in t'^e riglit place. But time alone will tell that, and for the present I must think and talk of other things, for but a few brief uioments have I in which to settle my earthly accounts." " Oh, master, don't " " There Devon, that will do. I know what you would say, a^nd thank you; but now, other things must take the place of vain words of hope. Devon, you have been in my employ for upward of twenty years: j'onr faithfulness and solicitude for my Avelfare has been with- out parallel, but now I ask you to do still more — to take the full burden of my earthly aflfairs upon you own shoulders, and carry on to a successful issue, the prospects I had in view l)efore this fell blow laid me here. Will you do this?" "I will do anything within my power, you know that." "I was certain of it. And now listen: Twenty-two years ago, in the port of Havana, I married Victorine Bragaza, or so she called herself. Victorine was first introduced to me by the commander of a Spanish man-of-war, who had found her, apparently a captive, on board the pirate schooner of Red Cutlass, the corsair, whom he had shortly before run down and captured. I was young then, and the rare beauty possessed by the corsair's captive won me heart and head, and I proposed marriage and was accepted. The result of this alliance was a son — Ralph. Three days after the birth of the child, a messenger rode up to our door with a sealed packet addressed to my wife. I took the letter to her, saw her read the contents with palid face and starting eyes, caught her as she was about to fall, and held in my arms a corpse. It was heart disease the doctors said. I afterward found the letter and read it. It ran thus: "'Dear Victorine: I liave escaped from the much t as his botids were removed, a dark curtain near was lifted by a draft, and he discovered beyond the forms of Ralph Ringgold and old Sheeny, the money lender. CHAPTER IV. SOME MATTERS HISTORICAL. The following passages in an order originating at the navy department, at FARRAGUT-S SCOUT. Washington, bearing the date of January iO, 1862, and directed to Commander J3avid G. Farragut, U.. S. N., will explain themselves: ," When the bomb-vessels, with armed steamers enough to manage them, arrive at Key West, and you are completely ready, you will collect such vessels as cau be spared from the blockade, and pro- ceed up the Mississippi River, and reduce tlie defences which guard theapproaches to New Orleans, vi'hen you will appear (jflf that city and take possession of it uiider the guns of your squadron, and hoist the American flag therein, keeping possession until troops caia be sent to you." The great undertaking -which the above order implies, originated in the fertile and powerful brain of the then Commander — now Admiral (U. S. N.) — David D. Porter, and was made a success througii the hearty co-operation of Gen- eral George B. McCIellan then in the zenith of his power, who, although all the time busily engaged in organizing a large army with which to guarantee the safety of the Fedei-al seatof government, and to march upon Richmond, settled the matter in two days of collecting twenty thousand troops, under Major-general Benjamin F. Butler, with which to hold the city of New Orleans. Thus it happened that about the mid- dle of March, 1862, Commander D. G. Farragut, in command of the West Gulf blockading squadron, arrived with his fleet of war-ships, and with a heavy flotilla of mortar vessels under the com- mand of Admiral Porter, oil Pass d' rOutre, at the mouth of the Mississippi, and proceeded to cross the bar. But just here a balk was encountered. But little diffic-jlty was met with in getting the mortar flotilla over, under the able supervision of Porter, but the de- partment had made a mistake in sending such mammoth vessels as the Colorado and Mississippi, whose great drafts of water, especially so the first-named ves- sel, prevented them being lightened enough to allow their passage across the bar. Tiie flag-ship Hartford, and the Brook- lyn, were the only two which could cross witiiout lighteping; the Richmond had been grountled seven times by a careless, if not traitorous i)ilot, while the Pensa- cola had been run upon a wreck nearly a hundred yards awaj' from the channel, and now lay with her j)ropeller half out of water. Thus matters stood upon the night ■with which this story opens, and to say that the eommand was in a despairing state of mind would be putting it mildly. The originator of the great expedition was pacing the deck of ins flag-ship. -the Hariiet Lane, wrapped iii a brown study. All the energy of his powerful mind was bent in trjing to dissolve the difiB- culties which had arisen in the path of his great project. "The pilots are all rascals," he mut- tered aloud. " The men are getting im- patient; Farragut is in despair, and I am at mj' wit's end. And now. how are the ships to get over the bar? Who is to solve the problem?'' "I ami" broke in a deep voice, almost at his elbow, and turning, what was the officers astonishment to see, just emerg- ing over the side of the vessel the athletic form of a young man — almost a boy — with a handsome face, crowned with a mass of long yellow ringlets, and the whole soaked and dripping with the yel- low waters of the Mississippi. " Who in the name of Neptune are you? for I should judge, by thetuannerof your arrival, that you were some relation to him!" cried the commander, with uncon- cealed astonishment clearly written upon his face. "1 am Ringlets, at your service, sir," uttered the stranger, with a salute. "Ah, true; and may I ask where you are from?"' with just a touch of sarcasm, and gravel}' answering the salute. "From the city, sir."' "What? You have passed the forts lately?" "This very night, sir." "Hum — but I believe you opened this conversation by announcing that you were to solve the problem of the fleet crossing the bar," his mind quickly re- verting to its main object. " I did, sir; and stand rea.dy to make good my words." The commander scrutinized the o.fher from head to foot with one quick, search- ing glance, then turned, saying, as he nn^ved aft: "Please follow me below, young man. I wish to speak with you alone." Entering his cabin the commander, with a motion of his hand, invited his strange guest to be seated and partake of the substantial refreshments upon a table between them. This the handsome stranger was noth- ing loth to do; for, as his pale face and wearied look and motions foretold, he had been to great exertions in the past hour. But the nourishing food and rich wine, of wdiich he partook eagerly, seemed to put new life into his exhausted frame, FARRAGUT'S SCOUT. and in a short time he moved back, and, with a salute, signified his readiness to be questioned. And the impatient commander was not slow to put his strange protege to the test. " Can you steer those ships over tlie bar?" abruptly asked the naval officer. '*No, sir," was the unexpected reply. Porter looked at his vis avis, a threat- ening frown wrinkling' his brow; for the reply of the stranger lent hiui a suspicion thathe was entertaining a "crank," if not a person ot a more dangerous char- acter. " Then what meant you, when you so une.xpectediy interrupted me there on the deck, a moment ago?" "Just what I said, sir." "Then if you cannot get the vessels over, who can?" " Yourself, sir." "Come! Enough of these riddles. I will give you just one moment to explain yourself. To return to your first words: How are you to solve the problem now before the command?" "I will tell you, sir, in a few words. The way I am to solve the problem is simply to guide your war ships over the bar, as I know every crook and turn of the channel." " But you just said you could not do this." "Pardon me, sir, but you misunder- stood me. I cannot steer your vessels across the bar, for the simple reason that I do not know how to steer large ships, never having studied navigation. But I guarantee that I can direct you, or any reliable pilot, so that you can cross the bar without trouble." "But I must ask for your motive in doing this, as, if you are so well familiar with the channel across the bar, you must necessarily be a near resident, there- fore a Soutiierner." " ^o, I believe, is the commander of this expedition." "True; but he has proved his fidelity to the Union, and — have you?" " If riot, I will, with your permission." The officer bowed his assent. ''Then, in the first place, sir, I will re- introduce myself as Ralph Ringgold, the son of Colonel Roger Ringgold " "What? The Colonel Ringgold of Mexican War fame?" "The same, sir. And if you care to ILsteii, or think it worth your while, I will tell you my story, which will explain my presence here, and the strange man- ner of my arrival on board your ves- sel." "You are at perfect liberty to proceed. ,sir, for I confess myself deeply interested in you, and know your story will set at rest all doubts as to your fidelity." It would be superfluous to here give all the conversation tliat followed. Suffice it to say, that the commander was soon in possession of the main facts of the story we have alreadj' heard from the dying lips cf the murdered colonel — the tragic scene in Fortune's Hall, and the subsequent strange conversation with old Sheeny on board the Gray Gull. But arrived at this point of the ac- count, the commander broke in with: "One moment if you please. It ap- pears to me that this old Jew is one of the prime movers in a plot to cripple or destroy tliis fleet." "You are undoubtedly right in your suruise, sir." "Then how comes it that he did not know that we were alreadv here at the Pass?" "If you will once more revert to tlie incident of the newspaper, and the ar- rival of my father's agent on board the schooner, it is plain. In the first place the tragedy in Fortune's Hall occurred long before the isyne of the morning paper, while we were far below the forts when I first saw the sheets. Thus it follows that I must have been kept un- conscious with some drug nearly twenty- four hours, probably to keep me more strictly quiet until the successful capture of the agent Devon." "Ah, yes; such must have been the case, so pray proceed. 1 suspect you made a bold break for freedom and took to the river." " Y'ou are right, sir. The moment I caught sight of old Devon, I sprung to- ward him. But before I could make » single leap forward, the old Jew caught uie in a grasp that almost broke my ribs, and in a voice at utter variance with his usual squeaky tones — for it was like the bellow of a sea-horse — he coujmandeu his men to remove tkeir captive. Tiiie they attempted to do, but upon the jn- stant the Englishman leaped forward with sui-pri.sing quickness and dealt the Jew a stunning blow upon the head with such science that he was forced to release me. Then we both, with one accord made for the deck, with the Jew clos? behind. Just at the instant that I leaped over the rail of the schooner, there came the report of a pistol from behind, and I saw Devon fall head long to the deck. I reached the water in safety, and as the schooner swept bj' I grasped the gun- wale of a small boat fastened to her chains, and crawled into it. Nothing further occurred until we arrived off a small point but a few miles above here, when suddenlv a curious-colored rocket FARRAGUT-S SCOUT. » rose from the timbered point, and the schooner was brouglit up witli fliipping sails. Then another rocket went up, ( and the vessel put about and went flying up stream as though pursued b}- fientis. 1 cut the small boat loose, drifted past the point in safety, and here I am. Do you believe my story, «ir?" "I do, Mr. Ringgold; and we will at once set off to the Hartford, and see Farragut — that is, if you are not too badly used up after your recent trying adventures." Ringlets intimated his readiness tf> be brought before the commander at once by rising from his seat, and soon they were enroute for the flag-ship Hartford. That the interview which followed was entirely satisfactory all around is proved by the fact, that with but little delay, the Pensacola, the last of the "doubtfuls," was passed safely over the bar. CHAPTER V. THE BRAND OF THE RED CUTIiASS. "Mr. Ringgold, having learned, through Commander Porter, of your desire to enter the Federal service, I have sent for you to propose an expedition that will cover you with honor if you are suc- cessful." These words were spoken by Admiral Farragut, in his comfortable cabin in the Hartford, then lying off Pilot Town. The one addressed I need not further introduce, as the reader will at once recognize in him Ringlets. . Saluting, Ringlets answered: "I shall ever feel myself in debt to Commander Porter for this, and I assure you, sir, that any trust you m.any honor me with, I shall be proud to assume, and will give it my utmost attention, regard- less of danger or difficulty." "I am sure of that." w^as the hearty reply of the old flag-officer. If I had not the utmost confidence in your skill and daring, I should not trust you with the undertaking 1 have in view, for I warn you that danger will curround your every step." '"If I am right in the surmise of the direction I am to take, I caneasii}' realize that your warning is not idle. But pray, proceed, and I will undertake to enter the fort itself, if such is your wish." "Ha! Yuu have forestalled me in my idea. But no matter. Are you familiar with the swamps in the vicinity of Fort Jackson?" "Yes, sir; and St. Philip also." "Ah! then 1 shall not be disaiDpointed Xn ?iiy choice of a special scout." "1 hope not, sir; but I surmise you wish me to visit the neighborhood of Fort Jackson on sonje secret mission." •'Tliat is it precisely. The United States Coast Survey steamer Sachem, under command of Lieutenant F. H. Gerdes, is about to start up-river for tlie purpose of triangulatinji the stream below tiie forts for the benefit of \hf mortar flotilla. You will report to OlfiL-er Gerdes within the hour, and proceed up tiio river with him to any point yr>u may choose, wdiere you will land, antladvai.ee as near the fort as you successlull)' can, when you will use j'our best endeavor to learn anything of the enemy's strength in men, position or armament, not al- ready known to this command. If noth- ing of special importance can be learned at Fort Jackson, you will cross the river and follow the same i)lan of insTruciion in regard to Fort St. Philip, in the mean- time noting, if possible, tiie cb.aracter of the obstructions in the river channel. There is little need to warn you again that your path will be beset with many dangers — the swamps are full of guer- rillas and desperadoes of the worst type — so be preparetl for any emergency'.' And now do you perfectly untlersta.nd the instructions I have given you ora,lly, for it would be the height of folly for you to carry compromising papers upon your person under the circumstances?" " I fully understand what is required, so, with your permission, I will prepare to report to Officer Gerdes." " Y'^ou are dismissed, and may success attend you," and returning the young man's salute the old officer bowed his young " special " out. As Ringlets stepped without the cabin he caught a glimpse of a swiftlj^ retreat- ing form, which in a moment had di«ap- peared down a near cou)panion-wav. Perhaps, occupied as he was with bnsy thoughts of the great undertaking before him, the young man would have given no second thought to the affair but for a curious incident connected with the man's disappearance. As he swui.g himself to the companion- way ladder the man's muscular right arm was for a moment exposed to the youth's gaze, and upon it the latter was startled to behold the tattooed outline of a red cutlass. Ringlets started as though pricked with a knife. " By heaven! there is something more in this than chance," he exchumed, as he (lashed to the companion-way and gazed down. Onlj' the head and shoulders of the master-gunner of the Hartford coming up the ladder rewarded him. The old gunner saluted the voune: man ■0 FARIIAGUT?S SCOUT. who had so suddenly become the hero of the squadron, then attracted by his startled look asked: " What is the matter, sir? You look as if you had seen a ghost." '"'Perhaps I have. But did you recog- nize the sailor tliat just passed you at the foot of the ladder?" The old man looked at the other quizzi- cally. "You must 'ave taken an overdose ■ there in the cabin, sir. No sailor passed me below deck, sir." Ringlets could not keep back an in- credulous look, yet he knew the master- gunner was true as steel; so he merely said: "Oh, it is no matter. I thought some- one was listening at the door of the cabin, anil I presume luy imagination led ine to believe I saw a sailor disappear down the companion-way," and with a salute he started for his skiff at the vessePs side. A few moment's later he had reported to Officer Gerdes, and the Sachem li^ad started on its perilous cruise up the river. Jiast as the steamer was about to cast off her lines a small skiff, occupied by a white man and a negro, the latter of whom was rowing, shot from the side of the Hartford, and rapidly p.pproached the steamer, and a moment later the negro mounted to the deck while the skiff began its return. An officer of the steamer stejDped for- ward with the evident intention of chal- lenging the newcomer, but befor-e he could do so the latter hurried to Ringlets' side and handed him a folded paper. Taking it nieehanically the j'oung man read as follows: "Scout Ringgold: At the last mo- ment I send you my servant Pomp, the bearer of this note. It is my wish that you lake him with you, as j'ou will iiud him faithful, trustworthy, and, above all, is believed by the swaurpers with whom you will come in contact, to be secretly their mcst trusty agent. He knows all our plans. Keep nothing from hi Farragtjt." Ringlets glanced from the letter to the bearer suspiciously. He stood, hat in hand and with bowed head, tlie very picture of liumiHty. He was nearly six feet in heighth, and was evidently possessed of great physical power. He was very well appearing for a negro, but, curiously enough, his head was covered by a iiiass of black hair as long and straight as that of an Indian, tliough his features bore a decidedly African cast. "Are you a negro?" suddenly asked Ringlets, eying the other sharplj". If he expected to startle the new-comer into some sort of a confession, he was disappointed, for, without raising his eyes the fellow replied: "No, sah, only half." " So! You are a half-negro, eh?" " Yes, sah." " And what is the other half?" " Enjun, sah." "Oh! And you were Admiral Parra- gut's servant, eh?" " I was, sah." " How long have you helfl that Dosi- tion?" "'Bout two months, sah." " Where were you when you entered his employ?" " At Key West, sah." " And you have been with him on the Hartford ever since, eh?" "Yes, sah?" If the negro had raised his eyes long enough to have caught the expression on his interrogator's face at^this answer he might not have been so satisfied with the manner in which he had so promptly rephed to the young scout's questions. From the very first moment Ringlets had been suspicious. He knew that this was not the manTier in which tlie strict old iiaval officer trans- acted business, and he had resolved to question the negro closely. The intelligent reader has no doubt noticed the discrepancy between the •negro's answers and the letter he bore. The letter told that its bearer was "hand in glove" with the swampers about the forts, while he had jutst af- firmed that he was from Key West, and had been on board the Hartford ever since. "Very well; put on your hat and look up here." It had been the scout's intention to de- nounce the fraud then and there, and hand him over to the officers of the steamer, but at that moment a strange and startling incident took place which deterred him. As the negro obeyed the first com- mand, the loose sleeve of his right arm Slipped back, disclosing, even througli its dusky though artificial coating, the tattooed figure of a red cutlass. Ringlets could scarcely repress a start- led yell at the sight. What could it mean? Surelv this was not the same man he had seen disappear down the companion- way of the gun-boat, for he was a boy in size beside this giant. Ringlets feared his startled look would arouse the negro's suspicions, but the FARRAGUT'S SCOUT. other appeared not to notice the expres- sion. The young: man wanted time for deep thought, and so dismissed the messenger with : K. " 1 guess j'Ou ate all straight, Pomp, so be ready for actron when we arrive at the bend." Seating himself iia a secluded spot, he muttered: "Wliatcan it mean? Is it possible it is the brand of Red Cutlass, the Pirate, uiy mother's captor? If so, what are their intentions toward me?" CHAPTER VI. AMONG THE SWAMPERS. Crack ! — s — s— ^wisl>! A small white cloud of smoke shot from the luxuriant undergrowth upon the low river bank, and a heavy bullet wl)istled sharply pa.>st the head of an officer on the deck of the coast-survej' steamer, Sachem. The civil officer, who was by no means used to this sort of' sport, involuntarilj- dodged, though reason would have taught him that the bullet was then hundreds of feet beyond him. "By Jove, thoughl That was the closest call I ever r-" Crack I — th u t — zeep! Again the little white cloud rolled out over tlie sluggish water, and this time the officer actually leaped from his tracks, for the bullet passed through his hat. " B-by J-J-J-ove, you know!" and the startled civilian made a blind dash for the engine-room and disapi)eared. Ringlets, who saw the comical incident,- saluted the commander, who was stand- ing near, and said: '■ I see you have a fine rifle in a rack in your cabin. If you would lend it to me a few moments 1 think I could learn some of those rascally swampers a lesson." '■ A good idea. They nearly made an end of poor Bennet, and if \on thinic you can shake the fellows up a little 3'ou are welcome to try. But for the love of i:^e I can't see what you are to shoot at; for, though the scamps are pegging away at ub continually, I have yet to see one of them." ■' Well, I v\ill show you one in a mo- ment," answered the seout, confidently, as he took tlie short-barrelled weapon that was handed him, and thrust its muzzle over a large coil of rope near. The Sachem was forging slowly up the rivL'r, her officers and crew ever on the lookout for signs of danger from the two points of channel and shore Thej' had alreadj' discovered it from the latter source, in the persons of in- numerable swampers and pot- hunters, with tneir long rifles, that infested the thick swamps on either hand. Scarcely had the young scout gained his position than another shot sounded out, and an officer near liim made a fruitless grab for the cigar he had just lighted, and which had seemed to leap from his mouth and over the side of the vessel like magic. But before he could put into words the disgufct he fpll. the scout's rifle cracked, a yell of agony came from the bank, and a huge body was seen to pitch headlong from a mass of gnarled and twisted limbs, into the river. Ringlets had fired at the puff of smoke. The young- seout turned to receive the thanks tendei'ed him by the commander, and as he aid so his ej'es rested upon the face of the negro, Pomp. The latter's brows were wrinkled in a ferocious scowl, for one fleeting second, but changed to a gorgeous grin so quick- ly when he found his superior's eyes upon him that the latter was almost convinced that the first expression had been an illusion. , " ril test you, my fine fellow," mut- Ringlets, as he moved aft. Reaching the commander's side he said: "I believe I will leave you now, sir." " What do I liear? Why it would be perfect madness for us to land you here." " I know it, sir." " Then what do you mean?" "I mean that I will land mj'self." The officer stared at him in amazement. "I don't think I understand you." " I mean, sir, that I will swim ashore from this point." "Worse and worse. Is the man mad?" "Not at all, sir; but let me explain: I have thought it all over, sir, and have about come to the conclusion that it W'juld be an extreme!}' h.azardous under- taking to be set ashore anywhere in this vicinity." "Sane on one point at least," com- mented the officer, briefly. ''So I propose to swim from the steamer and land rit;ht in the thickest nest of swampers 1 can find." "Having a relapse," again muttered the officer. ''In the meantime yo,ur men are to keep up a rapid fire with rifles at me in the water." " A complete mental wj-eck," breaking in upon him in a sorrowful tone. " Thus leading the swampers to believe that I am a deserter and traitor,"' finished the scout, coolly. 12 PARRAGUT'S SCOUT. " Oh!"' was all the officer could say. " What do you think of my plan?" " Excellent. Farragut himself could hardly improve upon it. " But how about your negro assistant?'' " If he can swim, and cares to under- take tlie adventure, well and j?f>od; otherwise he must needs stay on the Saclie'm." Tlie officer could find no fault with this arrangement; indeed, it seemed to be the only way the cordon of fierce swampers could be passed. By the time all preparations were made, the steamer had arrived opposite another gang of guerrillas, who began a rapid fire upon the steamer. Tlie negro. Pomp, had assented to the programme without hesitation, much to The scout's surprise, for he h5d imagined that the dusky, fraud would refuse to trust his " ujake up" to the water. Ringlets said nothing, but he resolved to watch his companion closely. All was now ready, and the signal given to start. Suddenly the watchers upon the bank became aware that a struggle of some kind was taking place upon board the hated Federal craft. In a moment they learned what it was. Two men, a white one and a black, could be seen struggling in the hands of a number of the steamer's crew, and a moment later they were seen to break away from their captors and leap over the .side of the vessel. No sooner did their heads appear above the surface of the water, than ^ h^lf dozen rifles belched forth from the deck of the steamer, their muzzles directed straight at .the heads of the brave swim- mers. For a few moments the guerrillas seemed undecided what course of action to pursue, but finally a sharp comjiiand rung out, and there followed such a vicious discharge from the bank that the Yankees seemed glad to withdraw from the contest. In the meantime, Ralph had watcljed his companion closely, but he noted with surprise that the "'negro's'' complexion remained the same, though his belief that the other was a fraud was by uo means thereby shaken. At last they reached the bank, but not a sign was seen of "their friends, the enemy." , But no sooner had Ringlets gained a footing than a huge hand was thrust out, he was seized by the coat and jerked with more force than ceremony over a low barricade, and into the midst of a half dozen roughly-dressed and beai-ded mea. His companion was served in like manner. " Wall, who be you 'lins, anyhow?" and a tall, lanky individual, clad in coarse homespun, jjeered into the scout's faca shari)ly. " I be name Bezla, and I be jus' escape from the Yankee survey steamboat, yanda," answered Ringlets, with the peculiar drawl of the Creole quarter. Tlie swamp leader seemed about to further question his strangely arrived guest, when he happened to catch a glimpse of his companion's face. A quick sign passed between the two, and without another word he led the way to a large bush fire ,some distance froiiii the river. CHAPTER VII. UNDER THE SYCAMORE. " Hungrj', I reckon?" sententiously in> ' quired the leader of the swampers, as the two refugees proceeded to dry their eloth< ing before the cheerful blaze. "Yas, vary," was the drawling reply, for although he knew he was suspected, the young scout determined to carry out the role he had assumed as far aa possible. In a few moments the two were busily engaged in discussing an excellent fry of fish, flanked with cold hoe-cake and wild honej'. After the meal was finished, and the scout had rolled a damp cigarette, Pomp approached him with a whispered: " I say, massa." " Well, Pomp?" "JBe youse goin' to stay right hyar all night?" "I believe I will. Pomp; for I wish to find out all I can about the positions of the different bands of swampers ahead." "All right; I tinki go wif de captain, and meblse I find out sumfin er udder." The captain was at this moment mov- ing away from the fire in the direction of the river, and Ringlets nodded his con- sent. A moment later the two had disap- peared in the thick undergrowth. The scout determined to follow them. No one was about to observe him as he rose carefully, and made his waj* with much caution in the direction taken by the negro and his companion. The sun had alreadj' set, and it was almost as black as midnight in the great swamp. The scout had moved forward scarcely fifty yards when he became aware that some one was conversing in a low tone just ahead of him. Dropping upon his hands and knees, FARRAGUT'S SCOUT. 13 the scout moved forward with additional caution until he was near enough to catch the words of the unseen speakers. He had no difBculty in recognizing them by their voices as the swamp cap- tain and Pomp. The latter was speaking at the mo- ment. *' But I tell yer ther chief don't want him killed. He jist wants ter git his hands on his live body an' work him fer a gold mine." "Don't care a darn! I was sent hyar to kill ev'ry spy sent agin ther fort, and I'm goin' ter do it, chief or no chief." "Remember yer brand, Bruno, and yer oath ter ther chief," These words seemed to have some effect upon the swamper, for there fol- lowed some moments of silence, broken only by the distant crack of a rifle now and then from the direction of the river. " That's all right, Argula — I mean, Pomp, but this seems ter be a sort of private snap of ther chief's." " Ye're mistooken thar, Bruno. Thar is several millions in it, and they is ter be divided among ther band in ther same "way loot used ter be divided in the old band.'' "All right, then; but what d'ye want me ter do?" " Let the young fella go along with me, and I'll steer him inter the chief's cabin afore soon." "All right. So long." " So long." And the negro turned back in the di- rection of the fire, passing exactly over the spot where the scout had last stopped. But when the negro" reached the fire it was to find his superior curled up in a blanket by the fire, and an extinguished cigarette between his teeth, seemingly sound asleep. The negro gazed down upon the sleeper suspiciously for a moment, then shook him gently, saying: " High, massa. We uns must climb outen hyar right pert now, sah." " What's the matter. Pomp?" "I tink de rebs s'pect something am wrong, fo' de capting ask'd me jes lots of questions 'bout youse, and I done gib him a long ghost story 'bout how you war captured by the Yanks while you was spyin' on deir gun-boats down riber." The young scout could not but admire the black rascal's uncommon " gall," and as to get away from his present sur- roundings was just what he wanted to accomplish, he proposed to humor the other for the time being, at least, so he replied: "You are a sharp one. Pomp, to bo readily detect their opinion of us. But I have noticed all along that they were suspicious of us, and I agree with you readily that the best thing we can do is to get out of this at once." "Berry well, sah; and we cyarn't find a better time dan de present, fo' de swampers am all at de riber watching de sarvey boat. Let's stai't right out now." " I am with you. Pomp; for, as we are both thoroughly dried and our appetites are saitisfied, there is nothing here to keep us." Two minutes later they were making their way cautiously, yet at a good pace, through the swamp in the direction of Fort Jackson. The negro was in the lead, but it is needless to say that not a motion of his was lost to the watchful eyes of the young scout. For a full'hour the two men made their way through the thick forest and swamp, and Ringlets was about to advise bear- ing farther away from the river, when suddenly the negro halted with a half- suppressed ejaculation, and both then became aware that a party of men were carefully approaching through the dark- ness. "Who is it?" asked the scout, in a whisper. "Swampers," was the low reply. " They's comin' from de ole cabin to see what de firin' is for." When the negro spoke of the old cabin Ringlets started. It had almost escaped his memory, but now it was brought vividly before his mind that there was standing in the very heart of the great swamp a lone cabin that then bore none the most enviable reputation. Nor was this all. Ringlets now re- membered the significant words which he had heard the negro address to the swamp-captain. They were: " Let the young fella go along with me and I'll steer him into the chief's cabin before morning." When he had first heard the words, being impressed with his adventures upon the river, he had jumped to the conclusion that the man had f='poken of the " cabin " of some river craft. But now he believed that the cabin in question was none other than the half- ruined log structure that stood but a few rods from them. Of course all this flashed through his mind in a fraction of the time it takes to read it, yet scarcely had the above con- clusions been arrived at when the swampers were all but upon them. 14 PARRAGUT,S SCOUT. He must act quickly. He now had no doubt that the bogus negro meant to betray him into the hands of the inmates of the lone cabin, and a half-dozen of those same inmates were now before him. In a second's time his decision was made. Placing one hand upon his companion's shoulder to avoid any mistake in the darkness, the young scout suddenly griped the negro by the throat, and pulled him quickly behind a giant syca- more close at hand. And he was just in time, for an Instant later the swampers, six in number, stumbled over the very spot where he had last stood. In a few moments the danger was passed, and loosing his hold, the scout allowed his unconscious prisoner to slide to the damp earth. Hastily lighting a wax match, with a supply of which he was fortunately i>ro- vided, the scout began a diligent search uf the other's pockets. Suddenly he uttered a low cry, for in his hand he held a letter, closely written, and signed " Red Cutlass." CHAPTER VIII. THE, liONE CABIN. The letter bore no date, or other head- ing. It ran as fcrilow^: " Argula; Be more than ever upon the alert. Watch- young R — -— closely, and let not a word of his, while in the presence of his superior officers, escape j'ou. I know him too w«H to imagine for a mo- ment that he will be content to remain inactive on ship-board. Watch all signs, and the momerrt. he prepares to leave che fleet follow him, and let him not out of your sight one moment until you have placed him under my care, well and un- harmed. Remember your brand. "Red Cutlass." The writing'*""^as plain enough, yet Ringlets eontih'ofea to stare at the sheet as if spell-bound, until the match went out. This latter happened just as the man at his feet uttetvd afaintgroan of return- ing consciousnt^, causing the young scout to start as if fVom a dream. Several dotrWrs which had heretofore filled his mind were now se-t to rest. He had heard the story of hJ« father's life-history less than a week before from the latter's own lips, and, while at the time, and ever since, for that matter, he had doubted the possibility that the once noted pirate. Red Cutlass, could be alive and in the city of New Orleans, that evi- dence was now before him startlingly clear. Twice the gambler. Diamond Jack, had been seen following the colonel through the streets of the Crescent City, and once he had been discovered dodging across the Ringgold grounds.. Upon the night of the opening of this story. Colonel Ringgold, as before men- tioned, had I'eeeived a note by messenger appointing a meeting with '"an unknown friend," in one of the private parlors ol Fortune's Hall, where he was promised '' pointers,'" looking to the discovery of the gang who had sworn to possess them- selves of the Ringgold millions by fair means or foul. Without hesitation, jet completely upon his guard. Colonel Ringgold had kept the appointment — had entered the private parlors of the hall, and had been shot down by some person concealed be- hind a curtain at one side. The pistol-shot causing an immediate alarm, a hasty search was instituted, with the only result of finding a sujall door concealed by the curtain, opening into a long passage which led to a lear alley connecting two busy streets. Of course, under these circumstances, the assassin was not found; but. taking into consideration the signiticant actions of the gambler. Diamond Jack, and the fact that he was a constant habitue of Fortune's Hall, young Ringgold went^ direct from his father's beilside to the gambling hall in search of Diamond Jack, resolved to "shadow'' him with thehopa to prove him the assassin of liis father, but with the result that we have seen. And now, as he stood here beneath the great sycamore in the heart of a pathless swamp, and with the pirate's letter be- fore him, new and strange complications rose to his mind. If, as his father had believed, and as was now evidenced by tiie letter l>efore him, it was Red Cutlass, the ex-pirate, who. was at the bottom of the plot against his family and fortune, then the dead gambler must be exonerated from the suspicious before entertained. Yet the scout was not ready to accept this view of tiie matter — the evi- dence was too strong against Diamond Jack. And then again he asked himself where the old Jew, Siieeny, came in. He had known the old money-lender for several years, and since his father's return from California the latter wa.s often in private consultation witii the Jew, this intimacy having its begiuuiiig FARRA GUT'S SCOUT. 15 with settling? up young Ralph's many debts. • Yet reason as he might, tlie young scout could see no eonuectiou between these three. Diamond Jack might possibly be in league with Red Cutlass; the old Jew could not possibly be connected with either, for, on the one hand he had staked a thousand dollars against the gambler, and afterward, as he secretly believed, had shot Diamond Jack; and on the other hand, the only aim of the Jew, that lie could discover, was directed ai?ainstthe Federal fleet at the mouth of the Mississippi. He could have no doubt of this fact, for the Jew would hardly liave all but unfolded a great scheme for destroying the fleet had he not such a plan per- fected. And now, tlie most perplexing tangle of The situation forced itself upon him. Who was Red Cutlass? In his letter to Argula the ex-pirate had confessed that he knew the young scout well. If such was the case, and he had no cause to doubt it, he must have seen the noted buccaneer many times, and the scout wondered, having so perfected his plans for the seizure of the Ringgold fort- une, as he evidently had, that the pli'ate had not before showed his hand. And novv, having gone over the whole ground in his thoughts, the scout was even more puzzled than before, and with an impatient gesture he turned to look after his prisoner. The next moment Ringlets uttered a eharp ejaculation of astonishment, for the negro was not in the place he had beer. left. Forgetful of th« danger he ran in making a target of himself for the other, the scout lighted a second match and examined the-ground in the vicinity of sycamore. He soon discovered where his prisoner had dragged himself carefully away from tlie foot of the tree to where he had reached a dry ridge, and there the trail ended. After a brief search the scout was forced to give it up, and turn his steps in the direction of the fort. Before he liad proceeded far Ringlets suddenly bethought himself of the "lone cabin," and resolved to visit it with tlie hope that he might pick up something of value, either for the Federal com- mander or to himself. He knew its position well, and was not long in approaching it. No one seemed to know who placed the structure there, with its roof and windows broken, moss-grown, and half- buried in the massive, Spanish moss festoons depending from the great syca- mores clustered about. The cabin was dark, silent, and evi- dently deserted, and unhesitatingly, yet cautiously, the youi^g scout glided through the sagging door-way. He listened a moment — all was still. Carefully igniting- a match Ringlets glanced about tlie one room of the place. Bunks, more modern than the rest of the structure, that would ea.sily ac- commodate a scor« of men, had been built upon the heavy log walls, but noth- ing suggested that they had lately been used by human beings. A trap door in one corner of the floor next attracted Ralph's attention. He i-aised it carefully — then let it fall with a resounding bang, for just beneath, squirming and hissing with rage, were scores and hundreds of snakes, lizards and giant tarantulas. Ringlets sat down 04 oae of the bonksi, nerveie^ with" horror at the sight and. stench beneath the floor. After several minutes he managed ta reach the door — then started back pre- ciprtately. Crouched outside upon the damp earth, in the light of a single torch, were a score of hideous black beings, each with a great deadmoccasin snake around his neck or in his hair. • CHAPTER IX. VOODOO DEMOiSiS. The young scout felt a sudden ehill rush over him, for he realized that he was in a desperate positian. He knew the meaning of the silent, hideous assemblage outside the ruined cabin. They were V^oodoo worshipers — the most terrible, bloodthirsty, ignorant beings on the face of the earth. It was certain death in the most horri- ble, possible manner to be caught within sight or sound of the fiendish ceremonies that were aboat to bqgin before the old cabin. By the feeble light reflected into the cabin from the one torch set in the midst of the Voodoos, the scout glanced quickly over his surroundings for some means of escape other than by the one door. One small opening in the rear wall, that had probablj' served for a v/indow, was the only aperture noticeable, but it was far too small to admit of his escape. Next he turned his attention to the sagging roof. Thei'e, and in plenty, were apertures that would afford him means of escape. l(j FAIIRAGUT'S SCOUT. But he well knew, without farther in- spection, that the ruined roof would not bear half his weight, Yet something must be done instantly, for already the hoary old Voodoo who acted as priest had kindled a bright blaze before the door, and had hung the blackened pot that was to contain the awful, seething feast of Voodoo. Ringlets rose carefully, and mounting to the bunk above him, he grasped the nearest of tiie heavy stringers that held the crumbling walls together. There being nd loft or attic to the old cabin, these stringers were placed some six feet apart, and the scout must step from one to another of these to reach the great rent in the middle of the cruujbling roof. As he pulled himself upon the first of these it creaked alarmingly, and he paused with bated breath. But no notice seeming to have been taken of it by the black worshipers out- siile, the young scout proceeded to step gingerly across the black space to the next. This act, though accomplished with all caution, caused the entire structure to tremble perceptibly, but not daring to pause now, lie kept on and was soon standing beneath the larger opening of the roof. Scarcely had the scout reached this position, when he became aware of an additional activity among the assemblage outside, and to his anxiety the whole gang arose from their crouching position and prepared to enter the old cabin en may.se. It was not that he thought his move- ments had been detected by the blacks that the scout was alarmed at this new move. On the contrary, he knew they would enter the cabin as soon as the pot over the fire began to boil; but having once belore been a concealed and very fright- ened spectator of a Voodoo feast when a boy, he was certain that, in his present position, he would surely be discovered at-a certain point in the ceremony. Ringlets could not repress a shudder as the all but nude negroes trooped along beneath linn, and paused in a circle about the closed trap in the floor, before men- tioned. At a sign from the old patriarch demon, who was the leading spirit in these mid- night orgies, the remainder of The gang set up a low crooning sound that rapidly gathered volume with the ever accelerat- ing movement of their black bodies, and begun circling about the trap in the most grotesque and torturing manner. Louder and louder rose the wailing of the blacks. Faster and faster their black bodies whirled about the close-shut trap, causing'the lone cabin to tremble warn^ ingly, until every moment, it seemed to the crouching man above, the whole ruin would collapse. But nothing of the kind occurred; for suddenly, just as the frenzied dance was at its highe.st pitch, the old priest, with one mad yell, tore the trap from its fasv tenings with superhuman strength, and. thrusting one !e.!n. black arm far down amid the boiling, hissitigniassof snakes beneath, he triumphantly seized one of the largest by the neck and waved it madly above his head. Then, one after another, the shrieking demons followed the example of their priest, until all, some twenty-five in num- ber, were whirling about the ruined cabin, each with a slimy, fiery-eyed snake wriggling and hissing above his head. This was the moment the young scout should have taken to attempt an escape by way of the rotted roof, for, no doubt in the" hideous racket the blacks were making he could have escaped unde- tected. But a strange fascination of the awful spectacle just below chained him just too long to the spot where he stood. After the capture of the serpents, as here depicted, the Voodoos, generally, next crouch wherever they happen to pause, at a signal of their priest, and with faces and arms uplifted, jabber forth their unintelligible prayers to their demon-god, Voodoo. Suddetrly, and just as the young scout had succeeded in throwing off thestrange spell that had bound him to the spot, preparatory to test the crumbling rooi with his weight, this last signal was given, and the crowd dropped to their kfjcea with uplifted faces. This ceremony seems to be a turning point CO their first frenzy, and is followed directly by the ceremony (5f dumping the dead and live snakes into the boiling pot, and afterward working themselves into a second mad state, in which they deliber- ately devour the awful, reeking mess. But this night the horrible ceremony waa destined not to be carried out. Ringlets recognized the signal, having heartl it once before, and realizing that his life depended upon the most prompt action, he gave a convulsive leap upward, and threw his arms over the edge of the aperture in the roof. Although he was at once discovered, as was evidenced by the frightened howl that rose from below him, the young scout might yet have made good his es- cape had he not, in the darkness, over- looked the fact that just above the hole FARRAGUT'S SCOUT. 1' in the roof, and depending? from an over- hanging sjcamore, was a hufje mass of Spanish moss, holding in its tangled em- brace a heavy, broken limb. And with this limb, as he leaped up- ward, his liead came in contact with stunning force. The sliock caused by this incident was more than the decayed board he grasped could sustain, and down it came bearing the doomed scout with it. Barely had he touched the floor when the frenzied blacks seized him, and though half-stunned by the blow upon his head, combined with his fall, the scout, knowing his life hung in the bal- ance, fought like a demon for freedom. But what could one man do against twenty? The battle was soon over, and though a half-dozen of the black fiends were stretched senseless upon the reeking floor, the young scout was a prisoner. Even before the old Voodoo priest ut- tered his sentence, Ringlets knew what his fate was to be, yet he uttered a groan of horror as the muscular blacks raised him above the awful trap still standing open. For one awful moment the younir Fed- eral scout hung suspended over that hor- rible pit, tlien the black demons loosed their hold. Not for an instant had the scout lost his head, and when he felt himself falling he threw out Vioth hands, one grasping the hideous old Voodoo priest, the other seizing one of the biac):s that had just sprung back after releasing him. A shriek of horror, as the old priest sunk into the serpent nest, then Ringlets was jerked to the floor of the old cabin, just as a vivid sheet of flame enveloped the ruined structure. CHAPTER X. A UNION CHEER. A moment later the scout found him- self in the open air, having been fairly forced outside by the terrified rush of the blacks. Once outside, the negroes regained some of their scattered wv;ts,.an.l were onr the point of making the scout a prisoner, when a most horrible object rushed from the old cabin and put to flight 'their last thought of vengeance. It vvas the old Voodoo demon, but none of his followers could have recog- nized him by sight, for, depending from his hands, arms, face, and every other portion of his body, were scores of wrig- gling snakes. One glance at the dread object rushing toward them, and the negroes fled frotu the scene with all haste, leaving their priest to the fate wliich he so richly deserved. And the scout did not linger; for, hap- pening to glance beyf)nd the doomed Voodoo, he saw, just ilisappearing into the depths of the swamp a form he at once recognized. It was the man Arguia, or Pomp, and Ringlets sped away in his wake with all haste. There was nmv no doubt in the sccmt's mind as to wlio had fireil the old cabin. Who could have done it but ArgulaV For some distance the r'.tt.^ction from the burning cabin lit his path, and soon the scout h'Ul the satisfaction of discov- ering the object of his chase but a short distance ahead. Ic would require all his tact to keep in sight the form ahead witliout himself being discovered, but this the scout re- solved to attempt, for the other was mak- ing as direct as possible toward the Con- federate stronghold — Fort Jackson. As he advanced, the undertaking be- came more and more difificult; for. as they left the range of light from the burning cabin, Ringlets was compelled to draw nearer his man. But luckily, no accident occurred, and at last the walls of the fort rose out of the gloom before thein. Just as the man began making his way over the cleared space that surrounded the fort, the morning light began steal- ing up over the dense swamp timber to the east, but still the two kept straight on, and at last they stood beneath the very walls of the fortification. The negro, for he had not as yet re- moved his artificial "complexion," was upon the point of raising his hand to his lips, probably togiveasignal, forthey had long since been seen from the fort, when a startled exclamation was forced to his lips by a hand being unexpectedly laid upon his arm. He turned quickly, then started back mechanically, for before him stood tiie form of Farm gut's scout. "You!" gasped the startled man. "Why, of course, my dear Pomp," w'as the quiet reply. "But what possessed you to run away from me in the manner you did, alter saving my life in that adroit manner, too?'' ' A puzzled expression settled upon the man's face as the two continued to gaze at each other. But the innocent expression upon the young scout's face never changed. "I might return the compliment by asking why you nearly choked tlie life out of me back there in the swamp.'' ]S FARRAGUT'S SCOUT. The voung scout had expected some- Tliiijg of this kind, so was not wholly un- prei>ared. He readily answered: "Well, I will tell you, Ponip; when I heard you speak of the old cabin, \Vhich, I have heard, is never -approached by any but Voodoo woi-shipers, and heard you say that the party approaching were from the old cabin, aud you being a negro, too, a strange idea assailed me that you had led me there to become the victim of those demons, and later, when the crowd came with kettle and snakes, 1 was more convinced of the fact than before. But after the prompt manner in which you saved me from their clutches, I can only ask you to pardop me for the unjust suspicions I have held against you. Will you do this?" In such an hoiiest tone was this spoken that the man was thrown completely off his guard. It was evident that he had not yet dis- covered the loss of the note containing the instructions from Red Cutlass, for a second agi^ement of peacej was soon patched up. Of course Ringlets could not tell whether his talehad made the desired impression upon. the other, for it was equally the interest of each to be at peace with the other for the time being; so, naturally, Argula would refrain from pressing his inquu'ies too closely, and thus aiarm the young man for no pur- pose. When Ringlets intiu)ated his intention of entering the fort \vith the other, Ar- gula at first demurred, with the danger for him in the undertaking as his excuse, but when the scout persisted the "ne- gro " at length gave in, and they moved forward. Ralph was perfectly at ease while thus putting his head into the jaws of the lion as it were, for he placed implicit confi- dence in the man's fidelity to the orders of his chief. And besides he hoped thus to mislead tliH other into tliinking that he was to- tally unsuspicious of him. So he followed his guide to one of the strongly-guarded entrances to the fort, and after a long whispered conversation between Argula and .one of the officers of tlie fort the two were passed within. Nothing of interest oeeurred within the fort for many days. The young scout picked up much val- uable information concerning the de- fences and strength of the fort, which he reduced to cipher, and waited for an opportunity to get his dispatch into Fed- eral hands outside. Thus matters stood when the momen- tous 18th of April, 1'862, the Hate cf the beginning of the bombardment of Forfc Jackson by Commander 'Porter's mortar flotilla, arrived. At an earl^' hour of that date, a man, evidently a ""swamper," was discovered hurrying toward the fort, almost at a run. No sooner was the man inside the walls than he was surrounded by a knot ox officers, precluding any possibility of hU: news becoming genei'al, should such r, thing be desirable. But one there was who heard ever/ word the man spoke. It was Farragufs seoat. And the man certainly bore startlin information. Farragufs fleet was getting into •posi tion just below the bend of the river, anc. the bombardmLent was sure to commen.e> in a short time. Hardly had the words left his lips wbe: there came a heavy report from the east followed by the piercing shriek of a shell, and the next moment a black objec whizzed past their heads and buried itself in the earthern barricade iu the center of the fort. A pause of one single instant, then r volcano of fire arose froju the spot, hurl- ing earth and stones for yards around, and the first Union shell had burst inside the Confederate sti'onghold. The next moment a strange event oo- curred. A man siprung into view from beneath a pile of rubbish close to where the group of officers was standing, and throwing' liis hat into the air he yelled: "Three Gheers for the red, white and blue. Hip! Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!" One instant the .gray-clad warriors around stood in horrified amazement at the sound of that true Union cheer, then they closed up silently, and Farragufs scout was a prisoner. ' Ten minutes later he was the lone in- mate of a small wooden cell with no.hope of escape, surrounded by enemies, and every moment expecting death at the hands of his own friends by the aid c their deadly bombs. CHAPTEK XI. THROUGH TTIKE AjS!» FliOOD. Young Ringgold could hardly have ei^ pected any other result to the vociferous elieer he had uttered than what had taken place; yet he had enjoyed the free- dom of the fort for so many days that he experienced something of a shock to find himself at this late day the lone inmate of a gUiir^ed gang will be up here to break the raft, and we ol to join an expedition against gulf smugglers; he had fought two duels, one with a wild young blade whom he had wounded and afterward established a lasting friendship with, and the other with a notorious^ desperado whom he had killed, and had Been complimented upon the exploit by the civil authorities, but no deed of the nature hinted at by the masked chief had he been cognizant of. Arrived at this point in his thoughts the young scout was interrupted by his captor v.ith: "Well, have you decided? Not that my time is pressing to any alarming ex- tent, but I feel a strange curiosity to know when you are to become an angel." "Then if you have so much time at your disposal, suppose you divide it with me a bit, and give me — say twenty-four hours in which to decide," and the in- trepid scout looked up as smilingly as though the answer did not mean life or death to him. The chief seemed to search the young man's face for some explanation to his strange demeanor, but after a moment he replied: • " Very well, your wish shall be granted! We will leave you alone until the ap- pointed time, that you may have eveiy opportunity of digesting the question in. hand; but remember one thing: the otily chance for you to escape is through this one door, and thatvwill every moment be guarded upon the outside by a well- armed man with orders to shoot you on sight." With this significant statement the four masks left the apartment, and the sharp click of the door behind them proved to the young scout that he whs a prisoner. Scarcely had the footsteps of his jailors become silent when tb^ scou^ was as FARRAGUT'S SCOUT. 25 busj' as his manacles would admit in taking an inventory of articles to be found within the cabin. But nothing of value to himself could be found. Next he turned his attention to the ingle window of the cabin, but he soon f iud it would afford no means of e^c ipe. .it last, wearied with the exertions of the night, he threw himself into a bunk and slept soundly for hours. And no wonder; for hardly had his regular breathing proclaimed that he was bound by the chains of Morpheus, than a tall form glided into the room, a tiny vial was tilted for a moment above his half-shut lips — and he slept on. When at last the young scout did open his eyes, it was to start to his feet with an amazed cry; for the very air was rocking and quaking with the boom of cannon, and the shriek of shells. Farra- gut was passing the forts! CHAPTER XV. RUIflfING THE GAUNTLET. April 24, 1862, at two o'clock in the morning, every vessel in the Union fleet began heaving up their anchors. In a little over an hour Farragut's entire fleet had successfully passed the forts in three divisioni--. It may be ^aid that tlie palm of victory was earned by Bailey'a division that night, for he swept everything before him, and at one time the gunners at Fort St. Philip, who had worked the n)ost damaf^ej to the Federal fleet, were driven from their posts by the double-shotted batteries of the Pensacola. For the full hour which had been con- sumed in running the gauntlet of the forts. Porter had kept his position under the guns of Jackson, and with what suc- cess is shown by the fact that in the very thickest cf the fight the Iroquois passed v?ithin one hundred and fiftj' feet of the fort without receiving a shot from its ruined batteries. Five regular war-craft of the enemy's fleet were still afloat above the forts, and with proper maneuvering they would be more than a match for his almost defence- less steamer . But the bold naval officer had pledged himself to the undertaking, and he re- solved to capture the forts or sink every plank under his command. With this end in view he next day sent an officer under a flag-of-truce to call on the commanding olficer at Fort Jackson to surrender the two forts and the re- mains of the Confederate fleet to the United States. The answer returned by General Dun- can was, that he must decline to surren- der until he had heard from New Or- leans. Within ten minutes after le.arning the Confederate general's decision. Porter had recommenced the bombardment of Fort Jackson, had sent six mortar schooners around the bar with orders to attack the fort in the rear, and on the 27th he began to land troops close to St. Philip. ■ This, the Confederate commander con- cluded, was carrying the thing too far, and at midnight of the 28th Duncan seiVt an officer aboard Porter's flag-ship, inti- mating liis readiness to capitulate. Next day Porter steamed up to Fort Jackson, with nine gun-boats, under flag-of-truce, and received the Confeder- ate officers on board the Harriet hfine. The Federal commander had already prepared terms of capitulation, but at the last moment a difficulty arose, by tj^e Confederates refusing to sign the surren- der of the fleet, affirming they had no authority over that portion of the force. After some discussion, Porter, who had secretly resolved to force the surrender of the gun-boats in a maiinpi- they would not like the mou)ent he gained control of the forts, waived the point, and the busi- ness of signing the terms of capitulation was resumed. Nearly all the Federal officers liad signed the paper, and Lieutenant Wain- right of the Harriet Lane was about to do so, when ayoungujan, one with whom we have met before, hurriedly entered the cabin. Saluting, he said, in a tone of sup- pressed excitement: " One moment, lieutenant." "What is it, Qnirknall?" "The ironclad Louisiana, is drifting down upon us and liable to blow up at any minute, as she is flaming from stem to stern." It was a terrible danger certainly, but Commander Porter never changed a muscle — simply pushed the paper over with a firm hand for the Confederates to sign, saying: "This is sharp practice, but we can stand it if you can." CHAPTER XVI. AN ESCAPE AND CAPTURE. And all thiough the thunder and crash of the fierce fight. Ringlets, with his face thrust into the small, round aperture that answered for a window to the cabin, watched the strange scene. • It must be remembered that the night 2« FARRAGUT'S SCOUT. was, although at first clear, now made aliiiost impenetrable to the sight by the clouds and niountains of smoke that rolled out froiu the combined Federal and Confederate batteries, uuiuberiug nearly three hundred and fifty guns, and only "relieved by the spiteful flashes of tiiecannon, andthe lurid and uncertain ]igl)t from the fire-rafts. Ic was a terrible, yet fascinating sight, antl one who never witnessed a battle with cannon can have but small concep- tion of the awful grandeur of the scene. To say that the scout longed for his liberty just then would be putting it mildly, and once when he saw the flag- officier's ship in flames on one side, and the terrible batteries of St. Philip being poured into her devoted hull from the other, he fairly tore at the casing of the dead-light with his bare hands in his eagerness to be present at the fight. The schooner upon which he was held captive had been run into a tiny back- set above the forts, and there lay unmo- lested in the darkness all through the fight. Upon two different occasions Federal vessels had passed within hailing dis- tance of him, but shout as loudly as he might, no notice was taken of him or the half-concealed craft of which he was the occupant. He wondered where his jailers could be. He had seen nothing of them since the moment they had left him alone to count the moments he had to live, and he little thought he had been lying in a deep drugged sleep for nearly three days and nights. The young scout watched the fight until the last shot had been fired by the third division of the line, then gave vent 1o his feelings by a ringing whoop of satis faction, and was about to follow it with a true Union cheer, when the cabin door was flung open precipitately, ami a rough voice demanded: " Here, what is tliis infernal racket for? One more yell like that and you will be food for the fislies." Ringlets wheeled quickly and stood fact:" to face witli the masked chief. It was plainly evident that the ex-cor- sair, if such he really was, was in an uglj' frame of mind; but not in the least daunteti by the threat, the scout prompt- ly returned: , "So you have got tired of noise, eh? Well, I had an idea that Farragut would give you enough of it when he com- menced." " To Hades with Farragut and all his imps!" "Oh, no; only to New Orleans— and there is where he will be before night, and in possession of the city." " He hasn't passed Chalmette yet, and before he runs those batteries he'll wish he was outside of Pilot Town. But enough of this. Here is food — eat, for it will in all likelihood be your last meal," and motioning to the tray he had placed upon a small table, the chief turned upon his heel, and left the cabin. ' The scout was almost famished, strangely he thought, not knowing that it was d;iys instead of hour.s since he had broken fast. But instead of proceeding to devour the substantial repast before him, the young man picked up the knife accom- panying it, and proceeded to make a careful examination of the food. He could scarcelj' resist carrying the particles of food to his mouth as he picked them up and examined them with the greatest care. And soon he was rewarded for his trouble and perseverance. Before he had examined a single mouthful of the food, he came upon a tiny particle of some substance resem- bling crystal. From the words and manner of the masked chief he had suspicioned that there was a plot on foot to destroy him at once. And now he was positive that such was the fact, for he recognized in the crystal a particle of strychnine. Without doubt his enemies were at work with a vengeance. Suddenly, as he sat gazing at the deady atom upon the point of the heavy knife, a thought flashed across his mind that at once filled him \yith hope. If the wide casing of the cabin dead- light were removed, he could easily force his way through the aperture and escape. And with the stout blade before him, he believed he could accomplish the task. At once he set about the work, and in less than an hour the eight-inch casing was removed and his way was clear for escape. True, he must swim some twelve feet with his hands confined in front of him to reach the bushy bank, but he felt con- fident he could do it. Pushing the table beneath the window he mounted it, and thrust his feet through the opening with considerable difficulty. But nothing daunted he kept on, ana though at every moment expecting to hear the crack of a musket, and feel f^)** sting of a bullet, he was soon hanging outside th.e window. FARRAGUT'S SCOUT. 27 Jus't as the scout was prepared to drop into the muddy current surging beneath l)iui, he detected the rush of a bout near him, and the next moment he felt him- self seized about the waist, while a strangely familiar voice breathed close to his ear: "Dot ish rij^hdt, mine schild; schust let K*-> your holdt^und your oldt unkle v]ll dake gare ouf you." So amazed was the youth at the sound of that voice that he could not have sus- tui:;ed his hold had he so wished. And lie was still almost beyond the capabilit}' of speech when he found him- self seated upon tbe stern-thwart of a small skiff, face to face with the speaker — Sheeny, the Jew money-lender. The Jew seized a pair of oars, and sent the skili" swiftly/ on up the narrow bayou, in tlie mouth of which was anchored Red Cutlass' schooner. "Youvas surbrised do see your oldt unkle here, und in such a dimes, liein?" questioned the old Jew, as the skiff shot round a turn in the sluggish bayou, and passed from sight of the schooner. "Yell, 1 dells you how she happens purty quvick," he went on, without waiting for a reply, but bringing the skiff to astand- .>till in midsti-eam. "You see I vas al mo;^t vorried to det apoudt dot misunder- schiiiding vich ogurred dere on poard der Cray Gull dot night." "So that is what you call a misunder >tanding, ehV" the scout managed to find voi-e to ask. "Yaw, dot vas vone sadt misdakes dot you made dot night. Vy, you couldt nodt haf drust your oldt unkle more as dot, mine sons? Haf I nodt ledt you haf uioiii.sh by der hundrets ouf toUars mit- Diuir .^egurities ven you vos Iiardt oup? Uudt afder dot to you sub«.iose dot I vill liaf haruul you or der simble Devon? Nefn, mine schild, nein. 1 vos efer vork- iiig tor your goodt, as I gan easilj' sadisfj'^ you." "Glad to hear it, old man, and the quicker you do it the quicker I shall ask your pardon for leaving the Gray Gull so unceremoniously that night," replied the scout ill a doubting tone. "Ah, mine schild, 1 see dot you vos nodt pelieves me. put I vill prove dot 1 am your friendt." "All right I am listening with both ears. " " Veil, in de verst blaee, vot you dinks I v^os gedt vou uudt Devon apoard ther Gray Gull "for?" "lam impressed with tlie idefi tliat you did it just for a kind of little joke." "Y'ou vos facetious, mine schild; put I dells you: It vos do keep you oudt ouf Jer power ouf Red Cudlass, der birate." Ringlets could not resist a start of sur- prise, but before he could speak the Jew resumed: " All dis I sliould haf dole you, if you hadt uudt kigdt oop sueli a row; for I know der whole .sdory ouft your mud- der's life, and lier lation do Red Cudlass." " Y'ou know that? Then tell " "Batience, mine sons, batience. I gets do dot dii-ecktly. Now, lisden. Red Cudlass is der chief ouf a bowerful bandt ouf oudlaws and smugglers, most ouf whom are der remains ouf his oldt birate crew. He has sware «io haf de millions dot your fader left, und to dot end he has been plotting for do years. Adt vone ditne 1 vas an innocent accessory do his scheme, budt disgovering dot he vas dryin' do vork der ruin ouf der fader ouf my friendt und best gustomer I left him. Now, I liaf discover der identity ouf der man Red Cudlass, und know all his blaus. I haf been on his drail since you left me, for 1 knew he vould find you, and now I vill dakes you righdt off do a blace ouf safety, und help you pring liim do justice on one gondition." "And what is that ?" " I dells you. Monish is my god, und I lif only for dat. Make your vill in my favor, so dot if any dings happen do you I vill get der Ringgoldt millions, undt I swear do help pring your fader's mur- derers to der gallows."' A cold chill crept up the young scout's back. He siiw through the whole diabolical plot in an instant. With his will made in the Jev/'s favor, lie woidd at once be Ivuocked into the river; but he wondered tliat they had attempted working such a transparent trick. The skiff was being slowly worked to- ward the bushy shore by the Jew, but Ringlets noticedit not. "Veil, vot you do aboudt it?" "ThisI" cried the scout, as he sprung to his feet and gave the old money-lender a vicious kick in the stomacli. But befv^ie he could follow up his ad- vantage by escaping, a half-dozen cloaked and masked figures sprung from con- cealment in the bush on shore, and be- gan raining upon him blow after blow with short bludgeons. The last he I'emembered was liearing in tlie hPvrsh tones of Red Cutlass a com- mand to the men to spare his hfe. Then hp became unconscious. When next the scout opened liis eyes he bailed to recognize his surroundings. He seemed to be afloat, yet tiiere was no sound of working machinery, or lap of 28 FARRAGUT'S SCOUT. a current, though the apartment he was in seemed filled with an intense heat. Tlien a new sound struck his liearing. It was the sound of crackhng flames. He sprung to his feet in alarm, only to cry aloud with pain, for it seemed that every bone in his body was broken. And now, by a faint glow which per- meated the place, he recognized the fact that he was aboard a warship of some kind. A sliding door near attracted his at- tention, and reaching it with difficulty he opened it and glanced tl) rough. And such a sight as met his gaze. A perfect sea of fire! and beyond — but a few rods down stream — the anchored flotilla of Admiral Porter. And what was that? Just beyond the line of fire a powder keg — two— three of them, piled one upon another. In an instant he realized the situation. It seemed that a merciful Providence had wakened him for the sole purpose of saving the Federal fleet. A rope lay near. Gathering it into a coil, he swung his stiffened arms for a moment to and fro, then sent the line whirling at the casks. It settled over them. A porthole was near; with all the force he could summon the scout sprung through it, carrying an end of the rope with him. AVhat followed we have seen in chapter fifteen. A terrible explosion followed, and the Confederate iron-clad Louisiana was a thing to be dreaded no moie. Ringlets felt an awful shock — it seemed as thougli years had passed, then an arm was thrown about him, and he saw Quirknall bending over him — and he knew no more. CHAPTER XVII. THE SPY. After running the gauntlet of the forts, with a casualty of only thirty-five killed and one iiundred and twenty-eight wounded, Farragut pushed on up the river, reduced the heavy Chalmette bat- teries witn but- little trouble, glided slowly, silently around Slaughter-house Point, and with leveled batteries an- chored before New Orleans. And what a scene here met the ej'es of the battle-scarred veterans of the Union fl-eet! The wharves and levees one mass of flame; and beyond, a dense mob of shout- ing, jeering Creole fanaticsmingling with the whole rifl-raflf of the great Southern city. No order or discipline was attempted by the enraged mob, for already hnd the handsome, dashing Major-Gener;il L')vell withdrawn from the city, leaving it again under civil law. But notwithstanding the mad crowds that swarmed the river front, early in the afternoon two officers landed upon the ruined levee, and with the howling mob at their heels marched vvith perfect step, and with eyes looking sti'aight ahead, to the city hall to demarid the town's sur- render. The two officers who accomplished this desperate and perilous task were Captain — afterward rear-admiral — Theodorus Bailey, of Farragut's first division of gun boats, and Lieutenant George Perkins, U. S. N. Both naval and military authorities have declared it one of the most daring exploits in the annals of the campaign. Later, theflagof Louisiana was lowered from the city hall flag-staff, but not by^ Southern hands. An officer from the fleet did that, guarded by a body of marines with fixed bayonets, and with a brace of howitzers trained upon the crowd. But other scenes must now claim our attention. As Captain Bell, U. S. N., with the Confederate flag under his arm and the howitzers rumbling along at his heels, marched stilfiy down the street, a heavi- ly-built, foreign-appearing man with huge mustache, cloak and low-drawn cocked hat, who had stood an interested but silent spectator to the scene, begun to elbow his way out of the shouting crowd, moving toward the lower quarters of the city. He had just managed to escape from the crush when he detected a slight, girlish figure stealing along the opposite side of Uie street with, as he imagined, an attempt to elude his notice. In a mou}ent she had disappeared' around a neighboring corner. With a nod of satisfaction the foreigner muttered: "'Tis she, by St. Jago! Now for a. little transformation, and to see if she can again elude El Moreau, the spy of Paris.'' Before the words were scarcely out of his mouth, the spy, by a dozen deft motions, had doffed the close-fitting jacket he wore, turning it inside out and again donning it — an apparently totally different garment — had pulled up the cunningly-folded tops of his gaiters until they resembled a pair of close-fitting cavalry boots, and had manipulated his cocked hat into a sombrero of rather battered appearance. Evidently the self-confessed spy was well prepared for an emergency of this kind. FARRAGUT'S SCOUT. 29 As he turned the corner he discovered the young girl speeding swiftly down the street some little distance in advance; but confident in his deep disguise he hurried after her. The young girl looked back directly, but failing to recognize in the rakish- looking figure in her wake any she had ever before seen, she breathed a sigh of thankfulness, muttering: "Ah! Santa Maria be thanked; he did not see nie and I have escaped his espion- age once more. Who can he be, with his tierce black ej'es, and his tireless at- tempts to follow me to my home?" At this moment the Spanish girl had reached her destination, a dilapidated wooden structure, cut off from the neigh- boring buildings by a narrow ally upon either side. Mounting the low, wooden stoop of the house, the girl entered without ringing, just as the spy rounded the near corner. As the girl disappeared from his view the man muttered, almost fiercely: "Fool! Fool that I have been to be again afid again tricked by this little wench in this transparent manner! Here I have been keeping uninterrupted watch upon those alleys for weeks, and I dare say the girl never so much as en- tered either of them; or if she did it was to gain access to the house by the base- ment. Ha! A good idea. I will enter by the basement also." Suiting the action to the word, the spy sprung hurriedly to the basement door (which is ever built above ground in the Crescent City), and was soon inside the house. In the meantime the young girl had changed her outer clothing, for it had been raining outside, and had entered a small, plain room containing a single occupant. ^ This was a gray-haired and withered old man, and unmistakably a Spaniard. When the young girl entered the apartment she sprung to the old man's chair, and sinking upon her knees, she cried in Spanish: "Oh, uncle, uncle, what is to become of us?" " What has happened, my child, to ex- cite you so?" asked the gray-beard, without lifting his withered hands from his lap, for he was a hopeless paralytic. " Has the man attempted to follow you again?" "Oh, no, not that; but the war-ships of the fierce Noi-therners are anchored before the city, and the terrible blue-clad men are all over the town. Do you sup- pose they will kill us all, uncle?" The old man bareU' repressed a smile. "Fear nothing, my child; j-ou have only heard of these Northern soldiers from the lips of the fanatics around us; and instead of being the bloodthirsty des- peradoes you have been taught to be- lieve, the boys in blue have the kindest hearts of any soldiers in the world, though they fight like demons when in the heat of battle. We shall not be molested, caro mio! But you say you did not see the man?" "Yes, I saw him, but hurried past upon the other side of the way, and so escaped his glances." " It is well. For if, as I firmly believe he^is, a spy in Gascon's employ, and should learn our abiding-place we shall be undone." "But tell me, who is Gascon? You promised soon to tell me." The old man seenltd to be thinking deeply for some moments, and finally he replied: "Perhaps it would be better to tell you all, my child, though I hoped to keep the shadow from your life forever. But the spy has evidentlj' recognized in you one of the Campia blood, from the strong family likeness you bear, so I will put you upon your guard. Now for the story: You must know, my child, that I am the eldest of three brothers, Cubans by birth, and bearing the name and title of Campia. We were known as Bertano, Moreau, and Gascon — — "' "Ah! Then " "Yes, Gascon was the youngest; a wild, fierce lad from his youth up, and for killing a high Spanish official over a game of cards, he was forced to fly the country and become a pirate. By virtue of our oflBcial capacities your uncle Moreau and I were forced to attempt the capture of our outlawed brother, and learning the fact, Gascon swore to be revenged upon us. A year later my young child, a daughter, was stolen— by Gascon. A few months later I was shot from my horse in one of the desperate quarters of Havana — by Gascon. Then brother Moreau was convicted of treason through a diabolical plot hatched by Gascon. And Gascon was — Retl Cutlass, the Corsair. Moreau escaped to a foreign country, leaving you, his infant daughter in my care, and he is now " " Here!" uttered a deep voice behind them at that instant. CHAPTER XVIII. THE spy's story. Tne old man struggled desperately to rise, but his unnatural brother's shot, long ago, had ujade him helpless, and he sunk back CAhausted. 20 FARRAGUT'S SCOUT. But with a low cry of fear the young o-irl, Arta, sprmif? to her feet, jrasping: ••Oh, heavenJ 'Tis he— the nian!" Aik) then she gave rent to a terrified sliriek as the spy sprung forvvaid and ^'rasped her tightly in his arms. And tlien a strange event occurred. Tlie tiery otd Spaniard, Bertano, but a nioiaent before a iielpless paralytic, sud- denly leaped to his feet, and with an almost inarticu-late cry. of joy tottered forward and clasped both the stranger and Tlie young girl in his withered arms. '•Moreau! Moreau! It is Moi-eau at last! It is your father, child. Do'you not recognize him by instinct, if not by .sight?" cried the ofd man. now almost povverless again with an overpowering emotion. But insomuch as, in his wild and unex- pected rush, the old man had jammed the stranger's hat completely over his face, it is doubtful if the spy's best friend could iiave recognized him, juuch less the startled girl who had never seen him ex- cept at a distance. And then explanations were the order of the hour; for, when the spy had re- moved the drooping hat, and had thrown back the disguising folds of the cloak, disclosing his handsome dark face tliat almost gave the lie to the cold, hard eyes a|)ove, the young girl utterly forgot her former prejudices, and clung fondly to his neck wliile he recounted the story of his life. " You are a mascot, Moreau, a mascot. For see, I can walk again as of yore," cried the old man, again leaving his cliair, and taking two or three turns, though with tottering steps, across the Hoor. "But there! Speak, for I am dy- ing to hear where j'ou have been and how you came to finil us." " It is more easy to tell the storj' of my life since 1 left Cuba, thaii it has been to live it," replied the sp\', but in a glad tone, as he drew his new-found daughter closer upon his lap. "When I escaped from the Spanish authorities, witli your help, I made direct for France, where, by a quick succession of lucky strokes, I was elevated to a high standing in the Paris detective-poli.oe. force. It was at this time, and some ten years ago, that Parisian society was shocked with the discovery that one of its most noted members, the Count of Bella Ponta, a Spanish grandee, was a fraud, a cheat, and a swindler, and that he had disap- peared with live hundred thousand francs of government funds. The case was laid before our department, ai'd an investigation of the man's pedigree was instituted. At the time I was out of the city, but being quickly recalled to direct the hunt, what was my amazement upon beholding the photograph of the great criminal to recognize in him none other than Gascon, once known upon the Spanish- Main as Red Cutlass, the Corsair. Without making known my startling discovery to my confreres, 1 obtained authority to prosecute the search for the criminal alone and in my own way, and I am upon the trail j'et." " Then he has escaped you?" "Yes, many times, when I all but had my hand upon him; but now I have him 'on the hip,' as the Americans say." " Then yon know his whereabouts?" questioned the interested Bertano. "I do; but that is not the best of the facts I have established. I have learned the fate of your drtughter." The old man bowed his face in his hands and almost inaudibly whispered: " He killed her?" " Yes and no," replied the sp}\ " She died, although she left a son behind." " Where is this son? Who is he? What is his name?" demanded old. Bertano excitedly. " I know not his whereabouts just at present, but he is known as Ringlets, or more proi>erly Ralph Ringgold." At this name both the spy's auditors uttered cries of amazement. CHAPTER XIX. THE LAST OP THE BRAND. In his little dingy ofBce on Tchoupitou- las Street (once teeming with the life of speculation, but now all but deserted), at a high desk, sat Sheeny, the Jew money- lender. A dozen or so papers lay scattered out before him. PicJving up one he began studying it carefully. "■Good! Excellent! It could be no bet- ter! Tlie first will made by his father particularly directs that I shall hold the Ringgold millions in trust until satisfied that the lad is competent to manage them. So far, so good. And now comes a.nother will, which my men cai)tured at the same time they captured the fool, Devon, which directs that the entire fortune go to the lail unconditionally. But this latter will will be ashes in a few moments." He held the paper toward a candle that burned close to the window by which his desk stood, to carry out his sugges- tion. But that is as far as he got. Just as the paper was about to meet the flame, the crack of a pistol came from the street, a crash of glass followed, PARRAGUTS SCOUT. 51 and the candle, sttindiug within a foot of the old money-iender'» head, was extin- guished. At the same instant a naan rushed into the office, crying: ".Are you hurt,, sir? Did the villain's bullet hit you?" But receiving no answer to his call, the stranger quickly relighted the candle l^vliich had been so neatl}- snuffed by tl)e luikuown pistolist, and held it up to ex- .-nrine the Jew's face, at the aame time deitly possessing himself of* the partly scorched "last will." The moment the light was reproduced the Jew seemed to rally from his bewil- derment, for he sprung from his seat and began searching eagerlj- for some object upon the desk or floor. " What have you lost, sir? Or has the assassin's bullet driven you crazy?" de- manded the stranger. " The paper, the paper! "Where could it have gone? I had it but a moment ago-' " " Is this it?" quietly interpolated the other, holding up a document to the Jew's startled gaze. "Yes, yea! It ^is the identical paper. G^ive it up at once!" and he made a frantic attempt to snatch the paper from the stranger's hands. But he made a terrible failure. For as his two hands were extended to grasp the sheet, it disappeared as if by magic, there followed a siuirp click, and the old Jew found himself a prisoner. "What does this mean?" he stormed wildly, totally forgetful of his Jewish dialect. "What do — oh, heavens, is it you?" The Jew fell back ijanting for breath, and with bulging eyes; for, to his horror the stranger had suddenly jerked from his face a heavy black beard, and the Jew almost screamed: "Horeau! You, and here alive." "No thanks to you, Gascon di Campia, alias Red Cutlass, alias Count of Bella Ponta, ahas Sheen}', the Jew money- lender, alias Captain Black Jack, the Smuggler, and only your master, Satan, knows what else you are alias of. But enough that you are discovered. Here, take this pistol. It is loaded. I will now pass outside; and I give j'ou just one minute in which to cheat the hang- man, and save the name of Campia from further tarnish, ' and as he spoke the spy laid a pistol upon the desk and passed from the oflBce. As the spy reached the street he dis- covered close at hand, and moving at a quick march, a small squad of marines. led bv a youthful figure, clad in a blue uniform, and surrounding a dozen rough, defiant-looking fellows that were chained together. As the squTMlcame in frontof the Jew's office, the youug leader uttered a sudden cry, and threw himself against the closed door, for there had rung out upon tlie night air from behind that door the crack of a pistol. Inside was discovered the Jew, or rather Red Cutlass, with his artificial Jewish face flung aside, lying stretched upon the floor, with a bullet in his brain — dead. ^ "Foiled!" cried Ringlets, excitedlj', as this scene met his gaze. " It is better so," returned the spy, ad- vancing. " But follow me and I will ex- plain." Without a word Ringlets followed the stranger to a house he had often before visited. It need scarcely be said that it was the house of Bertano Campia, the Cuban; and we will only add by way of explana- tion that young Ringgold and the beautiful Arta had been lovers for nearly two years, with old Bertano's consent, never suspecting they were related. The whole story as contained in these pages was again told, and for the first time Ralph was made acquainted with the mystery of his mothers hfe. But a few words will suffice to complete this tale, Devon was found', ai prisoner on, the Guiy Gull, and released". The gang we have seen under guard of the marines, each of whom had the brand of Red Cutlass upon his arm, had been captured by Ringlets, through Argula, whom he caught and forced to betray his companions. They were executed for piracy. The officers of the Loui.^iana were taken prisoners to Fort Warren, Boston, but when the whole story of the ex-pirate came out they were treated ^s ordinary prisoners of war. The F-eneh government was reim- bursed for the stolen fuiids, but Paris lost her most cunning spy. Ringlets was with Farragut through the whole operations of the "^Vestern flotilla, and mj- only regret is that there is not space here to recount his thrilling ad- ventures before Vicksburg. After the war he returned to the Ci'escent City to claim his inheritance; and to-day, with the beautiful Spanish girl as his wife, he is one of the mo^t popular millionaire residents of iue Golden State. THE END. THE GEM LIBRARY Contains the best stories that can be procured. It is Original; full of Thrill- ing Adventures and Stirring Scenes. It contains Detective Stories, War Stories, Frontier Stories, Indian Stories — all by the best American authors. EVERY BOOK IS OOJVIFEETE. CA-T^LOGTJE. , , . . EARLE LYKDON, THE SHADOW ; or, Trailing the King of the Smugglers. By Beau Brocade. . . . THE SILENT AVENGER ; or, The Fate of the Crooked Nine. By M. Y. Hand. .... JERRY, THE WEASEL ; or. The Boy Spy's Mission. By Louis Bernard. . . COOL NED, THE CYCLONE ; or, ^The Road Agent's Doom. By Ned Buntling. HUMAN WOLVES : or. The Boy Ventriloquist. By Major Downing. .... THE TWINS' STliUGGLES ; or. On the Roatl to Fortune. By Lieutenant Atkinson. THE CREOLE'S TREACHERY; or, Titus the Scout's Faithful Servant. By T. P. Johnson. RICK, THE WAIF ; or. The Young Fisherboy Sleuth-hound. By T. P. James. ' BURT, THE HERO ; or, Adventures of a Plucky Boy. By James Franklin Fife. .... CAVALRY CURT ; or, The Wizard of the Army. By G. Waldo Browne. .... SAM, THE WHARF-RAT ; or. Outwitted by a Boy. By Louis Bernard. LARKE, THE LAWYER SHADOW ; or, The Haunted Ranch on the Prairie. By Beau Brocade. .... GIANT PETE, THE TRAILER ; or, Saved by a Miracle. By Colonel Zuri. UNDER TWO FLAGS ; or, His Life for His Honor. A sequel to " Cavalry Curt." By ,i.- G. Waldo Browne. : ::l . . MOLL, THE TIGRESS ; or, Foiled by a Boy Detective. By Maior A. F. Grant. •::.. TED, THE BANTAM DETECTIVE ; or, Downing the Sharpers. By George B. Lee. .... DICK, T iiE BOY ENGINEER ; or. On the Right Track. By W. A. Hick^on. .... THROUGH THE EARTH ; or. Mystery of an Unknown World. By Carl C. Buflum. .... ROSS, THE MIDDY ; or. The Secret of the Cliff. By Mark Frobisher. .... STEEL GRIP, THE IN^^INCIBLE ; or. Two of the Finest. By Ned Buntling. ,... DICK DANFORTH, the LoyJl Scout of Tennessee. By Major A. F. Grant. .... MISSOURI BILL'S TRUST ; or, The Young Reporter of 'Frisco. By T. P. James. .... CAPTAIN JACK, THE UNION SPY ; or, la Vicksburg and Out. By Harold T. Gray. .... SHARP HART IN ST. LOUIS; or, Playing for Big Stakes. By Major Walter Downing. GEN. DIXON'S BOY AIDE ; or, Ned Tr inker in the Army. By Lieut. W. Atkinson. .... MARK LEMON, THE YOUNG ENGINEER ; or. True Yankee Grit. By T. P. James. .... I'ARRAGUT'S SCOUT RINGLETS ; or. The Brand of the Mississippi. By Cal De Castro. .... HARVEY DAYRE, THE SPY ; or, Tracked for His Life. By Major A. F. Grant. .. . . . AT BAY IN A CAVERN ; or. After Big Game. By Lieut. W. H. Atkinson. BRUCE HARDY ON DECK ; or, A Hero for Uncle Sam. By Morris Redwing. LIEUT. GEORGE TRELLEN; or, A Tricky Union Boy. By George B. Wilson. .... THE GUNBOAT BOYS ; or, Harry and Artie Among the Guerrillas. By Arthur Rankin. .... CRAFTY JACK HARPER ; or, A Scout That Is a Scout. By T. P. James. .... SLIPPERY MILT, THE SCOUT ; or, Running the Gauntlet of Island No. 10. By Lieut. Henrj'^ Downs. .... WALTER COLLIER'S PLUCK ; or, Down the Mississippi in a Yacht. By W. H. Atkinson. We will send, postage paid, any of the above books on receipt of 5 cQnts each. ■ The complete set — 35 titles m all — will be sent, postage paid, for 60 bents. Do not neglect this chance to get thirty-five splendid stories for such a smifil sum. HAI^TZ & OltA^i-, Box 40^^, IVew ^STork, ]>J.Y.