Gascoyne, The Sandal-Wood Trader: A Tale of the Pacific - R. M. Ballantyne

CONTENTS.

[CONTENTS.]
[CHAPTER I.
The Schooner]
[CHAPTER II
Bumpus is Fiery and Philosophical—Murderous Designs Frustrated]
[CHAPTER III.
A Rough Walk Enlivened by Rambling Talk—Bumpus is "Agreeable"]
[CHAPTER IV.
The Missionary—Suspicions, Surprises, and Surmises]
[CHAPTER V.
The Pastor's Household—Preparations for War]
[CHAPTER VI.
Suspicions Allayed and Reawakened]
[CHAPTER VII.
Master Corrie Caught Napping—Snakes in the Grass]
[CHAPTER VIII.
A Surprise—A Battle and a Fire]
[CHAPTER IX.
Baffled and Perplexed—Plans for a Rescue]
[CHAPTER X.
The Pursuit—Poopy, Led on by Love and Hate, Rushes to the Rescue]
[CHAPTER XI.
A Ghost—A Terrible Combat Ending in a Dreadful Plunge]
[CHAPTER XII.
Dangerous Navigation and Doubtful Pilotage—Montague is Hot, Gascoyne Sarcastic]
[CHAPTER XIII.
Doings on Board the "Foam"]
[CHAPTER XIV.
Greater Mysteries than Ever—A Bold Move and Clever Escape]
[CHAPTER XV.
Remarkable Doings of Poopy—Extraordinary Case of Resuscitation]
[CHAPTER XVI.
A Wild Chase—Hope, Disappointment, and Despair—The Sandal-wood Trader Outwits the Man-of-War]
[CHAPTER XVII.
The Escape]
[CHAPTER XVIII.
The Goat's Pass—An Attack, a Bloodless Victory, and a Sermon]
[CHAPTER XIX.
Sorrow and Sympathy—The Widow Becomes a Pleader, and her Son Engages In Single Combat]
[CHAPTER XX.
Mysterious Consultations and Plans—Gascoyne Astonishes his Friends, and makes an Unexpected Confession]
[CHAPTER XXI.
A Terrible Doom for an Innocent Man]
[CHAPTER XXII.
The Rendezvous—An Episode—Peculiar Circumstances, and other Matters]
[CHAPTER XXIII.
Plans Partially Carried out—The Cutter's Fate, and a Serious Misfortune]
[CHAPTER XXIV.
An Unexpected Meeting—Doings on the Isle of Palms—Gascoyne's Despair]
[CHAPTER XXV.
Surly Dick—The Rescue]
[CHAPTER XXVI.
The Capture and the Fire]
[CHAPTER XXVII.
Pleading for Life]
[CHAPTER XXVIII.
A Peculiar Confidant—More Difficulties, and Various Plans to Overcome Them]
[CHAPTER XXIX.
Bumpus is Perplexed—Mysterious Communings, and a Curious Leave-taking]
[CHAPTER XXX.
More Leave-Taking—Deep Designs—Bumpus in a New Capacity]
[CHAPTER XXXI.
The Ambush—The Escape—Retributive Justice—And Conclusion]
[A.L. Burt's Catalogue of Books for Young People by Popular Writers]

GASCOYNE,

THE SANDAL-WOOD TRADER.

CHAPTER I.

THE SCHOONER.

The great Pacific is the scene of our story. On a beautiful morning, many years ago, a little schooner might have been seen floating, light and graceful as a seamew, on the breast of the slumbering ocean. She was one of those low, black-hulled vessels, with raking, taper masts, trimly-cut sails, and elegant form, which we are accustomed to associate with the idea of a yacht or a pirate.

She might have been the former, as far as appearance went; for the sails and deck were white as snow, and every portion of brass and copper above her water-line shone in the hot sun with dazzling brilliancy. But pleasure-seekers were not wont, in those days, to take such distant flights, or to venture into such dangerous seas,—dangerous alike from the savage character of the islanders, and the numerous coral reefs that lie hidden a few feet below the surface of the waves.