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Updated: May 18, 2025
Oh! it was a terrible picture to be presented thus suddenly to the gaze of a loving son. "Stay where you are, Ebony. I must meet him alone," whispered Orlando. Then, hastening forward with outstretched arms, he exclaimed "Father!" Instantly Zeppa let go his supposed enemy and turned round. The change in his aspect was as wonderful as it was sudden.
He did not even ask Wapoota what had become of him. At this time a new idea occurred to Wapoota, who had been ordered by his chief to induce Zeppa to visit the native village. It struck him that as he had been led, so he might lead.
Zeppa became submissive like a child, while the jester, taking him by the hand, ran with him at racing speed in the direction of the Raturan villages, towards which the child and her mother were being led by the party which had captured them. This was briefly explained to Zeppa by Wapoota, who had chanced to encounter the party when returning from his yelling mission, if we may so express it.
That worthy was seated on a low couch constructed specially for him by Ebony. He was busy reading. "Welcome, friends all," he said, with a look of surprise at the deputation-like visit. "We have come to present you with a little gift, Rosco," said Zeppa, unrolling the bundle and holding up to view a couple of curious machines.
He reached the edge of the swamp-land, and dashed into its dark recesses. He had barely entered it a few yards when he plunged into water up to the neck. The heavy root of a tree chanced to hang over him. Drawing himself close beneath it, he remained quite still. It was his best indeed his only chance. Next moment Zeppa plunged headlong into another part of the same half-hidden pool.
A few days after the discovery of Zeppa by his son, a trading vessel chanced to touch at the island, the captain of which no sooner saw the British man-of-war than he lowered his gig, went aboard in a state of great excitement, and told how that, just two days before, he had been chased by a pirate in latitude so-and-so and longitude something else!
Zeppa strove to wrench it from his grasp, but the pirate felt that his life might depend on his retaining hold, and, in his extremity, was endued with almost supernatural strength. In the fierce struggles that ensued, the embers of the fire were scattered, and the spot reduced to almost total darkness.
It seemed as if the cry had called Zeppa from the world of spirits to which Rosco believed he had fled for a few minutes afterwards the madman approached his mountain-home, with the blood still boiling in his veins. Apparently he had forgotten all about the pirate, for he was startled on beholding him. "What! still there? I thought I had killed you." "I wish you had, Zeppa.
"I cannot get up, Zeppa," replied the pirate in a faint voice. "Don't you see my feet are burnt? God help me!" He ended with a deep groan, and the ferocity at once left Zeppa's countenance, but the wild light did not leave his eyes, nor did he become less excited in his actions. "Come, I will carry you," he said.
Disliking publicity after this fashion, the thief fled, purposing to abide in the mountains until his chief's wrath should have evaporated. Rambling one day in his mountain refuge, the dishonest savage turned a jutting point of rock, and suddenly stood face to face with Zeppa. His jaw dropped, his eyes glared, his knees smote together, and lemon-yellow took the place of brown-ochre on his cheeks.
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