The Jolly Roger Tales: 60+ Pirate Novels, Treasure-Hunt Tales & Sea Adventures. Лаймен Фрэнк Баум

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СКАЧАТЬ of running into the shoal-water, which was his only safety,” said Cleveland — ” The fool! the dotard! the drivelling, drunken idiot! — he will get his flip hot enough; for yon is the Halcyon — See, she hoists her colours and fires a broadside 1 and there will soon be an end of the Fortunes Favourite! I only hope they will fight her to the last plank. The Boatswain used to be staunch enough, and so is Goffe, though an incarnate demon. — Now she shoots away, with all the sail she can spread, and that shows some sense.”

      “Up goes the Jolly Hodge, the old black flag, with the death’s head and hour-glass, and that shows some spunk,” added his comrade.

      “The hour-glass is turned for us, Jack, for this bout — our sand is running fast. — Fire away yet, my roving lads! The deep sea or the blue sky, rather than a rope and a yard-arm!”

      There was a moment of anxious and dead silence; the sloop, though hard pressed, maintaining still a running fight, and the frigate continuing in full chase, but scarce returning a shot. At length the vessels neared each other, so as to show that the man-of-war intended to board the sloop, instead of sinking her, probably to secure the plunder which might be in the pirate vessel.

      “Now, Goffe — now, Boatswain!” exclaimed Cleveland, in an ecstasy of impatience, and as if they could have heard his commands, “ stand by sheets and tacks — rake her with a broadside, when you are under her bows, then about ship, and go off on the other tack like a wildgoose. The sails shiver — the helm’s a-lee — Ah! — deep-sea sink the lubbers! — they miss stays, and the frigate runs them aboard!”

      Accordingly, the various manoeuvres of the chase had brought them so near, that Cleveland, with his spyglass, could see the man-of-war’s-men boarding by the yards and bowsprit, in irresistible numbers, their naked cutlasses flashing in the sun, when, at that critical moment, both ships were enveloped in a cloud of thick black smoke, which suddenly arose on board the captured pirate.

      “Exeunt omnes I “ said Bunce, with clasped hands.

      “There went the Fortune’s Favourite, ship and crew!” said Cleveland, at the same instant.

      But the smoke immediately clearing away, showed that the damage had only been partial, and that, from want of a sufficient quantity of powder, the pirates had failed in their desperate attempt to blow up their vessel with the Halcyon.

      Shortly after the action was over, Captain Weatherport of the Halcyon sent an officer and a party of marines to the House of Stennis, to demand from the little garrison the pirate seamen who were their prisoners, and, in particular, Cleveland and Bunce, who acted as Captain and Lieutenant of the gang.

      This was a demand which was not to be resisted, though Magnus Troil could have wished sincerely that the roof under which he lived had been allowed as an asylum at least to Cleveland. But the officer’s orders were peremptory; and he added, it was Captain Weatherport’s intention to land the other prisoners, and send the whoie, with a sufficient escort, across the island to Kirkwall, in order to undergo an examination there before the civil authorities, previous to their being sent off to London for trial at the High Court of Admiralty. Magnus could therefore only intercede for good usage to Cleveland, and that he might not be stripped or plundered, which the officer, struck by his good mien, and compassionating his situation, readily promised. The honest Udaller would have said something in the way of comfort to Cleveland himself, but he could not find words to express it, and only shook his head.

      » “ Old friend,” said Cleveland, “ you may have much to complain of — yet you pity instead of exulting over me — for the sake of you and yours, I will never harm human being more. Take this from me — my last hope, but my last temptation also — ” he drew from his bosom a pocketpistol, and gave it to Magnus Troil. “ Remember me to — But no — let every one forget me. — I am your prisoner, sir,” said he to the officer.

      “And I also,” said poor Bunce; and putting on a theatrical countenance, he ranted, with no very perceptible faltering in his tone, the words of Pierre: —

      “Captain, you should be a gentleman of honour;

       Keep off the rabble, that I may have room

       To entertain my faith, and die with decency.”

      Chapter XLI

       Table of Contents

      Joy, joy, in London now!

       Southey.

      The news of the capture of the Rover reached Kirkwall, about an hour before noon, and filled all men with wonder and with joy. Little business was that day done at the Fair, whilst people of all ages and occupations streamed from the place to see the prisoners as they were marched towards Kirkwall, and to triumph in the different appearance which they now bore, from that which they had formerly exhibited when ranting, swaggering, and bullying in the streets of that town. The bayonets of the marines were soon seen to glisten in the sun, and then came on the melancholy troop of captives, handcuffed two and two together. Their finery had been partly torn from them by their captors, partly hung in rags about them; many were wounded and covered with blood, many blackened and scorched with the explosion, by which a few of the most desperate had in vain striven to blow up the vessel. Most of them seemed sullen and impenitent, some were more becomingly affected with their condition, and a few braved it out, and sung the same ribald songs to which they had made the streets of Kirkwall ring when they were in their frolics.

      The Boatswain and Goffe, coupled together, exhausted themselves in threats and imprecations against each other; the former charging Goffe with want of seamanship, and the latter alleging that the Boatswain had prevented him from firing the powder that was stowed forward, and so sending them all to the other world together. Last came Cleveland and Bunce, who were permitted to walk unshackled; the decent melancholy, yet resolved manner of the former, contrasting strongly with the stage strut and swagger which poor Jack thought it fitting to assume, in order to conceal some less dignified emotions. The former was looked upon with compassion, the latter with a mixture of scorn and pity; while most of the others inspired horror and even fear, by their looks and their language.

      There was one individual in Kirkwall, who was so far from hastening to see the sight which attracted all eyes, that he was not even aware of the event which agitated the town. This was the elder Mertoun, whose residence Kirkwall had been for two or three days, part of which had been spent in attending to some judicial proceedings, undertaken at the instance of the Procurator Fiscal, against that grave professor, Bryce Snailsfoot. In consequence of an inquisition into the proceedings of this worthy trader, Cleveland’s chest, with his papers and other matters therein contained, had been restored to Mertoun, as the lawful custodier thereof, until the right owner should be in a situation to establish his right to them. Mertoun was at first desirous to throw back upor Justice the charge which she was disposed to entrust him with but, on perusing one or two of the papers, he hastily changed his mind — in broken words, requested the Magistrate to let the

      qhest be sent to his lodgings, and, hastening homeward, bolted himself into the room, to consider and digest the singular information which chance had thus conveyed to him, and which increased, in a tenfold degree, his impatience for an interview with the mysterious Norna of the Fitful Head.

      It may be remembered that she had required of him, when they met in the Churchyard of Saint Ninian, to attend in the outer aisle of the Cathedral of Saint Magnus at the hour of noon, on the fifth day of the Fair of Saint Olla, there to aieet a person by whom the fate of Mordaunt would be explained СКАЧАТЬ