The Pirates' Treasure Chest (7 Gold Hunt Adventures & True Life Stories of Swashbucklers). Эдгар Аллан По

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      Chapter XXV.

       A Rescue

       Table of Contents

      Even now when it is only a memory I do not like to look back upon that twenty minutes. My poor girl was hysterical, but decided. Neither argument nor entreaty could move her from her resolution to save my life, no matter what the cost. I pleaded in vain.

      "I can't let you die, Jack—I can't—I can't." So she answered all my appeals, with a kind of hopeless despair that went straight to my heart.

      Through my remonstrances there broke a high-pitched voice jabbering something in Spanish of a sort. The sound of running footsteps on the deck above came to us. Some one called a warning.

      "Keep back there or we'll fire!"

      Then my heart leaped, for across the water came the cool, steady voice of Blythe.

      "My man, I want to talk with Bothwell."

      More feet pattered back and forth on the deck, and among the hurrying steps was one sharp and strong.

      "Good evening, Captain Blythe. You're rather late for a call, aren't you? Mr. Sedgwick was in better time. We have to thank him for an hour's pleasant entertainment."

      I recognized the voice as belonging to Bothwell.

      "If you've hurt a hair of his head I'll hold you personally to account. Unless you want me to board your schooner you will at once release Mr. Sedgwick and Miss Wallace."

      "Miss Wallace has practically ceased to exist," the Russian drawled.

      "What do you mean?"

      "I shall have the honor to send you cards, captain. Miss Wallace has become my wife."

      I stuck my head out of the porthole and shouted. "That's a lie, Sam. You're just in time to save her."

      "Are you a prisoner, Jack?"

      "Yes. So is she. In the next cabin." Some one stepped quickly across the deck and leaned over the rail above me. Bothwell's dark face looked down into mine. He leveled a revolver at my head and fired just as I drew back.

      That shot served as a signal for the attack. Bullets sang back and forth, some from the schooner, others from the boats of my friends.

      As for the battle, I saw from my porthole only the edge of it, and that but for a few moments as a boat full of men swept forward. Someone was firing with a rifle, while the others put their backs to the oars.

      Presently the boat swept round the bow of the schooner and was lost to my view. But I could hear the firing of guns, the trampling of men above, and from their words could tell that the attackers were keeping their distance, even though they were firing pretty steadily from the cover of the shore bushes.

      I must confess that Blythe's method of attack surprised me. How many men Bothwell had I did not know, but it was plain to me that the only way to take the ship was to rush it. We might fire at long distance for a week without doing more than keep them busy.

      That I was wild to be free and in the thick of it may be guessed. Knowing as I did how matters stood between Evelyn and her cousin, I saw that she must be rescued at once to prevent the unholy marriage the Slav planned.

      Strange that Sam could not see this and that he had not led a more dashing attempt at succoring the girl.

      Three taps on the door of my prison jerked me round as if I had been pulled by a string. My revolver was in my hand. The door opened slowly and let in a man.

      "That's far enough. What do you want?" I asked brusquely.

      "S-sh! It's me, СКАЧАТЬ