hard cash-第42章

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and　wrigglinglike　a　heron　on　the　water　with　his　long　wings　brokenan　utter　cripple。

The　victorious　crew　raised　a　stunning　cheer。

〃Silence！〃　roared　Dodd；　with　his　trumpet。　〃All　hands　make　sail！〃

He　set　his　courses；　bent　a　new　jib；　and　stood　out　to　windward　close　hauled；　in　hopes　to　make　a　good　offing；　and　then　put　his　ship　dead　before　the　wind；　which　was　now　rising　to　a　stiff　breeze。　In　doing　this　he　crossed　the　crippled　pirate's　bows；　within　eighty　yards；　and　sore　was　the　temptation　to　rake　him；　but　his　ammunition　being　short；　and　his　danger　being　imminent　from　the　other　pirate；　he　had　the　self…command　to　resist　the　great　temptation。

He　hailed　the　mizen　top：　〃Can　you　two　hinder　them　from　firing　that　gun？〃

〃I　rather　think　we　can；〃　said　Fullalove；　〃eh；　Colonel？〃　and　he　tapped　his　long　rifle。

The　ship　no　sooner　crossed　the　schooner's　bows*　than　a　Malay　ran　forward　with　a　linstock。　Pop　went　the　colonel's　ready　carbine；　and　the　Malay　fell　over　dead；　and　the　linstock　flew　out　of　his　hand。　A　tall　Portuguese；　with　a　movement　of　rage；　snatched　it　up　and　darted　to　the　gun：　the　Yankee　rifle　cracked；　but　a　moment　too　late。　Bang！　went　the　pirate's　bow…chaser；　and　crashed　into　the　_Agra's_　side；　and　passed　nearly　through　her。

*Being　disabled；　the　schooner's　head　had　come　round　to　windward；　though　she　was　drifting　to　leeward。

〃Ye　missed　him！　Ye　missed　him！〃　cried　the　rival　theorist　joyfully。　He　was　mistaken：　the　smoke　cleared；　and　there　was　the　pirate　captain　leaning　wounded　against　the　mainmast　with　a　Yankee　bullet　in　his　shoulder；　and　his　crew　uttering　yells　of　dismay　and　vengeance。　They　jumped；　and　raged；　and　brandished　their　knives；　and　made　horrid　gesticulations　of　revenge；　and　the　white　eyeballs　of　the　Malays　and　Papuans　glittered　fiendishly；　and　the　wounded　captain　raised　his　sound　arm　and　had　a　signal　hoisted　to　his　consort；　and　she　bore　up　in　chase；　and　jamming　her　fore　lateen　flat　as　a　board；　lay　far　nearer　the　wind　than　the　_Agra_　could；　and　sailed　three　feet　to　her　two　besides。　On　this　superiority　being　made　clear；　the　situation　of　the　merchant　vessel；　though　not　so　utterly　desperate　as　before　Monk　fired　his　lucky　shot；　became　pitiable　enough。　If　she　ran　before　the　wind；　the　fresh　pirate　would　cut　her　off：　if　she　lay　to　windward；　she　might　postpone　the　inevitable　and　fatal　collision　with　a　foe　as　strong　as　that　she　had　only　escaped　by　a　rare　piece　of　luck；　but　this　would　give　the　crippled　pirate　time　to　refit　and　unite　to　destroy　her。　Add　to　this　the　failing　ammunition　and　the　thinned　crew！

Dodd　cast　his　eyes　all　round　the　horizon　for　help。

The　sea　was　blank。

The　bright　sun　was　hidden　now；　drops　of　rain　fell；　and　the　wind　was　beginning　to　sing；　and　the　sea　to　rise　a　little。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　he；　〃let　us　kneel　down　and　pray　for　wisdom；　in　this　sore　strait。〃

He　and　his　officers　kneeled　on　the　quarter…deck。　When　they　rose；　Dodd　stood　rapt　about　a　minute：　his　great　thoughtful　eye　saw　no　more　the　enemy；　the　sea；　nor　anything　external；　it　was　turned　inward。　His　officers　looked　at　him　in　silence。

〃Sharpe；〃　said　he　at　last；　〃there　_must_　be　a　way　out　of　them　both　with　such　a　breeze　as　this　is　now；　if　we　could　but　see　it。〃

〃Ay；　_if；_〃　groaned　Sharpe。

Dodd　mused　again。

〃About　ship！〃　said　he　softly；　like　an　absent　man。

〃Ay；　ay；　sir！〃

〃Steer　due　north！〃　said　he；　still　like　one　whose　mind　was　elsewhere。

While　the　ship　was　coming　about；　he　gave　minute　orders　to　the　mates　and　the　gunner；　to　ensure　co…operation　in　the　delicate　and　dangerous　manoeuvres　that　were　sure　to　be　at　hand。

The　wind　was　W。N。W：　lie　was　standing　north；　one　pirate　lay　on　his　lee　beam　stopping　a　leak　between　wind　and　water；　and　hacking　the　deck　clear　of　his　broken　mast　and　yards。　The　other；　fresh；　and　thirsting　for　the　easy　prey；　came　up　to　weather　on　him　and　hang　on　his　quarter；　pirate　fashion。

When　they　were　distant　about　a　cable's　length；　the　fresh　pirate；　to　meet　the　ship's　change　of　tactics；　changed　his　own；　luffed　up；　and　gave　the　ship　a　broadside；　well　aimed　but　not　destructive；　the　guns　being　loaded　with　ball。

Dodd；　instead　of　replying　immediately；　put　his　helm　hard　up　and　ran　under　the　pirate's　stern；　while　he　was　jammed　up　in　the　wind；　and　with　his　five　eighteen　pounders　raked　him　fore　and　aft；　then　paying　off；　gave　him　three　carronades　crammed　with　grape　and　canister。　The　rapid　discharge　of　eight　guns　made　the　ship　tremble；　and　enveloped　her　in　thick　smoke；　loud　shrieks　and　groans　were　heard　from　the　schooner：　the　smoke　cleared；　the　pirate's　mainsail　hung　on　deck；　his　jib…boom　was　cut　off　like　a　carrot　and　the　sail　struggling；　his　foresail　looked　lace；　lanes　of　dead　and　wounded　lay　still　or　writhing　on　his　deck；　and　his　lee　scuppers　ran　blood　into　the　sea。　Dodd　squared　his　yards　and　bore　away。

The　ship　rushed　down　the　wind；　leaving　the　schooner　staggered　and　all　abroad。　But　for　long；　the　pirate　wore　and　fired　his　bow　chasers　at　the　now　flying　_Agra_；　split　one　of　the　carronades　in　two；　and　killed　a　Lascar；　and　made　a　hole　in　the　foresail。　This　done；　he　hoisted　his　mainsail　again　in　a　trice；　sent　his　wounded　below；　flung　his　dead　overboard；　to　the　horror　of　their　foes；　and　came　after　the　flying　ship；　yawing　and　firing　his　bow　chasers。　The　ship　was　silent。　She　had　no　shot　to　throw　away。　Not　only　did　she　take　these　blows　like　a　coward；　but　all　signs　of　life　disappeared　on　her；　except　two　men　at　the　wheel　and　the　captain　on　the　main　gangway。

Dodd　had　ordered　the　crew　out　of　the　rigging；　armed　them　with　cutlasses；　and　laid　them　flat　on　the　forecastle。　He　also　compelled　Kenealy　and　Fullalove　to　come　down　out　of　harm's　way；　no　wiser　on　the　smooth　bore　question　than　they　went　up。

The　great　patient　ship　ran　environed　by　her　foes；　one　destroyer　right　in　her　course；　another　in　her　wake；　following　her　with　yells　of　vengeance；　and　pounding　away　at　herbut　no　reply。

Suddenly　the　yells　of　the　pirates　on　both　sides　ceased；　and　there　was　a　moment　of　dead　silence　on　the　sea。

Yet　nothing　fresh　had　happened。

Yes；　this　had　happened：　the　pirates　to　windward　and　the　pirates　to　leeward　of　the　_Agra_　had　found　out；　at　one　and　the　same　moment；　that　the　merchant　captain　they　had　lashed；　and　bullied；　and　tortured　was　a　patient　but　tremendous　man。　It　was　not　only　to　rake　the　fresh　schooner　he　had　put　his　ship　before　the　wind；　but　also　by　a　double；　daring；　masterstroke　to　hurl　his　monster　ship　bodily　on　the　other。　Without　a　foresail　she　could　never　get　out　of　her　way。　The　pirate　crew　had　stopped　the　leak；　and　cut　away　and　unshipped　the　broken　foremast；　and　were　stepping　a　new　one；　when　they　saw　the　huge　ship　bearing　down　in　full　sail。　Nothing　easier　than　to　slip　out　of　her　way　could　they　get　the　foresail　to　draw；　but　the　time　was　short；　the　deadly　intention　manifest；　the　coming　destruction　swift。

After　that　solemn　silence　came　a　storm　of　cries　and　curses；　as　their　seamen　went　to　work　to　fit　the　yard　and　raise　the　sail　while　their　fighting　men　seized　their　matchlocks　and　trained　the　guns。　They　were　well　commanded　by　an　heroic　able　villain。　Astern　the　consort　thundered；　but　the　_Agra's_　response　was　a　dead　silence　more　awful　than　broadsides。

For　then　was　seen　with　what　majesty　the　enduring　Anglo…Saxon　fights。

One　of　that　indomitable　race　on　the　gangway；　one　at　the　foremast；　two　at　the　wheel；　conned　and　steered　the　great　ship　down　on　a　hundred　matchlocks　and　a　grinning　broadside；　just　as　they　would　have　conned　and　steered　her　into　a　British　harbour。

〃Starboard！〃　said　Dodd；　in　a　deep　calm　voice；　with　a　motion　of　his　hand。

〃Starboard　it　is。〃

The　pirate　wriggled　ahead　a　little。　The　man　forward　made　a　silent　signal　to　Dodd。

〃Port！〃　said　Dodd　quietly。

〃Port　it　is。〃

But　at　this　critical　moment　the　pirate　astern　sent　a　mischievous　shot　and　knocked　one　of　the　men　to　atoms　at　the　helm。

Dodd　waved　his　hand　without　a　word；　and　another　man　rose　from　the　deck；　and　took　his　place　in　silence；　and　laid　his　unshaking　hand　on　the　wheel　stained　with　that　man's　warm　blood　whose　place　he　took。

The　high　ship　was　now　scarce　sixty　yards　distant；　_she　seemed　to　know：_　she　reared　her　lofty　figure…head　with　great　awful　shoots　into　the　air。

But　now　the　panting　pirates　got　their　new　foresail　hoisted　with　a　joyful　s