westward ho-第137章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



〃Here's　a　patararo　loaded！　　Now　for　a　match；　lads。〃

Luckily　one　of　the　English　had　kept　his　match　alight　during　the　scuffle。

〃Thanks　be！　　Help　me　to　unship　the　gunthe　mast's　in　the　way　here。〃

The　patararo；　or　brass　swivel；　was　unshipped。

〃Steady；　lads；　and　keep　it　level；　or　you'll　shake　out　the　priming。　Ship　it　here；　turn　out　that　one；　and　heave　it　into　that　boat；　if　they　come　alongside。　　Steady　nowso！　　Rummage　about；　and　find　me　a　bolt　or　two；　a　marlin…spike；　anything。　　Quick；　or　the　captain　will　be　over…mastered　yet。〃

Missiles　were　foundodds　and　endsand　crammed　into　the　swivel　up　to　the　muzzle：　and；　in　another　minute；　its　〃cargo　of　notions〃　was　crashing　into　the　poop…windows；　silencing　the　fire　from　thence　effectually　enough　for　the　time。

〃Now；　then；　a　rush　forward；　and　right　in　along　the　deck！〃　shouted　Yeo；　and　the　whole　party　charged　through　the　cabin…doors；　which　their　shot　had　burst　open；　and　hewed　their　way　from　room　to　room。

In　the　meanwhile；　the　Spaniards　above　had　fought　fiercely：　but；　in　spite　of　superior　numbers；　they　had　gradually　given　back　before　the　〃demoniacal　possession　of　those　blasphemous　heretics；　who　fought；　not　like　men；　but　like　furies　from　the　pit。〃　　And　by　the　time　that　Brimblecombe　and　Yeo　shouted　from　the　stern…gallery　below　that　the　quarter…deck　was　won；　few　on　either　side　but　had　their　shrewd　scratch　to　show。

〃Yield；　senor！〃　shouted　Amyas　to　the　commander；　who　had　been　fighting　like　a　lion；　back　to　back　with　the　captain　of　mariners。

〃Never！　　You　have　bound　me；　and　insulted　me！　　Your　blood　or　mine　must　wipe　out　the　stain！〃

And　he　rushed　on　Amyas。　　There　was　a　few　moments'　heavy　fence　between　them；　and　then　Amyas　cut　right　at　his　head。　　But　as　he　raised　his　arm；　the　Spaniard's　blade　slipped　along　his　ribs；　and　snapped　against　the　point　of　his　shoulder…blade。　　An　inch　more　to　the　left；　and　it　would　have　been　through　his　heart。　　The　blow　fell；　nevertheless；　and　the　commandant　fell　with　it；　stunned　by　the　flat　of　the　sword；　but　not　wounded；　for　Amyas's　hand　had　turned；　as　he　winced　from　his　wound。　　But　the　sea…captain；　seeing　Amyas　stagger；　sprang　at　him；　and；　seizing　him　by　the　wrist；　ere　he　could　raise　his　sword　again；　shortened　his　weapon　to　run　him　through。　　Amyas　made　a　grasp　at　his　wrist　in　return；　but；　between　his　faintness　and　the　darkness；　missed　it。Another　moment；　and　all　would　have　been　over！

A　bright　blade　flashed　close　past　Amyas's　ear；　the　sea…captain's　grasp　loosened；　and　he　dropped　a　corpse；　while　over　him；　like　an　angry　lioness　above　her　prey；　stood　Ayacanora；　her　long　hair　floating　in　the　wind；　her　dagger　raised　aloft；　as　she　looked　round；　challenging　all　and　every　one　to　approach。

〃Are　you　hurt？〃　panted　she。

〃A　scratch；　child。What　do　you　do　here？　　Go　back；　go　back。〃

Ayacanora　slipped　back　like　a　scolded　child；　and　vanished　in　the　darkness。

The　battle　was　over。　　The　Spaniards；　seeing　their　commanders　fall；　laid　down　their　arms；　and　cried　for　quarter。　　It　was　given；　the　poor　fellows　were　tied　together；　two　and　two；　and　seated　in　a　row　on　the　deck；　the　commandant；　sorely　bruised；　yielded　himself　perforce；　and　the　galleon　was　taken。

Amyas　hurried　forward　to　get　the　sails　set。　　As　he　went　down　the　poop…ladder；　there　was　some　one　sitting　on　the　lowest　step。

〃Who　is　herewounded？〃

〃I　am　not　wounded；〃　said　a　woman's　voice；　low；　and　stifled　with　sobs。

It　was　Ayacanora。　　She　rose；　and　let　him　pass。　　He　saw　that　her　face　was　bright　with　tears；　but　he　hurried　on；　nevertheless。

〃Perhaps　I　did　speak　a　little　hastily　to　her；　considering　she　saved　my　life；　but　what　a　brimstone　it　is！　　Mary　Ambree　in　a　dark　skin！　Now　then；　lads！　　Get　the　Santa　Fe　gold　up　out　of　the　canoes；　and　then　we　will　put　her　head　to　the　north…east；　and　away　for　Old　England。　　Mr。　Brimblecombe！　don't　say　that　Eastward…ho　don't　bring　luck　this　time。〃

It　was　impossible；　till　morning　dawned；　either　to　get　matters　into　any　order；　or　to　overhaul　the　prize　they　had　taken；　and　many　of　the　men　were　so　much　exhausted　that　they　fell　fast　asleep　on　the　deck　ere　the　surgeon　had　time　to　dress　their　wounds。　　However；　Amyas　contrived；　when　once　the　ship　was　leaping　merrily；　close…hauled　against　a　fresh　land…breeze；　to　count　his　little　flock；　and　found　out　of　the　forty…four　but　six　seriously　wounded；　and　none　killed。　However；　their　working　numbers　were　now　reduced　to　thirty…eight；　beside　the　four　negroes；　a　scanty　crew　enough　to　take　home　such　a　ship　to　England。

After　awhile；　up　came　Jack　Brimblecombe　on　deck；　a　bottle　in　his　hand。

〃Lads；　a　prize！〃

〃Well；　we　know　that　already。〃

〃Nay；　butlook　hither；　and　laid　in　ice；　too；　as　I　live；　the　luxurious　dogs！　　But　I　had　to　fight　for　it；　I　had。　　For　when　I　went　down　into　the　state　cabin；　after　I　had　seen　to　the　wounded；　whom　should　I　find　loose　but　that　Indian　lass；　who　had　just　unbound　the　fellow　you　caught〃

〃Ah！　those　two；　I　believe；　were　going　to　murder　the　old　man　in　the　hammock；　if　we　had　not　come　in　the　nick　of　time。　　What　have　you　done　with　them？〃

〃Why；　the　Spaniard　ran　when　he　saw　me；　and　got　into　a　cabin；　but　the　woman；　instead　of　running；　came　at　me　with　a　knife；　and　chased　me　round　the　table　like　a　very　cat…a…mountain。　　So　I　ducked　under　the　old　man's　hammock；　and　out　into　the　gallery；　and　when　I　thought　the　coast　was　clear；　back　again　I　came；　and　stumbled　over　this。　　So　I　just　picked　it　up；　and　ran　on　deck　with　my　tail　between　my　legs；　for　I　expected　verily　to　have　the　black　woman's　knife　between　my　ribs　out　of　some　dark　corner。〃

〃Well　done；　Jack！　　Let's　have　the　wine；　nevertheless；　and　then　down　to　set　a　guard　on　the　cabin　doors　for　fear　of　plundering。〃

〃Better　go　down；　and　see　that　nothing　is　thrown　overboard　by　Spaniards。　　As　for　plundering；　I　will　settle　that。〃

And　Amyas　walked　forward　among　the　men。

〃Muster　the　men；　boatswain；　and　count　them。〃

〃All　here；　sir；　but　the　six　poor　fellows　who　are　laid　forward。〃

〃Now；　my　men；〃　said　Amyas；　〃for　three　years　you　and　I　have　wandered　on　the　face　of　the　earth；　seeking　our　fortune；　and　we　have　found　it　at　last；　thanks　be　to　God！　　Now；　what　was　our　promise　and　vow　which　we　made　to　God　beneath　the　tree　of　Guayra；　if　He　should　grant　us　good　fortune；　and　bring　us　home　again　with　a　prize？　　Was　it　not；　that　the　dead　should　share　with　the　living；　and　that　every　man's　portion；　if　he　fell；　should　go　to　his　widow　or　his　orphans；　or　if　he　had　none；　to　his　parents？〃

〃It　was；　sir；〃　said　Yeo；　〃and　I　trust　that　the　Lord　will　give　these　men　grace　to　keep　their　vow。　　They　have　seen　enough　of　His　providences　by　this　time　to　fear　Him。〃

〃I　doubt　them　not；　but　I　remind　them　of　it。　　The　Lord　has　put　into　our　hands　a　rich　prize；　and　what　with　the　gold　which　we　have　already；　we　are　well　paid　for　all　our　labors。　　Let　us　thank　Him　with　fervent　hearts　as　soon　as　the　sun　rises；　and　in　the　meanwhile；　remember　all；　that　whosoever　plunders　on　his　private　account；　robs　not　the　adventurers　merely；　but　the　orphan　and　the　widow；　which　is　to　rob　God；　and　makes　himself　partaker　of　Achan's　curse；　who　hid　the　wedge　of　gold；　and　brought　down　God's　anger　on　the　whole　army　of　Israel。　　For　me；　lest　you　should　think　me　covetous；　I　could　claim　my　brother's　share；　but　I　hereby　give　it　up　freely　into　the　common　stock；　for　the　use　of　the　whole　ship's　crew；　who　have　stood　by　me　through　weal　and　woe；　as　men　never　stood　before；　as　I　believe；　by　any　captain。　　So；　now　to　prayers；　lads；　and　then　to　eat　our　breakfast。〃

So；　to　the　Spaniards'　surprise　（who　most　of　them　believed　that　the　English　were　atheists）；　to　prayers　they　went。

After　which　Brimblecombe　contrived　to　inspire　the　black　cook　and　the　Portuguese　steward　with　such　energy　that；　by　seven　o'clock；　the　latter　worthy　appeared　on　deck；　and；　with　profound　reverences；　announced　to　〃The　most　excellent　and　heroical　Senor　Adelantado　Captain　Englishman；〃　that　breakfast　was　ready　in　the　state…cabin。

〃You　will　do　us　the　honor　of　accompanying　us　as　our　guest；　sir；　or　our　host；　if　you　prefer　the　title；〃　said　Amyas　to　the　commandant；　who　stood　by。

〃Pardon；　senor：　but　honor　forbids　me　to　eat　with　one　who　has　offered　to　me　the　indelible　insult　of　bonds。〃

〃Oh！〃　said　Amyas；　taking　off　his　hat；　〃then　pray　accept　on　the　spot　my　humble　apologies　for　all　w