IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 11.25 sf '^ Ilia " lis liio 1.8 LA. IIIIII.6 - 6" V] <^ /}. / 0>. ^'^ j^^ ^<^ ^ ^ ^ Photographic Sciences Corporation iV 4^ ^ •\ N> % V ^\? 6^ 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER. NY. 14580 (716) 872-4b03 I/. CIHM Microfiche Series (Monographs) ICMH Collection de microfiches (monographies) Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions / Institut Canadian de microreproductions historiques r\r\ Technical antJ Bibliographic (Motei / Notes techniques et bibliographiques The Institute has attempted to obtain the tiest original copy available for filming. Features of this copy which may be bibliographically unique, which may alter any of the images in the reproduction, or which may significantly change the usual method of filming, are checked below. / 7n Coloured covers/ n n D Couverture de couleur Covers damaged/ Couverture endommagee Cove.r>, restored and/or laminated/ Couverture restauree et/ou pelliculce Cover titie missing/ Le titre de couverture manque Coloured maps/ Caites geographiques en couleur □ Coloured ink (i.e. other than blue or black)/ Encre de couleur (i.e. autre que bleue ou noire) Coloured plates and/or illustrations/ Planches Company. CHA VI I PPINTED AT THK APPLETON PRESS. NEW YORK, U. s A. 5 X XI XI X XV XVI XVII XT> CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. II.- III.- IV.— V. VI. VII.— VIII.— IX. X. XL XII.. XIII.. XIV.- XV.- XVI.- XVII.- XVIII.- XIX.— -Of my becoming a seafaring man . •Of ilie brush with the black ship . .* . " •Of the course of events till we were finally south bound •Of the moving talk of the young* sailor, and the strange behaviour of an old one . •Of a very stirring piece of business •Of the stand that we made, and divers events that" followed Of the great strait we found ourselves in. and how that subtle rogue, the mate, seemed still to triumph Of the mockery ^ the ship, and ihe riscuer that" nnally came -Of our reception on the Spanish ship -Of our new quarters and the people of the ship .' -Ut the audacious buccaneer -Of the carrying out of our scheme .' -Of a mysterious decree of fate -Of the doing on the buccaneer . . . -Of the bargain with Pradey -Of the brave news at Chagre ..*.*'' ■Of things ashore , •Of the coming of Morgan and the departure for ranama . . _ Of the things we endured till we came'to the eve of battle PAGB I 32 39 50 60 75 84 96 103 112 125 132 138 147 155 i6i 169 173 VI MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. CIIAI'TKR XX. XXI XXII. XXIII. XXIV.— XXV. XXVI. XXVII.. XXVIII.. XXIX.- XXX.- XXXI.- XXXII.- — Of the opening of the battle .... —Of the condusion of my adventure and the fall of the city. Likewise of the strange thing that hai)penc(l thereafter —Of the conclusi.jn of our great surprise, and what followed at the heels of it -Of the night of the d.,ii and his party, and the dilemma that Captain lowland put us in. Likewise of a dreadful discovery •Of the things that Paul Craddc told us, together with the conception of a daring plan -Of the progress of our plan -Of our further good fortune . . . . -Of our voyage in the boat and the danger that finally threatened us -Of the fight with the boat's people •Of the end of our desperate fight .... •Of the strange and excellent mending of our for- tunes Of two important interviews .... •Of the determination of the whole matter . rAr.B I8l 20 1 213 323 231 237 251 261 269 276 2go 304 PAGI . I8i fall of g that . 191 I what . 2UI kI the IS ill. . 213 ;ctlicr . 223 . 231 • 237 r that . 251 . 261 . 269 r for- . 276 . 290 . 304 MASTER ARDICK. BUCCANEER. CHAPTER I. OF MY BECOMING A SEAFARING MAN. I WAS born in the days of the Lord Protector, so that I was a httle past my majority when the things that I have in mind to relate took place. At that time the second Charles was on the throne, and we ^ were dancing to the fiddle of the great Louis, which was the reason we had been drawn into a war with the Dutch, and had thrown over the Triple Allianre My father was a sea captain, out of Portsmouth for the Mediterranean, and was killed by the Barbary pirates and his ship taken a little time before I came of age My mother grieved sorely for him, and only survived his loss a few months, and my two young brothers being then put out with a reputable haber- dasher, and the little that remained of our fortune turned over to him for their benefit, I found myself of a sudden alone in the world, and brought, for the hrst time, to depend upon myself for a living I had made a few voyages with my father, and had come to be something of a seaman, though I knew scarce anything of navigation, and this knowledge, with What I had gained from an ordinary round of school- 1 ( ! f 2 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. ing, stood for all I was now to reckon on to make my way in the world. While I was reflecting on my condition, and casting about to see what I should do —for I did not relish the idea of using the sea, though that was now often in my mind— I chanced to fall in with a certain shipmaster, Daniel Houthwick by name, to whom, after a short acquaintance, I dis- closed my case, and asked his advice. We were seated in the taproom of one of the little dock inns at the time, with a pot of old October before us and no one just by. The captain took a pull at his mug which made his hairy throat give a great throb, and after a little deliberation answered : "I should be blithe to help you, Master Ardick, could I but get my bearings to see how. You know I am an old salt-water, with little run of things ashore. I might come at something by broad reck- oning, buc no better." _ ''Give me that," said I eagerly. -Anything is better than beating about all ways in the wind." _ '; Well, then," he began, to make a start, " how is It with a trade ? " " I have a poor turn for any that I know of " I answered. "Besides, 1 am now too old to go into mdentures, and have no money to buy an en- trance." " Yet that might be managed," he replied ; '« but I could not, for your sake, advise it. An unwilling workman at any business is in a poor way. Would It suit you to enter the employ of a merchant ? I thmk I know of one who might be induced to re- ceive you." to make ig on my hould do I, though to fall in wick by e, I dis- kVe were 3ck inns 2 us and his mug, rob, and Ardick, iU know ■ things id reck- nything ill the how i IS ,v of," I ?o into an en- "but I .willing Would int? I to re- MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. but slowly at that calling ■' "''' ""'"= ">' "''>' m. butTsectdtr't' '^'f '""= -^"-'^ -'h- thmurh ! "= °"'y hesitated a little a, though g,v,„g the matter further thought ' in.u;tth'rrri':ri,''"i'?'«^"'"'°-''- -rd life, and I mi trust .^ do notT'" " '^ ' I think there be worse ..iling ' m^ "^ '" ''' ^^ father followed it and , ' "S^' Moreover, your been born wi.h ^ntlr^ss^^o^r 7'T' Hre\:rtre„°ti'r'°°'''"°--"-- aswillUb^^reoCir,"""'"^""^-- I hung m the wind a little for th;. „ thing I would not have vet l'!,. '^""^ another refusal A, !'7 ^'°"' '° ="'<' "ill „ '=■; "^elusal. At last I answered : - -tv I r h''"''' '""'''"" '" -"y veins, which is a sa fo ■ ' ife'Td",;'" I 'T ' ^"""'^ -""™'"S cient ,0 o^'rco^e it "" '" ""■= "°' ''--<< -« .•ng,td"whet'lTaj'" T"""" '^"''^ I "- ^P-^''- si.e'nt ^or : m"oient ""*= ^" '"" ^""^'^ -'I »- " WeM*' 'W S""'''''" he then went on to answer 4: 'vet Lr;':LTerr ------ -advanceme„t-rmea::S:^-Xf":it whaTieruid'rr;; ^"="^^'^' "°' ^"^'^ -- another light." ' "■"'" ™"''' "»■"' « MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. n He nodded, and leisurely helped himself to more liquor. " Look you," he said, rounding upon me then and speaking in a brisker tone than he had before, "I have a mind to make you a proposition. I am in want of a second mate. So we can agree upon t^.ms, what say you* to the place ? It is a little bet- ter beginning than a bare berth before the mast, with the chance of betterment." I could see the thing closing in upon me, as it were, yet hardly knew how to evade it, and, on the whole, began to care less to do so. " Well, captain," I finally answered, " I can not see why I should de- cline such a kindly and timely offer. I agree, provid- ing that I am able to fulfil all your requirements, which I somewhat doubt, seeing that my experience has been but brief." "We will take care of that," he said with a confi- dent air. "When will you board me, that you may determine whether you like the ship ? " "When you will," I answered, beginning now to conceive a liking for the venture, and dreading a little that I should not wholly suit him. "You will examine me in some sort, as to my fitness?" I went on to ask. " I care not, neither for my sake nor yours, to miscarry in the matter." "Nay, never concern yourself as to that," he answered lightly. "T do not expect wonders of you." "Yet you must come to an assurance," I per- sisted. "Never fear," he laughed. "I am not one to buy a pig in a poke." I MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. If to more : then and before, " I I am in free upon little bet- mast, with me, as it id, on the captain," hould de- e, provid- lirements, xperience h a confi- you may ^ now to eading a You will '" I went sake nor :hat," he nders of " I per- t one to 5 I was compelled to be satisfied with this, or at least with the idea, though I thought the 'figure might have been improved. "Then since you are ready," he said, rising, "let us be off." He called for the score, which he insisted upon paying, and we left the inn. There was a good deal of confusion along the docks, for several of the king's ships were fitting for sea, and the running about and pulling and hauling, all without much method or precision, were surprising and perplexing, but at last we reached the jetty where the captain's boat was lying. On the way it suddenly occurred to me that I had neglected to ask a pretty important question, which was the port that the Industry— the captain's ship— was bound for. I asked it now, and learned that it was Havana, in the West Indies. This suited me very well, as I had never been in those parts, and had a young fellow's fondne<=s for novelty. We boarded the gig, which a middle-aged sailor was keeping, and were soon clear of the tangle of shipping about the docks, and standing into the roadstead. I suspected that one of three large vessels that were at anchor some little distance out might be the Industry, and accordingly asked the captain. "Ay, quite right," he answered, pointing to the easternmost of the ships. "There she is." There was a dazzle on the water in that direction and I could not get so perfect a view of her as I de- sired, but nevertheless I was able to judge her chief features. She stood pretty well out of the water (considering that she was loaded), and, while she had MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. a good beam, was not overround in the bows, and was well and loftily sparred. She was painted black, with a gilded streak, and showed no break for ports,' which, indeed, was not surprising, as few merchant' men at that time carried their guns otherwise than on deck. All her tops seemed to be provided with shields, or barricadoes, and on the poop and along the bulwarks I could resolve the outlines of several sakers and swivels. Besides these I thought she might carry some heavy piece, and, in fact, I caught a glimpse, through an open gang-port, of a shape in a tarpauhn which could hardly be other than a long- range gun. The whole appeared to show that she was fitted to fight as well as to fly, which was pass- ing needful in those troublous times. Her burthen (as I afterward learned) was three hundred and fifty tons, and as we approached her, and she flashed up her great black side, she looked even larger. As we drew near, some heads showed above the bulwark, and I made out a ladder hanging over at that place! We pulled up to it, and when we rose on the next wave the sailor reached out a boat-hook and steadied us to it, and we were speedily up the side. When I came to reach the deck I found more hands behind the bulwark than I had supposed, for just here it was too tall for a short man to see over, and it struck me that a more than ordinary proportion of the fellows were undersized. However, they looked well enough, take them faces, expressions and all, and I was instantly brought back to old times at sight of the sea-pickled countenances, as they fetched about from the rail, and hitched their breeches and watched us expectantly. I readily guessed that the '^ bows, and nted black, c for ports, merchant- jrwise than • vided with and along of several ought she t, I caught a shape in lan a long- w that she was pass- er burthen idred and ihe flashed irger. As 2 bulwark, hat place. I the next d steadied e. When ds behind st here it er, and it (ortion of sy looked i and all, times at :y fetched ;ches and that the MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. captain had dropped out here, after stowing his cargo, on purpose to hold his crew, well knowing the weaknesses which poor Jack is prone to, and not rehshing a set of hands shipped at the last moment (for the greater part lugged aboard helplessly drunk) by extortionate crimps. ' As I glanced about, taking in the fashion of the deck and such arrangements as had not been visible from the water, a short, broad man, in a kind of Dutch blouse and heavy sea boots, came from some place forward and accosted the captain. I inferred that he must be the mate, and so, indeed, it proved and upon being presented I found his name was Giles Sellmger, and that he hailed from Southampton He had a resolute, honest-looking countenance, al- beit the smallpox had pitted him rather severely, and I thought had the air of a good seaman and competent officer. The captain explained the meaning of my being aboard, and said that he doubted not I should suit them well, though it might be I should halt in some things at the beginning. Master Sellinger re" ceived this explanation in a way favourable'to my pride, for he presently commended the idea, and w en his had passed the captain led me abou't the shp, taking me first to the cabin, which was a plainly furnished berth reached bv a door set its .^ole height in the face of the poop, and :hen forec" ,e Th TT '"'^ '' ^'^ ^^^^^^ -^ altoTri Z " '"^''^ "^^ ^^"' f°^ ^he seemed a stout, clean craft with everything as it should be, and I was now only concerned lest I should not fulfil all the captain s requirements, and make one of the company. This kept me in some suspense, which a I 8 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. it seemed to me, he did not at all share, either for my sake or his own. Shortly after this we left the fore- castle and passed aft. When we had reached the hooded gun— for such the object under the tarpaulin proved to be — he stopped and pulled the covering a little aside, that I might admire the handsome fash- ion of the piece, and the admirable, clean way it was kept. Its brass barrel, indeed, shone like a new sovereign, and under different circumstances I should have bestowed considerable attention and admira- tion upon it, but just now my mind was too full of other things. Perhaps he perceived my abstraction, for he presently put the tarpaulin back, and turned to me with his former brisk air of business. "Well, Master Ardick, now that the civilities are over— and I trust that you like the ship— we will to the concerns which bring you here. First attend, and I will propound to you some questions in sea- manship." "That suits me well," I replied. "I hope the answers will serve, for truly I like your ship, and shall esteem myself lucky to go in her." "Then hearken," with which he proceeded to ply me with a number of nautical questions. I will not give them here, as they are not to the purpose, but the wind-up was that I was able to satisfy him,' and he declared that he was ready to sign me, the con- cern of wages alone standing to be settled. It will be guessed that I did not allow that matter to di- vide us, and in less than ten minutes more I was on the books as second mate of the Industry. It was arranged that I should return at once with the cap- tain and order my few affairs, and be fetched away n R, ither for my lit the fore- reached the lie tarpaulin covering a dsome fash- . way it was like a new :es I should nd admira- too full of abstraction, and turned IS. vilities are -we will to irst attend, 3ns in sea- I hope the ■ ship, and ided to ply I will not jrpose, but y him, and 2, the con- id. It will tter to di- 3 I was on y. It was 1 the cap- ped away MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. again when he came, which would be about the mid die of the afternoon. It seemed that he had th. supercargo to bring off, with some other m^o't busmess, so could not be ready any speedTe W were to sail as soon following as L ^ Thic h,r fk • ^^J'uwing as the wmd served ihis by the signs would be before lono- . u ^' ■ons The sun poured clow,. „ot on the open iettv and I wen. down to the boat, which^as iJ the shade greatly relishing the cold, sea sme I of the barnacled spiles on the way, whi^h, indeed at that moment brought back a little clea; thought of n,v boyhood. I had loved to hang about sud, pTacTs' grat.fy.ng the passion for the ocean and all fts be-' longings which I suppose was born in me and in a way fictmg myself, by this close touch wkh ea "d'Tf"'^ '"" '"^ "^ p^^p-'"s f"- -ro^tTap'tiir' itraTc? ' 'r^ man iv.-fh f large, heavy-chested man, with tnnps to m^tf-h -., i r j i ■^'■«->a f^ u , • match, and I doubt not I hpo-an '° hear h.m as soon as he set foot on the jetty, but 10 MASTER ARDICK. BUCCANEER. at the moment I could not distinguish any voice in answer. The sailors pushed the boat more fairly to the foot of the stairs, and directly the captain ap- peared at the top. "Aye, Master Ardick is here," I heard him say back to some one behind him, and almost with the words the person he had addressed joined him. The supercargo, for such, of course, the second man was, I found to be a nimble, erect little gentleman, in age perhaps sixty, with some gray in his beard, but a feood fresh skin, and dressed very handsomely in sad-coloured velvet, low-crowned hat with feathers, yellow hose, and high-heeled French shoes, with blue rosettes. His .lead was covered with a fashion- able flowing wig, and his broad sword-belt supported a good substantial sword with a silver hilt. He came actively down the steps beside the captain, and when the latter had greeted me and passed the super- cargo on to the stern sheets, the men shoved off and shipped their oars. ^ As soon as Captain Houthwick had put us on our course he presented me to the supercargo, giving his name as Mr. Tym, and informing him with some lit- tle pride that he would find me other than the com- mon sort of sailor, being a man of considerable parts and of a family above the ordinary, my father having been an owning shipmaster and the son of a justice of the peace, and my mother the daughter of a knight. I was surprised that these little matters had stuck so shrewdly in the captain's memory, as he had not seemed to be a person to be impressed by things of the kind, but I could not fcei very sorry, both runs !:r. any voice in lore fairly to captain ap- ard him say lost with the id him. The nd man was, eman, in age Jeard, but a ndsomely in ith feathers, shoes, with :h a fashion- It supported ;r hilt. He captain, and d the super- •ved off and It us on our ), giving his th some lit- m the com- onsiderable , my father le son of a laughter of atters had , as he had i by things iorry, both MASTER ARDICK. BUCCANEER. „ from a little pride which his explanation gratified and because I saw that the supercargo seemed to treat the matter with respect and attention Not much passed on the way to the ship, and after a somewhat tedious pull, the wind b^ug in part con trary and quite a sea beginning to run, we drew' near, and I got up and made ready to seize the lad- honn^' ^^^;,of ;«Pe, with wooden rungs, the top and bottom made fast, and presently I succeeded in was safe. The ship rose and sank and churned about m a troublesome fashion, but I managed to hold on, and first the captain and then Mr Tym passed me and swung over to the ladder. The old supercargo was as steady and sure-footed as a rope- dancer and it immediately occurred to me that he might be a veteran seagoer, a conclusion which was confirmed as I saw how coolly he waited on the lad- der till the captain was out of the way, though the ship was rolling and pitching and sending frothing flings of water up to the very soles of his dainty shoes. In a moment the captain had passed over the bulwark, and Mr. Tym began to follow, and was then that I made a surprising discovery. I had noticed that the old fellow had kept his cloL part y about him and I had marvelled at it, as the day Z uXThe ""''" '^ '^^^^^ '^ climb, the 'wind caught the garment and blew it out, and behold he had lost his left hand! The sleeve hung loos la ong about the wrist, and out from the drapery- showing queer among the lace-peeped the black turn of an iron hook. He caught this over the rungs of the ladder, alternating with his right hald! 12 MASTER ARDICK. BUCCANEER. and without any difficulty mounted the unsteady side and swung himself lightly over the bulwark, I watched him in a kind of fascination, but he was quickly up, with his agile, deft movement!,, and after that I had something else to think of. This lively breeze was a fair one for our sails, and we must all needs look alive, and walk up the anchor and get the Industry under canvas. The two sailors passed the boat astern, and we run it up to the davits, and then I went forward and stood ready to catch the mate's word and start the good ship on her travels. The captain mounted the poop, a man was sent to the tiller,* and the mate stationed himself just abaft the forecastle to pass the word along. ** Heave her short ! " shouted the captain. " Heave her short! " repeated the mate, and the pawls of '.he windlass began to rattle. "Loosen sail!" followed, and the men sprang into the rigging. Everything was cleared to let go, and all hands, except a man on each yard to stay the bunt, scampered back to the deck. "All ready aloft?" hailed the mate. "All ready ! " answered the fellows on the yards. " Let go ! " and the ship flashed out white, and stood clothed in the waves of loose canvas. Then the chief topsails were set, the yards trimmed, and the ancnor finally brought to a head. She steadied quickly to her work, and as she climbed away the light canvas was rapidly put out. *The wheel, as a steering rpparatus, was the invention of a later dav. kA .J R. le unsteady bulwark. I but he was ts, and after This lively we must all lor and get ilors passed the davits, dy to catch ■hip on her an was sent limself just in. <* Heave lawls of ',he len sprang 1 to let go, to stay the ate. '« All is. white, and /as. Then mmed, and ^e steadied 1 away the ivention of a MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. ,, I had experienced some small an.xiety till all this had passed, for of course my berth was strange to me, and I knew that I should be watched. Haply all had gone well, and I could now breathe freer One thing that made greatly for me was that I ex" celled in work aloft. In good sooth, I had an evcel- lent, steady nerve and sure eye, and I took care to secure the posts which would show off these quali- ties, knowing well that they would advance me with he men, and that without them I should speedily fall into contempt and in the end be in a most un- happy case. A good start being thus made, I walked aft-that IS, as far as the mainmast-and took a brisk turn or two to let the captain see that I would be in his sight and a-stirring. In a short time the watches were appointed, and the business of putting the ship in order and other like things of the begin nmg of a voyage attended to, and after that I had a ittle breathing space and slipped down to my cabin had a small berth in the aftermost part of the tween-decks, and here I found my clothes-bag and other effects, and proceeded to sling a hammock preferring It to either of the bunks t'he berth con- a.ned), and sat down to have a brief smoke. I was already enough of a sailor to set considerable store morn; ii^7ght'"irL?iVd"' ^'"^^^^ '-- fe nignt. m fact, I had not run to anv I ough I had grown to man's stature-indeed a l."ie beyond the average stature-I had stUl the Bi™ figure, hud the downright strength of a mature 14 HASTKR ARDICK, BUCCANEER. 1 and able man. Moreover, I was active, too, in those days, not a young fellow in Portsmouth fleeter of foot, and few, if any, that could lay me on my back in a bout of wrestling. I was not ill-looking either — to follow this business of limning me to a conclu- sion—for I had good features and sound white teeth, and my eyes were bright and dark and matched my brown, wavy hair. My beard had not fairly begun to grow, being backward, and I kept what there was closely shaven, by this no doubt adding to my boy- ish look. My hair I wore short and brushed plainly back, not being of means or station, and indeed not of inclination, to wear a wig, and my dress consisted of a soft cap, rough gray short-coat, gray smalls, plain brown hose, and stout shoes. My smoke over, I strolled for a bit into the fore- castle, and then went again on deck, where I found the wind rather gathering strength and quite a stiff sea running. We reefed the topsails, and by that time supper was called. The rest of the evening passed without incident. I turned in early, as my watch was to be called at eight bells, and, when the time came, crawled out mighty sleepy, but full of zeal, and so kept my four hf> i -.. At daylight all hands had to be called, as ther.^ •„ ■ heavy v <^\, which was verging on half a gale, and we whipped down the mainsail and the great lateen, and before we were done had to be satisfied with a reefed main topsail, a bit of foresail, and a reefed sprit-topsail. Thus snugged down, we dinned along, the wind now nearly ahead, and we laying up to it the best we were ole, but with a vast deal of labour and ado. Indeed, there was a constant wild upheaving and ■3 m^ ER. , too, in those nth fleeter of : on my back )oking either 2 to a conclu- d white teech, matched iny fairly begun lat there was g to my boy- ushed plainly d indeed not ess consisted gray smalls, nto the fore- lere I found quite a stiff and by that the evening early, as my ;, and, when epy, but full daylight all heavy v n J, we whipped , and before reefed main sprit-topsail, le wind now the best we )ur and ado. leaving and MASTER ARDICK, HUCCANEER. ,- awesome plunging down, while tons of water, crowned I white as milk with froth, would flood all forwird an 1 race aft almost to the quarter-deck. The skv was now nearly sheathed in gray, with a murkiness ni the southwest, and the wind came in heavy lower" '"J,^ gusts, threatening even our scant canvas, 'thoujrh as yet both that and the spars stood the strain very sturdily. ^ •' Marry, but this is something boisterous for the narrow seas, ' said a high-pitched voice behind me as stood holding on by the lashings of the big gun and watching the turmoil. I turned and saw the little supercargo, who had i n selfT 7 T "' ''' "'^'■"- "^' -^-^ balancing himsel fearlessly on his straddled legs, a long sea coat whipping about him, and his hand clapped upon h.s hat to keep both that and his great 'curly w^g from blowing away. *'/ wig " «^«t step along here, sir ! " I shouted, fearful lest he nex lurch of the ship should carry him off h feet and at least bruise him against the bulwark He racked along to me then, but slowly and"de- hberately, as though he felt no fear. , "Aye, sir," I said, as he reached me, now replv- cLnel" '""'""' "''" '^ ^ough weather for the chuckle"" 711" '"'' ■ " '^ ^'°"^^^' ^•^'^ - J^i^d of chuckle, and then immediately sucking in his lips which I found was a way he had ^ ' "And how was that ?" I asked, willing to forget thejveather for a moment if 1 could. "Why, it was a mnffpr ^f ^hf^,-a ♦ i6 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. I m that occasion that I put to sea on a day even worse than this in only a small fishing sloop." •* It was beyond account rash," I commented. " It must have been a strait, indeed, to bring you to it." " It was to save my neck," he answered, speaking this time close to my ear, that he might talk with less strain. "You see, it was in the days of old Noll, and I had ventured into my native Sussex— I had forgotten to say that the old tyrant had set a price on my head— and was forced to get speedily out. Luckily, a fellow-Royalist was at hand and lent me a horse, and on that I reached the seaside and thence boarded this fisherman, upon which I put out, as I said. Yes, it was a wild bit of a cruise, and the craft was none too stiff and firm in her timbers either." * " But the master of her," I queried, a little puzzled by that point in the story, " how did you prevail on him to take such a risk ? " "How? Why, to be sure, with a pistol at the head. He would listen no otherwise." "And the crew? Had you no trouble with them?" " Nay, not a whit. I did but point another pistol at them— I had two hands in those days— and they became most tractable." ''You deserved to escape!" I cried admiringly. " But what then ? Did you come to close straits be- fore you made the other side ?" "Yes," he answered, shaking his head, "and at last we had to cut away the mast. It is too long to dwell upon, but the wind-up was we finally made France. It was hard by Calais, and we had started ■§ EER. :lay even worse )mmented. "It ing you to it." 'ered, speaking t talk with less s of old Noll, Sussex — I had lad set a price t speedily out. land and lent he seaside and hich I put out, :ruise, and the n her timbers, 1 little puzzled ou prevail on pistol at the trouble with another pistol ys — and they d admiringly. »se straits be- ead, "and at s too long to finally made e had started MASTER ARDICK. BUCCANEER. j- from Eastbourne. There was much tedious pump- ing to do, and right slow progress under such sail as we could put upon a jury-mast." "Lost you your hand in the wars .? " I inquired thmkmg that he would take no offence at that ques' tion, seeing that he had been so communicative already. "Aye, at Worcester," he answered, his counte-' nance sobering a little. " I was of those who strove to cover the king's retreat, and did, for the time beat back the enemy. A crop-crown finally sheared away the greater part of my hand, so that I was com- pelled to retire. I lingered only long enough to pistol the man and exchange horses with him, mine bemg well-nigh spent." i "Surely the king rewarded such zeal and valour as It deserved," I said with warmth. He frowned. " Nay, I like not to talk of that I am a kmg's man and shall be till I die. His Majesty has many calls upon his favour, and can not be boun- teous to all. Let us say I have come by a little estate, a part whereof is invested in this ship, and havmg neither family nor kin, choose to follow my money with my time, and so you behold Mr. Super- cargo. Is not that a sail out yonder ? " He broke off, and pointed to a white speck on the northwest- ern seaboard, which hung with such steadiness that I soon deeded that it was, indeed, a sail. It was nothing surprising or unexpected, of course, here in he Channel, and I gave no more heed to it at the !'T;. '■ ?"" '^"''^^ '■'^'^'^ "S^'" to the cabin, and the hard weltering of the ship through the heavy seas went on. The forenoon wore away, and it was i8 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. about seven bells when, happening to think of the sail I had seen, I went to the rail to look for it. It was now about on the lee bow, and much nearer, and soon I could make out a large ship closehauled on the starboard tack. She was carrying about the same canvas as the Industry, which was, indeed, all that a prudent captain would venture in such a wind •I continued to watch her, and presently I saw that she had altered her course and was now standing di- rectly toward us. This gave her a beam wind. <'nd, though she immediately reduced sail a little further' she was unable to put the seas well under ha and rolled and thrashed heavily along. I conceived it would have been better seamanship to fetch her head • a little more to the south, and as this thought oc- curred to me I happened to glance toward the poop where the captain and mate were standing, and saw that the skipper was pulling out and pointing his glass. He took a long observation, and then, to my surprise, shook his head energetically and passed the glass to the mate. Sellinger looked in turn, and al- most at once lowered the instrument and began bawling something in the captain's ear. Houthwick answered by a nod, and turned sharply and ran a little way aft. He gave a command— I could not tell what— to the man at the helm, and rapidly re- turned and descended the poop ladder. The mate followed, stopping at the bottom to hang the glass in some beckets, and came to the confines of the quarter-deck. Houthwick, on the other hand, turned short at the companion, which he opened, and from a strap just inside took out his trumpet. He made no stop, but skurried out to the ladder again, and KER. ) think of the ook for it. It i much nearer, ip closehauled nng about the ^as, indeed, all n such a wind, itly I saw that w standing di- am wind. <'nd, little further, inder her, and conceived it fetch her head is thought oc- ard the poop iing, and saw 1 pointing his d then, to my nd passed the turn, and al- it and began Houthwick )ly and ran a -I could not id rapidly re- '. The mate ang the glass nfines of the hand, turned ed, and from t. He made r again, and MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. , went up with long, eager strides, the pace faster than I had ever observed him use before. He was not yet at the top when the mate roared to me, using his hand to guide the sound : " Call all hands ! " CHAPTER II. OF THE BRUSH WITH THE BLACK SHIP. I PLUNGED Off to the forecastle, seizing a hand- spike as T .-ent. Thundering on the hatch, and then opening it, I roared down : ''All hands ahoy! Look alive!" In an instanf there was a bouncing out of bunks and hamm cks and a rush up the hatch. The fellows popped ou^ 'n quick succession, and in a flash the en ie crew was ranged on deck. ^^ ''To the braces!" shouted the captain through the trumpet. " AH ready to slack and haul- Some of you forward to tend spritsail ' " These orders, taken up by the mate, as the veil ing of the wind drowned in part even tCuf ^ of thp friimr^^f ^ " ^"^ bellowing scrambled ,7h' ■""" "P""^ ^'^y^", and the crew scrambled to the.r stations and stood ready -aas,td:d.o.,,eord:^:^t:tfd,trr:;:r lowed. In a mere matter of n.oments, so fast did the men work_„rged on, indeed, by the know dgtla there was some unusual stress, though is vr ,1 understood imperfectly the cause-i.: that Z Z'. 20 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. ments the 'last order was carried out, and the ship's head now pointed due north, I had Icept an eye on the stranger's movements while we were fetching the Industry upon the new course, and was not greatly surprised, on casting my eye that way, to see the broad bows suddenly fall away from the wind, and the long black side begin to show. At the same moment her yards flew round, and thus she too was pointed north. There could be but one expla- nation of this last action — the stranger meant to overhaul us. I was now burning to get speech with the captain or Sellinger, that 1 might resolve some- thing more certain out of this stirri' ^>: business; but for the present they were busied with other matters, so that I did not like to seek them. By this time the other ship was near enough to enable me to make out some features of her build and rig, though as yet no small details. She was apparently about a fourth larger than the Industry, and was proportionally broader in the bows and higher in the stern. Her masts seemed relatively shorter, and had a sort of stumpy look, though there was a great show of long yards and of space for cloth on the boltsprit spars.* She was painted black, and at this distance I could make out no ports, so that if she were really a war craft, as I now began to think, she must have her guns blinded, a trick not seldom practised by cruisers in those days. As for her speed, which all on the Industry must be now trying to guess, there had been as yet no conclusive test of it, though up to this time she ■^ That is, those spars on the boltsprit, as it was then called, which carried the sprit-sails. ■""*?& SER. and the ship's ept an eye on were fetching and was not lat way, to see rom the wind, At the same thus she too Dut one expla- ger meant to et speech with resolve some- business; but 3ther matters, J this time the le to make out )ugh as yet no a fourth larger mally broader Her masts ort of stumpy Df long yards ; spars.* She I could make war craft, as I guns blinded, sers in those the Industry i been as yet this time she was then called, MASTER ARDICK. BUCCANEER. . had discovered no more than we could show. I made a these observat.ons in one or two careful gla"ces and the question now was what was her purpose a' i , why was she pursuing us? The readiest answer be come at was that she was Dutch, and was m\ki„ a nying cruise of it in the Channel Tf ™aking be both faster and stronger Tha!;' s^ ';/:;';; would be a bold thing, indeed, for a mere wa^n ' a merchant rigger, without broadside g„„s Tnd h,v .ng no near friendly port for refuge thus to seek prizes in our narrow seas. While 1 wa turn „g . efe matters over in my mind, taking care to keen a,^ T out a. .he while, to be in read'iness To^TnlZV. ders, the companion opened and the supercar/o again appeared The mate was standing^: r^ and Mr. Tym at once went over to him, and by his expression and some words which the w „d took to me, desired to know what had happened. This w! the very thing I would have, for now, without nrh .ng myself into their counsels, I cou d slip a litUe "r""' did t'h'^ "^'^ "^"^'"'^'^ """ '^^ "'°'^ -'- er. I did this, advancing from where I had been standing to the weather rail, just abreast of the great ror?hir"^"'^'''''^-^^'"«'^e^°4oi "Ay, a Dutchman, fast enough," the suDerc-,r„„ was saying. " A daring fellow, \oo, and not to be hghtly shaken off, I fancy. Will it do to set a bit more sail ? " ^ °^^ " "^'7°"!^ -ot be profitable," the mate answered 21 VT^vt^^nrorxrud"- --"• - presently quiet a bit, and then s yonder, it will we will see what can II ! ( i 1 i fl 22 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. be done. You observe that we hold our own with the fellow at present, and carry as much as he does," "Yes," said the supercargo, perceive that." " We will make a race with him for the coast," pursued the mate, " and it will go hard with us if we do not give him a shrewd brush." *' How far might it bt "^ Surely twenty miles." " Call it a bit more. Say five-and-twenty. We could make that by nightfall." " True," said Mr. Tym with a satisfied nod, "and if he should overhaul us on this course we could try a bowline." A long slide of the ship, which swung me about and made me shift my place, lost me the beginning of the mate's reply. When I could hear again he was saying : " If he should crawl near enough. We saw four on deck — none, it is true, larger than sakers ; but there is a kind of house just abaft the foremast,* and that may be a cover for two or three large pieces." "Then fighting will hardly serve," said the super- cargo reflectively. " Well, let us see how clean a pair of heels we can show. I will take the glass and have a look at the fellow. His audacity has some- thing of charm in it, though I own it might fade upon a closer acquaintance." He strode off to where the glass hung (the cap- tain had brought up another, which he was using from the poop), and when he had fetched it to the * The forecastle house, or topgallant forecastle, was rare, if not unknown, in ships of that date. CER. our own with :h as he does." ceive that." or the coast," 1 with us if we enty miles." 1-twenty. We Red nod, "and i we could try ung me about the beginning hear again he We saw four n sakers ; but ;he foremast,* )r three large iaid the super- : how clean a ; the glass and :ity has some- it might fade lung (the cap- he was using ched it to the [c, was rare, if not MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. -- rail he climbed upon a coil of line and brought it to bear. I followed the observation with my eye and saw that the Dutch ship (for such I could not'now doubt that she was) was keeping the same relative place, not gaining, but storming along in a heavy dogged way, her white flash of canvas showing in a narrow streak as we caught the slant of it, and her black side riding up huge and imposing. The supercargo used the glass for some time, but finally put it by, and went up to have a talk with the captam. Of course I could not hear what they said but it was easy to guess that it must be about the present strait. In a few moments the captain came to the verge of the poop and called the mate Mas- ter Sellinger hurried up the ladder, and the three men talked together earnestly. The mate then came down agam, and immediately the captain walked to the colour halyards, and with his own hands ran up the flag. As it blew out at the mizzen truck the crew, who, as well as myself, were watching anv- lously and curiously the doings aft, broke into "a cheer. All eyes were now on the stranger, fer this was a clear demand that he should declare his inten- tions. It was the most stirring moment thus far since the chase-or race, u you please-had begun. The long black mass rose on the next crest, and slid foamuig down into the valley, and again soared and fell. How we watched her! Lift, lift, she rose, up- tilted her great house of a stern, and plunged, with the shock of the parted seas, down the declivity, and a sw.ftly and mightily rode to the top again and still not a handkerchief's breadth of bunting' Five and at last ten minutes, and the same monotonous m ii illlii I I iM i 24 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. upride and tilt and fall. The captain stood with straddled legs, silently using his telescope, and the mate was in the mizzen shrouds scanning the foe under the pent house of his hand. The supercargo leaned over the poop rail, holding on hat and wig, and the rest of us lined the -veather bulwark, in the waist. Of a sudden the captain lowered his glass and shut it up. The supercargo turned, catching the action, and they came together and exchanged a few words. " The thing is fetched to a head," said a sailor at my elbow, with an excited pull at his waistband. <* You would have it that the stranger's no answer is answer enough?" I inquired, willing to get the fellow's opinion, for he was an old salt-water, and had a look of some wit, besides. "Ay, Master Ardick," he replied, with an em- phatic bob of his head, " the thing is settled, as sure as my name is Jack Lewson. That fellow would swallow us, bones and all." He had scarce spoken when Houthwick left Mr. Tym and stepped briskly to the head of the poop ladder. " Master Sellinger, set the mainsail and reef it. Take out one reef in the foresail." The mate was off his perch to the deck in an in- stant, and at his word the men flew to their stations. The wind had less weight now than formerly, and blew steadier, but for all that I apprehended that we were taking considerable hazard to thus swell our canvas. Yet very quickly the thing was done, and under the added pressure the ship drove her nose into the smother, and made a strong lurching start Ti EER. lin stood with scope, and the inning the foe rhe supercargo 1 hat and wig, )uhvark, in the 'ered his glass d, catching the xhanged a few said a sailor at waistband. rer's no answer ing to get the salt-water, and , with an em- settled, as sure t fellow would thwick left Mr. id of the poop ail and reef it. deck in an in- 3 their stations. I formerly, ami hended that we thus swell our was done, and drove her nose r lurching start MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. 25 of "it onward. While I was stepping back from the foot of the main shrouds, and in the act of directing one of the men to coil up a loose length of halyard, some one behind me gave a shout, and I turned to' see that the dark ship was likewise whitening with added sail. I hurried over an.xiously to the weather bulwark and mounted it, holding on by a shroud, and prepared to watch this great and hard test of the two ships' speed. The Dutch craft, too, as her new sail caught the wind, gave a swift plunge forward, and hke us she was now swinging powerfully and gain- fully ahead. I looked up at our masts, anxious lest they might not stand the strrin, or that some weak spar should give way, but so far all held on stanchly. Yet surely It was wild work, and a strain upon the mind if not upon the ship. The canvas was filled as hard . as wood, and gave out a low roar to the accompani- ment of the harping of the guys and sheets and braces, and the din and pounding of the chasing after-seas. ^ On we raced, and it must have been that the greater part of an hour went by. So far the Dutch- man and we were rarely well matched, he driving along at the same point off our beam, as though he might be our shadow. But a change was at hand. All m a moment, as it seemed, his long bulk began to narrow, the small slant of his sails that we could see expanded, and at once his pot-round bows rode leapmg and sinking, into view. He had changed his plan, and would fly straight at us. In an instant the trumpet of Captain Houthwick began to bellow : 26 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANKER. '«• "Man braces! Down helm! Slack lee braces! Haul in on the weather! Att here, some of you, and let out a reef in the lateen ! " It was clear what the skipper would be at. The cruiser, perceiving that he could not outsail us and cut us off, meant to close in and try to disable us with his guns. To prevent this we must tun tail and make a straight-away run of it. The qucbtion then to be settled was whether he could get near enough to wing us, by cutting up our spars and rig- ging. I thought this all out at a blink, as the Scotch say, for just at the moment I had to use my fingers rather than my brains. When I came in from the boltsprit, having gone there on some matter con- cerning the drawing of the sail, I found that the Dutchman was fair astern of us, only the slant of his sails catching the light, and the rest of him standing up round and black. I think something like two hours now passed, only one thing, but that an im- portant one, happening, which was that the Dutch- man slowly gained upon us. Twice Captain Houth- wick altered sail, and once he increased it, but still the black fellow astern crept up. By this time the wind had considerably fallen, and hauled a point or two to the south. The captain called the mate to the poop and conferred briefly with him. The supercargo joined them, and I could see by their gestures and the uneasy way they stirred about as they talked that they were troubled to resolve their course. At last Houthwick said something to which the others appeared to assent, and the mate hurried off the poop. He espied me, as I stood by the main shrouds, and beckoned me to ffHil MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. 27 him. When I came np he said low and in a strained, quick tone: "The captain thinks we had best try a gun. I must serve it. Do you stand ready to help work the ship. Call the carpenter, and put him in charj^e of the ma-a/ine. The main hatch will have to be opened till they can get up the first supply of am- munition, after which batten it down again. The rest can come up the companion. 'J'ell Spvglow that he can fetch out the arms chest and take the pikes from the beckets and pile them up. No harm to have things at hand. Stay ! You may likewise get out the medicine chest, and set it in the open space 'tween-dccks. That must serve as a cockpit, if any are hurt. Let the cook, who is something of a saw- bones, go thither. The cabin boy can assist him. That will do for now, and look alive." I said "Aye, aye!" in a seeming hearty voice (though, to own the truth, my heart was beginning to beat fast, and I felt a bit weak in the knees), and hurried away. In a few minutes all the orders were carried out, and the mate was free to try his ex- periment. When I returned to the deck the gang-port had been unhooked, and the gun's canvas jacket taken off. Its handsome length was shining like gold, and its tompion was out, and the balls and powder ladles ordered for loading. An old sailor, by name Hob Dingsby, who had seen some service on a man-of- war, and a broad, strong Frenchman— one Pierre Lovigne— were standing by to assist the mate. I eagerly looked astern to see what had become of the foe, and there, to the quickening of my pulse, he .;< jf m: MUtJO ,1 r ii ■' 28 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. was under a mile away. I could now make out the black dots of figures where the crew were overhang- ing the bows, and caught a glimpse-as I was almost sure--of two glistening (,hjects, which could scarce be other than brass bow swivels. As I turned to see whether the mate was ready_I mean ready to have the ship luffed, so that he could secure his aim-I heard a low, dull boom, and, as 1 whirled again a bail of smoke blew out from the bows of our pursuer and wreathed off to leeward. " He's firing at the moon," said the mate con- temptuously, and now I saw that the excitement had struck the colour from the man's cheeks, save for a little patch of red which showed under the sea-burn and that his nerves were strung high and firm ' " At the gun ! " called the captain from the poop. Are you ready. Master Scllinger ? " "All ready, sir ! " '' Then to the braces, men ! Luff ! " he roared back to the two fellows at the helm. The ship came handsomely into "the wind, and as she dipped to the bottom of a hollow the mate gave a swift glance along his gun and applied the Imstock. He had loaded while I was below, and I knew not what the charge was, but it must have contained a scatter-load, for I saw a tremendous dimple all over the water, just outside of the Dutchman's forefoot "A good beginning!" shouted the captain. "Have at him again !" We got upon our course once more, and mean- time the gun was reloaded. "Ha! he's showing his teeth at last!" cried the K. ake out the e overhang. was almost (Kikl scarce 1 rued to see uiy to have his aim — I id ajrain, a )ur pursuer mate con- ement had save for a 2 sea-burn, irm. I the poop. he roared id, and as the mate )plied the knew not itained a e all over orefoot. captain. id mean- jricd the MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. mate, pausing with his fuse, which he woe Ki • up, 'n his hand. ^ ^^^ blowing He pointed toward the enemv -,,,,1 i . . in the bows had opened, a, d "tc was T ""'? e. winder ":t:^^trrr'''"'V'^^^- --• ;-.>-. o. ,.e.ei;„:rHi: ;;ir,' r ^^%--- he is about to irive x^< th« ^ i- ^' ^"' broadside - ' compliment of his whole furnished portr Th,f ,., 1 ?' °' '"" °P™ ='"<' thit fh» f II , ^* ''""''^» 'he bow niece sn tnat the fellow, after all, had declared hirase f^^' h a very pretty sort of a ten-gun cr, iser H were doubtless made to shut vc^y t "ht ' i.h 1, '" t so he had concealed his teeth as h ' """ them, till now. We beTan t„ ;• \"'" '"'"' every man held his breath °" "" ""''' """ -ot';:H::ed"'/:h:'k"^ '°"- """' ^ -^y '"" -^ sure, and th ne« , ''°"'''' '^"' ' ^"^ "°' that a teat sol n T"" -'early before me is struck th^e deck ' ar'me : H ""'"^'""^ --^-1. ei-ic sprin ,' a^T :;nt^"oterard T^ T 1 jumped back and as r h;h , ''°''™- ' confess I something soft and had!'" f ™""' "^ ''^•" "P™ prevent falling' gy hfs t m^T h'/r"" ^"''"^ '" the quarter-deck and 11 ,. '." "'""=" "^^^'^ '° blown away |eane,t ' u" ""'"« ""•■' ^'"°« and lr,„l, 7' «"'""' 'he break of the deck ana looked around Tho ^- - . - ^k first arrested mv'.l !, ?"' '''""'"^ ^ ^^^ stumbled rested my eye, and there, rolled up almost in a ?iffL "i ill 30 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. i ball, lay the body of old Dingsby. His belt had burst with the strain of his doubling over, or per- haps was cut by the glancing of a fragment of shot, and it was slipping off Iiim, almost giving him an air of unbuckling it from the front, his back being toward me. The mate and the Frenchman were standing up stiff and bold near the gun, and no one else had been hurt, that I could perceive. The captain's figure broke through the passing cloud of smoke, coming from the helm, or some part aft, and pausing at the edge of the poop. "On deck, there, how fares it?" he inquired, peering down. Then perceiving the body of the old man-o'-war's man, he answered his own question — " So they have slain poor Dingsby ! Carry him a bit aside, some of you, and bestow him in a seemly sort. We will do better anon. What say you, Mas- ter Sellinger, have you a sharp word back ? " " Aye, aye, sir ! " growled the mate. " Luff her, and I will give her a shrewd answer enough." "Luff it is, then." Something hastily, for there was little time for sentiment, two of the men bore aside the body of the old sailor, and the others sprang to the braces. Again we came into the wind, and again the mate sighted and applied his linstock. The smoke drifted astern, and I eagerly jumped into the shrouds and stared through the first clear opening. What was my delight when I saw the great bulk of the Dutch- man sawing wildly into the wind, beating up a yeast of foam, and all a wreck forward, where his fore topmast and fore topgallant mast hung in a dread- ful mess from the foremast head. The crew, seeing ER. His belt had over, or per- ;ment of shot, ng him an air i back being nchman were n, and no one 'e. 1 the passing or some part P- he inquired, idy of the old m question — Carry him a 1 in a seemly ;ay you, Mas- ck ? " , "Luff her, )ugh." ittle time for the body of the braces, ain the mate >moke drifted shrouds and •;. What was )f the Dutch- ng up a yeast iiere his fore g in a dread- crew, seeing MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. -j how the thing had gone, burst into a roar of triumph and the captain, from the poop, took off his cap and cheered. Even Mr. Tvm after rianninrr u- ■ ^>"', drier ciappmg his iron hook to his head to secure the safety of his wig plucked off his hat and waved it. "Give 'em the small pieces now. Master Sel- hnger!" shouted the captain, as soon as this confu- sion had abated a little. - Let go those two sakers while I pop at him with the swivels." The mate hastily obeyed this order, and let drive ; with one saker after the other, while the captain set the small pieces a-roaring from above. All this while the Dutchman was in a great mess of getting before the wind again, but as yet without full sue cess though his crew could be seen swarming about the litter like bees. I do not think we accomplished anything with our small guns, and presently the order came to handle ship and fill away upon our old We had got everything to drawing, and I had climbed upon the weather bulwarks, my mind very dering Dutchman, when, with very startling sudden- ness, a spit of fire darted along his cumbered fore- my held ^T^'^ ^'^"'"^ '^'^ ^"^^^^ ^^^^ ^^-- my head. I distinctly felt the wind of it and wa^ As I steadied myself on my legs I heard a laugh above me and on looking up saw Captain Houth- w.ck stand.ng at the top of the poop ladder He seeTned aVt' '*' If " '"'' ■"'«''>■—" as i seemed, at the way I had rolled off the bulwark, and ijtain Torrycorn .nade uo stand at this, and mdeed his bulbous , ,se showed that he was no; one to decline such an invitation, and the two skippers passed into the cabin. Yet before Captain Sellinger closed the door he ordered me to summon Master Pra- dey who wn. on the after part of the poop, and like- wise to ha aboard the two sailors, that were till now keeping the gig. I ventured to ask if we might not for the ship's sake, broach a cask of ale, and was kindly answered m the affirmative ; , '.ore non I has- tened to execute both commands Master Pradey was never a sociabi. man, but I suppose he conceived that the captain's wish wis well nough to regard ; wherefore, with a cold nod to me he repaired to the cabin. I must say aere as the matter will eventually have significance, t'hat he strolled forward, halting at last by the after gang- )•"!;' If. 44 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. port (near the foredeck), where and whereabouts he continued during the rest of Captain Torrycorn's visit. I made Icnown the captain's good nature to the men, by whom it was received with great favour, and they were not slow in having the two tars out of the boat. Then, having fetched up the ale, all proceeded to set off their pipes and gather round for the news. I took my own stand near by, a bit outside the circle, but within hearing. Both the visitors- judged at a glance— were ordinary English sailors, brown, bluff, and sturdy, with jaw tackle doubtless on an easy run, once the bowl had passed. They gave us a brief account of their ship, growled over the provisions, which, it seems, were of a particularly wretched sort, and in turn fell to questioning us. We gave them the home news, and added some spice at the end by an account of our brush with the Dutchman. This brought out a lively round of talk, the purport of which was that the Dutch had won- drous assurance, but for a fair fight, with even metal, were naught beside the English. When this had passed some one brought up the doings of our ships abroad, and notably in piratical waters, and from here we naturally fell to talking of the buc- caneers. "Nay, mates," said the younger of the two sail- ors, " I think I can say a word there that shall put a little tingle into your blood. I trow every jack of you has heard of Henry Morgan ?" "Ay, ay!" cried near all our fellows together. "The great freebooter," added several. " Belay there, mates, and hear me," said the sailor, MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANELii. 45 flourishing his pipe for silence. " Hast heard what Captain Morgan is now about ? " "No, no!" cried the crew. "Well, mates, it is the greatest thing conceived by English sailors since the days of Drake. Naught less than the taking of Panama ! " Our men broke out in a heartv note of applause "We had it from the brig Prince James, that had spoken the Starlight, and her captain had the news straight from Sir Thomas Modyford, governor of Jamaica," went on the sailor. "So I conceive it must be true. Captain Morgan is even now getting his crews and ships together. He will rendezvous at Hispaniola, and fetch thence to St. Catherine's, whither he will sail straight to the isthmus.' "Stay a moment," I struck in at this point, and speaking with a disapproving air. " I think but lit- tle of this news of yours. What have the Spaniards done to us that we should deal with them in such a fashion ? To my thinking it is no better than rank piracy." " Yet it has the warrant of the King, else report is a liar," said the sailor briskly. " x\ay," said I coldly, " I must needs have proof of that. I can not think his Majesty would consent to such ill-doing. Besides, England and Spain are at peace, and this should surely involve them in war." " Well, Master Ardick, you take me out of sound- ings there," said the sailor, with a laugh. "I must stick to my facts— for facts I still think they be— and let such deep matters go." I saw that nothing was to be gained by this talk 15 I.'- ! • ■;! f! n-ui T^t: 46 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. with the fellow, who was, indeed, of better parts than I had supposed, and a kind of " sea lawyer," as the saying is, wherefore I let my argument fall, only drawing myself up with some stiffness, as though in a little contemi)t of his answer. He fetched a complacent whiff or two, and directly went on. "It is said that Morgan will have close upon two thousand men and above fifty ships, with arms and other outfit to match. He will sail first for Char- gre, and after takmg that will march straight upon Pan.ima. The governor is already in fear of him, and IS preparing to make a mighty defence of the city, but I trow one that will avail him little. A good crew of English tars, with pistol and hanger, and heartened with a pull of strong waters, shall overmatch a whole beggarly army of Jack Spaniards ! Then the city taken, what spoil and reward!" Here the fellow's eye lighted. "Why, I have it from them that should know that Morgan and his men fetched home nigh three hundred thousand pounds from Puerto Velio, besides silks, spices, and the like! Then what must be the spoil of Panama ?" " Nay, nay," said I uneasily, for now I began to fear the influence of such talk on the men; "this is all an ill business Morgan and his fellows are but pirates, letters of commission or no, and it will be a wonder if they do not end their days on the gallows, which at least they deserve ! " But here some grumbling arose from our fellows. " 'Vast, Master Ardick ; brace not so sharp up," said one. "A commission from the King is deep water enough for me," said a second. "Who would MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER ' ' ■ 47 be nice of a Spaniard?" said a third. And so ti:e murmur went around. "Nay, then, listen an' y„u will," I said, with some o.sgust. ''Little good will it do you, unless you mean to join Morgan yourselves, and that I conceive, you can scarce do at present." With this I withdrew a bit into the background >et not so far, I must admit, but I could hear the' further talk. "Panama taken," pursued the sailor, who was now o.-^^ at his ease, and flourished his pipe in an impr style, "there will be some srall jollity for pool jacK. Not less than a month in the citv I will be bound, and no man overhauled for steerino- his own course ! You shall conceive me, mates, what that may mean ! Rare women, I am told, there be in Panama, and not least a considerable nunnery Besides, there are the old wines and the noble pieces of eight! " Our foolish fellows must break out again in an- plause. ' " What is the last great thing Morgan has done ' " presently asked one. "Why, the taking of Maracaibo," answered the orator, ma little surprise. " Know you not of that ? Nay: I hen listen. Morgan sailed there with a small fleet, and after much fighting took the town and looted it. He got considerable store of money and rich laces and silks, and matters like those, and also quite a company of beautiful women. He re- mained a little time, and was on the point of depart- 'ng, when certain of a fleet of Spanish war ships ar- rived. You must know that Maracaibo is not just i.iil 'M 48 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. upon the sea, but rather withdrawn a little, with a considerable lake and stream between. The dons garrisoned the forts, of which there were two, and made ready to move upon Morgan. He, as it ap- peared, was in something of a trap, for beyond the lake there are great bogs and almost impassable forests. Moreover, the Indians hereabouts are friendly to the Spaniards. But Morgan called a council of his captains, and when he had taken their minds conceived straightway what he would do. He first feigned to be making ready to land and march by the rear of the forts, and while this was doing withdrew his largest ship and filled her with all manner of combustibles. He then had the cap- tives and the plunder into boats — this done covertly — and prepared to start. By this time the dons had fallen into his trap, which is to say, they thought he was about to assail them from the rear, wherefore they called all hands and with labour dragged over their big guns and pointed them from that side. No sooner was this done than Morgan gave the sig- nal, and down he and his fleet moved, the fire ship in advance. Up against him came a goodly Spanish vessel, one that had newly arrived, and straight she and the fire ship fetched to a grapple. Then, my mates, conceive me the Spanish curses ! For the stuff in the fire ship was touched off, and at the same tirre Morgan abandoned his other ship, and in the boats alone swept on and passed the forts. He gave them a broadside from his small arms and two swiv- els, and continued without scathe out of cannon shot, and thence, at his leisure, to the sea. The other Spanish ships perceiving him coming, and their own MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. 49 flagship in flames, fetched about and incontinently fled. Thus he escaped his enemies, and after a Httle delay was back once more in Jamaica, where he is now, as I have told you, ready to bring more glory to England, and put more gold in the lean purses of her tars." By this time I had fully resolved that the fellow was but a windy forecastle orator and harmless of himself, so he did not lead away men of weaker understanding. Our crew continued to question him, and he related more doings of Morgan, and so they went on till the matter was, as I conceived, talked out. We had a little discourse of other things, and presently the two captains came up from below, and our visitors knocked the ashes from their pipes and hied them to their boat. The other captt.in gone, we got the cloths upon the ship, and shortly she was drawing away on her course. The Happy Bess speedily followed our example, and in a brief period after her canvas snowed down from her yards was a mere picking out of white on the northeastern seaboard. Matters on the Industry now went on as before, and, except that we had more Morgan talk and a lit- tle mooning and sighing from some of the men, there was nothing to disturb the former monotony.' We continued to drop our latitude, the wind holding as it was, and in a little better than two days more were almost due east of the Bermudas. One evening, being newly come out to take charge of my vvatch, I lighted my pipe and sauntered off leisurely to the poop, meaning to take a look at our course. I had proceeded as far as the ladder, i;! 1'. pi I: '' i it I 1; f"'i' ■f.M ! : 'i r > ' % ''' ?i' I I'r ; 'i li i Kl m so MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. and I think even had one foot upon it, when I heard my name sharply yet stealthily called. I halted, in some surprise, and found that the speaker was old Jack Lewson. "St! Master Ardick," he said, shuffling up hur- riedly. " Belay jaw tackle and stow this away. Over- haul it when nobody is looking." He thrust a bit of paper into my hand and slipped away. The poop was partly in shadow, and helped cover his movements till he had reached the opposite bulwark, when he pulled up and quietly lighted his pipe. What could be in the wind ? CHAPTER V. OF A VERY STIRRING PIECE OF BUSINESS. I WAS eager and I might say anxious to know what the slip of paper contained, and determined to examine it without delay. I would not take it to the bittacle, for there the helmsman might see me, and yet I was for making use of the bittacle lanthorn. I ascended the poop ladder, turning over a little plot in my mind, and when I was nearly up with the bit- tacle box I stopped and uttered a sharp excla- mation. "A shilling! " I growled. "Curses light on the villainous tailor that must leave a pocket as open as a chimney ! 1 must have a fling of your lanthorn." I took it out of the box without w'aiting for his con- sent, and whisked it around to the hither side. The MASTER ARDICK. BUCCANEER. fellow dare not leave his tiller, even had he sufficient "Ueres or cm-.osity to do so, and for the instan' was safe I held the paper low that none forward could make me out, and on spreading it open dis covered that it bore a few lines of nL V II no " |.gly wr,tn,g. Tl.ey had the seeming, indeed o^ havng been traced with a bit of chalcoa lo rt,^ ponu of a charred stick. I brought all my clerk Iv powers to bear, and, in quicker time than I con j have hought possible, finally deciphered the w'ords Luckdy they were few in number. " .Men be Von. to mutn,ize" (so the missive ran). " " „t dn " The mate, hee is the leeder. I am watched" ' It seemed to me at that moment that the fellow at the w eel must have heard the throb my et gave^ I ooked at him as I straightened upla. h black outhnes, as he bowed over the tiller tackle- and hung for the moment all in the wind. I have it in my mind that I saw, somewhat as one sees in a dream the various details of n^y surroundings- he great falhng shadow of the lateen; the farjf, light efrh'r^ 'r T"' "'="«"^ ""-- °^ ' sea, w,th Its slow heave and fall, caught now and »gam w,th a faint sparkle. I think my physical eves ookrn these things even while .ny mi'ni Cflutr g m the w,„d, so to speak; but at least I know I o Lh T '' M, °°'' °" '"<= bewilderment, and, though I was stdl under a vast strain, I quietly poked up the lanthorn and marched bak a'd e- stored It to its place. stoo'n?d°°'^ '"'''" ' "''" ">" "">• °< ^-"Planation. I topped a moment and peered at the compass card. »teers easy, I am guessing." 'il, ^illl ipll 52 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. " Aye, sir, with now and then a kick," answered the man a little gruffly. I left him and walked leisurely to the head, of the ladder, whence, with a careless air, I surveyed the deck. By the faii.t light of the stars I could make out the dim shapes of two of the men, and a red spark by the foot of the mainmast, where a third was at the moment starting his pipe. None were very near, which was the thing I would know. The foot of the poop must lie well in shadow, so that one slipping up to the companion and slyly opening it would run but small risk of being seen. I was heavy and heartsore under the sudden smiting of this business, and could not yet persuade myself that it was all true, or bring myself into the heart of it to appreciate it. Wherefore, as I began now to descend the poop ladder I did so in a stiff, mechanical fashion, as one moves at a word of command, and not of his own free will. I would not refine upon this, and yet, to put you clearly in my place, I must declare to you that what I was now doing seemed distorted and away from the reality of thing,., and in a sort mon- strous. That these fellows, with every seeming of decency, if not honesty, should turn outlaws and desperadoes, and come, perhaps, to cruel murderers, did to me almost pass belief. *' Never," I was thinking but a little season before, " was a set of sea dogs better treated, and sure few crews ever grumbled less. Eng- lishmen though most of them be." And now they make a single step of it to rogues and gallows birds ! And the mate ? Seldom, I trow, does the cabin conspire with the forecastle in a thing like this ! Ah, the monstrous villain ! But I was ready to believe it of MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. -- him Yes, Nature had fitted him with a figurehead to label him plainly pirate and murderer ' I can not pretend that just these refiections, or all of them, passed through my mind as I descended the adder and stole along the deck. Some of them did I am sure, and some may slip out of my imagination now, as I fire up in the thought of it, and seem to belong to that time. I]e that as it may, I had dread- ful refiections enough, I will be bound, as I whipped along the deck and stole up to the companion door I threw one swift glance around and saw no one apparently looking. The Uvo nearest men had swung about and were facing aft, and the smoker had hitched partially around, giving me the square of his shoulder Now was my opportunity. I darted in closing the door after me. A glance showed that a lighted inthorn hung against the mast, but the berth ^^as empty. I stopped for nothing further, but strode long and softly toward the captain's cabin This was the first-counting from the starboard side-of the three after-rooms, the next being occupied by the ma e and the third by the supercargo. I skirted the table and reached the door and put out my hand to rap gently upon it. While yet my knuckles werp presented, the door farthest on my right-that is to say, the supercargo's-abruptly opened, and Mr. iym himself put out his head. I fell back a step, not being prepared for this .nterruption, and ere I could speak or utter a caution he strode out and hailed me sharply : " Stand ! What do you seek ? " ''Hist hist! •• I said, in a sharp whisper. " \ word with you, if you will, but no noise." :iii >\ i\ 'frk i^ Hi •i ' ► i-r uL fin K '' mi 54 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. By this time he recognised me, which now I saw that he had not at first, and he fell back without a word, and motioned for me to enter. I whipped in with all speed, and immediatfly that I was past him he gently closed the door. He had not turned in, it seemed, but was sitting up fully dressed, a book open on the table supplying the reason. The berth lanthorn was lighted, as was likewise a small lamp, the latter set in a fixture against the bulkhead. I immediately advanced my lips to his ear, and acquainted him, in the fewest words possible, with what was doing. "Speak cautiously, sir," 1 con- cluded, "for you know the mate's berth adjoins this." He took away his head, and looked a*- me as one thunderstruck. Instead of answering, he plucked off his barnacles and put them in the case, and walked to the window. I conceived that he might be col- lecting his wits, which must be a little shaken, and that without any impairment of his courage. But in a moment he w^as back, and now his countenance had such a high, bold aspect that it was impossible to mistake it. Cla-^ping up his hand to guide the sound, he said in my ear : "We will confound the arch villain. Stay but a moment, till I can prepare, and we will be about it." My own spirits and courage rose at this, and I stood up very sturdily, as I nodded assent. He thereupon softly advanced to the wall, whence he took down his sword and buckled it on, and from beneath his bunk produced a box, which proved to contain a brace of pistols, with powder and ball. He handed these weapons to me with a sign to av,„g exchanged the pi.tol for „v si, a , n f'e tf L7;:;r-;nfati:^r;r"r'"'''''^' upon looking wTf «ome in I ? ^t' ^"•'""eless, the fellows the canZ "'" '"".^' ' ™^de out that he ordinary sailors, by na.ne Tom Doll W M' ton. and Jack U'alling. all men of fa r ^ ra!e C" si.ouid ha've mishkTd or:!-^'.:",";!:""' '°: ' felloiv like Lovigne for in„,L t ' "'"^ " i.ave shrunk from U h" pee ""m T"", ' ^'""'"' [0^ the sailors, they se^mer o carr/han ™" ^' kn.ves, the f.rst of which they must I Le*^"' '"" stolen from the arms chest JJT ^"^'""'biy popped do„.„ .irh themr tS^shtf^or "" "^^ .ay;ttirr::tt^?he"f:ottftf"'''='''-^-"- "e was pressing upo tl "m f ? T"'"'''"'' ^^"' •ittle cramped'fo r l^.eeof''' ^'J '°"»' -"-d a thrusts he „as speedin"' t1 ,f ,?' "'"" '" "'= > ^oM dash, and so dis^^^i-tt":^:,"' J™^: III -11 li !; 62 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. ■r^l fetched his blow at me before the time, and I closed with him ere he could get his hanger up again, and dug my knife into his side. He collapsed like an empty sack, uttering a direful groan, and at the same moment the captain run Minton through the heart. Walling, who was an active fellow, thereupon whirled short, and with one flying bound cleared the door and landed well out upon the deck. " That gives us riddance of so many of the rogues ! " puffed the captain, who was by this time very short of breath. " Stay you here, Ardick, and guard the companion while I go to Tym's assistance. By St. Paul ! he has little need of it, such poltroons as these fellows be I " Mr. Tym had now fallen back i pace from his first station, for some of his adversai ^d had obtained pistols, and as we joined him they let go a sort of scattering volley. Their range was limited on ac- count of the v;alls of the stairs, and no harm was done. There was a bit of silence, but not to men- tion, and immediately the whole gang came bursting up. Then it was that the supercargo acquitted him- self rarely. Forward he darted, and before the first fellow, who happened to be Pierre Lovigne, could order his guard, the little lithe man stooped, whipped in, and passed his sword a foot throu"-h +he burly rascal's midriff. Back two paces th- . td, as the next fellow pressed on, the sword fi'='w '•- nd, and with a sidelong stroke shore away i: :> or three of the rascal's fingers. It was all while I seemed to be getting one long breath and letting it out again ! " Have at ye, scum ! " yelled the captain, fired at this feat of arms, and he brandished his sword • i -'I MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. 63 and ran in upon the now crowded and confused seamen. Mr. Tyni saw the opportunity and sprang to his side, and together they thrust and slashed so fiercely and yet with such deadly skill, that three more of the sailors were either killed or desperately wounded and the others broke and poured headlong down the steps. The captain's blood was up, and he made to fol- low, but Mr. Tym caught him by the sleeve, and in a word or two showed him the danger of it, so that he reluctantly gave over. All this time that arch traitor, the mate, had kept m the background, but now we heard his voice and I conjectured that he was rating and perhaps trying to rally h,s men. It seemed that he had been in the rear of those who came ,p from 'tween-decks, but euher from necessity or i.iclination had fallen back when Mr. Tym and the captain made their final on- slaught. But do what he could the fellows he was talkm^ o had no heart for further ventures, and we heard them break away .^rom him and retreat to the for ward parts of the ship. He must have followed, for It was immediately quiet 'tween-decks, and so that pomt of our defence seemed to be safe enotoh a^ for the companion, it still stood open, just ^s they had broken it n., but the misused door only banged at wd with the motion of the ship, and no one ap- peared to be near it or to guard it. We now had a little breathing time, and the cap- ^l^r '' '" ' '^""' ^""^' ''' '- -^ down, puffing hke a grampus, and wiping the sweat from i iH 64 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANiCl-R. II Ifi his face. Mr. Tym wap a gory eight, his sleeves mete for a butclM,.r's, aiv! ii:s face and shir*- front be- spattered. Likewise his wig wr.s gone, which gave his white, cropped ;;ead a strange, pugnacious look, but he seemed as active and unspent as ever. E.Koept for a small cut on his neck and :\ bruise on his left arm, he declared himself without scathe, and it seemed that the captain had fared as well, as he had only a light prick or two. As for rnyself, I was quite unliurt. We were now muided to investigc e the condition of the fallen mutineers, and found all dead but one, and he in extremity. He was one Ned Mac Snee, a Scotchman, a quiet sort of fellow, but incontinently carried away by the Morgan business. We placed him in as easy a posture as we could, and examined his wound, which we found to be a grievous stab among the ribs. It was small, as though made by a thick-bladed dagger (upon which I thought I per- ceived the work of Mr. Tym's chisel-like fixture), but was deep, and had already let out near all the man's blood. He tried to speak, J think to express his contrition for what he had done, but was unable to fetch out any sound, and presently, with a little struggle, he expired. I was sincerely sorry for his death, which I had time to bestow some thought upon, as I had not the others, and. ^ oreover, the fellow was not by nature so very evil, :• had rather been le- to the ill deed by thr -on -A of stronger minds ^-^l the deceit of his own .i,.^.; nation. How- ever, it was useless thinking upoi\ " now, and I cov- ered his face and we fell back to ti.c a Httle counsel together. Captain Sellinger was fov bringing the MASTER ARDICK BUCCANEER. g, affair to a head without further parley, and would have us sally out and fall upon the fel ows and c them down ,f they would not surrender. Hfr. Tym opposed tins, saying we were still three against eiiT not ,„cludn,g the wounded sailor and old Lesson he latter would hardly desert to us as yet), ad" he open deek we could not e..pect to wo k such they had fallen on without order or ,,recision crowd ■ng together till they could not get 'the avail'o e t « capons, and missing their shots because of thei hastn,ess, but on deck they could spread out and eu mpass us front and rear, and would be certain o be .^ore circumspect. Ij„t for the surprise into wh.ch they had been thrown by the sudden cal If he mate, ,t was doubtful if we could have gained he day as ,t was. " Better to wait then," urged Mr rym,"and let the rascals call for a ruce which dou , less they w^l, soon do, being now a lirh't crew men., th "V""' '""="■"= ''""'"S "^"tical instru^ ments, those being all here in the cabin " By these arguments Mr. Tym finally prevailed and the idea of an assault was abandoned. I for my part, heartily agreed with Mr. Tym for I 'harf my bellyfu, of fighting for one night, a'nd, moreover could see no wisdom in periling ou'r he;ds Ten a' httle prudence might protect them. This plan of waiting, then, being decided upon, we fell to work mending the condition of the cabin, draggi";? ' eight bodies dow into the -tween-decks, and ptm ng m p ace as well as we could the broken doors'w h ^e found means to hracc so that they would stand Having completed these and some further bettr^ 66 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. '§ i! < i f Ti if "" lis. ;i til ments, we put out the light that we might not tempt any more window shots, and stationed ourselves in the centre of the room. Should there be no further alarm, we meant after awhile to divide into watches -two men in the first, who should continue till morn- ing (now not very far off), and the other for four hours after In this way we hoped to preserve our strength, of which we had such pressing need We pulled our chairs near together, that we mio-ht hear one another without loud speaking, and dis- coursed for some time on our case. In the course of his talk I was made aware why it doubtless was hat the mate had chosen the fourth day hence for the carrying out of his plot. We should then be at our nearest distance to the island of Hispaniola, and .f he designed to join Morgan he must strike then or thereafter be delayed, and perhaps run greater r.sk. But for old Lewson's warning, it was alto- gether hkely that his vile plot would have suc- ceeded, as we must have been surprised and taken at disadvantage, none of us dreaming of such base- ness and treachery. We then fell to talking more to the present pur- pose, and Captain Sellinger remarked that at least we were m command of nearly all the powder in the ship, the magazine lying beneath, in the hold and the double doors betwixt that and the general 'stor- age securely locked. It would require the use of a ram and violence, or considerable work of carpentry to break through. ^ .u"Tf' I conceive they might employ one or the o her, said Mr. Tym, ''and since we have the floor of the storage room between us and the magazine, MASTER ARniCK. DUCCANKKK. ^7 the sound might be cut off T ,w i raise yon trap, to be p de t s '"v ", '^' '"^ ter Ardick." ''- ' >"^' ''^^ 't. Mas- ti.a ' «;"',': '„";,:, ";:"= ^"r'"'«'>-' •-"'" - -ved operation. '»'" "''^" "'-' " -"^'" so.nd of I thought. ^c^pcrate as his air was, "It mi-^'''-""^"" bout, so we cou d hav ttr.'Sr /"" """" ^ ''"< of firearms. . et iltZ ZT '" '™"'- '""' »° "se and see whc.lier a il betr"" '' "'' "' ^"^ " »''"^. ■' Faith •■ said ,1 '"^ "'" "°' open." . ""■ said the capta n ciuickk- «;» opening now. I see some sort o.!,'-""^ '? through th- chinks in yon door." P"''' ■'1 -*^ '^yI: lla 68 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER, {' 1-4- He nodded toward the companion, and we all rose and stood silently rej^nrdin'- :<•. i had previous- ly possessed myself of <• .e ot the men's han^^a-rs, and this I softly drew, while Mr. Tym and the captain held their swords in readiness. The spark flickered before the cracks in the v'Joor, and I was just thinking that it might be the match of an old-fashioned gun, and had opened my mouth to utter a warning, when the glimmer in- creased to a little clear flame, and as it did so some one knocked on the door. " Who is there ? " called out Captain Sellinger ' "It's us, sir— Toby Hedge and Tom Flyng." " What do you want, Hedge and Flyng ?" "We are from the mate, sir, with a message," answered the same voice. " What manner of light is that ? " " Only a lanthorn, sir. It went out but now, and we touched it off again." "That they mi-ht re^ 've how badly the door had fared," said Mr. Tym, in an undertone. " What want you ? " went on Captain Sellingei. " The ma'u,, he summons you to ourrender, sir. If you refuse he will have all your lives." Despite the terror of the ^ tuation, I could scarce forbear smiling. The '" Uow'^ voice had the most marvellous castdown n .b! mingled with an air of respect for the captain somdhing that long habit would not quite suffer him to escape froui— that could be imagined. But Captain Sellinger only looked uncommonly solemn and stern. " The mate is a villain, and you likewise," he made answer. "For myself, I bid the whole ras- MASTER ARDirK. DUCCANKER. 69 cally pack of you delanrp » v , . you, fnends.v „e c„„cU,Jed, i.^n^^J'^l^' you_a message of another son ? •• '"'' "What manner of tprmc h^„ nr offer?" spoke un ^f r ' ^^^^''^'' ^^''^'J^y p.ise. ^ ^ ^^' I y'", somewhat to my sur- "He will spare your live'; nn,i ■ treatment," answered the s2n J''' ''"" »°°" '"" he spoke something eageJi;- ' '"'"^'' '" "'= "Of what sort are the mate's phnn, ? •• jhemanhungahttlei„thewM>d. sa,d ILZ '°;:'r:. ■- "'" Of »".Hlh,gs, sir ,•■ he "''-edo^:Vi r":::::;r''"^^>••■• r"'Tt:rh^im^v"^■''-^■" '»'--'" ca^r^*^ :• "H:i.rx:r.^':--';'-.™^v'saidr. sternly. "Begone, and te tint of" ^'"''"'"' lain to do as he ists W„ ? '°''S™ur„,g vii- .-ho,dfnrthe';;ar;:^I^r'"^■"■"'-^''■^"■ ~,;:: ^errrtle',:;^erlv:;e"^"^^■ ^-"^ their lanthorn died out «''"""" °' mt.:;.:sv^c\rthr"^i"''"-'°- sword. " Thev hive o W""""'' sheathing his |>e.r ns nor ^^^^Z^ ^'^^^^ r^ thmg new will of necessity do nothing" """^ -nsi,t'i^w:T;^::;tai';:gr-;';,r"d^ tatch a little rest." ^ '"^ ^"^'' ^"<^ I 'il :•... i i:ii MAST';R ARDICK, BUCCANl'KR. mti "With all my heart," said the supercar^'^o. " Let us be about it." He yawnril prodij^iously, but added, laughing : " I ana not so worn out as I seem, 'Twas but a lazy trick of youth." I felt much encouragement and, in a sort, relief at his manner, 'I'he strain till now had been great, and my courage, in some wise, had begun to flag. In truth, I was new at such business, and had not learned that steadfastness and command over my nerves that were to come with future experience. We were now ready to arrange our watches, and it only remained to decide who should first stand and who turn in. We settled this after a little argument by my being chosen for the watch below (using the nautical phrase, though in strictness it scarcely ap- plied), and I accordingly selected the mate's cabin, and stretched myself in the bunk. I removed none of my clothing, and merely laid my hanger on a stool, and placed my pistol (I had picked up one dropped by a mutineer, and so had returned the one borrowed of Mr. Tym) on the table hard by. I had no thought of being able to sleep, for 1 conceived my nerves must be too tightly strained, but I hoped to get a thorough rest, and bring myself to a state of greater calmness. With this intent I placed my- self in a comfortable posture and closed my eyes. I was immediately sensible of the various noises of the ship. She was travelling busily through the seas, lifting and sinking as steadily as clockwork, her fabric jarring as she struck into the hollows, and anon creaking and falling to an in^^ant's silence as she rose on the next water hill. After a time these sounds soothed me, and my nerves lost their tensity, MASTER ARDICK, IIUCCANKKR. ., so that I really rcste.l, if I culd not sleep I re :: de' r ";r' T "'«'"- "-" "°" '- ''- '■- u'lit cic.iriy, I passed on to our nrosnrrf.: n«,i . e «.o,e ,,.o^ a .,,„ u.™ ..,. .TrropTi : "'tnerto. I saw why it was that I'radev - nd h, • ce.ved. 1 hey had no powder, save what was in their "d the '" '" "■"' '" ^°"""^-' "f 'he ma^a in and he e was none bestowed outside. Of these PMO U there were not above fifteen or twenty and no. a I were loaded. I wouhl tell Mr. Tym ani the aptam of this hopefal th,n« as soon aJmy"! h "^s on. Ihey, poor men, must find it pretiv 111 out there blinking at the dark ir. r ^ svmnuiM, T *>'"'"«"'"K- Here 1 yawned, from methir "■''.™'^'='"'>'-'""i" the least. Let me thn>k. ..^ve, but think of what .> The sea had «ere hu.hed and presently I found that I was not mouth" -r^ '' '"' '"' '" "^ "'^ """e, at Port parlour h 1 T' ""r"™ "°' '" "^^ =>ma^ement, the parlour had shrunk to the size of old Gaffer Hi"- g.nss push cart. No, not the push eart, but"? on'rft^e:'ttT",t' ^"""^ '" """^ 'P- ''■ "^'^1 P"t ..the, V ,!?';•■ '° " ™'"'' "°' ''^ ">••"• W,at was ' Ave se ,t '', '™""''' "=' ^"^ I ""^' settle -tl.tVot„„'d,r'""' ^'"^^- '-^^ - "'^"^- '"«' I can not say how long I slept, but 1 know I was awakened a. last by a sound of' erashinj Zd Z .i n :r! f" 'I"""' '"^ ='"P ^'■"-' -'hout'n ' .on and a few fatnt day streaks eoming in at the wmdow. I was on my feet straightway l,d »ugh "P m) hanger and pistol. What had happened ' '1 72 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. 1 ' i could not conjecture, but it must be something of import. I hearkened for an instant, but there was no repetition of the sound, and without tarrying longer I flung open the door and rushed out. My friends were on their feet, sword in hand, and by the cocking of their heads were in the act of listening. " What is it ? " I cried. " What is doing ? " "Nay, we know not for a certainty," replied Mr. Tym coolly, " but by the noise it is the splintering of boats." "Devil's work of Pradey," cried the captain be-, tween his teeth. ' "Is it not light enough to scan the deck.?" 1 asked. " I think there be cracks in the door suffi- cient to see through." "We tried but now, and could discover nothing," answered the supercargo. " Yet no harm to make 'a fresh attempt." With this I stepped to the door and applied my eye to the chiefest crack. It proved not to extend all its first width through, and with the mists that still hung about the deck I could make out nothing. " What do you see ? " asked the captain. " Nothing as yet," I answered. I waited a bit, and made a second attempt. This time 1 thought I caught a glimpse of some shadowy figures. Stimulated by the discovery, I boldly drew away the fastening and peered out. I instantly dis- covered two or three forms flitting about the bows, rnd as I looked saw one mount the bulwark and drop over. In a moment it came to me what was doing. The mutineers were deserting the ship ; I flung the door wide and made a significant gesture to klin MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. my companions. They were besid. , gf, and on beholding the deserted d 71 e me in a twi n- unhesitatingly out. I eck tumbled - was at their heels nnrl «-« con ,„„ed .0 .he connnes of t.,. nuarterde^Cwhe e d ar t' tr ,'°f"' ^^°""''- '^"--indeed sUf «as fetching round, the yards playing loose and tl e canvas beginning to (lap and slat , lo the helm," cried the captain to me the first "m. He rushed to the rail himself, Mr. Tym fo" lowmg, and I sprang for the poop. I heard a r • behmd me just as I gained ,i,e foot of the ladder and delayed for a moment and looked back llJ c mpantons had mounted the bulwark and ue I bendmg over, and the captain ,vas ^vagginc his c d and pouun,g at something over the q u! ^r I was at no loss to £ruess wliu if- ,... , ^^"■^^- ^ ""^^^ bit one side and i:o ^^ :^' .^p Z "l '"T' "" .ai. It was, in fact, theUapi,! r.iLlr^^ "^^ them tl an t U f ,u f- "°' ''°P '° "'•■"'<= '""'■e of ,w!,H H T ' ""^ "'"" ™= "»»■ all «ays in the "■nd and I hastened to fetch her upon her cour e The breeze was light and no harm done a,dTpres St'd' 'p T"''" '"""'- -" all'dTawLg as" ■t shou.d By th.s tmie the boat was again under mv ."n'rv'tot \r,! rj""'"- ••-' ' ■'■•"! oppor- ity to scan her with the t en men— that is, th more exactness. She held all mate, old Lewson, the dis- 1': ■V, 'f ill m ' M ll 4 •s 1 74 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEKR. abled sailor, the cook, the cabin boy, and the five other seamen. 1 should say here that the cabin boy was scarce of reality a boy, since he was seventeen, and as big as some of the men. The boat was fitted with a sail, which two fellows forward were even now setting, and by the pile of boxes and casks amidships was well supplied with ail manner of stores. By this time it was pretty distinct in my mind that Pradey had out-mantx?uvrcd us, and though I hated the wily villain with all my heart, I could not but esteem his exceeding subtilty and wit. As I looked after the boat, resolving these mortifying thoughts, the mate himself rose in the stern sheets, and, to my great but fruitless anger, fetched us a low bow. " Scoundrel, 1 would answer that with }'-on swivel were I free to have my way," I said to my- self ; "aye, though the ship were scuttled and every moment beyond the worth of gold ! " My burst passed harmless, for I dared not let off the gun without authority, and it seemed that Captain Sellinger and Mr. Tym (for what reason I could not guess) were not moved by the insult as I was. Pres- ently Pradey resumed his place and let his craft off a little, and now, at not much more than pistol range from us, I saw him coolly lay his course about a point from ours. I stood on tiptoes and peered with impatience over the poop, hoping to come by a glimpse of my companions, and resolve what they were doing, but just at the moment I heard Mr. Tym say something, and, following the words, his head rose above the poop ladder. MASTER ARDICK, BUCCAXKER. II At the helm ! " he called out composedly Aye, aye!" I answered, almost a-tremble with anxiety. " How fares it ? " ness' '^'t. But since it is better to do something than nothing and no harm can come by it, we will set the saiL Master A uick, pluck the mast from among the rafifle yonder, fetch that large piece of canvas, and let us see what this craft will do under cloths." It came like a bit of cheer to have this rational thing to do, after such a solemn go-round, and I made haste to overhaul the spar and canvas and fetch them aft. Here was the clearest space, and I spread the articles out, and the c:^ptain and 1 fell to work In a very little time we ha., the affair readv, and I carried it forward and pit it in place. The m Ml ''il 82 MASTER ARDICK. nUCCANEER. sa.l was cut after the shoulder-of-mutton fashion- hat IS, tnangular-and was kept out by a stick at the bottom, serving as a boom. It was controlled by a bit of small line, for a sheet, and this could also be used to furl the sail with. We drove down two Stout sticks aft, for thole pins, and into this row- lock the captain thrust an oar, and we presently brought the clumsy craft before the wind. We were now heading in a sort for the Bermudas, yet quite a |ttle too far north (the wind being at this precise time somewhat east of southeast), and so, with a considerable poppling of water at the bows and a belly.nr: -ut of the sail, but only a moderate real progre<;s, we stood away. By !:h\, time some showing of what the captain had propaesied as to a change of weather begL to noT tn-/'' '"" 7"' "°^' ^''''y '^'^'^' but it did not .tnke down with ,ts usual heat, a thin, whitish ahnost imperceptible haze floating betw;en td presently I noticed that the northen. sealie ;.as sharply cut as it had been. The air, too had a changed feeling-a little damper, as I mi du s'ay ll w. mo.e of the ocean smel/in'it. I no^; suS hat we were to catch a bit of a blow, though not a hurricane, and that the wind would presenriy sh ft o te north. What sort of business we could'make of It Heaven only knew, and it was with no little studying d directed a more general look around Ihe longboat was still travelling southwest, and no other sail was to be seen. There was the same easy sea, not so deeply blue a. before the thin veil cami MASTER ARDICK, nucCANKKR. 5 °nra,',dTr '"" 'f "« '''""'y ' "•=»'. •••■Hi suing. The 1 H T ": """"-'""« -a.er sand valley^ ine raft cl.mbcti up and slid dou ,|„. f., ,■ that such a contriva ,ce must d." , "™ over us now and .,a.„, ,„:;;'!.„,; r r/ vvay, and in this sorL wc contin.u.i ( , hours IJy that time we had a„ thou^lu ts o get ,uto our odskins, Mr. Ty,„ hkcwife di card „° h- w,g, and ,n lieu of it drawing on a la.le k t f I'l-ea nightcap, and when at last it was ouitea l!,' past noon I got out and served dM,ner.O? course had to be eaten cold, but we added a little b™dv and .t rehshed well, „„d after this notlnng ,a , " 'j t. I nearly n.ght. Meanwhile we had qui'e su k le vha eboat, as her bit of sail blended a^ last wi ,, he fa.nt n.ngs of white i„ the growing sou.herrc e ts are Tea"!::;^" r""- '"^ "''' "="->• °f " " - ' -co::;:LTn:ii;-:T's^x-Tf-"- quarter stand athwarf hu^h^drof ^„ T' ^ '^r ispaniola. A. for such stiff winds as he mi-rht ex- What was fnhJ . "" north, giving token of wnat was to be expected, and the sea was coming up ■ill l: 'I' It' f! Si'^Sl IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) fe ^/ V »^& A % fA 1.0 I.I ^1^ 1^ »'^ 1^ III 2.2 2^ lia iio 11:25 lllll 1.4 1.6 V Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (7t6) 872-4503 <^ .^ V\^^ l/u 84 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. .1 bit, but as yet had made no heads of dangerous size. The sun was setting red, but with a topping of gray clouds, and the air was growing chilly, though it could not yet be called cold. I swept the sea line once more for a sail, but without success, whereupon, feeling weary and a bit discouraged,, I flung myself down and drew a piece of canvas over me. I heard Mr. Tym stir about a little— I say heard, for I had covered my head for the moment— and pres- ently knew that he had gone aft to relieve the cap- tain at the helm. I had a strange sort of quiet, secure feeling come over me, then, in a way as though I had no further care of this business and scarce needed to feel fear, and in a moment I was lapsing from that into a drowse. I was called back to myself by a loud tone of talking, and on throwing back the canvas found Mr. Tym and the captain on their feet and looking with a great seeming of eagerness toward some point in the western seaboard. I flung the canvas wholly from me and sprang up. CHATTER VIII. OF THE MOCKERY OF THE SHIP, AND THE RESCUER THAT FINALLY CAME. The sea had darkened even in the few moments I had been under the canvas, and onl/ a pale, lemon- coloured streak in the west remained of the sunset. The raft canted and made its downward slide just as I got the steadiness of my legs, and I could only whisk my eye, so to speak, over the shoulder of the MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEFR. 85 crest, before wc had dropped into the duskiness of the hollow. But in that glimpse I saw what it was my companions had discovered. Against the yellow western band stood out a black dot, which could only be a jail ! My hear, gave a great jump, and I could have shouted, but in the end I contented myself with say- ing two or three times profoundly, " Thank God ! " and with that stood quietly on my straddled legs, waiting for the ne.xt nse of the raft. My com- panions had given over their talking, and seemed to be holding themselves in patience, as I was, only that, I think, Mr. Tym spoke to me as I stood about for my balance, and so drew his notice. The raft swung ro the top of the crest, and as it tipped for the next s'ide we all looked eagerly for the black dot. There it was, as distinct as ever, and beyond any manner of doubt the na row-wise view of a ship ! We cried out in a kind of cheer, and 1 then fell to asking with eagerness how long she had been in sight. '•I raised her but a moment since," answered the captain. "She showed first as you see her, and must therefore be bows-on. But, pray you, pass me my glass, and I will see what further can be made of her." I hastened to fetch his glass from his box of in- struments, and when the next lift of the raft was he biought It to bear. Mr. Tym and I hung on his words, for it was an anxious moment, and presently felt a vast relief when he broke out : " Yes, a large ship, and bows-on. She can scarce Hi H "41 «i 86 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. !i be above four or five miles away, and so she does not change her course should fetch up to us within an hour ! " I could not restrain a step or two of a sailor's shuffle at this, so great was my delight, and I>Ir. Tym smiled. " Let us have down the sail," pursued the captain, " for now it does us no good, and puts us to the labour of steering," I perceived with this that the wind had indeed hauled much to the north, and was therefore driving us continually to leeward. I jumped to the sail and shut it up to the mast and whipped the sheet round it. By this time quite sharp airs were blowing, and the heads of the seas had come up in a sort to fling the spray in small showers over us. We did not much heed this, and drew together in the m' 'He of the raft, and while we kept an eye out foi' -^hip, continued our discourse. "I mistrust she is a Spaniard," said the captain. "She may well come from the Florida coast." " I wish you might be wrong," said I, " for the Spanish have no love for us at this time. There has been too much doing by the buccaneers." " Yet we could speak them fair," said Mr. Tym, "and if pushed to it compound with them in some small manner of ransom. I could raise a sum, given a little time." " Marry," said I, quite with a light heart, for the prospect of escape had flow^n like wine into my head, "lam for them, ransom or no ransom. Better a living slave than a dead sailor." We said no more for the tii and busied o ur- MASTKR ARDICK, nUCCAXEEK. 87 ■ I! selves in watching the ship, which seemed to grow apace, though night had so far fallen that we could make out nothing but the bare outline of her fore- topsail and the upper part of her forecourse. We began to grow a bit uneasy, and in some haste I lighted a lanthorn and mastheaded it, and we pre- pared our firearms. The yellow in the west had now quite faded out, leaving a cold gray, and the duski- ness on the sea had begun to fill the hollows black and barely disclosed the white in the fling of the highest crests. Withal, the cloudiness in the north had extended and ums closing us round, and there began to be a little spite in the increasing wind. We grew more and more uneasy, especially as the ship showed no answering light, and presently the captain fired off his pistols. We listened with all our ears, but there was no reply, and then Mr. Tym and I took our weapons, and the three of us let go a volley. It was the same. The noise was borne off on the wind, and when fully five minutes had passed we could still detect nothing but the slapping of the raft on the seas and the shower and wash of the falling crests. The thing was growing serious. Our lightheartedness had now quite left us, and we looked at one another with dubious glances. It was incon- ceivable that the ship was not by this time up with us, and it stood probable that every moment was taking her farther from us. We fired more pistols, and even fell to shouting, but all to no avail. Noth- ing that we could do served to pierce that dreadful murkiness, and bring either sight or sound out of it. secoi —I did half fancy I heard a faint, far-off hail b ■olley ut on • i| [I 'I Si. 88 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. listening more intently was persuaded it was only a sharper note of the wind. We rounded down in de- spairing postures, in no heart to talk, and in this wretched state continued for full ten minutes. By this time every high wave was breaking over the raft, and it was only by the hold we had on the lashings that we were not, on two or three occasions, washed overboard. In a kind of sullen, half-despairing fashion I secured myself where I was, employing a turn or two of small line to do so, and noted that my companions did the same. Above an hour went by. It was now pitch dark, and a swinging, heavy sea. Again and again great crests overto' ' us and toppled down upon us, al- most depriving us of sense and breath, and with a volume to have fairly suffocated us had we not been in the middle of the raft, with the space beyond to offer a barrier. We were soon wet over the greater part of our bodies, notwithstanding the oilskins, and, had the water been cold, as fortunately, being in the tropics, it was not, we must speedily have chilled, and so have fallen ready victims to the beating of the water and to exhaustion. At the end of the hour Mr. Tym made a little movement, and, upon the raft climbing to the height of a sea, he called out that he was for having a nibble of hard-tack and a sup of brandy. Whereupon— such was the cheer that this brave soul put into the captain and nie — we were for a little refreshment, too, and straightway had it, not- withstanding the constant drenchings and the wild climbing and pitching of the- raft. After that we settled to our former postures, and I think remained so for two or three hours. About this time the sky MASTER ARDICK, HUCCANEKR. 89 became a bit lighter, and, though the wind held in the same quarter, wc thought it did not increase in weight. This was at least not unfavourable, and we heartened a bit and contrived to get another snatch at the hard-tack and brandy. I was thirsty, for my part, and would have been glad to exchange the pull at the brandy flask for a few swallows of water, but the two breakers were secured at the extremes of the raft, and it was too dangerous to cast off my lash- ings and move, so I forbore. One thing I did do, and that my companions imitated me in, which was to lay hold on some pieces of canvas that were for- tunately within safe reach and convert them into cloaks or coverings. We could muffle ourselves in these and in a great degree escape the unpleasant fuss of gasping and coughing that every big wave was like to cause. After perhaps two hours more the clouds overhead parted and a few stars shone out. This was not a little cheering, for now it was not absolutely dark (our lanthorn had long since gone out, being so whacked and shaken about that the poor candle could not abide it), and there was a prospect that the wind had reached its height. Muffled in my patch of canvas, I crouched on the drenched planks, weary, making a mushing ado of wet at every movement, and with the confusion of a great crash of water over me at intervals, and yet with some little upspringing of hope and courage. At times I conceive I must have drowsed, for I know the din and yerking to and fro seemed to abate, and once I found myself gasping and spitting out water, as though I had been caught off my guard and a heavy shower had found its way inside my cowl. I 90 MASTER ARllICK, nUCCAXEKR. ill (I will not dwell longer on the events of that night. The other weary hours dragged by at last. By de- grees we could dimly see a little space around, then some light clouds of vapour broke up and curled away, and low down on one horizon there was a yel- low, brightening band. It reddened and climbed high- er, and presently, with a little glorious tremble, a bit of the sun himself broke above the water boundary. Never was he more welcome. The sea still ran high, but the sky was clearing, and, as the wind held in its old quarter, there .was no cross-swell, and in all these things was encouragement. We stirred a bit and began to talk, and, after a little, watching carefully my time, I contrived to crawl to one of the water breakers, and refreshed us all with a drink. From this we took still more liberties, and at last managed to reach the ham (well pickled it was by this time as well as smoked, but we paid no heed to that), and likewise some more of the hard-tack. This was in a water-tight tin box, and had come to no harm, and with that and the meat, washed down with a liberal allowance of wine, we made a rare, delightful break- fast. I scarce need to say that we had not mean- while neglected to look for a sail, but we could raise none, nor did we see so much as a bird, whether afloat or flying, a somewhat odd and lonesome thing as we counted it. I will not linger on the other events of that day. Nothing of note happened, and the raft went on lurching and plunging before the steady north wind. Night came at last, and with it a starred sky, and we lashed ourselves in our old places, and between nodding and waking got in a weary fashion through. The next day the wind had MASTER AKniCK. EUCCANKKR lost a little weight, though the seas had not d ished 9T imin- ished, and at times we got short snatches of sleep. We constantly swept the horizon for a sail, but raised none, and in this weary sort the day finally passed. On the following morning the wind had abated still more, and the seas were not so high, but yet the wretched raft pitched and smashed down in a fashion that gave us little ease or security. The next day it was almost the same, though I think it was on that morning that the wind hauled a few points west and the air became warmer. We continued to lie curled up in the middle of the raft, a good similitude being of so many seals on a cake of ice, and thus managed to abide through the fourth night. The fifth morning the wind had fallen yet a little more, and at last the sea was somewhat calmer, and we ventured to cast off our lashings and stir around. With the canvas coverings thrown aside and our countenances fully disclosed, we showed what a change this wretched business had wrought. Mr. Tym had quite lost his bloom, his face was pale and his eyes sunken, and, witr the white hair peeping from beneath his skullcap and the hoar stubble on his chaps, he looked to have put ten years to his age. The captain's countenance was drawn and his eyes bloodshot, and particles of spray had settled on the tanned breadth of his face till it had the seeming of a piece of meat left out of pickle. As for me, I know not to what degree I was changed, but I have no reason to doubt to an equal harshness with my com- panions. That day we enjoyed a little more ease than we had before, and when night came had the satisfaction of finding the wind falling, which in the '^■' m 92 MASTER ARnrCK, BUCCANKER. I| sequel it did till it was almost calm. The next morn- ing the last ripple was gone and the raft was merely rising and falling on the swell. We lay in this case till afternoon, the heat becoming considerable, but we not minding it because of the chilled, wet condi- tion we had been in, and which we had not fully re- covered from, and so continued till about two of the clock, when we got a breath of the ordinary trade wind. This was from the northeast, veering to east, and before it the raft once more got under headway. "This should .blow some ship down to us," said Captain Sellinger, rousing and reaching for his glass. " Here, Ardick," he went on, passing the instrument to me, "your eyes are good. Sweep me yon sea- board." I pulled out the tubes, and without much spirit— for I had done the same thing fruitlessly over and over again— put the glass to my eye. The trade- wind clouds were blowing up in that quarter, and hung light and tailing down nearly to the sea line, and at first I brought nothing else into the field. I changed the focus a trifle, and leisurely tried again. Behold, I thought I had a kind of white speck ! It was a mere sort of wink, as it were ; perhaps only the flash of a gull's wing or the flying up of a crest, and I would not speak of it, nor allow myself to think seriously of it without more evidence. I looked away for an instant, to rest my eyes, and tried again. It was still there, only now firmer and clearer. I waited a moment longer, till there could be no man- ner of doubt, and then said, as steadily as I could, *' I raise a sail." It was marvellous to see with what quickness, as MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. 93 though live coals had been thrust under them, my companions started up. The captain caught the glass and clapped it to his eye, and had scarce done so before he shouted, as though from the masthead : " Sail ho ! " A little colour came into Mr. Tym's cheeks, and he in turn took the glass. His eyes were fairly good, and he had no difficulty in resolving the speck. "Aye," he said, "it is a sail, and naught else." He threw back his head, and drew a long breath of relief. " How near is she, captain, to fetch a guess ? " " I think not above four or five miles," answered the captain. " We could scarce raise anything be- yond that from this low elevation." We continued to use the glass by turns and to discuss the thing, till at last we had raised the ship to her hull, She was standing fairly toward us, all her sails, including topgallant sails, spread, and looked to be a large, light-floating craft. As yet we could make out no ensign or other thing to deter- mine her nationality. " She has bow ports," said the captain, who had the glass, " though they are scarce visible, as she is painted. Aye, and passing high bows," he went on. " I incline to think she is either Spanish or Portu- guese. Nay, but we must lose no more time, let her be what she may. Take a piece of this canvas, Master Ardick, and display it from the mast." I speedily had a distress flag flying. " She sees us ! " cried Mr. Tym, who had the glass. " There is a line of heads along the forward bulwarks," he went on, " and a fellow with a telescope is climbing: the fore-ricfcrinff." ■•n 4 u 94 ^r ASTKR ARDICK, IIUCCANIMIK H ll I I e was right. 'I'Ikm-c was ilcarly excitement the ship, and presently we could ni with the telescojic taking sight at u on :ike out the man She le came along fast, her yards all but square, and studding-sails hung out aloft, llcr tall bows sent up a great boiling of white, which sh.ared smoothly right and left as she came nearer, though with many I)lumes of spray, and in this gallant style she stormed down till, at last, being but a gunshot off, she clewed lip some sail, put down her helm, and, with her long broadside swung around, came drifting down upon us. x\ow we could see that she was a l)lg ship, in- deed, not less than five hundred tons. iMoreover,'she was heavily armed, and no fewer than twenty ports showed in her sides, and her high foredeck and still higher poop were bristling with sakers and swivels. A man in dark attire, with a trumpet in his hand, chmbed a few feet uj) the main rigging. " Now we shall know what nation she is," said Captain Sellinger; -but from that steeple of a poop and the poor awkward ordering of those yards she should be either Spanish or Portuguese." So, indeed, it seemed to prove. The man pres- ently hailed, and the speech was Spanish. " Raft ahoy ! " "•Board the ship!" bellowed back the captain. " Nay, but I can go no further," he said, with a laugh. "I have scarce any Spanish. Do you finish the business." He addressed me, and I sprang up and stood in his room. The ship had rapidly drifted down and was already within a hundred or a hundred and fifty yards. The man in the rigging shouted: "If you MASTKK ARMCK, ltUCCAM:i:K. 95 would board us, take to y(nir oars. 15c speedy, or you will fall short." I saw that this was tlie case, and likewise feared that he niiyht be of that cruel or indilferent sort that would leave us in the lurch if we failed. Wherefore I let f.ul the talk with him and hurriedly told the others how the matter stood. The ship was not dead to windward, but in the course she was now travelling stood to pass us about forty or fifty yards to the south, and it was to cover this gap that we must row. We fell to it, though it was but a poor piece of work, the raft being so clumsy, and at last drew pretty nigh the ship's bow. It was rising and falling at great heiglits above us, but a seaman appeared on the boltsprit, and at the right moment cast us a line. I caught it and made it fast, and we quir kly wari)ed as near as we dared to the lofty side. The bulwark above us was now black with heads, and presently one popped above the rest, and a dark fellow in a kind of Dutch rig raised himself on the rail, and from there directed us how to proceed. The fore chains were too nearly under the towermg house of a fore- deck to serve our turn, and the captain seemed too indifferent to put over a ladder, wherefore we were presently drawn along till we were near amidships, where, indeed, we might make shift to scramble up. This we did, first tying on our backs such articles of value as we cared to preserve, and when we were over the side the raft was cast adrift. We then put down our burdens, and with no little interest and anxiety fetched a look about us. II J ■ iii i iij H^^B ■^ :| 1 i 1^1 r ^^^B^^l 1 i ■ ^ I if Jl I' I' 96 MASTKR ARDICK, BUCCANEER. CHAPTER IX. OF OUR RECEPTION ON THE SPANISH SHIP. I MAY have been a bit confused for a moment, for I find I got nothing that sticks in my memory in that first glance. But presently I bring back a crowded deck, most of the faces being dark, and some per- sons in handsome attire standing a little way from the companion, and for general surroundings a short, flush waist of the ship, poop and foredeck like little castles, and overhead a great but not overneat and sh.pmanhke spread of spars and sails. Immediately a tall dark man in rough brown clothes, a wide flapping hat and Flemish boots pushed out of the press, and I recognised the person who had held the trumpet. He fastened his look first upon Mr. Tym esteeming him, either from a frill or two and some velvet that showed in the openings of his oilskins, or from his bearing, the person of most consequence among us, and with a brusque air fell to addressing him. ^ The supercargo, as I was aware, had no Spanish, but was too polite to break in, and so suffered the captain to go on to the close, after which he bowed in return and fetched a meaning nod at me. " If you please, Senor Captain," said I, stepping to the front and touching my hat, " this gentleman is not acquainted with Spanish, but I know it in an imperfect way, and will, with your permission, act as his interpreter. We three are escaped from the Eng- hsh ship Industry, which was scuttled and sunk."-l MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. 97 From here I went on and gave him the other chief outhnes of our story. He Hstened without com- ment, and when I had finished made a sign to one of his officers and ordered the ship put upon her course. He then turned back to us, and from his cold and rather stern expression I was not expecting a very agreeable or hospitable answer, when there was some stir in the crowd, and those in front stepping aside a tall and stately looking genth ^ \n came deliberately forward. He was, as one would guess, about five- and-fifty years of age, and was comely in the face, but thin, though sturdy and up-ight in figure. His dress was uncommonly rich, and was the most showy and striking I had seen up to that time, meriting some description. The hat was a Flanders beaver, looped up at one side and set off with feathers, the cioak was of costly black velvet, with gold buttons, and the coat and smalls were of wine-coloured silk, curiously stitched and frogged. He wore Spanish point lace at his sleeves and throat, and his rapier was hung from a rare embroidered shoulder belt, the like of which one would have to travel far to find. The hilt of this rapier was well-niafli covered with gold and jewels, and the scabbard %as of silver, set off with all manner of chasing and filigree. His wig was somewhat too black for his light skin and white beard, but was a beautifully ordered thing of itself, the curls being as big as a thick walking stick. To wind up, he was shod with yellow Cordovan boots, and carried in his hand a pair of long Spanish gaunt- lets, the wrists set off with fine needlework. I bowed low, somewhat impressed by his elegance, and waited with an air of deference for him to speak. ;;r I'i it .i'' - 1 I Ml 'I 98 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. doubted not he was some rich grandee, and very .kely the owner of the ship and cargo. He looiced at me coldly, yet with some curiosity, and after a brief glance at .::y companion, said in choice Spanish • U ho are you, senor, and how did you come upon the raft ? " I repeated what I had told the captain, though with some enlargement. As I proceeded I saw his brow darken,, especially at the mention that wc were "I grieve, senor, to Hnd that you and your friends belong to that nation of heretics and robbers " he sa.d m a severe voice. "Pray, upon what business wat'er^" • """"^ '''"' ''"' '^'^ ^°'"^ ^" '^''^ I perceived the dangerous thing that was in his mmd,and suffered no delay in answering. At this pomt I may say, without much fear of censure, that I very heartily wished Morgan and all his bucca- neermg set to the devil. "Why, your lordship,- I replied (I clapped this Utle to him at a venture), "our ship was a peaceful merchantman, and her business was to convey a cargo of English cloths and small wares to Hava'na! and fetch sugar, spices, and the like thither Our captai , can give you more of this matter " "And where, think you, went your escaping mutineers ? " he inquired, without pause ^ ^ Ih.s disconcerted me a bit, but I felt it best to out with the truth. "To join that scoundrel Morgan, if our guess is not greatly at fault," I let go boldly. He smiled in a grim fashion. i III MASTKR ARDICK, BUCCANEER. "Aye, sefior, such was my thought of the matter They have gone to join that child of perdition doubtless, and some good Spanish blood may be' shed m consequence. What think you," he went on lookmg at me fixedly, "shall I not be doing my sovereign and the Church a service if I endeavour to discharge a small measure of this debt ? " I began to think that we had fallen out of the frying-pan into the fire, for I was at no loss to guess what he meant. Nevertheless I was resolved not to quail, and, indeed, it was possible he might be only trying me. I collected myself, therefore, and an- swered him. "A debt, your lordship, should be paid by the debtor, and not by him who has no part in it. The Spanish blood you speak of was not shed by me or by my comrades. We abhor piracy and every such lawless doing." The hidalgo nodded, but I could not see that I had produced any measurable impression on him. It was an anxious moment, and I discerned that my companions had detected something amiss and come closer, though I could not then give heed to them. " Well, senor," he replied at last, '' there is reason in what you say, and I am not disposed to deal with you harshly. Nevertheless '-here his look hard- ened again, and my spirits sank-" I can not forget that you are Englishmen. If you yourselves have done my countrymen no harm, neither had the Span- lards of Puerto Velo and Maracaibo done the Eng- lish harm. Your lives are safe, but you have for- feited your liberty, and on our arrival at Panama 'M I I t^ ,<.^1 ill ■ : " Ir lOO MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. will be sold as slaves. You may go forward for the present and serve with the crew." He nodded to signify that he had concluded, and, with the same stately precision as at first, passed in among the crowd and made his way out of sight. I was in a measure dumfounded, and stood where he had left me, trying to grasp the full pur- port of what had befallen. Cast into slavery, and by the people of a Christian nation ! What worse would it have been had we fallen among the heathen Algerines? I was aroused from this overwhelmed state by the voice of Mr. Tym, and, turning about, acquainted both him and the captain with what had passed. "Slaves to the dons, is it?" said Sellinger, when I had finished. "A middling hard port to steer into, after all that has befallen us! The greasy lob- scourers ! I hope we shall manage to put a trick or two upon them before we are done. To think of such tallow-heads making slaves of freeborn Eng- lishmen ! " Mr. Tym's reply was of quite another sort. "It is a vile outrage, but we must appear to submit. By watching and having the seeming of resignation we may come by a chance of escape. But the thing that mislikes me the most," he broke off with a laugh, " is this playing at sailor. I could manage in some sort on the deck, and even go aloft so I had a safe hold, but the furling and things of that kind I fear will undo me. I shall count myself I'-cky if I do not come neck and heels to the planks." "Nay," said I ind'ig-nantly, for now I thought what all this hardship and ignominy must mean to MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. lOI him, "I can not think they will carry the matter to such extremes. Tb-^ don may not have perceived your age and station in life. I will see him and rea- son with him, and even if you must take up your quarters in the forecastle " But he interrupted me. "Do not so. Let the matter stand. It will be time to remonstrate when there is occasion. As for living in the forecastle, I would not have it other- wise. We must remain together, both for compan- ionship and to be ready for emergency. The fare and the other matters will not vex me. Remember, I have been a soldier." I was forced to yield to these arguments, and, indeed, I had little hope of effecting anything with the don, and so that matter was concluded. We had time for only a few words further, for soon one of the officers — the boatswain, as I presently discov- ered — came along and ordered us to pick up our things and follow him to the forecastle. This we accordingly did, I carrying the supercargo's box, to show him that much respect, though he tried to dis- suade me. On the way I took some thought of the people about me, not having till now observed them with particularity, and found that most, save a few in armour, who seemed to be professional soldiers, belonged to the ship's company, the passengers not numbering above a score. Of these the greater part were dressed in a rather rich sort, though not com- parable to the don, and about one fourth were females. All the world knows how jealous a Span- iard is, and how he seeks to conceal the charms of his womankind, so that I scarce need to say that these 1 i 1! 10- MASTER ARDICK, liUCCAXEER. ladies were bewrapped from nose to ankles, and that >ttle except their eyes showed above the folds of the.r mantillas. One or two were voung-that" the k^impses of their white, smooth foreheads and erect graceful figures disclosed-and the rest I took to be old donas or duennas. As for the men, most were under m.dd e age, and all but one were well enough lookmg. Th.s exception was a small, wizened per- son, scantily bearded and melancholy, or at least abstracted in manner, and made to look older than he doubtless was by a great pair of barnacles I could not see that we excited any compassion among these people, who, indeed, cast upon us cold or careless glances, and in some despondency and •"d.gnat.on I left them behind and pushed on amon^ the crew. Plere there was a bustle, and in the thru.t^ >ng forward of faces I espied some unkindiv ones but in the main I thought we were not harshlv h)oked upon. One fellow laughed, and the flash of his white teeth was a relief, and another hailed us jocosely as fn-afos, but in the end we made by them without abuse. I got below, as I have said, and in great weari- ness put down Mr. Tym's box and fetched a criance around. Hy degrees, as I became accustomed to the duskmess, I made out the features of the place MASTER ARDICK, 15UCCAx\EER. 103 CHAPTER X. OF OUR NEW QUARTERS AND THE PEOPLE OF THE SHIP. It was low for the bigness of the ship, and was furnished after a very poor and rough sort. The bunks and hammocks were old and fit to drop apart, none of the timbers or work of the ship were smoothed except by the friction of use, and a mere dilapidated fence served as a bulkhead to part off the cook's quarters. Luckily the smells of the place, ill as they were — for all was disordered and dirty — were not of the worst, for at this time both a windward and a leeward port stood partly open, and the passage of the small breeze through served to sweep out the chiefest of the odours. It was at best a doleful contrast to my old berth on the Industry, but still safer if not sweeter than the raft, and, though my senses were offended, I quickly fetched about to make the best of it. "A stanch, roomy berth, senor," I said cheer- fully to the boatswain, "Where in it shall we find our quarters? " I think the fellow expected to find us making nice of the place, and was prepared to answer with somie roughness, for at this he fetched me a sort of sur- prised glance. "Why, as to that, it matters little," he finally re- plied. " Aft, there, if you desire. You can go and see." " Gracias, sefior,'" I rejoined politely. " We will Mi M m ■ 'M \l ! i In' i II 104 MASTER ARDICK. BUCCANEER. take advantage of your kindi ess. Friends, let us pick out a place to sling our hammock I spoke this concluding sentence in English, not changing my tone as 1 addressed my companions, and by my bearing seeking to convince the boat- swain that I really felt as satisfied as I appeared. We passed through the opening in the crazy bulk- head, and found ourselves in a confined 'tween-decks, the after part being cut off by a row of boxes and barrels. There was a port on each side, furnishing light and air, and on the larboard hand— that is, on the starboard side of the ship— were the cook's quar- ters. On the starboard hand v,as a small unused space, and a little amidships from this appeared a narrow opening in the cargo. This I took to be a passage leading to the region of the cabins. We did not come by a good knowledge of the place instantly, for it was somewhat dimly lighted, the port on the larboard side being closed and that upon the starboard standing scarce two inches upon the hook, but upon peering about a bit first one fea- ture and then another came out. We had taken two or three steps forward, and I was casting a glance in the direction of the cook's furnace, when an object nearly concealed by it moved, and this I presently saw was the cook him- self. He had been sitting on a box, with his elbows on his knees, or in some manner bowed forward, and rose up as we stopped and looked alertly at us. ' He was a little fellow, inclined to be pursy, and near all his figure was hidden by a long white apron, his face, however, coming out in the winks of a short pipe! I discovered that he had light hair, which is not com! MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. 105 mon among the Spanish, and this made me notice him a Httle more than I should otherwise have done. He came out from his place seeing us halt, and made a little civil gesture, upon which I bowed gravely and gave him good-morning. '' Buciws dnis;' he responded, and then, to my great surprise, softly added, " but gude marning in the auld tongue, if sae ye'll hae it." He took out his pipe as he spoke and crossed over to us. " What, a Sandy ! " I cried, delighted, " and what is he doing here? " I seized his hand and gave it a most cordial grip, as did also my companions, " Gae a bit cautiously," he whispered, with a meaning nod toward the fore- castle. " Ye mauna seem owerpleased. You'll find this a pleasant ship," he added in Spanish, " and able in all weathers. I take it yonder is where you are to sling your hammocks." My companions caught the point he would make, which was to avoid the jealousy or suspicion of the boatswain, and they did not interrupt, while I re- turned a suitable answer. "Peteetion to sling your hammocks noo," he swiftly whispered as I ended. " Likewise say bawldly that ye need a mickle rest, and wad hae a bit drink and a sup." I nodded and asked aloud for a pipe. <' Mine is broken," I said in Spanish, "and you know what a seaman is without his clay." " To be sure," he responded, " pipes enough, and likewise tobacco. No stint of anything on the Pi- lanca. I will get them for you at once. How is if'»» :i I . ■ ft' I06 MASTER ARDICK, BUCCANEER. it with the other senores ? Will they be suppl also ? " ied " Doubtless," I replied, " though they have Indian- wood pipes that have hitherto served their turn," "I am to ask the boatswain to grant us a little time below," I whispered to my companion. " Feign overcoming weariness as we pass out " "On the whole, friend cook," I said aloud, '