Part 16 (2/2)
”Clear away the wreck of the topmast, my lads,” exclaiive us a a chance of punishi+ng theun, which had been trained aft, was replaced, and the other two guns were got over to the starboard side
The brave crew then gave forth a cheer of defiance at the ene that they were about to run theuns had produced more effect; a shot at last came, and carried away the peak halyards, and deprived her of all power ofThe _Zodiac_ was now at theirher aboard on the starboard side, they luffed up when just under her stern, and poured in the whole of their starboard guns; then, keeping away again, they hauled up on the other tack joining their larboard battery, and then once more, as if content with their work, they kept away, and ran her on board on the starboard side
Three of the _Zodiac's_ crew had been disabled, and Bowse hiuns to the last The pirates, as the sides of the two vessels ground together, threw their grapnels on board, and crowded the rigging to leap on the deck of the _Zodiac_
The lish crew to oppose the eneht better, but nule was in vain, the colonel was first struck down, and the hting so killed and the other wounded, the survivors gave way, and were either driven down below or overboard
The tall figure of the pirate leader was theis ours!” he exclaimed, as he took up his post at the top of the companion steps ”But she is too slow a sailer to be of any use to us; ill therefore take the o on board, and desert her We have no ti may have been heard by so--Now, Paolo, follow ot the hatches off, and set to work to select what they considered most valuable, and to transfer it to their own vessel
Ada Garden had often read of tempests at sea, of shi+pwrecks, and battles; but it had never occurred to her that she ht some day witness their horrors, or suffer from their dreadful effects Now the reality of the scenes she had before pictured to herself, as events passed by, and unlikely again to happen, was palpably displayed before her She had scarcely recovered from the terrors of the the storm when her uncle caed her not to be alaruns which were about to be fired; at the sa with confidence of their ultih she treive way to fear, and entreated to be allowed to come on deck To this he of course would on no consideration consent, and after er she would run, heshould induce her to leave the cabin till he hiain had recourse to her Bible, and, with Marianna sitting at her feet, she endeavoured to cal the gale
Except frouns there was now, perhaps, much less to cause her alar of the possible result; but this, notwithstanding her uncle's assurances, she could not do; for she understood too well the great superiority of the pirate vessel; and though she knew that her countryht be overcoht be The alar attendant was almost beyond control
”Oh, Holy Mary!” she shrieked out, as the first shot was fired; ”the dreadful battle has begun, and we shall be killed Oh, why did we leave our dear Valetta, to come on the stormy sea, when one moment we are about to be drowned and the next irl burst into tears Another shot was heard, and she started and trembled afresh
Ada tried to console her ”Listen now, Marianna,” she said, ”those shots are fired froh they may our enemies It is only those which are sent from the other shi+p can injure us; as yet, none seeed”
”May the saints prevent the wretches froh her tears ”Perhaps they will not fire on a British shi+p”
”Heaven grant it may be so,” said Ada, ”but I fear not That sounds as if our shi+p had been struck”
It was the sharp sound of a spar being wounded, which, like an electric shock, reverberated through the vessel Another and another followed
”Oh, the ene to happen?” shrieked the poor Maltese girl
”Put your trust in Heaven, Marianna; and, though we are unable to discern it, the means may at the last moment be found for our preservation,” said Ada solemnly ”I would that I were allowed to venture on deck, to learn that my uncle has not suffered in this dreadful fire”
”Oh, do not leaveto her dress ”You will be killed, to a certainty, if you go up ao!”
Ada did not attee herself, for she remembered her promise to Colonel Gauntlett, and she felt hoorse than useless she would there be Still louder and uns, and the crashes, as the spars and rigging cahtful noises in quick succession, as the pirate poured in her two broadsides, and lastly the loud, grating sound, as she finally ran alongside, and the two vessels ground together as they lay locked in their deadly embrace At the same instant arose the shouts of defiance raised by the British sealed with the shrieks of their wounded, and answered by the fierce cries of the pirates, as they threw themselves on the _Zodiac's_ deck--next was heard above their heads the loud trale Sometimes Ada fancied that her friends were victorious, and that the pirates were driven back; then again, by theof feet, and the cries and exclae, she felt too sure that the enereater numbers on board For a few moments the noise of feet increased; there were next so, and then arose the loud triue--it was that of the enemy; all, then, for a time was silent--what had beco, and her mind in a chaos of confusion, she could not resolve what to do She could just discern the footsteps of persons descending the companion-ladder--they entered the main cabin The door of the one in which she with Marianna sat was violently opened, and she beheld the countenance of the pirate Zappa Too truly all then was lost The excess of her horror and alarm overcame her and she fainted
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
When the first glis of consciousness revisited the mind of Ada Garden, she felt that so able to comprehend its nature or extent An undefined terror, an insupportable oppression at the heart made her feel that death s She had neither the power nor the will to stir a limb, or to open her eyes to discover her real state The noise of the engageuns, the shrieks and cries of the co with fearful clearness in her ears, yet without enabling her to remember the causes which had produced theuardian--that she was alone in the world without friends to protect or counsel her; but how her uncle had died she could not co down into the deep blue sea, and his countenance was turned towards her with the smile it hen he was pleased, and down, down he sunk till he reached the yellow sand at the botto, and beckoning her to raise hie, fierce for her; and whenever she stooped down to aid the old man, it would come between theave notice that she was returning to a consciousness of the dreadful reality She opened her eyes with difficulty, and for an instant gazed round her, and then again closed theer in her own cabin, though she still felt that she was at sea For so to collect her scattered thoughts, till at last she reht with the _Sea Hawk_, and the appearance of Zappa at the door of her cabin
The thoughts of what had occurred were almost sufficient to drive back her mind to a state of insensibility, if not to y she could uidance, and by a strenuous exertion of the intellect, she conquered the feeling which was so nearly overpowering her Once more she opened her eyes, and tried to raise herself, that she ht discover where she was
The movement she made attracted the attention of some one who appeared to be occupied at a little distance from her, and who instantly flew to her side
”Oh, my dear mistress, the saints have heard ain!” exclaimed the voice of Marianna, who immediately presented herself before her, with a countenance in which pleasure overca