Part 33 (1/2)

”A ible cry which was heard, and scarcely was it uttered, when three or four men, headed by a midshi+pman, were overboard to atteerness to stop the pirates, very nearly prevented theh notion of swi, he struck out ain a good distance froress At this juncture the first lieutenant, hearing a noise, caht matters into order

”Silence there, fore and aft,” he exclaimed ”Let the proper crews stand by the falls of their boats Lower the starboard quarter boat, and pick up the man in the water What is it all about?”

”The pirate, sir--the villain, Zappa was in that boat Shoot him--stop him, Mr Saltwell, I say!” exclaiitation and rage

”Sentries, fire at the men in that boat,” said Mr Saltwell, in a calm tone, which sobered down all who heard hi orders ”Hand up a dozen muskets from below, and soive chase after that fellow”

Each order was obeyed with the rapidity hich it was given; but in lowering the starboard gig, the after falls got jaht into the water, and al in chase, till she had picked up the people in the water, and taken them on board; but all caused delay, and both boats set off in chase nearly together

Meantiuessed that the colonel was explaining who he was, and that he should soon have the boats sent after him

”Pull till your sinews crack, my friends,” he shouted to his ood heart, and we shall get clear”

Just as he spoke, he looked back at the brig, he saw the barrel of aover his head

Another followed, and buried itself in the pile of nets against which he leaned

”If they have no better shot aood heart, my men The _Zoe_ will be close outside, and, e reach her, we may set the boat at defiance”

He was, by this ti directly out towards the mouth of the harbour Several other musket-shots had been fired at him, and hit a man in the side, and severely hurt him, but he still declared hiun had, however, been got up on the poop, which, loaded with musket-balls, was let fly at them The shower fell thick around them, and had it not been for the shelter of the nets, ht have proved fatal to Zappa

Another pirate ounded, but, fortunately, not enough to disable him, or their prospect of escape would have been much diminishes The man turned pale as he tried to bind a handkerchief round his ar at his oar

”Never fear, h before we give in,” he exclais were now in full chase, ratherhad ceased firing, leaving all the work to be perfor, Tompion of the second, and both had some loaded muskets in their stern sheets, and all the men had their cutlasses and pistols; all these necessary arrangeed rightly, that it would be worse than folly to send unarainst such desperate characters as the pirates There was a strong breeze blowing nearly across the harbour, froot from under the lee of the land, and felt the full force of it, he considered that he should be able toTwo of the people were obliged to lay on their oars for the purpose of hoisting it, and, as soon as the English saw this, they set up a loud shout, thinking the chase was going to give in They soon saw their e lateen sail rose above the little stump of a mast, the boat felt the force hich she was pressed onward, and away she darted over the water The English bent to their oars till the good ash sticks alet ahead Do all they could, however, they could not overtake the Greek Linton saw that, if they were to catch the pirate, they must kill each man who came to the helly raised a h Zappa escaped, the man next hiroan, a convulsive shudder passed through his fraa his teeth with passion till now not expressed ”I must try which of us is the best shot”

And forthwith he drew from under the nets two rifles which had been concealed there

”Steady the helm here, Baldo, while I try to punish our pursuers”

He fired His first shot seemed to take no effect He raised the second; a wild shriek came across the waters, uttered by the poor felloho pulled the stroke oar of Linton's boat, on whoe, began firing as fast as the muskets could be loaded, and the Greeks were compelled to crouch down in the bottom of their boat to avoid the shot Zappa kept his seat boldly at the helm A reef, as I said, ran off the mouth of the harbour on the eastern side, and, to double it, so as to regain the mistico, it would be necessary to s would have an ie over hio was about three-quarters of a ood start, and, if no other accident happened, he s could come up with him He must noever, depend entirely on his sail, for neither of the tounded men were fit to pull an oar, and, with a diainst hile, and equally exciting to pursuers and pursued Zappa encouraged his followers, and urged the at the certainty of a rope and running noose, as the alternative, if they were caught Linton, on his part, cheered on his men, and told them the safety of their beloved captain, as well as that of a young countrywo the pirate

The body of poor Knox, who had been killed, was laid down at the botto, took his place, so that they very soon recovered the ground which had been lost As they cleared the western shore of the harbour, the as found to draw ht sea ca a life and beauty to the scene, hich the work of death going on was sadly disconsonant The British seaour,the spray fly in showers, full of rainbow hues, over the bows, as Linton spoke to thee them to exertion

”They will have to tack presently, and we shall soon be alongside them,”

he exclaimed ”We will pay them off, my men, and, if we do not catch them the first tack, ill the second”

Meanti occasionally at the boats, but with less success than at first When also he round that the wind headed hian to calculate that the eneside hiot there, his chance of escaping was small indeed He felt, in truth, that he had put his head into the lion'shis tail

”Curses on the wind, to failwith his eye the distance between him and his pursuers ”If it was not for the reef, we should have done well, and there co up to our assistance They have heard the firing, and guessed that so Does any one know if there is a passage through the reef? It struck me, as we came in, that there was a spot free from sea-weed, where the water looked deep, which should be just now on our larboard bow Per Bacco, I see it, and will try it If we strike, we shall fight there to better advantage than under weigh, and the mistico will be, soon up to our assistance”

None of the pirates had been through the passage, if passage there were, but all expressed the wish to try it, instead of having to beat round the point The helly kept up, and, to the surprise of the pursuers, away the Greek boat darted directly towards the rocks

There was, as I have said, some little sea, sufficient, as itline of breakers There was one small spot where it could not be said that there was no foaitated than elsewhere It was here that the pirates expected to find an opening, but, as they drew near it, they al the atte able to cross it The English, ht that, driven to desperation, they had resolved to destroy the on the opposite side, and fancied that they ell acquainted with soh which they intended to pass Another minute would decide the question