Part 22 (2/2)
”I shall _try_, at all events,” interrupted Ned. ”So whilst I slip out and cast loose the jib, do you go below to the boatswain's locker and bring me from thence a cold chisel and a good heavy hammer.”
Without further parley, Price did as he was bidden, and very soon he and Ned were busy knocking out the pin from the shackle in the cable which happened to be nearest the hawse-pipe. The job occupied them fully a quarter of an hour, for the pin was rusted-in; but at length out it came, and in another minute away went the end of the cable out through the hawse-pipe and into the water with a loud rattle and a splash.
”So far, so good,” said Ned. ”Now, Price, I want you to take the gla.s.s and keep a sharp watch upon the sh.o.r.e. The s.h.i.+p is now adrift, and driving slowly stern-foremost toward the outer basin. So long as we see no sign of alarm from the people on sh.o.r.e I shall let her drive; that will increase our chances of a good start. But the moment you see any indication of an attempt to launch a boat give me the word; and we must then get the jib on the s.h.i.+p and put her head round. There is a fine breeze blowing, and if we can only get outside the heads without being overtaken, I have no fears whatever.”
So saying, Ned ran aft and placed himself at the wheel, which he manipulated in such a way as to keep the s.h.i.+p head to wind with her bows pointing toward the sh.o.r.e, thus keeping up the appearance that she was still riding to her anchor. Price meanwhile posted himself on the forecastle, and kept the telescope levelled at the sh.o.r.e.
For some time all went well. The s.h.i.+p, under the influence of the fresh breeze, which effected her with increasing power as she lengthened her distance from the land, drove steadily astern; and still no warning word came from Price. At length, however, when she had drifted about a mile, and had arrived within about a mile and three-quarters of the contracted channel between the north and south bluffs which divided the inner from the outer basin, the steward cried out:
”They are after us, Mr Damerell; I can see the flash of oars in the moonlight!”
”All right!” answered Ned, sending the wheel hard over with a spin, and leaving it to rush forward. ”Now, Price, aft with the starboard jib- sheets, and belay them--not too flat, man; let them flow a bit--so, that's well! Now tail on here to the halliards with me and let us set the sail. Up with it! that's your sort! Now take it under the belaying-pin and let me browse it up. Yo-ho; ho-hip; ho-ho! Belay that! Now, the main-topmast staysail. Let go the down-haul; that is it, that rope you have your hand on--cast it off! That's right. Here are the sheets; hook the clips into that ring-bolt there close to the second gun. That is all right. Now take a turn with the running part round that cleat! Capital! Now wait a moment.”
The s.h.i.+p was by this time broadside-on to the wind and gathering headway under the powerful influence of the jib, necessitating a hand at the wheel. Ned therefore ran aft, and, summoning the astonished Sibylla from her cabin, where she was making her preparations for pa.s.sing another night on board, he sent her to the wheel, with instructions how to act, but concealing from her for the present the fact that they were pursued. Most fortunately for the runaways, the young lady was by this time quite a practised helmsman--or _helmswoman_ rather. She could not only steer straight, but she also knew the difference between port and starboard, and understood in which direction to turn the wheel upon receiving either of those mystic words of command. She consequently now proved a most useful auxiliary, and left Ned at full liberty to devote himself to the toilsome task of getting canvas upon the s.h.i.+p.
With the aid of the winch the two men succeeded in getting the main- topmast staysail set, after which they hauled out the spanker. They were now running for the pa.s.sage between the two bluffs, with the wind over their starboard quarter, the s.h.i.+p in her best possible sailing trim going through the water at a speed of nearly three knots. This, however, was not fast enough to suit Ned, for though they had secured a capital start, and he conjectured that the pursuers were too thoroughly intoxicated to be capable of pulling a boat at any very great speed, he knew that at the south-western extremity of the outer basin they would reach the most difficult part of their navigation. This consisted of a channel only half a mile in width by about a mile and a quarter in length, bending to the south-east, where the s.h.i.+p would be almost completely becalmed under the high land. And it was here, if anywhere, that he expected to be overtaken. So, without wasting time to ascertain the whereabouts of the pursuing boat, he hurried aloft and cast off the las.h.i.+ng from the main-topgallant-staysail, and, sending the sheets down on deck, descended and helped Price to set the sail. He now had as much canvas upon the s.h.i.+p as he believed he and the steward could conveniently manage for the present. He was, therefore, compelled to content himself with making a tour of the decks and so tr.i.m.m.i.n.g the sheets as that the different sails set should draw to the utmost advantage. Then, and not until then, did he allow himself leisure to take a peep through the gla.s.s at what was going on astern. The sight which met his eyes was by no means rea.s.suring, for he now saw that there were no less than _three_ boats in pursuit, the foremost of which--one of the gigs--was distinctly gaining upon him.
”If they have no firearms with them,” said Ned to Price, ”I think we may perhaps be able to keep them from boarding, even in the event of their overtaking us; and, in any case, I think it will be advisable to have up on deck and load a few of those rifles from the arm-chest, for having gone so far it will never do now for us to allow ourselves to be taken.
Get the keys of the arm-chest and magazine, Joe, and bring up a couple of dozen rifles and a few packets of cartridges.”
The rifles were brought on deck and loaded carefully, half of them being stacked in the waist of the s.h.i.+p, whilst the other half, with a liberal supply of ammunition, were taken up on the p.o.o.p.
By the time that this was done the s.h.i.+p had reached the pa.s.sage between the bluffs, and as soon as she was fairly through Ned kept away dead before the wind for the mouth of the ”Narrows,” as the contracted entrance channel was called. The s.h.i.+p being under fore-and-aft canvas only, this alteration in her course was a disadvantage rather than otherwise, the staysails refusing to stand properly; moreover the high land was now once more close aboard of them on both quarters, rendering the wind light and s.h.i.+fty, in consequence of which the s.h.i.+p lost way perceptibly. Ned became increasingly anxious; so much so, indeed, that he resolved to get more canvas upon the s.h.i.+p, and running out to the flying-jib-boom he loosed the flying-jib, set it with Price's a.s.sistance, and then went aft and set the mizen-topmast staysail--a very large sail, reaching from the mizen-topmast head down to within twelve feet of the main deck. This addition to the amount of canvas spread had an immediately perceptible effect; and going aft to the taffrail, and from thence watching the approach of the boats, Ned believed he should be fairly in the Narrows before the gig reached him.
The s.h.i.+p was fully half-way across the outer basin when the gig--the leading boat--opened fire upon her. The weapon employed was evidently a rifle, for though the boat was half a mile astern Ned distinctly heard the whistle of the bullet overhead, showing not only that they were well within the range of the piece, but also that it had been skilfully and steadily aimed, a circ.u.mstance which led him to conjecture that Williams, probably the only perfectly sober man in the entire crew, must be in charge of the boat. The s.h.i.+p being thus proved to be within range, Ned now took the wheel himself, sending Sibylla below to the saloon, with instructions not to venture from thence out on deck until he should intimate to her that she could do so with safety. The firing, however, was not maintained, and a quarter of an hour later Ned had the satisfaction of putting his helm down and rounding East Point at the inner extremity of the Narrows. The sheets now had to be trimmed over, but the s.h.i.+p being found to steer herself, this was not a matter of any very great difficulty, Ned leaving the helm to itself for the short time necessary to enable him and Price to perform the operation; but when he returned to his post he was greatly concerned to discover that the gig was less than a quarter of a mile astern, and coming up rapidly, though, from the unsteady way in which the oars were being handled, it was evident that the crew were pretty nearly exhausted with their long pull.
The fugitives were now fairly within the Narrows, and in their narrowest part, moreover; the sh.o.r.e being within a quarter of a mile of them on either hand. This of itself would have been a matter of no consequence, however, had the configuration of the land been different; but, unfortunately, the cliffs towered high above the mast-heads on both sides of the s.h.i.+p, and as the wind happened to be blowing athwart the channel the canvas was almost becalmed; indeed, had it not been for a little draught of air which now and then came down the channel astern of her, the _Flying Cloud_ would have lost headway altogether. As it was she still moved through the water, though at a speed barely sufficient to give her steerage-way; and the crew of the gig, seeing her almost helpless condition, raised a loud confused shout, which they doubtless meant for a cheer, and redoubled their efforts at the oars.
Ned lashed the wheel and took up one of the rifles, Price taking another.
”Now,” said Ned, ”I have no wish to shed blood if I can help it, so we will not fire until the very last moment; but if the gig approaches near enough to enable us to distinguish Williams' eyes--there he sits in the stern-sheets with the yoke-lines in his hands--we _must_ fire in self- defence. And mind, Joe, it is the oarsmen we must fire at; we must disable _them_, and so prevent the nearer approach of the boat, for if she once gets alongside and they succeed in boarding us, our throats will be cut within five minutes afterwards. Look out! Williams is going to fire again!”
They saw the pirate raise his rifle and take a long steady aim; then came the flash. The bullet struck the taffrail just at their feet.
Williams dashed the piece down, savagely disappointed at his ill- success; and Ned stepped to the wheel and gave it a slight adjusting touch. When he turned again Williams was standing up in the boat, with his hands to his mouth, and next moment came the hail:
”_Cloud_ ahoy! If you will heave-to at once I solemnly swear that no harm will come to either of you. I will pa.s.s over and forgive your mad attempt to run away with the s.h.i.+p; but if you compel us to pull alongside and recapture her, look out! Your punishment shall be such that I will make you positively _pray_ to be put out of your misery. Do you hear me, there?”
”I can see his eyes now,” said Ned. ”I will fire first; and directly the smoke clears away you must follow suit, taking care to fire into the thick of the crew so as to do all the mischief possible. Now!”
As Ned spoke he levelled his piece, and aiming carefully, pulled the trigger. Simultaneously with the report came a sharp yell of agony and a groan, and as the smoke drifted away two oars were seen to drop overboard and two forms to sink down into the bottom of the boat. Then Price's piece spoke out, and Williams himself sprang convulsively from his seat and fell forward. This caused a great deal of confusion and a temporary suspension of the pursuit, during which Ned again went to the helm. By this time the s.h.i.+p, having drifted past the highest point of land to windward, once more began to feel the breeze; and when the gig-- having lost a good hundred yards' distance--again resumed the chase the s.h.i.+p was creeping ahead at a speed of fully three knots, with the wind coming truer and fresher at every fathom of progress. The men in the gig now pulled most furiously, and actually crept up to within about twenty feet of the s.h.i.+p's quarter, but--she increasing her speed every moment--they could get no nearer, try as they would. At length one of them bethought himself of the rifle, which he picked up and with some difficulty loaded; then, standing up unsteadily in the stern-sheets, he pointed and fired the piece, harmlessly so far as the fugitives were concerned, but not so for himself, for the recoil and his intoxicated condition together combined to upset his equilibrium so completely that as the piece exploded he staggered backwards and, amid the jeers and loud laughter of his comrades, disappeared with a splash over the stern of the boat. The pause made to pick him up terminated the pursuit, which had now become hopeless, and ten minutes later the _Flying Cloud_ glided past West Point and was rising and falling on the swell of the open ocean.
CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
THE ARRIVAL HOME OF THE ”FLYING CLOUD.”
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