Part 17 (1/2)
”There is no hurry, Tom,” said I ”Keep her covered for another three minutes, and then youto the helive Tom a chance”
”Ay, ay, sir; 'steer small' it is!” answered the un of theirs, sir,” reported Hardy at this moment ”Shall I fire and stop 'em, sir?”
”Yes,” said I; ”she will do now But don't fire until you are absolutely certain of her”
The galley was noithin about a hundred and fifty fatho and foath still pointed obstinately at us There was a brass gunoff it as though it had been ures could be distinctly seen busily rouped four men in brilliant uniforrouped along either rail, could be justbody of boarders, ready to spring in upon our decks at the instant when the two hulls should coether
Despite the anxiety and suspense of theto , the co his craft in a very lubberly, unseahreport, and a jarring of the whole fraain spoke out; and, so instantly following the report that it seemed to be almost a part of it, I distinctly heard a crash, immediately followed by a dreadful outcry of screa all to start at the saone home, and it had as evidently told severely; but exactly how uessed at for the alley And ere it had done this there came a flash and a report from her, and the next instant I are of a shot that ca so closely past my head that the wind of it actually blew my cap off and all but overboard I stooped, picked it up, and replaced it on aze to leeward, there was the galley, with a clean, neat shot-hole in her starboard bow, so close to the water-line that the furrow ploughed up by her rush through the water was flashi+ng and leaping right over it; and--as of at least equal i limp and side of her And paralysed they certainly were, for the moment at least, because our thirty-two- pound shot had evidently raked the oarsmen's benches froan to slacken; and although I saw an officer dash aft and with his own hands jam the helish that we had no difficulty in avoiding her, she being fully ten fatho slowly across our stern As she did so, a heavy, confused volley of unwale, but although the bullets flew past us like hail, not one of us was touched; and ialley, upon which every man at once thren his arms and jumped below
”Ready about!” shouted I ”And you, Toive her another shot as we cross her bows We must not leave her now until we have rendered it iain and tell of our whereabouts, and that of the galleon If you could contrive to s shot it would be better even than hulling her; for, after all, it would be a terrible thing to destroy so much life She must have at least two hundred and fifty people aboard her”
”Ay; all that--or more, sir It'll take at least four , heavy sweeps, the way that they was handled just now
But, as to s of 'em, I don't know as I can do it; a man would have to be a very tidy shot to hit more'n one or two of 'em But I'll do my best, sir; and no man can't do no more”
The schooner's helm was put down, and she was hove round upon the opposite tack, and at once kept away for the galley, which had by this ti motionless We steered a little to leeward of her, with the intention of luffing into the wind athwart her stern and throwing our topsail aback, so giving Hardy tiained our position and were in the act of backing our topsail, when the officer of whom I have already spoken reappeared upon the poop and, hastily hauling down the galley's colours, hailed in very fair English:
”We surrender, senor; we surrender! In the naalley is in a sinking condition; and unless we can quickly stop the leak she will go down and drown us all
What is it you will that we shall do in the matter?”
”Where is the leak situated?” demanded I
”In the bow, senor; so close to the water-line that the sea is pouring into the vessel like a river,” was the answer
”Then,” said I, ”you had better cut both your sails adrift and fother them over the leak; after which your only chance of safety will be to make for the nearest port--which I take to be Porto Bello I will stand by you until you have choked the leak; but I can do no alleon; and moreover he does not understand Spanish, and therefore could not direct your people”
”A thousand thanks, senor,” answered the Spaniard, bowing low to me ”I will follow your instructions, and aested, we may be able to reach the land”
Then, with another bow to me, which I duly returned, he disappeared; and asome orders to his people, soan to cut the lateen sails away fro yards Meanwhile, I could now see that the galley was gradually filling, as she was perceptibly deeper in the water than e had first encountered her; and thinking it possible that I hy, in which, with one hand, I went under the bows of the galley
The shot-hole which was the cause of all the mischief was now co only when the bows of the vessel lifted over a swell I saw that they had plugged it with canvas from the inside, and the officer infor the canvas in place against the pressure of the water, while the rest of the creere, as I could see, engaged in baling I thought I could see my way to improve un overboard, to lift the bows a little, and to shi+ft all his ht as far aft as possible I then returned to the schooner, and procured a thin sheet of lead, a dozen nails, and a hammer, and with these I contrived, with soh I was careful not to stop it too effectually, lest the officer should decide to take the risk ofhis way to ard instead of to the nearest land But I do not think I had any real ground for apprehension, for I could see that the poor felloas thoroughly frightened; and when I had patched up the hole, and had told him that there would be no need to use the sails, save to help him to reach Porto Bello as quickly as possible, he was overpoweringly profuse in his expressions of gratitude for enerosity”
It was draell on toward noon when at length the galley was once h, which she did forthwith, heading to the southward under oars and sails; and inexpressibly thankful was I to see the last of her, and still et rid of her without sending her and all her co I contrived to elicit from her commander that two of his consorts had proceeded to search for us in the Gulf of Darien, while three more had made the best of their way to Point Gallinas, to intercept us there in the event of our trying tothus successfully shaken off our formidable foe, I crowded sail upon the schooner in pursuit of the galleon--which all this while had, in pursuance ofoff the wind to leeward,--and when at length we overtook her, the galley had long vanished in the south-eastern board We consequently hauled up to the northward once more, and shaped a course for Ja,--we arrived without further adventure on the fourth alley
As ood friend, the Admiral; whom I found up to the eyes in business in his office at Port Royal Nevertheless, busy though he was, he gave orders for me to be admitted, and shook hands with , Mr Bowen,” said he ”I won't ask you to sit down, for I a that I positively don't knohich job to tackle first I ratulate you--for I hear that you have brought in a prize of so his eyes toward her as she lay full in view of his office”Not the galleon, though, I suppose?
No such luck--What? is it really so? Upon ratulate you,to hear your story, which I a to; but I haven't the tiht, and tell it ht; sharp seven, , you lucky young dog!”
Upon leaving the Adston in a boat e fleet of shi+ps of all sizes occupied the anchorage abreast of the town; and as we drew nearer two vessels seenition I looked at them more intently Surely I could not be mistaken!
”Cuffee, what are the naantine and the schooner--that are ether there?” demanded I of the captain of the boat
”My name not Cuffee, sah; my name am Julius Caesar Mark Anthony Brown, sah! And deer_; bofe of dereat dignity and the utravity