Part 50 (2/2)

”All's right, sir,” said Needham. ”The crew were in too great a fright to think of anything but saving themselves, or they might, to be sure, have laid a slow match to the magazine, and tried to blow us up. The only pity is that she has no sails on board. It will be a job to know what to do with her.”

Jack had, in the meantime, sent the other boats to take possession of the second brig. This also was abandoned by her crew. She, too, was found fully fitted for the slave-trade. They now headed the boats towards the s.h.i.+p, the broadside of which having been brought to bear on them, she was apparently prepared for a determined resistance. Ordering Adair to pull for her stern and Higson for the bows, Jack and Needham dashed up alongside. As they approached the s.h.i.+p opened fire with round, grapeshot, and musketry, but, as is often the case, when men fight in a bad cause, the slaver's crew took uncertain aim, and no one was hurt in either of the boats. The Brazilians had soon cause to repent of their folly in attempting to defend themselves; the English seamen quickly climbing up the side, they at once gave way, and rus.h.i.+ng across the deck sprang overboard, and attempted to swim towards the sh.o.r.e. Some of the seamen, enraged at the opposition they had made, picked up the muskets from the decks, and would have fired after their retreating foe, had not Jack, as on a previous occasion, stopped them.

”Let the wretches, though they deserve punishment, have a chance for their lives,” he said.

Several boats putting off from the sh.o.r.e picked up most of the swimmers, though some were seen to go down before they were rescued.

The s.h.i.+p was a remarkably fine one, called the _Andorinha_. On examining her she was found to be American built, while the flag of the United States was discovered on board. Another discovery was also made.

Her stern was covered by a piece of painted canvas, on ripping off which there appeared the name of the _Mary Jane_, of Greenport, in large letters, and as she carried two whale-boats on her quarters, the most vigilant of British cruisers might have pa.s.sed her without the slightest suspicion of her real character.

Leaving the crew of one of the boats on board the s.h.i.+p under the command of Tom, who was vastly proud of the confidence placed in him, Jack pulled on for the other large Brazilian s.h.i.+p. The captain received him on board with a smiling countenance, for the fellow well knew that though evidently a slaver, she could not be touched. All the slave fittings had been landed, and lay abreast of her along the sh.o.r.e. The American brig, which was next boarded, was as clearly intended for the same nefarious traffic, but as she had not yet been fitted up with slave-decks, though they also were discovered close to her ready to be s.h.i.+pped, with her leaguers and other fittings.

The day's work was not yet over; a brigantine lay temptingly near, inviting a visit. The boats soon surrounded her, she was found to be the _Stella_, a vessel which had long eluded the vigilance of British cruisers.

Though some of her fittings had been landed, a sufficient quant.i.ty remained to condemn her. Jack, however, having to secure his other prizes, was obliged to leave her, intending to visit her the next day; he therefore pulled back to the brigs, and commenced towing and warping them towards the corvette.

The channel through which they had to pa.s.s was excessively narrow, and, unfortunately, Jack, forgetting that the boats might pa.s.s in a direct line where the vessels could not follow, they both took the ground. Now came the task of hauling them off; it was accomplished, however, and they were brought at length to an anchor between the two men-of-war. He next pulled back to the s.h.i.+p, and reached her just as darkness came on.

He found Tom and his crew on the alert; he had seen a number of boats coming off from the sh.o.r.e, with the intention, he fully believed, of attacking him.

”But we would have treated them just as Mr Adair did the slave-dealers at Bahia,” he exclaimed. ”We had all our arms loaded, and if they had come near us, we should have given them a pretty warm reception, you may depend upon that.”

Jack felt very sure that Tom would have done so, though he was glad he had not been exposed to the danger he would have had to run.

Sounding as he went, Jack got the s.h.i.+p safely under the guns of the corvette at a late hour of the night. The skulking crews of the slavers, eager as they might have been to regain the vessels taken from them, dared not attack them, and the night pa.s.sed off quietly. Next morning by daybreak the boats again put off; the most important vessel to capture was the brigantine, and they at once pulled for her. As they approached, they made out several boats pulling backwards and forwards between her and the sh.o.r.e. Jack regretted that he had not left a prize crew on board, though he had acted, as he thought at the time, for the best.

”Give way, my lads, those fellows are after some mischief, we must put a stop to it,” he shouted.

The brigantine lay floating on the calm water, her taunt, raking masts, and the tracery of her spars and rigging reflected in its surface. She was just the style of craft to please a seaman's eye. The men gave way, in a few minutes they hoped to be aboard her. Suddenly her masts moved to starboard, then over they heeled to port, when, gradually, her bows sank, and down she glided, head foremost, beneath the surface of the water.

”What a pity!” broke from the lips of those in the stern sheets of the boats, who had observed what had taken place; the look of astonishment in the countenances of the men at the oars, when, turning their heads, they found the brigantine had disappeared, was almost ludicrous. Had they got hold of any of the Brazilians they would have made them pay dearly for their trick. It was very evident that the vessel had been scuttled during the night, to prevent her from falling into the hands of the English, while the crew had landed every article of value from her.

Jack was thus compelled to be contented with his three prizes, none of the other vessels could be touched. It now coming on to blow hard, it was impossible to get under weigh. The time, however, was employed in fitting the s.h.i.+p for sea; Higson and a prize crew had charge of her.

Murray intended to tow one of the brigs, while Jack was to tow the other. All hands on board both vessels were hard at work till sunset.

The next morning, the wind coming down the harbour, they got under weigh, and proceeded down the gulf. In a short time, the squadron got abreast of the fort, the commandant of which was well aware that the English had, in accordance with the wishes of his own government, performed their duty in capturing the slavers, and Murray therefore expected to pa.s.s without molestation. He saluted as usual, and was standing on, when a gun was fired at the corvette.

”What are the fellows about!” he exclaimed.

”It may have been let off by mistake,” observed Adair.

”That was not let off by mistake, though,” exclaimed Murray, as a shot from a second gun whistled close under the stern, followed immediately by another, which, however, pa.s.sed ahead.

”Beat to quarters,” cried Murray, ”the fellows mean mischief.”

Scarcely had the first roll of the drum sounded than the eager crew sprang to their guns.

Jack imitated his example; both vessels opened their broadsides, firing shot and sh.e.l.l as fast as their guns could be brought to bear.

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