Part 26 (1/2)

”So much the better,” said Captain Benbow ”It will induce them to attack us; we must do our best to send them to the botto proceeded on her course to the west, the _Ruby_ continued standing on to the ard It was Roger'sthe latter part of the night Soon after dawn broke the look-out shouted, ”Two sail on the starboard bow” Roger ran aloft to have a look at thee at the distance they were off, and he hopedthe strangers narrowly, he observed a third vessel,--then a fourth, some way farther off This left him little doubt that they formed part of the piratical squadron of which the _Ruby_ was in search Having satisfied himself on this point, he came below and went to inforreat hopes that you are right, Willoughby,” he said, after he had taken a survey of the strangers ”We will make the _Ruby_ look as much like a merchantman as possible, and perhaps draw theht wind; the vessel's course was changed to the northward, the yards were irregularly braced The strangers, whether they suspected the ruse or not, stood on, expecting, if they were pirates, probably to gain an easy victory over the lu ot ready for action; and, collecting his crew aft, told them that they were likely to have a pretty sharp encounter, and that uns and trie vessels were seen approaching, while two more appeared in the distance; they were evidently not aware of the character of the _Ruby_, or they would have come on in very different fashi+on It appeared as if the object of each of thee her before the arrival of her consorts When, however, the leading frigate got ale, it seeether like a heavyon, she suddenly hauled her tacks aboard and stood back towards her consorts

The _Ruby_ on this ate, however, was a fast craft and kept well ahead As they saw the _Ruby_ coers in succession hauled to the wind and steered to the ard, the frigate which had been leading ether At first they appeared as if they intended to try and un to fear that they would get off altogether

”Hurrah!” he cried out at length to Bates, ”they intend to coers, which had now forates in one, the third and two sether ht have had a fair hope of gaining the victory Captain Benbow, on seeing this, steered for the two frigates As soon as he ca one, he opened the whole of his starboard broadside on her; then, standing on, regardless of her shot, which caate a similar dose Meanti towards the _Ruby_, coht now became fast and furious; the pirates, for such there could be no doubt they were, though they had showed no flags, keeping on the _Ruby's_ quarters, poured in a galling fire on her Several of heractively at her guns, ran the onderful rapidity, effecting no save signs of having had the worst of it; the two smaller vessels once more hauled their tacks on board and stood away to the ard, and one of the frigates soon followed their example

”Now, lads, we must capture one or two of the re vessel, he poured a well-directed broadside into her The second frigate, trying to support her consort, was severely punished, her deck being streith the dead and wounded She now set all sail, and stood out of the fight, leaving her consort to her fate Still the pirate fought desperately, frequently firing high, in the hopes of knocking away so her to her own condition; but no great da round and round the frigate, reduced her to a co aft with a white flag, which he waved above his head, and then thren on the deck as a token of surrender

The _Ruby_ standing close to her, Captain Benbow ordered her to heave-to, and then, doing the saer in command of one, Kemp of another, and Bates of a third

”Remember that these pirates are treacherous fellows,” he observed

”Secure theazines”

The decks, as the British seamen clambered up the side, presented a fearful spectacle, covered as they ith dead and wounded,beenin festoons, the canvas shot through and through, yards and blocks scattered about the deck

”Where is your captain?” asked Roger

”We have no captain; he was killed early in the action,” answered one of the men

”And your officers?”

”They are all killed We fought as long as one remained alive”

As several bodies looked like those of officers, Roger thought that this was probably the case He and his companions, however, had first to obey the Captain's orders and to secure the crew They sulkily submitted to have their arms lashed behind them, and were ordered, as soon as this operation was perfore of four of the seaer and Kemp took one party of their ht have concealed themselves Bates conducted another down below in the afterpart of the shi+p He had just reached the Captain's cabin when he detected a smell of brimstone He rushed towards the spot fro towards the principal azine Some of his men showed an inclination to rush up on deck

”Come back, cowards!” he exclai forward, he cut the , upon which setting his foot, he quickly sta to his men at the sa tinited by one of the officers since killed Ordering soht below, he searched round in the neighbourhood of the other azine An attempt had evidently been one out The victors and vanquished would otherwise probably have been blown up together Several pirates were discovered concealed in the after part of the shi+p Roger did his best to ascertain if any of them were officers, but without success As the pirate's boats were knocked to pieces, Captain Benbow nal that one of the _Ruby's_ should remain on board, while the other returned with as o in chase of the piratical squadron, Keer in command of the prize, with Bates as his lieutenant

They forthwith loaded the two boats with the prisoners, but still a considerable number remained

”We can keep these fellows under, I should hope,” said Roger to his messmate; ”but it will be necessary to have a watchful eye on them If they can work us any mischief they are sure to do it”

As soon as the two boats got alongside the _Ruby_, she made sail in the direction that the pirates had taken, while Roger set to work to repair soht be in a fit state to encounter a strong breeze, should one spring up He had been directed, having done this, to steer a certain course for Port Royal, Captain Benbow intending to follow and accoer collected all the res lashed, three sentries with loadedplaced over them These were all he could spare, as the rest of his creere required to get the shi+p into order He and Bates exerted the and splicing, now hurrying below to see that the sentries were vigilant He had looked to the pri of the pistols which he carried in his belt, and kept his sword by his side He had froret that so many prisoners had been left on board

”I know the tricks of these fellows,” he re the out of rope lashi+ngs, however apparently secure”

”Well, let us get the yards across, and fresh sails bent, and the rigging set up, and we shall have er

Working away, they took a frequent look at the _Ruby_, till she had run theht Short-handed as they were, much remained to be done

When the sun set, and darkness covered the ocean, the sea remained calm, so that the prize floated motionless No sail had yet been set, as the crew, of course, after their exertions, required rest Roger therefore divided the e of one and Bates of the other Bates begged to take the first watch of serving, that Roger and his ht then, after rest, be more wide-awake to watch the pirates