Part 27 (2/2)

”The game is not over yet,” observed Deane, who with Elizabeth still stood on the rock watching the progress of the fight. ”The crew of the frigate are busily employed in repairing damages. As soon as that is done, and the other two s.h.i.+ps come up, depend upon it, they will attack the island, and, with the strong force the English will then have, the pirates will be utterly unable to resist them.”

”Alas! alas! I wish we could have escaped from the island before this had occurred! I tremble for the fate of my poor mother, for such I must still call her--and what will become of Master Pearson? for, as far as I can judge, he seems to be the head of the whole community.”

”For the kindness with which he has ever treated you, if he escapes with his life from the battle, I will use all my influence to protect him,”

answered Deane. ”At the same time, I think it likely he will fight to the last. He seems a man who would not yield, as long as a hope of success remains.”

”Let me go then and tell my poor mother of what has occurred, and prepare her for the worst,” exclaimed Elizabeth.

”Oh, no! stay here, let me entreat you!” he answered. ”You will be safer on this rock, and I may possibly be able to make some signal to the boats as they come in, and thus you will escape the desperate struggle which is likely to take place when the crews land and attack the pirates. Or stay! if you can persuade Mistress Pearson to come here, she will be safer than in her own house. But you must not go alone: I will accompany you, and try and bring her back.”

To this plan Elizabeth willingly agreed, and she and Deane immediately hurried forward towards the village. The alarm of the poor lady was very great when she heard what was likely to occur, but she positively refused to quit the house.

”Go, go!” she replied to Elizabeth's entreaties. ”Leave me to my fate: Mr Deane will protect you better than I can, and you are not bound either to that unhappy man my husband or to me.”

Deane had now some difficulty in persuading Elizabeth to return with him, for she was unwilling to leave poor Mistress Pearson to the danger to which she would be exposed should the village be stormed, as it was too likely to be. At length, however, she yielded to her and Jack's united entreaties, and returned to the rock with Deane. By the time they reached it, the other English vessels had almost come up with their crippled consort, and a considerable flotilla of boats was seen collecting round them. The pirates meantime, having warped their vessel into the harbour, had placed her across its mouth, so that her guns pointed directly down towards an enemy approaching in that direction. A considerable number of the people were also engaged on sh.o.r.e in throwing up breastworks at various points likely to be a.s.sailed. Guns were being brought down from the stores and from the other vessels up the harbour, and every effort was being made which desperate men could think of to defend the place. The English seemed to guess what the pirates were about by the rapidity of their movements, for not a moment was lost after the vessels had met, before the boats began to pull at a rapid rate towards the mouth of the harbour. There were twelve boats in all, carrying a considerable body of men. The s.h.i.+ps at the same time stood in as close as they could venture, to cover the attack with their guns.

Between the rock on which Deane and Elizabeth stood, was a sandy bay, affording tolerably safe landing. This spot the pirates seemed to have overlooked, though the English were evidently aware of it, for while one party of boats pulled towards the mouth of the harbour, another, suddenly leaving the main body, made a dash towards the bay, for the purpose of landing before the pirates discovered it and were prepared to resist them. On came five boats at a rapid rate, the water foaming at their bows, as their crews urged them through it. Deane could with difficulty resist the temptation of hurrying forward to meet them, but he could not leave Elizabeth, nor could he place her in the danger to which she would be exposed had he carried her with him. As soon as the s.h.i.+ps came close enough they opened their fire at the hastily thrown up forts at the harbour's mouth, while the flotilla of boats dashed forward for the purpose of storming them before the enemy had recovered from the effects of the cannonading. The pirates, however, had been too long accustomed to desperate fighting of all sorts to be easily daunted, and the places of those who fell were quickly supplied by others who rushed forward to work their guns. Before, however, they could load and fire them, the boats' crews, springing on sh.o.r.e, rushed forward and attacked them, hanger in hand, and quickly mastered the fort.

The pirate s.h.i.+p now opened her fire upon the boats advancing up the harbour. This told with great effect, and again and again they were struck, but still undaunted, they pulled on. Meantime the other boats had reached the bay, and their crews also quickly threw themselves on sh.o.r.e. The pirates did not perceive their intention till it was too late to prevent them, and now in steady order they were soon advancing up from the sh.o.r.e towards the fort, which was also greatly annoying the boats in their advance. Taken in the rear, its defenders were quickly cut down, and now the party of English blue-jackets rushed up towards the pirate s.h.i.+p, but some of her guns being directed at them and others at the boats, no great loss was sustained by either. So quickly indeed did the party advance, that very few shot took effect among them. At length they got close up to the s.h.i.+p and opened a hot fire of musketry upon her killing and wounding the men at her guns. The boats were thus able to advance with much less molestation than before, and getting alongside, their crews with loud shouts dashed on board. The pirates fought desperately, but nothing could resist the courage of the English.

The outlaws were seen jumping overboard on either side, and many were shot while attempting to swim on sh.o.r.e. No quarter was asked for by them. They had seldom given it themselves. Still, however, they exhibited great courage and hardihood, fighting desperately to the last.

Meantime a party of them who had remained on sh.o.r.e, manning several boats, put off to the rescue of their comrades. Thus before the English could prevent them, a considerable number had managed to escape from the s.h.i.+p, taking their way to a point up the harbour where they could land without being molested.

The men-of-war's boats had been left with their boatkeepers in the bay.

As soon as Deane saw that he could reach them without running the risk of encountering the pirates, he determined to place Elizabeth on board them.

”If we stay here, we shall very probably fall in with the buccaneers, who are likely to fly to this rock in the hope of defending themselves.

Our way is now clear to the boats, and I will carry you there,” he said, taking Elizabeth's arm.

”Whatever you think best I am ready to do,” she answered; and they hurried towards the bay.

Fortunately, the officer in charge of the boats belonged to Deane's own s.h.i.+p, and recognising him, at once received Elizabeth on board.

”Now I have placed you in safety, I will go back and endeavour to protect our kind friend Mistress Pearson,” he said.

Elizabeth thanked him warmly, though she evidently at the same time dreaded losing sight of him. Deane well knew there was no time to be lost, for the sound of the firing and the shouts and cries of the combatants told him that they were approaching the village. He hurried back therefore, taking a sheltered way among the trees. He had just reached the house, when he saw a number of buccaneers rus.h.i.+ng towards the village, with the intention, he judged, of attempting to defend themselves behind the walls of the buildings. He found Mistress Pearson standing pale with terror at the sound of the guns which had reached her ears, not knowing which party had been successful. Deane once more entreated her to fly.

”If you remain, you will too probably lose your life in the struggle,”

he said.

Scarcely waiting for her answer, he had drawn her to the door, when he was seen by some of the pirates.

”Down with the villain! down with the traitor who has brought the enemy upon us!” they shouted.

They raised their muskets, but Mistress Pearson standing between them and Deane, prevented them from firing. Some of the fiercest were, however, rus.h.i.+ng forward with the intention of cutting him down, when the cry arose, ”The enemy are upon us! defend yourselves, lads!” and they had to face about to receive the charge of the British sailors, who dashed out from among the trees towards them. Several bullets whistled by Deane's and the poor dame's ears. The fighting was desperate. The pirates defended themselves, knowing that they should receive no quarter; but in spite of their bravery they were cut down on all sides.

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