Part 13 (1/2)
”Let them think what they like; we'll show them presently that we've powder and shot, too, if they tempt us,” answered Devereux
Volley after volley was fired by the pirates with the sah several of the bullets caed that theywith iale to htfall, when they hoped the pirates would retire, and give the before dark the ene, as was supposed, because they had expended their aoon they went
”Hurrah! Let us give three cheers for victory,” cried O'Grady ”We've beaten the a shot”
To celebrate their bloodless victory, the party took a hearty ht came on, each crouched doith his musket by his side, in his hole, to snatch a short sleep, to be prepared, should the gale cease, to escape It was, of course, arranged that one at a tiale was abating, but he very soon became unconscious of all sublunary affairs He reatly refreshed The gale had ceased
He was surprised that, whosoever was on watch, had not summoned the rest of the party He was about to call out, when he found his shoulder clutched with a strong gripe, and looking up, he saw by the di moon, the same hideous face which had appeared on the top of the rocks on the previous day, and a peal of derisive laughter broke forth, followed by the cries of his companions, as they found themselves in the power of their ene that he was in a dream, till the truth flashed on his mind that the pirates, accustomed to practise every kind of trick, must have approached the rock with muffled oars, and have climbed up it while he and his companions were asleep, and surprised theht to have been awake had undoubtedly dropped into forgetfulness, or the pirates lish seaht bravely, as they always do, and have striven to the last, and are overpowered, do not struggle or bluster, but yield to their destiny with calht to escape us, did you?” exclaimed one of the pirates, as he secured Devereux's hands ”What do you think you deserve, now, for running aith other people's property? Hanging is too good for you; that's the way you would have treated us, if we had been caught doing the sahed at what he considered a very good joke ”But coe and jury all fair and shi+pshape to-uilty, you'll have no cause to coged the poor young midshi+pht by the savage who had at first seized him, and the whole party were quickly transferred to the boats, which proceeded up the lagoon
Paul found himself in the boat in which they had atteed to secure his fiddle-case
”De e breast, I have heard--I vill try,” said the young French down to open the case, for their ar the their prisoners, soe, some in another Alphonse took no notice of as said--probably he understood but little Paul felt that he should like to jump up and attack theth succeeded in getting out his bow and violin, and without saying a word, struck up a French tune
”Hillo, you are a lish pirates ”Scrape ae don't hear
”Ah, c'est de ma patrie--c'est de ma belle France,” cried a Frenchman from the bow of the boat, and Alphonse felt a hope that there was one near ould befriend hi poor old Charcoal, were marched up to the hut, into one end of which they were thrust, and told that their brains would be blown out if they moved or spoke This made but little difference They could expect but one fate, and by no plan they could devise were they likely to escape it
When the iven the theave them hopes that they were not, at all events, to bewere either asleep or very sulky, but at noon, having spread a supply of provisions in the shade and broached a cask of wine, they becaly hirsute fellow before described, proposed as an amusement, that they should try the prisoners and punish the to their deserts The proposal was received with great applause, and Devereux and his companions were ordered to appear before their captors The pirate captain was the judge, and two of the officers undertook to be counsel for the defendants The case, however, wascircu to plead in their favour Poor Charcoal had still less chance of escape
”He is guilty of ingratitude, of robbery, of rebellion and high treason, for either of which he deserves hanging, and hanged he shall be forthwith,” cried the judge, draining off a jug of wine ”We couldn't before have done without him, but now one of you can take his place
You are a stout fellow,” he added, addressing Reuben Cole ”Are you inclined to save your life and to work honestly for your bread?”
”To work for you, so as to let you hang that poor dumb fellow, Charcoal?
No, that I'm not, yer scoundrels,” he exclaiet a stroke of work out of ”
This reply excited the laughter rather than the anger of the crew The same question was put to Devereux and Croxton, and answers to the saiven Still the voice of thethe black He,on his crutches, the most unconcerned of all the actors in the scene
”Well, then, the young Frenchrin, seizing poor Alphonse by the arsters shall perform the office, while mounseer shall fiddle him out of the world while we dance to the tune”
”No, you villains; I vill not play, if you hurt one hair of dat poorup with unusual aniht, and you shall dance and sing ashim, I vill casser mon cher violin into pieces, and it vill never play more--dere!”
His address was received with ed by it, he seized his violin and co tunes The effect was instantaneous Many of the pirates leaped to their feet and began dancing furiously one by one; even the more morose joined theet out of their sight, hoping that if he could escape for a day or two, they ard to him Still, Devereux knew that, from their treacherous nature, as soon as the dance was over, they were very likely, for the sake of the a him and his elder companions, at all events, and to make slaves of O'Grady, Paul, and Alphonse While the exciteestures and loud shrieks and cries, appearing e boat was seen co up the harbour, pulled at a rapid rate Her crew leaped on shore, and the pirates rushed to meet them A feords overheard by Paul served to explain their errand
”Our craft was sunk--ere pursued by a British man-of-war Hardly escaped them Some of our fellows taken prisoners Are certain to betray us and to bring the enemy down here Not a moment is to be lost
Our only chance is to escape to sea”
Frouessed that the new comers were part of the crew of a consort of the pirate schooner, and he thought it probable that the pirates es He therefore hastened to Devereux, as at a little distance, and told hireed with him, and before the pirates had time to recover from the excitement into which the news had thrown the so as not to excite observation, walked quietly away till they were out of sight of the pirates They then, once o towards the extre, as they halted to take breath, they had the satisfaction of seeing sail lided doith a fair wind towards the entrance of the lagoon Before, however, she reached it, Paul, as he turned his eyes towards the west, caught sight of another sail approaching from that direction He pointed it out to his coed shi+p,” cried Devereux; ”a man-of-war, too, if I mistake not, come in search of the pirates Unless their craft is a very fast one, their career will soon be brought to an end”
CHAPTER SEVEN
The look-out from the mast-head of the pirate schooner er soon after Paul had seen her, and her appearance must have caused so, they furled sails, as if about to reive the boats of the man-of-war some work to do,” exclaiet off to theive much to have a brush with those piratical scoundrels”