CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE.
We left the _Ione_, at the dawn of a fine morning, beating up towards asmall boat, which had been observed running to the westward, while amistico was seen off the island, directly before the wind, apparently inchase of her. The boat, it was judged, was about half way between thetwo vessels; but then the _Ione_ was nearly dead to leeward, while themistico was directly to windward, though it was a question how far shewould venture to chase the boat, or whether she would attempt to carryher off within range of the brig's guns.
As long as the mistico could keep well to windward, and out of gun-shot,from the closeness with which she could lay to the wind, and her fastsailing, she might carry off her prey, if such was her object, evenbefore the eyes of those on board the English ship, without their beingable to employ any means to prevent her so doing.
"Ah, the rascals know what they are about," said the master, as hewatched the Greek vessel through his glass. "She is one of thosepiratical craft belonging to the nest of scoundrels on the island there,depend upon it; and they were trying to get hold of the boat, or to runher down, which they are just as likely to do as not, and then they'llbe off again in the wind's eye, like a shot, before we can get up tothem, and snug inside their rocks."
"I suspect you are right, master," said Saltwell. "And I cannot helpthinking, also, that the boat has some of our friends on board. Wouldto Heaven the breeze would veer a few more points to the southward, andenable us to lay up to her before the mistico reaches her."
"I don't see what more we can do to go along faster," said the master."Our canvas never stood better, nor did the brig ever make more waythrough the water with the same wind."
"The mistico draws very fast on the boat, and, by Jove, the villains arefiring at her," exclaimed Saltwell, who had been again eagerly watchingthe chase through his glass. "Still she bravely holds her own. Oh,there's no doubt of her having our friends on board. See that the gunsare ready, and cover her as soon as we get near enough; but we must takecare not to hit the boat instead of the mistico."
The boat was now about two miles off, and the mistico threes. Theformer had only a sort of lug set; and, as well as could be seen at thatdistance, there was but the one person on board, who steered. If therewere any others, they had wisely stowed themselves away at the bottom ofthe boat, to be more out of the reach of the enemy's shot. The breeze,though fresh, was not too strong to permit of her carrying her wholesail, and she flew rapidly before it; but the mistico went still faster,and, as Bill Hawkins, the captain of the fore-top, observed--
"The little one looks for all the world like a small bird trying toescape from a hawk just ready to pounce down on it, and I hope we shalljust come in to play the big eagle, and save her out of its claws."
"She's the very same craft as we chased into harbour this blessed night,I shouldn't wonder," remarked Tom Derrick, who had been one of thecutter's crew. "It would be a real pleasure to get hold of her, tostring up every one of the villains at the yard-arm, for wounding poorMr Linton; I should be sorry, indeed, if he was to lose the number ofhis mess."
"So should I, old ship, and if ever we get an opportunity, won't we justpay off the murdering rascals for what they have done," said Hawkins."My eyes, look there, how the big one is peppering the little chap; onewould think she hadn't a whole plank left in her, and yet she stands onas bravely as if there warn't such a thing as a round-shot within ahundred miles of her."
Such was truly the case; the shot from the long guns of the mistico musthave flown close over her, and on either side; and, probably, severalhad gone through her sail, but seemingly none had touched her hull. The_Ione_ had now opened the mistico free of the boat to the northward.
"Stand by with the foremost starboard gun," cried Mr Saltwell, as theydid so. This was a long nine of brass, while the other guns werecarronades. "Fire!"
The gunner, who considered himself a first-rate marksman, pointed thegun, and the shot going well clear of the boat, struck the mistico onthe quarter, and those who were watching her with their glasses declaredthat they could see the splinters flying from her. Still, so eager wasshe in the pursuit, that she would not haul her wind, seeminglydetermined not to do so till she had sunk the chase. This thereappeared every chance that she would do, for she had now got awfullynear her, and it was surprising that her small-arm men had not contrivedto pick off the helmsman, when the boat would, of course, have broachedto, and have been her own. Mr Saltwell again gave the order to fire asfast as the gun could be loaded and run out, but the skill of Mr Blackdid not shine so brilliantly as at the first attempt he made, thoughthey went near enough to show the pirates what they were to expect ifthey persisted in their attempt.
"Have the larboard gun ready there. Hands about ship," cried the firstlieutenant.
Bound came the brig, and the gun was let fly. The shot struck themistico amidships, tearing away her gunnel, and creating the greatestconfusion on board, if not destruction of life. She found that, in hereagerness, she had gone rather too far, and putting down her helm, shegave a last revengeful broadside at her tiny chase, as she hauled herwind, and away she stood on a bowline towards the island.
No sooner had she done so, than up sprung a figure in the stern sheetsof the boat; and waving a cap round in his hand, seemed to be giving acheer of derision. The incautious action was returned by the pirateswith a discharge of their swivel guns, and a shower of musketry, and hedropped into the bottom of the boat.
"Poor fellow! the villains have killed him," exclaimed Mr Saltwell.
"Yes, sir; and I'm sorry to say I think from the figure it is Jack Raby.It is just the thing he would do, too," said Tompion, whose glass hadbeen fixed on the boat at the time. "No--hurrah! the boat is standingon steadily with some one at the helm."
"Thank Heaven! so she is," exclaimed Saltwell. "Be ready there to heavethe ship to, to let the boat come alongside."
In five minutes more the brig was close up to the boat, and, to thesurprise of all, the person in the stern sheets, who had been so longvisible, was found to be a stuffed figure, covered with a _capote_, anda Greek cap on the top of it, while the head of Jack Raby was seencautiously peering above the gunnel. He very soon brought the boatalongside, when a couple of hands jumped in to assist him.
"What, Raby, my good fellow, who have you there?" exclaimed the master,who was standing at the gangway with several of the midshipmen, eager towelcome their messmate.
"I am sorry to say it is the captain, who is very badly hurt; but I wasglad to get him off at any rate, for we've had a narrow escape of ourlives," replied Raby, from the boat.
This announcement was received with an expression of grief from all onboard. Saltwell, on hearing it, sprang to the gangway, to superintendthe transfer of the captain to the deck, which was managed by loweringhis own cot into the boat, and hoisting him up in it. He was somewhatrevived, though he was scarcely sensible of what was occurring; and whenhe was carried below, all waited anxiously to hear the surgeon's report.In this anxiety about getting the captain on board, the mistico was forthe time entirely forgotten; and when at last Saltwell thought of her,and ordered the foretop-sail to be again filled in chase, she had got sofar to windward as to be again almost out of gun-shot. A few guns werefired after her, but the shot did not succeed in cutting away any of herspars or rigging, and she drew so fast ahead, that it was seen to beuseless following her further.
The brig's helm was accordingly put up, and she stood away to thesouthward, towing after her Raby's boat, which was kept in case sheshould be required for a future occasion.
Everybody now crowded round Jack Raby, to learn from him all the eventswhich had taken place; but Mr Saltwell summoned him, and made him gocircumstantially over them to him, and he afterwards had to repeat themto all his messmates, and to the surgeon and purser, who had not heardthem.
As the reader is already well acquainted with most of them, I need onlycommence when he began his account of his successful esca
pe from thebay, in which it appeared that he was assisted by no other person thanPaolo Montifalcone.
"You must know," he said, "that while the young Italian doctor wasdressing the wounds, a fire broke out on the hill, above the bay, andthe whole population rushed off to see the fire. No sooner was thecoast clear, than Paolo, as they called him, said to me--
"`Now would be your time to escape, if you had anybody with you tomanage a boat.'
"Of course, I told him that I could do that perfectly well by myself.
"`Well then,' he replied, `Hasten down to the beach, you will there finda small boat which we passed on our way here. She has a sail in her,and oars, and if you are quick about it, you may get out of the harbourand join your friends before you are missed; and if you remain, you willbe knocked on the head and thrown over the cliff, to a certainty.'
"`You don't mean to say that you expect me to run away and leave mycaptain to die hereby himself,' I exclaimed, ready to knock him down,for I saw that he was in earnest in his proposal, though the idea hadonly just occurred to him. `A pretty blackguard I shall be, indeed.'
"`But I tell you he cannot live, and you will be sacrificed if youremain,' he argued.
"`I tell you what it is, Signor Paolo,' I replied; `a midshipman's lifeis not reckoned of much value at the best, and I am not going to do adirty action to save mine, I can tell you. I'm much obliged to you forwhat you have done, and for your good intentions; but if the captain isto die, why it will be a consolation to him to die under the Britishflag, on board his own ship, and if you will lend me a hand to carry himdown to the boat, why I can just as easy escape with him on board as bymyself. I'll trouble you also for some of your physic, and some lintand bandages, to doctor him with, and I hope he may yet do well.'
"The Italian was silent for a few moments, when a sudden thought seemedto strike him, and he replied that he would do as I wished, though hewarned me of the risk to which I was exposing the captain's life by sodoing; but as he had just told me he would die on shore, I did notlisten to him--in fact, I had no great confidence in the honesty ofSignor Paolo. There was something in his eye, as he looked at thecaptain, which I did not like, and besides, I should like to know howany respectable man came to be herding with such a set of cut-throatrascals. I accordingly went outside the hut, to see how the coast lay,and I found that all was silent round us, for every man, woman, andchild had gone up to the fire; and had it not been for the glare of theconflagration, the night would have been pitchy dark; so, lifting thecaptain up in a cloak on which he had been laid, Paolo taking the headand I the feet, we bore him, as well as we were able, down to the boat,though I was afraid every moment of letting him fall, and hurting him;indeed, nothing but the anxiety I felt would have enabled me to succeed.At length we reached the boat, and placing the captain at the bottom, Iagain thanked the Italian for the service he had rendered us; indeed,after all, I was afraid I was wronging him by my suspicions. Then, witha lighter heart than I had felt for some hours, I got him to assist mein shoving the boat off the beach, and with the impetus he had given herI let her drift out into the harbour. I then, as silently as I could,paddled round by the west shore, keeping clear of the brig and the twomisticoes, for the one which chased us had just come in; but I had notmuch fear of any of them, for I knew that the few hands left on boardthem would be looking up at the fire, and would not observe me: though,had any one turned, they might have done so, for the bright glare fromthe flames fell on the boat, and would have showed her distinctly, evenright across the bay. Anxious as I was to get out of the harbour, I wasafraid of pulling hard, lest any one should hear the splash of the oars;and so near was I to the vessels, that every instant I expected that thealarm would be given, and that a shot would be sent right into the boat.Fortunately, no one saw me, and it was indeed a pleasant moment to me,when finding the chain lowered, I rounded the west side of the harbour,and pulled fairly out to sea. I had not hitherto been perceived; butstill it was necessary to be very cautious, for, of course, I thoughtthe pirates would be keeping a lookout, lest any of our boats mightagain attempt to approach the harbour, so I pulled on as hard as Icould, for I no longer feared making a noise, till my arms ached so muchthat I could pull no longer. I then laid in my oars, and though Ifancied I could still hear the voice of the people on shore, I was sofar to westward that I did not think the light would be reflected on thesail, even were I to set it. I therefore stepped the mast, not withoutsome difficulty--fortunately, the sea was smooth, or I could not havedone it at all--and got the sail ready for hoisting. Before doing so, Istooped down to examine how the captain was going on, and tried to placehim in a somewhat more comfortable position. His heart seemed to beatregularly, and though he was still unconscious, from the wound in hishead, he did not seem to have any fever about him. This raised myspirits, and I began to hope for the best. I did not much like to givehim any of Signor Paolo's doctor stuff, for at the best I have not muchfaith in it, and I have heard that those Italian chaps are much given topoisonous practices, so I hove it overboard, to be out of the way, andthen hoisted my sail, and went aft to the helm. The breeze was stillfrom the eastward, and I thought by keeping dead before it, I shouldmake the island, where I expected to find you brought up. I consideredthat the boat was going about three knots an hour through the water; andwhen I had been out, as I calculated, about that time, I heard threeguns fired, somewhere from the island, or near it. This did not give meany concern, and I steered steadily on, wishing for daylight, that Imight see the island or you, in case you were off here, till at last,just as it came, and I was looking astern to see it, the first streakshad appeared in the sky, I beheld, to my dismay, a sail, which I wascertain must be one of the pirate misticoes, running right down for me.Well, thought I to myself, it's all up with the captain and me; butnever say die, while there's a shot in the locker, so I held on mycourse. It was not long, however, before my eyes fell on your topsails,rising out of the sea, and glad enough I was, you may be sure, when youmade sail and stood towards me, for then I knew that I was seen. Therascally mistico was overhauling me fast, though, and as I feared shewould get me within range of her guns before you could reach me, Ithought I would give them something to shoot at instead of my head, so Irigged up a figure with a _capote_ and cap, which I found in the boat,and stuck it up in the stern, and there fitting some lines on to thetiller, I made a berth for myself at the bottom of the boat to stowmyself away in, as soon as they began to fire. It's lucky I did so, forif I had had nine lives, like a cat, I should have lost them all; andwhat would have been worse, the captain would have been retaken. Myeyes, how the blackguards peppered at me; but you know all about that,and now, to my mind, the sooner we set to work to pay them off, and toget Miss Garden out of their hands, the better."
This account was given by Jack Raby in his berth to his messmates, thatnarrated to the first lieutenant was more concise, without his ownremarks on the subjects; for instance, he left out how often he hadkissed Marianna--and how often he had tried to learn Romaic of littleMila, and made love on the strength of it--though, to his messmates, heenlarged much on these points, and hinted that he had completely won theheart of the old pirate's granddaughter, whom he described as a perfectangel in a red cap.
It was with almost a cheer of joy, and many a sincere thanksgiving toHeaven, and a glistening of many a manly eye, that, some daysafterwards, the news flew along the decks that the surgeon hadpositively declared that the captain was out of danger, and would soonagain be fit for duty.
Mr Linton had, notwithstanding his own prognostications, very muchimproved; and, though still confined to his berth, there was everyprobability of his soon recovering.
The _Ypsilante_ had in the mean time been dispatched to summon anyBritish ships she could meet, to the assistance of Captain Fleetwood;who, to strengthen his claim for their cooperation--for, as a juniorofficer, of course he could not order them to come to him--sent by heran account of the atrocities committed by the _Sea Hawk_; and
astatement that an English lady and her attendant were held in durancevile by the pirates, which he justly calculated would excite all thechivalric feelings of his brother-captains, for which the British navyare so justly celebrated.
He, meantime, cruised in the neighbourhood of the island, in the hope,should she attempt to make her escape, of falling in with and capturingthe _Sea Hawk_.