CHAPTER FIFTEEN.
The pirate had descried the stranger; for now her yards were seen to bebraced up, and instead of standing towards the island, she tacked andstood again out to sea, her pirate flag still flying from her peak. Asthe stranger drew nearer, she was seen to be a much larger ship.Wenlock at once declared her to be a man-of-war; and this was soon seento be the case, by the pennants and ensigns she hoisted. And now shewas observed to be making more sail, and standing towards the pirate,which was evidently endeavouring to escape. The latter, however, in ashort time, either considering escape impossible, or confiding in herown strength, again tacked, and stood boldly towards the man-of-war.Nearer and nearer they drew to each other. It was evident, from thepirate keeping her flag flying, that she intended to fight to the last.She was the first to fire, discharging her whole broadside at theman-of-war. The latter fired not a shot in return, but stood on,gradually shortening sail. Then suddenly luffing up, she crossed thebows of the pirate. As she did so, before the other could keep away,she fired her whole broadside, raking the pirate's decks fore and aft.The latter, again keeping away, fired in return, but little damageseemed to be done. The crew of the _Amity_ set up a loud shout as theysaw the success of their friends. And now the combatants, shrouded insmoke, stood away from the land, the rapid sound of their guns showingthe desperation with which they were fighting. Those on shore watchedthem anxiously. Many a prayer was offered up for the success of theroyal cruiser. Their own safety, indeed, depended on it. Farther andfarther the combatants receded from the shore, till it was difficult todistinguish one from the other. Now they were shrouded with smoke, nowthe wind blew it away, and they were seen, still standing on, exchangingshots. Now at length they appeared locked in a close embrace. Then adense mass of smoke was seen to ascend from their midst, followed byflames, and the loud sound of an explosion; but which was the suffererit was impossible to discover, or whether both were involved in the sameruin. How earnestly, how anxiously they were watched from the shore!Now, at length, once more they were seen returning towards the island;but one was leading, the other apparently being towed astern. Which wasthe conqueror? was the question. On they came, nearer and nearer. Somedeclared that the pirate was the leading ship, and seemed ready to_give_ way to despair.
"No, friends, no," exclaimed the captain. "I can assure you that yondertall ship, although her spars and rigging are somewhat shattered by thefight, is the royal cruiser."
That he was right was soon made evident. Captain Dinan now ordered theboats to be got ready, and he, with Bill Rullock, accompanied by Wenlockand one of his mates, went out in order to assist in piloting in theking's ship. The latter shortened sail to allow the boat to comealongside. The deck showed the fierce combat in which she had beenengaged. The bulwarks were shattered; the decks ploughed up, andstained with blood; and numbers of the crew were going about with theirheads and limbs bound up with handkerchiefs, while several bodies laystretched out on the deck, a flag hastily thrown over them, partlyconcealing their forms. On one side stood a wretched group, their armslashed behind them with ropes, and stripped to the waist, covered withsmoke and blood. They were some of the survivors, it was evident, ofthe pirate crew. Captain Dinan, accompanied by Wenlock went aft tospeak to the captain. The countenance of the latter, a fine,dignified-looking man, Wenlock at once recognised. He advanced towardshim. He started when he saw Wenlock.
"Why, my friend!" he exclaimed, "I little expected ever to see youagain!"
"Nor I you, Sir Richard. I thought you had perished on the fatal daywhen the _Royal James_ blew up."
"No; thanks to you, my life was spared; for after we were parted, I waspicked up by an English boat."
Sir Richard Haddock informed Wenlock that he had come out as commodoreto the American station. His ship was the _Leopard_, of fifty-fourguns.
"The pirates fought well," he observed; "and as many perished inattempting to blow up the ship, we shall have but few to hand over tothe executioner when we arrive in Virginia, whither I am now bound."
As both ships, after the action, required a good deal of repair, thecommodore accepted Captain Dinan's offer of piloting him into theharbour. It was a trial to Wenlock to find himself once more among hisformer associates; for he had met several of the officers of the_Leopard_ when serving under Lord Ossory. They, however, treated hisopinions with respect. In truth, thanks to the courage and talentsexhibited by William Penn, the character of the sect had been raisedconsiderably in the opinion of the public of late; albeit, there weremany who were ready to ridicule and persecute them on occasion.Happily, too, there was no time for idleness, as officers and crew wereengaged from sunrise to sunset in repairing the damaged ships.
One day, old Rullock came up to Wenlock, who had gone alone a littledistance from the village.
"I do not know what you think of that young gentleman, Master Ford,"said Rullock; "but I have an idea that he is a rogue in grain, and afool into the bargain, as many rogues are. He was so frightened in thehurricane that he does not want to go to sea again. I heard him talkingthe other day with three or four passengers and several of the crewabout a plan he had proposed to remain behind. They have a notion thatif they were to set the _Amity_ on fire before we get the cargo onboard, the captain would only be too glad to leave those who might wishto stay behind; he going off in the _Leopard_, or the pirate ship.Master Ford thinks, as the chief part of the stores would be leftbehind, they would have the advantage of them. They have induced threeor four silly young women to promise to remain with them. Of course,the plan of burning the ship is a secret. Soon after I heard theprecious plan, they invited me to join them; because, knowing that I hadbeen an evil-doer, they thought I should have no scruple about thematter."
Wenlock, on hearing this, immediately sought the captain.
"It would be very easy to prevent these plans being carried out," hesaid; "but what to do with Ford and his companions is more difficult."
The captain took the matter very coolly.
"We will just pick out Master Ford and three or four of the ringleaders,and clap them into limbo, and depend upon it they will not furtherattempt to carry out their plan," he observed.
This was done forthwith by a party of soldiers from the ship of war, forwhom Wenlock had applied to Sir Richard Haddock. No further time wasnow lost in getting the cargo on board. Ford and his companions hadbeen kept in durance vile in a hut by themselves, and a guard placedover them. Sir Richard and Captain Dinan, and some other officers,visited them together.
"Now, my friends," said the captain, "you have your choice. If youdesire to remain here, you are welcome to do so, but neither stores norprovisions can we afford you. Otherwise, you will return on board theship, and, when we arrive in Pennsylvania, the matter will be submittedto the proper authorities."
As Ford's companions were three of the greatest ruffians among the crew,he, dreading to be left with them, entreated that he might be allowed toreturn on board. They, however, wished to remain.
"No, no!" said the captain. "We did not give you your choice. You aregood seamen, and are wanted to work the ship. You were misled by thissilly young man, and therefore will return on board with us."
The three ships were at length in a condition for sea. The pirates'ship was sent out first, navigated by some of the officers and crew ofthe _Leopard_. The _Amity_ followed, the king's ship coming last, andthe wind being favourable, all three steered a course for Virginia; the_Amity_ afterwards to continue her voyage to the Delaware.