English
TheshotfromtheParrotpassedbetweenthefunnelandthemainmastofthechase,asjudgedbythesplashoftheballinthewaterjustbeyondher.
Ithadcomenearenoughtothemarktowakeupthecaptainofthehighflyer.
Heappearedtobelievethatthepursuerfromthenorthwardhadsimplycuthimoffbyapproachingontheshortersideofthetriangle,andthatallhehadtodowastoescapetothesouthward,evidentlysatisfiedthatnosteamerintheFederalnavycouldoverhaulhiminafairandsquarerace.
“Nowcomesthetugofwar,”saidMr.Baskirk,whentheSt.Regishadbeenheadedforthechase.
“Thegamewillnotlastallday,”addedChristy.
“IfIownedthathighflyer,Ishouldnotemployherpresentcaptaintosailherforme.
Heisoverloadedwithablindconfidence,andhehasmadeaverybaduseofhisopportunities.
IfIhadbeenincommandofthatsteamerIshouldhavemadehercoursesoastorunawayfromallthreeofmypursuersassoonasImadethemout.
Itissixo’clocknow,andIshouldhavegotfarenoughintothedarknesstogivethemalltheslip,andgoneintoWilmingtononanewtrack.”
“Hercaptainappearstotrustentirelytohisheels,andtolookwithcontemptuponanythinglikemaneuvring,”repliedthefirstlieutenant.
“Butwemustfinishhimupbeforethedarknessenableshimtogiveustheslip.
Ihavenodoubtwecouldknockheralltopieceswiththemidshipguninthenextfifteenminutes;butifshecanmakeeighteenknotsanhour,whichweseemtobeallagreedthatshecando,shewillnotbeauselessadditiontotheUnitedStatesNavy,anditwouldbeapitytosmashherup,forsheisagood-lookingcraft.
Wearegainingtwoknotsanhouronher,andMr.Vapooriskeepingthingswarmintheengineandfirerooms.”
“Thatistakinganeconomicalviewofthesubject,”addedMr.Baskirk,laughingatthecommander’sutilitarianviews.
“Ifwecontinuetofireintoher,wemustswingtoeveryshotwesend,andthatwouldtakesomuchfromourspeed,”arguedChristy.
“Weareassureofherasthoughwealreadyhadherinourclutches.
Thereareplentyofofficersinthenavywhowouldliketocommandherwhensheisalteredoverintoacruiser.”
“Youarequiteright,CaptainPassford;andtherearesomeofthemonthedeckoftheSt.Regisatthismoment,”saidthefirstlieutenant,laughing.
“Heavethelog,Mr.Baskirk,”saidthecaptain.
Thereportfromthemaster,whoattendedtothisduty,wassoonreportedtotheexecutiveofficer,whotransmittedittothecommander.
“Risingtwentyknots,sir,”saidhe.
“Thatwilldo,”repliedChristy.“Thatisenoughtoenableustooverhaulthechasewithinhalfanhour.”
WithinfifteenminutesitcouldbeseenthattheSt.RegiswasrapidlygainingontheRaven,forthelatterwasnearenoughnowtoenablethepursuerstoreadthenameonherstern,andthecaptainofthehighflyercouldnothelprealizingthathehadnottheslightestchancetoescape.
Thechaserwaswithintheeighthofamileofher,andtheresultwasonlyamatterofminutes.
“Shehasstoppedherscrew,sir!”reportedthethirdlieutenantinthewaist,passingthewordfromthesecondlieutenantontheforecastle.
“Shehasstoppedherscrew,Captain,”repeatedMr.Baskirk.
“Thatmeansmischief,”repliedChristy,ashedirectedhisgazetotheRaven.
“Sheisgettingouttwoboatsonherportside!”
shoutedMr.Makepeacefromthetop-gallantforecastle;andthereportwasrepeatedtillitreachedthecommander,thoughhehadhearditbeforeitwasofficiallycommunicatedtohim.“Thatmeansmoremischief.”
“Readytostopandbackher!”hecriedthroughthespeaking-tubetothechiefengineer.
“Allready,sir,”repliedPaul.
“Someoftheseblockade-runnersaredesperatecharacters,andthatcaptainintendseithertoburnorsinkhisship,”continuedChristy,withatrifleofexcitementinhismanner,thoughhelookedasdignifiedasacollegeprofessorinthepresenceofhisclass.
TheSt.Regiswasstillrushingwithunabatedspeedtowardsherprey,andaminuteortwomorewoulddecidewhetherornotshewastobeaprizeorablazinghulkonthebroadocean.
“Layhimaboardontheportside,Mr.Baskirk!”
“Thetwoboatsarethere,Captain,asyoucansee,”repliedtheexecutiveofficer.
“Boardontheportside,Mr.Baskirk!”repeatedthecommanderverydecidedly,andsomewhatsharply;andatthesametimeherangonebellonthegongtoslowdowntheengine.“Boardontheportside,Mr.Baskirk!”herepeatedagain.
“Mr.Drake,havethesteampumpandlonghosereadytoextinguishfire!”
WhetherthecaptainoftheRavenhadorderedhismentoscuttlethesteamer,ortofireherinseveralplaces,Christycouldnotknow;andhedidnotmuchcare,forhewasreadytomeeteitheremergency.
TheSt.Regiswasbearingdownonhervictimwithareducedspeed.
Themenforwardandinthewaistwereallreadywiththegrapplingironstofastentoher,andtheboarderswereallpreparedtoleapuponherdeck,thoughnofightingwasexpected.
ThebowoftheSt.RegiswasnearthestemoftheRaven,andChristyrangonebelltostopher,andthentwotobackher.
Thenhespranguponthestarboardrailoftheshipwherehecouldobservehismenastheyboardedtheothersteamer.
“Whatareyouabout,sir?”yelledamanonthequarter-deckoftheRaven,whoappearedtobethecaptainofthevessel,inarudevoice.
“Don’tyouseethatyouarecrushingmytwoboatsandthemeninthem?”
“Ididnotordertheboatsorthementhere,”repliedChristycalmly,andinagentletone,forthecaptainoftheblockade-runnerwasnottenfeetfromhim.
“Idid,”addedthecaptainoftheprize,forsuchshereallywasbythistime.
“Thenyouareresponsibleforthem,”saidthecommanderoftheSt.Regis.
“Doyoumeantomurderthem?”gaspedtheothercaptainfuriously.
“Iftheyarekilledyouhavesentthemtotheirdeath!”
Butthecommanderhadnotimetoarguethematterwiththeiratecaptain.
Hehadrungthreebells,andtheshipwasbackingatfullspeed.
Themomentumhadnotbeensufficientlycheckedtostopher,andthetwoboatswerecrushedtosplinters.
Theseamenwhowereinthemsawwhatwascoming,andtheyseizedtheropeswhichhadbeendroppedtothembytheboardersontherailatthecommandofthecaptain,whodidnotwishthemtobesacrificedtothemadnessoftheircommander,andtheyclimbedtothechainsoftheFederalshipwiththeaidoftheboarders.
“Layheraboard!”shoutedChristyassoonastheheadwayoftheshiphadbeenchecked,andthegrapplingironshadbeenmadefast.
Thewillingandactiveseamenpouredfromtherailstothedeckoftheprize,theirofficersleadingtheway.
Themainhatchhadbeenremovedandalightsmokewascomingupthroughtheopening.
Thehosefromthesteampumpoftheshiphadbeendrawnonboard,andthemasterwasinchargeofit.
Atthecommandoftheofficersthemenleapedbelowatalltheopeningsinthedeck,anditwasfoundthatshehadbeenfiredinhalfadozenplaces.
Inmostofthemthecombustibleshadonlybeenlightedafewmomentsbefore,andtheyhadnotbecomewell-kindled.
Exceptatthemainhatch,themenextinguishedtheflameswiththeirhandsandfeet,andastreamfromthehoseputouttheoneamidships.
Thehosemanshutoffthewater,andtheship’scompanyoftheSt.Regiswereinfullpossessionoftheprize.
“Anythingmoretobedone,CaptainBristler?”askedthemate,asheapproachedthecommander.
“Nothingmorecanbedone,Mr.Victor,”repliedthecaptain,whoappearedtobeoverwhelmedwithwrathattheunexpectedterminationofhisvoyage.
“Itistoolatetoscuttleher,andthatvampireofaYankeehassmashedbothofourboatsintokindlingwood.Wedidnotbegintheendsoonenough.”
Butthebeginninghadevidentlyendedsoonerthanhadbeenexpected,andtheRavenwastheprizeoftheSt.Regis.
Christystillstoodontherail,andsawthatallhisordershadbeenexecutedtotheletter.
Mr.Makepeacehadsentthecarpenterandhisgangintothehold,orasfarastheycouldget,toascertainifthesteamerhadbeenscuttled.
Itcouldnothavebeendonewithoutbreakingoutaportionofthecargo,andthiswouldhavebeenaworkofnolittletime.
ThecarpenterreportedthateverythingwasallrightbelowthedeckoftheRaven,andthecommanderontherailwassoinformed.
“Thisisaheathenishoutrage,Captain,ifayoungcublikeyoucanbethecommanderofashiplikethat!”
exclaimedCaptainBristler,foamingwithrageovertheresultoftheaffair;andheinterlardedhisspeechwithalltheoathsinthevocabularyofapirate.
“CaptainBristler,whenyouaddressmeasonegentlemanshouldanother,Iwilltalkwithyou;butnottillthen,”repliedChristywithdignity.
“Agentleman!”gaspedtheothercaptain.“Youtriedtomurderhalfadozenofmymen!YouareaYankeepirate!That’swhatyouare!”
Wecannotsoilthispagewithevenadescriptionoftheoathsandcurseswithwhichhemixedhislanguage.
Christywasdisgustedwithhim;andwhilehestillcontinuedhisimpiousravings,hesentamidshipmanwithanordertoMr.MakepeacewhowasinchargeofthehosepipeonboardoftheRaven.
WhileCaptainBristlerwaspouringforthanathemasthatmadethebloodoftheloyalofficersruncoldintheirveins,themanwhoheldthehosepipedirectedittohim,andthewaterwasturnedon.
Thestreamstruckthecommanderwithforceenoughtoknockhimdown.
Butthebathwasnotsuspendedonthataccount,anditwascontinuedtillithadextinguishedthefireofprofanity.
Christymadeasign,andthesteam-pumpceasedtowork.
Thematerushedtotheassistanceofthecaptain,puthimonhisfeet,andwasconductinghimtowardsthecompanion,seekingaretreatinhiscabin;buthewassilent,perhapsfromhisinabilitytospeak.
“Stop,Mr.Victor!”calledChristytothemate.
“IcannottrustthatmantoremainonboardoftheRaven”;andatthesametimehedirectedMr.Baskirktohavehimarrestedandputinirons,ifhewasviolent.
“Butthisgentlemanisthecommanderofthesteamer,”interposedthemate.
“Idon’tcarewhatheis;ifhewereagentleman,asyoucallhim,Iwouldtreathimlikeone;butheisabrute,andIshalltreathimassuch,”repliedChristy,astwoofhismen,attendedbytwomore,laidhandsonthedrippingcaptain.
“Youmaysendhisclothesonboardofthisship,Mr.Victor.
Havehimcommittedtothebrig,Master-at-Arms.”
TherewasnoappealfromthedecisionofCommanderPassford,forhisauthoritywassupreme.
TherefractorycommanderwascommittedtothebrigoftheSt.Regis,andhisownstewardwassenttohimwithhisclothes,withordertoexchangehiswetgarmentsfordryones.
“Sail,ho!”shoutedthemanonthecrosstrees,whohadremainedthereduringthescenewhichhadjusttranspired,whilethecommanderwasdescendingfromtherail.
PossiblythelookoutmanhadbeenmoreattentivetotheproceedingsonthedeckoftheRaventhantohisduty,forthesailmusthavebeeninsightsomelittletimebeforehereportedit.
Thetwosteamers,whichhadbeenvainlychasingtheprize,werenowwithinhalfamileoftheSt.Regis.
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