perils of certain english prisoners-第6章

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could。　　There　was　a　pretty　good　store；　in　point　of　amount；　of

tolerable　swords　and　cutlasses。　　Those　were　issued。　　There　were；

also；　perhaps　a　score　or　so　of　spare　muskets。　　Those　were　brought

out。　　To　my　astonishment；　little　Mrs。　Fisher　that　I　had　taken　for　a

doll　and　a　baby；　was　not　only　very　active　in　that　service；　but

volunteered　to　load　the　spare　arms。



〃For；　I　understand　it　well；〃　says　she；　cheerfully；　without　a　shake

in　her　voice。



〃I　am　a　soldier's　daughter　and　a　sailor's　sister；　and　I　understand

it　too；〃　says　Miss　Maryon；　just　in　the　same　way。



Steady　and　busy　behind　where　I　stood；　those　two　beautiful　and

delicate　young　women　fell　to　handling　the　guns；　hammering　the

flints；　looking　to　the　locks；　and　quietly　directing　others　to　pass

up　powder　and　bullets　from　hand　to　hand；　as　unflinching　as　the　best

of　tried　soldiers。



Sergeant　Drooce　had　brought　in　word　that　the　pirates　were　very

strong　in　numbersover　a　hundred　was　his　estimateand　that　they

were　not；　even　then；　all　landed；　for；　he　had　seen　them　in　a　very

good　position　on　the　further　side　of　the　Signal　Hill；　evidently

waiting　for　the　rest　of　their　men　to　come　up。　　In　the　present　pause；

the　first　we　had　had　since　the　alarm；　he　was　telling　this　over　again

to　Mr。　Macey；　when　Mr。　Macey　suddenly　cried　our：　　〃The　signal！

Nobody　has　thought　of　the　signal！〃



We　knew　of　no　signal；　so　we　could　not　have　thought　of　it。



〃What　signal　may　you　mean；　sir？〃　says　Sergeant　Drooce；　looking　sharp

at　him。



〃There　is　a　pile　of　wood　upon　the　Signal　Hill。　　If　it　could　be

lightedwhich　never　has　been　done　yetit　would　be　a　signal　of

distress　to　the　mainland。〃



Charker　cries；　directly：　　〃Sergeant　Drooce；　dispatch　me　on　that

duty。　　Give　me　the　two　men　who　were　on　guard　with　me　to…night；　and

I'll　light　the　fire；　if　it　can　be　done。〃



〃And　if　it　can't；　Corporal〃　Mr。　Macey　strikes　in。



〃Look　at　these　ladies　and　children；　sir！〃　says　Charker。　　〃I'd　sooner

light　myself；　than　not　try　any　chance　to　save　them。〃



We　gave　him　a　Hurrah！it　burst　from　us；　come　of　it　what　mightand

he　got　his　two　men；　and　was　let　out　at　the　gate；　and　crept　away。　　I

had　no　sooner　come　back　to　my　place　from　being　one　of　the　party　to

handle　the　gate；　than　Miss　Maryon　said　in　a　low　voice　behind　me：



〃Davis；　will　you　look　at　this　powder？　　This　is　not　right。〃



I　turned　my　head。　　Christian　George　King　again；　and　treachery　again！

Sea…water　had　been　conveyed　into　the　magazine；　and　every　grain　of

powder　was　spoiled！



〃Stay　a　moment；〃　said　Sergeant　Drooce；　when　I　had　told　him；　without

causing　a　movement　in　a　muscle　of　his　face：　　〃look　to　your　pouch；　my

lad。　　You　Tom　Packer；　look　to　your　pouch；　confound　you！　　Look　to

your　pouches；　all　you　Marines。〃



The　same　artful　savage　had　got　at　them；　somehow　or　another；　and　the

cartridges　were　all　unserviceable。　　〃Hum！〃　says　the　Sergeant。　　〃Look

to　your　loading；　men。　　You　are　right　so　far？〃



Yes；　we　were　right　so　far。



〃Well；　my　lads；　and　gentlemen　all；〃　says　the　Sergeant；　〃this　will　be

a　hand…to…hand　affair；　and　so　much　the　better。〃



He　treated　himself　to　a　pinch　of　snuff；　and　stood　up；　square…

shouldered　and　broad…chested；　in　the　light　of　the　moonwhich　was

now　very　brightas　cool　as　if　he　was　waiting　for　a　play　to　begin。

He　stood　quiet；　and　we　all　stood　quiet；　for　a　matter　of　something

like　half…an…hour。　　I　took　notice　from　such　whispered　talk　as　there

was；　how　little　we　that　the　silver　did　not　belong　to；　thought　about

it；　and　how　much　the　people　that　it　did　belong　to；　thought　about　it。

At　the　end　of　the　half…hour；　it　was　reported　from　the　gate　that

Charker　and　the　two　were　falling　back　on　us；　pursued　by　about　a

dozen。



〃Sally！　　Gate…party；　under　Gill　Davis；〃　says　the　Sergeant；　〃and

bring　'em　in！　　Like　men；　now！〃



We　were　not　long　about　it；　and　we　brought　them　in。　　〃Don't　take　me；〃

says　Charker；　holding　me　round　the　neck；　and　stumbling　down　at　my

feet　when　the　gate　was　fast；　〃don't　take　me　near　the　ladies　or　the

children；　Gill。　　They　had　better　not　see　Death；　till　it　can't　be

helped。　　They'll　see　it　soon　enough。〃



〃Harry！〃　I　answered；　holding　up　his　head。　　〃Comrade！〃



He　was　cut　to　pieces。　　The　signal　had　been　secured　by　the　first

pirate　party　that　landed；　his　hair　was　all　singed　off；　and　his　face

was　blackened　with　the　running　pitch　from　a　torch。



He　made　no　complaint　of　pain；　or　of　anything。　　〃Good…bye；　old　chap；〃

was　all　he　said；　with　a　smile。　　〃I've　got　my　death。　　And　Death　ain't

life。　　Is　it；　Gill？〃



Having　helped　to　lay　his　poor　body　on　one　side；　I　went　back　to　my

post。　　Sergeant　Drooce　looked　at　me；　with　his　eyebrows　a　little

lifted。　　I　nodded。　　〃Close　up　here　men；　and　gentlemen　all！〃　said　the

Sergeant。　　〃A　place　too　many；　in　the　line。〃



The　Pirates　were　so　close　upon　us　at　this　time；　that　the　foremost　of

them　were　already　before　the　gate。　　More　and　more　came　up　with　a

great　noise；　and　shouting　loudly。　　When　we　believed　from　the　sound

that　they　were　all　there；　we　gave　three　English　cheers。　　The　poor

little　children　joined；　and　were　so　fully　convinced　of　our　being　at

play；　that　they　enjoyed　the　noise；　and　were　heard　clapping　their

hands　in　the　silence　that　followed。



Our　disposition　was　this；　beginning　with　the　rear。　　Mrs。　Venning；

holding　her　daughter's　child　in　her　arms；　sat　on　the　steps　of　the

little　square　trench　surrounding　the　silver…house；　encouraging　and

directing　those　women　and　children　as　she　might　have　done　in　the

happiest　and　easiest　time　of　her　life。　　Then；　there　was　an　armed

line；　under　Mr。　Macey；　across　the　width　of　the　enclosure；　facing

that　way　and　having　their　backs　towards　the　gate；　in　order　that　they

might　watch　the　walls　and　prevent　our　being　taken　by　surprise。　　Then

there　was　a　space　of　eight　or　ten　feet　deep；　in　which　the　spare　arms

were；　and　in　which　Miss　Maryon　and　Mrs。　Fisher；　their　hands　and

dresses　blackened　with　the　spoilt　gunpowder；　worked　on　their　knees；

tying　such　things　as　knives；　old　bayonets；　and　spear…heads；　to　the

muzzles　of　the　useless　muskets。　　Then；　there　was　a　second　armed

line；　under　Sergeant　Drooce；　also　across　the　width　of　the　enclosure；

but　facing　to　the　gate。　　Then　came　the　breastwork　we　had　made；　with

a　zigzag　way　through　it　for　me　and　my　little　party　to　hold　good　in

retreating；　as　long　as　we　could；　when　we　were　driven　from　the　gate。

We　all　knew　that　it　was　impossible　to　hold　the　place　long；　and　that

our　only　hope　was　in　the　timely　discovery　of　the　plot　by　the　boats；

and　in　their　coming　back。



I　and　my　men　were　now　thrown　forward　to　the　gate。　　From　a　spy…hole；

I　could　see　the　whole　crowd　of　Pirates。　　There　were　Malays　among

them；　Dutch；　Maltese；　Greeks；　Sambos；　Negroes；　and　Convict

Englishmen　from　the　West　India　Islands；　among　the　last；　him　with　the

one　eye　and　the　patch　across　the　nose。　　There　were　some　Portuguese；

too；　and　a　few　Spaniards。　　The　captain　was　a　Portuguese；　a　little

man　with　very　large　ear…rings　under　a　very　broad　hat；　and　a　great

bright　shawl　twisted　about　his　shoulders。　　They　were　all　strongly

armed；　but　like　a　boarding　party；　with　pikes；　swords；　cutlasses；　and

axes。　　I　noticed　a　good　many　pistols；　but　not　a　gun　of　any　kind

among　them。　　This　gave　me　to　understand　that　they　had　considered

that　a　continued　roll　of　musketry　might　perhaps　have　been　heard　on

the　mainland；　also；　that　for　the　reason　that　fire　would　be　seen　from

the　mainland　they　would　not　set　the　Fort　in　flames　and　roast　us

alive；　which　was　one　of　their　favourite　ways　of　carrying　on。　　I

looked　about　for　Christian　George　King；　and　if　I　had　seen　him　I　am

much　mistaken　if　he　would　not　have　received　my　one　round　of　ball…

cartridge　in　his　head。　　But；　no　Christian　George　King　was　visible。



A　sort　of　a　wild　Portuguese　demon；　who　seemed　either　fierce…mad　or

fierce…drunkbut；　they　all　seemed　one　or　the　othercame　forward

with　the　black　flag；　and　gave　it　a　wave　or　two。　　After　that；　the

Portuguese　captain　called　out　in　shrill　English；　〃I　say　you！

English　fools！　　Open　the　gate！　　Surrender！〃



As　we　kept　close　and　quiet；　he　said　something　to　his　men　which　I

didn't　understand；　and　when　he　had　said　it；　the　one…eyed　English

rascal　with　the　patch　（who　had　stepped　out　when　he　began）；　said　it

again　in　English。　　It　was　only　this。　　〃Boys　of　the　black　flag；　this

is　to　be　quickly　done。　　Take　all　the　prisoners　you　can。　　If　they

don't　yield；　kill　the　children　to　make　them。　　Forward！〃　　Then；　they

all　came　on　at　the　gate；　and　in　another　half…minute　were　smashing

and　splitting　it　in。



We　struck　at　them　through　the　gaps　and　shivers；　and　we　dropped　many

of　them；　too；　but；　their　very　weight　would　have　carried　such　a　gate；

if　they　had　been　unarmed。　　I　soon　found　Sergeant　Drooce　at　my　side；

forming　us　six　remaining　marines　in　lineTom　Packer　next　to　meand

ordering　us　to　fall　back　three　paces；　and；　as　they　broke　in；　to　give

them　our　one　little　volley　at　short　distance。　　〃Then；〃　says　he；

〃receive　them　behind　your　breastwork　on　the　bayonet；　and　at　least

let　every　man　of　you　pin　one　of　the　cursed　cockchafers　through　the

body。〃



We　checked　them　by　our　fire；　slight　as　it　was；　and　we　checked　them

at　the　breastwork。　　However；　they　broke　over　it　like　swarms　of

devilsthey　were；　really　and　truly；　more　devils　than　menand　then

it　was　hand　to　hand；　indeed。



We　clubbed　our　muskets　and　laid　about　us；　even　then；　those　two

ladiesalways　behind　mewere　steady　and　ready　with　the　arms。　　I

had　a　lot　of　Maltese　and　Malays　upon　me；　and；　but　for　a　broadsword

that　Miss　Maryon's　own　hand　put　in　mine；　should　have　got　my　end　from

them。　　But；　was　that　all？　　No。　　I　saw　a　heap　of　banded　dark　hair　and

a　white　dress　come　thrice　between　me　and　them；　under　my　own　raised

right　arm；　which　each　time　might　have　destroyed　the　wearer　of　the

white　dress；　and　each　time　one　of　the　lot　went　down；　struck　dead。



Drooce　was　armed　with　a　broadsword；　too；　and　did　such　things　with

it；　that　there　was　a　cry；　in　half…a…dozen　languages；　of　〃Kill　that

sergeant！〃　as　I　knew；　by　the　cry　being　raised　in　English；　and　taken

up　in　other　tongues。　　I　had　received　a　severe　cut　across　the　left

arm　a　few　moments　before；　and　should　have　known　nothing　of　it；

except　supposing　that　somebody　had　struck　me　a　smart　blow；　if　I　had

not　felt　weak；　and　seen　myself　covered　with　spouting　blood；　and；　at

the　same　instant　of　time；　seen　Miss　Maryon　tearing　her　dress　and

binding　it　with　Mrs。　Fisher's　help　round　the　wound。　　They　called　to

Tom　Packer；　who　was　scouring　by；　to　stop　and　guard　me　for　one

minute；　while　I　was　bound；　or　I　should　bleed　to　death　in　trying　to

defend　myself。　　Tom　stopped　directly；　with　a　good　sabre　in　his　hand。



In　that　same　momentall　things　seem　to　happen　in　that　same　moment；

at　such　a　timehalf…a…dozen　had　rushed　howling　at　Sergeant　Drooce。

The　Sergeant；　stepping　back　against　the　wall；　stopped　one　howl　for

ever　with　such　a　terrible　blow；　and　waited　for　the　rest　to　come　on；

wit