hard cash-第37节

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ish　tars　do　in　any　great　disaster：　the　pirates　yelled　with　ferocious　triumph；　like　the　devils　they　looked。

But　most　human　events；　even　calamities；　have　two　sides。　The　_Agra_　being　brought　almost　to　a　standstill；　the　pirate　forged　ahead　against　his　will；　and　the　combat　took　a　new　and　terrible　form。　The　elephant　gun　popped　and　the　rifle　cracked　in　the　_Agra's_　mizen　top；　and　the　man　at　the　pirate's　helm　jumped　into　the　air　and　fell　dead：　both　Theorists　claimed　him。　Then　the　three　carronades　peppered　him　hotly；　and　he　hurled　an　iron　shower　back　with　fatal　effect。　Then　at　last　the　long　eighteen…pounders　on　the　gun…deck　got　a　word　in。　The　old　Niler　was　not　the　man　to　miss　a　vessel　alongside　in　a　quiet　sea：　he　sent　two　round　shot　clean　through　him；　the　third　splintered　his　bulwark　and　swept　across　his　deck。

〃His　mastsfire　at　his　masts！〃　roared　Dodd　to　Monk；　through　his　trumpet。　He　then　got　the　jib　clear；　and　made　what　sail　he　could　without　taking　all　the　hands　from　the　guns。

This　kept　the　vessels　nearly　alongside　a　few　minutes；　and　the　fight　was　hot　as　fire。　The　pirate　now　for　the　first　time　hoisted　his　flag。　It　was　black　as　ink。　His　crew　yelled　as　it　rose：　the　Britons；　instead　of　quailing；　cheered　with　fierce　derision；　the　pirate's　wild　crew　of　yellow　Malays；　black　chinless　Papuans；　and　bronzed　Portuguese；　served　their　side　guns；　twelve…pounders；　well；　and　with　ferocious　cries。　The　white　Britons；　drunk　with　battle　now；　naked　to　the　waist；　grimed　with　powder；　and　spotted　like　leopards　with　blood；　their　and　their　mates'；　replied　with　loud　undaunted　cheers　and　a　deadly　hail　of　grape　from　the　quarter…deck；　while　the　master…gunner　and　his　mates；　loading　with　a　rapidity　the　mixed　races　opposed　could　not　rival；　hulled　the　schooner　well　between　wind　and　water；　and　then　fired　chain…shot　at　her　masts；　as　ordered；　and　began　to　play　the　mischief　with　her　shrouds　and　rigging。　Meantime；　Fullalove　and　Kenealy；　aided　by　Vespasian；　who　loaded；　were　quietly　butchering　the　pirate　crew　two　a　minute；　and　hoped　to　settle　the　question　they　were　fighting　for：　smooth　bore　_v。_　rifle；　but　unluckily　neither　fired　once　without　killing；　so　〃there　was　nothing　proven。〃

The　pirate；　bold　as　he　was；　got　sick　of　fair　fighting　first。　He　hoisted　his　mainsail　and　threw　rapidly　ahead；　with　a　slight　bearing　to　windward；　and　dismounted　a　carronade　and　stove　in　the　ship's　quarter…boat；　by　way　of　a　parting　kick。

The　men　hurled　a　contemptuous　cheer　after　him；　they　thought　they　had　beaten　him　off。　But　Dodd　knew　better。　He　was　but　retiring　a　little　way　to　make　a　more　deadly　attack　than　ever：　he　would　soon　wear；　and　cross　the　_Agra's_　defenceless　bows；　to　rake　her　fore　and　aft　at　pistol…shot　distance；　or　grapple；　and　board　the　enfeebled　ship；　two　hundred　strong。

Dodd　flew　to　the　helm；　and　with　his　own　hands　put　it　hard　a…weather；　to　give　the　deck…guns　one　more　chance；　the　last；　of　sinking　or　disabling　the　Destroyer。　As　the　ship　obeyed；　and　a　deck…gun　bellowed　below　him；　he　saw　a　vessel　running　out　from　Long　Island；　and　coming　swiftly　up　on　his　lee　quarter。

It　was　a　schooner。　Was　she　coming　to　his　aid？

Horror！　A　black　flag　floated　from　her　foremast　head。

While　Dodd's　eyes　were　staring　almost　out　of　his　head　at　this　deathblow　to　hope；　Monk　fired　again；　and　just　then　a　pale　face　came　close　to　Dodd's；　and　a　solemn　voice　whispered　in　his　ear：　〃Our　ammunition　is　nearly　done！〃

Dodd　seized　Sharpe's　hand　convulsively；　and　pointed　to　the　pirate's　consort　coming　up　to　finish　them；　and　said；　with　the　calm　of　a　brave　man's　despair；　〃Cutlasses！　and　die　hard！〃

At　that　moment　the　master…gunner　fired　his　last　gun。　It　sent　a　chain…shot　on　board　the　retiring　pirate；　took　off　a　Portuguese　head　and　spun　it　clean　into　the　sea　ever　so　far　to　windward；　and　cut　the　schooner's　foremast　so　nearly　through　that　it　trembled　and　nodded；　and　presently　snapped　with　a　loud　crack；　and　came　down　like　a　broken　tree；　with　the　yard　and　sail；　the　latter　overlapping　the　deck　and　burying　itself；　black　flag　and　all；　in　the　sea；　and　there；　in　one　moment；　lay　the　Destroyer　buffeting　and　wrigglinglike　a　heron　on　the　water　with　his　long　wings　brokenan　utter　cripple。

The　victorious　crew　raised　a　stunning　cheer。

〃Silence！〃　roared　Dodd；　with　his　trumpet。　〃All　hands　make　sail！〃

He　set　his　courses；　bent　a　new　jib；　and　stood　out　to　windward　close　hauled；　in　hopes　to　make　a　good　offing；　and　then　put　his　ship　dead　before　the　wind；　which　was　now　rising　to　a　stiff　breeze。　In　doing　this　he　crossed　the　crippled　pirate's　bows；　within　eighty　yards；　and　sore　was　the　temptation　to　rake　him；　but　his　ammunition　being　short；　and　his　danger　being　imminent　from　the　other　pirate；　he　had　the　self…command　to　resist　the　great　temptation。

He　hailed　the　mizen　top：　〃Can　you　two　hinder　them　from　firing　that　gun？〃

〃I　rather　think　we　can；〃　said　Fullalove；　〃eh；　Colonel？〃　and　he　tapped　his　long　rifle。

The　ship　no　sooner　crossed　the　schooner's　bows*　than　a　Malay　ran　forward　with　a　linstock。　Pop　went　the　colonel's　ready　carbine；　and　the　Malay　fell　over　dead；　and　the　linstock　flew　out　of　his　hand。　A　tall　Portuguese；　with　a　movement　of　rage；　snatched　it　up　and　darted　to　the　gun：　the　Yankee　rifle　cracked；　but　a　moment　too　late。　Bang！　went　the　pirate's　bow…chaser；　and　crashed　into　the　_Agra's_　side；　and　passed　nearly　through　her。

*Being　disabled；　the　schooner's　head　had　come　round　to　windward；　though　she　was　drifting　to　leeward。

〃Ye　missed　him！　Ye　missed　him！〃　cried　the　rival　theorist　joyfully。　He　was　mistaken：　the　smoke　cleared；　and　there　was　the　pirate　captain　leaning　wounded　against　the　mainmast　with　a　Yankee　bullet　in　his　shoulder；　and　his　crew　uttering　yells　of　dismay　and　vengeance。　They　jumped；　and　raged；　and　brandished　their　knives；　and　made　horrid　gesticulations　of　revenge；　and　the　white　eyeballs　of　the　Malays　and　Papuans　glittered　fiendishly；　and　the　wounded　captain　raised　his　sound　arm　and　had　a　signal　hoisted　to　his　consort；　and　she　bore　up　in　chase；　and　jamming　her　fore　lateen　flat　as　a　board；　lay　far　nearer　the　wind　than　the　_Agra_　could；　and　sailed　three　feet　to　her　two　besides。　On　this　superiority　being　made　clear；　the　situation　of　the　merchant　vessel；　though　not　so　utterly　desperate　as　before　Monk　fired　his　lucky　shot；　became　pitiable　enough。　If　she　ran　before　the　wind；　the　fresh　pirate　would　cut　her　off：　if　she　lay　to　windward；　she　might　postpone　the　inevitable　and　fatal　collision　with　a　foe　as　strong　as　that　she　had　only　escaped　by　a　rare　piece　of　luck；　but　this　would　give　the　crippled　pirate　time　to　refit　and　unite　to　destroy　her。　Add　to　this　the　failing　ammunition　and　the　thinned　crew！

Dodd　cast　his　eyes　all　round　the　horizon　for　help。

The　sea　was　blank。

The　bright　sun　was　hidden　now；　drops　of　rain　fell；　and　the　wind　was　beginning　to　sing；　and　the　sea　to　rise　a　little。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　he；　〃let　us　kneel　down　and　pray　for　wisdom；　in　this　sore　strait。〃

He　and　his　officers　kneeled　on　the　quarter…deck。　When　they　rose；　Dodd　stood　rapt　about　a　minute：　his　great　thoughtful　eye　saw　no　more　the　enemy；　the　sea；　nor　anything　external；　it　was　turned　inward。　His　officers　looked　at　him　in　silence。

〃Sharpe；〃　said　he　at　last；　〃there　_must_　be　a　way　out　of　them　both　with　such　a　breeze　as　this　is　now；　if　we　could　but　see　it。〃

〃Ay；　_if；_〃　groaned　Sharpe。

Dodd　mused　again。

〃About　ship！〃　said　he　softly；　like　an　absent　man。

〃Ay；　ay；　sir！〃

〃Steer　due　north！〃　said　he；　still　like　one　whose　mind　was　elsewhere。

While　the　ship　was　coming　about；　he　gave　minute　orders　to　the　mates　and　the　gunner；　to　ensure　co…operation　in　the　delicate　and　dangerous　manoeuvres　that　were　sure　to　be　at　hand。

The　wind　was　W。N。W：　lie　was　standing　north；　one　pirate　lay　on　his　lee　beam　stopping　a　leak　between　wind　and　water；　and　hacking　the　deck　clear　of　his　broken　mast　and　yards。　The　other；　fresh；　and　thirsting　for　the　easy　prey；　came　up　to　weather　on　him　and　hang　on　his　quarter；　pirate　fashion。

When　they　were　distant　about　a　cable's　length；　the　fresh　pirate；　to　meet　the　ship's　change　of　tactics；　changed　his　own；　luffed　up；　and　gave　the　ship　a　broadside；　well　aimed　but　not　destructive；　the　guns　being　loaded　with　ball。

Dodd；　instead　of　replying　immediately；　put　his　helm　hard　up　and　ran　under　the　pirate's　stern；　while　he　was　jammed　up　in　the　wind；　and　with　his　five　eighteen　pounders　raked　him　fore　and　aft；　then　paying　off；　gave　him　three　carronades　crammed　with　grape　and　canister。　The　rapid　discharge　of　eight　guns　made　the　ship　tremble；　and　enveloped　her　in　thick　smoke；　loud　shrieks　and　groans　were　heard　from　the　schooner：　the　smoke　cleared；　the　pirate's　mainsail　hung　on　deck；　his　jib…boom　was　cut　off　like　a　carrot　and　the　sail　struggling；　his　foresail　looked　lace；　lanes　of　dead　and　wounded　lay　still　or　writhing　on　his　deck；　and　his　lee　scuppers　ran　blood　into　the　sea。　Dodd　squared　his　yards　and　bore　away。

The　ship　rushed　down　the　wind；　leaving　the　schooner　staggered　and　all　abroad。　But　for　long；　the　pirate　wore　and　fired　his　bow　chasers　at　the　now　flying　_Agra_；　split　one　of　the　carronades　in　two；　and　killed　a　Lascar；　and　made　a　hole　in　the　foresail。　This　done；　he　hoisted　his　mainsail　again　in　a　trice；　sent　his　wounded　below；　flung　his　dead　overboard；　to　the　horror　of　their　foes；　and　came　after　the　flyi