The Pirate, and The Three Cutters Part 21

In a minute they reappeared with Hawkhurst, whom they led forward. He did not make any resistance, and the crew demanded that he should pilot the vessel.

'And suppose I will not?' said Hawkhurst coolly.

'Then you lose your pa.s.sage, that's all,' replied the boatswain. 'Is it not so, my lads?' continued he, appealing to the crew.

'Yes; either take us safe in, or--overboard,' replied several.

'I do not mind that threat, my lads,' replied Hawkhurst; 'you have all known me as a good man and true, and it's not likely that I shall desert you now. Well, since your captain there cannot save you, I suppose I must; but,' exclaimed he, looking about him, 'how's this? We are out of the pa.s.sage already. Yes--and whether we can get into it again I cannot tell.'

'We are not out of the pa.s.sage,' said Cain; 'you know we are not.'

'Well then, if the captain knows better than I, he had better take you through,' rejoined Hawkhurst.

But the crew thought differently, and insisted that Hawkhurst, who well knew the channel, should take charge. Cain retired aft, as Hawkhurst went out on the bowsprit.

'I will do my best, my lads,' said Hawkhurst; 'but recollect, if we strike in trying to get into the right channel, do not blame me.

Starboard a little--starboard yet--steady, so--there's the true pa.s.sage, my lads!' cried he, pointing to some smoother water between the breakers; 'port a little--steady.'

But Hawkhurst, who knew that he was to be put on sh.o.r.e as soon as convenient, had resolved to lose the schooner, even if his own life were forfeited, and he was now running her out of the pa.s.sage on the rocks. A minute after he had conned her, she struck heavily again and again. The third time she struck, she came broadside to the wind and heeled over; a sharp coral rock found its way through her slight timbers and planking, and the water poured in rapidly.

During this there was a dead silence on the part of the marauders.

'My lads,' said Hawkhurst, 'I have done my best, and now you may throw me overboard if you please. It was not my fault, but his,' continued he, pointing to the captain.

'It is of little consequence whose fault it was, Mr. Hawkhurst,' replied Cain; 'we will settle that point by and by; at present we have too much on our hands. Out boats, men! as fast as you can, and let every man provide himself with arms and ammunition. Be cool! the schooner is fixed hard enough, and will not go down; we shall save everything by and by.'

The pirates obeyed the orders of the captain. The three boats were hoisted out and lowered down. In the first were placed all the wounded men and Clara d'Alfarez, who was a.s.sisted up by Francisco. As soon as the men had provided themselves with arms, Francisco, to protect Clara, offered to take charge of her, and the boat shoved off.

The men-of-war had seen the _Avenger_ strike on the rocks, and the preparations of the crew to take to their boats. They immediately hove-to, hoisted out and manned their own boats, with the hopes of cutting them off before they could gain the island and prepare for a vigorous defence; for, although the vessels could not approach the reefs, there was sufficient water in many places for the boats to pa.s.s over them. Shortly after Francisco, in the first boat, had shoved off from the _Avenger_, the boats of the men-of-war were darting through the surf to intercept them. The pirates perceived this, and hastened their arrangements; a second boat soon left her, and into that Hawkhurst leaped as it was shoving off. Cain remained on board, going round the lower decks to ascertain if any of the wounded men were left; he then quitted the schooner in the last boat and followed the others, being about a quarter of a mile astern of the second, in which Hawkhurst had secured his place.

At the time that Cain quitted the schooner, it was difficult to say whether the men-of-war's boats would succeed in intercepting any of the pirates' boats. Both parties exerted themselves to their utmost; and when the first boat, with Francisco and Clara, landed, the headmost of the a.s.sailants was not much more than half a mile from them; but shallow water intervening there was a delay, which was favourable to the pirates. Hawkhurst landed in his boat as the launch of the _Comus_ fired her eighteen-pound carronade. The last boat was yet two hundred yards from the beach, when another shot from the _Comus's_ launch, which had been unable hitherto to find a pa.s.sage through the reef, struck her on the counter, and she filled and went down.

'He is gone!' exclaimed Francisco, who had led Clara to a cave, and stood at the mouth of it to protect her; 'they have sunk his boat--no, he is swimming to the sh.o.r.e, and will be here now, long before the English seamen can land.'

This was true. Cain was breasting the water manfully, making for a small cove nearer to where the boat was sunk than the one in which Francisco had landed with Clara and the wounded men, and divided from the other by a ridge of rocks which separated the sandy beach, and extended some way into the water before they were submerged. Francisco could easily distinguish the pirate captain from the other men, who also were swimming for the beach; for Cain was far ahead of them, and as he gained nearer to the sh.o.r.e he was shut from Francisco's sight by the ridge of rocks. Francisco, anxious for his safety, climbed up the rocks and was watching. Cain was within a few yards of the beach when there was a report of a musket; the pirate captain was seen to raise his body convulsively half out of the water--he floundered--the clear blue wave was discoloured--he sank, and was seen no more.

Francisco darted forward from the rocks, and perceived Hawkhurst standing beneath them with the musket in his hand, which he was recharging.

'Villain!' exclaimed Francisco, 'you shall account for this.'

Hawkhurst had reprimed his musket and shut the pan.

'Not to you,' replied Hawkhurst, levelling his piece, and taking aim at Francisco.

The ball struck Francisco on the breast; he reeled back from his position, staggered across the sand, gained the cave, and fell at the feet of Clara.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _The pirate captain was seen to raise his body convulsively half out of the water--he floundered, sank, and was seen no more._]

'O G.o.d!' exclaimed the poor girl, 'are _you_ hurt? who is there, then, to protect me?'

'I hardly know,' replied Francisco faintly; and, at intervals, 'I feel no wound. I feel stronger;' and Francisco put his hand to his heart.

Clara opened his vest, and found that the packet given to Francis...o...b.. Cain, and which he had deposited in his breast, had been struck by the bullet, which had done him no injury further than the violent concussion of the blow--notwithstanding he was faint from the shock, and his head fell upon Clara's bosom.

But we must relate the proceedings of those who were mixed up in this exciting scene. Edward Templemore had watched from his vessel, with an eager and painful curiosity, the motions of the schooner--her running on the rocks, and the subsequent actions of the intrepid marauders. The long telescope enabled him to perceive distinctly all that pa.s.sed, and his feelings were increased into a paroxysm of agony when his straining eyes beheld the white and fluttering habiliments of a female for a moment at the gunwale of the stranded vessel--her descent, as it appeared to him, nothing loth, into the boat--the arms held out to receive, and the extension of hers to meet those offered. Could it be Clara? Where was the reluctance, the unavailing attempts at resistance, which should have characterised her situation? Excited by feelings which he dared not a.n.a.lyse, he threw down his gla.s.s, and, seizing his sword, sprang into his boat, which was ready manned alongside, desiring the others to follow him. For once, and the only time in his existence when approaching the enemy, did he feel his heart sink within him--a cold tremor ran through his whole frame, and as he called to mind the loose morals and desperate habits of the pirates, horrible thoughts entered his imagination. As he neared the sh.o.r.e, he stood up in the stern-sheets of the boat, pale, haggard, and with trembling lips; and the intensity of his feelings would have been intolerable but for a more violent thirst for revenge. He clenched his sword, while the quick throbs of his heart seemed, at every pulsation, to repeat to him his thoughts of blood! blood! blood! He approached the small bay, and perceived that there was a female at the mouth of the cave--nearer and nearer, and he was certain that it was his Clara--her name was on his lips when he heard the two shots fired one after another by Hawkhurst--he saw the retreat and fall of Francisco--when, madness to behold! he perceived Clara rush forward, and there lay the young man supported by her, and with his head upon her bosom. Could he believe what he saw? could she really be his betrothed? Yes, there she was, supporting the handsome figure of a young man, and that man a pirate--she had even put her hand into his vest, and was now watching over his reviving form. Edward could bear no more; he covered his eyes, and now, maddened with jealousy, in a voice of thunder he called out--

'Give way, my lads! for your lives, give way!'

The gig was within half a dozen strokes of the oar from the beach, and Clara, unconscious of wrong, had just taken the packet of papers from Francisco's vest, when Hawkhurst made his appearance from behind the rocks which separated the two little sandy coves. Francisco had recovered his breath, and, perceiving the approach of Hawkhurst, he sprang upon his feet to recover his musket; but, before he could succeed, Hawkhurst had closed in with him, and a short and dreadful struggle ensued. It would soon have terminated fatally to Francisco, for the superior strength of Hawkhurst had enabled him to bear down the body of his opponent with his knee, and he was fast strangling him by twisting his handkerchief round his throat, while Clara shrieked, and attempted in vain to tear the pirate from him. As the prostrate Francisco was fast blackening into a corpse, and the maiden screamed for pity, and became frantic in her efforts for his rescue, the boat dashed high up on the sand; and, with the bound of a maddened tiger, Edward sprang upon Hawkhurst, tearing him down on his back, and severing his wrist with his sword-blade until his hold of Francisco was relaxed, and he wrestled in his own defence.

'Seize him, my lads!' said Edward, pointing with his left hand to Hawkhurst; as with his sword directed to the body of Francisco he bitterly continued, '_This victim is mine!_' But, whatever were his intentions, they were frustrated by Clara's recognition, who shrieked out, 'My Edward!' sprang into his arms, and was immediately in a state of insensibility.

The seamen who had secured Hawkhurst looked upon the scene with curious astonishment, while Edward waited with mingled feelings of impatience and doubt for Clara's recovery; he wished to be a.s.sured by her that he was mistaken, and he turned again and again from her face to that of Francisco, who was fast recovering. During this painful suspense, Hawkhurst was bound and made to sit down.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _Clara sprang into his arms, and was immediately in a state of insensibility._]

'Edward! dear Edward!' said Clara at last, in a faint voice, clinging more closely to him; 'and am I then rescued by thee, dearest!'

Edward felt the appeal; but his jealousy had not yet subsided.

'Who is that, Clara?' said he sternly.

'It is Francisco. No pirate, Edward, but my preserver.'

'Ha, ha!' laughed Hawkhurst, with a bitter sneer, for he perceived how matters stood.

Edward Templemore turned towards him with an inquiring look.

'Ha, ha!' continued Hawkhurst; 'why, he is the captain's son! No pirate, eh? Well, what will women not swear to, to save those they dote upon!'

'If the captain's son,' said Edward, 'why were you contending?'

'Because just now I shot his scoundrel father.'

'Edward!' said Clara solemnly, 'this is no time for explanation; but, as I hope for mercy, what I have said is true; believe not that villain.'

'Yes,' said Francisco, who was now sitting up, 'believe him when he says that he shot the captain, for that is true; but, sir, if you value your own peace of mind, believe nothing to the prejudice of that young lady.'

'I hardly know what to believe,' muttered Edward Templemore; 'but, as the lady says, this is no time for explanation. With your permission, madam,' said he to Clara, 'my c.o.xswain will see you in safety on board of the schooner, or the other vessel, if you prefer it; my duty will not allow me to accompany you.'

Clara darted a reproachful yet fond look on Edward, as, with swimming eyes, she was led by the c.o.xswain to the boat, which had been joined by the launch of the _Comus_, the crew of which were, with their officers, wading to the beach. The men of the gig remained until they had given Hawkhurst and Francisco in charge of the other seamen, and then shoved off with Clara for the schooner. Edward Templemore gave one look at the gig as it conveyed Clara on board, and ordering Hawkhurst and Francisco to be taken to the launch, and a guard to be kept over them, went up, with the remainder of the men, in pursuit of the pirates.

During the scene we have described, the other boats of the men-of-war had landed on the island, and the _Avenger's_ crew, deprived of their leaders, and scattered in every direction, were many of them slain or captured. In about two hours it was supposed that the majority of the pirates had been accounted for, and the prisoners being now very numerous, it was decided that the boats should return with them to the _Comus_, the captain of which vessel, as commanding officer, would then issue orders as to their future proceedings.

The captured pirates, when mustered on the deck of the _Comus_, amounted to nearly sixty, out of which number one-half were those who had been sent on sh.o.r.e wounded, and had surrendered without resistance. Of killed there were fifteen; and it was conjectured that as many more had been drowned in the boat when she was sunk by the shot from the carronade of the launch. Although, by the account given by the captured pirates, the majority were secured, yet there was reason to suppose that some were still left on the island concealed in the caves.

As the captain of the _Comus_ had orders to return as soon as possible, he decided to sail immediately for Port Royal with the prisoners, leaving the _Enterprise_ to secure the remainder, if there were any, and recover anything of value which might be left in the wreck of the _Avenger_, and then to destroy her.