“Port
it
is
,
”
cried
the
man
at
the
helm
.
“
Steer
due
south
!
”
And
,
with
these
words
in
his
mouth
,
Dodd
dived
to
the
gun-deck
.
By
this
time
elastic
Sharpe
had
recovered
the
first
shock
,
and
the
order
to
crowd
sail
on
the
ship
galled
his
pride
and
his
manhood
.
He
muttered
indignantly
,
“
The
white
feather
!
”
This
eased
his
mind
,
and
he
obeyed
orders
briskly
as
ever
.
While
he
and
his
hands
were
setting
every
rag
the
ship
could
carry
on
that
tack
,
the
other
officers
having
unluckily
no
orders
to
execute
,
stood
gloomy
and
helpless
,
with
their
eyes
glued
,
by
a
sort
of
sombre
fascination
,
on
that
coming
fate
;
and
they
literally
jumped
and
jarred
when
Mrs.
Beresford
,
her
heart
opened
by
the
lovely
day
,
broke
in
on
their
nerves
with
her
light
treble
.
“
What
a
sweet
morning
,
gentlemen
!
After
all
,
a
voyage
is
a
delightful
thing
.
Oh
,
what
a
splendid
sea
!
and
the
very
breeze
is
warm
.
Ah
!
and
there
's
a
little
ship
sailing
along
:
here
,
Freddy
,
Freddy
darling
,
leave
off
beating
the
sailor
's
legs
,
and
come
here
and
see
this
pretty
ship
.
What
a
pity
it
is
so
far
off
.
Ah
!
ah
!
what
is
that
dreadful
noise
?
”
For
her
horrible
small
talk
,
that
grated
on
those
anxious
souls
like
the
mockery
of
some
infantine
fiend
,
was
cut
short
by
ponderous
blows
and
tremendous
smashing
below
.
It
was
the
captain
staving
in
water-casks
:
the
water
poured
out
at
the
scuppers
.
“
Clearing
the
lee
guns
,
”
said
a
middy
,
off
his
guard
.
Colonel
Kenealy
pricked
up
his
ears
,
drew
his
cigar
from
his
mouth
,
and
smelt
powder
.
“
What
,
for
action
?
”
said
he
briskly
.
“
Where
's
the
enemy
?
”
Fullalove
made
him
a
signal
,
and
they
went
below
.
Mrs.
Beresford
had
not
heard
or
not
appreciated
the
remark
:
she
prattled
on
till
she
made
the
mates
and
midshipmen
shudder
.
Realise
the
situation
,
and
the
strange
incongruity
between
the
senses
and
the
mind
in
these
poor
fellows
!
The
day
had
ripened
its
beauty
;
beneath
a
purple
heaven
shone
,
sparkled
,
and
laughed
a
blue
sea
,
in
whose
waves
the
tropical
sun
seemed
to
have
fused
his
beams
;
and
beneath
that
fair
,
sinless
,
peaceful
sky
,
wafted
by
a
balmy
breeze
over
those
smiling
,
transparent
,
golden
waves
,
a
bloodthirsty
Pirate
bore
down
on
them
with
a
crew
of
human
tigers
;
and
a
lady
babble
babble
babble
babble
babble
babble
babbled
in
their
quivering
ears
.
But
now
the
captain
came
bustling
on
deck
,
eyed
the
loftier
sails
,
saw
they
were
drawing
well
,
appointed
four
midshipmen
a
staff
to
convey
his
orders
:
gave
Bayliss
charge
of
the
carronades
,
Grey
of
the
cutlasses
,
and
directed
Mr.
Tickell
to
break
the
bad
news
gently
to
Mrs.
Beresford
,
and
to
take
her
below
to
the
orlop
deck
;
ordered
the
purser
to
serve
out
beet
biscuit
,
and
grog
to
all
hands
,
saying
,
“
Men
ca
n't
work
on
an
empty
stomach
:
and
fighting
is
hard
work
;
”
then
beckoned
the
officers
to
come
round
him
.
“
Gentlemen
,
”
said
he
,
confidentially
,
“
in
crowding
sail
on
this
ship
I
had
no
hope
of
escaping
that
fellow
on
this
tack
,
but
I
was
,
and
am
,
most
anxious
to
gain
the
open
sea
,
where
I
can
square
my
yards
and
run
for
it
,
if
I
see
a
chance
.
At
present
I
shall
carry
on
till
he
comes
within
range
:
and
then
,
to
keep
the
Company
's
canvas
from
being
shot
to
rags
,
I
shall
shorten
sail
;
and
to
save
ship
and
cargo
and
all
our
lives
,
I
shall
fight
while
a
plank
of
her
swims
.
Better
be
killed
in
hot
blood
than
walk
the
plank
in
cold
.
”
The
officers
cheered
faintly
;
the
captain
's
dogged
resolution
stirred
up
theirs
.
The
pirate
had
gained
another
quarter
of
a
mile
and
more
.
The
ship
's
crew
were
hard
at
their
beef
and
grog
,
and
agreed
among
themselves
it
was
a
comfortable
ship
.
They
guessed
what
was
coming
,
and
woe
to
the
ship
in
that
hour
if
the
captain
had
not
won
their
respect
.
Strange
to
say
,
there
were
two
gentlemen
in
the
Agra
to
whom
the
pirate
's
approach
was
not
altogether
unwelcome
.
Colonel
Kenealy
and
Mr.
Fullalove
were
rival
sportsmen
and
rival
theorists
.
Kenealy
stood
out
for
a
smooth
bore
and
a
four-ounce
ball
;
Fullalove
for
a
rifle
of
his
own
construction
.
Many
a
doughty
argument
they
had
,
and
many
a
bragging
match
;
neither
could
convert
the
other
.
At
last
Fullalove
hinted
that
by
going
ashore
at
the
Cape
,
and
getting
each
behind
a
tree
at
one
hundred
yards
,
and
popping
at
one
another
,
one
or
other
would
be
convinced
.
“
Well
,
but
,
”
said
Kenealy
,
“
if
he
is
dead
,
he
will
be
no
wiser
.
Besides
,
to
a
fellow
like
me
,
who
has
had
the
luxury
of
popping
at
his
enemies
,
popping
at
a
friend
is
poor
insipid
work
.
”
“
That
is
true
,
”
said
the
other
regretfully
.
“
But
I
reckon
we
shall
never
settle
it
by
argument
.
”
Theorists
are
amazing
;
and
it
was
plain
,
by
the
alacrity
with
which
these
good
creatures
loaded
the
rival
instruments
,
that
to
them
the
pirate
came
not
so
much
as
a
pirate
as
a
solution
.
Indeed
,
Kenealy
,
in
the
act
of
charging
his
piece
,
was
heard
to
mutter
,
“
Now
,
this
is
lucky
.
”
However
,
these
theorists
were
no
sooner
loaded
than
something
occurred
to
make
them
more
serious
.
They
were
sent
for
in
haste
to
Dodd
's
cabin
;
they
found
him
giving
Sharpe
a
new
order
.
“
Shorten
sail
to
the
taupsles
and
jib
,
get
the
colours
ready
on
the
halyards
,
and
then
send
the
men
aft
.
”
Sharpe
ran
out
full
of
zeal
,
and
tumbled
over
Ramgolam
,
who
was
stooping
remarkably
near
the
keyhole
.
Dodd
hastily
bolted
the
cabin-door
,
and
looked
with
trembling
lip
and
piteous
earnestness
in
Kenealy
's
face
and
Fullalove
's
.
They
were
mute
with
surprise
at
a
gaze
so
eloquent
and
yet
mysterious
.
He
manned
himself
,
and
opened
his
mind
to
them
with
deep
emotion
,
yet
not
without
a
certain
simple
dignity
.
“
Colonel
,
”
said
he
,
“
you
are
an
old
friend
;
you
,
sir
,
are
a
new
one
;
but
I
esteem
you
highly
,
and
what
my
young
gentlemen
chaff
you
about
,
you
calling
all
men
brothers
,
and
making
that
poor
negro
love
you
instead
of
fear
you
,
that
shows
me
you
have
a
great
heart
.
My
dear
friends
,
I
have
been
unlucky
enough
to
bring
my
children
's
fortune
on
board
this
ship
:
here
it
is
under
my
shirt
.
Fourteen
thousand
pounds
!
This
weighs
me
down
.
Oh
,
if
they
should
lose
it
after
all
!
Do
pray
give
me
a
hand
apiece
and
pledge
your
sacred
words
to
take
it
home
safe
to
my
wife
at
Barkington
,
if
you
,
or
either
of
you
,
should
see
this
bright
sun
set
to-day
,
and
I
should
not
.
”
“
Why
,
Dodd
,
old
fellow
,
”
said
Kenealy
cheerfully
,
“
this
is
not
the
way
to
go
into
action
.
”
“
Colonel
,
”
replied
Dodd
,
“
to
save
this
ship
and
cargo
,
I
must
be
wherever
the
bullets
are
,
and
I
will
too
.
”
Fullalove
,
more
sagacious
than
the
worthy
colonel
,
said
earnestly
—
“
Captain
Dodd
,
may
I
never
see
Broadway
again
,
and
never
see
Heaven
at
the
end
of
my
time
,
if
I
fail
you
.
There
's
my
hand
.
”
“
And
mine
,
”
said
Kenealy
warmly
.
They
all
three
joined
hands
,
and
Dodd
seemed
to
cling
to
them
.
“
God
bless
you
both
!
God
bless
you
!
Oh
,
what
a
weight
your
true
hands
have
pulled
off
my
heart
.
Good-bye
,
for
a
few
minutes
.
The
time
is
short
.
I
'll
just
offer
a
prayer
to
the
Almighty
for
wisdom
,
and
then
I
'll
come
up
and
say
a
word
to
the
men
and
fight
the
ship
,
according
to
my
lights
.
”
Sail
was
no
sooner
shortened
and
the
crew
ranged
,
than
the
captain
came
briskly
on
deck
,
saluted
,
jumped
on
a
carronade
,
and
stood
erect
.
He
was
not
the
man
to
show
the
crew
his
forebodings
.
(
Pipe
.
)
“
Silence
fore
and
aft
.
”
“
My
men
,
the
schooner
coming
up
on
our
weather
quarter
is
a
Portuguese
pirate
.
His
character
is
known
;
he
scuttles
all
the
ships
he
boards
,
dishonours
the
women
,
and
murders
the
crew
.
We
cracked
on
to
get
out
of
the
narrows
,
and
now
we
have
shortened
sail
to
fight
this
blackguard
,
and
teach
him
to
molest
a
British
ship
.
I
promise
,
in
the
Company
's
name
,
twenty
pounds
prize-money
to
every
man
before
the
mast
if
we
beat
him
off
or
out-manoeuvre
him
;
thirty
if
we
sink
him
;
and
forty
if
we
tow
him
astern
into
a
friendly
port
.
Eight
guns
are
clear
below
,
three
on
the
weather
side
,
five
on
the
lee
;
for
,
if
he
knows
his
business
,
he
will
come
up
on
the
lee
quarter
:
if
he
does
n't
that
is
no
fault
of
yours
nor
mine
.
The
muskets
are
all
loaded
,
the
cutlasses
ground
like
razors
—
—
”
“
Hurrah
!
”
“
We
have
got
women
to
defend
—
—
”
“
Hurrah
!
”
“
A
good
ship
under
our
feet
,
the
God
of
justice
overhead
,
British
hearts
in
our
bosoms
,
and
British
colours
flying
—
run
'
em
up
!
—
over
our
heads
.
”
(
The
ship
's
colours
flew
up
to
the
fore
,
and
the
Union
Jack
to
the
mizen
peak
.
)
“
Now
,
lads
,
I
mean
to
fight
this
ship
while
a
plank
of
her
(
stamping
on
the
deck
)
swims
beneath
my
foot
,
and
—
what
do
you
say
?
”
The
reply
was
a
fierce
“
hurrah
!
”
from
a
hundred
throats
,
so
loud
,
so
deep
,
so
full
of
volume
,
it
made
the
ship
vibrate
,
and
rang
in
the
creeping-on
pirate
's
ears
.
Fierce
,
but
cunning
,
he
saw
mischief
in
those
shortened
sails
,
and
that
Union
Jack
,
the
terror
of
his
tribe
,
rising
to
a
British
cheer
;
he
lowered
his
mainsail
,
and
crawled
up
on
the
weather
quarter
.
Arrived
within
a
cable
's
length
,
he
double-reef'ed
his
foresail
to
reduce
his
rate
of
sailing
nearly
to
that
of
the
ship
;
and
the
next
moment
a
tongue
of
flame
,
and
then
a
gush
of
smoke
,
issued
from
his
lee
bow
,
and
the
ball
flew
screaming
like
a
seagull
over
the
Agra
's
mizen
top
.
He
then
put
his
helm
up
,
and
fired
his
other
bow-chaser
,
and
sent
the
shot
hissing
and
skipping
on
the
water
past
the
ship
.
This
prologue
made
the
novices
wince
.
Bayliss
wanted
to
reply
with
a
carronade
;
but
Dodd
forbade
him
sternly
,
saying
,
“
If
we
keep
him
aloof
we
are
done
for
.
”
The
pirate
drew
nearer
,
and
fired
both
guns
in
succession
,
hulled
the
Agra
amidships
,
and
sent
an
eighteen-pound
ball
through
her
foresail
.
Most
of
the
faces
were
pale
on
the
quarter-deck
;
it
was
very
trying
to
be
shot
at
,
and
hit
,
and
make
no
return
.
The
next
double
discharge
sent
one
shot
smash
through
the
stern
cabin
window
,
and
splintered
the
bulwark
with
another
,
wounding
a
seaman
slightly
.
“
LIE
DOWN
FORWARD
!
”
shouted
Dodd
.
“
Bayliss
,
give
him
a
shot
.
”
The
carronade
was
fired
with
a
tremendous
report
but
no
visible
effect
.
The
pirate
crept
nearer
,
steering
in
and
out
like
a
snake
to
avoid
the
carronades
,
and
firing
those
two
heavy
guns
alternately
into
the
devoted
ship
.
He
hulled
the
Agra
now
nearly
every
shot
.
The
two
available
carronades
replied
noisily
,
and
jumped
as
usual
;
they
sent
one
thirty-two
pound
shot
clean
through
the
schooner
's
deck
and
side
;
but
that
was
literally
all
they
did
worth
speaking
of
.
“
Curse
them
!
”
cried
Dodd
;
“
load
them
with
grape
!
they
are
not
to
be
trusted
with
ball
.
And
all
my
eighteen-pounders
dumb
!
The
coward
wo
n't
come
alongside
and
give
them
a
chance
.
”
At
the
next
discharge
the
pirate
chipped
the
mizen
mast
,
and
knocked
a
sailor
into
dead
pieces
on
the
forecastle
.
Dodd
put
his
helm
down
ere
the
smoke
cleared
,
and
got
three
carronades
to
bear
,
heavily
laden
with
grape
.
Several
pirates
fell
,
dead
or
wounded
,
on
the
crowded
deck
,
and
some
holes
appeared
in
the
foresail
;
this
one
interchange
was
quite
in
favour
of
the
ship
.
But
the
lesson
made
the
enemy
more
cautious
;
he
crept
nearer
,
but
steered
so
adroitly
,
now
right
astern
,
now
on
the
quarter
,
that
the
ship
could
seldom
bring
more
than
one
carronade
to
bear
,
while
he
raked
her
fore
and
aft
with
grape
and
ball
.
In
this
alarming
situation
,
Dodd
kept
as
many
of
the
men
below
as
possible
;
but
,
for
all
he
could
do
,
four
were
killed
and
seven
wounded
.
Fullalove
's
worth
came
too
true
:
it
was
the
swordfish
and
the
whale
:
it
was
a
fight
of
hammer
and
anvil
;
one
hit
,
the
other
made
a
noise
.
Cautious
and
cruel
,
the
pirate
hung
on
the
poor
hulking
creature
's
quarters
and
raked
her
at
point-blank
distance
.
He
made
her
pass
a
bitter
time
.
And
her
captain
!
To
see
the
splintering
hull
,
the
parting
shrouds
,
the
shivered
gear
,
and
hear
the
shrieks
and
groans
of
his
wounded
;
and
he
unable
to
reply
in
kind
!
The
sweat
of
agony
poured
down
his
face
.
Oh
,
if
he
could
but
reach
the
open
sea
,
and
square
his
yards
,
and
make
a
long
chase
of
it
;
perhaps
fall
in
with
aid
.
Wincing
under
each
heavy
blow
,
he
crept
doggedly
,
patiently
on
towards
that
one
visible
hope
.
At
last
,
when
the
ship
was
choved
with
shot
,
and
peppered
with
grape
,
the
channel
opened
;
in
five
minutes
more
he
could
put
her
dead
before
the
wind
.
No
!
The
pirate
,
on
whose
side
luck
had
been
from
the
first
,
got
half
a
broadside
to
bear
at
long
musket-shot
,
killed
a
midshipman
by
Dodd
's
side
,
cut
away
two
of
the
Agra
'
s
mizen
shrouds
,
wounded
the
gaff
,
and
cut
the
jib-stay
.
Down
fell
that
powerful
sail
into
the
water
,
and
dragged
across
the
ship
's
forefoot
,
stopping
her
way
to
the
open
sea
she
panted
for
.
The
mates
groaned
;
the
crew
cheered
stoutly
,
as
British
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
masts
—
fire
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
wriggling
—
like
a
heron
on
the
water
with
his
long
wings
broken
—
an
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
.
“
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
flying
ship
,
yawing
and
firing
his
bow
chasers
.
The
ship
was
silent
.
She
had
no
shot
to
throw
away
.
Not
only
did
she
take
these
blows
like
a
coward
,
but
all
signs
of
life
disappeared
on
her
,
except
two
men
at
the
wheel
and
the
captain
on
the
main
gangway
.
Dodd
had
ordered
the
crew
out
of
the
rigging
,
armed
them
with
cutlasses
,
and
laid
them
flat
on
the
forecastle
.
He
also
compelled
Kenealy
and
Fullalove
to
come
down
out
of
harm
's
way
,
no
wiser
on
the
smooth
bore
question
than
they
went
up
.
The
great
patient
ship
ran
environed
by
her
foes
;
one
destroyer
right
in
her
course
,
another
in
her
wake
,
following
her
with
yells
of
vengeance
,
and
pounding
away
at
her
—
but
no
reply
.
Suddenly
the
yells
of
the
pirates
on
both
sides
ceased
,
and
there
was
a
moment
of
dead
silence
on
the
sea
.
Yet
nothing
fresh
had
happened
.
Yes
,
this
had
happened
:
the
pirates
to
windward
and
the
pirates
to
leeward
of
the
Agra
had
found
out
,
at
one
and
the
same
moment
,
that
the
merchant
captain
they
had
lashed
,
and
bullied
,
and
tortured
was
a
patient
but
tremendous
man
.
It
was
not
only
to
rake
the
fresh
schooner
he
had
put
his
ship
before
the
wind
,
but
also
by
a
double
,
daring
,
masterstroke
to
hurl
his
monster
ship
bodily
on
the
other
.
Without
a
foresail
she
could
never
get
out
of
her
way
.
The
pirate
crew
had
stopped
the
leak
,
and
cut
away
and
unshipped
the
broken
foremast
,
and
were
stepping
a
new
one
,
when
they
saw
the
huge
ship
bearing
down
in
full
sail
.
Nothing
easier
than
to
slip
out
of
her
way
could
they
get
the
foresail
to
draw
;
but
the
time
was
short
,
the
deadly
intention
manifest
,
the
coming
destruction
swift
.
After
that
solemn
silence
came
a
storm
of
cries
and
curses
,
as
their
seamen
went
to
work
to
fit
the
yard
and
raise
the
sail
while
their
fighting
men
seized
their
matchlocks
and
trained
the
guns
.
They
were
well
commanded
by
an
heroic
able
villain
.
Astern
the
consort
thundered
;
but
the
Agra
's
response
was
a
dead
silence
more
awful
than
broadsides
.
For
then
was
seen
with
what
majesty
the
enduring
Anglo-Saxon
fights
.
One
of
that
indomitable
race
on
the
gangway
,
one
at
the
foremast
,
two
at
the
wheel
,
conned
and
steered
the
great
ship
down
on
a
hundred
matchlocks
and
a
grinning
broadside
,
just
as
they
would
have
conned
and
steered
her
into
a
British
harbour
.
“
Starboard
!
”
said
Dodd
,
in
a
deep
calm
voice
,
with
a
motion
of
his
hand
.
“
Starboard
it
is
.
”
The
pirate
wriggled
ahead
a
little
.
The
man
forward
made
a
silent
signal
to
Dodd
.
“
Port
!
”
said
Dodd
quietly
.
“
Port
it
is
.
”
But
at
this
critical
moment
the
pirate
astern
sent
a
mischievous
shot
and
knocked
one
of
the
men
to
atoms
at
the
helm
.
Dodd
waved
his
hand
without
a
word
,
and
another
man
rose
from
the
deck
,
and
took
his
place
in
silence
,
and
laid
his
unshaking
hand
on
the
wheel
stained
with
that
man
's
warm
blood
whose
place
he
took
.
The
high
ship
was
now
scarce
sixty
yards
distant
;
she
seemed
to
know
:
she
reared
her
lofty
figure-head
with
great
awful
shoots
into
the
air
.
But
now
the
panting
pirates
got
their
new
foresail
hoisted
with
a
joyful
shout
:
it
drew
,
the
schooner
gathered
way
,
and
their
furious
consort
close
on
the
Agra
's
heels
just
then
scourged
her
deck
with
grape
.
“
Port
!
”
said
Dodd
calmly
.
“
Port
it
is
.
”
The
giant
prow
darted
at
the
escaping
pirate
.
That
acre
of
coming
canvas
took
the
wind
out
of
the
swift
schooner
's
foresail
;
it
flapped
:
oh
,
then
she
was
doomed
!
That
awful
moment
parted
the
races
on
board
her
:
the
Papuans
and
Sooloos
,
their
black
faces
livid
and
blue
with
horror
,
leaped
yelling
into
the
sea
,
or
crouched
and
whimpered
;
the
yellow
Malays
and
brown
Portuguese
,
though
blanched
to
one
colour
now
,
turned
on
death
like
dying
panthers
,
fired
two
cannon
slap
into
the
ship
's
bows
,
and
snapped
their
muskets
and
matchlocks
at
their
solitary
executioner
on
the
ship
's
gangway
,
and
out
flew
their
knives
like
crushed
wasp
's
stings
.
CRASH
!
the
Indiaman
's
cutwater
in
thick
smoke
beat
in
the
schooner
's
broadside
:
down
went
her
masts
to
leeward
like
fishing-rods
whipping
the
water
;
there
was
a
horrible
shrieking
yell
;
wild
forms
heaped
off
on
the
Agra
,
and
were
hacked
to
pieces
almost
ere
they
reached
the
deck
—
a
surge
,
a
chasm
in
the
sea
,
filled
with
an
instant
rush
of
engulphing
waves
,
a
long
,
awful
,
grating
,
grinding
noise
,
never
to
be
forgotten
in
this
world
,
all
along
under
the
ship
's
keel
—
and
the
fearful
majestic
monster
passed
on
over
the
blank
she
had
made
,
with
a
pale
crew
standing
silent
and
awestruck
on
her
deck
;
a
cluster
of
wild
heads
and
staring
eyeballs
bobbing
like
corks
in
her
foaming
wake
,
sole
relic
of
the
blotted-out
Destroyer
:
and
a
wounded
man
staggering
on
the
gangway
,
with
hands
uplifted
and
staring
eyes
.
Shot
in
two
places
,
the
head
and
the
breast
!
With
a
loud
cry
of
pity
and
dismay
,
Sharpe
,
Fullalove
,
Kenealy
,
and
others
rushed
to
catch
him
;
but
ere
they
got
near
,
the
captain
of
the
triumphant
ship
fell
down
on
his
hands
and
knees
,
his
head
sunk
over
the
gangway
,
and
his
blood
ran
fast
and
pattered
in
the
midst
of
them
on
the
deck
he
had
defended
so
bravely
.
CHAPTER
X
THEY
got
to
the
wounded
captain
and
raised
him
:
he
revived
a
little
;
and
,
the
moment
he
caught
sight
of
Mr.
Sharpe
,
he
clutched
him
,
and
cried
,
“
Stunsels
!
”
“
Oh
,
captain
,
”
said
Sharpe
,
“
let
the
ship
go
;
it
is
you
we
are
anxious
for
now
.
”
At
this
Dodd
lifted
up
his
hands
and
beat
the
air
impatiently
,
and
cried
again
in
the
thin
,
querulous
voice
of
'
a
wounded
man
,
but
eagerly
,
“
STUNSELS
!
STUNSELS
!
”
On
this
,
Sharpe
gave
the
command
.
“
Make
sail
.
All
hands
set
stunsels
'
low
and
aloft
!
”
While
the
unwounded
hands
swarmed
into
the
rigging
,
the
surgeon
came
aft
in
all
haste
;
but
Dodd
declined
him
till
all
his
men
should
have
been
looked
to
:
meantime
he
had
himself
carried
to
the
poop
and
laid
on
a
mattress
,
his
bleeding
head
bound
tight
with
a
wet
cambric
handkerchief
,
and
his
pale
face
turned
towards
the
hostile
schooner
astern
.
She
had
to
hove
to
,
and
was
picking
up
the
survivors
of
her
blotted-out
consort
.
The
group
on
the
Agra
's
quarter-deck
watched
her
to
see
what
she
would
do
next
;
flushed
with
immediate
success
,
the
younger
officers
crowed
their
fears
she
would
not
be
game
to
attack
them
again
.
Dodd
's
fears
ran
the
other
way
:
he
said
,
in
the
weak
voice
to
which
he
was
now
reduced
,
“
They
are
taking
a
wet
blanket
aboard
;
that
crew
of
blackguards
we
swamped
wo
n't
want
any
more
of
us
:
it
all
depends
on
the
pirate
captain
:
if
he
is
not
drowned
,
then
blow
wind
,
rise
sea
,
or
there
's
trouble
ahead
for
us
.
”
As
soon
as
the
schooner
had
picked
up
the
last
swimmer
,
she
hoisted
foresail
,
mainsail
,
and
jib
with
admirable
rapidity
,
and
bore
down
in
chase
.
The
Agra
had
,
meantime
,
got
a
start
of
more
than
a
mile
,
and
was
now
running
before
a
stiff
breeze
with
studding
sails
alow
and
aloft
.
In
an
hour
the
vessels
ran
nearly
twelve
miles
,
and
the
pirate
had
gained
half
a
mile
.
At
the
end
of
the
next
hour
they
were
out
of
sight
of
land
,
wind
and
sea
rising
,
and
the
pirate
only
a
quarter
of
a
mile
astern
.
The
schooner
was
now
rising
and
falling
on
the
waves
;
the
ship
only
nodding
,
and
firm
as
a
rock
.
“
Blow
wind
,
rise
sea
!
”
faltered
Dodd
.
Another
half-hour
passed
without
perceptibly
altering
the
position
of
the
vessels
.
Then
suddenly
the
wounded
captain
laid
aside
his
glass
,
after
a
long
examination
,
and
rose
unaided
to
his
feet
in
great
excitement
,
and
found
his
manly
voice
for
a
moment
:
he
shook
his
fist
at
the
now
pitching
schooner
and
roared
,
“
Good-bye
!
ye
Portuguese
lubber
—
outfought
—
outmanoeuvred
—
AND
OUTSAILED
!
”
It
was
a
burst
of
exultation
rare
for
him
;
he
paid
for
it
by
sinking
faint
and
helpless
into
his
friend
's
arms
;
and
the
surgeon
,
returning
soon
after
,
insisted
on
his
being
taken
to
his
cabin
and
kept
quite
quiet
.
As
they
were
carrying
him
below
,
the
pirate
captain
made
the
same
discovery
,
that
the
ship
was
gaining
on
him
:
he
hauled
to
the
wind
directly
and
abandoned
the
chase
.
When
the
now
receding
pirate
was
nearly
hull
down
,
the
sun
began
to
set
.
Mr.
Tickell
looked
at
him
and
said
,
“
Hallo
!
old
fellow
,
what
are
you
about
?
Why
,
it
is
n't
two
o'clock
.
”
The
remark
was
quite
honest
:
he
really
feared
,
for
a
moment
,
that
orb
was
mistaken
and
would
get
himself
—
and
others
—
into
trouble
.
However
,
the
middy
proved
to
be
wrong
,
and
the
sun
right
to
a
minute
:
Time
flies
fast
fighting
.
Mrs.
Beresford
came
on
deck
with
brat
and
poodle
:
Fred
,
a
destructive
child
,
clapped
his
hands
with
glee
at
the
holes
in
the
canvas
:
Snap
toddled
about
smelling
the
blood
of
the
slain
,
and
wagging
his
tail
by
halves
,
perplexed
.
“
Well
,
gentlemen
,
”
said
Mrs.
Beresford
,
“
I
hope
you
have
made
noise
enough
over
one
's
head
:
and
what
a
time
you
did
take
to
beat
that
little
bit
of
a
thing
.
Freddy
,
be
quiet
;
you
worry
me
;
where
is
your
bearer
?
Will
anybody
oblige
me
by
finding
Ramgolam
?
”
“
I
will
,
”
said
Mr.
Tickell
hastily
,
and
ran
off
for
the
purpose
;
but
he
returned
after
some
time
with
a
long
face
.
No
Ramgolam
to
be
found
.
Fullalove
referred
her
—
with
humour-twinkling
eye
—
to
Vespasian
.
“
I
have
a
friend
here
who
says
he
can
tell
you
something
about
him
.
”
“
Can
you
,
my
good
man
?
”
inquired
the
lady
,
turning
haughtily
towards
the
negro
.
“
Iss
,
Missy
,
”
said
Vespasian
,
showing
his
white
teeth
in
a
broad
grin
,
“
dis
child
knows
where
to
find
dat
ar
niggar
,
widout
him
been
and
absquatulated
since
.
”
“
Then
go
and
fetch
him
directly
.
”
Vespasian
went
off
with
an
obedient
start
.
This
annoyed
Fullalove
;
interfered
with
his
system
:
“
Madam
,
”
said
he
gravely
,
“
would
you
oblige
me
by
bestowing
on
my
friend
a
portion
of
that
courtesy
with
which
you
favour
me
,
and
which
becomes
you
so
gracefully
?
”
“
Certainly
not
,
”
replied
Mrs.
Beresford
.
“
Mr.
Fullalove
,
I
am
out
of
patience
with
you
:
the
idea
of
a
sensible
intelligent
gentleman
like
you
calling
that
creature
your
friend
!
And
you
an
American
,
where
they
do
nothing
but
whip
them
from
morning
till
night
.
Who
ever
heard
of
making
friends
with
a
black
?
—
Now
what
is
the
meaning
of
this
?
I
detest
practical
jokes
.
”
For
the
stalwart
negro
had
returned
,
bringing
a
tall
bread-bag
in
his
arms
:
he
now
set
it
up
before
her
,
remarking
,
“
Dis
yar
bag
white
outside
,
but
him
'
nation
black
inside
.
”
To
confirm
his
words
,
he
drew
off
the
bag
,
and
revealed
Ramgolam
,
his
black
skin
powdered
with
meal
.
The
good-natured
negro
then
blew
the
flour
off
his
face
,
and
dusted
him
a
bit
:
the
spectators
laughed
heartily
,
but
Ramgolam
never
moved
a
muscle
:
not
a
morsel
discomposed
at
what
would
have
made
an
European
miserably
ashamed
,
even
in
a
pantomime
—
the
Caucasian
darkie
retained
all
his
dignity
while
the
African
one
dusted
him
;
but
,
being
dusted
,
he
put
on
his
obsequiousness
,
stepped
forward
,
joined
his
palms
together
to
Mrs.
Beresford
—
like
medieval
knights
and
modern
children
at
their
devotions
—
and
addressed
her
thus
:
—
“
Daughter
of
light
,
he
who
basks
in
your
beams
said
to
himself
,
'
The
pirates
are
upon
us
,
those
children
of
blood
,
whom
Sheitan
their
master
blast
for
ever
!
They
will
ravish
the
Queen
of
Sunshine
and
the
ayahs
,
and
throw
the
sahibs
and
sailors
into
the
sea
;
but
,
bread
being
the
staff
of
existence
,
these
foxes
of
the
water
will
not
harm
it
,
but
keep
it
for
their
lawless
appetites
;
therefore
Ramgolam
,
son
of
Chittroo
,
son
of
Soonarayan
,
will
put
the
finger
of
silence
on
the
lip
of
discretion
,
and
be
bread
in
the
day
of
adversity
:
the
sons
of
Sheitan
will
peradventure
return
to
dry
land
and
close
the
eye
of
watchfulness
;
then
will
I
emerge
like
the
sun
from
a
cloud
,
and
depart
in
peace
.
”
“
Oh
,
very
well
,
”
said
Mrs.
Beresford
;
“
then
you
are
an
abominable
egotist
,
that
is
all
,
and
a
coward
:
and
thank
Heaven
Freddy
and
I
were
defended
by
English
and
Americans
,
and
—
hem
!
—
their
friends
,
and
not
by
Hindoos
.
”
She
added
charmingly
,
“
This
shows
me
my
first
words
on
coming
here
ought
to
have
been
to
offer
my
warmest
thanks
to
the
brave
men
who
have
defended
me
and
my
child
;
”
and
swept
them
so
queenly
a
curtesy
,
that
the
men
's
hats
and
caps
flew
off
in
an
instant
“
Mr.
Black
,
”
said
she
,
turning
with
a
voice
of
honey
to
Vespasian
,
but
aiming
obliquely
at
Fullalove
's
heart
,
“
would
you
oblige
me
by
kicking
that
dog
a
little
:
he
is
always
smelling
what
does
not
belong
to
him
—
why
,
it
is
blood
;
oh
!
”
and
she
turned
pale
in
a
moment
.
Sharpe
thought
some
excuse
necessary
.
“
You
see
,
ma'am
,
we
have
n't
had
time
to
clean
the
decks
since
.
”
“
It
is
the
blood
of
men
—
of
the
poor
fellows
who
have
defended
us
so
nobly
,
”
faltered
the
lady
,
trembling
visibly
.
“
Well
,
ma'am
,
”
said
Sharpe
,
still
half
apologetically
,
“
you
know
a
ship
ca
n't
fight
all
day
long
without
an
accident
or
two
.
”
He
added
,
with
nautical
simplicity
and
love
of
cleanliness
,
“
However
,
the
deck
will
be
cleaned
and
holy-stoned
to-morrow
,
long
before
you
turn
out
.
”
Mrs.
Beresford
was
too
much
overcome
to
explain
how
much
deeper
her
emotion
was
than
a
dislike
to
stained
floors
.
She
turned
faint
,
and
on
getting
the
better
of
that
,
went
down
to
her
cabin
crying
.
Thence
issued
a
royal
order
that
the
wounded
were
to
have
wine
and
every
luxury
they
could
fancy
,
without
limit
or
stint
—
at
her
expense
.
The
next
day
a
deep
gloom
reigned
in
the
ship
;
the
crew
were
ranged
in
their
Sunday
clothes
and
bare-headed
;
a
grating
was
rigged
;
Sharpe
read
the
burial
service
;
and
the
dead
,
each
man
sewed
up
in
his
hammock
with
a
32-lb
.
shot
,
glided
off
the
grating
into
the
sea
with
a
sullen
plunge
;
while
their
shipmates
cried
so
that
the
tears
dripped
on
the
deck
.
With
these
regrets
for
the
slain
,
too
violent
to
last
,
was
mingled
a
gloomy
fear
that
Death
had
a
heavier
blow
in
store
.
The
surgeon
's
report
of
Captain
Dodd
was
most
alarming
;
he
had
become
delirious
about
midnight
,
and
so
continued
.
Sharpe
commanded
the
ship
;
and
the
rough
sailors
stepped
like
cats
over
that
part
of
the
deck
beneath
which
their
unconscious
captain
lay
.
If
two
men
met
on
the
quarter-deck
,
a
look
of
anxious
,
but
not
hopeful
,
inquiry
was
sure
to
pass
between
them
.
Among
the
constant
inquirers
was
Ramgolam
.
The
grave
Hindoo
often
waylaid
the
surgeon
at
the
captain
's
door
,
to
get
the
first
intelligence
This
marked
sympathy
with
a
hero
in
extremity
was
hardly
expected
from
a
sage
who
at
the
first
note
of
war
's
trumpet
had
vanished
in
a
meal-bag
.
However
,
it
went
down
to
his
credit
.
One
person
,
however
,
took
a
dark
view
of
this
innocent
circumstance
But
then
that
hostile
critic
was
Vespasian
,
a
rival
in
matters
of
tint
.
He
exploded
in
one
of
those
droll
rages
darkies
seem
liable
to
:
“
Massa
cunnel
,
”
said
he
,
“
what
for
dat
yar
niggar
always
prowling
about
the
capn
's
door
?
What
for
he
ask
so
many
stupid
questions
?
Dat
ole
fox
arter
no
good
:
him
heart
so
black
as
um
skin
:
dam
ole
niggar
!
”
Fullalove
suggested
slily
that
a
person
with
a
dark
skin
might
have
a
grateful
heart
:
and
the
colonel
,
who
dealt
little
in
innuendo
,
said
,
“
Come
,
do
n't
you
be
so
hard
on
jet
,
you
ebony
!
”
“
Bery
well
,
gemmen
,
”
replied
Vespasian
ceremoniously
,
and
with
seeming
acquiescence
.
Then
,
with
sudden
ire
,
“
Because
Goramighty
made
you
white
,
you
tink
you
bery
wise
without
any
more
trouble
.
Dat
ar
niggar
am
an
abominable
egotisk
.
”
“
Pray
what
does
that
mean
?
”
inquired
Kenealy
innocently
.
“
What
him
mean
?
what
him
mean
?
Yah
!
yah
!
”
“
Yes
.
What
does
it
mean
?
”
“
What
him
mean
?
Yah
!
What
did
n't
you
hear
Missy
Besford
miscall
him
an
abominable
egotisk
?
”
“
Yes
,
”
said
Fullalove
,
winking
to
Kenealy
;
“
but
we
do
n't
know
what
it
means
.
Do
you
,
sir
?
”
“
Iss
,
sar
.
Dat
ar
expression
he
signify
a
darned
old
cuss
dat
says
to
dis
child
,
'
My
lord
Vespasium
,
take
benevolence
on
your
insidious
slave
,
and
invest
me
in
a
bread-bag
,
'
instead
of
fighting
for
de
ladies
like
a
freenindependum
citizen
.
Now
you
two
go
fast
asleep
;
dis
child
lie
shut
one
eye
and
open
de
oder
bery
wide
open
on
dat
ar
niggar
.
”
And
with
this
mysterious
threat
he
stalked
away
.
His
contempt
for
a
black
skin
,
his
ebullitions
of
unexpected
ire
,
his
turgid
pomposity
,
and
love
of
long
terms
,
may
make
the
reader
smile
;
but
they
could
hardly
amuse
his
friends
just
then
;
everything
that
touched
upon
Dodd
was
too
serious
now
.
The
surgeon
sat
up
with
him
nearly
all
night
:
in
the
daytime
those
two
friends
sat
for
hours
in
his
cabin
,
watching
sadly
,
and
silently
moistening
his
burning
brow
and
his
parched
lips
.
At
length
,
one
afternoon
,
there
came
a
crisis
,
which
took
an
unfavourable
turn
.
Then
the
surgeon
,
speaking
confidentially
to
these
two
staunch
friends
,
inquired
if
they
had
asked
themselves
what
should
be
done
with
the
body
?
“
Why
I
ask
,
”
said
he
,
“
is
because
we
are
in
a
very
hot
latitude
;
and
if
you
wish
to
convey
it
to
Barkington
,
the
measures
ought
to
be
taken
in
time
:
in
fact
,
within
an
hour
or
two
after
death
.
”
The
poor
friends
were
shocked
and
sickened
by
this
horrible
piece
of
foresight
.
But
Colonel
Kenealy
said
,
with
tears
,
in
his
eyes
,
that
his
old
friend
should
never
be
buried
like
a
kitten
.
“
Then
you
had
better
ask
Sharpe
to
give
me
an
order
for
a
barrel
of
spirits
,
”
said
the
surgeon
.
“
Yes
,
yes
,
for
two
if
you
like
.
Oh
,
do
n't
die
,
Dodd
,
my
poor
old
fellow
.
How
shall
I
ever
face
his
wife
—
I
remember
her
,
the
loveliest
girl
you
ever
saw
—
with
such
a
tale
as
this
?
She
will
think
it
a
cruel
thing
I
should
come
out
of
it
without
a
scratch
,
and
a
ten
times
better
man
to
be
dead
:
and
so
it
is
;
it
is
cruel
,
it
is
unjust
,
it
is
monstrous
;
him
to
be
lying
there
,
and
we
muffs
to
be
sitting
croaking
over
him
and
watching
for
his
last
breath
like
three
cursed
old
ravens
.
”
And
the
stout
colonel
groaned
aloud
.
When
the
surgeon
left
them
,
they
fell
naturally
upon
another
topic
,
the
pledge
they
had
given
Dodd
about
the
14
,
000l
.
.
They
ascertained
it
was
upon
him
,
next
his
skin
;
but
it
seemed
as
unnecessary
as
it
was
repugnant
to
remove
it
from
his
living
person
.
They
agreed
,
however
,
that
instantly
on
his
decease
they
would
take
possession
of
it
,
note
the
particulars
,
seal
it
up
,
and
carry
it
to
Mrs.
Dodd
,
with
such
comfort
as
they
could
hope
to
give
her
by
relating
the
gallant
act
in
which
his
precious
life
was
lost
.
At
9
P.M.
the
surgeon
took
his
place
by
Dodd
's
bedside
;
and
the
pair
,
whom
one
thing
after
another
had
drawn
so
close
together
,
retired
to
Kenealy
's
cabin
.
Many
a
merry
chat
they
had
had
there
,
and
many
a
gaseonade
,
being
rival
hunters
;
but
now
they
were
together
for
physical
companionship
in
sorrow
rather
than
for
conversation
.
They
smoked
their
cigars
in
moody
silence
,
and
at
midnight
shook
hands
with
a
sigh
and
parted
.
That
sigh
meant
to
say
that
in
the
morning
all
would
be
over
.
They
turned
in
;
but
,
ere
either
of
them
was
asleep
,
suddenly
the
captain
's
cabin
seemed
to
fill
with
roars
and
shrieks
of
wild
beasts
,
that
made
the
whole
ship
ring
in
the
silent
night
The
savage
cries
were
answered
on
deck
by
shouts
of
dismay
and
many
pattering
feet
making
for
the
companion
ladder
;
but
the
nearest
persons
to
the
cabin
,
and
the
first
to
reach
it
,
were
Kenealy
and
Fullalove
,
who
burst
in
,
the
former
with
a
drawn
sword
,
the
latter
with
a
revolver
,
both
in
their
nightgowns
;
and
there
saw
a
sight
that
took
their
breath
away
.
The
surgeon
was
not
there
;
and
two
black
men
,
one
with
a
knife
,
and
one
with
his
bare
claws
,
were
fighting
and
struggling
and
trampling
all
over
the
cabin
at
once
,
and
the
dying
man
sitting
up
in
his
cot
,
pale
,
and
glaring
at
them
.
CHAPTER
XI
THE
two
supple
dusky
forms
went
whirling
so
fast
,
there
was
no
grasping
them
to
part
them
.
But
presently
the
negro
seized
the
Hindoo
by
the
throat
;
the
Hindoo
just
pricked
him
in
the
arm
with
his
knife
,
and
the
next
moment
his
own
head
was
driven
against
the
side
of
the
cabin
with
a
stunning
crack
,
and
there
he
was
,
pinned
,
and
wriggling
,
and
bluish
with
fright
,
whereas
the
other
swart
face
close
against
his
was
dark-grey
with
rage
,
and
its
two
fireballs
of
eyes
rolled
fearfully
,
as
none
but
African
eyes
can
roll
.
Fullalove
pacified
him
by
voice
and
touch
;
he
withdrew
his
iron
grasp
with
sullen
and
lingering
reluctance
,
and
glared
like
a
disappointed
mastiff
:
The
cabin
was
now
full
,
and
Sharpe
was
for
putting
both
the
blacks
in
irons
.
No
splitter
of
hairs
was
he
.
But
Fullalove
suggested
there
might
be
a
moral
distinction
between
things
that
looked
equally
dark
to
the
eye
.
“
Well
,
then
,
speak
quick
,
both
of
you
,
”
said
Sharpe
,
“
or
I
'll
lay
ye
both
by
the
heels
.
Ye
black
scoundrels
,
what
business
have
you
in
the
captain
's
cabin
,
kicking
up
the
devil
's
delight
?
”
Thus
threatened
,
Vespasian
panted
out
his
tale
;
he
had
discovered
this
nigger
,
as
he
persisted
in
calling
the
Hindoo
,
eternally
prowling
about
the
good
captain
's
door
,
and
asking
stupid
questions
:
he
had
watched
him
,
and
,
on
the
surgeon
coming
out
with
the
good
news
that
the
captain
was
better
,
in
had
crawled
“
this
yar
abominable
egotisk
.
”
And
he
raised
a
ponderous
fist
to
point
the
polysyllables
:
with
this
aid
the
sarcasm
would
doubtless
have
been
crushing
;
but
Fullalove
hung
on
the
sable
orator
's
arm
,
and
told
him
drily
to
try
and
speak
without
gesticulating
.
“
The
darned
old
cuss
,
”
said
Vespasian
,
with
a
pathetic
sigh
at
not
being
let
hit
him
.
He
resumed
and
told
how
he
had
followed
the
Hindoo
stealthily
,
and
found
him
with
a
knife
uplifted
over
the
captain
—
a
tremor
ran
through
all
present
—
robbing
him
.
At
this
a
loud
murmur
filled
the
room
;
a
very
ugly
one
,
the
sort
of
snarl
with
which
dogs
fly
at
dogs
'
throats
with
their
teeth
,
and
men
fly
at
men
's
throats
with
a
cord
.
“
Be
quiet
,
”
said
Sharpe
imperiously
.
“
I
'll
have
no
lynching
in
a
vessel
I
command
.
Now
then
,
you
,
sir
,
how
do
you
know
he
was
robbing
the
captain
?
”
“
How
do
I
know
!
Yah
!
yah
!
Cap'n
,
if
you
please
you
tell
dis
unskeptical
gemman
whether
you
do
n't
miss
a
lilly
book
out
of
your
bosom
!
”
During
this
extraordinary
scene
,
Dodd
had
been
looking
from
one
speaker
to
another
in
great
surprise
and
some
confusion
;
but
at
the
negro
's
direct
appeal
,
his
hand
went
to
his
breast
and
clutched
it
with
a
feeble
but
heartrending
cry
.
“
Oh
,
him
not
gone
far
.
Yah
!
yah
!
”
and
Vespasian
stooped
,
and
took
up
an
oilskin
packet
off
the
floor
,
and
laid
it
on
the
bed
.
“
Dis
child
seen
him
in
dat
ar
niggar
's
hand
,
and
heard
him
go
whack
on
de
floor
.
”
Dodd
hurried
the
packet
into
his
bosom
,
then
turned
all
gratitude
to
his
sable
friend
:
“
Now
God
bless
you
!
God
bless
you
!
Give
me
your
honest
hand
!
You
do
n't
know
what
you
have
done
for
me
and
mine
.
”
And
,
sick
as
he
was
,
he
wrung
Vespasian
's
hand
with
convulsive
strength
,
and
would
not
part
with
it
.
Vespasian
patted
him
soothingly
all
over
,
and
whimpered
out
:
“
Nebber
you
mind
,
cap'n
!
You
bery
good
man
:
this
child
bery
fond
of
you
a
long
time
ago
.
You
bery
good
man
,
outrageous
good
man
!
dam
good
man
!
I
propose
your
health
:
invalesee
directly
!
”
While
Dodd
was
speaking
,
the
others
were
silent
out
of
respect
;
but
now
Sharpe
broke
in
,
and
,
with
the
national
desire
to
hear
both
sides
,
called
on
Ramgolam
for
his
version
.
The
Hindoo
was
now
standing
with
his
arms
crossed
on
his
breast
,
looking
all
the
martyr
,
meek
and
dignified
.
He
inquired
of
Sharpe
,
in
very
broken
English
,
whether
he
spoke
Hindostanee
.
“
Not
I
:
nor
do
n't
act
it
neither
,
”
said
Sharpe
.
At
this
confession
Ramgolam
looked
down
on
him
with
pity
and
mild
contempt
.
Mr.
Tickell
was
put
forward
as
interpreter
.
Ramgolam
(
in
Hindostanee
)
.
He
whom
Destiny
,
too
strong
for
mortals
,
now
oppresses
with
iron
hand
and
feeds
with
the
bread
of
affliction
—
—
Mr.
Tickell
(
translating
)
.
He
who
by
bad
luck
has
got
into
trouble
—
—
Ramgolam
.
Has
long
observed
the
virtues
that
embellish
the
commander
of
this
ship
resembling
a
mountain
,
and
desired
to
imitate
them
—
—
Tickell
.
Saw
what
a
good
man
the
captain
is
,
and
wanted
to
be
like
him
—
—
Vespasian
.
The
darned
old
cuss
.
Ramgolam
.
Seeing
him
often
convey
his
hand
to
his
bosom
,
I
ascribed
his
unparalleled
excellence
to
the
possession
of
some
sovereign
talisman
.
(
Tickell
managed
to
translate
this
sentence
all
but
the
word
talisman
,
which
he
rendered
—
with
all
a
translator
's
caution
—
“
article
.
”
)
Finding
him
about
to
depart
to
the
regions
of
the
blessed
,
where
such
auxiliaries
are
not
needed
,
and
being
eager
to
emulate
his
perfections
here
below
,
I
came
softly
to
the
place
where
he
lay
—
—
Tickell
.
When
I
saw
him
going
to
slip
his
cable
,
I
wanted
to
be
as
good
a
fellow
as
he
is
,
so
I
crept
alongside
—
—
Ramgolam
.
And
gently
,
and
without
force
,
made
myself
proprietor
of
the
amulet
and
inheritor
of
a
good
man
's
qualities
—
—
Tickell
.
And
quietly
boned
the
article
,
and
the
captain
's
virtues
.
I
do
n't
know
what
the
beggar
means
.
Ramgolam
.
Then
a
traitor
with
a
dark
skin
,
but
darker
soul
—
—
Tickell
.
Then
another
black-hearted
nigger
—
—
Ramgolam
.
Came
furiously
and
misappropriated
the
charm
thus
piously
obtained
—
—
Tickell
.
Ran
in
and
stole
it
from
me
.
Ramgolam
.
And
bereft
me
of
the
excellences
I
was
inheriting
:
and
—
Here
Sharpe
interrupted
the
dialogue
by
