The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-01-28

tAO" DUO AoohCu az iuc ~ anu II you CANNOT
save me from the Pirates living, you will save
me dead. Tell me 80"
Well told her would do that, at the last
if all else failed. She took my hand-my
rough, coarse hand-and put it to her lips She
put it to the child's lips, and the child kissed
it. l believe had the strength of half q dozen
men in nae, from that moment, until the fight
was over.
All this time, Mr.. Commissioners Pordage had
been wanting to make proclamation to the
Pirates, to lay down their arms and 20 away /;
and everybody had been hustling him about and
tumbling over him, while he was calling for pen
and ink to write it with. Mrs. Pordage, too,
had some curious ideas about the British re-.
spectabillity of her nightcap, (which had as
many frills to it, growing in layers one inside
another, as if it was white vegetable of the ar.
tchoke sort, and she wouldn't take the night-cap
of, and would be angry when it got crushed by
the other ladies who were handing things about,
and. in short, she gave as much trouble as her
husband did. But, as we were now forming
for the defence of the place, they were both pok.
ed out ofthe way with no ceremony. The chill.
dren and ladies were got into the little trench
which surrounded the silver.house, 1--WE we're
afraid of leaving them in any of the light build
ings, lest they should be set on fre,) and we
made the best disposition we could. There
was pretty good store, in point of amount, Of
tolerable swords and cutlasses. Those were
issued. There were also, perhaps q score or
80 OF spare muskets Those were brought out.
10 my establishment, little Mrs. Fisher, that
had taken for doll and baby, was not only
very active in that service, but volunteered to
load the spare arms.
!" For, l understand it WE'LL" says she, cheer
fully, without shake in her voice.
: am soldiers daughter and sailors sis
ter, and understand it too," says Miss Maryon,
just in the same way.
Steady and busy behind where stood, those
two beautiful and delicate young women fell to
handling the guns, hammering the fints, look
ing to the locks, and quietly directing others to
pass up powder and bullets from hand to hand,
as unfiinching as the best of tried soldiers.
Sergeant Drooce had brought in word that
hundred, was his estimate-and that they
were not, even then, all landed; for he had
seen them in 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.. Macy, when
Mr.. Macy suddenly cried out:
The signal Nobody has thought of the
signal" :
We knew of no signal, so we could not have
thought of it. What signal NAV YOU mean
sir ?" says Sergeant Drooce, looking sharp at
him.
There is pile of wood upon the Signal
Hill. If it could be lighted never has
been done yeti would be q 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
III light the fire, if it can be doue"
And If it can't Corporal -" Mr.. Macy
strikes in.
"Look at these ladies and children, sir l."
says Charker. "Fd sooner light myself than
not try any chance to save them"
We gave him hurrah lit burst from us.
come of it what highland he got his two
men, and was let out at the gate, and crept
away. had no sooner come back to my place,
from being one of the party to handle the gate,
than Miss Maryon said in low voice behind
me:
IS not rIgnJ :" ---4 - "a. -~-l-- TIL.
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 moment" said Sergeant Drooce,
when l had told him, without causing a move.
ment 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 unserviceabIe. "Huml" saws The Ser.
geant. Look to your loading, men. You are
right 80 far9" .
Yes we were right so far.
" w ell. nv lada and noptlov,or al ~ oo Nh . Re
Sergeant, Z" this will be hand to hand affair,
and 80 much the better"
he treated himself to pinch of snuff, and
stood up, square.shouldsred and broad chested,
IN the light of the moon-which was now very
brght-as cool as if he was waiting for a play
to begin. he stood quiet, and we all stood
quiet, tor matter of something like half an
hour. 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 we're
falling back on us, pursued by about dozen.
"Sally Gateparty, under Gill Davis"
says the Sergeant, and bring 'em in Like
men, nowl"
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; "dont
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 l answered, holding ND 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 of, and his face vas
blackened with the running pitch from a torch.
He made no complaint of pain, or of any
thing. "Good bye, old chap" was all he said,
with smile. "Pve got my death. And Death
ant life. Is it, Gill;"
Having helped to lay bis poor body on one
side, l went back to my post. Sergeant
prooce looked at me, with his eyebrows a little
lifted. l nodded. HClose I'D 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
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, aud were 80 fully convinced Of
our being at play, thst they enjoyed the noise,
and were heard clapping their hands in the
silence that followed.
rear. Mrs. Venning, holding her daughter
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 hav-
ing their backs towards the gate. in order that
they might watch the walls, and prevent our
being taken by surprise. Then there was
space OF eight or ten feet deep, in which the
spare arms we're, aad in which Miss Narvon
and Mra Fiaher THAR ho nda a a