The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-04-14
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Wanderer, Mr.. Dayton remaining back
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| daring leader, and, quicker than the
| heroic deed can be recorded, they made
for the long gun amdships, and drove
back or killed the men who were fight
ing it.
! With that quickness of perception and
action that would have made him the
foremost seaman in the world, had he
been engaged in righteous cause,
Captain Fox saw his opportunity.
Throw off the grapples!" he roared.
Leave the deck to me, Frenauld!
Hurrah for the men Of the Wanderer!"
High over the clash Of swords, the
roar OF cannon, and the quick, harsh.
crashing Of firelocks, rang out the voice
of the pirate chief; his men heard his
words and seemed transformed into
fends.
Frenauld ran to part the ships: an
other instant and the tide and wind
would have separated them, so far that,
though they were anchored nearly h cad
to head, boarders could not go from one
to the other.
But before the axes could sever the
last ropes a high, shrill cheer rose up
from the deck Of the Sea Hawk. 1t was
like the united cries Of a hundred
eagles when circling in mid-heaven
they see far beneath them the robbers
despoiling their nests, and they sweep
down to defend and destroy.
-Iwear the plumes Of Wyandauch!
Men of Montauk, follow your queen!"
Untilla stood on the bulwark Of the
Wanderer and waved the glittering
blade above her head.
1--WE come! Our princess, we come"
shouted the Montauks.
Untilla leaped to the deck, anC when
she raised the spear Of Wyandauch
again it was redder than the waves,
blushing in the light Of the rising sun.
In the meantime Frenauld's men
swung their axes with all their might;
and when about one-half the Montauks
reached the Wanderers deck the gap
between the ship had increased so much
that the others were forced to remain
behind.
Wondering why Captain Denham, who
not respoud, Lieutenant Hedges, with
a view to cheering his own men as well
as to attract the attention Of his COM
mander, raised the cry:
Ralph Denham! Ralph Denham!"
IVA AOIlu lliA2p o3o HASSSAS ANo A-1SA~
to one side, he replied:
Ralph Denham Is deal, curse you'll"
The next instant he was before Lieu
tenant Hedges.
Murderer, you lie!" retorted the gall
liant sailor, and with a leap that would
have been surprising even in an athlete,
he stood face to face with the pirate.
There was no time for taunt or ex-
20 Tba rod al
cled and fell; glanced, flashed, and rose
again, and Hedges, the stronger OF the
men, pressed on, and bore back his as
sailant. At the best, the contest be-
tween the men would have been un-
certain, had not one OF the pirates
leaped at the first officer Of the Sea
Hawk, struck him over the head, and
sent him reeling and bleeding to the
deck.
Untilla saw the act, and, with cry OF
rage that appalled, those who came In
her way, her spear cleaned like the
lightning, and, like its bolt, transfixed
the man who had stricken down the
Lieutenant.
While this was going on Capt. Den
ham and his men, at the sound OF the
signal gun, had made their way through
the opening, which Don had arranged.
But the very shot that had called
them to action had 80 torn the timbers
In the advance as to virtually block
them in.
In the dim light they worked like
giants to release themselves, but whom
ever they lifted one timber from their
front another dropped in behind it.
Capt. Denham heard his name shout
ed on the deck, and he recognized the
voice of Lieut.. Hedges. He felt like
answering back, but checked himself.
Still the Captain and his men worked,
and still rose and fell the tramping Of
feet, the oath and shout, and the clash
ing Of arms overhead, while the ships,
though no longer side by side, used
their cannon OH each other with muir
derous effect.
In despair, Capt. Denham was about
to turn back, for the purpose OF finding
some other way to the deck, II that were
possible, when he heard Don in front
calling out:
Patience, men Of the Sea Hawk
patience!"
By the dim light they could catch the
CLEAN Of an ak In the hands Of the
youth, and they saw that it rose and
fell.
A few minutes. and there came a
crash, followed by cloud Of dust. Don
thaf ScHt the key-piece, and the whole
TmaBs ~ rubbish came down.
/ mssmen, eager to speed to the aid Of
Etheir eSmrades, could not restrain the
fchSer4hat leaped to their lips.
btaco vopih oil tho CpntQin
could say, as he ran past Don into the
hrmory, the walls of which were lined
with cut'asses and guns. For the latter
the sailors cared nothing. They flew
for the cutlasses, drew the blades, and
flung away the scabbards, and then
rushed after the Captain, who was on
the stairs leading to the deck.
The sight that met Captain Denham's
eye would have appalled, a heart less
resolute.
The handful OF men that Lieutenant
Hedges had ledN to the ship were gath
cred about the PROSTATE form OF their
leader, iightinG desperately, though
| against overwhelming odds.
The Montauks un,ler lntilla had just
charged over the deck. and were re-
pulsed, and tho pirates, confident that
The tide OF hattle swns. turning In their
:avor, cheeredand Fought like incarnate
| demons. s5JftssSs&
AS Ralph Dennis a hurried to the deck
he threw off his disguise, and though
dressed exactly ltke his crew, there was
no mistaking him
The Sea Hawke MEN and the Mon.
tauks, on the forward part Of the ship,
saw and recognized- him before the