The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-02-01
pARTII.

IT was long. heavy pull for the
strangers boats. each one.of which held
fifteen armed men; but foot by foot
they diminished the distance between
the brig and the bark. and Mt length
they were only mile away. The
crew of the Golden Horn" had been
ready for them,for half an hour. When
the men signed on for the voyage they
had been told that il might come TO
fighting. TO saveyhe ship and their own
lives. and there was no grnmbling or
hanging back when the order came to
cast loose the guns. Indeed. every
man had good Yankee blood under his
skin, and. though that blood does not
run hot. it cowsestthrough the veins of
fighting men.
At the distanceiof a mile the boats
halted for few minutes. To arrange
the plan Of attack, and, with the glass
to his eye. the mate of the Golden
Horn" could tell the color of every
mans eyes. There, could be no doubt
of the avocation and intention of those
men. They were long-hared. black
faced. scoundrelly,lot, each man armed
TO the teeth. and it would be idle to
hope for mercy if they once got aboard.
When Holly was through with his sur
vey he said to his waitingcrew:
'There come the boats again, and
when they have covered half the dis
tancc we will open fire. Be cool and
take careful aim. AS we shall have
TO fight the brig as soon as the wind
n a. 81, L. kNt sxI Ioe.
and fhrs weaken her"
Almos. every man of the Icrew was
Salem man, and had heard,the story OF
Tom Holly's cowardice. When the
boats first left the pirates side they
wondered what he would do. When
he ordered them'to cast loose the guns,
they wondered If the story were not a
slander. When he addressed them in
cool, even tones. with never sign of
trepidation OF excitement about him,
they tossed up their caps and gave him
\ cheer. Capt. Williams heard the
heering from his seat in the compan-
ion-way and asked what caused 1t.
"The mate has been speaking to tie
men, father" replied Mollie.
"Aye; that's the right thing TO do
give them heart to smell powder. Are
the guns all ready?"
"Yes."
"And the boats"
"They are coming on, but have sepa-
~ated. There--don't you hear the pi-
rates cheering?"
''Aye. hear il. II isn't honest cheer
ing. but more like the snarls Of wild
beasts. How far away are they now?"
about half n mile"
"And what's Tom doing?"
"He's sighting the forward gun.
Now he's going to fire. Now he pulls
the lanyard"
The boom of the gun was followed by
a second, and a third. and a fourth,
aud above the roar were heard the cheers |
of the men on deck.
what is it. Mollie?" asked Capt. Will
liams.
'The ball from Tom's-the ball from |
the mates gun struck one of the boats |
fair In the bow and shattered her. The |
other boat is taking the men aboard. J
Don't you hear the yell of the pirates?"
Aye them! They took us for an
Iunarmed trader. and counted on an easy |
victory. Is the single boat coming on?"
"Yes. she is-no! no! A cannon ball
has smashed all her oars on the port
side, and there is great confusion
aboard. Now they are pulling her
around. Now she is making off. Why,
father she is throwing some of her men
loverboard!"
That's the way of pirate, girl.
When mans killed or badly wounded,
'nverboard he goes TO make more room.
Our men are cheering again"
"Yes. they are throwing up their
kcaps and dancing in exultation. The
boats have been beaten OFF, and we are
saved.
Saved for the time, yes. Let the
Fbreeze come. and we shall have the
brig down on us in no time, and then
VIII come the test. Do you see Tom?"
Hes coming"
The mate entered the cabin TO report
what was already known TO the captain,
and to be heartily congratulated for the
manner in which he had conducted the
affair. When asked his opinion of what
would follow, he said:
Eve sunk one boat, and killed and
wounded eight or ten of the rescals,
but they won't stop at this defeat. IL
The calm lasts they may tow the brig
r
Y,INA !
E-M eti'l
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