Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1900-12-06
CHAPTER XIII

Hardly was the last of US freed from
the oar shackles when, with a shout
which rose high above the din Of tn.
winds and waves, we rushed from be-
low and crowded, a naked mob, on to
the poop There was q brief turmoil
of blows and blasphemy, weapons were
snatched by the weaponless, some of
the Spanish officers went overheard,
and the rest were jailed in the coach.
Now for the common soldiersl
In a body we rushed forward into
the thick of them, and one or two were
knocked into another world before our
lads could stop their rush.
Surrender shouted Alec, loud
above the tumult.
Not a man of us needed or staid his
stroGe A dozen more Spaniards fell
like poleaxed bullocks.
Surrender, and you shall have quar-
terw cried the captain again.
The Spaniards, such of them as had
had time to seize arms, dropped their
weapons at the word and scurried be-
low out of harms way. Our men let
them run-nay, even hurried them with
the fiat of a sword blade when they
were too slow.
And thus in the space of a few min
utes we had made ourselves masters of
the galley and had not lost man in
the doing of it.
Get her baled clear, Jack" cried
Alec, "and then come aft to mew'
"Aye, aye, captain! And the Span
ish galley slaves? Shall 1 set them
adrift from their moorings"
'Will they join their countrymen,
think you? Remember there are scarce
ly two dozen of us all told"
Not they. They've suffered too
much to want their heels in the bilboes
again"
"Well, knock the irons off them and
ped fearful weight of water to make
us float so deep. See they don't get
hold of any arms, though" he added
anxiously. where's the old man"
"On guard over the forescuttle. He's
like a fury. gnashing his teeth with
rage against the prisoners and cursing
them with pretty assortment of the
finest Castilian oaths. He wants to
heave the whole lot overheard"
AYE, captain" bawled Pengony, who
was standing near, IAN he says them
Spaniards is like Jonases an we'll be
cast away afore day If we keep 'em
nigh u.s."
Does he say thatT' I exclaimed in
dismay.
what If he does? said Alec care
lessly. Never heed what the old man
says. They distorted his mind. Jan.
when they crippled his body"
THE old man prophesied true once"
growled Jan In his deep ocean voice;
''telled that we should be at liberty,
which we are, an after a scuffie with
them hounds, which we had"
"And," said Alec, with a laugh, II
might have prophesied as much, and
yet you would not call me wizard"
"Aye, captain, but he telled me my
name, me, Jan Pengony, as he'd never
seen afore. These bain't idle words
he's speaking now. An Master Topp
there thinks as l do, captain, 1 war
rant"
"Why, yes" said l. 81 think 1t would
be safest to strike the cargo over
board"
"It would be sheer MURDER" said
Alec warmly.
l laughed Would It" said l. Then
I'll do it and never expect my con-
science to trouble me for 1t after. They
are only Spaniards, after ALL"
"Only Spaniards" cried Alec fiercely.
They're men, and to kill men In cold
blood is murder, l tell you. Mark me,
Jack Topp, I've killed half a score Of
the breed in fair fight, and, God will
ing, shall serve my country by killing
several score more before old King
Death gets to windward Of me. But
this-neTerl So to your duty, Master
Topp, and to mine"
Jan Pengony looked after him as he
walked away along the gangway, and
then, turning his weather beaten face
to mine, growled out:
Captains hearts an honor to him,
Master Topp, but it'll work him Ill yet.
His father was so afore him; spared
the Spaniards when he could ha' crush
ed 'em, so I've heard tell, an they for
got 1t an crushed him instead when
their turn came. Mark me, Master
Topp, the fewer Spaniards there be
cumbering the seas the safer be they
for English mariners"
And | believed he was right, but said
nothing and went to see to the baling
of the galley.
We got her dry after much hard Ia
bor and leaving the balers at their
work, for every now and then a big
sea would come overheard, / went aft
to the poop. Alec was at the tiller him
self
whereabouts are we, AlecT l ask
ed.
Pm not sure" he replied anxiously.
None of those dolts In the coach knows
in the slightest. They are all soldier
officers and far too fine hidalgQs to
trouble themselves about a ships reck-
oning. The pilot busted himself with
that, and he's with the sharks now."
"Ah, WELL" said l, ITS blowing too
hard to last. We shall get glimpse at
the stars soon"
"Yes, | expect to be able to get our
latitude soon, but Wen have to guess
at longitude The lubbers have let the
glass run down"
How are we by the Windward Is
landsY
Cant say. There's no chart on
board OF anything east Of Margherita,
but / know that the reefs in these mar
row seas are as thick as pickpockets In
the London streets. So get you for
ward, Jack. with your best eye well
skinned. and If we seem likely to pick
any OF them up let me hear n good
north country hail. There's dead line
I'm the blttacle there. Take 1t forward
with you and put hand In the chains
TO try for n sounding occasionally"
/ went forward. Here, Pengony and
TrehaIion," cried, take the deep sea
fead TO the chains. Don't let II go too
deep while we're scudding at this
rate"
ave, ayep cried the men. and