The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-02-22
CHAPTER XVI.

AS long as we We're Within sight OF
Margherita we held on as though max
ing for some of the Windward group,
for we knew that there would be
watchers on the cliffs, to say nothing
of the pearl fishers in their canoes.
who would at once spread the news of
our neighborhood, and SO spoil our
chance of making a capture. unless we
could manage to battle them But when
the highest peaks of the islands We're
| just visible as dots on the horizon from
our mastheads, we hauled our wind
and began making short boards under
easy canvas to north and south alter
nately. BY this means we kept our po-
sition as far as possible unchanged,
+, just out of sight of Margherita. and
| trusted that the gold hunger of our
lookout would let nothing of value es-
cape us on the road to Spain.
For 10 long days did we patrol the
seas on narrow sentry go, without
| sighting a sail. On one night a mer-
maiden was reported by Job Trehalion
as having sung to him as he hung over
the tiller and he told us with shame
faced chuclle that it must have been
the comeliness of his features which
attracted her. Another afternoon we
hauled a monster shark aboard and
ate him, with the greater relish when
we remembered that he would doubt
less have done the same by us had the
| tables been turned.
| On the fifteenth night we watched
| with no little uneasiness, a pale, flicker
ing flame passing along the waters in
coiling curves some two leagues off to-
ward the north-northwest. The know
ing ones said it was the breath Of the
great sea serpent prowling in search of
prey and would have tried to scare it
away with a shot from our big gun had
not Alec fatty forbidden it. Now,
| though at the time thought this veto
Of his i'll judged and foolhardy, as tend
| ing to make the men careless in guard
| ing against the common dangers Of the
deep. yet. as the issue showed, it was
the luckiest thing for us that the men
did not have their way; for had the
noise of firing gone abroad just then
the reward Of our patient search would
have slipped away ere we could pluck
it, and we should never have known
the rich prize we had lost.
Scarcely had the last flicker of the
sea serpent's trail died into the night
est sighted man on board was jockey
ing the fore crosstree, hailed that an
other light was shining out now.
What kind of light?" cried Alec.
"a clear, steady glow, sir, though it
bain't bigger than pea"
Where away?"
Down to loo'ard. Square abeam."
At the welcome news we Stacked out
our sheets, put the helm up and ran off
before the wind to see what manner of
company that light promised US.
When we had run half league, Job
sang out that there were three lights
now and that he could make out that
they We're the poop lanterns of large
ship hove to end on to us.
In an instant all was preparation.
Our numbers We're small, but the 80
men who assembled without needing a
drum to beat them to quarters were
tough as whipcord and wiry as game
cocks. There We're no prentice hands
to hinder matters by overwilling scurry
and hustle, nor We're there any towards
who would duck to flying bullets. Each
man knew his place and his work and
went to it. Guns We're cast loose and
loaded, pixies unlashed from the booms,
axes and small arms taken from their
racks, lintstock tubs arranged along
The decks, the powder room thrown
open and everything cleared for action.