The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1917-06-16

black with men.
His sham ports fell as if by magic
his guns grinned through the gaps
like black teeth; his huge foresail rose
and filled, and out he came In chase
The breeze was a kiss from heaven
the sky a vaulted sapphire, the sea a
million dimpleS of liquid lucid, gold.
Sharpe" said Dodd. in a tone that
conveyed no suspicion of the newcom-
er, 'sct the royals, and flying jib.-
Port ~
'Port it is cried the man at the
helm.
"Steer due south !" And. with these
words in his mouth Dodd Owed to
the gun deck.
BY this time elastic Sharpe had re-
covered the first shock and the order
to crowd sail on the ship CALLED his
pride and his manhood; he muttered.
Indignantly, ''Thc white feather" This
eaSed his mind, and he obeyed orders
briskly as ever. While he and his
hands We're setting every rag the shin
could carry on that tack, the other
officers having unlucllily no orders to
execute. stood gloomy and helpless.
with their eyes glued, by a sort of
Somber fascination, on that coming
fate.
But now the captain came busting
on deck. eyed the loftier sails, saw
they were drawing well, appointed
four midShipmen a staff To convey his
orders; gave RaylisS charge of the
carronadeS. Grey Of the cutlasses and
Mr.. Tickell to break the bad
news gently TO Mrs. BereSford. and to
take her below to the Orlop deck or
dered the purSer to serve out beef,
biscuit, and grog to all hands, saying.
Men can't work on an empty StOm-
lch, and fighting is hard work." Then
beckoned the officers to come round
him. "Gentlemen," said he, confiden-
TALLY, sin crOwding sail on this ship,
had no hope Of escaping that fellow
On this tack, but / was. and I am,
most anxious to gain the open sea,
where | can square my yards and run
or 1t. If | see chance. At present I |
shall carry on till he comes up within
'ange; and then, to keep the COM
)any's canvas from being shot to rags.
shall shorten sail; and to save ship |
md cargo and all our lives. 1 shall
light while plank of her swims. Bet
er to be killed in hot blood than
walk the plank in cold
The officers cheercd family; the cap
aims logged resolution stirred up
heirs.
Shorten sail to the taupsles and
ill., get the cOlOrS ready on the hal
ards, and then send the men aft. :"
Sail was no sooner shortened, and
he crew ranged, than the captain
anne briskly on desk, saluted, jumped
n q carrOnade, and stood erect. He
yas not the man to show the crew his
Pipe) "Silence fore and aft"
my men, the schooner coming I'D
n our weather quarter Is Portu-
uese pirate. His character Is known;
e scuttles all the ships he boards,
ishonors the women, and murders
ne crew. We cracked on to get out
the narrowS, and now we have |
sail to fight this backyard,
nd teach him not to modest British l
hip. I promise, in the company's /
anne, twenty pounds prize money to
very man before the mast if we beat |
i'm off or Outmancuver him; thirty !
we sink him; and forty if we tow '
m astern into q friendly port.
light guns are clear below, three on Y
e weather side, five on the lee;
r, if he knows his business, he will y
me up on the lee quarter; If he t
'esn't that is no fault of yours nor n
inc. The muskets are all loaded, v
e cutlasses ground like razors-"
The reply was fierce 'hurrah!" h
ON hundred Threats, so loud, so b
.ep, so full Of volume, it made the k
ip vibrate, and rang in the creeping C
pirates ears. Fierce, but cunning 81
saw mischief In those shortened Il
lis. and that Union Jack, the terror S;
his tribe, rising to British cheer; Il
lowered his mainsail, and crawled tt
on the weather quarter. Arrived n
thin a cables length, he double 81
efed his foresail to reduce his rate Of d
ling nearly to that of the ship, and CT
e next moment a tongue Of flame, lC
d then cash Of smoke, issued from
3 lee bow, and the ball flew scream 1t
: like a seagull over the Agra's bl
zzen top. He then put his helm pi
/, and fred his other bow-chaser, al
d sent the shot kissing and skipping ri
the water past the ship. This pro- al
rue made the novices vince. Bay m
S wanted to reply with a carronade; ht
Dodd forbade him sternly. saying: dc
we keep him aloof we are done T.
/. hi
The pirate drew nearer, and fred sh
III guns in succession, hulled the at
"a amidships, and sent an 1S-pound gu
Il through her foresail. Most Of WI
, faces were pale on the quarter al
*; it was very trying to be shot 70
and hit, a. d make no return. The tn
It double discharge sent one short &C
ash through the stern cabin win
v, and splintered the bulwark with 70
'ther, wounding a seaman slightly. tr,