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

| Inc victorious ere" FdlStu SUN
ming cheer.
silence" roared Dodd, with his
trumpet. "All hands make sail!'
He set his courses, bent q new Jlb,
and stood out to windward close
hauled, in hopes to make Il good of
ing, and then put his ship dead before
the wind, which was now rising to a
stiff breeze. In doing this he crossed
the crippled pirates bows, within 50
yards. and sore was the temptation to
rake him; but his ammunition being
short, and his danger being imminent
from the other pirate, he had the self
command to resist the great tenpta-
ton.
He hailed the miZzen top: Can
/ you two hinder them from firing that
! gun:"
Il rather think we can" said
! Fullalovc. 'eh, colonel?" and tapped
his long rifle.
The ship no sooner crossed the
Scho0ner'S bows than Malay ran for
ward with linstock. Pop went the
! cnlonoIs ready carbine, and the Ma
lay fell over dead and the linstOck
flew out of his hand. A tall Portu-
%uoSe, with a movement of rage
SnHtChel it up. and darted to the gun,
the Yankee rifle cracked, but mo-
mpnt too late. Bang, went the pirates
boW-chas"r. and crashed into the Ag-
ra'S side, and passed nearly through
her.
'Ye missed him, ye missed him :"
cried the rival theorist, joyfully. He
was mistaken: the smoke cleared, and
there was the pirate captain leaning
wounded against the mainmaSt with
Il Yankee bullet in his shoulder, and
his crew utterng yells of disnay and |
vengeance. They jumped, and ragged, |
and brandiShed their knives, and made |
hOrrid gesticuiations of revenge; and |
the white eyeballS of the MalayS and |
Papuans glittered fendishly; and the
wounded captain raised his sound arm
and had a signal hoiSted to his con-
sort, and she bore up in chase, and
jamming her forelateen fiat as board.
lay nearer the wind than the Agra
could, and sailed three feet to her two
besides. On this superiority being
made clear, the situation of the mer-
chant vessel, though not so utterly des-
pcrate as before Monk fired his lucky
shot, became pitiable enough. If she
ran before the wind, the fresh pirate
would cut her off; if she lay to wind
nj SI,A irrI, +L
Die and fatal collision with foe as
strong is that she had only escaped
)y 4 rare piece of luck. but this would ,
give the crippled pirate time to retit
md unite to destroy her. Add to this
he failing ammunition, and the
hinned crew!
Dodd cast his eyes all round the :
lorizon for help.
The sea was blank.
The bright sun was hidden now:
irops of rain fell, and the wind was :
to sing, and the sea to rise
| little.
"Gentlemen," said he, 'slet us kneel
Town and pray for wisdom, in this sore .
trait
He and his officers kneeled on the
When they rose, Dodd y
TODD rapt about a minute: his great +
houghtfui eye saw no more the en-
my, the sea, nor anything external; it
raS turned inward. His officers
boxed at him in silence. ;,
''Sharpc,' said he, at last. "thero I,
luSt be Il way out of them with such ;,
breeze as this is now, if we could but
ce it," :,
"Ay, if" @rOaned Sharpe. 4
Dodd unused again. !,
about ship" said he, softly, like an e
bsont man. :,
CAV. ay. sir"
"Stecr due north :" said he, still like :,
ne whose mind was elsewhere. =,
While the ship was coming about a
g gave minute orders to the mates
nd the gunner, to insure cooperation -
the delicate and dangerous maneuv- E,
IS that were sure to be on hand. .,
The wind was w. N. w; he was 81
anding north; one pirate lay on his s,
e beam stopping a leak between
ind and water, and hacking the
eek clear Of his broken masts and
lrds. The other fresh, and thirsting in
r the easy prey. came up to weather V,
| him and hang on his quarter pirate SC
shion. 9,
When they were distant about q ca. Ir
e's length, the fresh pirate, to meet b,
e ships change Of tactics, changed W
8 own luffed up. and gave the ship ro
broadside. well-aimed, but not de- he
ructive, the guns being lOaded with lie
Ii. he
Dodd, instead Of replying immedi- re
ely, put his helm hard up and ran tn
der the pirates stern, while he was en-
mined up in the wind, and with his In
e 1S-pounders raked him fore and te
t, then paying Off, gave him three sh
rronades crammed with grape and m,
mister, the almost simultaneous ha
;charge Of eight guns made the ship sill
emble and enveloped her in thick CT,
loke; loud shrieks and gr0ans were ba
ard from the schooner; the smoke in,
AIRED. the pirates mainSail hung on de
ok, his jib-boom was cut off like q in,
riot and the sail struggling; his fore lif