Arizona state miner., 1926-05-08

dubbed and cued. The only weapon
carried was a dress-sword, which he
held unsheathed
IAN end to our immediate worries
soon, Robert" he announced cheer
fully. "The action has gone perfectly
l would not have varied a move so
far. We have not lost a dozen men.
A final blast from our guns tore
the smoke-clouds to shreds, and a
vagrant wind-puff snatched them
aside. Twas like the drawing Of
curtain at a play. The treasure ship
lurched helplessly not twenty faith
oms distant, her rigging in tatters, her
spars split and wounded, her fo'csle
and foredeck one red litter, her bull
warks splintered, gunports blown in,
guns dismounted
The two ships jolted together, and
in response to wind and helm the
Royal James swung broadside on
against the Spaniard, our bowsprit
becoming entangled in her mizzen
rigging. A dozen grappling-irons clat-
tered in air and ground their hooks
into her bulWarkS. There was a brisk
popping of small-arms, an exchange
Of threats and shouts Of defiance.
My great-uncle, regardless Of the
firing, mounted the breach of a can
warks, and Peter and I climbed into
the forerigging, whence we had a fair
view of both decks. The larboard bull
warks Of the Royal James were
crowded with men. Stripped to the
waist, their lowering faces smutted
with powder-stains, their hairy chests
barred with tattooing, their backs
more often than not SCARED by the
cruel welts of the lash, they tussled
for first place and clung with their
bare toes wherever there was a bit
of running gear or an inch of space,
gripping cutlasses in their teeth to
leave hands free for pistol work or
to steady themselves as they waited
an opportunity to leap the narrowing
gap between the vessels.
My eyes strayed to the Spaniard's
decks. Little knots Of men ran about
aimed a pistol at me and a ratline
over my head fell apart. Officers were
driving the sailors forward to meet
us. A man in a laced coat and peri
wig was shouting orders from the
poop, and my pulse quickened, for
at his shoulder was the lanthorn-
jawed face of Colonel O'Donnell-aye
and in the rear Of both a skirt f1ut-
tered in the midst Of a huddle of
raven-black figures, priests and nuns.
Jump" squeaked Peter in my ear.
We jumped together, but my great
uncle was ahead of us. He leaped
all Of ten feet, sword in hand, alighted
on the Spaniards bulwarks, poised
himself a moment and dropped into
the center of ring Of foes. Before
he had recovered his balance he had
parried the slash of a cutlass and
pinked an antagonist in the throat.
And he beat down a leveled pistol as
l gained the treasure ships deck, in
clined his head to avoid a murderous
blow, ran the man through and almost
in the same breath stepped a pace to
the right to engage a fourth opponent
and all this with the cool precision
of a fencing master, unhurried a flush
Of obvious enjoyment on his pallid
cheeks.
But I saw no more. My task was
to fight my way aft and protect the
O'Donnells' and Peter and I turned
our backs upon the struggle amid
ships. One wave Of the pirates
stormed in Murray's wake; the rest
followed Peter and me. They were
as brave as they were vicious, and
we made rapid progress and were
nearly at the foot Of the poop
ladder when Murray's whistle shrilled