I rather overslept myself that night, so that it was I close upon eight
bells before I was ready to go on deck. As I reached the foot of the
ladder leading to the upper deck an officer, apparently on the quarter-
deck, made some remark which I, being below, did not catch; but I did
that of Captain Calderon, who immediately replied quite loud enough for
me to hear:
"A schooner in these waters is always an object to be looked upon with
suspicion, but the _Dolphin_ has gone to the bottom, thanks be to the
Blessed Virgin, and I do not think we need fear anything else of her rig
that we may meet with hereabouts. Still, I do not altogether like the
looks of that fellow yonder."
I smiled as this back-handed compliment to the poor _Dolphin_ came
floating down the hatchway, and turned back to my berth for a minute or
two in order that those on deck might have no cause to think I had
overheard a remark which obviously was not intended to reach my ears.
Then I went on deck, and found the skipper with two or three officers
grouped near the capstan and intently eyeing some object to windward.
The wind, I discovered, had fallen light during the night, and had
hauled round from the eastward, in consequence of which the _Santa
Catalina_ was then heading due north, close-hauled upon the larboard
tack, with hardly enough motion through the water to give her steerage-
way. The object which was exciting so much interest among the Spanish
officers was a schooner broad on our weather-beam, about eight miles
distant, and consequently hull-down from the deck. She was steering
about west-north-west, and appeared to have every stitch of canvas
packed upon her that her crew could spread, including square-sail,
topgallant, topmast, and lower studding-sails, which was not at all
surprising, considering that the wind was light and dead fair for her.
It was apparent enough to me, however, that the Spaniards did not like
the look of her.
I was greeted with great cordiality by the little group as I made my
appearance on deck; the kindest hopes were expressed that I had passed a
comfortable night, and I was promptly invited to take breakfast with the
skipper in his cabin. These compliments being duly paid and
acknowledged, Captain Calderon remarked:
"We have been looking at that schooner yonder, and wondering who and
what she can be. Schooners--unless they happen to be British cruisers,
French privateers, or piratical craft--are seldom to be met with about
here; and, though we ought to have nothing to fear from the second
variety I have named, I have, to speak the plain truth, no very great
desire to meet with either of the three."
"Perhaps she is an American from one of the islands, bound up into the
Gulf," I suggested.
"Hardly that, I think," answered Don Felix. "Tell me, did you ever see
an American trader with such a beautifully cut suit of canvas as that
fellow spreads?" thrusting the glass into my hand as he spoke.
I applied the instrument to my eye, taking a good long steady look at
the distant vessel; and when I had completed my examination I was forced
to admit that I had never seen a trader, American or otherwise, with
such a handsome suit of canvas, or with everything so snug and ship-
shape about her rigging as was this craft. "Still," said I, "I am
disposed to think her American from the enormous spread of her yards,
which you have doubtless noticed. But if, Don Felix," I continued, "you
are really anxious to ascertain the fellow's intentions, why not wear
round on the opposite tack? That will at once make him declare himself;
for if he is an honest trader he will continue to hold on his present
course, whilst if he is not he will certainly alter it so as to
intercept you; you will thus have plenty of time to prepare for him, as
he cannot get alongside in less than a couple of hours unless the breeze
freshens."
"I was just thinking of that," remarked Don Felix, "and I will do so.
For the sake of my--ah--my--passengers, I must be cautious. We will
wear ship, gentlemen, if you please, and then go to breakfast."
This was done, the operation occupying nearly a quarter of an hour, in
consequence of the lightness of the wind, and we then, a party of four,
went below to breakfast.
The steward was only just pouring out our chocolate when the first
lieutenant came down to say that the schooner had altered her course
about four points to the southward, and evidently intended to intercept
us.
Don Felix looked very blank for a moment or two on hearing this, then
his brow cleared, and he remarked:
"Pooh! she cannot mean to attack us; she merely wishes to speak. Hoist
the Spanish ensign, sir, she will not interfere with us when she sees
_that_!"
I must say I had my doubts whether the mere exhibition of the Spanish
ensign would have the deterrent effect Captain Calderon anticipated;
however, I reflected it could not possibly matter to me--unless, of
course, the craft were British, which I did not believe--so I went on
composedly with my breakfast. My companions were evidently somewhat
perturbed, the news just brought down into the cabin interfered
considerably with the enjoyment of their meal, and I could see that they
were anxiously waiting for me to finish in order that they might go on
deck and see how matters were progressing. I therefore brought my
repast to a hurried conclusion, and we all returned to the upper regions
together.
The strange sail had by this time reduced her distance to some five
miles from the _Santa Catalina_; and, from the course she was steering,
it could no longer be doubted that she intended to pass close to us, if
nothing more. Captain Calderon lost not a moment in bringing his glass
to bear upon her, and so intent was his scrutiny and examination that it
was fully five minutes before he removed his eye from the tube. When he
did so he handed the glass to me, and I in turn had a look at her. She
had now raised her hull clear of the horizon, but owing to the intense
heat her outline was so magnified and distorted that it was quite
impossible to get a good view of her. Still, as I watched the wavering
image, the idea began to grow upon me that I had somewhere seen the
craft before; and I tried for a long time to remember where it was, but
without success.
"Well, what do you think of her, my friend?" asked Don Felix as I
replaced the instrument in his hands.
"I do not know what to think," said I; "but I have assuredly seen that
vessel before, though _where_, I cannot for the life of me remember."
"I wish you would allow me to ask you a single question," said Don Felix
very earnestly.
"Certainly," I thoughtlessly replied; "what is it?"
"Is yonder schooner one of your cruisers?"
I had not expected such a question as this, and I did not think it at
all a fair one for Don Felix to put I scarcely knew what reply to make
to it, and in order to gain time I begged the loan of the glass once
more, which having obtained I composedly ascended to the main-top, and
from that advantageous stand-point renewed my examination. In this
situation I obtained a much better view; and as I stood there swaying to
the sluggish heave of the vessel, with the glass glued to my eye, my
memory suddenly carried me back on board the _Foam_, and I once more
fancied myself standing on her heaving deck watching the approach of a
strange schooner running down toward us pretty much as this one was now
doing; the only difference being that we then had a great deal more wind
than we now had, whilst the schooner in sight showed a great deal more
canvas than the one we were then so anxiously watching. But the hull
was the same; the taunt spars, and especially the excessive spread of
her yards it was utterly impossible to mistake; and I hurried down on
deck with all speed, feeling that the _Santa Catalina_ and every soul on
board her was in a very awkward fix, to escape from which would tax our
energies and ingenuity to the utmost.
"Well?" said Don Felix interrogatively, as I swung off the rail down on
deck close to him.
"Don Felix," said I, "when you asked me that question a minute or two
ago I had not succeeded in identifying yonder schooner, though I felt
sure I had seen her somewhere before. _Now_ I know her; she is the
vessel in which that notorious pirate, Merlani, plies his nefarious
trade; and I would therefore strongly recommend you to clear for action
at once."
"Merlani!" ejaculated the skipper; "the saints defend us! It cannot be
true; you are surely joking with us, senor!"
"I was never more serious in my life, Captain Calderon," I retorted;
"and to show you how grave I consider our situation, I beg that you will
allow my men and myself to assist you in the defence of the ship."
The little gentleman turned almost livid for a moment, and I really
thought he was frightened; but after an ineffectual effort or two to
steady his voice, he managed to stutter out passionately:
"No, senor, no; certainly not! Your offer is almost an insult--though
perhaps you did not intend it as such. The _Santa Catalina_ is a
Spanish ship, and she is manned by a crew who, with her officers, are
quite able to take care of her and to uphold the honour and dignity of
yonder flag," pointing as he spoke to the languidly floating ensign at
the peak.
"Very good, Don Felix," said I; "you, of course, know the capabilities
of your crew far better than I do. But the schooner there is sure to be
crowded with men, who, to my personal knowledge, are as desperate a set
of ruffians as ever trod a deck. You will have all your work cut out to
beat them off; and if you fail, what is to become of us all? I warn you
that neither I nor my men will submit tamely and without a struggle to
have our throats cut. If the pirates gain possession of this ship we
shall fight for our lives, and if we prove victorious I shall consider
the _Santa Catalina_ my lawful prize."
"And you shall be welcome to her, senor, on those conditions," said Don
Felix, with all the hauteur he could muster. "At present I must request
that you and your people will retire below and consider yourselves as
close prisoners until you hear further from me. And I rely upon your
courtesy and sense of honour to relieve me of the necessity for calling
upon my crew, in the present critical state of affairs, to enforce my
commands."
"You shall be instantly obeyed, Captain Calderon," said I, highly
nettled at so very unnecessary an exhibition of warmth. "Come, my
lads," I continued to my own people, who were lounging about the decks
and looking somewhat wistfully at the guns, "below with you, every man,
the _Dolphins_ are to have no hand in this fight it seems. Come, down
with you; no disobedience; for shame, men; would you disgrace me before
all these Spaniards?"
This was enough, and the few who seemed at first inclined to hang back
now pressed forward eager to show their obedience by being among the
first to pass down the hatchway.
As I turned away with a bow from Don Felix and his little group of
officers, the former gave the order to clear ship for action; and at the
same moment Don Luis, who, it seemed, had come unobserved on deck and
had heard the altercation between Don Felix and myself, pressed forward
and placed himself by my side.
"I will come below with you for a moment, if I may," said he.
"Assuredly," said I; "I shall be glad to have a word with you, Don Luis,
before the action commences. _Dolphins_," I continued in English, "just
look about you as you pass below, and take possession of anything you
can find likely to prove handy as a weapon. I'm by no means sure we
shall not be yet obliged to fight for our lives, though the dons have so
scornfully refused our assistance."
"Is that your honest conviction?" asked Don Luis, who understood English
perfectly, "or is it merely the expression of a little bitterness at
Captain Calderon's singularly discourteous behaviour?"
"It is my honest conviction," said I. "It may seem a very impertinent
thing for me to say, Don Luis; but, from what I have seen of the
officers and crew of this vessel, I do not believe they will be able to
withstand the pirates' attack longer than five minutes at the utmost. I
am glad you have given me the opportunity to say this to you, for I
should not like disaster to find you quite unprepared. Would that I
could think of some means of providing for your daughter's safety!"
"The saints be merciful to us! Do you really think matters are so
desperate as that, Senor Lascelles?" ejaculated Don Luis.
"I do, indeed," replied I.
"Then, supposing the pirates gain possession of the ship, what do you
think will happen?" asked my friend, in great perturbation.
"They will undoubtedly ransack the ship and plunder her of every article
of the slightest value, in the first place," said I; "but what they will
next do is not so certain. `Dead men tell no tales,' however, and the
chances are that every male on board will be slaughtered in cold blood,
or thrown overboard, after which the ship will, doubtless, be scuttled
or set on fire."
"Stay were you are a few minutes, I pray you, my dear boy," ejaculated
Don Luis, in a tone of voice which betrayed his extreme consternation;
"I must go on deck and have a word or two with Captain Calderon. I have
not yet wholly lost my power or influence, though I _am_ to some extent
in disgrace."
He hurried away and left me standing on the main-deck. My men,
meanwhile, had, in obedience to my instructions, made their way below to
the lower deck, and I could hear them now and then--during a momentary
cessation in the din on deck and around me caused by the Spaniards'
preparations for action--rummaging about below and calling to each
other.
About ten minutes later Don Luis rejoined me, with a drawn sword in his
hand and a pair of pistols in the sash which girded his waist, showing
that he, at all events, fully intended to do his part in the protection
of the ship and those within her.
"Where are your men?" he asked.
"Gone below, whither I must now join them," said I. "I can see that
your countrymen are already regarding my prolonged presence here with
jealous and mistrustful eyes."
"Come, then," said Don Luis, "I will go with you."
We descended to the lower deck, and I saw, by the dim light of a lantern
suspended from the beams, that most of my lads had provided themselves
with at least _something_ in the shape of a weapon. Some had armed
themselves with tail-blocks, which they had routed out from somewhere;
some carried marlinespikes; and others were balancing crowbars and
pieces of old iron in their hands; whilst one or two had dragged to
light some short lengths of chain, which, wielded by their sinewy arms,
might prove formidable weapons of offence.
Don Luis looked at them, then at me, and smiled.
"You English are a most extraordinary people," he said. "I believe you
are never more happy than when fighting. Those men of yours look more
like a parcel of schoolboys preparing for a holiday than men making
ready for a desperate life-and-death struggle. But I must be brief;
there is no time for anything like gossip now; the pirate schooner is
within two miles of us, and Don Felix expects her to open fire
immediately. I have tried to persuade him that he was hasty and ill-
advised to refuse your offer of assistance; but the fellow is as
obstinate as a pig; he will _not_ listen to reason, albeit I believe he
is growing more nervous every minute. Now, first, I want to ask you
what had I better do with my daughter?"
"Stow her away as low down in the run of the ship as you can put her,"
said I. "She will then be out of reach of the shot. It will also be
some little time before she can be discovered by the pirates--assuming,
of course, that they take the ship--and in the meantime there will be
the chance of my men being able to do something. But, for the love of
Heaven, Don Luis, let her not fall alive into the hands of the
scoundrels!"
"She shall _not_, if I have to slay her with my own hand," ejaculated
Don Luis through his set teeth. "There is one thing more," he continued
hurriedly. "Your men cannot possibly do any good with those makeshift
weapons with which they have provided themselves. Now, if I am willing
to compromise myself to the extent of providing you all with suitable
arms, will you pledge your sacred word of honour, Don Leo, that those
weapons shall not be employed save against the pirates, and only then in
the event of my countrymen proving unequal to cope with them."
"Willingly," said I, "but with this proviso, Don Luis: If the pirates
conquer your countrymen and gain possession of the _Santa Catalina_, and
we, after that, are able to recover her, I shall regard her as my prize
and retain possession of her by every means in my power."
Don Luis cogitated deeply for a full minute.
"Be it so," he then said. "That was agreed upon between you and Don
Felix, I remember; and after all it would be infinitely preferable that
we should be your prisoners than that we should fall by the murderous
hands of the pirates. Do you happen to know if there is any other means
of gaining the deck above than the ladder by which we descended!"
"Yes," said I; "there is another ladder abaft there which leads to the
main and upper decks by way of the after hatchway."
At this moment a muffled _boom_ smote our ears, and a crash somewhere
above us, which followed a second or two later, showed that the pirate
had opened fire and was within range.
This was immediately succeeded by a confused discharge from the _Santa
Catalina_ of all the main-deck guns of the larboard broadside, one after
the other.
"Don Luis," said I, "for Heaven's sake try to persuade Don Felix not to
return the pirate's fire. Those twelve-pounder carronades are of
comparatively little use except at close quarters, and Merlani is not
fool enough to give you the chance to use them to advantage; he will
simply heave to out of range and blaze away with his long gun until more
than half your crew are killed, when he will dash alongside and carry
the ship without an effort. Tell Don Felix to double-shot his guns and
to depress them as much as he can, but not to fire. Let the schooner
come alongside--haul down your ensign if you cannot otherwise get him to
come--and, when the schooner is close under the muzzles of your guns,
fire, and your shot will go right through her bottom. The pirates will
then be obliged to board, when, with the advantage afforded by the
_Catalina's_ high sides, you ought to have things all your own way."
"Thanks! thanks! I will see what I can do," said Don Luis. "But now,
come this way, and bring your men with you; I will take it upon myself
to arm you, and then, if the worst comes to the worst, I shall look to
you to save ay daughter."
"And I will do it or perish!" I exclaimed fervently, as I beckoned the
_Dolphins_ to follow me and made sail in the wake of Don Luis.
He led us along until we reached the after hatchway, through which we
ascended to the deck above, when we again turned aft until we reached a
bulkhead inclosing a room beneath Don Felix's cabin. Don Luis threw
open a door in this bulkhead, and exclaiming:
"There, help yourselves; I providentially noticed this room as I was
coming down to you just now," rushed away on deck.
The room disclosed by the opening of the door was of some extent,
occupying nearly half the breadth of the vessel; and it had evidently
been fitted up as an armoury when the ship had been doing duty as a man-
of-war, for though sundry unoccupied pegs and pins showed that the
present crew had just been armed from this place, there still remained
weapons enough unappropriated for more than twice our numbers. The
weapons consisted of muskets, pistols, swords, and cutlasses; but, as
there were of course no cartridges lying about, we chose cutlasses only,
and, having secured them, hurried back to our former lurking-place.
Once safely back there, I lost no time in briefly, yet as fully as
possible, explaining the position of affairs to my followers; after
which we sat down and calmly waited the course of events, I employing
the interval in comparing notes with those of the _Dolphin's_ officers
who had been taken off the floating deck.
Meanwhile gun after gun had been fired by the pirates, to which Don
Felix had persistently replied; but after a time the firing ceased
overhead, and I was in hopes that Don Luis had been able to persuade the
skipper to follow my advice.
At length, after a somewhat tedious interval of suspense, a sharp order
or two was given on deck, quickly followed by the simultaneous discharge
of the whole of the _Santa Catalina's_ larboard broadside. A terrible
din of shrieks, yells, shouts, and imprecations--heard but very
imperfectly by us down below--immediately succeeded. A crash of
artillery, accompanied by the thud of shot against the ship's sides, and
the rending of timber overhead, told us that the pirate schooner had
promptly returned the broadside, and a slight but very perceptible
concussion a minute later indicated that she was alongside. A rattling
fire of musketry was immediately opened from the deck of the _Santa
Catalina_, to which the pirates replied with their pistols. Orders were
shouted on both sides, the sharp cries of the wounded, and the muffled
thud of their bodies falling to the deck, began to mingle with the
officers' shouts of encouragement and the fierce defiances of the men.
There was a rush, a confused trampling of feet, more pistol-shots, the
ring of steel upon steel, and a medley of human voices raised high in
the excitement of mortal combat which told us that the pirates were
boarding.
"There they are!" exclaimed Woodford, springing to his feet, his example
in this respect being followed by the whole of the men. "Now, what do
you say, Mr Lascelles, are we to go up and tackle them?"
"Not yet," said I; "I have pledged my word that we will not interfere
unless the pirates absolutely gain possession of the ship, and that
pledge must be scrupulously observed. By the way," I continued, as an
idea flashed through my brain, "I wish you all to understand, my lads,
that I am particularly anxious to secure the pirate captain alive, if
possible; and I will give fifty pounds to the man who effects his
capture. And I suppose I need not remind you that if we have to fight
at all it will be for our lives. Those fellows on deck are not likely
to give any quarter if they get the best of the tussle."
"Never fear, sir," answered Collins, one of the smartest of the crew;
"we'll give 'em a second taste of what they got from us away over there
in the lagoons."
"Ay, ay; we will. Trust us for that," etcetera, etcetera, murmured one
and another; and as I looked round at them standing there like hounds in
the leash, their eyes gleaming, their feet shuffling impatiently on the
deck, their cutlasses tightly grasped in their sinewy hands, their every
movement betraying their excitement and eagerness to join in the fray, I
felt that they most assuredly would.
Presently hasty footsteps were heard approaching, and in another moment
several of the _Santa Catalina's_ crew came helter-skelter down the
ladder, and, taking not the slightest notice of us, rushed off and
disappeared in the darkness.
"Steady, lads; not yet!" said I, as the _Dolphins_, like one man, pulled
themselves together and braced themselves for a rush.
More footsteps, and Don Luis appeared, bareheaded, in his shirt-sleeves,
his right arm bleeding profusely and dangling useless and broken at his
side, whilst his right hand still convulsively grasped the hilt of his
broken sword.
"Quick, Don Leo," he panted; "up with you, for the love of God! Captain
Calderon's courage failed him half an hour ago, and he left the defence
of the ship to the first lieutenant, who was killed a moment ago
fighting gallantly, and the crew, panic-stricken, at once gave way,
scattering all over the decks like frightened sheep, and huddling by
twos and threes into the first corner they could find, where they are
now being savagely slaughtered by those fiends of pirates. Quick, my
dear boy, or you may be too late--my daughter--oh, God, have mercy!--"
"Collins," said I, "off with your neckerchief; quick, my man; tie it
tightly about this gentleman's arm, _above_ the wound, mind, and stay
here in charge of him until you are relieved. Now, lads, away on deck
we go. Follow me; hurrah!"
The brave fellows responded with a single heart-stirring cheer as they
bounded after me up ladder after ladder, and in the twinkle of a
purser's dip we found ourselves on the upper deck.
A glance sufficed to show us that Don Luis' statement was literally
true. The pirates were scattered all over the upper deck, killing the
unresisting Spaniards as if they had been so many rats.
I hastily detailed the gunner with a dozen men to enter and explore the
cabins, to defend them against all comers, and to capture any strangers
they might discover therein; and then, Woodford leading one division and
I the other, we swept the decks from the after hatchway right forward,
cutting down everybody who attempted to oppose us. The pirates thus
unexpectedly found themselves all huddled together in the eyes of the
ship, where, their freedom of movement being seriously interfered with
by the presence of the heel of the bowsprit and all the gear which so
frequently hampers a ship's forecastle-head, they were placed at a very
serious disadvantage; and, though they fought desperately, we
overpowered them without much difficulty, gaining possession of the ship
in less than two minutes from the time of our first appearance on deck.