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"Ay, and now she runs out a gun!" That was plain enough to see. The cruiser trained a bow-chaser to bear on the slaver, and the boom of the gun came sluggishly over the sea a few seconds after the puff of smoke was seen. A quick eye could see the dash of the shot just astern of the brigantine, where it must have cast the spray over her quarter-deck.
Hawk laughed and shook his head incredulously. Jones seemed from his manner to be insisting that he was right, for I did not hear what he said. Still we stood on till the chase was within the distance of half the range of our guns. I was again aft. "Hoist our bunting to make him show his colours," I heard Hawk say; "and give him a shot from our bow-chaser to hurry him."
Above her, supported by a short staff, perhaps cut from my own willows, flew a black flag, and whatever may have been her stern-chaser equipment, her broadside batteries, or her deck carronades none of which I could well make out, as her hull lay half concealed among the alders her bow-chaser was certainly in commission and manned for action.
The breeze held out, and although the steamer continued to fire her bow-chaser at intervals, the privateer rounded the point unharmed; while the pursuer, not caring to trust herself within range of the rifled guns on shore, veered around and stood out to sea.
So much money was spent upon her that Hartog called her the "Golden Seahorse". She carried six guns, and a brass bow-chaser, with which Hartog declared we might make war upon the whole South Pacific in the event of our being forced to hostilities. A great quantity of arms and ammunition was put aboard, together with a supply of beads, knives, and bright-coloured cloths to barter with the natives.
"Many a time, Black Bart," said L'Olonnois solemnly, "have we crowded on full sail when the lookout gave the word of a prize a-comin', while we laid to in some hidden channel over yonder." "Aye, aye, many a time, many a time, my hearty." " An' loosed the bow-chaser an' shot away her foremast." " At almost the first shot, L'Olonnois."
This man was captain of the starboard bow-chaser, one of the two long twenty-four-pounders on the forecastle. In time of action, the command of that iron Thalaba the Destroyer would devolve upon him.
They could see, under her sails, the low black hull pitching up and down; and, approaching within range, one of the forecastle guns was cleared away for a bow-chaser. The British ensign had been for some time flying at the peak. It was at length answered by the green and yellow Brazilian flag.
At the very moment you trained your bow-chaser on me, I was thinking of two things." "Speak on, caitiff!" demanded Jimmy fiercely. "Nay, call me not so, good Sir," I rejoined, "for such, in good-sooth, I am not, but honest faithful man. Ye have but now asked what I pondered, and I fain would speak truth, an' it please ye, my hearties."
A tall Portuguese, with a movement of rage, snatched it up, and darted to the gun; the Yankee rifle cracked, but a moment too late. Bang! went the pirate's bow-chaser, and crashed into the Agra's side, and passed nearly through her. "Ye missed him! Ye missed him!" cried the rival theorist, joyfully.
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