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I leveled at the white spot on its chest, and was about to fire when it started off, ran first to one side and then to the other, like a vessel tacking against a wind, and at last stretched away at full speed. Then it stopped again, looked curiously behind it, and trotted up as before; but not so boldly, for it soon paused and stood gazing at me. I fired; it leaped upward and fell upon its tracks.
The Tories answered that they had been only too moderate, only too merciful; that they had used the Speaker's warrant and the power of tacking only too sparingly; and that, if they ever again had a majority, the three Whig leaders who now imagined themselves secure should be impeached, not for high misdemeanours, but for high treason.
The slight haze perceptible from the land was not noticeable to the air voyagers. Below them a four-masted schooner was tacking in the light wind. Closer in shore lay several grim looking battleships and cruisers. In their leaden colored "war paint" they looked menacing and bulldoggish. Far off, a mere speck, could be seen a dim and indistinct object pointing upward from the cape like a finger.
In tacking I gave her all the larboard broadside, and not a vestige of her was to be seen: but,” continued he, “I hear of their taking prizes; but where the devil do they carry them to?” “Not into Boulogne or Calais,” replied I. “Havre and Cherbourg are the ports to sell them in.” “Then why,” said he, “do they keep so many of us on this station and so few to the westward?” “I presume it is,” I replied, “because this being the narrowest part of the Channel, there is more risk of our vessels being captured, and you know all the old women, with the Mayor and Aldermen, would petition the Admiralty to have the fleet back again to watch that frightful bugbear the half-rotten flotilla, which sometimes prevents them from taking their night’s rest.
The Judge got to his feet and approached the two men. "Hollis," he said, "shake hands with Mr. Allen, of Lazette." Allen's hand came out quickly and was grasped by Hollis's, both grips being hearty and warm. "My name's Ben Allen," explained the stranger with a smile. "Tacking on a handle like 'Mister' would sure make me feel like a stranger to myself."
The Armada was minded to smoke us out of Plymouth; and God's grace it was they tried not: but their orders from home are too strait, and so the slaves fight like a bull in a tether, no farther than their rope, finding thus the devil a hard master, as do most in the end. They cannot compass our quick handling and tacking, and take us for very witches. So far so good, and better to come.
In doing this, they made one stretch so far in our direction, in the hope of tacking in their enemies wakes, that I saw they would probably speak us. I confess this was more than I had bargained for; but it was now too late to run, which would probably have led to our seizure I determined, therefore, to await the result with dignity.
"I want you to ask him, Amos," said the seaman, "why we are yawing and tacking here when we should be cracking on all sail to stand after them?" Du Lhut smiled and shook his head. "Your friend is a brave man," said he, "if he thinks that with four men we can follow a hundred and fifty." "Tell him, Amos, that the Lord will bear us up," said the other excitedly.
If he had not been quite so "green at the ranch game," he would have mentioned brands at first, as the most important point, instead of tacking on the information casually after ten minutes of other less vital details. "Were they vented?" she asked, suppressing the smile so that it was merely a twitch of the lips which might mean anything. "I yes, I think they were.
It was a thrilling moment, and on board there was only one stout and undisturbed heart that of the captain. The crew, astonished at the manoeuvre, cried out: "Hurrah for the captain!" On Wednesday, the 23rd of May, the Forward had again taken up her adventurous navigation, cleverly tacking amongst the packs and icebergs.
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