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How is her head, Mr Tailtackle?" Timothy gave a most extraordinary grin at my bestowing the Mister on him for the first time. "North west, sir." "Keep her so" and having bore up, we rapidly widened our distance from the Commodore and the fleet. All men know, or should know, that on board of a man of war, there is never any "yo heave oh'ing." That is confined to merchant vessels.
"Then," cried Tailtackle, in a sharp tone, "there must be a sail to windward, and not far off either." "Where?" asked I, eagerly; "quick, get my glass." "Here it is, sir." "Let me see, then." I looked through the glass until my eyes ached, but as I could perceive nothing, I resumed my walk on deck, satisfied in my own mind that Timothy had been mistaken.
I noticed the white splinters glance from his black wales; and once more the same sharp yell rung in our ears, followed by the long melancholy howl, already described. "We have pinned some of the poor blacks again," said Tailtackle, who still lingered on the deck; small space for remark, for the slaver again fired his broadside at us, with the same cool precision as before.
At length our antagonists gave way, when about fifteen of the slaves, naked barbarians, who had been ranged with muskets in their hands on the forecastle, suddenly jumped down into the waist with a yell, and came to the rescue of the Spanish part of the crew. I thought we were lost. Our people, all but Tailtackle, poor Handlead, and Jigmaree, held back.
The two seamen, who supported me between them, were at first so completely dumfoundered by all this, that they could not speak. At length, however, Timothy Tailtackle lost his patience, and found his tongue.
"Something foul aloft," said I. Tailtackle came up. "What are you fiddling at, men? Give me here one two three."
"I have it here in my hand, sir." "Let me see" and I peered through it until my eyes ached again. I could see nothing, and resumed my walk on the quarterdeck. Tailtackle, in the meantime, continued to look through the telescope, and as I turned from aft to walk forward, a few minutes after this "Why, sir," said he, "it clears a bit, and I see the object that has puzzled me again."
Tailtackle was standing beside me at this time, with his jacket off, his cutlass girded on his thigh, and the belt drawn very tight.
"Now, Tailtackle, what say you?" "We may ease off the tackles to morrow afternoon," said the gunner, "and right the schooner, sir; we have put in a dozen cashew knees, as tough as leather, and bolted the planks tight and fast. You saw these heavy quarters did us no good, sir; I hope you will beautify her again, now since the Spaniard's shot has pretty well demolished them already.
By this my aunt herself had come into the room, and a warm congratulations, and last, although not least, Timothy Tailtackle made his appearance in the piazza at the window, with a clean, joyful, well shaven countenance. He grinned, turned his quid, pulled up his trowsers, smoothed down his hair with his hand, and gave a sort of half tipsy shamble, meant for a bow, as he entered the bedroom.
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