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M. Letourneur proceeded to draw out the folded strips of paper one by one, and after reading out aloud the name upon it, handed it to its owner. The first name called was that of Burke, who uttered a cry of delight; then followed Flaypole and the boatswain. What his name really was I never could exactly learn. Then came Falsten, Curtis, Sandon.
'Why should not Hawkhurst, who knows the passage so well, be made to pilot us? said the boatswain to those who were near him on the forecastle. 'To be sure! let's have him up! cried several of the crew; and some of them went down below. In a minute they reappeared with Hawkhurst, whom they led forward. He did not make any resistance, and the crew demanded that he should pilot the vessel.
I will speak to Jerry, and he can easily let Tim and Pat know what we are doing. Peter, I am certain, would side with us by the way he looked when he saw the boatswain take the captain's seat. The rest of the men would be very easily won over; and if not, after we have clapped the boatswain in irons, we must make them prisoners.
"I hears nothing," said the boatswain, after a pause. "It's very odd," continued Fuller; "but I thought as how I heard it several times afore you came." "There's something wrong, I take it, in your upper story, Jack Fuller," coolly observed his companion; "that 'ere ghost has quite capsized you." "Hark, again!" repeated the sailor. "Didn't you hear it then? A sort of a groan like."
As I expected, there were several bee-skeps hanging from nails, or lying on the floor. I was in the smugglers' roost, perhaps in the presence of Captain Sharp himself. The drunken smuggler who had sung of Captain Glen was the only occupant of the room when we entered: he sat half asleep in his chest, still clutching his pannikin, still muttering about the boatswain.
At that moment the boatswain at the wheel called out that the villains were going to shoot again, and the lieutenant, turning, saw the gunner aboard of the pirate sloop in the act of touching the iron to the touchhole. He stooped down.
"Hard up with the helm! let fly the main and mizen-topsail sheets!" cried the commander; but the ship did not rise or answer the helm. "Cut away the mizen-mast!" he shouted; and the carpenter and boatswain, armed with axes, came aft, and while some of the men severed the rigging, a few blows served to send the mast, with its spars and fluttering sails, over the side.
It was then that the boat was lowered as the lieutenant had planned, and the boatswain went ahead to sound, the two vessels, with their sails still hoisted but empty of wind, pulling in after with sweeps. The pirate had also hoisted sail, but lay as though waiting for the approach of the schooner and the sloop. by Howard Pyle
"I am no great preacher, my boy, but remember there's One ever watching over you, and He'll be true to you if you try honestly to be true to Him," said the boatswain, as he wrung his son's hand, and stepped down the side of the fine frigate to which Pearce through the interest of his late captain had been appointed.
And the crew shivered under a gleaming eye and a gleaming weapon. "All hands 'bout ship!" cried the master. The wounded boatswain, raising himself for a moment on one hand, piped faintly, and fell back unconscious. But the men were already at their stations, and in five minutes more the Chrysolite was heading northeast again.
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