CHAPTER III
A SEA-FIGHT
As the conflict of words came to an end, a roar of laughter burst from thesailors at the next mess-table.
"Well done, little bantam!" one said; "you have taken that lout down agood many pegs, and I would not mind backing you to thrash himsingle-handed. We have noticed his goings-on for the past two or threedays with the other boys, and had intended to give him a lesson, but youhave done it right well. He may have been on a voyage before, but I wouldwager that he has never been aloft, and I would back you to be at themasthead before he has crawled through the lubbers' hole. Now, my lad,just you understand that if you are ready to fight both those boys wewon't interfere, but if you try it one on one of them we will."
The boys' duties consisted largely of working with the watch to which theywere attached, of scrubbing decks, and cleaning brass-work. In battletheir place was to bring up the powder and shot for the guns. On thesecond day, when the work was done, Will Gilmore went up to the boatswain.
"If you please, sir," he said, "may I go up the mast?"
The boatswain looked at him out of one eye.
"Do you really want to learn, lad?"
"I do, sir."
"Well, when there are, as at present, other hands aloft, you may go up,but not at other times."
"Thank you, sir!"
Will at once started. He was accustomed to climb the mast of JohnHammond's boat, but this was a very different matter. From scramblingabout the cliffs so frequently he had a steady eye, and could look downwithout any feeling of giddiness. The lubbers' hole had been pointed outto him, but he was determined to avoid the ignominy of having to go upthrough it. When he got near it he paused and looked round. It did notseem to him that there was any great difficulty in going outside it, andas he knew he could trust to his hands he went steadily up until he stoodon the main-top.
"Hallo, lad," said a sailor who was busy there, "do you mean to say thatyou have come up outside?"
"Yes, there did not seem to be any difficulty about it."
"And is it the first time you have tried?"
"Yes."
"Then one day you will turn out a first-rate sailor. What are you going todo now?"
Will looked up.
"I am going up to the top of the next mast."
"You are sure that you won't get giddy?"
"Yes, I am accustomed to climbing up the cliffs on the Yorkshire coast,and I have not the least fear of losing my head."
"Well, then, fire away, lad, and if you find that you are getting giddyshout and I will come up to you."
"Thank you! I will call if I want help."
Steadily he went up till he stood on the cap of the topmast.
"I may as well go up one more," he said. "I can't think why people makedifficulties of what is so easy."
The sailor called to him as he saw him preparing to ascend still higher,but Will only waved his hand and started up. When he reached the cap ofthe top-gallant mast he sat upon it and looked down at the harbour.Presently he heard a hail from below, and saw the first lieutenantstanding looking up at him.
"All right, sir! I will come down at once," and steadily he descended tothe maintop, where the sailor who had spoken to him abused him roundly.Then he went to where the lieutenant was standing.
"How old are you, youngster?"
"I am a little past fifteen, sir."
"Have you ever been up a mast before?"
"Never, sir, except that I have climbed up a fishing-boat's mast many atime, and I am accustomed to clambering about the cliffs. I hope there wasno harm in my going so high?"
"No harm as it has turned out. You are a courageous little fellow; I neverbefore saw a lad who went outside the lubbers' hole on his first ascent.Well, I hope, my lad, that you will be as well-behaved as you are activeand courageous. I shall keep my eye upon you, and you have my permissionhenceforth, when you have no other duties, to climb about the masts as youlike."
The lieutenant afterwards told the captain of Will's exploit.
"That is the sort of lad to make a good topman," the captain remarked. "Hewill soon be up to the duties, but will have to wait to get some beef onhim before he is of much use in furling a sail."
"I am very glad to have such a lad on board," said the lieutenant. "If weare at any station on the Mediterranean, and have sports between theships, I should back him against any other boy in the fleet to get to themasthead and down again."
One of the midshipmen, named Forster, came up to Will when he left thelieutenant, and said: "Well done, young un! It was as much as I could doat your age, though I had been two years in the navy, to climb up whereyou did. If there is anything I can do for you at any time I will gladlydo it. I don't say that it is likely, for midshipmen have no power tospeak of; still, if there should be anything I would gladly help you."
"There is something, if you would be so very good, sir. I am learningnavigation, but there are some things that I can't make out, and it wouldbe a kindness indeed if you would spare a few minutes occasionally toexplain them to me."
The midshipman opened his eyes.
"Well, I am blowed," he exclaimed in intense astonishment. "The idea of anewly-joined boy wanting to be helped in navigation beats me altogether.However, lad, I will certainly do as you ask me, though I cannot thinkthat, unless you have been at a nautical school, you can know anythingabout it. But come to me this evening during the dog-watches, and then Iwill see what you have learned about the subject."
That evening Will went on deck rather shyly with two or three of hisbooks. The midshipman was standing at a quiet spot on the deck. He glancedat Will enquiringly when he saw what he was carrying.
"Do you mean to say that you understand these books?"
"Not altogether, sir. I think I could work out the latitude and longitudeif I knew something about a quadrant, but I have never seen one, and haveno idea of its use. But what I wanted to ask you first of all was themeaning of some of these words which I cannot find in the dictionary."
"It seems to me, youngster, that you know pretty well as much as I do, forI cannot do more than fudge an observation. How on earth did you learn allthis? I thought you were a fisher-boy before you joined."
"So I was, sir. I was an orphan at the age of five. My father left enoughmoney to buy a boat, and, as one of the fishermen had lately lost his, headopted me, and I became bound to him as an apprentice till I wasfourteen. The clergyman's daughter took a fancy to me from the first, andshe used to teach me for half an hour a day, which gave me a greatadvantage over the other boys in the school. I was very fond of reading,and she supplied me with books. As I said I meant to go to sea, she boughtme some books that would help me. So there is nothing extraordinary in myknowing these things; it all came from her kindness to me for ten years."
"Why didn't she try to get you into the mercantile marine?"
"She got married and left the place, sir, but before she went she told methat it was very wrong to have anything to do with smugglers. So I decidedto give it up, and that set the whole village against me, and I shouldprobably have been killed if I had not taken refuge in the coast-guardstation. There the officer in charge spoke to me of joining the royalnavy, and it seemed to me that it would do me good to serve a few years init; for I could afterwards, if I chose, pass as an officer in the merchantservice."
"You are the rummest boy that I ever came across," Forster said. "Well, Imust think it over. Now, if there is anything that you specially wish toknow, I will explain it to you."
For half an hour they talked together, and the midshipman solved many ofthe problems that had troubled the lad. Then with many thanks Will wentbelow.
"Is it true, Will," Tom Stevens said, "that you have been right up themast?"
"Not exactly, Tom, but I went up to the top of the top-gallant mast."
"But why did you do that?"
"I wanted to get accustomed to going up. There
was not a bit of difficultyabout it, except that it was necessary to keep a steady head. You could doit just as well as I, for we have climbed about the cliffs together scoresof times."
"Do you think it will do any good, Will?"
"Yes, I think so. When they see that a fellow is willing and anxious tolearn, it is sure to do him good in the long run. It will help him on, andperhaps in two or three years he may get rated as an able seaman, and nolonger be regarded as a boy, useful only to do odd jobs. One of themidshipmen is going to give me some help with my navigation. I wish, Tom,you would take it up too, but I am afraid it would be no use. You have gotto learn a tremendous lot before you can master it, and what little youwere taught at our school would hardly help you at all."
"I know that well enough, Will, and I should never think of such a thing.I always was a fool, and could hardly take in the little that old womantried to teach us. No, it is of no use trying to make a silk purse out ofa sow's ear. I hope that soon I shall be able to hit a good round blow ata Frenchman; that is about all I shall be fit for, though I hope I maysome day get to be a smart topman. The next time you climb the mast I willgo with you. I don't think there is enough in my head to make it unsteady.At any rate I think that I can promise that I won't do anything to bringdiscredit upon you."
The feat that Will had performed had a great effect upon the bully of themess. Before that he had frequently enjoyed boasting of his experience inclimbing, and even hinted that he had upon one occasion reached themasthead. Now no more was heard of this, for, as Tom said openly, he wasafraid that Will might challenge him to a climbing-match. The next eveningthe first lieutenant said to the captain: "That other lad who was broughtdown from Yorkshire has been up the mast with his chum this afternoon. AsI told you, sir, I heard that they were great friends, and Stevens did aswell as the other."
"But there is a great difference between them. The one is as sharp and asbright as can be; the other is simply a solidly-built fisher-boy who will,I have no doubt, make a good sailor, but is not likely to set the Thameson fire."
"Do you know, sir, Mr. Forster came to me this morning, and told me thaton his talking to the boy he astounded him by asking if he would be kindenough to explain a few things in navigation, as he had pretty wellmastered all the book-work, but had had no opportunity of learning the useof a quadrant. Forster asked if I had any objection to his giving himlessons. It is the first time that I ever heard of such a request, and toallow it would be contrary to all idea of discipline; still, a lad of thatsort deserves encouragement, and I will talk with the padre concerninghim. He is one of the most good-natured of men, and I think he would notmind giving a quarter of an hour a day to this boy, after he has dismissedthe midshipmen from their studies. Of course he must do the same work asthe other boys, and no distinction must be made between them."
"Certainly not. I think the idea is an excellent one, and I have not muchdoubt that Mr. Simpson will fall in with it."
The first lieutenant went off at once to find the clergyman.
"Well, he must be a strange boy," the chaplain said when the case was laidbefore him; "I should not be surprised if a fellow like that found his wayto the quarter-deck some day. He appears to be a sort of admirableCrichton. Such an amount of learning is extraordinary in a boy of his ageand with his opportunities, especially in one active and courageous enoughto go up to the cap of the top-gallant mast on his first trial in climbinga mast. Certainly I shall be very glad to take the boy on, and willwillingly give him, as you say, a quarter of an hour a day. I feel surethat my time will not be wasted. I never before heard of a ship's boy whowished to be instructed in navigation, and I shall be glad to help such anexceptional lad."
The next day the _Furious_, having received all her stores, went out toSpithead. The midshipmen had been all fully engaged, and there were nolessons with the padre, but on the following day these were resumed, andpresently one of the other boys came down with a message that Will was togo to the padre's cabin.
"I have arranged, lad," the chaplain said when he entered, "to give you aquarter of an hour a day to help you on with your navigation, and I takeit that you, on your part, are ready to do the work. It seems to me almostout of the question that you can be advanced enough to enter upon suchstudies. That, however, I shall soon ascertain. Now open that book and letme see how you would work out the following observation," and he gave himthe necessary data.
In five minutes Will handed him the result.
"Of course, sir, to obtain the exact answer I should require to know morethan you have given me."
"That is quite right. To-morrow you shall go on deck with me, and I willshow you how to use a quadrant and take the altitude of the sun, and fromit how to calculate the longitude, which is somewhat more difficult thanthe latitude. I see you have a good knowledge of figures, and I am quitesure that at the end of a few days' work you will be able to take anobservation that will be close enough for all practical purposes."
He then asked Will many questions as to his course of study, the books hehad read, and the manner in which he had got up the book-work ofnavigation.
"But how did you manage about logarithms," he said. "I generally find themgreat stumbling-blocks in the way of my pupils."
"I don't really understand them now, sir. I can look down the columns andfind the number I want, and see how it works out the result, but why itshould do so I have not been able to understand. It seems quite differentfrom other operations in figures."
"It is so," the chaplain said, "and let me tell you that not one navigatorin fifty really grasps the principle. They 'fudge', as it is termed, theanswer, and if they get it right are quite content without troublingthemselves in any way with the principle involved. If you want to be agood navigator you must grasp the principle, and work the answer out foryourself. When you can do this you will have a right to call yourself anavigator. If you come to me at twelve o'clock to-morrow I will show youhow to work a quadrant. The theory is easy. You have but to take the anglethe sun makes with the horizon at its moment of highest ascension. Inpractice, however, this is far from easy, and you will be some time beforeyou can hit upon the right moment. It requires patience and closeobservation, but if you have these qualities you will soon pick it up."
The sailors were the next day greatly astonished at seeing the chaplaintake his place at the side of the ship and explain to Will the methods oftaking an observation.
In the meantime Will was making rapid progress in the good graces of thecrew. He was always ready to render assistance in running messages, inhauling on ropes, and generally making himself useful in all respects. Hisfight with Robert Jones had come off. Will had gained great confidence inhimself when he found that he was able to climb the mast in the ordinaryway, while Tom Stevens was able only to crawl up through the lubbers'hole. Goaded to madness by the chaff of the other boys, all of whom hadranged themselves under Will's banner, Jones threw down the challenge. TomStevens was most anxious that Will should not take it up except on theconditions stated, but Will proclaimed a profound contempt for the bully.
"I will try it myself, Tom. I can hardly fail to lick such a braggart asthat. I don't believe he has any muscles to speak of in that big body ofhis, while I am as hard as nails. No doubt it will be a tough fight if hehas a scrap of pluck in him, but I think I will win. Besides, if he doesbeat me, he will certainly get little credit for it, while I shall havelearnt a lot that will be useful to me in the next fight."
Accordingly, at the time appointed the two lads went down to the orlopdeck, a good many of the sailors accompanying them. An ordinary fightbetween boys attracted little attention, but the disparity between theyears of the combatants, and the liking entertained for Will, brought mostof those who were off duty to witness it. The difference between theantagonists when they stripped was very marked. Robert Jones was fullythree stone the heavier and four inches the taller, but he was flabby andaltogether out of condition, while Will was as hard as nails, and asactive on his feet
as a kid.
"It is ten to one against the young un," one of the men said, "but if heholds on for the first five rounds I would back him at evens."
"So would I," another said, "but I doubt whether he can do so; the oddsare too great against him."
"I will take four to one," another said. "Look at the young un's musclesdown his back. You won't often see anything better among lads two yearsolder than he is."
The fight began with a tremendous rush on the part of Jones. Will stoodhis ground doggedly, and struck his opponent fairly between the eyes,making him shake his head like an exasperated bull. Time after time Jonesrepeated the manoeuvre, but only once or twice landed a blow, while henever escaped without a hard return. At length he began to feel theeffects of his own efforts, and stood on the defensive, panting forbreath. Now it was Will's turn. He danced round and round his opponentwith the activity of a goat, dodging in and delivering a heavy body-blowand then leaping out again before his opponent could get any return. Thecheers of the sailors rose louder and louder, and Will heard themshouting: "Go in; finish him, lad!" But Will was too prudent to riskanything; he knew that the battle was in his hands unless he threw itaway, and that Jones was well-nigh pumped out. At last, after dealing aheavy blow, he saw his antagonist stagger back, and in an instant sprangforward and struck him between the eyes with far greater force than he hadbefore exerted. Jones fell like a log, and was altogether unable to comeup to time. A burst of cheering rose from the crowd, and many and heartywere the congratulations Will received.
AFTER HIS FIRST FIGHT]
"What was going on this afternoon, Mr. Farrance?" asked the captain; "Iheard a lot of cheering."
"I made enquiry about it, sir, and the boatswain told me that it was onlya fight between two of the boys. Of course he had not been present."
"Ah! It is not often that a boys' fight excites such interest. Who werethey?"
"They were Jones, the biggest of the boys, and by no means a satisfactorycharacter, and young Gilmore."
"Why, Jones is big enough to eat him."
"Yes, sir, at any rate he ought to have been. He was a great bully when hefirst came on board, but the other tackled him as soon as they weretogether, and it seems he has to-day given him as handsome a thrashing ascould be wished for, and that without being seriously hurt himself. He hascertainly established his supremacy among the boys of this ship."
"That boy is out of the common," the captain said. "A ship's boy newlyjoined taking up navigation, going about the masts like a monkey, andfinally thrashing a fellow two years his senior must be considered asaltogether exceptional. I shall certainly keep my eye upon him, and givehim every opportunity I can for making his way."
Will received his honours quietly.
"There is nothing," he said, "in fighting a fellow who is altogether outof condition, and has a very small amount of pluck to make up for it. Iwas convinced when we first met that he had nothing behind his brag,though I certainly did not expect to beat him as easily as I did. Well, Ihope we shall be good friends in future. I have no enmity against him, andthere is no reason why we should not get on well together after this."
"I don't know," said the sailor to whom he was speaking; "a decent fellowwill make it up and think no more about it, but if I am not mistaken,Robert Jones will do you a bad turn if he gets the chance."
No one was more delighted at the result than Tom Stevens, who had cheeredloudly and enthusiastically. Dimchurch was also exuberant at Will'ssuccess.
"I knew that you were a good un, but I never thought you could havetackled that fellow. I don't know what to make of you; as a general thing,as far as I have seen, a fellow who takes to books is no good for anythingelse, but everything seems to agree with you. If I am not mistaken, youwill be on the quarter-deck before many years have passed."
They were now running down channel, and the boys were astonished at theease and smoothness with which the ship breasted the waves, and at themass of snowy canvas that towered above her. As they sat one day at thebow watching the sheets of spray rise as the ship cut her way through thewater, Tom said to his friend: "You are going up above me quick, Will.Anyone can see that. You are thought a lot of. I knew it would be so, andI said I should not grudge it you; in fact, the greater your success thebetter I shall be pleased. But I did not think that your learning wouldhave made such a difference already. The first lieutenant often says aword to you as he passes, and the padre generally speaks to you when hegoes along the deck. It is wonderful what a difference learning makes;not, mind you, that I should ever have gone in for it, even had I knownhow useful it is. I could never have taken it in, and I am sure the oldwoman could never have taught me. I suppose some fellows are born cleverand others grow to it. And some never are clever at all. That was my way,I suppose. I just learned to spell words of two letters, which, of course,was of no use. A fellow can't do much with ba, be, by, and bo, and theseare about all the words I remember. I used to think, when we first becamechums, how foolish you were to be always reading and studying. Now I seewhat a pull you have got by it. I expect it is partly because your fatherwas a clever man, and, as most of the people thought, a gentleman, thatyou came to take to it. Well, if I had my time over again I would reallytry to learn something. I should never make much of it, but still, Isuppose I should have got to read decently."
"Certainly you would, Tom; and when you once had got to read, so as to beable to enjoy it, you would have gone through all sorts of books and gotlots of information from them. I am afraid, however, it is too late toworry over that. A man may be a good man and a good sailor without knowinghow to read and write. I am sure you will do your share when it comes tothat."
"I wonder when we shall fall in with a Frenchman?"
"There is no saying. You may be sure that every man on board is longing todo so. I hope she will be a bit bigger than we are, and I know the captainhopes so too. He is for ever watching every ship that comes in sight."
When running down the coast of Spain one day the look-out at the mastheadshouted: "A sail!"
"What is she like?" the first lieutenant hailed.
"I can only see her top-gallant sails, sir, but she is certainly asquare-rigged ship bound south, and her sails have a foreign cut."
The first lieutenant swung his telescope over his shoulder and mounted therigging. When he came to the top-gallant crosstrees he sat down and gazedinto the distance through his glass.
After making a careful examination of the ship he called to the captain,who was now on deck:
"She is, as Johnson says, sir, a square-rigged ship, and I agree with himas to the cut of her sails. She is certainly a Frenchman, and evidently alarge frigate. She is running down the coast as we are, and I expect hopesto get through the Straits at night."
"Well, edge in towards her," the captain said. "Lower the top-gallantsails. If she hasn't already made us out, I shall be able to work in agood deal closer to her before she does so."
All hands were now on the _qui vive_, but it was not for some time thatthe stranger could be made out from the deck.
"You can get up our top-gallant sails again," the captain said. "She musthave made us out by this time, and she certainly has gained upon us sincewe first saw her. There is no longer any possibility of concealment, sohoist royals as well as top-gallant sails."
The stranger made no addition to her sails. By this time those on boardthe _Furious_ were able to judge of her size, and came to the conclusionthat she was a battle-ship of small size, and ought to be more than amatch for the _Furious_. The vessels gradually approached each other,until at last a shot was thrown across the bows of the Frenchman. She madeno reply, but continued on her way as if unconscious of the presence ofthe English frigate. The crew of the _Furious_ could now make out that shehad fifty guns, whereas their own ship had thirty-four.
"Just comfortable odds," the captain said quietly when this was reportedto him. "I have no doubt she carries heavier metal as well as more guns.Altogether she would be
a satisfactory prize to send into Portsmouth."
The men had not waited for orders, but had mustered to quarters on theirown account. The guns were run in and loaded, and the boarding-pikes gotready. In five minutes orders were given to fire another shot. There was acheer as white splinters were seen to fly from the Frenchman's side. Herhelm was put up at once, and she swept round and fired a broadside intothe _Furious_. Four or five shots took effect, some stays and ropes werecut, and two shot swept across her deck, killing three of the sailors andknocking down several of the others.
"Aim steadily, lads," the captain shouted; "don't throw away a shot. It isour turn now. All aim at her centre ports. Fire!"
The ship swayed from the recoil of the guns, and then she swung half-roundand a broadside was poured into the Frenchman from the other side.
After this Will and Tom knew little more of what was going on, for theywere kept busy running to and from the magazine with fresh cartridges.They were not tall enough to see over the bulwarks, and were only able topeep out occasionally from one of the port-holes. They presently heardfrom the shouts and exclamations of the men that everything was goingwell, and on looking out they saw that the enemy's foremast had been shotaway, and in consequence she was unmanageable. The crew of the _Furious_had suffered heavily, but her main spars were intact, and the captain,manoeuvring with great skill, was able to sail backwards and forwardsacross the enemy's stern and rake him repeatedly fore and aft.
So the fight continued until at last the captain gave the order to lay theship alongside the Frenchman and board. There was no more work for thepowder-monkeys now, so Will and Tom seized boarding-pikes and joined inthe rush on to the enemy's deck. The resistance, however, was short-lived;the enemy had suffered terribly from the raking fire of the _Furious_, andas the captain and many of the officers had fallen, the senior survivorsoon ordered the flag to be lowered. A tremendous cheer broke from theBritish. They now learned that the ship they had captured was the_Proserpine_, which was on her way to enter the Mediterranean and effect ajunction with the French fleet at Toulon.
The next day the crew worked hard to get up a jury foremast. When this wasdone a prize crew was put on board. The French prisoners were confinedbelow, as they far outnumbered their captors. Then, having repaired herown damages, the _Furious_ proceeded on her way.
On arriving at Gibraltar the captain received orders to proceed to Malta,and to place himself under the order of the admiral there. For a timematters proceeded quietly, for the winds were light and baffling, and ittook a fortnight to get to their destination. Here the ship was thoroughlyexamined, and the damage she had suffered more satisfactorily repairedthan had been possible while she was at sea.
When the overhauling was completed she received orders to cruise off thecoast of Africa. This was by no means pleasing to the crew, who consideredthat they had small chance of falling in with anything of their own sizeon that station. They were told, however, that there had been seriouscomplaints of piracy on the part of the Moors, and that they werespecially to direct their attention to punishing the perpetrators of suchacts.
One morning three strange craft were sighted lying close together.Unfortunately, however, it was a dead calm.
"They are Moors, certainly," the captain said to the first lieutenantafter examining them with his glass. "What would I not give for a breathof wind now? But they are not going to escape us. Get all the boatshoisted out, and take command of the expedition yourself."
Immediately all was bustle on board the ship, and in a very short timeevery boat was lowered into the water. Will was looking on with longingeyes as the men took their places. The lieutenant noticed him.
"Clamber down into the bow of my boat," he said; "you deserve it."
In the highest state of delight Will seized a spare cutlass and made hisway into the bow of the boat amid the jokes of the men. These, however,were stilled the moment the first lieutenant took his place in the stern.
The Moors had not been idle. As soon as they saw that the boats had beenlowered they got out their sweeps and began to row at a pace which thelieutenant saw would tax the efforts of his oarsmen to the utmost. TheMoors had fully three miles start, and, although the men bent to theiroars with the best will, they gained very slowly. The officers in thevarious boats encouraged them with their shouts, and the men pulled nobly.Five miles had been passed and but one mile gained. It was evident,however, that the efforts of the Moorish rowers were flagging, while thesailors were rowing almost as strongly as when they started. Three moremiles and another mile had been gained. Then from the three vessels came aconfused fire of cannon of all sizes.
Several men were hit, boats splintered, and oars smashed. The firstlieutenant shouted orders for the boats to open out so that the enemywould no longer have a compact mass to aim at. At last, after anothermile, the Moors evidently came to the conclusion that they could notescape by rowing, and at once drew in their oars, lowered their sails, andall formed in line. As soon as this manoeuvre was completed heavy firingbegan again. Will, lying in the bow, looked out ahead, and, seeing the seatorn up with balls, wondered that any of the boats should escape unharmed.
The lieutenant shouted to the boats to divide into two parties, one, ledby himself, to attack the vessel on the left of the line, and the other,under the second lieutenant, to deal with the ship on the right, for themiddle boat would assuredly be captured if the other two were taken.
"Row quietly, men," he shouted; "you will want your breath if it comes tofighting. Keep on at a steady pace until within two hundred yards of them,and then make a dash."
This order was carried out by both parties, and when within the givendistance the men gave a cheer, and, bending their backs to the oars, sentthe boats tearing through the water. The pirate craft were all crowdedwith men, who raised yells of rage and defiance. However, except that oneboat was sunk by a shot that struck her full in the bow, LieutenantFarrance's party reached their vessel.
The first to try to climb on board were all cut down or thrown backwards,but at length the men gained a footing on the deck, and, led by Mr.Farrance, fell upon the enemy with great spirit. Will was the last toclimb up out of his boat, but he soon pushed his way forward until he wasclose behind the lieutenant. Several times the boarders were pushed back,but as often they rallied, and won their way along the deck again.
During one of these rushes Lieutenant Farrance's foot slipped in a pool ofblood, and he fell to the deck. Two Moors sprang at him, but Will leaptforward, whirling his cutlass, and by luck rather than skill cut down oneof them. The other attacked him and dealt him a severe blow on the arm,but before he could repeat it the lieutenant had regained his feet, and,springing forward, had run the Moor through the body.
Another five minutes' fighting and all resistance was at an end. Some ofthe Moors rushed below, others jumped overboard and swam to their consort.As soon as resistance had ceased the lieutenant ordered the majority ofthe men to return to the boats, and, leaving a sufficient number to holdthe captured vessel, proceeded to the attack of the middle craft.
The fight here was even more stubborn than before, for the men that fledfrom the ships that had already been taken had strongly reinforced thecrew of this one. The British, however, were not to be denied. The boatsof one division attacked on one side, those of the second on the other,and, after nearly a quarter of an hour's hard fighting, brought the enemyto their knees.
The pirates were all now battened down, the wounded seamen cared for bythe doctor who had accompanied the expedition, and the bodies of the deadMoors thrown overboard. When this was done the successful expeditionprepared to return to the _Furious_. They had lost twenty-eight killed,and nearly forty wounded.
"The loss has been very heavy," the first lieutenant said when the returnwas given to him; "and to do the fellows justice they fought desperately.Well, now we have to get back to the ship, which is a good ten miles away.She is still becalmed, and so are we, and unless the wind springs up weshall hardly r
each her before nightfall. I don't like to ask the men formore exertions after a ten miles row at such a ripping pace; still, itmust be done. Let two boats take each of the pirates in tow; they shall berelieved every hour."
The sailors, who were in high glee at their success, took their places inthe boats cheerfully, but when night fell they were still more than fourmiles away from the frigate.