FullReads

‘Direct for us, sir,’ was the answer, and as it reached the ears of the captain, he turned to the first officer, who stood beside him, and said–

‘Mr. Howe, that strange vessel must be a pirate.’

‘What makes you think so, sir?’ asked the first lieutenant.

‘Because,’ replied the Captain, ‘if she was anything else she would not be steering directly for us with studding-sails set.’

‘Perhaps it may be some vessel in distress,’ suggested the lieutenant.

‘That may be the case, though I doubt it much,’ answered the captain, abruptly, ‘but, as I do not wish to create a premature and unnecessary alarm amongst the passengers, we will put the ship on the opposite tack, and then if this stranger is in distress he will show a signal.’

In accordance with the above decision of her commander, the Gladiator, which had been previously standing off from the land, was, (to use a nautical phrase,) immediately put about, which caused her to head in towards the land, and this movement brought the strange brig on the weather quarter, or nearly astern of the ship, and also made her visible to the first lieutenant, who stood eagerly watching for her appearance, on the Gladiator’s deck. As soon as he felt sure that his eyes had not deceived him, he said, addressing the captain,

‘There she is, sir.’

‘Where?’ exclaimed Rowland, eagerly, snatching his spy-glass from its place in the cabin gangway.

‘She is in plain sight, sir,’ answered the lieutenant, about one point off our weather-quarter.’

‘Ah, I see her,’ exclaimed the captain after he had looked for a moment through his spy-glass in the direction intimated.

‘Does she show any signal, sir?’

‘She does not,’ replied Rowland, ‘and I am convinced she is a piratical vessel. Therefore, Mr. Howe, you will see the ship instantly cleared for action.’

Whilst this last order of the captain was in progress of execution, Rowland, spy-glass in hand, ascended the mizzen rigging of the ship, and kept his eyes intently fixed upon the brig, thus soliloquising as he did so:–

‘It is rather a delicate, not to say desperate game, which I have undertaken to play, though so far I have the vanity to think that I have acted my part to admiration. By the most consummate art and address I managed to gain the command of this noble ship, and no one on board, as far as I can learn, has the least suspicion of the manner in which I intend to dispose of her. So far, so good. Now as we are pretty snug in with the land, I will take a look in that direction and see if I can discover what measures are in progress on shore.’

So saying he adjusted his glass to his right eye and turned his gaze towards that part of the island on which the earl and his companions had landed, and after having looked attentively for a few moments in that direction, he exclaimed, whilst a smile of exultation passed across his features,

‘Ah, Rowland, you’re a deep one, and a fortunate one, too. Every thing connected with your plans seems to prosper, on land as well as sea. Blackbeard has proved himself a good assistant, too, for I can see that he has taken good care of the young ladies, whilst at the same time I perceive that he is about to send the gentlemen back again to their old quarters. I must wear ship, I suppose, and take them on board.’ ‘On deck, there!’

‘Aye, aye, sir,’ answered the first lieutenant.

‘Put the ship upon the other tack, and brace the head-yards sharp up, leaving the main and main top-sail yards square.’

After this last order had been duly and promptly complied with Captain Rowland descended quickly to the deck, upon reaching which, was thus addressed by his first officer:–

‘See, sir, how fast that strange brig gains upon us.’

‘I see she does,’ answered Rowland, ‘and I am sorry that we are obliged to lay aback here, when we should be trying to get the weather-gauge of her. But there is no help for it, for I observe that the earl and his companions have left the shore, and they are now pulling for dear life in order to reach us in time.’