The sun at length set, and the night closed
in when the old major again addressed Crowfoot.
"My dear fellow, can't you wait a bit, and let us have a rattle at that
chap?" And old Crowfoot, who never bore a grudge long, seemed much inclined
to fall in with the soldier's views; and, in fine, although the weather was
now moderate, he did not make sail. Presently the Commodore fired a gun,
and showed lights. It was the signal to close. "Oh, time enough," said
old Crowfoot--"what is the old man afraid of?" Another gun and a fresh c
onstellation on board the frigate. It was "an enemy in the northwest
quarter."
"Hah, hah," sung out the agent, "is it so? Major, what say you to a brush
let her close, eh?--should like to pepper her--wouldn't you--three hundred
men, eh?"
By this time we were all on deck--the schooner came bowling along under a
reefed mainsail and jib, now rising, and presently disappearing behind the
stormy heavings of the roaring sea, the rising moon shining brightly on her
canvass pinions, as if she had been an albatross skimming along the surface
of the foaming water, while her broad white streak glanced like a silver
ribbon along her clear black side. She was a very large craft of her class,
long and low in the water, and evidently very fast; and it was now clear,
from our having been unable as yet to sway up our fore--topmast, that she
took us for a disabled merchantman, which might be cut off from the convoy.
Pages:
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112