I have never got a clew to it, unless it was
that Obed's strong mind had given way before his superstitious fears,
and others had now assumed the right of both judging and acting for him
in this his closing scene. The pirate officer at once recognised me,
but seemed neither surprised nor disconcerted at the strength of the
force which accompanied me. He asked me in Spanish if I commanded it; I
told him I did not, that the captain of the schooner was the senior
officer.
"Then will you be good enough, to go on board with me, to interpret for
me?"
"Certainly."
In half a minute we were both on the Gleam's deck, the crews of the
boats that had her in tow lying on their oars.
"You are the commander of this force?" said the Spaniard.
"I am," said old Gasket, who had figged himself out in full puff, after
the manner of the ancients, as if he had been going to church, instead
of to fight; and who the hell are you?"
"I command one of these Spanish schooners, sir, which your boats so
unwarrantably attacked a week ago, although you are at peace with Spain.
But even had they been enemies, they were in a friendly port, which
should have protected them."
"All very good oysters," quoth old Dick; "and pray was it an honest
trick of you to cabbage my young friend, Lieutenant Cringle there, as if
you had been slavers kidnapping the Bungoes in the Bight of Biafra, and
then to fire on and murder my people when sent in to claim him?"
"As to carrying off that young gentleman, it was no affair of ours; he
was brought away by the master of that American schooner; but so far as
regards firing on your boats, I believe they fired first.
Pages:
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314