Kate Bonnet: The Romance of a Pirate's Daughter
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CHAPTER XI
BAD WEATHER
When Dickory Charter sailed away from the island of Jamaica, his reason,had it been called upon, would have told him that he had a good stoutbrig under him on which there were people and ropes and sails andsomething to eat and drink. But in those moments of paradise he did nottrouble his reason very much, and lived in an atmosphere of joy which hedid not attempt to analyze, but was content to breathe as if it had beenthe common air about him. He was going away from every one he loved, andyet never before had he been so happy in going to any one he loved. Hecared to talk to no one on board, but in company with his joy he stoodand gazed westward out over the sea.
He was but little younger than she was, and yet that difference, soslight, had lifted him from things of earth and had placed him in thatparadise where he now dwelt.
So passed on the hours, so rolled the waves, and so moved the King andQueen before the favouring breeze.
It was on the second day out that the breeze began to be less favouring,and there were signs of a storm; and, in spite of his preoccupiedcondition, Dickory was obliged to notice the hurried talk of theofficers about him, he occupying a point of vantage on the quarter-deck.Presently he turned and asked of some one if there was likelihood of badweather. The mate, to whom he had spoken, said somewhat unpleasantly,"Bad weather enough, I take it, as we may all soon know; but it is notwind or rain. There is bad weather for you! Do you see that?"
Dickory looked, and saw far away, but still distinct, a vessel underfull sail with a little black spot floating high above it.
He turned to the man for explanation. "And what is that?" he said.
"It is a pirate ship," said the other, his face hardening as he spoke,"and it will soon be firing at us to heave to."
At that moment there was a flash at the bow of the approaching vessel, alittle smoke, and then the report of a cannon came over the water.
Without further delay, the captain and crew of the King and Queen wentto work and hove to their brig.
Young Dickory Charter also hove to. He did not know exactly why, but hisdream stopped sailing over a sea of delight. They stood motionless,their sails flapping in the wind.
"Pirates!" he thought to himself, cold shivers running through him, "isthis brig to be taken? Am I to be taken? Am I not to go to Barbadoes, toBridgetown, her home? Am I not to take her back the good news which willmake her happy? Are these things possible?"
He stared over the water, he saw the swiftly approaching vessel, hecould distinguish the skull and bones upon the black flag which flewabove her.
These things were possible, and his heart fell; but it was not withfear. Dickory Charter was as bold a fellow as ever stood on the deck ina sea fight, but his heart fell at the thought that he might not begoing to her old home, and that he might not sail back with good news toher.
As the swift-sailing pirate ship sped on, Ben Greenway came aft toCaptain Bonnet, and a grievous grin was on the Scotchman's face.
"Good greetin's to ye, Master Bonnet," said he, "ye're truly good toyour old friends an' neebours an' pass them not by, even when yourpockets are burstin' wi' Spanish gold."
A minute before this Captain Stede Bonnet had been in a very pleasantstate of mind. It was only two days ago that he had captured a Spanishship, from which he got great gain, including considerable stores ofgold. Everything of value had been secured, the tall galleon had beenburned, and its crew had been marooned on a barren spot on the coast ofSan Domingo. The spoils had been divided, at least every man knew whathis share was to be, and the officers and the crew of the Revenge werein a well-contented state of mind. In fact, Captain Bonnet would nothave sailed after a little brig, certainly unsuited to carry costlycargo, had it not been that his piratical principle made it appear tohim a point of conscience to prey upon all mercantile craft, little orbig, which might come in his way. Thus it was, that he was sailingmerrily after the King and Queen, when Ben Greenway came to him with hisdisturbing words.
"What mean you?" cried Bonnet. "Know you that vessel?"
"Ay, weel," said Ben, "it is the King and Queen, bound, doubtless, forBridgetown. I tell ye, Master Bonnet, that it was a great deal o'trouble an' expense ye put yersel' to when ye went into your presentline o' business on this ship. Ye could have stayed at hame, where sheis owned, an' wi' these fine fellows that ye have gathered thegither, yemight have robbed your neebours right an' left wi'out the trouble o'goin' to sea."
"Ben Greenway," roared the captain, "I will have no more of this. Is itnot enough for me to be annoyed and worried by these everlasting shipsof Bridgetown, which keep sailing across my bows, no matter in whatdirection I go, without hearing your jeers and sneers regarding thematter? I tell you, Ben Greenway, I will not have it. I will not sufferthese paltry vessels, filled, perhaps, with the grocers and clothdealers from my own town, to interfere thus with the bold career that Ihave chosen. I tell you, Ben Greenway, I'll make an example of this one.I am a pirate, and I will let them know it--these fellows in theirfloating shops. It will be a fair and easy thing to sink this tubwithout more ado. I'd rather meet three Spanish ships, even had theynaught aboard, than one of these righteous craft commanded by my mostrespectable friends and neighbours."
Black Paul, the sailing-master, had approached and had heard the greaterpart of these remarks.
"Better board her and see what she carries," said he, "before we sinkher. The men have been talking about her and, many of them, favour notthe trouble of marooning those on board of her. So, say most of us,let's get what we can from her, and then quickly rid ourselves of herone way or another."
"'Tis well!" cried Bonnet, "we can riddle her hull and sink her."
"Wi' the neebours on board?" asked Greenway.
Captain Bonnet scowled blackly.
"Ben Greenway," he shouted, "it would serve you right if I tied youhand and foot and bundled you on board that brig, after we have strippedher, if haply she have anything on board we care for."
"An' then sink her?" asked the Scotchman.
"Ay, sink her!" replied Bonnet. "Thus would I rid myself of a man whovexes me every moment that I lay my eyes on him, and, moreover, it wouldplease you; for you would die in the midst of those friends andneighbours you have such a high regard for. That would put an end toyour cackle, and there would be no gossip in the town about it."
The sailing-master now came aft. The vessel had been put about and wasslowly approaching the brig. "Shall we make fast?" asked Black Paul. "Ifwe do we shall have to be quick about it; the sea is rising, and thatclumsy hulk may do us damage."
For a moment Captain Bonnet hesitated, he was beginning to learnsomething of the risks and dangers of a nautical life, and here was realdanger if the two vessels ran nearer each other. Suddenly he turned andglared at Greenway. "Make fast!" he cried savagely, "make fast! if it beonly for a minute."
"Do ye think in your heart," asked the Scotchman grimly, "that ye'repirate enough for that?"