Ivan the Terrible; or, Dark Deeds of Night — page 114: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

110 IVAN. THE At that moment a pistol shot was heard. The ball whistled right over Harry’s boat, and, for a moment, caused some alarm, “They are gaining on us|” “Yes and very fast,” said Bob; “ but we'll give them the double pretty soon, you'll find. Stand by that sail, Joe, and let it go by the run when I give the word,” They were now approaching dozens of tall ships that lay moored below London Bridge, some of them being anchored in the stream, ' “ Ready ?”” said Bob, as they shot along through the foaming waters. : SV ES: ( “Well, then, when I steer her round the bow of that ship yonder, out of sight, you let, go the sheet. Ready ?’’- “ Aye, aye, Bob.” ‘‘ Down with it then ; here we are.” At that instant Joe lowered the sail. j- Bob, at the rudder, steered her round several ships, and she was lost to view among the shipping. ‘« Safe,” said Joe. “Not yet ; pull for your lives to the shore, to that boat- house yonder. ‘There are dozens of watermens’ apprentices there, more than a match for any dozen of Ivan’s blood- thirsty hounds.” At that moment they were passed by another boat well- armed. . It was Nat Fathom and his crew. Tvan did not know this, and, thinking it was Harry Percy’s, he fired into it! Harry Percy, however, and his friends were,safe at the boat-house. They turned to look for their pursuers, but were somewhat startled at what they saw ! CHAPTER LYVII. IVAN THE TERRIBLE LOSES HIS. PREY AND MEETS A FORMIDABLE ENEMY—THE FIERCE STRUGGLE IN THE WATER BETWEEN IVAN AND NAT FATHOM, THE pistol-firing at first was naturally supposed to be directed towards Harry Percy and his boat’s crew, but when Briny Bob had safely made fast the boat to the waterman’s shed, he turned his head and shouted, “ Look! look !” any “Took where? Look at what?’ said one and another, * Look—why there!” said Bob, pointing to Iyan’s boat in the distance. | All turned and looked and were surprised, Ivan, full of anger and desperation at losing his prey, had thoughtlessly fired into the first boat he saw, supposing it to be that of Harry Percy. But, fortunately for young Harry and his gallant friends, - Tvan in his rage had fired several shots into Nat Fathom’s boat. : “Hullo!” said rough Nat, the pirate, as the pistol-shot whistled over his shaggy head, ‘‘hullo, what means this? Have the revenue officers got scent of our doings? They fire well, and no mistake ; pull away; my lads, we will soon pay them off for this 1” By this time Ivan’s boat had approached very nigh to that of Nat Fathom, u | “Surrender!” shouted Ivan, with the lungs of Boreas, ‘surrender, or we'll sink you |” “Sink us, eh?” growled, Nat. ‘No, my lads, there's no, surrencler for us, you know, and as to that. paltry boat’s crew now approaching, we'll sink ’em in five minutes, or my name ain’t Nat.” | A shout of derision was raised by Nat Fathom’s crew, This only served to exasperate Ivan all the more,: . “Surrender, I say, or Pll sink you!” he shouted again and again, in wild angry tones, St. | side, TERRIBLE. No-response was directions of their rough chief, with all their strength. ‘‘ Buck your heads, my lads,’ said Nat, “if they are any of the revenue officers. The devils, they will fire again in a minute!” Nat was not very far out in his calculation, for in a second after he spoke Ivan and his crew did fire again, in truth, a regular volley. 9 “Into ’em, my lads,” roared Nat, drawing his cutlass and preparing to board Ivan’s boat. “ There wasn't much harm done that time, I think, A few more pulls at the oars, and we shall be alongside.” . : made by Nat’s crew, who, according to the pulled towards Iyan’s boat “True,” said one of his crew, “‘and bad luck to ’em for their bad shooting, for no one’s hurt,” re ‘Some one soon will be, then, if you only get alongside of ’em,” said another, in an angry tone, ‘‘for that last shot 0 their’s came very close to my gad. If I hadn’t ducked; I should have been food for sharks; they took my cap off, any way.” | ? ‘ ‘Well, then, take their heads off when you get ’em, that’s all,” said Nat Fathom, laughing and cocking his pistol. = _ take. By this time Ivan and his crew had found ont their mis-_ The nearer they approached Nat Fathom’s boat, the more they became convinced that they had made a great mistake in firing into it. This, however, made little difference to Nat Fathom, who felt insulted at being fired at, and resolyed. to pay off his opponents with great interest when they met. “Surrender, eh?” said that bold chief. of Nat Fathom surrendering, eh, my jolly boys? Now forit; get out our pistols, and have your swords ready, Half a dozen strokes will bring us alongside of ’em,” Half a dozen more pulls were vigorously given to the oars and with a hearty good will. P tre ‘ Whoever heard ‘‘ Are you all ready ?”” said Nat, as the two boats approached each other. . a “Aye, aye, sir,’ said his men, all in a breath, and almost foaming with passion. “Then rise up, and let it, and altogether, mind ye, Now, my merry men, now!” — As he spoke, Nat Fathom’s crew of hardy, fearless men suddenly rose up in their boat, and gave a hearty cheer. — the black-looking vagabonds have ? Ivan the Terrible and his men thought fora moment that ' this hearty cheer indicated the approach of true friends. They were sadly deceived, however. > On the instant Nat Fathom’s crew levelled their pistols at Ivanis boat. They fired as if they were but one man. ae _ Streams of pain, surprise and horror rose aboye the splash- ing noise of wind and tide, ” Several of Ivan’s men tumbled into the dark waters. “Now, men, now, out with your swords; let us finish *em |’ roared Nat Fathom. | . . The béat-hooks !. the boat-hooks !” some shouted. ~*~ In a moment Nat Fathom, standing in the bows of his gal- lant craft, threw out the grappling irons, ain “Hurrah !” cried his crew, with loud yoices as ‘the s that the two boats were made firm and fast together, © ay BRE *‘ Board her |” F « Sink her |” t ; “Out with your swords!” cried Nat. ' _ In a moment Nat Fathom’s men jumped on board Iyan’s boat, and the fight now became bloody and desperate. Swords clashed in desperate combat. f Sparks fell frome their highly tempered blades. Pistols crack 1 d, and shouts and groans were heard on every dn the darkness-no one eould distingnish against whom were fighting, nor did Nat Fathom’s men eare, 5 (Zo be continued.) com boo (¢ S they €om