The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 170: what you’re looking at

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

——— — 164 we THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED. amazing rapidity, sweeping and curling widely around the building itself, The gate, and the palings all around it, studiously made as they had been of strong pine, for its great durability, was as ready an ally of the destructive element as the citizens could have thosen, and licked greedily by the fire, were soon ignited, Blazing impetuously, it soon aroused the Skeleton Crew to amore acute constiousness of the danger now at band. A fierce shout of their assailants, as they bebeld the rapid progress of the experiment, warned them to greater exertion, if they hoped to escape the dreadful fate which threatened to engulf them. To remain where they were was to be consumed in the flames. To rush forth was toencounter the weapons of an enemy four times their number. It was a moment of gloomy necessity, that which assembled the chief defenders of the fortress to a sort of war-council. They could only deliberate— to fight was out of the question. Their enemy now was one which they could not oppose. The citizens showed no front for assault or aim, while the flames, rushing from point to point, and seizing upon numerous places at once, continued to advance, with a degree of celerity which left it im- possible, in the dry condition of its timber, that the Block-house could possibly, for any length of time, escape, Upon the building itself the citizens could not fix the fire at first. But two ends of it were directly accessible to them, and these were without any entrance, had been pierced with holes for musketry, and were well watched by the vigilant eyes within, ‘The two sides were enclosed by the line of strong palings and posts, and had no need of other guardianship. But while Lieutenant Garnet, Bob Bertram, and others were using their utmost endeavours to storm the strong Block-house, Master Tim, as usual, was skulking out of danger among the crowd or non- fighters, and seemed more inclined to let others share the dangers while he did the talking, For Master Tim, as we have seen all through this story, could, be very eloquent at times, and speak grandly about war and glory, and all such like topics ; but if he could help it, he would not on any account ruo his own head into danger. The good citizens, seeing that be wore Ned War- beck’s livery, expected him to distinguish himself after the manner Wildfire Ned had done, before their own eyes; but, instead of that, Master Tim drank deeply of old ale, and, standing on a door- step, out of danger, began to harangue the idle multitude something in this style :— “ And why, my friends, are we here assembled ?” was his sagacious inquiry, looking round as he spoke upon his inattentive audience, A forced smile on the faces of several, but not a word, attested their several estimates of the speaker, He proceeded, “That is the question, my friends—why are we here assembled? I answer, for the good of the people; we are here to protect them if we can, and to perish for and with them, if we must. I cannot forget my duties to my country, and to those in whose behalf I stand before the grim Skeleton Crew and the swords of Captain Jack’s men. “These teach me, and J would teach it to you, my friends—to fight—to hold out to the last. ‘We may not think of parleying with those in the Block-House, my friends, until other hope is essen egress gone. Whatever be the peril, till that moment, be it mine to encounter it. ‘‘ Whatever be the privation, till that moment I am the man to endure it. “Be it for me, at least, though I stand alone in this particular, to do for the people whatever wie- dom or valour may do, until the moment comes which shall call on us to pardon the villains. ‘‘The question now, my friends, is simply this— has that moment come or not? I pause for a reply.” ‘Who talks of parleying with them ?” growled a smith, as he cast a glance of ferocity at the speaker. “Who talks of parleying at all to these cursed Uloodhounds, that hunt for nothing but our blood ? We cannot parley if we would—we must fight, die, do anything but parley with the fiends.” “So say I—I am ready to fight and die for my country. I say it now, as I have said it a hundred times before, but—”’ The speech which Tim had thus begun, the smith again interrupted with a greater bull-dog expression than ever— “‘Ay, s0 you have, and so will say a hundred times more—with as little sense in if one time as another. We are all here to die, if there’s any need for it; but that isn’t the trouble. It’s how we are to die—that’s the question. Are we to stay here and be shot like timber-rats, or to volunteer, as I do now, axe in hand, to go and cut down the palings that immediately join the house? By that we may have a clear dig at the savages inside. Im for that. If anybody’s willing to go along with me, let him up hands—no talk—we have too much of that already,” ‘‘T’m ready—here!’’ cried Ned Warbeck, ap- proaching, and laughing good humouredly, and his hands were thrust up at the instant. ‘No, Ned Warbeck,” cried the smith, ‘‘ not you— you must stay and manage here. Your head’s the coolest ; and though I’d sooner have your arm alongside of me in the rough time than ary other two that I know of, ’twont do to take you from the rest on this risk. Who else is ready? Let him come to the scratch, and no longer talk about it. What do you say, Master Tim? That’s chance enough for you, if you really want to die for your country.” And as he spoke, he thrust his head forward, while his eyes peered into the very bosom of the little groom, and his axe descended on a door post, near which he stood, with a thundering emphasis that rung through the street. “ T can’t use the axe,” ‘cried Tim, liurriedly ; “it’s not my instrument. Sword or pistol for me, my friends. In their exercise I give way to no man, and in their use I ask for no Jeader; but I am neither woodchopper nor blacksmith.” ** And this is your way of dying for the good of the people !” said the smith, contemptuously. * Tam willing, even now ; [say it again, as Ihave before said, and as now I solemnly repeatit,” said Tim, pompuously ; ‘‘ but I must die for them after my own fashion, and under proper circumstances. ‘With sword in hand, crossing the perilous breach, with weapon befitting the use of a noble gentleman, I am ready. ** But I know not any rule that would require of me to perish for my country with the broad axe of a wood-chopper, the cleaver of a butcher, or the sledge of a blacksmith, in my hand,” said Master Tim, in mock dignity. ‘* Well, I’m no soldier,” retorted the smith ; “ but I thinka man, to be really ready to die for his ee ~~~ - (e(e@) n "| 6) 3 an) (E| 0)(0 eo) S (E(0)