The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 171: what you’re looking at

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

@ . e Eee ee en a 158 Cd flickered upon the white canvass of the Royal George as it dashed madly over the rising billows, and on the still ampler sails of the superb frigate as she pressed onward in the exciting chase. The wind was increasing in strength; and the sunset was succeeded by a night of inky darkness. For hours and hours did the Royal George thus hold on through the pitchy gloom which was almost deep and dense enough to be felt; and the crew fondly hoped that their gallant ship would escape the frigate altogether. Anxious, therefore, were the looks which sought to penetrate through the first glimmering of the dawn: piercing were the glances that the pirates threw in all directions from the mast-head and the deck of the Royal George, the moment that the faintest gleam appeared inthe eastern horizon. Fora few minutes there was a solemn stillness throughout the vessel—an awful uncertainty, composed of a dread apprehension and a faint hope: for, lo! in the distance there was an object which had already begun to assume the shape and semblance of a square-rigged ship. And by degrees, as that glimn- mering in the east advanced, like the rays of a lamp from the far-off depths of a huge cavern or profound sepuichre, the hope grew fainter and fainter still, and the apprehension stronger and stronger — until the former expired altogether, and the latter was realized by the presence of the British frigate within gun-shot distance of the Royal George. And now there was a flash seen at one point of the long derk hull of the man-of-war; and in another moment the rcport of a cannon came buoming over the deep blue sca on whose bosom the mists of obseurity were gradually yielding to twilight. AJl was consternation now on board the brig; and Watkins commanded the men to obey the signal-gun by bearing to. But the Magsman and Big Begyarman would not hear of anything short of a desperate resistance ; and thus a serious quarrel was well nigh taking place on board the Royal George, when a second cannon from the frigate brought the buccaneers to their senses — for this time a shot came whizzing through the air. The ball struck the bowsprit which it shivered to pieces; and the command of Watkins now expe- rienced no opposition on the part of the Magaman and the Big The Royal George therefore lay to; and in about @ quarter of an hour the English frigate came with- | ad in hailing distance. This latter was a splendid vessel—carrying thirty-six guns—having tall ta- pering maste—and with an image of the Goddess Diana at the figure-head. A boat was speedily lowered; and in a few moments it ran alongside the pirate-brig. “What is the name of your ship?” asked the lieutenant who was in command of the boat. “The Royal George, sir,” was the reply delivered by Watkins as he leant over the bulwarks: for as all the ship's papers were made out in that name, the buccaneers had not as yet dared to change tt. “Whenee do you come ?~and whither are you bound?” demanded the lieutenant from his seat in tne boat. “ Liverpool—New York,” laconically auswered Watkins. “ Will you board us, sir?—or am I to go to the frigate with the papers 2” THE MYSTERIES. “ You will adopt the latter course, if you please,” said the lieutenant. “In one moment, sir,” replied Watkins: and, turning away from the bulwark, he hurried down the companion-ladder into his own cabin to fetch the ship’s papers. “JT say, old fellow, what the devil can this mean ” asked the Magsman, who, together with the Big Beggarman and Bradley, had followed Watkins to the cabin. “ The King’s ship evidently suspects us,” replied this individual. “It has no doubt heard of our ad- venture with the brig which we attacked and which was glad to pay us a thousand dollars as a compro- mise rather than fight it out. I told you it was foolish to begin buccaneering before you had touched at New York and got your business settled there, whatever it may be: because then you might have got fresh papers — given the ship a new name ——” “Well, well,” interrupted the Magsman, impa- tiently ; “it’s no use talking of what you advised, or of what ought to have been done. It’s true that we got a thousand dollars from the American brig tother day—and that we took the whole cargo of the English schooner yesterday. But the latter has gone to the bottom; and the British man-of- war has got nothing to do with the other affair.” “Only. that if they really can prove us to be pirates, we shall all be hanged at the yard-arm,” said Watkins, solemnly. ‘ And what the devil are you going to do, then?” demanded the Big Beggarman, who did not much admire the prospect thus disagreeably held out for his contemplation. “I am going on board the frigate to tell as good a story and put as bold a face upon the matter as I can,” said Watkins; “and ff I suceced in making the captain of his Majesty's ship Diana believe that it’s all right with us, I suppose youl give me credit for some little good management ?” “ But do you really think you can set at 1est any guspicions that may be entertained ?” demanded the Magsman, an unwonted feeling of uneasiness creep- ing over him. ‘I must do my best,” said Watkins, as he secured. the ship’s papers about his person. “ Now, then — who wil act as supercargo? Come, Bradley-—- you shall go with me in that capacity.” “ Aye, aye, sir,” responded the individual thus dressed. Watkins and Bradley accordingly quitted the cabin together, and embarked in the man-of- war's boat, which instantaneously put off with them. “JI don’t like the look of all this at all,” said the Magsman to his companion in iniquity, when they were left alone together in the cabin of the Rogaf George. “ Watkins and Bradley guing off afong with each other in this mannes—eh?” said the Beggarman. “ Well, I don’t like it either.” “ Those two fellows have always stuck together like bricks from the very beginning,” observed the Magsman. “ And I’ve often seen em in earnest conversation together,” added the Big Beggarman. “ Bat after all there may be nothing wrong betwixt them t” “Well, I hope not. But wasn’t Watkins ina devil of a hurry just iow to lay to, even before the shot carried away our bowsprit?” said the Mageman a a _. ae — i. —— ae RE ~ Omens, * (COU DOO (CO