The Boy Captain of the Black Swallow — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHASE, to a ring in the floor, and then leaving him, he returned on deck again. “She heads §8.8.E.,” answered Ben, Arthur’s inquiry, as Jerry came up. “We must put her about at once. Stand by to tack ship,” eried Arthur, going forward where the seven prisoners were tied together upon the windlass ina row, their feet fastened beneath it by a round turn secured to the foremast. “No one is killed or wounded?” he said, in an inquiring tone. “No, sir, not one of us,” answered one of his party, “Nor the prisoners ?” : * They got too quick out of harm’s way,” responded another of the men, with a laugh. “Tam glad it has passed off so well,” said Arthur. “ Let two of you keep guard on these fellows, and the rest of you take your places at the lifts and braces. It is time we were put- ting back into the river. The dawn is breaking, and if we are seen here we may fall into the power of the cruisers.” The schooner tacked, and was soon driving along W.N.W., at five knots, close to the wind. The smack also put about, and kept along under her quarier to windward. The day was now slowly dawning in the east. Arthur watched with solicitude the increasing light upon the sky and sea; for if discovered he feared that he might not be able to effect his escape into the river. With Thurrel’s telescope ai his eye he kept a vigilant watch in the east and south, and as the light strengthened so that the sharp line of the horizon could be dis- tinguished, he saw appear in full range of his eye two large ships, one bearing E. by S., the other abeam in the southern board; while directly ahead of him, and between him and the entrance to the river, towered, through the morning haze, the tall canvas of a brig- of-war ! to ee CHAPTER XI, THE CHASE, LTHOUGH the sun had not yet risen, the A brightness of the dawn exposed the sea os and land to the eye almost with the dis- tinctness of day, Arthur, upon discovering the three vessels, as he swept his glass around the horizon, began to tuke a deliberate and close survey of each and their movements, that he might know how to act with reference to them. The ship eastward was a sloop of twenty guns, and about three miles and a half off. She was siandiny to the northward and the westward, and nearly in arange with the “ Arnold” and the smack, so that a continuous course would bring her in half an hour up with them, should they remain stationary. The brig to the west- ward and to the windward of him, beétween him and the mouth of the Kennebec, was, he bad no doubt, the same he had seen in the night passing him to leeward, He counted six guns 27 to a side. She was under her topsails only, and lay-to off the mouth, as if waiting for dawn to learn the cause of the firing heard during the night. When Arthur had finished his scrutiny of the three vessels by which he was surrounded, he turned his attention to the consideration of his peril, and on deciding upon the means of eseaping from his foe. He first called his men aft, and said to them, briofly : “My brave friends, you see that we have enemies around us, and that one of them lies direeily in our course. To attempt to fight, with our disadvantages, would be madness. We must, therefore, do our best to get away. If you will be quick to observe my orders, I think it possible we may get out of this trap. Though the mouth of the river is closed to us, there are the ports of Portsmouth and Boston open, My intention is to run for Boston. The wind is fair in the N.N.W. for us to lay a course, and I have no doubt we can work to windward of the frigate and keep it, as she ig now full four miles to leeward. The sloop-of-war we have nothing to fear from just now, as she is standing eastward. ‘Lhe brig will be our most dangerous opponent, As soon as she sees us begin to keep away and steer 8.S.W., we will fill away and crowd sailinchase. All then will depend on our good sailing.” The smack was then hailed and instructions given her to run to the westward of Seguin, and try to make Wiscasset; but if chased to drive ashore and set fire to her and escape into the interior. The skipper of the schooner, thus instructed, put about and darted off like a swallow in the direction of the port named. Her chance of reaching it was doubtful, as the sloop-of-war would probably chase, in which case it was easy to beach her and for the crew to escape. But Arthur did not like to risk his prize with her | valuable cargo in the attempt to reach the port, as he did not care to run the risk of wrecking her. He, therefore, determined on trying to make the port of Boston—indeed, it was his only alternative. Upon discovering the three vessels, in the dawn of the morning he was steering directly for the mouth of the river, from which he was about two miles and a half distant. Seguin bore N. by E. & mile and three-quarters, and to the north-west, four miles off, was Cape Small Point, with its low and sandy beach. Between the Cape and Seguin, and within half a mile of the latter, was the armed brig. Her distance from the prize was about two miles, near enough to reach her with a long eighteen. Arthur did not for some minutes perceive any indications that he was noticed by cither of the vessels. He himself, however, did not delay prompt action till he should have heen discovered. No sooner had he taken the bearings and courses than he gave orders to brace round, 60 as to bring the wind free abaft the beam, and taking the helm himself, he laid the schooner’s course south-west, CONNIE S (©)