westward ho-第94节

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〃Now；　then！〃　roared　Amyas。　　〃Fire；　and　with　a　will！　　Have　at　her；　archers：　have　at　her；　muskets　all！〃　and　in　an　instant　a　storm　of　bar　and　chain…shot；　round　and　canister；　swept　the　proud　Don　from　stem　to　stern；　while　through　the　white　cloud　of　smoke　the　musket…　balls；　and　the　still　deadlier　cloth…yard　arrows；　whistled　and　rushed　upon　their　venomous　errand。　　Down　went　the　steersman；　and　every　soul　who　manned　the　poop。　　Down　went　the　mizzen　topmast；　in　went　the　stern…windows　and　quarter…galleries；　and　as　the　smoke　cleared　away；　the　gorgeous　painting　of　the　Madre　Dolorosa；　with　her　heart　full　of　seven　swords；　which；　in　a　gilded　frame；　bedizened　the　Spanish　stern；　was　shivered　in　splinters；　while；　most　glorious　of　all；　the　golden　flag　of　Spain；　which　the　last　moment　flaunted　above　their　heads；　hung　trailing　in　the　water。　　The　ship；　her　tiller　shot　away；　and　her　helmsman　killed；　staggered　helplessly　a　moment；　and　then　fell　up　into　the　wind。

〃Well　done；　men　of　Devon！〃　shouted　Amyas；　as　cheers　rent　the　welkin。

〃She　has　struck；〃　cried　some；　as　the　deafening　hurrahs　died　away。

〃Not　a　bit；〃　said　Amyas。　　〃Hold　on；　helmsman；　and　leave　her　to　patch　her　tackle　while　we　settle　the　galleys。〃

On　they　shot　merrily；　and　long　ere　the　armada　could　get　herself　to　rights　again；　were　two　good　miles　to　windward；　with　the　galleys　sweeping　down　fast　upon　them。

And　two　venomous…looking　craft　they　were；　as　they　shot　through　the　short　chopping　sea　upon　some　forty　oars　apiece；　stretching　their　long　sword…fish　snouts　over　the　water；　as　if　snuffing　for　their　prey。　　Behind　this　long　snout；　a　strong　square　forecastle　was　crammed　with　soldiers；　and　the　muzzles　of　cannon　grinned　out　through　portholes；　not　only　in　the　sides　of　the　forecastle；　but　forward　in　the　line　of　the　galley's　course；　thus　enabling　her　to　keep　up　a　continual　fire　on　a　ship　right　ahead。

The　long　low　waist　was　packed　full　of　the　slaves；　some　five　or　six　to　each　oar；　and　down　the　centre；　between　the　two　banks；　the　English　could　see　the　slave…drivers　walking　up　and　down　a　long　gangway；　whip　in　hand。　　A　raised　quarter…deck　at　the　stern　held　more　soldiers；　the　sunlight　flashing　merrily　upon　their　armor　and　their　gun…barrels；　as　they　neared；　the　English　could　hear　plainly　the　cracks　of　the　whips；　and　the　yells　as　of　wild　beasts　which　answered　them；　the　roll　and　rattle　of　the　oars；　and　the　loud　〃Ha！〃　of　the　slaves　which　accompanied　every　stroke；　and　the　oaths　and　curses　of　the　drivers；　while　a　sickening　musky　smell；　as　of　a　pack　of　kennelled　hounds；　came　down　the　wind　from　off　those　dens　of　misery。　　No　wonder　if　many　a　young　heart　shuddered　as　it　faced；　for　the　first　time；　the　horrible　reality　of　those　floating　hells；　the　cruelties　whereof　had　rung　so　often　in　English　ears；　from　the　stories　of　their　own　countrymen；　who　had　passed　them；　fought　them；　and　now　and　then　passed　years　of　misery　on　board　of　them。　　Who　knew　but　what　there　might　be　English　among　those　sun…browned　half…naked　masses　of　panting　wretches？

〃Must　we　fire　upon　the　slaves？〃　asked　more　than　one；　as　the　thought　crossed　him。

Amyas　sighed。

〃Spare　them　all　you　can；　in　God's　name；　but　if　they　try　to　run　us　down；　rake　them　we　must；　and　God　forgive　us。〃

The　two　galleys　came　on　abreast　of　each　other；　some　forty　yards　apart。　　To　outmanoeuvre　their　oars　as　he　had　done　the　ship's　sails；　Amyas　knew　was　impossible。　　To　run　from　them　was　to　be　caught　between　them　and　the　ship。

He　made　up　his　mind；　as　usual；　to　the　desperate　game。

〃Lay　her　head　up　in　the　wind；　helmsman；　and　we　will　wait　for　them。〃

They　were　now　within　musket…shot；　and　opened　fire　from　their　bow…　guns；　but；　owing　to　the　chopping　sea；　their　aim　was　wild。　　Amyas；　as　usual；　withheld　his　fire。

The　men　stood　at　quarters　with　compressed　lips；　not　knowing　what　was　to　come　next。　　Amyas；　towering　motionless　on　the　quarter…deck；　gave　his　orders　calmly　and　decisively。　　The　men　saw　that　he　trusted　himself；　and　trusted　him　accordingly。

The　Spaniards；　seeing　him　wait　for　them；　gave　a　shout　of　joywas　the　Englishman　mad？　　And　the　two　galleys　converged　rapidly；　intending　to　strike　him　full；　one　on　each　bow。

They　were　within　forty　yardsanother　minute；　and　the　shock　would　come。　　The　Englishman's　helm　went　up；　his　yards　creaked　round；　and　gathering　way；　he　plunged　upon　the　larboard　galley。

〃A　dozen　gold　nobles　to　him　who　brings　down　the　steersman！〃　shouted　Cary；　who　had　his　cue。

And　a　flight　of　arrows　from　the　forecastle　rattled　upon　the　galley's　quarter…deck。

Hit　or　not　hit；　the　steersman　lost　his　nerve；　and　shrank　from　the　coming　shock。　　The　galley's　helm　went　up　to　port；　and　her　beak　slid　all　but　harmless　along　Amyas's　bow；　a　long　dull　grind；　and　then　loud　crack　on　crack；　as　the　Rose　sawed　slowly　through　the　bank　of　oars　from　stem　to　stern；　hurling　the　wretched　slaves　in　heaps　upon　each　other；　and　ere　her　mate　on　the　other　side　could　swing　round；　to　strike　him　in　his　new　position；　Amyas's　whole　broadside；　great　and　small；　had　been　poured　into　her　at　pistol…shot；　answered　by　a　yell　which　rent　their　ears　and　hearts。

〃Spare　the　slaves！　　Fire　at　the　soldiers！〃　cried　Amyas；　but　the　work　was　too　hot　for　much　discrimination；　for　the　larboard　galley；　crippled　but　not　undaunted；　swung　round　across　his　stern；　and　hooked　herself　venomously　on　to　him。

It　was　a　move　more　brave　than　wise；　for　it　prevented　the　other　galley　from　returning　to　the　attack　without　exposing　herself　a　second　time　to　the　English　broadside；　and　a　desperate　attempt　of　the　Spaniards　to　board　at　once　through　the　stern…ports　and　up　the　quarter　was　met　with　such　a　demurrer　of　shot　and　steel；　that　they　found　themselves　in　three　minutes　again　upon　the　galley's　poop；　accompanied；　to　their　intense　disgust；　by　Amyas　Leigh　and　twenty　English　swords。

Five　minutes'　hard　cutting；　hand　to　hand；　and　the　poop　was　clear。　The　soldiers　in　the　forecastle　had　been　able　to　give　them　no　assistance；　open　as　they　lay　to　the　arrows　and　musketry　from　the　Rose's　lofty　stern。　　Amyas　rushed　along　the　central　gangway；　shouting　in　Spanish；　〃Freedom　to　the　slaves！　death　to　the　masters！〃　clambered　into　the　forecastle；　followed　close　by　his　swarm　of　wasps；　and　set　them　so　good　an　example　how　to　use　their　stings；　that　in　three　minutes　more　there　was　not　a　Spaniard　on　board　who　was　not　dead　or　dying。

〃Let　the　slaves　free！〃　shouted　he。　　〃Throw　us　a　hammer　down；　men。　Hark！　there's　an　English　voice！〃

There　is　indeed。　　From　amid　the　wreck　of　broken　oars　and　writhing　limbs；　a　voice　is　shrieking　in　broadest　Devon　to　the　master；　who　is　looking　over　the　side。

〃Oh；　Robert　Drew！　　Robert　Drew！　　Come　down；　and　take　me　out　of　hell！〃

〃Who　be　you；　in　the　name　of　the　Lord！〃

〃Don't　you　mind　William　Prust；　that　Captain　Hawkins　left　behind　in　the　Honduras；　years　and　years　agone？　　There's　nine　of　us　aboard；　if　your　shot　hasn't　put　'em　out　of　their　misery。　　Come　down；　if　you've　a　Christian　heart；　come　down！〃

Utterly　forgetful　of　all　discipline；　Drew　leaps　down　hammer　in　hand；　and　the　two　old　comrades　rush　into　each　other's　arms。

Why　make　a　long　story　of　what　took　but　five　minutes　to　do？　　The　nine　men　（luckily　none　of　them　wounded）　are　freed；　and　helped　on　board；　to　be　hugged　and　kissed　by　old　comrades　and　young　kinsmen；　while　the　remaining　slaves；　furnished　with　a　couple　of　hammers；　are　told　to　free　themselves　and　help　the　English。　　The　wretches　answer　by　a　shout；　and　Amyas；　once　more　safe　on　board　again；　dashes　after　the　other　galley；　which　has　been　hovering　out　of　reach　of　his　guns：　but　there　is　no　need　to　trouble　himself　about　her；　sickened　with　what　she　has　got；　she　is　struggling　right　up　wind；　leaning　over　to　one　side；　and　seemingly　ready　to　sink。

〃Are　there　any　English　on　board　of　her？〃　asks　Amyas；　loath　to　lose　the　chance　of　freeing　a　countryman。

〃Never　a　one；　sir；　thank　God。〃

So　they　set　to　work　to　repair　damages；　while　the　liberated　slaves；　having　shifted　some　of　the　galley's　oars；　pull　away　after　their　comrade；　and　that　with　such　a　will；　that　in　ten　minutes　they　have　caught　her　up；　and　careless　of　the　Spaniard's　fire；　boarded　her　en　masse；　with　yells　as　of　a　thousand　wolves。　　There　will　be　fearful　vengeance　taken　on　those　tyrants；　unless　they　play　the　man　this　day。

And　in　the　meanwhile　half　the　crew　are　clothing；　feeding；　questioning；　caressing　those　nine　poor　fellows　thus　snatched　from　living　death；　and　Yeo；　hearing　the　news；　has　rushed　up　on　deck　to　welcome　his　old　comrades；　and

〃Is　Michael　Heard；　my　cousin；　here　among　you？〃

Yes；　Michael　Heard　is　there；　white…headed　rather　from　misery　than　age；　and　the　embracings　and　questionings　begin　afresh。

〃Where　is　my　wife；　Salvation　Yeo？〃

〃With　the　Lord。〃

〃Amen！〃　says　the　old　man；　with　a　short　shudder。　　〃I　thought　so　much；　and　my　two　boys？〃

〃With　the　Lord。〃

The　old　man　catches　Yeo　by　the　arm。

〃How；　then？〃　It　is　Yeo's　turn　to　shudder　now。

〃Killed　in　Panama；　fighting　the　Spaniards；　sailing　with　Mr。　Oxenham；　and　'twas　I　led　'em　into　it。　　May　God　and　you　forgive　me！〃

〃They　couldn't　die　better；　cousin　Yeo。　　Where's　my　girl　Grace？〃

〃Died　in　childbed。〃

〃Any　childer？〃

〃No。〃

The　old　man　covers　his　face　with　his　hands　for　a　while。

〃Well；　I've　been　alone　with　the　Lord　these　fifteen　years；　so　I　must　not　whine　at　being　alone　a　wh