The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 169: what you’re looking at

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

THE SKELETON CREW OR, WILDFIRE NED. —_ 163 ee ee “She is mine! she is mine!” he said, with savage oaths. ‘Make way there on your lives |”? The good, simple citizens, supposing that Phillip Redgill was a well-disposed and gallant person, who, at the risk of his own life among the terrible crew, had rescued an innocent girl, made way for him to the right and Jeft, and even cheered him, “ Hold, villain, hold!”’ said Ned Warbeck, dashing towards Phillip Redgill. Redgill stood stock still as if beheld a spectre. “Ned Warbeck,” he gasped, path! Make way, fool, or die !” “Stir but another inch with your precious bur- den,” said Ned Warbeck, with a determined oath. “Stir buf an inch farther this way, and my sword to the hilt shall be buried in your craven carcase !” With wild-looking eyes and dishevelled hair, almost on end with unnatural fright and alarm, Phillip Redgill was about to drop the insensible girl from his arms, when, with a sudden spring, and a gleaming sword, Ned Warbeck plucked her from his grasp. A terrible hand to hand conflict now took place between these two hereditary enemies, ‘It seemed as if all the hatred of their forefathers had gathered in the hearts of these two fierce opponents. Garnet and Bob Bertram would have rushed to Ned’s assistance ; but said Ned Warbeck, in tones of confidence— “Away, friends, away! leave the affair to me! Do you and your followers storm the Block House, and Jet not one of the villains escape. Away, I say! Jet no one interfere! Make a ring, good citizens, and see fair play ; I ask nothins more !” “Give the poor girl to me, my brave lad,” chorused a score of voices ; “you cannot fight with her burden in your arms.” “Never fear, good people,” said Ned, “ whether I live or die, this poor girl shall never leave my embrace while I have power to protect her.” With the ferocity of two tigers Redgill and young Warbeck ‘commenced the duel, surrounded as they were by a numerous company of breathless spec- tators. Again and again they cut and thrust at each other with ferocious violence, ; Redgill had the advantage of weight, height, and reach, independent of net holding any burden. But Ned Warbeck was confident and bold. Again they approached to dangerous nearness, and each moment seemed as if it would decide the combat. i But Ned Warbeck was fully aware of his oppo- nent’s cunning, and treated his cowardly thrust with a loud laugh of contempt. Once or twice it seemed ag if Redgill really in- tended to murder Ellen Harmer as she unconsciously clung to the brave youth her protector, In Icoking after her safety, therefore, Ned War- beck ‘often missed excellent opportunities for wounding: Redgill seriously. On the otler hand, however, Ned Warbeck was falling weak, and he received several slight cuts in the arms and legs. Redgill, thinking that he had his antagonist safe, andneed not fear his repeated thrusts, stepped still closer. This was what Ned Warbeck had long wanted him to do, but had so disguised his wish that Redgill could not understand the trick. ‘Tl play with you no longer,” said Redgill, with a laugh of triumph. “You have ever been a snake in my path; now, Ned Warbeck; die like a dog !” With a shout of derision, and with eyes glaring he had suddenly “again across my in deadly hate aud rage, he rushed wpon Ned, and a terrible struggle ensued. With the stroke of Vulcan, young Warbeck struck down Redgill’s sword point, and at the same moment Phillip Redgill fell to the earth with a loud groan, Ned Warbeck’s sword had been buried to the hilt in Phillip’s body, A loud shout applauded this unexpected stroke of good-fortune. ‘* Brave lad !” “Hurrah for Wildfire Ned !” “Good luck to you, young Warbeck !”’ resounded on all sides. With an elastic!stride, and his sword still drippiog with Phillip Redgill’s blood, Ned Warbeck strode through-the applauding crowd, still bearing in his arms the form of Ellen Harmer, and took her to a house near by, that restoratives might be admin- istered to her. But while this was taking place, let us return to Lieutenant Garnet and his men. Many of them had wildly rushed at the walls and gates, but were unable to force them. For Death-wing and his party, finding that they themselves were in turn attacked by the citizens, made superhuman exertions to escape from the trap into which they had unconsciously fallen. Instead, therefore, of Death-wing slaying all he met with in the huge Block-house, he made friends with all Captain Jack’s men that remained unhurt, and they prepared for a terrific resistance to the armed citizen patrol outside, who were making fruitless efforts to break down the heavy, massive wooden stockade which surrounded the immense yard of the Block-House. They kept up a galling fire upon the citizens with guns, pistols, stones, bricks, and whatever came to hand, from the wipdows and roof. Several of the citizens had been killed or wounded long before Ned Warbeck and his friends had arrived on the scene, When, however, Ned was engaged in the deadly duel with Phillip Redgill, Lieutenant Garnet, like an old and experienced sailor, soon changed the whole aspect of affairs, and cheered on his men. He took the entire command, re-invigorated their efforts, and completely altered the mode and direc- tion of attack. He was an able leader, and the consequences of his appearance were soon perceptible in ‘the develop- ment of events. The force immediately beneath the walls, and secure from the shots of the Skeleton Crew, were reinforced, and in so cautious a manner, that the Skeleton Crew were entirely ignoraat of their in- creased strength in that quarter. Creeping as they did from place to place, now lying prone and silent to the ground, in utter im- mobility ; now rushing, 4s circumstances prompted, with all rapidity, they put themselves into cover, crossing the intervening space without the loss of a man. Having thus gathered in force beneath the walls of the Block House, the greater number, while the rest watched, proceeded to gather up in piles, as they had begun to do before, immense quantities of the dry pine trash and the gummy turpentine wood which the neighbourhood readily afforded. This they clustered in thick masses around the more accessible points of the wooden walls. The first intimation which the garrison had of this proceeding was a sudden gust of flame, blazing first about the gate of the area, on one side of the Block-house, then rushing from point to point with MICLOOO SHoCO