The Skeleton Crew; Or, Wildfire Ned — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

xX 60 THE SKELETON CREW; OR, WILDFIRE NED. —— eee he seized a heavy blunderbuss, and filled up to the muzzle with powder and shot. This he slung on his back, and walked up and down the cave, thinking— ‘«Tt’s very nasty, dangerous work, attacking ships ; if this one Sea-hawk is going to capture to-night had been well-armed and manned by a stout crew, I shouldn’t a’ thought of rigging myself this way ; I should a’ fallen on to their decks, like a dead man, and let the smugglers fight it out their own way, and then joined the victors ; but if the ship is unarmed, and there is much gold on board, I want to throw dust into Sea-hawk’s eyes,and get as much as possible for my share; and then, when I have got the gold-dust, I shall hook it, for I know the way now into old Nettle’s place up through that trap-door,”’ Tim tried to look very fierce, and smoked a pipe to keep down his fearful feelings, But he looked like a walking arsenal more than anything else, and could scarcely move with the immense weight girt about him. From time to time as night closed in, word was passed from the watchers outside that the ‘‘ Sea Spray” was gradually approaching, When first he heard this report, Tim pretended to be overjoyed, and very anxious to encounter the stranger and show the smuggler band what a courageous fellow he was, But when Sea-hawk at last gave the order for all his men to make ready to start out on the expedi- tion, Tim’s heart began to flutter and to beat very loudly. He took a good draught of rum, however, and, as well as he could, got into the boat, When all had assembled at the mouth of the cave, Sea-hawk called the six boats’ crew together and gave them his final instructions. Three of the boats with muffled oars, under the Dolphin’s command, was to go on some little distance ahead, and creep through the dense fog unseen, so as to attack the stranger on the wind- ward side. Sea-hawk, with the other three boats, would fol- low, and at the same time assail the ‘‘Sea Spray” on the leeward side. At a given signal the boats put off towards the doomed ship, which had been suddenly becalmed opposite the smugglers’ cave, It could ‘just be seen through the thick fog, and Sea-hawk was delighted with the prospect of its specdy capture. ‘We'll make short work of it,’ said the chief to Tim, in a jolly tone, ‘‘T believe you,” Tim replied, in a soft voice, with a ghastly attempt at a smile. Onwards the] boats’ crews rowed in dead silence. In a short time they came within full view of the dark sides of the vessel, as, like an ominous object, it loomed out through the dense mists, The first three boats had got round to the other side of the vessel, and were waiting for Sea-hawk’s signal, This was soon given, With a loud shout the smugglers’ boats pulled towards the vessel. ‘‘ Let one man remain with each boat,” said the chief, ‘‘ while all the rest board the craft.” “ T’ll do that,” said Tim, eagerly. ‘No you won’t,” said the chief; “you are to be the first man to board the ship, Here we are ; up you go,” said Sea-hawk, shoving Tim up the ship's side with so much violence that Tim fell over the bulwarks, Tim was awfully scared, for he expected to be shot or stabbed the instant he reached the deck. Judge of his happiness, then, when he discovered there was not a single soul on deck. | Perceiving this, and before any of his comrades could clamber up, he began cutting, and slashing, and swearing at imaginary foes, stamping his feet, and hacking at old empty barrels, with such a ven- geance and so much noise as to make every one believe that he was at the moment performing prodigies of valour. : ‘Die! down! surrender, villains!” he roared. And the more he shouted, the more he cut and hacked right and left, without meeting with a foe, except a cow and a few sheep on board, which he slaughtered unmercifully in a few seconds. When the smugglers leaped upon the deck, they were astonished at not meeting with or finding any opposition, " Tim was puffing and blowing, as if wearied and exhausted with his terrific efforts, and pointed to the hatchway, shouting, ‘‘ T have beaten the villains ten to one ; they are down the hatchway; down after them, my hold boys, down after them !” Perceiving blood on his sword, the smugglers be- lieved what he said, and therefore rushed down into the hold of the ship, sword in hand, bent on slaughter. Tim was immensely tickled that he had earned the reputation for valour so cheaply, and thanked his stars Sea-hawk believed him, While Tim was alone on the deck, however, he suddenly heard unearthly shouts, screams, oaths, and the like, proceed from the hold of the ship. “ What's all that?”’ thought Tim, trembling in every limb. ‘I wonderif they have found out any one. I didn’t see any of the crew.” He was not left long in suspense. There issued from the hold, the cabin, and the forecastle of the ship a band of skeletons, sword in hand, Tim, at the first sight of them, fell on his knees, and then slipped into an empty water-barrel that was near by. From this place he could perceive all that passed. The Smuggler Chief had been deceived ; and so had Dolphin, But how and by whom neither of them could tell. Instead of boarding the East Indiaman, they ae themselves on the decks of the Phantom Ship The confusion, uproar, and clanging of arms that now ensued were dreadful. Sea-hawk, Dolphin, and the rest of the bold smugglers, fought like demons. ‘To the boats ! to the boats |’? shouted Sea-hawk above the din of battle. All his men endeavoured to fight their way back again to the boats as directed by the chief, But their retreat was cut off, The Skeleton Crew, infuriated against their old enemies, the smugglers, fought with desperation. Pistol-shots scattered about the decks like hail- stones, and Tim, unfortunate as ever, had the misery to find that more than one stray bullet struck the cask in which he was hiding,.and grazed his body and legs; but beyond a few scratches he escaped unhurt, Sea-Hawk, as brave as a lion, fought long and desperately with the grim crew ; but many of his men were dying and wounded around him, ‘To the boats! to the boats!” he again shouted. Many of his followers did not need this second Se ee, michboo S (E(0) (E(0) im