The Boy Captain of the Black Swallow — page 30: what you’re looking at

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23 He would giadly have headed two or three points more southerly, which would have enabled him to give the brig a wider berth, but this would have brought him just so much nearer the frigate, which was __ steadily advancing. Ite could only steer a middle line, aud for this he trimmed his sails and laid his course, He had hardly got everything drawing freely on this course, when he saw the brig, which he wes closely watching, brace round and make sail, In two or three minutes afterwards she fired a gun to bring him to. Arthur stood calmly at his post, his hand upon the tiller, his eyes now upon the sails, now upon the brig, with a wide glance at the frigate. All was silence and order on board. very man remained quietly at his assigned station, and no other excitement was visible than what was apparent in their earnest glances at the enemy. Lhe schooner sailed well, ploughing up the white waves before her, and dashing them proudly aside from her path. The sun now vose slowly above the sea, and flung his light upon the scene. The frigate, sloop, and brig at the same moment set their colours. “There flies the Cross of St. George,” said Arthur, ‘‘Send up the Stars and Stripes. iuct us not fear to show them what we are.” The American flag was the next moment Waving at tue peak. The brig now fired a second gun, which was shotted, and the iren missile was seen ricocheting across their stern, casting a train of sprav into the air. : ‘We must bear their fire, and trust to our wings. Our nine-pounders will do us no good at this distance,” said Arthur. “The frigate has altered her course to meet us. Perhaps she may think we are coming aboard by-and- by with a cargo of provisions.” “How near shall we go toher, d’ you think ?” asked Ben. “We can’t give her more than two miles’ berth. We shall be sure to fall under her fire or the brig’s.” “T would rather steer more west and take tne brig’s shot,” said old Denwood. “So Il was thinking. The brig can only fire from her bow guns, unless she comes to, which would detain her, while the frigate can pour a broadside into us without altering her course, The safest way will be to run more westward and take the brig’s fire.” Arthur, therefore, luffed three points, and then, giving the helm to Jerry, turned to watch the smack in her efforts to escape. This little craft was already two miles distant, justin the act of passing Seguin to the east, and stretching away like a fleeting bird towards the main. The sloop-of-war had discovered her, and altered her course to intereept her. Arthur took his telescope, and was able to follow his little vessel and understand her situation. While he was looking and praying for her escape the sloop opened fire upon it, but the brave craft bounded on her way, TIE BOY CAPTAIN OF THE “BLACK SIALL on.” She will escape!” eried Dan. “JT fear not. The sloop is gaining on if,” said Arthur. “fhey will have te run her ashore.” “T hope none of our friends will be hurt, See; they bave changed their course. They find they can’t make Wiscasset* River, and are running for the beaen. My poor little ‘ Black Swallow’ will be lost to me, but it is lost in an honourable service, and I willingly surrender her.” “ Can the old man, ground ?” “She is nearit. Her sails shiver, and she eareens low to one side. They have beached her; I can see them—small as ants at this distance—-spring out,” * Do they fly up to the woods ?” asked Ben. ‘No; they linger.” “Jf me dere, massa,” said Jerry, “me run off purty quick to de wood to get out ob de shot, Hear how de sloop crack away at de poor smack.” “ There rises a smoke. The brave fellows have set her on fire!” cried Arthur, with mingled sadness and trinmph. ‘“ Well, sho couldn’t go in a better cause. She has done good service in the last day of her life.” The attention of the whole crew was now so much taken up with the fate of the smack that the brig had fired thrice over them, searcely without notice. The smokeof the burning ves- sel rose blue into the morning air, and the bright flames shot upwards, climbing the masts, and darting into the air like fiery serpents. 'The sloop hove to after firing a gun at the crew as they retired up the beach, and seemed to re- main watching the conflagration. In ten min- utes the masts fell, and a dense mass of pale grey smoke rose froin the beach, which gradu- ally floated away, and the “ Black Swallow” was no more. Arthur sighed as his glass gave him no further trace of his vessel. The brig was crowding sail after them, and every three minutes firing a bow-gun. “We must do everything to increase the dis- tance we have,” said Arthur. “If one of her shot strikes our mainmast we shall be taken. No—not taken! Should such an event as our being crippled take place, it is my determina- tion to scuttle the schooner and let her go to the bottom with her cargo. It is too valuable to the British for us to suffer if to fall into their hands. We will take to the boats, and all they shall have of us will be ourselves to make prisoners of war.” “They put in more powder now they have fired guns enough to find out our distance,” said Ben, drily. “No, L think they are gaining upon us, There, the frigate has woke up. We must now put our trust in God.” The frigate at this moment opened her fire. Every shot passed over the “ Arnold” witha roar like that of a hurricane. “We must not surrender,” said Arthur, you see her p'ain, Arthy?” asked “Tias she ‘most struck- the oO ElOOOKS aC cS nn} ©) (©)