Show the two chaplains Ca plains by W CLARK RUSSELL copyright 18 coll er coper t 1897 by dodd CHAPTER VI continued pope instants ins tanti saw how it was a common place troublesome collision and he delivered these orders in a voice that rang like the notes of a bugle through the brig grindal take some hands and secure that fellow by his leave play in the seizing for the heave of the swell let go the t gallant hal yards man fore and main clew gar nets starboard fore and main braces sweat the yards fore and aft some hands out of the road where s mr costal here sir shouted the mate who tad followed the captain on deck with ia a few moments mr crystal get an arms chest up md serve out cutlasses and firearms I 1 mean to board that fellow hes been sent to provision us the arms chests had been stowed away very conveniently to hand as may be supposed in a little division in the called the lazaretto gained by a small hatch in the cabin deck thither crystal and some men rushed the cabin lamp gave them aught they came up with armfuls of cutlasses and a number of pistols and the two captains heading about ten armed men of their chew sprang from he rail into the strangers bow and with terrifying shouts along her decks drive the crew into the fok ale bellowed pope cut down all who re ast 1st the man who held the lantern on the quarter deck who had shouted unintelligibly who was incased in clothes which swelled him to the dl of a bull was undoubtedly he master of the little ship another man stood beside him probably the mate they remained stock still transfixed motionless as dead men while ane crew came storming to the quarterdeck forward with ye yelled pope flourishing his sword about the ears of the fat captain away with ye bawled crystal striking the mate a thump between the shoulders which set him running and amid cries and execrations and the stamp of feet and the laughter of men along the rail of the gypsy the whole of the crew nith the immense swelled captain among them were swept forward and tumbled into the forecastle through the little scuttle and battened down A few of the men were left on deck the kotlers followed captain pope and captain crystal down the companion hatch into the strangers living room A lamp of several tints of glass burned under the skylight un der the lamp at a square table per visible in the white luster that streamed downward sat a stout worn an in a hat with a large feather trembling round it and two immensely thick lengths of hair pale as hay lying in braids like upon her lack she held her fat hands clasped upon her lap and some fine rings flashed upon them pope took heed of this he made her one of his lofty bows and exclaimed good evening madame do you speak English 7 she stared at him motionless he knew a few words of Fren chand tried her ath that tongue she continued to stare at him pope though a pi rate was not a pickpocket and find ing the lady mute et irless and senseless with terror be cast his eyes at the rings upon her fengers and at a bright gold chain round her neck he put bis hand upon the rings instant ly the poor woman sent up an ear splitting shriek yet she remained seated though she tell back in her chair I 1 don t mean to hurt you said the captain but and grasping her wrist he dexterously drew the rings off her fengers pocketed them and with great agility whipped the gold chain over her hat these things the captain put into his pocket crystal came out ot the of the main and reported the contents so far as it was possible to gather by the light of the candle and the bull s eye be had discovered cheeses hams some casks of what he thought might prove hollands casks of moist sugar and many cases of tobacco ahe other cabins contained little that was useful or valuable pope went on deck the weather remained very dark and quiet a locked ves eel rolled softly on the long breathing of the sea with an occasional thump or 1 that was made soft and barm less by tenders the ten armed seamen who had tol lowed the two captains into the ves eel came lurching in twos and threes on to the quarterdeck and hung about the commander and his mate listen ing pope did not order them tor ward the crew ot this ship said be to crystal likewise the woman must be kept locked up till the horizon betwixt us they 11 be boarded and released I 1 m for having her stuff aboard us and herself well astern be fore the horizon opens to the sun and makes a picture of us two vessels tor halt a score of craft close by to won der ai you re right cap en shouted one of the seamen get these yards braced forward mr crystal said pope I 1 leave you in charge here he went quickly forward into the bows listened attentively but no sound proceeded from the imprisoned men below then in a leap or two he gained the deck of his own brig CHAPTER VII the blaak flag the pirates worked with a will by daybreak all the cargo was trans shipped it had been a hard night s task but the men had toiled with des will so eager were they to get clear of the plundered craft before the light of heaven shone upon the sea the fog rolled away before the breaking splendor in the east and the sea opened fair and blue the sian brig lay lashed alongside but with fenders between when the ves sels were released the gypsy off to the impulse of the faint air that stirred her jibs and topsails and when she had floated a distance of ten times her own length they brought her to a stand a boat was lowered and captain crystal and five pirates went on board the plundered ship to leave her in such trim as would not excite the suspicion of the passing mariner unless he came very close and hailed her drive the crew into the foks lel men the five rogues and their mate crystal entered their boat and rowed toward the gypsy which lay athwart with her head at south ine e was a single cabin window in the stem of the snow and when they had got it in view they saw it was open a heavy glazed frame and the woman stood in the middle of it like a picture ope was looking through his glass at the woman in the window I 1 did cot notice that window in her cabin said he to crystal while the men were hoisting the boat wat does she saya it I 1 was a prussian I 1 could tell yer pope answered crystal our leaving that ship afloat and the people in her to be rescued and to tell their story proves jonathan that we are new to our trade says pope grimly the old red pawed wolf after sacking her would have sunk her and all she contained living and dead but I 1 am determined to carry out my scheme says he with one of his arch looks as politely as possible and you know I 1 ve been praying while youve been away that we may have the luck to fall in with one of duncan s or peterson s ships these had been among those whom he and crystal had served and peter son was the man who had made prom aises of command to crystal which he did not keep crystal ground his teeth all the morning was passed in stow ing away the plunder and repairing the trifling damages aloft shortly after eight bells noon the prussian brig was on the horizon and a large ship was apparently heading for her pope watched them with curiosity ehte large ship passed the brig and galled on and by two clock the alun dered vessel was out of sight the gypsy was held to her course of west by south and no notice was taken of the ships in sight not likely that pope would plunder in the sight of help he wanted darkness or a lonely sea girdle in the afternoon pope and the other captain walked the deck together and talked over their plans and hopes the seamen in various parts of the brig loafed and lounged and some at tended to such trifling jobs ag the boatswain put them to and all of them smoked to a man I 1 should like to know said crys tal taking pope cigar from his hand to light his pipe afresh with it it youve got any more fixed and clear ideas as to the division and the se curing every man to the plunder hie whack for he stuttered suppose I 1 am to take up a thousand pound A plague on your modesty inter rooted pope five thousand pound then cried cryetial shouting the words with some momentary emotion of excitement how do you propose that I 1 m to deal with that lump of metal so as to bring it off without being challenged tried and hanged pops sat down on the skylight and his square companion seated 1 eildo him I 1 qi ftp with you says pope that burying chemes ought not to be entertained III not lightly hazard what it will have kept my neck in jeopardy to get but should not the gg hist be laid beacie we talk of upon ita A b it consider this exclaimed cretal glancing at the fellow at the helm who was trying to overhear them you re going to cruise in such degrees for a certain ship she ap pears on a sudden pope rolled up his eyes with a devotional look we board her find as much treasure as will satisfy us again pope looked up to heaven and the man at the wheel catching the word treasure strained his neck and so youve got your egg continued crystal in a of speaking all in a minute sno id not the hatching of it have been settled 9 As soon as weve got what we want you and me II 11 wish to go clear As fast as we can storm through it answered pope then sir we ought to have our plans cut and dried now that we are heading for the spaniard s course crystal said burying a dark ended stump of forefinger in the bowl of hie pipe and going to tha side to spit into the sea pope smiled at his square vigorous figure and on his returning said the scheme I 1 m disposed to fix upon is this we shall doubtless fall in with a small vessel of handy size aft er we have looted the spaniard you will take charge and I 1 will man her with a few of the best of our people we will sail in company till we come to the place that s agreed upon by hands we will then transfer our share of the booty to your vessel and I 1 shall surrender the brig and the men s share of plunder remaining in her to them what de saya asked pope with a twinkle in his eye that was like a raindrop trembling in a breeze crystal s face worked with the chewing of the cud of thought he said when I 1 take charge of the other vessel all the plunders to be left aboard herec till we come to an agreed place answered pope it is a scheme said he with a shrug seeing alon in the square man s countenance I 1 m or sailing right away tor the coast of cumberland and smuggling my money ashore we may make an other oak job of it arid the risks that he added tossing his hand to snap his finger and where will this brig goa the crew must settle that will those you give me for a corn pany like to be separated from their money they may take it says pope to be continued |