FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132  
133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   >>   >|  
ained. The liquid was deliciously cool, and of that peculiar acid and slightly bitter flavour that seems so ineffably refreshing when one is parched with fever. "Another yet, senor?" asked Pedro, with a laugh, as I handed the glass back to him. "Well--n-o--not just now, I think, thank you," answered I. "And now, Pedro, my boy, tell me about this ship and her captain, and how I came to be here." "That is easily done, senor," answered the lad. "In the first place, the brigantine is named the _Francesca_ after my mother; she hails from Havana; and is commanded by my father, Don Fernando de Mendouca; and you were brought here by him, when he found you lying apparently dead upon the deck of the _Requin_ after your people had been driven off and compelled to beat a retreat." "_What_?" I exclaimed. "Driven off? Compelled to retreat?" "Certainly, senor," the lad answered proudly. "You surely did not seriously expect to capture all four of us with that paltry schooner of yours, and so small a force as you brought against us, did you?" "Well," I admitted, "I must confess that when I saw what we had to contend with, I had my doubts as to the issue. But then, you see, I was not the captain." "Your captain must have been _mad_ to have attacked us in broad daylight, as he did. And, indeed, he _seemed_ to be mad by the desperation with which he fought. I never saw anything like it in my life." "_You_?" I exclaimed again. "Do you mean to say that you took part in the fight?" "Certainly, senor; why not?" demanded Pedro haughtily. "True, I am very young; but I am strong. And I am bigger than the little officer who was fighting near you when the French sailor struck you down with the handspike." "Yes; that is very true," I agreed, knowing, from the lad's description, that he was referring to Freddy Pierrepoint. "So you were in the fight, and saw our captain, eh, Pedro? Can you tell me what became of him?" "He was shot--by one of our men, I believe; and I think he was killed, but am not quite sure. He was carried back into his own schooner by two of his men; and after the fight had lasted about two minutes longer a very handsome, light-haired officer appeared to take the command, and seemed to order a retreat; for your men steadily retired to their own vessel, and, fighting to the very last, cast her adrift, set the sails, and retired, hotly pursued by the _Requin_." "Phew!" exclaimed I; "we see
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121   122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132  
133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   147   148   149   150   151   152   153   154   155   156   157   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
captain
 

answered

 

exclaimed

 
retreat
 

Certainly

 

Requin

 

officer

 

brought

 

fighting

 

retired


schooner

 
desperation
 

bigger

 
fought
 
strong
 

demanded

 

haughtily

 

appeared

 

command

 

haired


lasted

 

minutes

 

longer

 

handsome

 

steadily

 
pursued
 

adrift

 

vessel

 

carried

 

agreed


knowing

 

handspike

 
French
 

sailor

 

struck

 

description

 

referring

 

killed

 

Freddy

 

Pierrepoint


easily
 
Francesca
 

mother

 

brigantine

 

peculiar

 
slightly
 

bitter

 
deliciously
 
liquid
 

flavour