Читать книгу Brethren of the Main - Рафаэль Сабатини - Страница 8

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Meanwhile the revelers below continued to make merry at their ease in the conviction of complete security. Even when their quarters were invaded and themselves surrounded by some thirty wild, hairy, half-naked men who, save that they appeared once to have been white, must have looked like savages, the pirates could not believe their eyes. Who could have dreamed that a handful of forgotten plantation-slaves should take so much upon themselves?

The half-drunken Spaniards, their laughter suddenly silenced, the song perishing on their lips, stared stricken and bewildered at the leveled muskets. And then from out of that pack of uncouth savages stepped a slim, tall fellow with light-blue eyes in his tawny face, eyes in which there was a light of wicked humor. He addressed them in excellent Spanish.

"You will save yourselves pain and trouble by considering yourselves my prisoners, and suffering yourselves to be quietly bestowed under hatches, out of harm's way."

"Por Dios la Virgen!" swore young Esteban Valdez, which did no justice at all to an amazement utterly beyond expression.

After that the rebels convict refreshed themselves with the good things in the consumption of which the Spaniards had been interrupted. To taste palatable Christian food after months, of salt fish and corn dumplings was in itself a feast to those unfortunates. It required all the firmness of which Mr. Blood was capable to prevent excesses. Dispositions were to be made against what must yet follow before they could abandon themselves to the full enjoyment of the fruits of victory, and those dispositions occupied some considerable portion of the night.

Soon after the sun had peeped over the shoulder of Mount Hillbay, one of Mr. Blood's sentries, who paced the quarterdeck in Spanish corselet and headpiece, a Spanish musket on his shoulder, announced the approach of a boat. It was Don Diego Valdez coming aboard with four great treasure-chests containing the ransom delivered to him at dawn by Governor Creed. Six men at the oars accompanied him.

Aboard the frigate all was quiet and orderly. She rode at anchor, her larboard to the shore, and the main ladder on her starboard side. Round to this came the boat with Don Diego and his treasure. Mr. Blood had disposed swiftly and effectively. The slings were ready, and the capstan manned.

Don Diego, stepping on to the deck alone and entirely unsuspecting, was promptly and quietly put to sleep by a tap over the head from a marlinspike efficiently handled by a one-eyed giant named Wolverstone. He was carried away to his cabin, whilst the treasure-chests, handled by the men he had left in the boat, were swiftly hauled aboard. Then the fellows who had manned the boat came up the ladder one by one, to be handled with the same quiet efficiency. Mr. Blood had a genius for these things and almost an eye for the dramatic. For dramatic now was the spectacle presented to the survivors of the raid ashore.

With Colonel Bishop at their head and gout-ridden Governor Creed sitting on the ruins of a wall beside him, they glumly watched the departure of the eight boats bearing the Spanish ruffians who had glutted themselves with rapine and murder and violences unspeakable. They were between relief at this departure of their remorseless enemies and despair at the wild ravages which, temporarily at least, had wrecked the prosperity and happiness of that little colony.