Birds of Prey - Smith Wilbur - Страница 181
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"The bastards are in the forest behind us!" It was the Buzzard's voice again. "This way, my brave boys!" He was rallying them, and men came rushing up from the beach to join the defence. They ran full into the musket fire of their nervous fellows among the trees and fired back at them.
When Aboli reached the beach he found longboats drawn up, abandoned by their crews who had rushed away to answer the Buzzard's call to arms.
"Where do they keep their tools?" Aboli snapped at Jiri. "There is a store over there." Jiri led him to it at a run. The spades, axes and iron bars were stacked under an open lean-to shed. Aboli sheathed his cutlass and seized a heavy iron bar. The other three followed his example, then ran back to the beach, and fell upon the boats lying there.
With a few hefty blows they knocked in their bottom timbers, leaving only one unscathed.
"Come on! Waste no more time!" Aboli urged, and they threw down the tools and ran to the single undamaged boat. They thrust it out into the lagoon and tumbled aboard, grabbed an oar each and began to pull for the dark shape of the frigate, which was now emerging from the darkness as the flames of the burning forest lit her.
While they were still only a few oar strokes off the beach a mob of pirates poured out from the grove.
"Stop! Come back! "one shouted.
"It's those black apes. They're stealing one of the boats." "Don't let them get away!" A musket banged and a ball hummed over the heads of the men at the oars. They ducked and rowed the harder, putting all their weight into their strokes. Now all the pirates were firing and balls kicked spray off the water close at hand, or thumped into the timbers of the longboat.
Some of the pirates ran to the boats at the water's edge and swarmed into them. They pushed off in pursuit, but almost immediately there were howls of dismay as the water poured in through the shattered floorboards and the boats swamped and overturned. Few could swim, and the yells of rage turned to piteous cries for help as they splashed and floundered in the dark water.
At that moment the second explosion swept through the camp. It did even more damage than the first for, in response to his bellowed orders, the Buzzard's men were charging straight into the blast when it struck them.
"There's something to keep them busy for a while," Aboli grunted. "Pull for the frigate, lads, and leave the Buzzard to his kinsman the devil." al had not waited for the first explosion to shatter the night before he launched the &Hfireship. With all the men in the party helping, they dragged the hull down the beach. Relieved of her cargo, she was a great deal lighter to handle. They piled into her the bundles of cutlasses and the chest filled with loaded pistols.
They left Sabah to hold her and ran back to fetch the second vessel. The women ran beside them as they dragged it down to the water's edge and scrambled on board. Big Daniel carried little Bobby and handed him to Zwaantie when she was safely seated on the floorboards. Hal lifted Sukeena in and placed her gently in the stern sheets. He gave her one last kiss.
"Keep out of danger until we have secured the ship. Listen to Ned He knows what to do."
He left her and ran back to take command of the first boat. Big Daniel and the two birds, Sparrow and Finch, were with him, as were Althuda. and Sabah. They would need every fighting man on the deck of the frigate if they were to take her.
They pushed the boat out into the channel and as their feet lost the bottom they began to swim and steered her for the anchored frigate.
The tide was at high slack. soon it would turn and give them its help as they ran the frigate for the deep channel between the heads.
But first we have to make her ours! Hal told himself as he kicked out strongly, clinging to the gunwale.
A cable's length from the Golden Bough Hal whispered, "Avast, lads. We don't want to arrive before we're welcome. "They hung in the water as the boat drifted aimlessly in the slack of the tide.
The night was quiet, so quiet that they could hear the voices of the men on the beach and the tap and clatter of the frigate's rigging as she snubbed her anchor and her bare masts rolled, almost imperceptibly, against the blaze of the stars.
"Maybe Aboli has run into trouble, Big Daniel muttered at last. "We might have to board her without any diversion." "Wait!" Hal replied. "Aboli will never let us down."
They hung in the water, their nerves stretched to breaking point. Then came the sound of a soft splash behind them, and Hal turned his head. The shape of the second boat crept towards them from the island.
"Ned is overeager," Big Daniel said.
"He's only following my orders, but he must not get ahead of us."
"How can we stop him?"
"I will swim across to speak to him," Hal answered, and let go his hold on the gunwale. He struck out towards the other boat in a silent breaststroke that did not break the surface. Close alongside he trod water and called softly, "Ned!"
"Aye, Captain! "Ned answered as softly.
"There is some delay. Wait here and do not get ahead of us. Wait until you hear the first explosion. Then take her in and latch on to the frigate's anchor cable."
"Aye, Captain, "Ned replied, and looking up at the black hull Hal saw a head peering down at him over the side. The starlight glowed on Sukeena's honey-gold skin, and he knew he must not speak to her again or swim closer lest his concern for her affect his judgement lest his love for her quench the fighting fire in his blood, He turned and swam back towards the other boat.
As he reached its side and lifted his hand to grip the gunwale, the quiet night was shattered by thunder and the echoes that burst against the hills swept over the lagoon. From the dark grove, flames shot up into the night sky and, for a brief moment, lit the scene like dawn. In that illumination Hal saw every sheet and spar of the frigate's rigging, but there was no sign of an anchor watch or other human presence aboard her.
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