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- 5020
- extracted_at
- 2026-01-30T20:48:05.591Z
- extracted_by
- structure-extraction-lambda
- start_line
- 4929
- text
- “What think you, Israel, do they know who we are? Let me have the
glass.”
“They are dropping a boat now, sir,” replied Israel, removing the glass
from his eye, and handing it to Paul.
“So they are—so they are. They don’t know us. I’ll decoy that boat
alongside. Quick—they are coming for us—take the helm now yourself, my
lion, and keep the ship’s stern steadily presented towards the
advancing boat. Don’t let them have the least peep at our broadside.”
The boat came on, an officer in its bow all the time eyeing the Ranger
through a glass. Presently the boat was within hail.
“Ship ahoy! Who are you?”
“Oh, come alongside,” answered Paul through his trumpet, in a rapid
off-hand tone, as though he were a gruff sort of friend, impatient at
being suspected for a foe.
In a few moments the officer of the boat stepped into the Ranger’s
gangway. Cocking his bonnet gallantly, Paul advanced towards him,
making a very polite bow, saying: “Good morning, sir, good morning;
delighted to see you. That’s a pretty sword you have; pray, let me look
at it.”
“I see,” said the officer, glancing at the ship’s armament, and turning
pale, “I am your prisoner.”
“No—my guest,” responded Paul, winningly. “Pray, let me relieve you of
your—your—cane.”
Thus humorously he received the officer’s delivered sword.
“Now tell me, sir, if you please,” he continued, “what brings out his
Majesty’s ship Drake this fine morning? Going a little airing?”
“She comes out in search of you, but when I left her side half an hour
since she did not know that the ship off the harbor was the one she
sought.”
“You had news from Whitehaven, I suppose, last night, eh?”
“Aye: express; saying that certain incendiaries had landed there early
that morning.”
“What?—what sort of men were they, did you say?” said Paul, shaking his
bonnet fiercely to one side of his head, and coming close to the
officer. “Pardon me,” he added derisively, “I had forgot you are my
_guest_. Israel, see the unfortunate gentleman below, and his men
forward.”
The Drake was now seen slowly coming out under a light air, attended by
five small pleasure-vessels, decorated with flags and streamers, and
full of gaily-dressed people, whom motives similar to those which drew
visitors to the circus, had induced to embark on their adventurous
trip. But they little dreamed how nigh the desperate enemy was.
“Drop the captured boat astern,” said Paul; “see what effect that will
have on those merry voyagers.”
No sooner was the empty boat descried by the pleasure-vessels than
forthwith, surmising the truth, they with all diligence turned about
and re-entered the harbor. Shortly after, alarm-smokes were seen
extending along both sides of the channel.
“They smoke us at last, Captain Paul,” said Israel.
“There will be more smoke yet before the day is done,” replied Paul,
gravely.
The wind was right under the land, the tide unfavorable. The Drake
worked out very slowly.
Meantime, like some fiery-heated duellist calling on urgent business at
frosty daybreak, and long kept waiting at the door by the dilatoriness
of his antagonist, shrinking at the idea of getting up to be cut to
pieces in the cold—the Ranger, with a better breeze, impatiently tacked
to and fro in the channel. At last, when the English vessel had fairly
weathered the point, Paul, ranging ahead, courteously led her forth, as
a beau might a belle in a ballroom, to mid-channel, and then suffered
her to come within hail.
“She is hoisting her colors now, sir,” said Israel.
“Give her the stars and stripes, then, my lad.”
Joyfully running to the locker, Israel attached the flag to the
halyards. The wind freshened. He stood elevated. The bright flag blew
around him, a glorified shroud, enveloping him in its red ribbons and
spangles, like up-springing tongues, and sparkles of flame.
- title
- Chunk 1