"Ingraham, Joseph Holt - Rafael-The Twice Condemned" - читать интересную книгу автора (Ingraham Joseph Holt)

feeling it as he went, yet too much in a hurry to spare an inch of his canvass.
He is, too, running into danger, if he did but know it if he keeps that course.
Why in the deuce dont the fellow take in his larboard and studden-sails? There
is smoke and a flash! Hark, a gun!
`A signal for a pilot, I expect, sir,' answered the middy.
`They don't call pilots that way here, Fred,' responded the commander to the lad
with a smile. `Besides there is one standing out after her and is now within two
miles of her! There goes another gun!'
`And the pilot boat has tacked and putting back to harbor!' I said seeing with
surprise this movement; for I held a glass in my hand, by aid of which I could
see clearly both the boat and the ship; the latter being now about five miles
off.
`So she has and is scudding with a free sheet right before the wind, homeward. '
`And there goes another gun, sir,' exclaimed the middy.
`Yes, and if another is fired, they are minute-guns. Stand by to slip the cable
and make sail; for if she fires again, I shall run out and see what is the
matter.'
`There she yaws again nearly broadside too, sir,' said the next officer in
command, a passed midshipman, who came up from below on hearing the first gun
fired.
`And now I can see her colorsЧAmericanЧunion down in her rigging!' exclaimed the
commander.
`And there is a fourth gun,' cried the middy looking at his captain to catch his
eye, and in an attitude of one ready to spring forward to obey the expected
order.
`They are minute guns! Get the schooner under her canvass at once, Mr Ferris,'
called the lieutenant in command to the passed midshipman. Slip the cable! Loose
the foretopsail and set her jibs. Some of you aft here to the main halyards.
Lively men, lively!'
While he was giving his various orders in an animated tone, I was engaged in
looking at the ship with my glass, when I became all at once interested in what
appeared to be a new and unusual set of sails unfolding themselves to view over
her stern. But gradually I saw them develope themselves into the outlines of a
gib, fore-sail, top-sail, top-gallant-sail; then slowly appeared a
main-gaft-top-sail, and the proportions of a huge main-sail the next instant
followed; and, passing out of range of the ship, astern of, and behind which it
had hitherto hidden, stood visibly forth the rakish hull and top-hamper of a
`long, low, black schooner!'
My exclamation of surprise drew the young commander to my side.
`What is it?'
`A vessel in chace, I believe!'
`So there isЧa rascally pirate or may I never see Boston!' he exclaimed as soon
as he levelled his glass! Now my boys stir yourselves!' Uncle Sam expects every
man and boy to help catch that black hawk and pick his feathers. It is the very
cruiser I have heard of, as skulking about Cape Antonia three weeks ago, and
which I have wished to fall in with. She is not half a mile astern of the ship,
and unless we are lively she will board her right before our nose. YesЧthat
fellow is no better than he should be,' added the lieutenant taking a long and
close survey of the vessel through his glass. She is a regular buccaneer, and if
her skipper will only wait outside there until I can come up within hail of him,