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

afraid we shant catch him! These chaps have such long legs!'
`And so has the Dolphin long fins! We shall come along side of that rogue,
confound him, before morning, and you shall have the pleasure Fred of playing
commodore in her cabin, and take her into port.'
`If I thought so, I should feel better, but I am afraid he'll skulk away! See
sir, how he runs! From here, without a glass, I can see the white bone he
carries in his teeth, and the foaming wake he makes after.'
`Yes he sails like a bird on the wing. He has found out who we are, for the
smoke of the ships firing I have no doubt kept him from making us out
distinctly, especially as there were so many craft anchored about us with which
we were blended. But as soon, you saw, as we began to get down the harbor in
full sight he put about and run for it.'
`There goes a gun from the ship, and by the report it was shotted,' said the
officer of the deck coming aft. `They are firing at the schooner now she is
frightened off.'
`Yes. That is the way with these merchant-men,' answered Wordley, the young
captain, with a smile. `Her signal guns were not shotted, and so I supposed he
had no balls on board. But he was afraid to strike, and like a cowardly school
boy, contented himself with giving loud calls for help; and then as soon as he
leaves him, driven away by a more fearful antagonist, he throws stones at his
back. But never mind, the courage or cowardice of the merchantman has nothing to
do with the matter I have in hand. Catch that fellow I will before another
twenty-four hours are passed over my head.'
In about fifteen minutes we came so near the chase as to speak her; but as
Wordley would not delay he merely hailed as he passed after this manner:
`Chased in?'
`Yes, sir.'
`A pirate?'
`No doubt of it, sir. He hove in sight from the south at ten, and has chased me
ever since.'
`Do you know how many guns and the weight of metal he carries?'
`He has a forty-two on a pivot mid-ships, six side guns and about fifty men.'
`Very good.'
The next moment we were beyond hearing and merrily dashing on after this
sea-wolf.
CHAPTER II.
The schooner seeing us pass the merchant vessel and stand out after her, became
satisfied that we not only understood her character but were in pursuit; she,
therefore, as soon as she was satisfied with our intentions braced up sharp and
began to beat dead to windward. She already had had the advantage of us in the
wind, being, when we got outside, full a half mile to windward and at least
three and a half from us ahead.
`If he thinks he can eat his way into the wind and so get clear of us in that
way he is mistaken,' said Wordley, as he took his spy-glass from his eye after
observing the movement. `He finds that we can sail with him on a bowline, for he
has not gained a cable's length since we left the merchantman and now he is
going to see what he can do by making a hole with the end of his jib-boom in the
wind's eye! He knew well enough we should have over-hauled him before midnight
on this tack! I will keep on till I get him abeam which will be a couple of
miles further, and then see what the saucy Dolphin will do!'