Captain Flanger was at the critical point in his operations, and he was too busy with the commander to give any attention to the negro, whom he regarded with the contempt begotten6 of his Southern education. Dave was intelligent enough to understand the situation accurately7, and he realized that it was rapidly becoming critical. He knew that Christy was unarmed, and that the 280 whole attention of the pirate was concentrated upon him, so that he could do nothing to help himself.
He knew also that if he attempted to leave the cabin to procure8 assistance, Flanger would shoot him with as little remorse9 as he would kill a coon in the woods. Watching his opportunity without trying to get behind the intruder till the decisive moment came, he sprang into the position he had selected in advance, and brought down the heavy head of the feather duster upon the temple of the privateersman.
Probably it was the shock quite as much as the force of the blow that brought down the steward's victim. But it was a heavy stroke, for the wood of the feather duster was split into many pieces, and the stumps10 of the feathers were scattered11 all over the table. The onslaught could not fail to be very confusing to the ideas of the intruder, and he seemed to be tangled12 up in the arm-chair in which he had been seated.
Captain Flanger was a man of stalwart proportions, and Christy realized that he was no match for him in a hand to hand encounter, even with the aid of the steward, for the ruffian would not fail to use his revolvers.
281 Dave was not satisfied with what he had done, and as his foe13 went over in the chair, he sprang upon him, and tried to wrest14 the pistol from his hand, and a struggle on the floor was begun, the result of which could not be foreseen. Christy took in the situation at a glance, and while the steward and his victim were rolling and writhing15 on the floor, he darted16 into his stateroom, the door of which had been open all the time, and took his heavy revolvers from the drawer where he kept them, charged for immediate17 use.
When he rushed back to the cabin, Flanger had got the better of his foe, and had risen to his feet, with his grasp upon the throat of the steward. Then he hurled18 him from him with a vigorous movement with his left hand, while he raised the right with the evident intention of shooting him. The commander saw the imminent19 peril20 of Dave; he took a hasty aim and fired before the intruder had time to do so. He was a good shot with the navy revolver, for he had taken lessons and practised a good deal with the weapon.
He had aimed at the head of Flanger, and he saw that he had hit him, for his face was instantly covered with blood. He did not think it necessary 282 to fire a second shot, but he was careful not to let the opportunity pass by if it was needed to reduce the privateersman to subjection. Flanger dropped his weapon instantly, and Dave as instantly picked it up. It was clear to Christy then that the battle had been fought and won, though the defeated party had another revolver in his pocket.
In spite of his claim that he was a religious man, he indulged in a volley of profane21 language which made the commander's blood run cold in his veins22. His right hand, from which he had dropped one of his revolvers, was pressed upon his nose, as though this organ was the seat of his injury. He stood behind the table, and continued to swear like a pirate in a passion. His face and his hand were absolutely covered with blood.
Both Christy and Dave kept their positions, each with a revolver in his hand, ready to finish the victim if he exhibited any symptoms of further violence. This was the tableau23 presented in the captain's cabin when the door was suddenly opened by the first lieutenant24, who rushed in, followed by the second lieutenant and Quartermaster Vincent. Mr. Flint had been on the quarter-deck, 283 and had heard the report of Christy's revolver when he fired. Calling Mr. Camden and the quartermaster, he has come to ascertain25 the cause of the fracas26; and the sight was certainly impressive when he entered.
"Any orders, Captain Passford?" asked the first lieutenant, as he saw that Christy appeared to be master of the situation.
"Stand by to secure that man," replied the commander, pointing at the wounded man behind the table. "He has a revolver in his left coat pocket."
The three officers promptly27 obeyed the order, and laid violent hands on Captain Flanger, Mr. Flint taking the weapon from his pocket. They seized him by the collar of his coat, and the executive officer held his left arm, with the handcuffs on the wrist. The victim of the affray still held on to his nose, though Mr. Camden took possession of the arm.
"You appear to be wounded, Captain Flanger?" said Christy, approaching the table.
"Wounded, you"—
The oaths and epithets28 he used need not soil our page; but the prisoner seemed to be suffering more from his wrath29 than from his wound.
284 "You have shot off by dose, you!"—groaned Flanger. "The ball welt straight through it."
"Then you are not dangerously wounded," added Christy. "I was afraid it had gone through your head."
"What's the trouble here, Captain Passford?" asked Dr. Connelly, presenting himself at the door of the cabin. "Didn't I hear the report of a firearm in this direction just now?"
"Very likely you did, if your hearing is good," replied Christy with a smile, for the large revolver, discharged in the small cabin, made a tremendous noise. "The gentleman behind the table, who is holding on to his nose, requires some of your professional skill. He was proceeding31 to capture the Bronx, and had gone to the point where you find him."
"I dol't walt any Yalkee surgeod at work od be," protested Captain Flanger, whose speech was badly affected32 by the injury to his nasal organ, or by the pressure he applied33 to it with his hand.
"You can consult your own inclination34 as to that, my excellent friend. I shall not force you 285 to be treated by him," added Christy, "But I must suggest that this farce35 has been carried far enough in my cabin."
"Farce! Do you cod36 this a farce?" demanded the wounded man indignantly. "You have shot off by dose!"
In fact, Captain Flanger seemed to be more disturbed at the accident to his proboscis37, than by the failure of his quixotic scheme to capture the Bronx. He was certainly a very good-looking man, and took good care of his person, as indicated by the care bestowed38 upon his hair and beard.
"The farce came to an end when you menaced me with death if I declined to sign the order you dictated39, and the steward played the first scene in the tragedy. I am sure it was a farce up to that time," replied Christy. "Mr. Flint, have the prisoner put in irons, and remove him to the quarters of the men forward. Give him a berthsack and a blanket, and place a hand to stand guard over him."
The executive officer sent Mr. Camden on deck for a pair of handcuffs and a couple of men to execute the order. Flanger still retained his 286 standing40 position behind the table, holding on to his nose, which continued to bleed very freely. The surgeon went over to him, and endeavored to obtain a sight of the mutilated member.
"Do!" exclaimed the patient. "You will take off what is left of by dose."
"As you please," replied the surgeon, as the second lieutenant returned attended by two stout42 seamen43.
"Remove the handcuff from his left wrist, and fit him out with a new pair," said Mr. Flint, who still held the left arm of the prisoner.
Mr. Camden took off the irons, for he had a key to them, and enclosed the wrist in the new pair. Then the two men were directed to take his right arm, which they did, and drew his hand from his nose. This act roused the ire of Flanger, and he began to struggle; but powerful as he was, the two seamen were too much for him, and he was fairly handcuffed. The second lieutenant was the officer of the deck, and he was sent back to his post of duty. Flanger's face was so covered and daubed with the gore44 from his wound that the 287 condition of his prominent facial member could not be determined45.
"I protest agailst this brutal46 treatmelt!" stormed the prisoner, as he continued to writhe47 in his irons. "I am a woulded plisoler!"
"I see you are; but you decline to permit the surgeon to dress your wound. I have no more time to fool with you, and the men will put you on a berthsack forward. If you want the surgeon to attend to your wound, you have only to say so."
"It is a bad wound though not a dangerous one," said Dr. Connelly, who had approached the victim of his own conspiracy48 near enough to obtain a view of the injured nose. "The ball has torn away the middle of the member, and it hangs in pieces from the wound."
"I have had enough of him; remove him to the quarters," added Christy.
"You took splendid aim, Captain Passford," said the surgeon, smiling.
"I did not aim at his nose, but at his head in a general way," replied the commander. "I fired in a hurry, and I meant to reach his brains, if he had any. Take him away; I am disgusted."
"The fortules of war are agailst me, Captail Passford; 288 but if you ever fall ilto my halds, I will cut your dose off cleal to your face," howled the prisoner, boiling over with wrath.
"Take him away!" added Christy with energy; and the two seamen dragged him out of the cabin, leaving only Mr. Flint, the surgeon, and the steward in the cabin. "Dave," he continued, stepping up to the last, and taking him by the hand, "you have behaved remarkably49 well, and I thank you for the good service you have rendered to me and the cause of your country."
"I done do what I thought was right, Captain Passford, though folks like that fellow think a poor nigger is no account," replied the steward, putting every tooth in his head on exhibition.
"Perhaps he will change his mind after this. If you have not saved my life, Dave, you have saved my self-respect, for your prompt action, quite as soon as it was prudent50 for you to act, redeemed51 me from any further submission52, and I expected to throw away my life rather than sign that order. I think he would not have killed me, for that would have blocked his game; but he would have wounded me in two minutes more. I thank you with all my heart, Dave, and I shall not forget what you have done."
289 "Thank you, Captain Passford," replied the steward.
"Sit down, take a seat, doctor, and I will tell you all about it. You may go forward, Dave, and report to me the condition of the prisoner," added Christy, as he seated himself at the table, and began to tell the story of the intruder's visit to his cabin.
He finished the narrative54, and the officers were discussing it when there was a knock at the door.
"Sail on the port bow, sir," reported a quartermaster.
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1
steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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industriously
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quills
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| n.（刺猬或豪猪的）刺( quill的名词复数 )；羽毛管；翮；纡管 | |
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cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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wielded
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| 手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的过去式和过去分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响） | |
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begotten
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| v.为…之生父( beget的过去分词 )；产生，引起 | |
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7
accurately
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| adv.准确地，精确地 | |
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procure
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| vt.获得，取得，促成；vi.拉皮条 | |
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remorse
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| n.痛恨，悔恨，自责 | |
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10
stumps
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| （被砍下的树的）树桩( stump的名词复数 )； 残肢； （板球三柱门的）柱； 残余部分 | |
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11
scattered
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| adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的 | |
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tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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foe
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| n.敌人，仇敌 | |
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wrest
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| n.扭，拧，猛夺；v.夺取，猛扭，歪曲 | |
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writhing
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| （因极度痛苦而）扭动或翻滚( writhe的现在分词 ) | |
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darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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immediate
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| adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的 | |
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hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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imminent
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| adj.即将发生的，临近的，逼近的 | |
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peril
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| n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物 | |
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profane
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| adj.亵神的，亵渎的；vt.亵渎，玷污 | |
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veins
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| n.纹理；矿脉( vein的名词复数 )；静脉；叶脉；纹理 | |
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tableau
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| n.画面，活人画（舞台上活人扮的静态画面） | |
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lieutenant
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| n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员 | |
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ascertain
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| vt.发现，确定，查明，弄清 | |
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26
fracas
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| n.打架；吵闹 | |
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promptly
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| adv.及时地，敏捷地 | |
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28
epithets
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| n.（表示性质、特征等的）词语( epithet的名词复数 ) | |
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29
wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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30
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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proceeding
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| n.行动，进行，(pl.)会议录，学报 | |
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affected
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| adj.不自然的，假装的 | |
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applied
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| adj.应用的；v.应用，适用 | |
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inclination
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| n.倾斜；点头；弯腰；斜坡；倾度；倾向；爱好 | |
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35
farce
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| n.闹剧，笑剧，滑稽戏；胡闹 | |
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cod
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| n.鳕鱼；v.愚弄；哄骗 | |
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proboscis
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| n.（象的）长鼻 | |
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38
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39
dictated
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| v.大声讲或读( dictate的过去式和过去分词 )；口授；支配；摆布 | |
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40
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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41
stanch
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| v.止住（血等）；adj.坚固的；坚定的 | |
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43
seamen
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| n.海员 | |
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44
gore
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| n.凝血，血污；v.（动物）用角撞伤，用牙刺破；缝以补裆；顶 | |
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45
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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46
brutal
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| adj.残忍的，野蛮的，不讲理的 | |
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47
writhe
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| vt.挣扎，痛苦地扭曲；vi.扭曲，翻腾，受苦；n.翻腾，苦恼 | |
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48
conspiracy
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| n.阴谋，密谋，共谋 | |
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49
remarkably
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| ad.不同寻常地，相当地 | |
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50
prudent
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| adj.谨慎的，有远见的，精打细算的 | |
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51
redeemed
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| adj. 可赎回的，可救赎的 动词redeem的过去式和过去分词形式 | |
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52
submission
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| n.服从，投降；温顺，谦虚；提出 | |
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53
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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54
narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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