“Oh!” she exclaimed, “I’m glad it’s you. I thought--” But she left her sentence unfinished. We knew what she meant, and the pistol was not a weapon for offence. It was her last defence, and the thought of the girl waiting with it in her hand gave me a turn. We hurried up the ladder while she called after us, asking if her father was all right.
The blackness on the poop was lit up by Gull’s lantern, and we saw a sight that made us grip our weapons. A confused mass of men were closed in desperate combat, cutting, thrusting, hacking2, and clutching at each other in the darkness. Guided by Hawkson’s voice, we soon made out the mate, surrounded by a crowd of the black devils from 281the beach and several of our own men. By his side was Hicks and the sailor, Ernest, all hewing3 away at the press about them. Several bodies lay beneath Hawkson’s feet, telling of the old fighter’s desperate sword-play.
A little farther on, with his back against the mizzen, stood Howard, his bare poll shining in the light of Gull’s lantern, showing the perspiration4 pouring down over his face, his eyes steady and shining like glass beads5, his cutlass dripping in his right hand, and an empty pistol in his left. He was hard at it with Martin and Shannon, both of whom pressed him sorely, in spite of Yankee Dan’s help.
Henry was engaging Anderson and Gus at his side, and the forms of two men lying between the old captain and Martin told of the Scot’s and Shannon’s deadly work. Shannon had cut down one and Martin had put a man out of the way as we rushed up.
The fight now waxed hotter. The barque, being without any one at the wheel, luffed slowly into the breeze until her foreyards were aback and she gathered sternway. The cracking of the slatting canvas added to the noise of the yelling men, and for a time there was chaos6 on the poop.
Instinctively7 Gull and myself rushed to Howard’s side. The old fellow was wary8 and quick, warding9 282off the furious onslaughts of the long skipper with a skill and strength that was amazing. He had his old cutlass ahead of him, sword fashion, and he hopped10 about that deck like some horrible old monkey, laughing now and again in his high, cackling voice, as he lunged and stabbed with a catlike quickness. Even the long skipper’s giant strength was powerless to force his guard for a few moments, but, as we fell upon the long rascal11, we were met by Martin, who came in furiously, yelling like a demon12.
“Hoot, ye dogs! Stand out an’ die! Stand out an’ die like true Christian13 men!” he bawled14, and as he did so he struck fiercely with a cutlass.
Jennings, Pat, and Holmberg had gone against us, and I caught a glimpse of them in the crush about Hawkson, as I circled about Shannon, trying to get within his guard, while he made long, full-arm sweeps as he advanced that kept us busy getting out of his way. Only Howard seemed to be able to stand and yet clear them.
Curtis, Jorg, and Bill had fallen upon the crowd pressing about the mate, and now some of the black pirates left the press there and came to Shannon’s aid. One of these sprang within the guard of the trader and smote15 him heavily. Then he dodged16 back again as Gull pressed him, cutting him again and again with lightning-like strokes, his cutlass-blade 283glinting like a flash of flame in the light of the lantern set upon the companion slide.
Shannon came steadily17 on. Yankee Dan reeled and struck out wildly. A pistol flashed somewhere in the night, and he pitched forward under the long man’s feet.
Everything now was mixed. A grinning black face showed before me, and I cut at it with all my power. A hoarse18 scream from the Doctor told me that the blow had hit hard, although there seemed little resistance to the blade. The rascally19 cook had evidently joined the mutiny, and had gotten his deserts. At the same time I did not stop to argue the question of right or wrong. I had been gulled20 into joining the ship, and had no reason to love her or her officers, yet, when it came to standing21 by her, there was no thought of shirking.
Had Martin been a different kind of a rascal, he might have approached me, but he had judged rightly that I had no use for him as a leader, and he had ironed me for future consideration, not wishing to part with any more men than necessary on the short-handed ship. He might have knifed me and tossed me over the side just as easily.
The death of Yankee Dan appeared to madden Martin. He roared and cursed and swung a vicious stroke at Gull. Then seeing me, his rage broke forth22 in a torrent23 of oaths. He made a cut at me 284and missed. I stabbed him savagely24 in the ribs25, my point hitting him hard, for I had to jerk it clear. He roared and rushed in upon me, followed by Shannon, and I was beaten backward to the poop-rail. In vain did Howard and Gull cut and lunge at the long villain26. Shannon beat their weapons down, and came upon me, with the wounded Scot at his side, now silent with pain and with the weakness of his hurt. I fought with despairing energy, but received a blow on my shoulder that almost made me drop my cutlass. The long villain took a stride nearer to me, and Martin stabbed me in the leg, as I frantically27 drove his point downward from my breast. I was hard pressed, and for an instant it seemed that I could not escape. The rail struck me in the small of the back, and I brought up against it. I had reached the limit. Then Bill did a thing that makes me believe in the honesty and nobility of men. It was not what might have been expected from a member of that crew, but it was more than even the duty of a friend, and we had once fought against each other.
Gull smote Jennings so sorely that he fell back and opened the way to Martin. Like a flash the second mate sprang in just as the wounded, but still wary, Scot stabbed me, and he struck him so savagely that he went staggering to one side. Pat and a black fellow pressed Howard, and Shannon 285whirled up his blade to make a finish of me when Bill sprang between and closed.
Howard thrust the Irishman through the body, and, as his cackling laugh broke out, the fellow fell heavily, striking Shannon’s legs behind at the knee joints28. The impact of Bill in front brought all three to the deck, where they rolled into a struggling, kicking mass in the darkness.
As quickly as possible, Gull and myself sprang in to finish the long skipper before Bill was done for, but it was too late. The tall scoundrel arose almost instantly to his feet and sprang clear of our thrusts, leaving Bill lying stark29 dead upon the deck. He had died to save me, poor sailorman though he was, and, as I stepped over his bleeding body, I could hardly repress a sob30 that rose in my throat. John, Gilbert, Anderson, and Heligoland, with six of Cortelli’s black scoundrels, had by this time pressed Hawkson, Ernest, and Hicks so hard that even the aid of Curtis and Jorg availed them but little. In the general mix-up, the carpenter had received a blow over the head with a dull cutlass, which had rendered him insane for a time. I saw him rushing forward, screaming, but gave him no other thought, while I went for Shannon, determined31 to avenge32 poor Bill.
Nearly every one had received several wounds by this time, as the fighting had been close and 286furious, but Shannon appeared to brighten up and go in for a finish. He had fought silently up to the present moment, but now he began to drawl out his oaths viciously at each stroke of his cutlass.
“I’ll have ye in a minute, ye long caterman,” cried Howard, pressing upon him.
“I wanter know, I wanter know, you bald-headed thief!” he roared in reply, and he mixed things up so fast that his blade shone like a thousand gems33 in the dim light of the lantern. Anderson came to Martin’s aid and supported him, while the badly wounded, though still undaunted, Scot bawled feebly for his enemies to come on. He seized the rail with his left hand, and still showed the point of his cutlass ready for business.
During this last rally, I had noticed the uproar34 below sounding like the surf on the shore. I thought it was caused by the slaves in their fear, hearing the sounds of the desperate fight on the deck above.
Suddenly the uproar swelled35 louder, and distinct cries came from the main-deck. Forms flitted here and there and came bounding upon the poop.
I saw Hawkson make a desperate rally and cut down John and a black giant, and, as they fell, Henry rushed in and finished them. Curtis fell, badly wounded, but Hicks and Ernest drove the crowd back. Again and again did Gull, Howard, 287and myself press Shannon, but the long fellow, while not able to make any way against us, placed his back to the poop-rail, and kept us a sword-length away with ease.
Martin, Shannon, Anderson, and their followers36 now crowded aft along the rail, and we were unable to stop them. Hawkson swung clear of the press about him, and Hicks followed.
At that instant a surging crowd of black forms came pouring up the poop-ladders. They were naked and unarmed, save for whatever bars and belaying-pins they had found in the darkness.
“Good God, the cargo’s loose!” cried Henry. “Get aft, it’s the only chance.”
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收听单词发音
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1
gull
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| n.鸥；受骗的人；v.欺诈 | |
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hacking
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| n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动 | |
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3
hewing
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| v.（用斧、刀等）砍、劈( hew的现在分词 )；砍成；劈出；开辟 | |
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perspiration
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| n.汗水；出汗 | |
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beads
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| n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链 | |
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chaos
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| n.混乱，无秩序 | |
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instinctively
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| adv.本能地 | |
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8
wary
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| adj.谨慎的，机警的，小心的 | |
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9
warding
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| 监护，守护（ward的现在分词形式） | |
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hopped
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| 跳上[下]( hop的过去式和过去分词 )； 单足蹦跳； 齐足（或双足）跳行； 摘葎草花 | |
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rascal
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| n.流氓；不诚实的人 | |
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demon
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| n.魔鬼，恶魔 | |
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Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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14
bawled
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的过去式和过去分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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15
smote
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| v.猛打，重击，打击( smite的过去式 ) | |
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16
dodged
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| v.闪躲( dodge的过去式和过去分词 )；回避 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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18
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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rascally
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| adj. 无赖的，恶棍的 adv. 无赖地，卑鄙地 | |
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20
gulled
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| v.欺骗某人( gull的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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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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forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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26
villain
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| n.反派演员，反面人物；恶棍；问题的起因 | |
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frantically
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| ad.发狂地, 发疯地 | |
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28
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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29
stark
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| adj.荒凉的；严酷的；完全的；adv.完全地 | |
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sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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31
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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32
avenge
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| v.为...复仇，为...报仇 | |
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33
gems
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| growth； economy； management； and customer satisfaction 增长 | |
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34
uproar
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| n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸 | |
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35
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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36
followers
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| 追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件 | |
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