The Quest Of The 'Golden Hope' Part 17

Who our new enemies were, and whence they came, we knew not. Judging by the outer ring of flashes, it would seem that they outnumbered the defenders of the stockade by seven to one; for only twenty-five men had been left on sh.o.r.e on the preceding evening.

These were once more under the command of Touchstone, who, on the termination of our fight with the pirate ships, had resumed his post at the base of our operations on land. Yet the handful of men, under the spirited leadership of the master gunner, ought to prove themselves equal to their attackers, as they had the advantage of a stout breastwork.

But while the fight continued we were tormented with doubts and fears. In the darkness we could tell by the rapid spurts of flame that came from the stockade that our men were fiercely contesting their ground, although by the flashes encircling them we knew that the attack was being pushed close home.

Nor could we render any a.s.sistance, for our broadsides might do more harm to friend than to foe; while it would be extremely hazardous to attempt to land an armed party on an open beach, as we knew not the numbers of our enemies. Moreover, in the darkness we might fire on, or be fired upon by our own men.

Above the crackle of musketry and the shouts of the combatants we could distinguish the deeper crash of the ordnance that had been landed from the _Golden Hope_, while now and again would come an ominous lull, only to be broken by another crash of guns and the noise of a hand-to-hand conflict.

Having loaded all our ordnance on the landward side, and kept such of our boats as were still seaworthy close alongside, we could only await the dawn, of which signs were already apparent.

At length it grew light, with all the splendour and rapidity of a West Indian dawn, and we were able to see how things fared ash.o.r.e.

The stockade was still in the hands of Touchstone and his men, though two gaps in the palisades showed how close home the attack had been pushed. Yet around these breaches the dead lay thick, while scattered over the plain were other corpses, proving how well our people had handled their muskets.

Drawn up at a distance of half a mile from the stockade was a body of musketeers, to the number of about fifty. They were evidently planning a fresh attack, for those who carried firearms had their matches lighted. Yet they appeared to have no heart to advance, for we saw one whom we supposed to be their leader beckon angrily with his sword.

One broadside from the _Neptune_ sent them helter-skelter. They fled past the landward side of the stockade, though beyond musket range, and disappeared behind the rising ground that terminated in the headland on the northern side of the harbour.

Captain 'Enery immediately sent two boats ash.o.r.e laden with men, and, going with them, I was able to see the effects of the attack.

It appeared that our sentinels had heard the sound of footsteps and, receiving no reply to their challenge, had opened fire. The garrison had barely time to stand to their arms and man the stockade ere the foremost of their attackers gained the ditch, and attempted to rush the palisade.

In the protracted defence we had lost but three men killed and four badly wounded, while of our enemies nearly two score were found lying outside the defence.

One of the latter, being but slightly wounded in the leg, was brought into the stockade and questioned. Doubtless expecting to be hanged forthwith, he maintained a sullen silence, till Touchstone promised him his life should he speak the truth. This offer, combined with a number of veiled threats should he still prove obstinate, had its effect, and the prisoner became communicative.

His was a disquieting report. In the north-western part of the island, some eight or nine miles by the direct route across the marshy forest, though nearly twice that distance by the coast, was a settlement inhabited by buccaneers. They had seen our arrival, but, owing to the fact that their squadron of four vessels was away on a cruise, they had refrained from molesting us till the ships returned.

Possibly they were unaware of our expedition into the interior, for had they known of this they would certainly have ambushed our party on the march.

The prolonged stay of our two ships in the harbour had puzzled them not a little, and when their three vessels returned, the fourth having been separated from her consorts, a combined attack by land and sea had been planned.

By some means the two buccaneering parties had failed to co-operate, so that their ships had already been beaten off ere the land force appeared. The latter had heard the firing, but, little thinking that we should have held our own, they imagined the victory already complete, till in the darkness they stumbled upon our stockade.

"How many men were left to guard your settlement?" demanded Touchstone.

"Only a handful--enough to keep the slaves in order," replied our prisoner.

"Is the place fortified?"

"By a wall and a ditch. There are eighteen guns in position."

"And when will the fourth ship return?"

"I do not know."

"Remove him," ordered the master gunner, and he hurried off to the sh.o.r.e, whence the crew of one of the boats rowed him to the _Golden Hope_.

In less than half an hour he returned, bringing with him another reinforcement of armed men.

"My lads," said he, "I have obtained Cap'n 'Enery's consent. I propose to lead a body of men across the island, ambush the rest of these rascals, and, if successful, follow that up by seizing and burning their dwellings and storehouses. Forty men will be sufficient. Now, who's going to volunteer?"

Every one of us expressed his readiness for the service, but, refusing to take more than the number he had stated, the master gunner picked out his force, and examined their arms. Then, for every moment was precious, he gave them the word to march, and the little band set out on its errand.

Although I wished to share in the enterprise, Master Touchstone refused to allow me to accompany them, and to my disappointment I watched them disappear in the belt of canes and scrub by the route that we had twice traversed but a few hours before.

Four days pa.s.sed without any tidings of our comrades, and we were naturally anxious at their prolonged absence. Yet those of our men who remained were not kept idle. The work of refitting proceeded apace, while advantage was taken of a spell of fine weather to bring off all the precious cargo that remained in the shattered hull of the wrecked buccaneer. Her name, we discovered, was the _Black Arrow_, her burthen being two hundred and eighty tons. She was the smallest of the pirate fleet, the others being the _Terror_, of three hundred and twenty tons, the _Bonito_, of three hundred tons, and the _Secret_, of the same burthen. This last was the vessel that we had not as yet fallen in with. Should she have returned to the pirates' haven, her crew would be able to rout our little force; so, as this event might take place, our anxieties increased as the hours pa.s.sed with no news of Touchstone and his men.

Owing to the great reduction in the number of our men by death and wounds, together with the absence of Touchstone and his party, only eighty remained. Captain 'Enery therefore determined to temporarily abandon the _Neptune_, so that our slender force might be divided to the best advantage 'twixt the _Golden Hope_ and the stockade.

With our own ship well manned we could beat off any attack from seawards, even should the still undamaged _Secret_ rejoin her consorts; while the garrison ash.o.r.e had to be maintained, so that the master gunner and his people might have a refuge should they be compelled to retreat before a superior force.

During the three days following their departure the wind had blown steadily on sh.o.r.e, and we were thus prevented from hearing any sounds of an engagement with the retreating buccaneers, although on the evening of the third day I thought I heard the sound of a distant cannonade.

"It does sound like it," a.s.sented Captain 'Enery, when I called his attention to the circ.u.mstance, "though it may be thunder."

"Whatever it is, it comes from seaward," said the quartermaster.

"Sink me, if I like this business," replied Captain 'Enery. "No news for three days, and then the sound of cannonade at sea. I'll send a man away to-night, and let him gather news of Touchstone."

Accordingly Clemens, the Cornishman, was selected to make his way in the darkness in the direction of the buccaneers' line of retreat.

The man could be thoroughly trusted to look after himself, for he was as crafty as a fox, while he possessed such a turn of speed that few could hope to overtake him in flight.

By daybreak, according to his instructions, he returned, without encountering a single living being; yet he reported that there had been an engagement, for the ground bore traces of a conflict, broken weapons lying about everywhere. Who were the victors he was unable to state, though he followed the marks left by a number of men till the approach of daybreak made it necessary to retrace his steps. The mystery seemed to deepen.

About noon on the same day our look-outs reported the appearance of a body of armed men over the brow of the distant hill. Immediately there was a rush on deck, and gla.s.ses were brought to bear on the arrivals.

"Hurrah!" shouted one of the crew. "'Tis Master Touchstone and his party."

"You're right," said Captain 'Enery. "But what doth it mean? There are at least a score of armed men more than he took with him."

CHAPTER XXI

Captain Craddock

Fired with impatience to solve the mystery, Captain 'Enery rowed ash.o.r.e and proceeded to the stockade, there to await Touchstone's return; and in half an hour the expedition rejoined us. There were, as Captain 'Enery had said, at least a score of strangers, all well armed and mingling freely with our people in a friendly manner; while at Touchstone's side walked a man who was evidently someone in authority.

He was little in stature, yet of great breadth across the shoulders, and long in body. His legs seemed disproportionately short, so that he strutted like a young bantam. He was clean shaven, his sunburnt features being hard in expression, while the stern glint in his eyes betokened a commanding nature.

"Have I the honour of addressing Captain Henry?" asked the little man pompously.

"Cap'n 'Enery, if it please you," replied that worthy. "And you, sir?"