Doctor Syn on the High Seas - Thorndike Russell - Страница 35
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mutiny against him, and ‘tis like as not, that had you not killed him
for me, I should have done so myself. But now as to our score. It’s a
long cry from here to Romney Marsh, and I owes you a little matter of
three spade guineas, two crowns and a silver fourpenny. And for that sum
of money, which helped me on my way to Portsmouth safe from the ruddy
Customs, I promised that if you gave up the pulpit, Doctor Syn, went -avoyaging, and fell into my hands, you should not walk the plank but the
poop-deck, with a sword at your side and a sashful of pistols. And here
it seems we be, just as we thought might happen.”
“By gad it’s Mipps!” cried Syn. “The little smuggler on Lympne Hill.”
“Quite right, sir, and very pleased to meet a Syn o’ Lydd this nice
bright morning in mid-ocean. Give us your hand, sir, and how d’ye do,
and let’s get back to the ship and have a brandy before the old shark
comes back and interferes.”
It was then that the pirates saw a strange sight, for the swimmers,
changing their weapons to their left hands, shook hands together so
violently with their right that the water splashed and splashed again.
Then side by side they swam towards the pirate ship. Mipps bawling out
to his men to stand by the rope ladder for “two ruddy Admirals comin’
aboard.”
They climbed the ladder none too son, for the shark was back again in
the fairway between two vessels, tearing at one of the corpses that had
walked the plank. But Mipps cared nothing for sharks. He was bent on
getting a favourite reception for his one time patron with the pirate
crew. He climbed up first, whispering to Syn to follow, and to take his
lead in all he said.
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“Black Satan’s dead, my lads,” he cried out, as soon as he had
helped Syn to the deck. “And it is my gallant friend here who has saved
us from what would have been a bloody mutiny. We all agreed as how the
nigger had been over -a-reachin’ of himself of late; and why should men
of brains serve under what was only brawn and muscle? Now, I can vouch
right here and now for this man. You’ve seen him fight? You’ve seen him
give Black Satan to that ruddy shark. And did it very neat, you’ll
allow. His name is Syn, and Syn’s as good a name as Satan. Now, I
propose we celebrates our victory over the ship yonder in the usual way.
Double rum for all hands. Then we’ll divide the plunder into portions as
agreed and split Black Satan’s share. But let me tell you this. We ain’t
got a more valuable bit of plunder off that there ship than this ‘ere
man. Used to be a parson till he couldn’t stomach it no more, and so
come out here to find me and the way to go a -pirating. I owes him my
life for saving me from the Customs officers who was about to hang me,
till he steps in and knocks ‘em all to hell, parson though he was. I now
advises you one and all to shake hands on his friendship, for if you
don’t, God help you. He’s willing to join us, and when you know him
better you’ll say we’re lucky to get him. So serve the grog, then for
the plunder, then we’ll decide the fate of the ship yonder and also vote
a new leader in Black Satan’s place.”
“Faith, the sooner you serve me with sum,” said Doctor Syn, “the
sooner will I be pleased. When I have drunk, I am willing to fight my
way into your good graces. I will take on any challenger just to prove
my mettle. You do not know me, but I am hoping we may be better
acquainted either with this” (holding out his right hand, and then
putting his sword from his left into it, he added) “or this.” But first
a bottle of rum to get the stench of that damned shark out of my
innards.”
The quartermaster produced two bottles, one of which he handed to
Mipps and the other to Syn, saying, “You’ve earned your drink this
morning. But have a care. ‘Tis strong stuff for a parson.”
Syn laughed somewhat scornfully, drew the cork with his teeth, spat
the cork on the deck, and then tilted the raw spirit down his throat
till the bottle was empty. Mipps was still drinking his, but had only
got halfway when Syn took it from him in the most engaging manner and
finished it for him. This touch of comedy appealed to the pirates even
more than the tragic splendor of his fighting, and in a few minutes,
when the grog went round, the pirates were drinking to their new
brother’s health. Fortunately for Syn the crew was widely recruited from
many lands and languages, and when they found this uncanny stranger
could speak and joke with them each in his own tongue, their admiration
knew no bounds.
“I said we’d strut the poop-deck,” whispered Mipps, “and it looks as
though you’ll be made captain willy-nilly.”
And Mipps was in the right of it too, for after the Intention had
been abandoned and sunk, votes were taken for the post of command and it
was Mipps and Syn who carried it.
It was not till after sunset that Syn was able to take Mipps into his
confidence, for till that time they had not been alone. They now found
themselves in possession of the captain’s cabin under the poop. The
pirates had unanimously agreed that theirs should be a joint leadership,
Mipps maintaining his post as sailing-master and navigator, and Syn to
be in command of fighting tactics. In this capacity he quickly proved
himself a leader, for he called for a full inventory of arms abroad, and
was much surprised to learn that there was no such thing.
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“Then the sooner I have it the better,” he had cried. “That Black
Satan of yours may have left all to chance, but if I’m to be of use to
you my way is different. How can I judge whether to risk your lives and
such booty as you already possess unless I know to a nicety what powder
and shot I have in the lockers? I suggest that you appoint for a Master
Armourer with sufficient men to help men, who shall be free from all
other duties. Not only will they keep our guns sweet and clean, but it
shall be their responsibility to keep a razor edge on all your
cutlasses. Each day you will choose two of your fellows to come with me
on my inspection, so that you will feel satisfied that all is being done
for your profit. If we are ready to fight upon an empty sea, we shall be
the better prepared when any sai l tops the horizon. We must school
ourselves to think that we are not here for the fun of the thing. Plenty
of time for fun when we go ashore and spend our money freely. But to get
sufficient money we must work. If I am to take a hand in leading you, it
shall be my object to stuff your belts with guineas and to keep your
bodies from the chains. I take it that none of you desire to hang, and
for myself, I don’t intend to, for ‘tis a most ungentlemanly end. To
avoid this, I tell you now there must be no foolishness. Certain risks I
am willing to take if I think the possible results are justifiable, in
which cases I shall be the first to board, and you will follow me. But I
reserve, for your sakes and mine won, the right to vote against a fight
if I consider th at the odds are too great against us. Let us not,
through an exaggerated conceit, fall foul of one ship when we might sink
six others through discretion. If, on the other hand, we find ourselves
out-gunned and out-maneuvered, and fight we must —well, then, we will,
and maybe get the victory. Who knows?”
Needless to say, Mipps had seen to it that Syn’s property had all
been returned. Shoes, coat, pistols and scabbard, and his seachest,
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