Doctor Syn on the High Seas - Thorndike Russell (читать лучшие читаемые книги TXT) 📗

Drinking as heavily as any, Syn then shouted, “Bring tools to pry

open Black Nick’s chests. And now, my lads, though he never meant to

hoist it, no doubt there’s a Jolly Roger in the flag locker? If so,

let’s hoist it to show our true colours and our teeth.”

One of the crew cried out that they had one below which they had

planned to hoist if Black Nick wish it or not.

“Fetch it,” cried Syn heartily. “You’ll have no cause to mutiny now.”

At once, a great black flag was produced by the crew, with a white

skull-and-crossbones painted on it.

“Splendid!” cried Syn. “Mister Tarragona, since our course is nor’

east, we shall pass in sight of the Governor’s House, where Black Nick

drinks and laughs at our waiting for him. Keep your eyes skinned, sir,

and when we are abreast of it, strike the St. Nicholas and run up that

Jolly Roger. At the same time, let ‘em have a Governor’s salute. Aye, a

broadside of the lee -guns, and see there’s shot in ‘em. Now, my lads,

put a deck stopper on the cable, and then cut the cable, abaft it. Hoist

the jib and when I sing out, stand by the slip. Shake a leg, my jolly

dogs. Topsail halyards. Stand by to slip. Slip the cable. Hoist away .”

Then he broke into his chanty in a ringing voice:

“Oh, here’s to the feet what have walked the plank,

Yo-ho for the dead man’s trottle,

And here’s to the corpses afloat in the tank,

And the dead man’s teeth in the bottle.”

With the running of ropes, the rattle of running blocks, the crack of

filling canvas, and with the straining of every plank, the St. Nicholas

leapt through the waves in obedience to her new master.

Chapter 16

The Red-Beared Planter

In the Governor’s House, His Spanish Excellence and his guests, Black

Nick and a great giant, with a luxuriant red beard of Scottish descent,

he boasted, called McCallum at that time, played cards and drank. Black

Nick’s wife, the beautiful Imogene Almago, was forced to make the

fourth, but since the gentlemen were drunk, she came in for the little

balance in playing carelessly. Her attention was listless for the cards,

but riveted upon a

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handsome, slim boy who slept upon a sofa. She was disgusted with these

so-called gentlemen, when the very cards she had to handle were wet with

red wine.

Suddenly a thunderous crash of thunder shook the house, bringing them

all to their feet, and partly sobering the men.

The screaming of the Governor’s slaves brought them out upon the

balcony facing the sea. There they saw the white seawall of the garden

was shattered. The Governor’s pleasure swift ship was passing close

inshore.

“It is my ship,” cried Black Nick. “See the flag, St. Nichola s.”

“They are hauling it down,” said the red-beareded planter.

“And running up the Black Flag. Pirates!” shouted the Governor.

“Oh God, Nicholas,” sobbed Imogene. “It is Christopher. I know it.”

“Nonsense!” replied Nicholas. “How could it be?”

But the proof was soon to come, for an empty treasure -chest was

thrown overboard, and across the water they heard a ringing voice cry

out in Spanish, “As for these things, heave ‘em overboard and let ‘em

float ashore to her. I’ll have no petticoats aboard my ship.”

They saw a magnificent figure in scarlet, stooping over another chest

upon the high poop-deck, and hurling garments over the bulwarks into the

sea. The tide was running towards shore, and as the ship under full sail

disappeared around the h ead, laces, satins, velvets and rich brocades

came floating to the beach. A little boy was highly delighted in

retrieving them. “Look, Mother, another of your dresses. I remember this

one well. And look, her it yet one more of your mantillas.”

That nigh t, Black Nick flet in panic, leaving his wife and son behind

in a convent, promising the Lady Mother large sums of money on his

return. He slipped aboard a pirate vessel in which he was interested,

and sailed for the North American coast. He abandoned all hope of

recovering the St. Nicholas, and only thought of escaping from Doctor

Syn.

The red-bearded planter did not take things so tamely. Forseeing the

danger of losing his treasure ships, that were awaiting the St.

Nicholas, and he arrived to hear sad news. He found the captain of the

Santa Mariana sick in his cabin and with a fine tale to tell. “We were

signaled by the St. Nicholas to put to sea as arranged. When, out of

sight of land, we two captains were signaled to come aboard the St.

Nicholas. The Captain Clegg, who had command, ordered us to fetch our

treasure -chests and hand them over to his keeping, for, as he said,

should we fall in with enemy ships, he could outsail them and save the

treasure -chests for the King of Spain. I was glad to do this, and to be

relieved thus of my responsibility, but my colleague thought otherwise,

and refused to give over his charge. Captain Clegg raged out this, but

eventually ordered the voyage to proceed. About an hour later, the St.

Nicholas dropped astern, for she had been sailing between us. She then

came up again rapidly upon the lee side of the Celesta, and without

warning, opened a broadside which completely crippled her. I could not

retaliate, since my colleague was between us, sheltering the traitor, so

I turned and ran for the Gulf, thus at least saving my men and your

ship. As we tacked away, we saw Clegg’s men board the Celesta, and after

taking away her treasure to boats, they deliberately sank her. I think

that evey man aboard the unfortunate vessel peri shed.”

“I’ll have this Clegg hanged as a pirate, if I spend all my fortune

in doing it.” cried the Planter. “He will not hide from me.”

But Clegg had no intention of hiding. After robbing and sinking three

fat merchant ships bound for Cuba, he sailed back to Santiago, sank a

ship, in the

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harbour mouth in passing, and then as a warning once more, shattered the

garden wall of the Governor’s house which was being rebuilt. He then

rowed ashore and impudently demanded twenty thousand pieces of gold, or

he vowed he’d destroy the town. He also ordered the Governor to hand

over Black Nick to his keeping.

The Governor raised the money by the next day, but assured Clegg that

Black Nick had gone—with the planter, he thought—and was no doubt in

Havana. So with the money in his hold, Clegg sailed for Havana.

After sending a broadside into the astonished and terrified town, he

once more made his impudent demand for payment, threating to destroy the

town and shipping, if the money was not forthcoming within six hours.

Now, McCallum, the planter, being one of the richest men in all

Havana, was summoned to the Citadel for consultation with the Governor.

He was no coward, and had not the same dread for Clegg as Nicholas. He

was not the type to run away to save his skin. His fury against Clegg

added to his bravery, and he now saw a heaven-sent chance for settling

his score. “We will collect this money, and I will carry it aboard,” he

told the Governor. “I will then lure him to my house on the plantation,

under the pretext of delivering Black Nick into his hands. I will tell

him of his enemy’s fear of him, and the thought of suddenly meeting him

and settling of his account will be too good to resist. He will come,

and as we dine, we will have a strong guard of military to arrest him.

Then we will demand full payment, and hang the lot of the rascals after