"Ay, that do I!" answered the man Martin, saluting Adam with the stout pike he bore.
"Ha, stand by!" quoth Bo'sun Ned as a trumpet blared from the poop. "Yonder sounds the rally, and this means me," and taking the silver pipe that dangled from a lanyard upon his broad chest, he sounded thereon a long-drawn, quavering note,—whereat, up from dim gun deck where battle-lanterns now glimmered, and down from forecastle came gunners stripped to the waist and bare-armed men to be mustered aft by the Master and his mates. Then the trumpets sounded again, drums beat, and forth upon the lofty poop, a warlike figure in glittering morion and half armour, stood Absalom Troy. And his eyes were bright, his handsome face smiling and assured, his pleasant voice glad and hearty as, glancing down on the assembled company, he saluted them with flourish of sword, and spoke:
"Shipmates and Bold Adventurers all, yonder come pirate rogues to destroy us—if they can. And I would not have it other, for here's chance to prove me your mettle, to show these cursed sea-wolves that English sea-dogs can out-bite 'em. How say ye, my lads?" He was answered by a roar of cheering and the glitter of brandished steel. "Well and good, my hearties," he laughed, "yet mark this,—should they win the ship 'twill be death for all wounded and vile slavery for the rest, a slavery worse than death, or damme! So now, should they board us, let no man quail or hope for mercy, but fight as I shall fight.—to my last breath. So fight it is, my lads,—fight hard like men, fight unflinching like heroes, fight with a will and cheerily—like Englishmen." Here once again voices roared and steel flashed until Absalom's upraised hand silenced them. "Lastly, my hearties, since I would have no one of ye die fool-like, let every man lie down and take cover each in his place, and no man fire shot until I give the word. Now may the Lord o' Battles love and bless us,—and so to your stations, shipmates all, to bide the issue and quit ye every one like men of Old England."
Here for a third time the men cheered lustily, and Adam with them, in which moment he saw Absalom looking down and beckoning to him. So up to the poop went he, and so came where abaft the mizzen stood Absalom.
"Adam," said he, his face unwontedly grave, "if the wind fail, as I think it may, here shall be very desperate business, for these rogues o' Barbary fight like devils, as too well I know, for I've met 'em ere now. So it is I shall be a very busy man and no chance for further speech wi' thee until this action be decided—one way or t'other. Wherefore now I would show thee my heart that may'st know 'tis my grief to ha' given thee such just cause for quarrel, and ... my bitter shame to have so miscalled ... her, this sweet, brave soul. Indeed you see me very ... humbly contrite. Well now, how says't thou, Adam?"
"That such humility honours you, Absalom, and makes me to love you better than I thought to ever."
"I suppose," said Absalom, his keen glance now on the lazy-flapping sails and now on the approaching galleys, "indeed I'm very sure that there never were two men more dissimilar than Adam Penfeather and Absalom Troy, yet are we alike in this ... that we do both love Antonia. For, Adam, in this that may be my last hour, I do protest I love her most truly and with all that is best in me ... and because I know she hath no kindness for me I have been most bitterly jealous. But now instead I ... would fain make this love an added bond betwixt us ... so, Adam ... brother ... shall we?"
"Yea and with all my heart!" Adam answered; and thus for a moment they stood looking into each other's eyes while their hands met and clasped hard.
"What ... tears, my old Adam?"
"Of joy, Absalom. And thou'rt no better. Blink, man, blink 'em away as I do."
"Faith, Adam, I could blubber like a boy, or damme!" So they blinked, they shook their heads at one another, they laughed, and paced silently to and fro for a minute or two.
"Burn me," exclaimed Absalom, suddenly, "burn and sink me but Friendship is right good thing, Adam, and calls lustily for a noggin, yet this must wait. Meanwhile I ha' to lay a burden on thee, brother, but first, look yonder!" And he pointed towards the galleys which though still distant were now so plain that Adam's anxious eyes could glimpse the flash and flicker of their long, wet, sun-smitten oars, their huge painted sails, the surge and sparkle of steel upon their crowded decks. Now as he gazed upon these dreadful ships that seemed to be converging upon them, the air about him seemed full of a flutey piping, a sound so blythe, so shrill and unexpected that he glanced about, wondering.
"Absalom, why do our men whistle so merrily?"
"For a breeze, Adam, for a fighting breeze. The wind's failing just when most needed. And so, 'stead o' meeting yon rogues, as I would, with craft o' seamanship, outmatching their cursed oars with trick o' sail and helm, we must lie helpless, rolling like any log and they attack us at their will and pleasure, with a curse! So is like to be a very bloody chance medley, or I'm a mere forked radish! In about half-an-hour, as I judge, they will be letting fly with their fore-chase guns, heavy pieces all, Adam, cannons-petro and basilisks most like, as by experience I know. And before then, Adam, She must be secure out of harm's way—Antonia."
"Very true!" nodded Adam.
"And the only safe place is below the water-line, in the hold."
"Indeed, a very proper place!" nodded Adam again.
"So thither, my Old Adam, thither you must take her, ay, and there you must keep her prisoned. This is the labour I lay on you, and labour 'twill be, considering she's of spirit fiery and resolute,—so how you shall do this the Lord alone He knoweth."
"It shall achieve!" nodded Adam, for the third time.
"Good! Then whatsoever you hear of gun-fire and fighting tumult you shall nowise suffer her to venture forth until the business be ended."
Now at this, Adam glanced up in no little surprise.
"You mean," he questioned, "I am to remain below until the battle is over?"
"Ay, I do, Adam, I do. She is your charge to keep prisoned lest she adventure herself, as she would, God love her! She is naturally courageous and you have learned her to fight and love it,—so to cage and keep her safe becometh your bounden duty."
"And I must bide below whiles you fight, I must be idle and safe?"
"Ay, for her sake, my Old Adam. And I shall count it more heroic in thee, ay, damme, but I shall!"
"But, Absalom, I am nowise heroical, alas!"
"Ha, now what d'ye mean, Adam?"
"That I shall fight and she bide safe, ay—though I must needs tie her hand and foot."
CHAPTER XVII
TELLS HOW ADAM LEARNED A GRIEVOUS TRUTH
The Bold Adventuress rolled, lazily helpless, to the languid swell of a windless sea, sails flapping idly, blocks rattling while voices muttered where the men made their last preparations for what was to be.
Now as Adam stood looking on the orderly bustle around, to him came Antonia striding very manlike, sword on hip, her bright hair covered in gleaming steel, and with her, Joel Bym bearing divers pieces of armour.
"'Tis steel o' proof, sir," quoth he, "as shall turn ye a bullet right handsome, by cock!"
"Howbeit, I want it not, Joel."
"Cap'n's orders, sir!"
"And mine, too!" cried Antonia. "Buckle them on him, Joel, my hearty." And so, willy-nilly, Adam was strapped into back and breast plates, upon his head was placed a cumbrous helmet which he instantly removed and, turning to Antonia, was about to speak when his words were checked by the boom of a cannon and something hummed through the rigging high above them.
And now all eyes gazed where, with thrashing oars and sharp prows cleaving the sullen waters to foam, the two long galleys drove down against their helpless prey.