Page:Demon ship, or, The pirate of the Mediterranean.pdf/17

Rh every sound that seemed to approach the eabincabin [sic]. The oeeunocean [sic] must undoubtedly be our grave; but whether the wave, the eordcord [sic], the pistol, or the dagger, would be the instrument of our destruction, we knew not.

The sun sunk in the waters, and the wind, as is often the case at sunset, died on the ocean. At this moment, I heard the voice of the captain—'Up to the top of the mainmast, JaekJack [sic], and see if there be any sail on the horizon.' We distinguished the sound of feet running up the shrouds. A few moments elapsed ere the answer was reeeivedreceived [sic]. At length, we heard a—'Well, Jack, well?'—whiehwhich [sic] was followed by the springing of a man on deekdeck [sic], and the words, 'not a sail within fifty miles, I'll be sworn.'—'Well, then, do the work below!' was the reply. 'But (with an oath) don't let's have any squealing or squalling. Finish them quietly. And take all the trumpery out of the cabin, for we shall hold revel there to-night.' A step now eamecame [sic] softly down the eabincabin [sic] stair, and a hand tried the door, but found it fastened. I quitted Margaret, and placed myself at the entraneeentrance [sic] of the cabin. 'Whoever,' said I, 'attempts to come into this place, does it at the peril of his life. I fire the instant the latehlatch [sic] is raised.'—A voice said, 'Laissez moi entrer done.' I then unfastened the door. Girod entered, and locked it after him. He dragged in with him four strings, with heavy stones appended to them, and the same number of sacks. The females sunk on the floor. In the twinkling of an eye, Girod rolled up the carpet of the cabin, and took up the trap-door, which every traveller knows is to be found in the cabins of merehantmenmerchantmen [sic] 'In—in,' he said in French to the eountesscountess [sic] and myself. I immediately deseendeddescended [sic], reeivedreceived [sic] Margaret into my arms, and was holding them out for the other females, when the trapdoor was instantly elosedclosed [sic] and bolted, the carpet laid down, the cabin door unloekedunlocked [sic], and Girod called out, 'Here you, Harry, JaekJack [sic], how eallcall [sic] you yourselves, I'voI've [sic] done for two of dem. I ean'tcan't [sic] manage no more. Dat tamned Captain Lyon, when I stuff him in de sack, he almost brake de arm.' Heavy feet trampling over the eabincabin [sic] floor, with a sound of scuffling and struggling, were now heard over our head. A stifled shriek whiehwhich [sic] died into a deep groan, succeeded—then two heavy splashes into the water, with the bubbling noise of something sinking beneath the waves, and the fate of the two iunoeentinnocent [sic] sisters was deeideddecided [sic]. 'Where's Monsieur Girod?' at length said a rough voice.—'Oh, he's gone above,' was the reply; 'thinks himself too good to kill any but quality.'—No, no, answered the other, 'I'm Girod's, through to the baekback [sic]-bone—the funniest fellow of the crowcrew [sic]. But he had a private