Page:Dickens - A Child s History of England, 1900.djvu/589

Rh come out of the harbor and offer battle. As the two ships came nearer to each other, the stranger fired a gun and hoisted Roman colors. Boldheart then perceived her to be the Latin grammar master's bark. Such indeed she was, and had been tacking about the world in unavaihng pursuit, from the time of his first taking to a roving life.

Boldheart now addressed his men, promising to blow them up if he should feel convinced that their reputation required it, and giving orders that the Latin grammar master should be taken alive. He then dismissed them to their quarters, and the fight began with a broadside from "The Beauty." She then veered around, and poured in another. "The Scorpion" (so was the barque of the Latin grammar master appropriately called) was not slow to return her fire; and a terrific cannonading ensued, in which the guns of "The Beauty" did tremendous execution.

The Latin grammar master was seen upon the poop, in the midst of the smoke and fire, encouraging his men. To do him justice, he was no craven, though his white hat, his short gray trowsers, and his long snuff-colored surtout reaching to his heels (the self-same suit in which he had spited Boldheart), contrasted most unfavorably with the brilliant uniform of the latter. At this moment. Bold-heart, seizing a pike and putting himself at the head of his men, gave the word to board.

A desperate conflict ensued in the hammock-nettings—or somewhere in about that direction—until the Latin grammar master, having all his masts gone, his hull and rigging shot through and through, and seeing Boldheart slashing a path toward him, hauled down his flag himself, gave up his sword to Boldheart, and asked for quarter. Scarce had he been put into the captain's boat, ere "The Scorpion" went down with all on board.

On Captain Boldheart's now assembling his men, a circumstance occurred. He found it necessary with one blow of his cutlass to kill the cook, who, having lost his brother in the late action, was making at the Latin grammar master in an infuriated state, intent on his destruction with a carving-knife.

Captain Boldheart then turned to the Latin grammar master, severely reproaching him with his perfidy, and put