“Not I! nor do I care,” replied the pirate.
“You will perhaps, sir, when you learn that I am the daughter of the governor!” exclaimed Clara, pushing him away.
“Yes! by heavens! you are right, pretty lady, I do care; for a governor’s daughter will fetch a good ransom at all events. So come, my lads, a little help here; for she is as strong as a young mule. Never mind the water, throw the beakers into the boat again: we have a prize worth taking!”
Clara screamed; but she was gagged with a handkerchief and lifted into the boat, which immediately rowed back to the schooner.
When the mate came on board and reported his capture the pirates were delighted at the prospect of addition to their prize-money. Cain could not, of course, raise any objections; it would have been so different from his general practice, that it would have strengthened suspicions already set afloat by Hawkhurst, which Cain was most anxious just then to remove. He ordered the girl to be taken down into the cabin, hoisted in the boat, and the breeze springing up again, made sail.
In the mean time Francisco was consoling the unfortunate Clara, and assuring her that she need be under no alarm, promising her the protection of himself and the captain.
The poor girl wept bitterly, and it was not until Cain came down into the cabin and corroborated the assurances of Francisco that she could assume any degree of composure; but to find friends when she had expected every insult and degradation—for Francisco had acknowledged that the vessel was a pirate—was some consolation. The kindness and attention of Francisco restored her to comparative tranquillity.
The next day she confided to him the reason of her coming to the beach, and her mistake with regard to the two vessels, and Francisco and Cain promised her that they would themselves pay her ransom, and not wait until she heard from her father. To divert her thoughts Francisco talked much about Edward Templemore, and on that subject Clara could always talk. Every circumstance attending the amour was soon known to Francisco.
But the Avenger did not gain her rendezvous as soon as she expected. When to the northward of Porto Rico an English frigate bore down upon her, and the Avenger was obliged to run for it. Before the wind is always a schooner’s worst point of sailing, and the chase was continued for three days before a fresh wind from the southward, until they had passed the Bahama Isles.
The pirates suffered much from want of water, as it was necessary still further to reduce their allowance. The frigate was still in sight, although the Avenger had dropped her astern when the wind became light, and at last it subsided into a calm, which lasted two days more. The boats of the frigate were hoisted out on the eve of the second day to attack the schooner, then distant five miles, when a breeze sprang up from the northward, and the schooner being then to windward, left the enemy hull down.