“O, it’s nothing, sir,” replied the man cheerfully, although he was bleeding from several deep gashes: “we’ve nearly all got a few scratches; but I wouldn’t have cared being cut to pieces, now I behold these blood-thirsty villains so reg’larly done for.”
“Well, we must get forward, or the others may be upon us. Let every one look to his weapons, and be in readiness to use them. You go on, Zabra: I will follow you in a few minutes.”
The young merchant hastily re-entered the house, while the others proceeded up the acclivity, and before they reached the top, he joined them. “Hullo, my friends!” he cried, with a face glowing with excitement: “just take one parting glance at this den of infamy, and I will stake my existence it will give you pleasure.”
They had scarcely turned round for the purpose of complying with this request, when they observed flames issuing from the windows of the house. In so dry a climate fire burnt rapidly, and very quickly the whole place was a sheet of flame. While they were gazing, a loud noise like an earthquake shook the ground upon which they stood, and they beheld the house lifted up high into the air—the walls crack—the timbers split into pieces—and in a moment the retreat of the pirates was a mass of smoking ruins, and the air was darkened with a thick smoke and a shower of ashes. The men gave three hearty cheers, and proceeded merrily on their way. They descended the mountain till they came to the chasm where the rude bridge they had previously used remained. First, Hearty got within the hoops, and with the assistance of the ropes dragged himself across: when the hoops were pulled back, each in succession passed over; and the last was in the act of crossing as the pirate chief and the rest of his followers appeared upon the summit of the mountain. A yell of mingled ferocity and hatred arose as they witnessed the escape of their prisoners; and with malignity in their eyes and curses on their lips, they, as rapidly as possible, commenced descending the rock with the intention of overtaking the fugitives.
“Cut the ropes! cut the ropes!” shouted Oriel, and in an instant the swords of all the party were hacking at the thick twists of hemp; and as the pirates descended on the other side they were severed, and the ends fell into the abyss. A volley of pistol bullets and a chorus of imprecations arose from the enraged and baffled villains, but they did no mischief, and they were only answered by a triumphant cheer from the crew of the Albatross. The fugitives now rapidly pursued their way till they came to the sea shore, where they found two boats high and dry; these were immediately launched into the sea, and pulling the oars vigorously, they were soon by the side of the Albatross. There were not above half a dozen of the pirates left in charge of the ship, but these had noticed the approach of the boats, and seeing who they contained, were prepared to give them a hostile reception. A gun was brought to bear upon them—they saw it pointed—fired—and in the next moment the shot whizzed over their heads. With another cheer of triumph the brave fellows mounted the ship’s side. Every obstacle was used to prevent their boarding, and the few who were in the ship, from the determination with which they defended it, seemed likely still to remain its masters. At this instant, when Oriel and his party were unavailingly attempting to make good a footing upon the deck, assistance came from a quarter from whence any thing so welcome had never been anticipated.
Roly Poly was pursuing his avocations in the cook-house when he heard the affray, and looking out observed exactly the state of the opposing parties. By him the pirates had never been regarded with any thing like affection. They had treated him with great disrespect. They esteemed not his art, and spoke contemptuously of his skill. His resolve was soon made, and as quickly executed. Dipping a mop in a copper of boiling water, in which his cookery was going on, he hurried as fast as his fat limbs could carry him upon deck.
“See how Roly Poly come to ’sist him friends,” cried he, exultingly, as he began to use his strange weapon among the pirates with a dexterity that scattered them right and left. “Ha! you call my boofliful puddin’ ‘choke dog’—take dat you libellious vagabone,” and with a forcible sweep the scalding mop descended upon his face, sending him howling off his heels. “Ha! you say my lumptious soup wishy-washy,—take dat, you ignrant jackmorass!” and a resistless blow upon the ear levelled him with his companion, yelling with pain; and thus he proceeded till he had cleared a way for Oriel Porphyry and his coadjutors, who quickly silenced all opposition. “I hab you now, you fellar!” shouted Roly Poly, striding in triumph over one of his victims, and seemingly intent upon ramming the scalding mop down the man’s throat. “Like your imprence, I tink, you fellar! to go for to say I boil sich nice puddin I make, in nassy dishcloth!”
“Hubble, bubble, hubble, bloo!” said the choking wretch.
“Now I gib you puddin debblis nice, you fellar!” cried the fat cook, ramming away with all his might.