large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_02_ballou_64kb_45
large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_02_ballou_64kb
English
3098
A strong and lofty boarding netting being stowed, also, told of the readiness of the "Sea Witch" to repel boarders. That all these preparations had been made merely as ordinary precautions in a peaceful trade was by no means probable; and yet there they were, and there stood the bright eyed, handsome and youthful commander upon the quarter deck, but he did not look the desperado  such a term would have poorly accorded with his open and manly countenance, hie quiet and gentlemanly mien. A STRONG AND LOFTY BOARDING NETTING BEING STOWED ALSO TOLD OF THE READINESS OF THE SEA WITCH TO REPEL BOARDERS THAT ALL THESE PREPARATIONS HAD BEEN MADE MERELY AS ORDINARY PRECAUTIONS IN A PEACEFUL TRADE WAS BY NO MEANS PROBABLE AND YET THERE THEY WERE AND THERE STOOD THE BRIGHT EYED HANDSOME AND YOUTHFUL COMMANDER UPON THE QUARTER DECK BUT HE DID NOT LOOK THE DESPERADO SUCH A TERM WOULD HAVE POORLY ACCORDED WITH HIS OPEN AND MANLY COUNTENANCE HIS QUIET AND GENTLEMANLY MIEN
aster of his profession, and worthy his trust. Trust?--what was the trust he held? Surely, no legitimate commerce could warrant the outfit of such a vessel as he controlled. A man-of-war could hardly have been more fully equipped with means of offence and defence. Amidship, beneath that long boat, was a long, heavy metalled gun that worked on a traverse, and which could command nearly every point of the compass, while the ship kept her course. Just inside the rise of the low quarter-deck--the cabin being entered from the deck by the descent of a couple of steps--there were ranged boarding pikes, muskets, cutlasses and pistols, ready for instant use. In shape they formed stars, hearts and diamonds, dangerous but fantastic ornaments. The brightness of these arms, and the handy way in which they were arranged in the sockets made to receive them, showed at once that they were designed for use, while the various other fixtures of the cabin and docks plainly bespoke preparation for conflict. SIVE POWER THAT SHOWED HIM MASTER OF HIS PROFESSION AND WORTHY HIS TRUST TRUST WHAT WAS THE TRUST HE HELD SURELY NO LEGITIMATE COMMERCE COULD WARRANT THE OUTFIT OF SUCH A VESSEL AS HE CONTROLLED A MAN OF WAR COULD HARDLY HAVE BEEN MORE FULLY EQUIPPED WITH MEANS OF OFFENCE AND DEFENSE AMIDSHIP BENEATH THAT LONG BOAT WAS A LONG HEAVY METALED GUN THAT WORKED ON A TRAVERSE AND WHICH COULD COMMAND NEARLY EVERY POINT OF THE COMPASS WHILE THE SHIP KEPT HER COURSE JUST INSIDE THE RISE OF THE LOW QUARTER DECK THE CABIN BEING ENTERED FROM THE DECK BY THE DESCENT OF A COUPLE OF STEPS THERE WERE RANGED BOARDING PIKES MUSKETS CUTLASSES AND PISTOLS READY FOR INSTANT USE IN SHAPE THEY FORMED STARS HEARTS AND DIAMONDS DANGEROUS BUT FANTASTIC ORNAMENTS THE BRIGHTNESS OF THESE ARMS AND THE HANDY WAY IN WHICH THEY WERE ARRANGED IN THE SOCKETS MADE TO RECEIVE THEM SHOWED AT ONCE THAT THEY WERE DESIGNED FOR USE WHILE THE VARIOUS OTHER FIXTURES OF THE CABIN AND DOCKS PLAINLY BESPOKE PREPARATION FOR CONFLICT
large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_02_ballou_64kb
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download/librilight/large/3098/sea-witch_0903_librivox_64kb_mp3/sea-witch_02_ballou_64kb.flac