Birds of Prey - Smith Wilbur - Страница 74

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They were shouting and cheering as wildly as the green-jackets in front.

As the first boats touched the beach the armed men spilled out of them and raced across the narrow strip of white sand. Howling with savage zeal, they stormed at the line of gun pits in which the empty culver ins gaped silently, and the Resolution's remaining crew cowered bewildered.

"We cannot hope for quarter, lads," Sir Francis shouted. "Look at what those bloodthirsty heathen do to those who try to yield to them." With his sword he indicated the corpses of the murdered men that littered the ground in front of the guns. "One more cheer for King Charley, and we'll go down fighting!"

The voices of his tiny band were small and hoarse with exhaustion as they dragged themselves over the parapet once more and sallied out to meet the charge of two hundred eager musketeers. Aboli was a dozen paces ahead, and hacked at the first green-jacket in his path. His victim went down under the blow but Aboli's blade snapped off at the hilt. He tossed it aside, stooped and picked up a pike from the dead hands of one of the fallen English seamen.

As Hal and Sir Francis ran up beside him, he hefted the long oak shaft and thrust at the belly of another musketeer who rushed at him with his sword held high. The pike head caught him just under the ribs and transfixed him, standing out half an arm's length between his shoulder blades. The man struggled like a fish on a gaff, and the heavy shaft snapped off in Aboli's hands. He used the stub like a cudgel to strike down the third musketeer who rushed at him. Aboli looked around, grinning like a crazed gargoyle, his great eyes rolling in their sockets.

Sir Francis was engaged with a white Dutch sergeant, trading cut for thrust, their blades clanking and rasping against each other.

Hal killed a corporal with a single neat thrust into his throat, then glanced at Aboli. "The men from the boats will be on us in an instant." They could hear wild cries in their rear as the enemy seamen swept over the gun pits dealing out short shrift to the few men hiding there. Hal and Aboli did not need to look back they both knew it was over.

"Farewell, old friend," Aboli panted. "They were good times. Would that they had lasted longer."

Hal had no chance to reply, for at that moment a hoarse voice said in English, "Hal Courtney, you bold puppy, your luck has just this moment ended." Cornelius Schreuder pushed aside two of his own men and strode forward to face Hal.

"You and me!" he shouted and came in fast, leading with his right foot, taking the quick double paces of the master swordsman, recovering instantly from each of the swift series of thrusts with which he drove Hal backwards.

Hal was shocked anew at the power in those thrusts, and it taxed all his skill and strength to meet and parry them. The Toledo steel of his blade rang shrilly under the mighty blows and he felt despair as he realized that he could not hope to hold out against such magisterial force.

Schreuder's eyes were blue, cold and merciless. He anticipated each of Hal's moves, offering him a wall of glittering steel when once he attempted the riposte, beating his blade aside then coming on again remorselessly.

Close by, Sir Francis was absorbed in his own duel and had not seen Hal's deadly predicament. Aboli had only the stump of the pike-shaft in his hand no weapon with which to take on a man like Cornelius Schreuder. He saw Hal, his immature strength already spent by his earlier exertions, wilting visibly before the overwhelming force of these attacks.

Aboli knew by Schreuder's expression when he judged his moment and gathered himself to make the kill. It was certain, inevitable, for Hal could never withstand the thunderbolt which was ready to loose itself upon him.

Aboli moved with the speed of a striking black cobra, faster even than Schreuder could send home his final thrust. He darted up behind Hal, and lifted the oak club. He struck Hal down with a crack over his ear, rapping him sharply across the temple.

Schreuder was amazed to have his victim drop to the ground, senseless, just as he was about to launch the death thrust. While he hesitated Aboli dropped the shattered pike-shaft and stood protectively over Hal's inert body.

"You cannot kill a fallen man, Colonel. Not on the honour of a Dutch officer. ""You black Satan!" Schreuder roared with frustration. "If I can't kill the puppy, at least I can kill you."

Aboli showed him his empty hands, holding up his pale palms before Schreuder's eyes. "I am unarmed," he said softly.

"I would spare an unarmed Christian." Schreuder glared. "But you are a godless animal." He drew back his blade and aimed the point at the centre of Aboli's chest, where the muscles glistened with sweat in the sunlight. Sir Francis Courtney stepped lightly in front of him, ignoring the colonel's blade.

"On the other hand, Colonel Schreuder, I am a Christian gentleman," he said smoothly, "and I yield myself and my men to your grace." He reversed his own sword and proffered the hilt to Schreuder.

Schreuder glared at him, speechless with fury and frustration. He made no move to accept Sir Francis's sword, but placed the point of his weapon on the other man's throat and pricked him lightly. "Stand aside, or by God I'll cut you down, Christian or heathen." The knuckles of his right hand turned white on the hilt of his weapon as he prepared himself to make good the threat.

Another hail made him hesitate. "Come now, Colonel, I am loath to interfere in a matter of honour. If you murder the brother of my bosom, Franky Courtney, then who will lead us to the treasure from your fine galleon the Standvastigheid?"

Schreuder's gaze flicked to the face of Cumbrae as he came striding up to them, the great blood-streaked claymore in his hand.

"The cargo?" Schreuder demanded. "We have captured this pirate's nest. We will find the treasure is here."

"Now don't you be so certain of that." The Buzzard waggled his bushy red beard sadly. "If I know my dear brother in Christ, Franky, he'll have squirrel led the best part of it away somewhere." His eye glinted greedily from under his bonnet. "No, Colonel, you are going to have to keep him alive, at least until we have been able to recompense ourselves with a handful of silver rix-dollars for doing God's work this day."

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