Chapter 6 FIGHTING IN THE BOATS-DAN DALY ARRIVES.

These words produced a panic.

It was a wonder that the boats were not overturned. The men stopped rowing, and so the craft containing the ammunition drifted up against them, and they were all in a mass together.

The actions of many of the men were most violent and threatening. They uttered fierce cries, and assailed Young Glory with menaces.

"To your work," he cried, bravely, thinking yet that he might overawe them.

But they took no notice.

"I am your captain," said Young Glory. "Obey my orders!"

"You are a traitor!"

"Seize him! Kill him!"

These were the cries that were now heard. But a clear voice came from the shore. It was that of the man who had denounced Young Glory.

"Do not kill him," he said. "Traitors must be treated differently. Make a prisoner of him."

"Who are you who give your orders?" asked one of the men. "You seem to own us!"

"Own or not," was the stern answer, "it will be bad for those who refuse to obey me. I am Jose Castro!"

There was a buzz of astonishment.

Everyone had heard of the famous Spanish spy, whose services to Spain in the war had been immense.

"Jose Castro!" muttered Young Glory. "And I thought I had seen his hated face for the last time when he sank in the river at Seville. Such men never die. I am lost," he added, "but I will die fighting!"

Three men came towards him. They were bent on carrying out the spy's orders, and were about to seize him.

"Stand back!" he cried, defiantly.

"Yield!"

"Never!"

"We are fifty to one. To fight is useless," said the Spanish soldier. "You will be killed."

"Then I will die fighting. Back! I say," he added, as the men pressed forward. "I will never be taken alive!"

"We shall see!"

The three men rushed at Young Glory.

Instantly he drew his sword. Around his head it flashed.

Then down it came on the nearest man's head. He dropped. A moment later one of his companions was lying in his blood. The third man hesitated.

"This shall cost you dearly," said Young Glory, defiantly, as he faced the crowd.

"Shoot him!"

"No, no! There must be no firing," said one of the sergeants. "A noise will bring the guns of the American cruiser on us. Once more, will you surrender?"

"No!"

"Rush at him, men. Cut him to pieces if he resists."

Such an order is easier given than obeyed. Men cannot move about a boat with perfect freedom, and Young Glory standing in the stern was a desperate foe.

The fight was renewed.

It was a repetition of what had previously taken place.

Two men fell before Young Glory's terrible sword, and the boy himself was not hurt.

But now a diversion took place.

Young Glory heard the sound of oars behind him, and he saw on turning his head, that one of the Spanish boats was hastily coming up. Attacked on both sides the end was certain.

It was necessary to do something at once. To jump into the water was no good. The boats would row after him and capture him in a few minutes. In the sea he would be quite powerless to defend himself.

"Now will you surrender?" cried the sergeant.

"No!"

"The boat will be on you in a minute. You will be between two fires."

"I care not."

"He's a brave fellow!" cried the sergeant, tauntingly. "Look at him, lads."

"We can't see his face."

"He'll keep this bluff up to the last, lads. Then he'll whine for mercy."

"But let's see him."

"Good!"

The sergeant seized a torch, and instantly set fire to it.

There was a glare of light.

"Look at the hero!" he cried.

"Are you mad?" shouted Jose Castro, from the rock. "Do you want everyone to know where you are? Out with that flame if you value your lives!"

"Not yet!" cried Young Glory, springing forward like lightning. He seized the burning torch, and with a quick movement tore it from the sergeant's hand.

Then he jumped back to his post on the stern seat of the boat, and instantly he began to wave the torch above his head.

Jose Castro was furious.

"Kill him, kill him!" he shouted.

"He has a few minutes to live, that's all!"

Still Young Glory waved the torch, hoping it might be seen by those on the cruiser Brooklyn. Even then it was doubtful if they could do anything.

The boat that had been coming up at the stern missed its mark, and ran in between the two ammunition boats.

Then Young Glory saw that he was saved for a few minutes at all events. The torch still waved, and Jose Castro stormed and raved at the men in the boats.

"Listen," said Young Glory.

"Well?"

"I have a word to say."

"Don't let the traitor speak!"

"Be silent!" exclaimed the sergeant. "Well, what is it?"

"I will make terms with you."

"You make terms?"

"Yes. I have the best of the situation now."

The Spaniards roared with laughter at this view of the situation.

Young Glory was really only seeking to gain time.

"Put me on shore, and I will give up the torch."

"The torch!"

"Yes, don't you see that if I continue to wave it, the American cruisers will fire and send you all to the bottom of the sea?"

"You, too."

"Oh, that doesn't matter! If I can take fifty Spaniards there with me, I shall be satisfied."

Jose Castro had heard enough of this talk to know what it meant.

"Why parley with the dog?" he shouted. "If you are men, you will kill him!"

Now was the critical point. The end seemed at hand.

The second boat rushed at Young Glory.

Quick as a flash he sprang from the stern of the boat where he had been standing, into the nearest of the two boats that contained the ammunition.

The boat that was coming up, rushed in, locking itself between the other two boats.

"You will kill me, you say!" hissed Young Glory through his clenched teeth. "Try it on! If you move one step, or one of you raises a finger I will set fire to the powder, and blow you all up!"

A fearful cry arose from the men.

Many of them were so appalled that they sprang into the water and began to swim to shore.

The other men, afraid to move, stood motionless as statues.

"Dan! Dan!" shouted Young Glory now. "I believe he's near. I heard a noise."

The men looked suspiciously at him.

Jose Castro was very ready with his advice.

"Cut your boats adrift!" he cried.

"No," returned Young Glory. "No man must move or lift a finger, or I fire the powder."

Young Glory clearly commanded the situation, but how long would it last? One of the men who had swam ashore might have a rifle, and if so, no doubt he would fire at Young Glory.

But the sergeant was not satisfied even with this. For he saw that if Young Glory fell dead in the ammunition boat the torch would fall too, and then what would happen? It was too dreadful to think about.

Bang!

It was Jose Castro who was firing. But as he was only possessed of a six-shooter and the distance was great, Young Glory did not stand in fear of any of the bullets the spy might send.

However, he told him to desist, as it was quite possible he might do some injury. Jose sternly declined, and when Young Glory threatened to blow up the boats, he told him to do so.

"Well, let him fire," muttered Young Glory. "He does good, really, for he's making a noise, and that's what I want. Dan! Dan!"

Here Young Glory began to shout again.

"Faith, it's here I am!" said a well known voice, and immediately the bow of a boat shot around the nearest point of land.

"Alone!" cried Young Glory, in dismay. He had expected to see Dan come with not less than three of the cruiser's boats.

It was a terrible disappointment.

"Shure, an' it was your cries that brought me."

"And you didn't see the light?"

"No."

"Where are the others?"

"The skipper didn't send them."

"Why not?"

"Begorra, it's not near the cruiser I've been at all, at all."

"That accounts for it," muttered Young Glory. "Well, I'm in a pretty mess now, and I've dragged Dan into it, which is worse."

"It's a great illumination ye have there, Young Glory."

"Yes."

"An' mebbe it's friends of yours these gentlemen are?"

"Very good friends. See! there's not one of them will do anything to hurt me."

"An' why?"

"Because, Dan, I'm standing with powder and shot all around me, and if I happened to drop this torch-I threatened to do it-the consequence would be very serious."

"Is it here ye're afther stayin' the night?"

"I can't go, Dan, an' I won't let these friends of mine leave me."

"It's mighty awkward."

"Yes, we'll go!" shouted Young Glory. "A good idea's just come into my head."

"It's the great head, is yours!"

"Now, Dan, have you a six-shooter?"

"Yes."

"Then take it."

"What for?"

"Go round the boats to each of the Spaniards you see sitting here."

"An' thin?"

"You'll make him hand over his arms, sword and gun, mind, and six-shooter. Even a stilletto, if he has such a thing."

"Faith, I won't be afther lavin' the spalpeens wid a pen-knife."

"Very well. Do your work, and do it quickly. Every moment counts now."

Dan went to work with a vengeance. Not a man offered resistance. What, between Young Glory's torch and Dan's six-shooter the men were fairly cowed, and one after another they handed over their weapons. Dan Daly threw them carelessly at the bottom of his boat.

"It's no arms they have, but fists now, Young Glory, an' shure they don't count, for a Spaniard wants a knife in his hand, anyway."

"Very good. Now take your oars," said Young Glory, sternly. "The boats' heads are pointed to sea. Pull right out with all your strength. If any man refuses, I'll shoot him dead!"

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