G A Henty

With Clive in India; Or, the Beginnings of an Empire G A Henty

Excerpt: ...the rampart, they saw in the distance a small squadron approaching. They could make out that it consisted of a ship of forty-four guns, one of sixteen, and two bomb vessels, together with a fleet of native craft. The pirate fleet were all getting up sail. "It's a bold thing, Tim, to attack this fortress with only two ships, when the pirates have lately beaten a Dutch squadron mounting double the number of guns." "Ah, yer honor, but then there is the Union Jack floating at the masthead. Do you think the creeturs don't know the differ?" "But the Dutchmen are good sailors, and fought well, Tim. I think the difference is that in the last case they attacked the Dutch, while in the present we are attacking them. It makes all the difference in the world, with Indians. Let them attack you, and they'll fight bravely enough. Go right at them, and they're done for. "Look, the pirate fleet are already sailing away." "And do you think the English will take the fort, yer honor?" "I don't know, Tim. The place is tremendously strong, and built on a rock. There are guns which bear right down on the ships, if they venture in close, while theirs will do but little damage to these solidly built walls. Suwarndrug ought to resist a fleet ten times as strong as that before us." "Shure then, yer honor, and will we have to remain here all our lives, do ye think?" "No, Tim, I hope not. Besides, I think that we ought to be able to render some assistance to them." "And how will we do it, yer honor? You have but to spake the word, and Tim Kelly is ready to go through fire and water; and so is Hossein. Ye may be shure of that." Seeing that the pirates were now mustering round their guns, and that the ships were ranging up for action, Charlie thought it prudent to retire. Hitherto no attention had been paid to them, but 'twas probable enough that, when the pirates' blood became heated by the fight, they would vent their fury upon their captives. He therefore advised not only the...