By Sheer Pluck: A Tale of the Ashanti WarHenty, G. A. (George Alfred)
General
By Sheer Pluck: A Tale of the Ashanti War
Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)
Ashanti war, 1873-1874 -- Juvenile fiction
“He was jus' in time, for he saw at de corner, where de street go down
on to the wharves, de young captain separate from de men who had gone
out wid him and walk away by hisself. Sam kicked off his shoes and ran
as fast as he could to de end ob de street. De wharf was bery badly
lighted, jus' a lamp here and dere. Sam ran along till he got widin
about thirty yards ob de sailor, and den stole quiet along in de shadow
ob de houses. Sudden he see five men run out. Den Sam he leap forward
like tiger and gibs a shout to warn de captain. He turn round jus' in
time. Sam saw an arm lifted and de captain fall, and den at de same
moment almost him poker come down wid a crunch upon de top ob one of
deir head. Den they turn on Sam, but, law bless you, sar! what was de
good ob dat? Bery strong negro wid heavy poker in one hand and long
knife in de oder more dan match for four men. He knock dem ober like
nine pin. Tree of dem, he tink he kill straight, the poker fall on de
top ob deir heads, de oder man give a dig in Sam's left shoulder wid his
knife, and de sudden pain shake Sam's aim a little and de blow fall
on him neck. He gib a shout and tumble down. None ob do oder four
had shouted or made any remark when Sam hit dem. Den Sam caught up de
captain and ran along de wharf. Presently he heard a hail. 'All right,'
Sam said.
“'Am dat you, captain?' some one say.
“'Me got a captain here,' Sam say; 'you come and see wheder he yours.'
“De men came up and look in de captain's face.
“'Hullo,' dey say; 'de captain am dead.'
“'Me no tink him dead,' I say. 'He had a fight, and Sam come to him aid
and beat de rascals off. You had better take him straight on board de
ship.'
“Dey put him in boat and Sam go wid him to ship. Dey examine de wound
and find it not bery serious. De captain was turning round when dey
struck, and de blow had glanced off, but it had made a ugly gash; and
what wid de surprise, and de loss ob blood, and knocking him head on
de wharf, and de liquor, de captain had lost his consciousness. He soon
come round, and Sam tell all about it. De captain shake Sam's hand bery
much and call him his preserver, and ask what he do for him.
“'You take me out ob dis country,' me said, 'and Sam be grateful.'
“'Sartain, I will,' he said; 'and now what am de best ting to do?'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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