Captain Boldheart & the Latin-Grammar Master (in Children's Short Works, Vol. 016 )

MP3 Audio CD. Captain Boldheart & the Latin-Grammar Master (in Children's Short Works, Vol. 016 )

The subject of our present narrative would appear to have devoted
himself to the Pirate profession at a comparatively early age. We find
him in command of a splendid schooner of one hundred guns, loaded to the
muzzle, 'ere yet he had had a party in honour of his tenth birthday.

It seems that our hero, considering himself spited by a
Latin-Grammar-Master, demanded the satisfaction due from one man of
honour to another. Not getting it, he privately withdrew his haughty
spirit from such low company, bought a second-hand pocket-pistol, folded
up some sandwiches in a paper bag, made a bottle of Spanish
liquorice-water, and entered on a career of valour.

It were tedious to follow Boldheart (for such was his name) through the
commencing stages of his history. Suffice it that we find him bearing
the rank of Captain Boldheart, reclining in full uniform on a crimson
hearth-rug spread out upon the quarter-deck of his schooner the Beauty,
in the China Seas. It was a lovely evening, and as his crew lay grouped
about him, he favoured them with the following melody:

O landsmen are folly!
O Pirates are jolly!
O Diddleum Dolly,
Di!
(Chorus) Heave yo.

The soothing effect of these animated sounds floating over the waters,
as the common sailors united their rough voices to take up the rich
tones of Boldheart, may be more easily conceived than described.

It was under these circumstances that the lookout at the masthead gave
the word, "Whales!"

All was now activity.

"Where away?" cried Captain Boldheart, starting up.

"On the larboard bow, sir," replied the fellow at the masthead, touching
his hat. For such was the height of disc