Chapter 1: Leaving Home.
Chapter 2: The Young Writer.
Chapter 3: A Brush With Privateers.
Chapter 4: The Pirates Of The Pacific.
Chapter 5: Madras.
Chapter 6: The Arrival Of Clive.
Chapter 7: The Siege Of Arcot.
Chapter 8: The Grand Assault.
Chapter 9: The Battle Of Kavaripak.
Chapter 10: The Fall Of Seringam.
Chapter 11: An Important Mission.
Chapter 12: A Murderous Attempt.
Chapter 13: An Attempt At Murder.
Chapter 14: The Siege Of Ambur.
Chapter 15: The Pirates' Hold.
Chapter 16: A Tiger Hunt.
Chapter 17: The Capture Of Gheriah.
Chapter 18: The "Black Hole" Of Calcutta.
Chapter 19: A Daring Escape.
Chapter 20: The Rescue Of The White Captive.
Chapter 21: The Battle Outside Calcutta.
Chapter 22: Plassey.
Chapter 23: Plassey.
Chapter 24: Mounted Infantry.
Chapter 25: Besieged In A Pagoda.
Chapter 26: The Siege Of Madras.
Chapter 27: Masulipatam.
Chapter 28: The Defeat Of Lally.
Chapter 29: The Siege Of Pondicherry.
Chapter 30: Home.
Chapter 1: Leaving Home.
A lady in deep mourning was sitting, crying bitterly, by a fire in
small lodgings in the town of Yarmouth. Beside her stood a tall lad of
sixteen. He was slight in build, but his schoolfellows knew that
Charlie Marryat's muscles were as firm and hard as those of any boy in
the school. In all sports requiring activity and endurance, rather
than weight and strength, he was always conspicuous. Not one in the
school could compete with him in long-distance running, and when he
was one of the hares there was but little chance for the hounds. He
was a capital swimmer, and one of the best boxers in the school. He
had a reputation for being a leader in every mischievous prank; but he
was honorable and manly, would scorn to shelter himself under the
semblance of a lie, and was a prime favourite with his masters, as
well as his schoolfellows. His mother bewailed the frequency with
which he returned home with blackened eyes and bruised face; for
between Dr. Willet's school and the fisher lads of Yarmouth there was
a standing feud, whose origin dated so far back that none of those now
at school could trace it. Consequently, fierce fights often took place
in the narrow rows, and sometimes the fisher boys would be driven back
on to the broad quay shaded by trees, by the river, and there being
reinforced from the craft along the side, would reassume the offensive
and drive their opponents back into the main street.
